More from Atlanta - specific H/S lines
I was going to hop into bed, helluva day, but thought I'd blog while I'm awake. I did some research on Harlequin's new manga line, and from what I can tell, there are no guidelines for writers for a good reason - the books coming out are from older Harlequins that have been translated into Japanese, leased by Harlequin, then once the lease was up re-leased with Dark Horse comics. The most recent news I’ve found is here in a July 2006 article from Publisher’s Weekly.When you see them on the shelves, note that the 'pink' color-coded books will be youthful romances geared for teens and young adults, and the 'purple' are adapted novels by long-time Harlequin Presents author Penny Jordan. If anyone can find guidelines on the mangas, you're a better sleuth than I am. These books, by the way, were in the goody room for librarians, not the one for authors. I only got them because they were left behind and about to be dumped. (Goody room rules are that materials have to be picked up by a certain time, or they are disposed of by hotel housekeeping.)
I've glanced through the ARCs I received on the new Nocturnes, and the first is a fey story, the second an Immortal saves the world type story, and the third is a paranormal in which the female protagonist sees ghosts. (Haunted, by Lisa Childs, which is probably the 1st one I'll read - it doesn't debut until December.) Guidelines are here for anyone wishing to write one of these. For you readers, the line debuts next month. - I have covers of these, but ya gotta hold your tongue just right to get Blogger to post the damn photos. Maybe Blogger just doesn't like suspense. I give up - I'll try to load it later.
If you’d like to write a saga that takes place in only 70-75k words, Harlequin’s new Everlasting series may be the thing for you. These books encompass the lifetime of a couple in a mere 280-300 manuscript pages.
The company wants their erotic fiction considerably longer. Spice is anywhere from 90-150k, or 360-600 manuscript pages. Ditto for their inspirational fiction, from 75-85k for their historicals, but only 60-65k for inspirational contemporaries.
For those of you planning on subitting a Bombshell to Silhouette, you might want to revise or rethink. Word in Atlanta was that they are no longer acquiring, which if you read between the lines *might* mean that the line will soon be defunct and that your kick-ass heroines will have to hope for acceptance with another line or with another publisher. Seems the heroines who spend more time in church or in bed are shoving aside the Sydney Bristows of the world. Desperate Housewives (mainstream fiction and erotica), romantic comedy (all houses had these), the physicians a la Grey's Anatomy (romantic suspense with a dash of comedy), and demon-fighting housewives and singles are nudging out spies and covert operatives to an extent. Now if you want to give those spies and operatives a religious experience or have them exploring their sexuality, you may have a winner.
...here's the cover of Vicki Lewis Thompson's book she signed in Atlanta. If you haven't been reading the 'nerd' books, you're missing out on some good romantic laughs. She's a HOOT as we say here.Beach reads seem to be quite popular. Jill Marie Landis had one in the first goody bag we received when we registered for the conference. Then there were the occasional mysteries or romantic suspense books - all of which I'd consider a beach read, something to 'take me away' whether I was sitting poolside or just dreaming of water.
Whether it was inspirational, erotica, sheer romance, or something to scare the bejeebers out of the reader, what I heard over and over was 'escape'...make the book a good escape for the reader. Great plot, characters that stick to you, and good writing, no matter the setting.
If there's anything you've wanted that I haven't blogged about from the conference, just let me know, and I'll see what I can find for you.
~ Sunny Lyn
posted by Bobbie (Sunny) Cole @ 3:47 AM
3 comments
3 Comments:
The Smart Bitches read one of the Harlequin Mangas and had a huge discussion on them rehashing the old books.
You have such wonderful information to share. Thanks so much. :)
I usually keep up on the 'bitches' - must've missed that one.
THANK YOU, by the way. Appreciate your appreciation - lol.
Hey Sunny Lyn,
Great informative blog! Glad I finally found my way here.
I can't quite figure out the appeal of Mangas. Maybe it's a generational thing and I'm too old, I don't know!
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