So...here's what the PR on TellHarlequin.com says:
- By joining Tell Harlequin, you will:
- ~receive Harlequin books--they are free and yours to keep with no obligation to purchase anything!
- ~have the opportunity to participate in fun online surveys
- ~exchange opinions and ideas with women just like you
- ~have a say in our new book ideas
- ~help us publish the best in women's fiction.
I just filled out the questionaire, but before I blog about this on my website, I'd like to hear more about it. Who's joined it and what can I expect?
Thanks for any help.
Deb
BABY BY CONTRACT - May- Top Pick!
www.debrasalonen.com
RE: SCOOP ON TELLHARLEQUIN.COM
Who knows? Apparently it is of no matter that one-third of its customer base is men, since, according to their survey (which their system would not allow me to complete) ONLY women can be a part of it. Are we still in those days? Would a Men's Only Book Club get away with this? (I think not!)
I'm very offended, and understand better daily why the public in general feels about Harlequin the way it does.
The power of the tongue is just that -- powerful. If too many people get p/o'd at Harlequin, the media is going to pick up on it. At times, Harlequin needs to watch it's "p's" and "q's" and get with the times.
"I went to a FIGHT the other night...and a HOCKEY GAME broke out!! "
HockeyDET@comcast.net
Tell Harlequin
I answered their questions and somehow became a Tell Harlequin Ambassador.(Guess because I'm female, Marty) I'm still not sure what this entails So far I commented on their one discussion.
“I would like to see main characters more like real people…”
They mean overweight. with disabilities etc etc.. Not perfect fantasy characters.
Tammy
tellharlequin.com
Hi everyone,
I just posted a blog about the new program, but I'll repeat myself here.
This TellHarlequin.com initiative comes out of our Research Department and will
compliment the social networking and reader conversations we've been
hosting in our Community here for many years now. This new site will serve as a form of online focus group and gives our Research Team a new online venue for talking to our avid readers and asking them in depth questions about our books and publishing programs.
Marty, I've forwarded your remarks to the team and I hope to have some comments for you shortly.
Jayne
Community Manager
"We cannot really love anyone with whom we never laugh." ~ Agnes Repplier
I'm glad (Jayne) you are
I'm glad (Jayne) you are forwarding Marty's comments as it would seem to me that it is important to get a male perspective. Given that there are not nearly as many men that read Harlequins, why not get their take on what works for them and what doesn't?
Nancy
Don't worry Marty - you're not the only one left out
it's only for people in North America
Hugs
Sadhbh
Dream Team 2008 Challenge blogs
No more excuses, just READ!
The glass ceiling has been shattered!
I just recieved word in an inter office bulletin
Jayne
Community Manager
"We cannot really love anyone with whom we never laugh." ~ Agnes Repplier
Fast action!
Wow, Jayne, that is amazing. How cool!
Marty, my husband reads all my Superromances and several others. It's sort of bragging rights for him. My favorite comment when someone--another guy, of course--gives him static about his reading material is: "Have you ever READ one? Then you don't know what you're talking about, right?" Love it.
I talked about this program with my editor who confirmed what you said, Jayne. She
said that traditional focus groups take a lot of time to produce the
kinds of answers we have built in and available right here, right now.
I think that's brilliant.
I joined and was fascinated by the response. As for the first question, I kinda chuckled because my casual summation was the answers were split down the middle: half wanted more real people (read not a size 2) with common jobs and ordinary life experiences and half wanted billionaires, sheiks and pure escapism. My take: good thing Harlequin offers so many lines.
Thanks for your comments, everyone,
Deb
BABY BY CONTRACT - May- Top Pick!
www.debrasalonen.com
Sorry, Sadhbh
I missed your comment, Sadhbh. I'm sorry you're not able to join the group. Perhaps they'll expand in the future. Since there will be physical mailings, I think, maybe they're concerned about postage costs. As lame as that sounds, I cringe every time I have to send books out to reviewers and contest winners. It's part of the price of doing business, I know, but it just keeps going up.
Deb
BABY BY CONTRACT - May- Top Pick!
www.debrasalonen.com
RE: WHO'DATHUNKIT?
Thirty or so years ago, forseeing the day when discussing the "Glass Ceiling" we'd be discussing letting Blokes in! For me, it is wonderful news that I and me Mates can get into TellHarlequin.com! I am a dyed-in-the-wool Harlequin (and Imprints) reader. Lucky for me, Deb, in these parts when that is mentioned, it's just taken as another piece of information about me. Sometimes there's a little flak, but not much -- as I've seen some men reading Harlequin's all my life!
Hmmmm ... with their international flair and flavor (which is one of the reasons why we get into Harlequins), it's surprising it's only North American.
Thank you, Jayne, for all your hard work!
.
"I went to a FIGHT the other night...and a HOCKEY GAME broke out!! "
HockeyDET@comcast.net
I signed up yesterday but I
I signed up yesterday but I am still waiting for the email confirmation.
Tiffany
BJBC
My Shelfari Page
I pretended to be from north America to do the questionnaire
I also pretended to be a male - it's very amusing the difference that makes
Dream Team 2008 Challenge blogs
No more excuses, just READ!
Sadhbh You are so BAD
I love it
When I get a little money I buy books, and then if any is left I buy food and clothes..-- Erasmus
I've already joined
I've already joined TellHarlequin, but I received another invitation to take the survey and join. Methinks they are having some organizational glitches.
Nancy
i am
still waiting for my invation got email confirmation but i have to wait for the next surve before i git confirmation. it real kind of a bumer to have to wait it been at least 2 full days.
My best friend is a person who will give me a book that i have not read yet.
Abraham Lincoln
I've enjoyed . . .
tellharlequin.com. I was invited to a survey about a week after joining. It was quick and simple. I can't wait for my 2 free books to arrive. I do like surprises so I can't wait to see which titles they send.
Curator for Harlequin Historicals My Space , Facebook,
many voices
And I do mean many. I had to give up reading all the replies long before they reached 400+. And there are oodles of spin-off threads, if I'm following it. 5 pages of them.
And check out the "views" numbers. Lurkers of the world, unite.
The first person to get their free books, let me know, okay? I'm really curious about that.
Deb
BABY BY CONTRACT - May- Top Pick!
www.debrasalonen.com
I didn't get offered free books
on the "real" or more realistic character forum but I had a second Survey which dealt with what kind of keepsakes people might like from Bradford Exchange in conjunction with Harlequin's 60 year celebration. This was strickly a survey and I think that opinions would be easier to tabulate than with the forum method where so many of the messages said the same thing. All I know is they better not mess my lines up too much as I go to books from different lines for certain types of reads. I want the variety.
When I get a little money I buy books, and then if any is left I buy food and clothes..-- Erasmus
I wonder
if everyone will get sent the same free books or if they will gear it towards the lines we specified that we read. It will be interesting to find out.
Curator for Harlequin Historicals My Space , Facebook,
i got in
finely today i got my first survey do not rember anything about free books i will take them if there free well see.
My best friend is a person who will give me a book that i have not read yet.
Abraham Lincoln
the power of surveys
I once took a class in college that was sub-titled "How to lie with statistics". I'm always a little skeptical of surverys because they only offer certain answers and you might pick the one "closest" to how you feel, but none of the answers really convey how you feel. I answered a survey, too. Can't remember what it was about, though. My favorite thing to do on vacation? I picked read a book, but only because they didn't offer: eat.
Kim, let me know when/if you get a book/s.
CRazyfor24, did you answer the question about characters in our books? I'm wondering how often they'll post another question. Once a week? Once a month? Do you think they have software that can digest this?
Inquiring minds... need to get back to book writing.
Deb
PS: I'm drawing for a copy of my new release on my blog, if anyone is interested. More free books! yeah!
BABY BY CONTRACT - May- Top Pick!
www.debrasalonen.com
yeah
if that one about charcters being more real. have they asked that one before? this is my first one so we will see
My best friend is a person who will give me a book that i have not read yet.
Abraham Lincoln
I got mine
The two books came today. Both of them sound good. Of course I don't have them next to me to tell you which title they are.
Curator for Harlequin Historicals My Space , Facebook,
I got my two books yesterday
When I get a little money I buy books, and then if any is left I buy food and clothes..-- Erasmus
Hmmm
They send different books to different people because those are definitely not the same ones I recieved. :)
Curator for Harlequin Historicals My Space , Facebook,
i hope
i have not gotten any free books yet and i have ? one quester and id the surevey for yrs ann of haqlien. guess the books depeneds on what you read, i think there are differnet level too
My best friend is a person who will give me a book that i have not read yet.
Abraham Lincoln
No book or gift for me either ...
I remembered that after I did the multiple choice survey (the one requested via email) there was a message regarding a gift/token for my time spent. It's been more than a month, still haven't received anything yet. Puzzle??
Orchid
Still no books for me either
Glad I am not alone. I have done everything they sent me. One survey - two discussions. And any online polls/
Tammy
books
It took slightly longer than a month before I got my books They most likely send them out on a cycle so I wouldn't worry if it takes a bit longer. If you happened to take the survey the day after their scheduled ship date, you would have to wait the entire cycle period. IMO
Curator for Harlequin Historicals My Space , Facebook,
i keep
going to the post hoping for something and have yt to git something so i glad i not alone either. guess there is alwas torromow
My best friend is a person who will give me a book that i have not read yet.
Abraham Lincoln
no books for me, either
I posted several comments, but I figured maybe I don't count since I'm an author. Sorry the rest of you haven't gotten books. Wonder what that's about? Have there been any more questions? I'm not even sure how to find the survey pages again.
Deb
BABY BY CONTRACT - May- Top Pick!
www.debrasalonen.com
Melissa is on her way...
Hi ladies, I'm working on getting our Research team to make regular visits to this thread to respond to your questions.
Jayne
Community Manager
"We cannot really love anyone with whom we never laugh." ~ Agnes Repplier
Thanks, Jayne..and a big PLEASE
I'll spread the news. We do have some questions. Like...how's it going?
Are we learning anything?
When will we know if Ask Harlequin was a success?
Who is rewarded with books and when?
Also, Jayne, here's one question I've asked before at conference: has any progress been made with the issue of eHarlequin Gift Cards?
I'm in the process of re-designing my website and I want to overhaul my contest page. I hate dealing with monthly drawings and started pulling names from my blog, but long-story-short my blog notification system has kept people out of the loop (which isn't fair), so now I want to do a Non-Contest Contest. A new winner will be drawn each month from the names on my mailing list, and a set prize will include a gift certificate, but why would I buy these from Barnes and Noble or Amazon or Borders when I want to support H/S authors?
Please tell me this is possible. Please, please....
Deb
BABY BY CONTRACT - May- Top Pick!
www.debrasalonen.com
i have
not gotten in free gifts yet either, and not have gotten anymore ? either
My best friend is a person who will give me a book that i have not read yet.
Abraham Lincoln