Comments on: A Special “First” from Harlequin: Famous Firsts with Executive Editor Marsha Zinberg

By: WINNER: Famous Firsts by Harlequin Giveaway | Dear Author: Romance Novel Reviews, Industry News, and Commentary

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:26:12 +0000

[...] belatedly, I am announcing the winner of the Famous Firsts giveaway from Harlequin: As a special treat we have provided 1 nostalgia Harlequin tote bag and 8 Famous First novels to [...]

By: Firsts: Is it Better to Have Your First Book the Worst or Best | Dear Author: Romance Novel Reviews, Industry News, and Commentary

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 10:01:48 +0000

[...] week, we hosted Harlequin’s Executive Editor, Marsha Zinberg, as she toured blogland talking about various writing insights from the authors of their Famous [...]

By: Guest Post: You Never Forget Your First Time : The Good, The Bad and The Unread

Guest Post: You Never Forget Your First Time : The Good, The Bad and The Unread — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 15:00:47 +0000

[...] stops include: Bookbinge, Plot Monkeys, Blaze authors blog, Romance Junkies, Romancing the Blog, Dear Author, Cataromance, and Teach Me Tonight – a different Harlequin Famous First story at every [...]

By: Kay Cary

Kay Cary — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 02:34:57 +0000

I think romance has a genre has stayed the same but the story lines reflect the current norms of our society.
Characters use todays’ technology gadgets–internet, I-phones, GPS, ect.. The underlying themes that play thru out most story lines still reflect the passion and commitment most authors portray in their stories.
I remember reading a title from the youth section of the library but for the life a me I can’t remember the title or author..I do remember reading Harlequin Presents during my teen years.

By: cursingmama

cursingmama — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 16:54:42 +0000

I couldn’t begin to imagine what my first Harlequin read was – or even when it took place…but I have fond memories of my grandmothers bookcase devoted to Harlequin; that thing was packed!

By: Hydecat

Hydecat — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 15:38:04 +0000

I think the biggest change in romance novels is the breadth of subjects — plots and characters — that we see today. Pick any topic and type of character, and you can probably find a romance novel about them. I’m not saying that romance is the most diverse genre out there, but it has been making great strides forward, and I love that. After all, everyone deserves a little romance.

By: Fun Facts from the Harlequin Firsts

Fun Facts from the Harlequin Firsts — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 14:29:54 +0000

[...] stops include Dear Author, Romancing the Blog, BookBinge, Plot Monkeys, Romance Junkies and the Blaze Authors [...]

By: Venus Vaughn

Venus Vaughn — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 09:20:23 +0000

I’ve been unwittingly following this book tour, as she seems to hit all the places I already have listed in my Google Reader. But hey, double my chances, double my fun.

Plus, I appreciate that she is giving different snippets of famous firsts with each blog she hits. I watch the romance genre develop with awe – you never quite know where it’s going, but you always know it’s going to be somewhat better over there.

By: Margaret

Margaret — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 07:11:34 +0000

With the exception of the brief time when romances did seem to be all about the sex, I’d have to agree that the heart has stayed the same even while the content has been shifting. Lindsay McKenna’s comment about the paranormal made me laugh though. It’s getting a lot harder to tell the difference between outright fantasy and paranormal romance, but I remember when the presence of an elderly aunt who sometimes seemed to predict the future was raw paranormal.

By: Kaetrin

Kaetrin — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 06:54:07 +0000

I love Harlequin!

You guys gave a start to so many wonderful authors and you’re still doing it. You are embracing digital technology and making scads of money – in this financial climate, you clearly must be doing something right. I think it has something to do with listening to your readers. Thanks for that.

Please count me in for the prize draw.

By: Lori

Lori — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 05:16:22 +0000

I don’t remember the first Harlequin I read, but they were definitely my first romances. I was an advanced reader so I had gone through all the interesting kids books & YA in our town’s public library by the time I hit 6th grade or so. That’s when I started in on the Harlequin’s and I never looked back. The library’s selection was huge and we moved long before I had a chance to exhaust their supply.

There are some books that I remember with fondness. At least I sort of remember them. I can recall plots and some details, but no titles and only a couple authors. This is a real handicap in locating copies to reread. There are a few that I do wish I could find again, but overall I think current books are more interesting to me and possibly a bit better written.

By: Caffey

Caffey — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 04:34:55 +0000

I don’t remember the first Harlequin I read but I remember reading them as a teen. Rebecca Winters, Anne Stuart, Margaret St. James, and more! Each night I would visit my mom’s room and she’s share with me some books that she read and I would pick out one of them to read! Then the next night I would be back for another one of the series books to read! Too when I got older, I love to get the books as gifts to her. I would go and get them as soon as they came out before she went and got them! We would laugh and then when she finished them, I would read them. I often gave to the nursing homes after. They loved the length of these books and more. Even when my mom was sick I was reading the Super Romance books to her that came out. I loved that she introduced me to the Harlequins!

By: Sally

Sally — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 03:18:07 +0000

Jessica G., there already is a coffee table book with Harlequin/Mills & Boon covers, though with more M&B than Harlequin, but it's a great book. I love it! My first romance novel was a Presents book by Penny Jordan. I read it two years ago and since then, I've been devouring Harlequins during all my free time. I actually got into them through Harlequin's short-lived Ginger Blossom manga line. :)

By: Tae

Tae — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 02:38:50 +0000

I love telling people that authors like Linda Howard, Tami Toag and Tess Gerritson started out writing romance and that many people are reading romance authors, whether they know it or not

By: Throwmearope

Throwmearope — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 01:54:29 +0000

After Georgette Heyer died, my favorite hobby was gone. I had to resort to sci fi and mystery, eeked out by a few well written gothics–Mary Stewart, Barbara Michaels, a few others.

I started reading Harlequins way back in the 70′s. Carol Mortimer’s The Passionate Winter was her first (and my first) HP. It featured a 19 year old heroine and a 45 year old hero. He kept grousing about the heroine’s immaturity. I remember thinking, then date somebody your own age, you twit. Didn’t matter, I was in love. My first Diana Palmer was the Lady and the Cowboy, loved her, too.

But I didn’t really start buying a lot of HP and SSE until I read JAK, Nora Roberts, Linda Howard in mainstream and discovered huge backlists of HP/SSE. I still have autobuys in the HP/Sil lines.

By: Pam S

Pam S — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 00:32:30 +0000

Great Post!

My first Harlequins were actually some I snuck out of my grandmothers collection when I was little lol.

Since then I have found many wonderful books by Harelquins and have enjoyed some from almost every line available.

By: Jessica G.

Jessica G. — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 00:06:53 +0000

I’m not sure which was my first Harlequin romance. My friend’s got me to read “Romancing Mr. Bridgerton” by Julia Quinn and I’ve been hooked ever since! The past year or so I’ve been expanding to read other things than historicals. I actually just wrapped up “Match Play” by Merline Lovelace, who I got hooked on after I read the freebie “Stranded with a Spy” from the anniversary promo.

And Harelquin, if you’re reading this, please please PLEASE consider making a coffee table book of covers! I would love to have that!

By: TrustMe_2_Forget

TrustMe_2_Forget — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 23:51:03 +0000

like many here, I started my love of romance with the many Harlequin and Sillouette lines, HPs are still my favortites!

By: Angie G

Angie G — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 23:16:27 +0000

What a great post. I love all the responses too! My very first romance was Linda Howard’s Sarah’s Child. It was the original and darn…I wish I still had it. I loved that book. I’ve got a reprinted copy that I reread from time to time, but it’s just not the same. :)

By: AB

AB — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 23:04:51 +0000

My first HQ was a Betty Neels “Roses have Thorns”.

You know what? I don’t care that her plots are pretty formula….I still go to them for comfort reads!