Market: Hot Tree

Hot Tree Publishing is seeking romance in all sub-genres.

Author of BDSM Non-Fiction Charged with Crossing a Legal Line

Michael Makai, author of BDSM non-fiction guides, has pleaded guilty to sending obscene material to a girl prior to initiating a relationship with her. The relationship, with a 17-year-old, was not itself illegal.  This creates what seems to be an unusual situation where it seems that the written word was criminal despite the end goal itself being legal.

That said, one wonders if it is wise to take BDSM advice from an author that the NY Dailly News reports is a registered sex offender due to a sexual assault conviction in 2001.

Update Aug 4 2016:  Erotic book author sentenced in OKC federal court case

RWA Apologizes for 2005 Romance Definition Survey

"The survey ... asked RWA members to vote on whether romance should be redefined as being between one man and one woman. .. The survey, however, sparked a discussion that compelled our LGBT+ members to justify their existence to others and to participate in debates about their humanity and their capacity to love. This incident was a low point from which RWA’s reputation has never recovered ...We apologize for letting our members down and for failing to treat all our members with the respect they deserve."

See the full text here.