Books, books, and more books...

I have books. Lots of books. Books in bookcases, books under beds, books in boxes, books under tables, books in nooks, nooks full of books, books in boxes in the attic... I was in my office today, which doubles as a gym, and feeling crowded. It's time to get rid of "stuff" and as I look around, aside from the box of manuscripts on the floor and piles of them on my bench, the books are taking over. One bookcase is full of crime stuff; forensic books, books of poisons, studies of criminals and cases, police procedures, etc. Another has art books; painting rocks, acrylics, oils, pastels, drawing, Dewberry, landscapes, etc. The one standing on my work bench has my writing books; everything from the sweet and inspiring Artist's Way to Stephen King's On Writing (he has the heart of a small boy---in a jar on his desk). Moving out to the little alcove we call a library we have books on Celiac Disease, cook books, some collector items, a few fav's we might read again some day, dictionaries(my favorite book!), thesaurus, books on CD's, some Vonnegut's, Koontz, King, Konrath and Corben among others. Moving into the family room there's another bookcase with nutrition books, cooking (Kill it & Grill it), some medical manuals, oops, there's another forensic book there sandwiched between two more Konraths and an Evanovich. Let's not even go into my bedroom where I routinely knock over the pile of books on my nightstand while I'm looking for things. (this is why I can't own a kindle-I'd probably kill it.)
I've really got to thin out the herd. Any suggestions? How do you decide what to toss and what to keep? I mean, really! How can I get rid of something I might someday want to read? And how do I know the next person will love them as much as I do?
Help!

Harlequin goes to self publishing? Yikes!

The publishing community is reeling over Harlequin's announcement that they are hooking up with a self publisher and putting the Harlequin name on it.
Now correct me if I'm wrong but isn't this like a cop out? Or are they in financial trouble and looking for a quick way out?
It kind of scares me. I've read a few self published books and granted, a few are fairly good, but most lack the editing necessary to make a good book. I've often wanted to break out the red pen and go at them myself. To the author so desperate to see their book in print that they opt for this way out I'd like to say; RETHINK!
Getting a book from the authors hands takes the skill and talent of many people in the publishing house. Just because there's a cover on the book doesn't mean you should be proud of it. Keep working, editiing, critiquing and sending it out to agents and reputible publishing houses, but don't give up and self publish.
I'm a little ashamed of Harlequin. What happens now to their base of authors who work so hard to perfect their work now that substandard work will now bear the Harlequin name?
Thoughts?

Keeping track of submissions...Oy!

I was sending out queries for my latest WIP. I got a little interest but one sweet editor gave me quite a critique (Thank You!) and I'm rethinking my opening now. So the brakes are on until I redo it. However when I started sending it out I put it all in a file somewhere on my computer so I could track who/when sent/when returned and not query the same one twice. (How embarrassing would that be?) But here's the problem...
I can't find it. It's hiding somewhere in my computer but I can't remember what I named it or where I put it. Hmmmm....
Now the Halston update:

Stitches are out. (She didn't like that at all-we had to pin her down to get them out.) But the biopsy on the tumor came back as a class 2 out of 3. This means there is a really good chance it could come back, somewhere. So they recommend something called Neoplazene (hope I spelled that right) which is a newer drug that stops cancer cells from dividing. So we're probably going to do it. I've looked it up and it seems to be fairly safe. The only side effect is vomiting and diarrhea which can be controlled by lowering the dose. Most of the case studies I've read in dogs show good results and at Halston's age(13) she'll probably be on it for the rest of her life.
It is what it is.

The Halston Report

This is Halston's boo boo. She was a little slow to get up and down the first day she was home. But she still smiled at us like we were the bestest people on earth and she was just happy to be with us. (And extremely happy she was not at the vet's anymore)
Then we had to keep a T-shirt on her so she wouldn't injure her stitches. That was an old shirt from the Exchange Student program I used to work for and since it was Halloween we told everyone she was an Exchange student. People who saw her had lots of fun guessing which country she was from. The most popular vote was Pluto.
Now she seems like her old self. Happy and with lots of energy.
Next Friday she goes back to the vet to have the stitches removed. She usually goes beserko when we enter the vet's office. I think I might have a real tug of war on my hands this time.
:)
Giving her lots of hugs and cuddles now.