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Aspiring Authors: Want an Editor for a Year

By Jane • Nov 28th, 2007 • Category: Misc • •

instantseductionlogo4.jpg

Harlequin Presents is moving up its production schedule to 12 books a month. Mind boggling, no? In order to meet the apparently increased demand, HP is looking for new authors. Presents is inviting unpublished authors to submit a first chapter. The submissions must be made on-line from January 1st to February 14 2008. The grand prize is the services of an editor for one year.

Entries should comprise of the first chapter and a synopsis of a previously unpublished/unsubmitted novel aimed at Harlequin Presents.

Address for entries: instantseduction@hmb.co.uk

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Jane is a long time romance reader whose passion is, you guessed it, reading. Jane also does not like to talk about herself in the third person, but apparently this is the way that this biography thing works (although in a true biography, someone else would be writing this blurb). Anyway, currently Jane loves urban fantasy authors Patricia Briggs and Ilona Andrews. She's really excited about this year's crop of historicals including Joanna Bourne's The Spymaster's Lady and Sherry Thomas' Private Arrangements and the upcoming Loretta Chase Her Scandalous Ways. She's looking for a good contemporary author. Email her with a recommendation!
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13 Responses »

  1. Jia on November 28th, 2007 at 1:23 pm:

    I read about this earlier today. It just blows my mind that the market can support 12 books a month for one line.

  2. EC Sheedy on November 28th, 2007 at 1:44 pm:

    If I were still in the aspiring stage–which come to think of it, I always kind of am :-)–I would enter this contest. I’ve always heard that Harlequin Presents had the best–and largest–distribution system in the world. These romances are much loved and sell absolutely everywhere!

    Am I right, Harlequin Presents authors?

  3. sherry thomas on November 28th, 2007 at 10:57 pm:

    Is HP the line with the multiplicity of semi-exotic heroes? I’d better brush up on my knowledge of Spain and Greece in that case. Oh, heck, forget those. I’m going for the Russian and Chinese tycoons.

  4. Michelle Styles on November 29th, 2007 at 10:57 am:

    Harlequin Presents is the engine room of Harlequin Enterprises. It is the most popular line by far and the most widely reprinted. For example, when Harlequin officially went into India this month, Moderns (Presents) led the way.

    I believe the editors were very pleased and delighted about the market being able to support 12 books. Two of these books will be the Modern Heats aka old temptations.

    The contest is a wonderful opportunity for any aspiring who wishes to write for Presents or for Modern Heat. The editors are giving lots of advice on I heart Presents about what they are looking for.

    I would think Russian and Chinese tycoons would be a harder sell than some other sorts of heroes, but really it is the quality of the voice and the compellingness of the relationship.

    FWIW

    Michelle Styles who knows a little tiny bit about Harlequin. ;)

  5. bam on November 29th, 2007 at 11:49 am:

    hmm. I have not read an HP in a while. What’s the trope again?

  6. bam on November 29th, 2007 at 11:53 am:

    Although grounded in reality and reflective of contemporary, relevant trends, these fast-paced stories are essentially escapist romantic fantasies that take the reader on an emotional roller-coaster ride. Written in the third person, they can be from the male or female point of view, or seen through the eyes of both protagonists. All are set in sophisticated, glamorous, international locations.

    With its focus on strong, wealthy, breathtakingly charismatic alpha-heroes who are tamed by spirited, independent heroines, the central relationship in a Presents novel is a provocatively passionate, highly charged affair, driven by conflict, emotional intensity and overwhelming physical attraction, which may include explicit lovemaking.

    Hmm… I wonder if Canada is international enough. The Canadian Videogame Designer’s Mistress…

    I’m throwing my hat in!

  7. Jane on November 29th, 2007 at 12:29 pm:

    Bam - I think you could write an awesome HP.

  8. bam on November 29th, 2007 at 1:20 pm:

    why thank you, jane. I happen to have an awesome idea.

  9. Meljean on November 29th, 2007 at 1:47 pm:

    Bam — doooo eeeeeit!

    I’ve noticed quite a few new Presents authors lately. I got a chance to read some while my daughter was sick — India Grey’s debut (THE ITALIAN’S DEFIANT MISTRESS) was one of the better Presents I’ve read in a while.

  10. Lynne on November 29th, 2007 at 7:02 pm:

    Bam said,

    I wonder if Canada is international enough. The Canadian Videogame Designer’s Mistress…

    I would SO buy that!

  11. Kate Walker on December 1st, 2007 at 4:18 am:

    Bam - there are plenty of Presents books set in Canada and two established Canadian authors - Catherine Spencer and Sandra Field.

    There are also lots of USA based romances - the nurban myth that no USA authors or settings a re bought is just that - a myth. There are authors from USA UK Australia and to everyone who lives in a different country, another country is international.

    The best way to find out exactly the types of settings and countries isz to read the books that are currently being published and the authors who are popular

  12. JACLYN VIEIRA DI BONA on January 14th, 2008 at 1:36 pm:

    FROM EHARLEQUIN.COM I BUY ANYWHERE FROM 8-10 BOOKS A MONTH WHICH I ENJOY READING. TO BE ABLE TO SEE ONE OF MY BOOKS ON HARLEQUIN PRESENTS OR ON ANY OF HARLEQUIN OR SILHOUETTE LINES ON EHARLEQUIN.COM, I THINK THAT I CAN SAY: I DIED AND WENT TO HEAVEN.
    JACLYN

  13. Dolores on January 20th, 2008 at 3:49 pm:

    Is the format of this manuscript the same from the Harlequin “Writing Guidelines“? How many pages/words should the book have? Thank you.

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