Wondering about the future role of ebooks in the marketplace? Well,   Harlequin just announced that it’s digital sales jumped 70 percent in the first nine months of 2010. 

At the same time, according to parent company Torstar, Harlequin also experienced weaker U.S. retail sales in the period between April and June of this year. The company does not break its digital sales down by region so there’s no telling how much of their ebook action came from U.S. readers. 

Along with ebook sales, Harlequin’s direct sales to consumers as well as its overseas business increased. Overall, its book publishing revenues rose $1.4 million in the third quarter – the period between April 1 and June 30, 2010.

However, Torstar said it expects sales for the entire year to be down compared to 2009, because of diminished U.S. retail sales.

The news comes as Harlequin prepares to shelve its Silhouette and Steeple Hill imprints. The series will now be called Harlequin. Otherwise all of the books series will remain the same. The company believes the stronger Harlequin branding will make it easier for consumers to find their products.

Leading romance publisher Harlequin is making some changes.

One of those moves includes phasing out its well-known Silhouette line.The series will now be called Harlequin instead.

In a letter to its authors, the publisher says the move comes at the suggestion of a leading branding company.

Silhouette Nocturne was already renamed Harlequin Nocturne in June 2010. Special Edition, Romantic Suspense and Desire will debut with their new Harlequin brand in April.

The company believes stamping the Harlequin name on the series will strengthen the brand. Makes sense to me.

The Steeple Hill logo is also riding off into the sunset. It will be replaced by Love Inspired as the primary imprint for Harlequin’s inspirational fiction line.

Read more about all of the Harlequin changes HERE.

What I’m Reading…

By the way, I just finished Liz Carlyle’s latest offering, One Touch of Scandal.

It’s an enjoyable read although I found it to be a slight departure from her previous novels.

The hero, Ruthveyn, belongs to a secret ancient society and possesses dark gifts that he grapples with. He falls for Grace Gauthier, a governess who might be guilty of killing her employer, who was also about to become her betrothed.

Next on my reading list is a throw-back: Mary Jo Putney’s One Perfect Rose, which was re-released by Kensington in April 2010.  

And don’t forget…

If you haven’t already, please take a moment to vote in the Writing with the Stars contest. I am one of 10 finalists vying for the top prize: to be published by Kensington Brava!  In the first round, readers of RT Book Reviews vote for the Best First Paragraph and Last Line.

Click here to read all of the entries.

I hope you will consider voting for my entry, Seducing Charlotte. Be warned though, it’s a little spicy! And, if you want to read more,  here’s a sample of the FIRST CHAPTER.

VOTING is quick and easy. You can click in and out in under a minute. I promise.