Behind the Scenes

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Nov 26

HarpHaven Merchanter On Hiatus

HarpHaven Merchanter is on hiatus as we deal with matters medical. But you can still find our books at

Amazon.com (print copies and ebooks). and BN.com (ebooks)

by typing "Lee Martindale" into their respective search functions.

Happy Shopping!

Nov 11

HarpHaven Publishing Is Having A Sale!

HarpHaven Publishing is having a Holiday Sale across all our platforms.

At the HarpHaven Merchanter website (http://www.harphaven.net/dir), you’ll find our books at special Holiday Sale prices and Free Shipping. For a unique gift, they can be signed and personalized at no additional charge. Use the handy link at the top right of the screen.

There are also links there for our ebook editions for Nook and Kindle also on sale.

Happy Shopping!

Jul 26

Q&A

From time to time, I get questions from readers and fans about my works, including the anthologies I’ve edited.

LoTT_ANTHCOV_Web.jpg, Jul 2022

Q: The Ladies of Trade Town is a themed anthology about prostitution. Did you catch heat about such a controversial subject?

Lee: First, a small correction. It’s a themed anthology about people who sell services that some consider controversial. And, yes, I did catch some heat, but not nearly as much as I expected. Before any of the stories that would be selected were even in my hands, I got a few letters condemning the anthology as “an abomination” and “immoral” and I’ll leave it to your imagination to what they called me. A few raged at me for being “an exploiter of women” and “misogynstic”. I note every one of the latter group apparently assumed I was male, since they were addressed to Mr. Martindale.

One of the things I do when writing submission guidelines is to give information on the kind of stories I want and don’t want. For Trade Town, I was looking for science fiction, fantasy, and related-genre stories that expanded the concept of what was being bought and sold, who was doing the buying and selling, and how that translated to the time, place, and society of the setting of the story. What I wasn’t looking for was porn or erotica, which – given the theme - apparently threw some writers a bit of a curve. A few wrote me saying that it was impossible to address the theme without one of those elements. Happily, a lot of good writers – those who made the cut and many who didn’t, figured out that it was, indeed, possible.

Q: Where can readers find The Ladies of Trade Town?

Lee: My online bookstore, HarpHaven Merchanter, carries our full catalog, including the trade paperback edition of Trade Town. Readers can order it signed by me, and can have it personalized to themselves or to the recipient if it’s a gift, at no additional charge. Shipping is free.

http://www.harphaven.net/dir

Readers who prefer ebooks can find it at Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=%22The+L...

and Barnes and Noble

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/la...



Amazon.com also has the trade paperback available.

Dec 20

Crunch Time!

Need a last-minute gift or stocking stuffer? Supply-chain issues or mail delays a concern? Ebooks might be the answer.

The Ladies of Trade Town, Bard's Road, and Prejudice By the Pound are available in Ebook editions for Kindle and Nook. Direct links from the individual item page on HarpHaven Merchanter website.

Use the handy link on the upper right of the screen or go to https://harphaven.net/dir

Nov 7

I Know It's Not Thanksgiving Yet, But...

By all accounts, holiday shopping this year is going to be an adventure. Possibly frustrating and, in some cases, disappointing, thanks to the issues with supply chain, ground transport, staffing, and the myriad other components of commerce.

Small press, self-pubbing, crafters, and makers could well be our ace in the hole. No waiting for goods made in other countries or ships to be unloaded. The goods are in-house and ready to ship. Yes, the post office is problematic, but ordering early takes care of that.

And while you're at it, that includes my HarpHaven Merchanter. There's a handy link at the top of the screen on the right.

Dec 18

Just In Case!

Need a last minute stocking stuffer? Something that won’t break the budget to ship to that distant friend in time for Christmas? Ebooks just might be the answer.

The following ebooks from HarpHaven Publishing are available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Search on the title or “Lee Martindale” at either vendor. Happy Shopping!

The Ladies of Trade Town', edited by Lee Martindale. Introduction by Elizabeth Moon. Fifteen original SF&F tales of those who offer pleasure – and other things – for a price. Note: not porn or erotic.

Bard’s Road: The Collected Fiction of Lee Martindale. Introduction by Esther Friesner. Twenty-five previous-published short stories plus four never-before-published works.

Prejudice By The Pound: Collected Essays From The Size Rights Movement by Lee Martindale. Editorials and essays from twelve years of Rump Parliament Magazine.

Jan 3

Free Shipping Continues At HarpHaven Merchanter

Until further notice, the Free Shipping Special is being carried over into the New Year at HarpHaven Merchanter. Whether you buy one book or the entire catalog, we'll pick up the cost of shipping.

Use the handy link at the top right of the screen or see us at www.harphaven.net/dir/

Nov 17

Shop Small, Support BIG

November 24th is Small Business Saturday, and it seems a good excuse to remind you that small publishers, self-publishing authors, artists and artisans are all small businesses. When you shop with us, you’re not only finding unique gifts for the folks on your holiday list, you’re supporting the makers, the writers, and the crafters who bring you what no one else can.

To celebrate the year-end festivities, HarpHaven Merchanter is again offering Free Shipping on all orders. Use the handy link at the top right of the screen or see us at www.harphaven.net/dir/

May 23

New Mischief

Every year, in addition to a staggering array of panels, programs, and events, DragonCon offers a variety of workshops and seminars taught by some of the best in their respective business. I’m pleased to announce that, this year, I will be joining the “faculty” with a workshop on Writing Killer Openings.

Scheduled from 1:00pm - 3:30pm on Thursday, August 30th, in the Marietta Room of the Hyatt, the workshop involves hands-on exercises and individual critiques to sharpen skills in grabbing the reader’s attention from the get-go. The cost is $25.

For more information and the link to sign up, go to:

http://dragoncon.org/?q=Acting_Workshop

I Also Write Non-Fiction

Now and again, I commit non-fiction for publication other than on the 'Net. The occasional article for a magazine, an op-edit piece for a magazine or news venue, the stray bit of commentary.

My latest such contribution is a short essay, titled "One Old Man", in Children of Time: The Companions of Doctor Who, edited by R. Alan Siler & Drew Meyer and published by Kozmic Press. (Yes, I'm a Whovian. You didn't know this?) I'm pleased to be included in this delightful collection, which is absolutely chocked full of good writing and love for characters that have populated the WhoVerse over the years.

You can find it in trade paperback and Kindle editions at Amazon.com.

Dec 31

The Clock Ticks Down

Midnight marks the arrival of the New Year and the end of HarpHaven Merchanter's Holiday Free Shipping Offer.

Place your order before midnight tonight to receive Free Shipping.

Dec 14

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like....

E-books make great stocking stuffers and last-minute gifts. At the HarpHaven Merchanter e-store, you'll find direct links to the Kindle and Nook e-book editions of our catalog on each book's page. Check them out using the handy link above-right or send your browser to

http://www.harphaven.net/dir/

Nov 20

A Little Something For The Holidays

Over at HarpHaven Publishing, we’re gearing up for the Holidays. From now until New Year’s Day 2018, we’ll pick up the postage on all orders from HarpHaven Merchanter, our online store.

Whether you order one book, one of each of our titles, or mix and match a dozen, the shipping is on us.

As always, you can get your purchases signed, or signed and personalized, by Lee Martindale at no additional charge, for that one-of-a-kind gift.

Come visit us at HarpHaven Merchanter. Use the handy link on the top right.

Aug 5

New Commenting Process

Over the course of the last month or so, the amount of spam hitting the comments section has seen a marked increase. From one or two a week to between 100-200 per day. Legitimate comments on the blog are welcome. The crap dropped by spambots is most definitely not.

Therefore, all comments received are now marked "Pending" and put aside for review. Legitimate comments will be moved to the blog. Spam will be dropped into a deep, dark hole. This does mean a delay in seeing your comments on the blog. Most days, it will be a matter of, worst case, a few hours.

Onward and upward, as they say.

Jun 24

HarpHaven Merchanter: One Week Left For Free Shipping

There's just one week left to get Free Shipping on all orders from HarpHaven Merchanter.

Use the handy link at the top of the right-hand sidebar or go to http://www.harphaven.net/dir

Jun 4

HarpHaven Merchanter = Free Shipping

Over on my online store, HarpHaven Merchanter, I'm celebrating the beginning of Summer and the store's Official Grand Opening by offering Free Shipping on all orders placed between now and June 30, 2017.

Use the handy link at the top of the right-hand sidebar or go to http://www.harphaven.net/dir

May 18

HarpHaven Merchanter Open For Business

One the list of things to be done once I got back from the 2Fer Tour was putting the finishing touches on the online store I've been working on for the last couple of months. I'm pleased to report that the box has been checked...I think.

From everything I can see from here and in numerous test modes, HarpHaven Merchanter is up and running. You can visit by using the handy link on the sidebar, or by going direct to http://www.harphaven.net/dir

It's still on its maiden voyage, so if you run into any problems, please let me know.

Apr 4

Change Happens - Again

Last week, a nearly twenty-year association with SFFNet ended when that much-loved online home for writers, editors, and fans of SF&F closed it doors for the final time. Just now, a ten-plus year association ended when I deleted my account at LiveJournal.

LiveJournal was my first blog account and served me pretty well. I enjoyed reading posts from my friends and fans, and used it to keep them in the loop about developments in my professional and personal life. But little by little, it was dying. And then the rumors and reports that it had been sold to a Russian company began a few months ago.

This morning, I signed on as usual, and was presented with a “Thou Shalt Not Pass Unless You Sign The New User Agreement” pop-up. Said agreement was a translation, the agreement was governed by the laws of the Russian Federation, and the provisions, to my eye, were unacceptable. I responded the only way that felt right. Goodbye, LiveJournal.

Bard’s Fire becomes my only blog, running on my own domain. Let’s built a new community and welcome those who find their way here from there.

Mar 21

Behind The Scenes

The sawdust is still flying, I'm still (figuratively) pulling my hair out, and the cats are learning a whole new and not exactly polite vocabulary, but there's been progress.

  • The HarpHaven website is up and running. Expect additions, but the basics are there.
  • This blog seems to be functional, and is being added to the website menu. Let me know if you find a problem.
  • HarpHaven Merchanter, my online store, is slowly coming together. As of right now, what with deadlines, upcoming convention travel, and other calls on available hours in the day, I'm shooting for a roll-out sometime after the middle of May.

Until then, ignore any screaming you might hear.