Other titles coming from Berkley/Jove this fall include:

* “Serendipity” by Carly Phillips. First in a new trilogy set in a small town in upstate New York. Straight contemporary. Moved from Harlequin.

* “Highlander Christmas” by Janet Chapman. New author for Berkley, moved from Pocket. Fans of her series will find this satisfying.

* “Archangel’s Blade” by Nalini Singh. Dimitri’s story, a member of Raphael’s seven. I’ve read this one and Dimitri is still the dark, dangerous vampire who appeared in the previous Archangel stories and I thought the right woman was paired with him.

* “Heart of Steel” by Meljean Brook. Second book following the Iron Duke. There will also be audio versions of the Iron Duke and Heart of Steel in November.

* “Storm’s Heart” by Thea Harrison in July and “Serpent’s Kiss” in October. Storm’s Heart features Tiago and Tricks and Serpent’s Kiss is the story of another Wyr sentinel, Rune, and Vampyre Queen Carling.

* “Dark Predator” by Christine Feehan is long awaited story of Carpathian Zacarias De La Cruz. Intense fan speculation led Berkley to decide to keep the identity of the heroine secret. To that end, the cover blurbs and marketing materials have all been focused on the hero and no bound galleys were made. The release date is September 6th which might be killing the readers.

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Spring Titles:

* “Defiant” by Pamela Clare is the long awaited story of Conor MacKinnon. (This series was originally published by Dorchester and now it is being republished by Berkley, both the first two and then this third, previously unpublished books).

* “About That Night” by Julie James will release in the spring.

* “Whispers in the Dark” by Maya Banks will release in January. It is the 4th book in her KGI series.

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Berkley publishes 6-7 books per month in mass market. That number usually includes a reprint of an older title. They published 2 Berkley Heat per month in trade and 2-3 Berkley Sensation Trade titles.

Cindy is always looking for strong voices. No matter what the setting, she wants to be swept up in the story.

Cindy’s line is very heavy paranormal so she is looking for more historical and contemporaries and women’s fiction. First and foremost, though, is the voice. I asked the difference between women’s fiction and the sweet contemporary stories (which I am calling Adirondack chair porn). In women’s fiction, the emphasis is no longer on the romantic relationship and more heroine centric. The stories can have a romantic subplot and she responds best to those that have an optimistic ending.

They are always looking for more erotic romance authors for their Heat line. The submissions should be between 85K and 100K words and Berkley Sensation guidelines are for 90-100K.

She is buying YA but only selectively. They don’t do hardcover YA at Berkley and no middle grade stories.

Ebook sales are very individual.

I asked whether anthologies would be broken up and sold individually and whether the digital prices would decline. Penguin has been selectively doing this in their “E-specials program” which they use to promote a new front list titles. For example Virginia Kantra’s novella “Midsummer Night’s Magic” was released in May as an individual e-book to help promote her new title, “Forgotten Sea.”

I also expressed some frustration that the Heat titles never reduced in priced particularly because many Berkley Heat titles never get republished in mass market.

I asked whether Penguin would experiment with pricing of the digital books like Random House, Hachette, HarperCollins, and Sourcebooks and was told “Penguin is considering various options with regard to digital pricing.”

***

Q: Cindy, I understand that Berkley does not give publisher spotlights at Nationals so having you share your thoughts with as an editor is a bit of a treat. What do you acquire and what are you looking for in a manuscript? Is it a particular genre such as contemporary versus paranormal?

Berkley publishes romance primarily in the Berkley Sensation imprint. The number of Sensation titles each month can vary, but there are usually 4 mass market original titles and 2 trade paperback originals per month. Because Sensation has a sizable list, we (meaning all the Berkley editors who acquire romance) can and try to have a mix of different kinds of books each month–we actively look for and acquire romances in all subgenres, from historicals to contemporaries, paranormals to romantic suspense. The list is also a mix of new authors and established stars-we’re always looking for exciting new voices to add to our list. We also try to publish at least 1 contemporary and 1 historical a month. As far as what we’re looking for, we’re open to pretty much everything–the most important thing is voice, regardless of subgenre. Currently, Sensation does have a lot of paranormal, which means if you’re writing paranormal romance it has to be really special to catch our eye.

Q: What books are selling best for Berkley? Is it genre oriented? Author oriented? Time period?

Berkley has an author driven list–some of our bestselling romance authors include Nora Roberts, Jayne Ann Krentz/Amanda Quick/Jayne Castle, Lynn Kurland, Jodi Thomas, Lori Foster, Angela Knight, MaryJanice Davidson, Lora Leigh, Deidre Martin, and Erin McCarthy. Berkley works hard to create an individual look for each of our authors, to give them a distinct and separate identity on the bookshelves.

Q: Is there one piece of advice that you could give to aspiring or mid list authors trying to break out or gain their first contract?

The most important advice I can give is trite, but always true–write what you love, what you want to write, not what you think will sell. If I (or any other editor) really love what you’re writing, chances are I’ll be interested in acquiring it, even if it’s in a subgenre that conventional wisdom says isn’t selling well. The key word of course is love.

Q: What type of packaging are you using for you romance books? I.e., covers that are selling, colors, etc?

I think Berkley creates some of the best covers in the business, and the art dept works hard to give books a look that will not just be attractive, but to catch the eye of a casual browser-not the easiest thing to do. Many readers can’t get enough of sexy men on their covers, so the sexier, hunky covers are always popular. We also try to create a distinctive look for each of our authors.

Q: What does the fall/winter lineup have to offer romance readers?

We have a Fall jam-packed with great romances, and here’s just a sampling:

• Fall 2007 is great time to be a Christine Feehan fan-not only is there a new Carpathian novel, Dark Possession, there’s also the mass market reprint of her first hardcover Dark Celebration , and for the first time, Christine goes Manga-Dark Hunger is the Manga version of one of her Dark novellas, and it’s a brand new direction for Berkley as well.
• My Immortal by Erin McCarthy (Sept) Erin McCarthy gets to showcase her dark side in this rich, wonderfully complex and romantic story about a man who gives away his soul for immortality and lives to regret it. And look for another side to Erin with her first young adult novel, DEMON ENVY, coming in Oct.
• Servant: The Awakening by L.L. Foster (Oct) Erin isn’t the only author with a dark side, as Lori Foster demonstrates, writing under the name L.L. Foster. Part horror, part urban fantasy, part romantic suspense-this book seems like a departure for Lori, but it’s something that she’s wanted to write for years, and I think will win her many new fans.
• Silver Master by Jayne Castle (Sept) Jayne Castle returns to the futuristic setting of the earth colony Harmony in a new dazzling adventure romance.
• Fairyvilleby Emma Holly (Sept) No one writes erotic romance better than Emma Holly, and FAIRYVILLE is as steamy and adventurous as anything she’s written before. And our lucky heroine gets to choose between between 2 yummy men-who could ask for anything more?
• Caressed By Ice by Nalini Singh (Sept) The 3^rd book in Nalini’s Psy-Changeling series features possibly my favorite hero of the year, Judd Lauren.
• Born to Be Wilde, Janelle Denison (Sept) Janelle’s popular sexy series about the Wilde family continues with the story of Joel Wilde, ex-marine turned security specialist.
• The Courtesan’s Daughter by Claudia Dain (Oct) After too long an absence, award-winning author Claudia Dain is back, with a delicious Regency historical romance about a retired courtesan who is determined to find a husband for her daughter, even if she has to buy him.
• Overkillby Linda Castillo (Oct) Linda Castillo has a really terrific talent for combining complex, edgy characters, emotional romance and can’t-put-it-down plots, and I think OVERKILL is one of her best books.
• Mr. Knightley’s Diary, Amanda Grange (Oct) EMMA has always been one of my favorite Jane Austen novels, and this retelling of Emma from Mr. Knightley’s point of view is just terrific-both true to the book and the character of Mr. Knightley.
• The Education of Mrs. Brimley (Berkley Sensation) by Donna MacMeans (Oct) This is a fabulous Victorian historical romance, and it’s hard to believe that it’s also Donna’s first book.
• Big Girls Don’t Cryby Cathie Linz (Oct) This fabulous contemporary romance has everything-a delicious hero, a sassy heroine, and more animals than you can shake a stick at (hero is a vet).
• An Enchanted Season, Maggie Shayne, Erin McCarthy, Nalini Singh, Jean Johnson (Oct) The holiday season starts early with this anthology of seasonal stories, spiced with a touch of magic.
• Down and Dirty , Sandra Hill (Nov) Nobody writes funny and sexy quite like Sandra Hill, and DOWN AND DIRTY is the next book in her bestselling Viking Navy SEAL series.
• Warriors of Poseidon: Atlantis Awakening by Alyssa Day (Nov) Readers really connected with Alyssa’s Warriors of Poseidon, and they’re back for a new thrill ride in this sequel to the USA Today bestselling The Warriors of Poseidon.
• The Black Dragon, Allyson James (Nov) This is the next book following the sexyDragon Heat by the multitalented author Allyson James.
• Hot Mama, Jennifer Estep (Nov) Superheroes and ubervillains return for more fabulous adventure and romance set in Bigtime, New York, the follow-up to Estep’s href=”http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0425215113?ie=UTF8&tag=dearauthorcom-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0425215113″>Karma Girl.
• Texas Princess by Jodi Thomas (Nov) Beloved for her emotional western historical romances, Jodi returns with the final book in the Whispering Mountain trilogy.
• Blood Brothers: The Sign of Seven Trilogy, Nora Roberts (Dec) Christmas wouldn’t be the same without a new Nora Roberts to devour, and a new trilogy is always something to celebrate. This is the first in a new mass market trilogy featuring three men-best friends-who as boys, made a blood brothers vow that unwittingly unleashed evil onto their town.
• Beyond Fearless by Rebecca York (Dec) Bestselling author Rebecca York’s talents for page-turning action and red-hot romance are on full display in this romantic thriller.
• Swimming without a Net , MaryJanice Davidson (Dec) Fred the crankiest mermaid around returns for another adventure in this sequel to Sleeping with the Fishes.

Q: What should we be on the look out for in the future (i.e., changes in Berkley’s line, new line launches, ebook initiatives).

As I mentioned, Berkley is very excited about publishing our first Manga title DARK HUNGER, and we’d love to publish more Manga on a regular basis.

Q: Fall is a big fiction release period. Are there any fiction books that we should be looking to add to our shelves or that might make a great gift for the holidays?

Some Don’t Miss books from a few of our favorite authors:

• Fans of Ken Follett’s classic novel The Pillars of the Earth have waited nearly twenty years for the sequel, World Without End, which will be published by Dutton in October.
• Also in October, Book of the Dead, the latest Kay Scarpetta thriller from Patricia Cornwell hits the shelves.
• In November, don’t miss the latest Eve and Roarke novel from J.D. Robb, Creation in Death. The new In Death hardcover will be at the top of a lot of readers’ wishlist for the holidays.
• In December, we’re getting toward the end of the alphabet for Kinsey Millhone-it’s now T is for Trespass in Sue Grafton’s new mystery.
• And in January, perk up from the post-holiday blues with Sizzle and Burn the new romantic suspense from Jayne Ann Krentz.

Ms. Hwang was really the inspiration for the interview with an editor series and I thought it Kismet to post her interview responses first. Thanks so much for participating, Ms. Hwang. We readers appreciate it.

Can you briefly describe what an editor does. I think that readers assume that you get to do what we all dream of doing and that is get paid to read for a living. I suspect that the truth is less romantic.

The truth definitely doesn't compare to what people see in the movies or on TV–"it's actually very mundane. Editors spend most of their day either in different meetings, prepping for those meetings, doing any follow-up from the meetings, answering correspondence (written or email), responding to author/agent questions and concerns either in writing or on the phone, tracking down checks, and random miscellaneous office stuff such as filing and organizing. Somewhere in there is editing and reading, but not nearly as large a percentage as most people probably assume–"maybe about 25% total (10% editing and 15% reading).

How many romance books do you release each month? (ie. is there a set amount released in month and under what imprints?)

For the most part, romances are published under the Berkley Sensation imprints, both mass market and trade. On average, there are five Sensation mass market romances and two to three Sensation trade romances published each month. They range across all the romance subgenres, from historicals to contemporaries to romantic suspense to romantic comedies to paranormals. In addition, there are certain romance authors who are published outside of the Sensation imprint under the Berkley or Jove imprints. These authors include Nora Roberts, Jayne Ann Krentz, Lynn Kurland, Christine Feehan and others.

Berkley Heat is the imprint that specifically publishes erotic romances and erotic novels, and we usually publish 1 title a month in Heat.

Are there any trends you see growing, expanding or contracting? What do you think is driving these trends?

I think everyone is aware that the biggest trend right now is the tremendous growth of the paranormal romance audience. Honestly, I have no idea if and when it'll be over, but as long as great books continue to be published in this market, reader interest and enthusiasm will continue. I think the world-building in paranormal is taken very seriously, and that really appeals to readers who like to lose themselves in the universe contained in a book (and world-building can be done in other subgenres as well, not just paranormal). I also think the interest in paranormal after years where there was a real paucity of books reflects popular culture at large. Besides Buffy and Angel, there's a lot more current and popular shows that have a paranormal element on TV and in movies as well.

What is the most interesting story of how you came to buy a manuscript?

Something I love about being an editor is finding great original voices, especially in the most unexpected places. One of the things I do for fun is to read fan fiction–"it's a bit of a guilty pleasure, in fact. I find it interesting to see what people can come up with when given characters and a world already created by someone else, and to see if they can rise to the challenge of keeping these characters in-character, as it were, and still write an absorbing story that hasn't yet been told but can fit into the established, canonical universe. (As an aside, anyone who wonders why the concept of series/connected romances is so popular should check out some websites devoted to fan fiction–"there are literally hundreds of thousands of people out there who love some writer's creation so much that they want to see those adventures continue–"even if continued unauthorized by someone else). What really captures my interest, however, isn't just how well you can tell someone else's story–"it's that even though you're playing with a world and characters not your own, your individual voice can still shine through. That's what happened to me with two of my authors, Meljean Brook and Jean Johnson. Although the first thing I read of theirs was fan fiction, I was so impressed with their voices and the overall quality of their writing that I immediately wanted to read their original fiction. Meljean Brook made that especially easy for me–"she had created a website that housed not only her fan fiction, but the first chapter of an original romance she was writing. Although that first chapter was rather rough, I could see the potential in it, and more importantly, the voice I loved in her fan fiction was still present in that first chapter. I contacted her through her website, and the result is that that the chapter I read became the basis for DEMON ANGEL, which is coming out in January 2007 as a Sensation mass market orginal. Jean Johnson's first book, THE SWORD, will be published in February 2007, as a Sensation Trade title.

Both of these ladies happen to be writing paranormal romance, but the truth is I loved their voices so much I'd have been interested in them no matter what subgenre they chose to write.

How much time do you spend actually reading as part of your job?

I read only a little in the office, but a lot of time overall is spent reading–"maybe 2-3 hours a day on average.

Do you get to read for pleasure? If so, do you have favorite authors?

Sometimes it's hard to separate reading for pleasure from work, but I still do read for pleasure. I mentioned the fan fiction; I love the Harry Potter books, and I also read comics. Some of my favorite romance authors include Jayne Ann Krentz, Linda Howard, Nora Roberts, Kay Hooper, Penelope Williamson–"they're the reason I wanted to become an editor in the first place.

What are you looking for in terms of a romance these days? Any particular themes? periods? subgenres? You have some very unique paranormal authors under your imprint and seem to be picking out the ones that are a bit darker, a bit more unique than what is being offered elsewhere. Why do you think that is?

The truth is, and I know people may find this hard to believe, but the most important thing for me is a writer's voice. What their chosen subgenre is isn't nearly as important to me as their voice. And I don't respond to just one kind of voice–"my reading tastes are pretty broad. So although I have a lot of paranormal on my list, that isn't the only thing I'm looking for. It's just that in recent years, for me many of the most interesting and unique voices have chosen to write paranormal romance. And because it's the voice that interests me the most, I give a fair amount of creative freedom for my authors to go where their muse takes them–"I really only interfere if I feel they're in danger of falling over the cliff and I pull them back. But I usually let them wander to the edge–"if nothing else, to see what it's like to look down.

My list is pretty broad though in terms of what I look for–"besides paranormal, I also have straight historicals (including westerns), romantic suspense, romantic comedy, contemporary romance, women's fiction and erotic romance on my list. I even have an inspirational title!

Do you think readers today are more accepting of rule breaking romances (pushing the envelope) or are we still very traditional in our buying habits?

I think some readers are definitely more accepting of envelope-pushing romance, but there are a lot of readers who like the more conventional stories as well. I think the overall romance readership is quite fragmented, with different readers all wanting different things from their romances. The trick is to find the right group of readers for each book–"a challenge for all publishers obviously.

We’ve heard some about the loss of young readership or the inability to gain that young readership. Is that changing? What are you doing to try to attract the younger readers?

I think a reader is a reader, no matter what the age. And they're all equally valued.

Do you have a favorite way of spending time away from books?

I love movies and music. I don't watch as much TV as I used to, but I'm addicted to the Food Network. I definitely like to eat!

What is the worst part of an editor’s job?

Getting buried under the mounds of paper on my desk (anyone who's seen my office knows the truth of this). Having a book you love not find its audience.

What is the best part of an editor’s job?

Finding new voices, and developing careers. Having a book you love find its audience.

Have you considered writing a book yourself?

Definitely not–"both editing and writing are full-time jobs by themselves. Besides, I know my talents are in editing, not writing!

It seems there are two very diametrically opposed growths: erotic romance and inspirational romance. Are those fringe trends or will they become more mainstream?

I would say both are pretty mainstream now–"there are definitely romances out there already that have erotic elements or inspirational/religious elements woven in the story (probably not in the same book though!)

While you are probably excited about all of the books that you have in your catalog can you share with the readers a few that we should be anticipating? Any new authors or existing ones that have exciting projects for 2007?

I have a lot of books and writers I'm really excited about in 2007, but I'll try not to name every book I bought and edited ;-). Just to highlight (new authors are indicated):

	DEMON ANGEL by Meljean Brook (Jan)-new author. DEMON ANGEL has it all–"a compulsively readable story, terrific sexual tension, an epic-scaled plot, and a romance that made me melt.
	BLOOD LINES by Eileen Wilks (Jan) This is the 3rd book featuring Lily Yu and her werewolf mate Rule Turner, and Eileen has crafted an extraordinary story to fit these two extraordinary characters.
	VISIONS OF HEAT by Nalini Singh (Feb) This is the follow-up to SLAVE TO SENSATION, and her hero Vaughn is to die for. Absolutely yummy.
	THE SWORD by Jean Johnson (Feb)-new author. This is the first in a fantasy romance series about 8 brothers and an ancient prophecy. Sexy, fabulous and funny–"and really wonderful world-building to boot. More importantly, the romance is tender and real and wonderfully crafted.
	ATLANTIS RISING by Alyssa Day (March)-first book under this name, and the first in a paranormal romance series featuring the lost continent of Atlantis and some very sexy Warriors of Poseidon. Another author who can combine humor, sensuality and action with fascinating world-building.
	JUST LIKE HEAVEN, Barbara Bretton (March) Barbara skillfully straddles the line between contemporary romance and women's fiction–"the result is an utterly romantic book featuring an unlikely yet totally convincing romance between two people who would never have even met, except for a twist of fate.
	PATIENCE by Lisa Valdez (May) The follow-up to Lisa's first book, the erotic historical romance, PASSION. This book has been a long time coming, but it's worth the wait.
	A REASON TO BELIEVE by Maureen McKade (Aug) This is the follow-up to Maureen's superb American historical romance A REASON TO LIVE, and it's just as emotional, touching, and heart-wrenching. For all those historical romance readers who are looking for something a little different, and very special.
	THE EDUCATION OF MRS. BRIMLEY (title is tentative), Donna McMeans (Nov)-new author. This was the RWA Golden Heart winner in the Long Historical category, and I devoured the entire manuscript like a box of my favorite chocolates. It's a late Victorian historical romance, and just delightful. Hmm. Looks delicious. I love Late Victorian settings!

Thanks so much!