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"Starting rumours have consequenses. All I said is to be an adult about it. All I did was point out that this thread is nothing more than gossip and hope for revenge..."

Remember my April 10th post, where I was sent an e-mail alleging that Kristi Studts, disgraced ex-owner of Triskelion Press may have opened up a new publishing company under the name of Mystic Moon Press?

Well, I had the CEO of Mystic Press over on the blog last night to set the record straight. The problem? She also sent across a number of her henchmen authors to tell me off for spreading scurrilous rumours. (Yes, I know we’ve been here before, but bear with me.)

Anyway, Ceo Jennifer Mitchell wrote:

Hello My name is Jennifer Mitchell, I am the CEO and owner of Mystic Moon Press.

All I can say is that Kristi has nothing to do with our company other then she is a cover artist. It saddens me to know that by hiring a cover artist who claims to be male and involved with a woman I have garnered bad press because of it.

Those that doubt please feel free to check out my personal writing webpage www.jenniferraemitchell.com

or by all means go to Writing.com which is where I got my start www.writing.com/author/gen13

both places have pictures of myself and my family and my book covers.

I originally started this company with a good friend of mine, who has passed away, her name was Keeley McGreggor, to help me run the company now is an author by the name of Kristina Chartrand.

I am offended that I have not had one query to the matter of the real identity of Magickal Media is to myself or Kristina, there is no fact to base this on other then that Kristi “Magickal Media” is a cover artist for me and my company. At this point without knowing the truth I will stand behind my employee, but if I do find out that I have been decieved then I will take the appropriate actions.

It saddens me that things in the E-publishing business have gotten a bad name. Mystic Moon Press, was a dream of my dear friend and one that I want to continue to share. We are small, new and family like. We endevour to treat our authors fairly and I will go to bat for any of them.

Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Mitchell
CEO of Mystic Moon Press, LLC
jen@mysticmoonpress.com

You’ll note Dear Readers, her use of the phrase “We are small, new, and family like”. This is a familiar refrain is it not?

Anyway, fair enough she wanted to set the record straight, but then Ana Star, one of the authors at MMP also posted:

Hi everyone,

My name is ana star and I’ve been a published author for almost a year with mystic moon press. I never had any problems what so ever with this company. Alot of the authors at mmp came from writing.com and some others came from other companies.

As I was reading the comments, there is absolutely no proof as to what you are accusing. Also I am not sure why this post is even here in the first place…sounds like rumours of people who have nothing else better to do than start bs.

Who ever this kristy is, she isnt in your life anymore so be a grown up and move on…

As for the covers, all covers of every company look alike. If you go to fictionwise, you have the largest example of similar covers. Everyone uses the same images and same programs to make them…

I have no doubt that Jennifer Mitchell put out a call to arms for her authors to come over and give the blogger what-for, for spreading malicious gossip, but as per usual, they’ve gone off the deep end without actually, A, doing any research of their own, and B, without taking the time to find out the kind of blog this is. Happy days for Karen.

Now, let me address that fucktard Ana Star.

Ana, you are indeed a fucktard. You know why? Because after all that’s happened with e-publisher after e-publisher imploding and screwing over their authors royally, you dare come on here and say “Who ever this kristy is, she isnt in your life anymore so be a grown up and move on…”

That statement, my dear friend, ensures that you wear the crown of Fucktard of The Week. You must be so proud.

This statement:

As I was reading the comments, there is absolutely no proof as to what you are accusing. Also I am not sure why this post is even here in the first place…sounds like rumours of people who have nothing else better to do than start bs.

Merely cements your fucktardly status.

I wouldn’t be so incredulous had she not admitted in a later post to having already been shafted and “taken advantage by a company who turned out to be fraudulent.”

Loyalty is an admirable trait. Blind loyalty such as the one that she displays, will no doubt ensure that she will be fucked over more than once, by her present/future e-publishers.

Anyway, somebody called Jim Richards, (another one of Dear Jen’s authors) also had his tuppence worth, but he stated his piece and nothing in his comment annoyed me. Although, if they ever go tits-up, you know I’ll be reposting his comments right?

Anyway, the original post was a ‘Rumour Has It’ post, with a request for more information. I suspect though that the authors didn’t bother reading it, and just launched straight into their staunch defence of Mystic Moon Press.

Will these people ever learn?

I was reading the I Love Harlequin Presents blog earlier today, when I came across this post on the quintessential Greek alpha heroes, and why readers love them.

Annie West, HQ Presents author, writes:

One of the things I’ve always loved about Harlequin Presents stories is that I can travel to exciting and glamorous locations all around the world, without leaving the comfort of my own home. In each country there are so many wonderful heroes, each one different, each one fascinating. I love them all: British and Brazilian, American and Italian, Spanish and Australian.

And of course, Greek. As a reader I automatically reach for titles that promise a passionate Greek hero. Recently I’ve found myself writing some of those stories too, and thinking about why they’re so attractive. Here are a few thoughts:

She then goes on to name the following attributes (I’ve paraphrased):

Their dark good looks. (K:Has she ever met a real live Greek man? They’re not really dark.

They’re usually wealthy (shipping magnates, and the likes) (K:*Headdesk*)

They all have a great sense of familial responsibility and enduring loyalty. (K:AKA Mummy’s boys, totally unable to function without help)

She then goes on to add:

Perhaps best of all, I know that when I pick up a Presents story no two Greek heroes will be the same.

Total bollocks. They are all much of the same muchness. The HP Greek hero ‘scowls’ constantly, they have a habit of ‘glancing coldly’ at the heroine. They also always seem to have icicles where their hearts should be, right up until the last couple of pages when they discover their undying love for the woman they’ve treated like shit for months. Actually, that kinda sounds like most HP books.

I’ve read these books, and even when I didn’t know any better, they still left me feeling angry and annoyed, because they mostly featured virgins who were treated like crap by the Greek hero, who felt it necessary to be as assholic as possible to the heroine because they either, A, believed her to be a gold-digging whore (even though it seemed beyond obvious that the heroine had no idea what her vagina is for), or B, because of some imagined slight to his masculinity.

Every now and again, the reader is also treated to a secret baby plot, and when the hero eventually finds out, he almost always proceeds to use the baby as a bargaining tool. Oh, and then there’s the ever popular marriage of convenience.

Don’t believe me? Well check out this blurb for a HP book called The Greek Tycoon’s Unexpected Wife

Stavros Denakis is furious when Tessa Marlowe turns up without warning. Weary and cynical through his experience with women, Stavros suspects the wife he hardly knows is a gold digger—surely she’s here to claim her share of the Denakis millions. But Tessa is a temptation that he can’t resist….

Bedded by her gorgeous Greek husband, Tessa realizes she has fallen in love with him, and longs for their marriage to become real. Only, Stavros, though he may be passionate in private, remains cold in public, and is determined they stay wedded only in name….

I still can’t believe that the author named the hero Stavros. That’s the equivalent of naming a Middle Eastern hero, Ali Baba.

Anyway, I can’t remember the name of the book, but I once read a Mills and Boon Modern Romance (HQ Presents to you Americans) where the heroine basically cried all the way through the story, because the hero was so damn cruel to her. I remember my young borderline-feminist senses going crazy at the hero’s treatment of the heroine.

Admittedly, it’s been well over a year, maybe even two, since I last read an HQ Presents book with a Greek millionaire hero, so things may have changed.

But judging from the above blurb, I seriously doubt that.

What do you guys find so appealing about The HQ Presents Greek Alpha Hero?