Heroes & Heartbreakers closing?

Marissa D

Scribe of the girls in the basement
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jan 22, 2011
Messages
3,071
Reaction score
365
Location
New England but hankering for the old one
Website
www.marissadoyle.com
I've just heard from a fairly reliable source that Macmillan is shutting down its Heroes and Heartbreakers romance blog, but I can't find confirmation--has anyone heard anything about it? Like...why?

(Or does everyone already know about this and I'm just ridiculously behind on everything? :chair )
 

ElaineA

All about that action, boss.
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jan 17, 2013
Messages
8,555
Reaction score
8,433
Location
The Seattle suburbs
Website
www.reneedominick.com
I saw two things on Twitter, including Jenn Proffitt saying H&H is "pivoting away from its website origins" (cryptic wording, that), but the H&H site has nothing. McMillan also closed Pronoun (the SP platform they were operating). As someone who has a series coming out with Entangled, it makes me nervous what ties they're cutting next.
 

Marissa D

Scribe of the girls in the basement
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jan 22, 2011
Messages
3,071
Reaction score
365
Location
New England but hankering for the old one
Website
www.marissadoyle.com
Well, if I'd waited an hour I'd have seen the announcement on Publisher's Lunch: In a statement, Macmillan said: "As the digital habits of readers and consumers evolve, our strategic direction for reaching them evolves as well. Macmillan will be saying goodbye to the Heroes and Heartbreakers website by the end of 2017 and going forward will focus on engaging romance fans via our e-newsletter - which has a robust, growing circulation - and on social media."

Four staff members who work on H&H will leave the company by the end of November as a result of the closure, announced on Twitter. Asked if Macmillan is planning any other near-term realignments of their digital properties and websites, a spokesperson said, "the answer is no."

So no more cuts...but it still feels like an odd decision to me.