ASPEN MOUNTAIN PRESS SUSPENDS OPERATIONSAll Rights Revert to Authors

If you've been following the AMP debacle, you know this was coming.  I've kept pretty quiet about the whole thing because I'm adamant about not burning bridges in this business, but today I need to shout out the news.  This is the letter I sent to Aspen Mountain Press, reclaiming my rights to The Cowboy and the Cougar and Calendar Boy:

Dear Ms. Hicks:

On October 16, 2011, Aspen Mountain Press suspended operations "due to the current health of the owner." Today, December 17, 2011, the website is still down and operations remain suspended.

Section XIX of the contract I signed for The Cowboy and the Cougar and Calendar Boy states in part:

If Publisher suspends operations for more than sixty (60) continuous days, other than for technical difficulties such as a loss of Web Server, all rights hereunder shall immediately revert to the Author.

Because Aspen Mountain Press has suspended operations for more than sixty continuous days, all rights to The Cowboy and the Cougar and Calendar Boy granted to Aspen Mountain Press have now reverted to me as per the contract. This letter serves as notice to you that I now control the rights to those two stories and I am free to take them elsewhere.

I wish you the best in your professional and personal life.

Helen Hardt 

To all AMP authors -- congratulations!  I hope to see all your work elsewhere soon.

Cookin' with Lizzie!

Please come visit me at Lizzie T. Leaf's blog. I'm sharing my recipe for Holiday Wassail and giving away a copy of Ivy League Cowboy and 20 pages of deep editing!

GOT COWBOY?

I got some cowboy again! Visit me at the Musa Publishing blog!

RELEASE DAYA Cowboy and a Gentleman

Dallas is a cowboy and a gentleman who never makes the same mistake twice...even if it costs him true love.

Newly divorced Dallas McCray wants a sweet country girl like his sister-in-law, so why is he lusting after the new veterinarian in town, striking New Jersey transplant Annie DeSimone? Also divorced, Annie yearns to leave her difficult past behind and start a new life in beautiful Colorado. Sparks fly between her and handsome cowboy Dallas, but attraction and emotion aren’t always enough…especially when a cowboy has vowed never to make the same mistake twice.

Available at Musa Publishing!

GOT COWBOY?

I do! Come visit me at Musa Publishing's blog, where Ivy League Cowboy is being showcased.

HUMP-DAY HUNK -- Andrei Claude

RELEASE DAY!Ivy League Cowboy by Helen Hardt

This one's a book of my heart, folks, and I hope you you'll check it out. Find it here.

Dusty doesn't fear the the feisty bull...but his owner's another story.

Dusty O’Donovan, an accomplished bull rider, isn’t afraid to ride El Diablo, a feisty stud whose owner, Zach McCray, is offering $500,000 to anyone who can stay on him for a full eight seconds. Though Zach refuses to let a woman ride his bull, he's intrigued by the headstrong Dusty, who he last saw when he was thirteen and she was six. Sparks fly when they’re together, but will Dusty’s secrets tear them apart?

HUMP-DAY HUNK

HUMP-DAY HUNK -- Antonio Rojas

Antonio was born in Caracas, Venezuela and is a model and TV host. He comes from a family of 12 brothers where he is the youngest of the boys. Do you think they all look like that?

IVY LEAGUE COWBOY HAS A COVER

...Designed by the lovely Kelly Shorten at Musa Publishing, no less. I love it!

For those of you who don't know, Ivy League Cowboy has been around since National Novel Writing Month 2007. It was the result of my foray into NaNo and is very special to me. The hero and heroine, Zach and Dusty, are named after the first two dogs I had with my husband. The real Zach and Dusty have been gone for a while now, but their namesakes will live on in Ivy League Cowboy, coming November 4.

Speaking of NaNo, we're headed towards November. I completed NaNo in 07, 08, and 09, but opted out last year. This year I'm going to kick some NaNo ass! If you'd like to be my NaNo buddy, you can find me under Helen Hardt.

Happy weekend everyone!

HUMP-DAY HUNK -- Hernan Drago

Can you believe those eyes? Hernan Drago, born in 1975, is one of the most famous models in Argentina. His first ad campaign was Hugo Boss. He says he doesn't drink alcohol, doesn't smoke and likes to stay home with his wife and kid, but he confessed that his main vice is eating Ben and Jerry's ice cream. What a perfect guy!

GRAND OPENING OF MUSA PUBLISHING

One of the best editors I've worked with, Celina Summers, has teamed with a group of equally talented women to launch Musa Publishing. They officially open tomorrow, October 1.

I've been looking for the right home for my contemporary western romance trilogy for some time. When I heard Celina was heading up the editorial department at Musa, I knew my cowboys had found their stomping ground. The first in the series, Ivy League Cowboy, will release November 4 in Musa's Calliope (Romance) line. A Cowboy and a Gentleman and Rodeo Queen will follow in December and January, respectively.

Best of luck Celina, Kerry, Kelly, Dominique, and all other staff and authors at Musa!

WELCOME TO MY NEW BLOGCalendar Boy is a NOR Top Pick!

Many thanks to Josie at Night Owl Reviews!

Calendar Boy was more emotionally deep than I had expected. Stacy is realistic in her behavior and emotional responses, and Michael is a decent guy despite his bad intentions. The sex scenes were perfect. Overall Calendar Boy is an engaging, sexy cougar story.

Read the entire review here.

To those of you who were faithful followers of Helen's Heroes, this is my new home. Don't worry -- the hump-day hunks will continue!