MIRA Editors Share Their Halloween Traditions
Halloween is almost here and everyone in the Harlequin office seems to be getting into the spirit. In honor of this spine-tingling holiday, a few of the MIRA editors wanted to share some of their favorite Halloween traditions with you:
“My husband and I are always pretty excited for Halloween. A favorite tradition of ours is our themed-movie marathon: a weekend-long event of Halloween candy bingeing, our couch and creepy themed flicks. Last year was vampires. This year: zombies.” — Michelle Venditti, Editorial Assistant
“My Hallowe’en memories…eating dinner at 5:00 so we could be the first out on our street..a small tantrum over having to wear a winter coat over my costume (“Moooom! You’re ruining it!)…making sure to hit the houses that gave out Hilroy notebooks and Jell-O powder sticks…that awesome lady who gave out full-sized chocolate bars…Unicef boxes jangling around our necks…the thrill of being out late, in the dark, without parents (even though it was only like 7:30)…rushing home, nose and ears freezing (Mom was right about the coat), up the driveway and into the warmth of the den to empty out our loot and in time to catch the end of a scary movie before off to bed.” — Susan Swinwood, Senior Editor
“Haven’t been to a Halloween party in years. Now it’s strictly about answering the door, dispensing little chocolate bars and admiring the kids’ costumes (some of which are really extravagant). When our daughter was young, we managed to get her a junior-size Star Trek outfit and Spock ears, since she was a big Star Trek: The Next Generation fan–that was probably my favorite of her costumes.” — Paula Eykelhof, Executive Editor
“I try to find a friend’s kid to borrow and take trick-or-treating so later on I can take all their candy… No, no! I’m kidding! I usually dress up and go to a friend’s party, though.” — Giselle Regus, Single Title Editorial and Administrative Coordinator
“My mother is a tremendous (amateur) makeup artist. To this day she always puts on her “face”. Halloween was the perfect opportunity for her to apply some of that magic to my face, transforming me into someone, or something, else. Add to this the opportunity to wear one of her groovy wigs and Halloween night’s spell began well before I hit the lamp-lit sidewalks. There was one house that we loved going to so much that we’d actually pile in my dad’s car to get there. They gave out cans of Pepsi and homemade popcorn balls!” — Margaret O’Neill Marbury, VP of Single Title Editorial
“I always dress up to answer the door. Usually I’m a vampire, but this year I’m going to be a witch, complete with rotting teeth, green skin, long black nails, a black cape and the piece de resistance, a tall hat with a shiny green snake coiled all the way around it.” — Leslie Wainger, Editor-at-Large
“I’ve spent years trying to repress the memories of lame childhood costumes: The time I threw on glasses and a pencil skirt and called myself a librarian; the year I went as Snow White, toting a tomato because we didn’t have apples… As an adult, I’ve actively avoided Halloween, though I have to admit, my 2-year-old nephew looks pretty darn cute in his Thor costume this year, and I’m a sucker for candy corn. Maybe it’s time to throw caution to the wind and embrace the scary.” — Erika Imranyi, Senior Editor
And what would Halloween be without a chilling read to curl up with? If you haven’t found one yet, MIRA has you covered:
Ordinary people become trapped in extraordinary circumstances in Rick Mofina’s upcoming psychological thriller, THEY DISAPPEARED.
Resident ghosts may be the stock-in-trade of stately Philadelphia homes, but Allison–a noted historian–is indignant at the prospect of “ghost hunters” investigating this apparent murder. But Agent Tyler Montague knows his hauntings and his history in THE UNINVITED.
Brandon and Luciana are perfectly matched. Angel and demon. Man and woman. But only one can win the battle of wills, of strength and of desire in THE DEMONESS OF WAKING DREAMS.
MARK OF THE WITCH: Lapsed Wiccan Indira Simon has a destiny to fulfill, one that will require her to once again embrace her belief in the world beyond just as she embraces Tomas, the lapsed priest who will stand by her side to fight an evil that can outlast time itself. Enter “The Portal”…if you dare.
What type of paranormal characters do you like reading about?
Harlequin’s New Paranormal Books — In Time for Halloween!
by Amy Wilkins, Harlequin Digital
Halloween is less than a week away, but most of Harlequin’s paranormal romance and fantasy novels for November 2012 are already available this week! Look for these great titles at your favorite book and ebook retailers, including new stories by bestselling author Gena Showalter, P.C. Cast, Julie Kagawa and many more…
Harlequin Blog News RoundUP: October 25, 2012
Each week we post the best news coming out of Harlequin and Carina Press. Free books, contests, community spotlights and the latest book trailers to check out. Read on for the latest news!
REE! FREE! FREE! Have you tried HARLEQUIN LOVE INSPIRED?
Download A VERY SPECIAL DELIVERY by Linda Goodnight!
Available at participating on-line retailers.
CLICK HERE ► http://bit.ly/RWrccF
FREE FREE FREE!! Have you tried HARLEQUIN NOCTURNE?
Download KISS ME DEADLY by Michele Hauf right now!
Available at participating on-line retailers.
CLICK HERE ►http://bit.ly/S5zdzI
HARLEQUIN.COM: Over two thousand vintage romances in our HARLEQUIN TREASURY!
Plus new ones being added every month. Do you have an old, fondly remembered title? Maybe it’s in our treasury.
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HARLEQUIN COMMUNITY: October Reading Challenge – LUNA
Powerful, alluring, mythic, elemental–magical. Let’s see how many YOU can read this month!
PLUS an author chat from OCT 14th to 20th. Who will it be? Click to find out!
JOIN US ► http://bit.ly/P3bUpz
Featured VIDEO: The UNFORGIVEN by BJ Daniels book trailer!
Under Montana’s big sky, two lovers will find their way back to one another…if an unsolved murder doesn’t pull them apart forever….
Rylan is done denying his feelings for Destry. But when clues begin to link her brush with death to his sister’s murder, will discovering the truth finally grant them their chance at love or turn them against one another for good?
WATCH IT HERE ► http://youtu.be/Tf7POsH4dzA
SO YOU THINK YOU CAN WRITE 2012
Congratulations to the Top 28 finalists in Harlequin’s SYTYCW 2012 contest! Are you one of them? Have you read the finalist entries?
CHECK IT OUT ►http://bit.ly/P3c1l1
Poll: Which November 2012 Harlequin Presents Cover is Your Favorite?
by Amy Wilkins, Harlequin Digital
Happy Friday! With the weekend upon us, let’s look at something fun–the gorgeous covers from the November 2012 batch of Harlequin Presents! Scenes from beaches to bedrooms — and even a early Christmas tree! — grace next month’s set of books. So which one is YOUR favorite?
Click the book covers below to see larger versions and learn more about each book, then cast your vote below!
Harlequin Blog News RoundUP: October 18, 2012
Each week we post the best news coming out of Harlequin and Carina Press. Free books, contests, community spotlights and the latest book trailers to check out. Read on for the latest news!
The HARLEQUIN APP is available on your phones for FREE! DOWNLOAD NOW!
Android » http://bit.ly/AaPjH9
iPhone/iTouch/iPad » http://bit.ly/yjVopP
HARLEQUIN.COM: You harbor otherworldly desires….
HARLEQUIN NOCTURNE stories delve into dark, sensuous and often dangerous territory, where the normal and paranormal collide.
START SHOPPING ► http://bit.ly/Te2UQP
HARLEQUIN COMMUNITY: NOCTURNE Spotlight Discussion!
Several of the Nocturne authors will be dropping by to chat with YOU! I’m sure you all what to know what’s on the horizon…
JOIN US ► http://bit.ly/RayZF0
Harlequin EXCLUSIVE Video Reveal!!
All He Ever Needed by Shannon Stacey
The Kowalskis are back!
Mitch Kowalski lives out of a suitcase–and he likes it that way. Traveling for work has the added bonus of scaring off women who would otherwise try to tie him down. But when he’s called home to help with the family lodge, he’s intrigued by the new girl in town and her insistence that she doesn’t need a man. If there’s one thing Mitch can’t resist, it’s a challenge.
WATCH IT HERE ► http://youtu.be/BsTvKm26pVE
CARINA PRESS:Enter a world of magic with our dragon fiction! Discover the strength, raw power and loyalty of these fire-breathing mythical creatures today.
HERE ► http://bit.ly/QuooCz
Support Anti-Bullying and Join the Love is Louder Movement with Hannah Harrington and Harlequin Teen
Editor’s Note: In the wake of the tragedy of Amanda Todd’s death and in honor of National Anti-Bullying Awareness month, we’re reposting this blog entry about SPEECHLESS by Hannah Harrington, a young adult novel about bullying. Read on to find out Hannah’s experiences writing about bullying and her involvement with the Love is Louder movement.
by Hannah Harrington, author of SPEECHLESS (Harlequin TEEN)
When I initially wrote Speechless, I had no idea that one of the story’s main subjects–high school bullying–would within a year become such a hot-button issue in today’s media. It’s not that it’s a new problem in our culture, but it feels as though, for the first time in a long time, it’s one people are finally talking about–a conversation that is way, way overdue.
Some people like to talk about bullying as if it’s a rite of passage every kid is meant to go through. I don’t believe that, but it was a topic I wrote about because I think it’s something most of us can relate to on some level. Bullying and harassment come in all forms: name-calling, having someone spread nasty rumors behind your back, maybe having someone shove you around or steal your things to antagonize you. There’s even cyber-bullying now on top of everything else, and I am pretty sure Al Gore did not have that intention in mind when he invented the internet! (Side note: Don’t worry, I do know Al Gore did not, in fact, invent the internet.)
I’m sure we all have our stories, some worse than others; I know I have mine. I sincerely hope none of yours are as bad as what both Noah and Chelsea endure in my story.
I didn’t set out to write Speechless as a PSA on bullying, and I certainly am not someone who has all the answers. My main thought was: what about a story of a girl who chooses to take an oath of silence? Maybe for some of us taking an oath of silence might not be such a burden; I know I sometimes have days where I would love it if I didn’t have to talk to anybody. To up the stakes, this girl had to be someone who really valued using her voice, so giving it up would be a Very Big Deal. The obvious question after that was, why on earth would she do that voluntarily?
Because it got her into trouble somehow. Because she has a big mouth and runs it about things she knows better than to talk about and hurts people in the process. Because maybe one night at a party, she walks in on… Well, as you can see, the ball got rolling from there.
The good thing about starting a conversation is that it means more people become aware, and once more people are aware, sometimes it leads to people taking action. One of the organizations that is doing great work is Love Is Louder. In Speechless, Chelsea is lucky enough to get varying levels of support from friends, family and the school administration—but unfortunately that’s not true for everyone’s situation, which is why projects such as Love Is Louder are so important. Love Is Louder for everybody, whether you’re gay, straight, trans, or even dealing with issues beyond just bullying such as self-harm, discrimination, disordered eating and depression. If you’re in a position where you need someone to talk to, Love Is Louder can provide resources, and if you’re someone who just wants to help, they could use you, too! Check out their website, www.loveislouder.com, to see what they’re doing and what they can do for you.
***
The Love is Louder movement was started when the Jed Foundation, MTV and actress Brittany Snow decided to do something to help those feeling mistreated, misunderstood or alone. Now hundreds of thousands of people around the world have joined the Love is Louder movement and are using their actions to make their communities and schools better places for everyone. Come join the Love is Louder movement with us. Get started now at LoveisLouder.com/SPEECHLESS
Hannah Harrington’s on a blog tour to support National Anti-Bullying Awareness month and SPEECHLESS, her new novel from Harlequin TEEN.
Check out her tour schedule here:
Monday, October 15th – I’m a Book Shark
Welcome to the Harlequin Presents Masquerade!
by Harlequin Presents Editor Carly Byrne
With Halloween in a couple of weeks’ time, the theme of this month’s blog is the Harlequin Presents Masquerade – the most exclusive, glamorous and outrageous party in town!
As women, we wear many masks; friend, colleague, girlfriend, wife and mother – I’m exhausted just thinking about it! Masks are also a popular theme in Presents. Of course I don’t mean literal masks; the heroes may be alpha males but they don’t have super powers (except maybe in the bedroom!) The use of masks in Presents, as in real life, is varied and complex. Beneath the glamour, jet-setting between exotic destinations and smoldering sensual tension is a raging tumult of emotional intensity.
Characters often wear masks that hide their true emotions. When he’s on the throne, a Sheikh’s duty to his country and his people must come first, but at night, in his opulent palace chamber, passion reigns! On the red carpet, in the blinding light of the paparazzi flash bulbs, a socialite smiles for the cameras, but in the wings a scandal is about to break. The dotted line is signed, the convenient marriage contract binding, but how long can both characters keep up the pretence when their feelings are becoming real?
The best thing about masks in Presents is peeling them back as the story develops. Nothing steals my breath like the moment that the Sheikh’s dutiful facade can no longer withstand the passion of the man behind it! (Lucky heroine) Nothing makes me root for the seemly spoilt heiress more than when the truth about her humble past hits the headlines. And the hot kiss that transforms a paper marriage into a real one always gives me chills.
Between bobbing for apples and carving pumpkins, when reading your Presents this Halloween, remember there’s much more to the characters and story than meets the eye. Peel back those masks and there’s no tricks just plenty of treats in store!
What guise would you don for the Harlequin Presents Masquerade? What would your costume look like?
Cover Reveal: Gena Showalter’s BEAUTY AWAKENED
Today I’m revealing a gorgeous and sexy cover for the new Gena Showalter release, BEAUTY AWAKENED. Art Director Kathleen Oudit’s team has pulled out the stops for Gena’s second release in the Angels of the Dark series. Kathleen told us, “We wanted to respond to the title Beauty Awakened – to capture the moment the fairytale “Sleeping Beauty” princess wakes up in the passionate arms of her prince. Only our world is modern and our tale is dark.”
This is a much darker fairytale than most. Even the tone of the novel is different. “The soundtrack to THIS fairy tale has electric guitars – not violins.”
Angels of the Dark is a spin off from the Lords of the Underworld series. The first book, WICKED NIGHTS, is available right now. You can pick up BEAUTY AWAKENED in March 2013. Read on below the cover for a peek into what BEAUTY AWAKENED holds!
About the book:
New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter returns with another captivating Angels of the Dark tale, as a tormented warrior is brought to his knees by the most delicate of humans….
His name is Koldo. He is scarred, powerful, his control legendary-and he lives only for vengeance against the angel who viciously removed his wings. But if he yields to the forces of hatred, he will be eternally damned.
Nicola Lane was born with a defective heart, yet this fragile human shows surprising strength as demons stalk her every move, determined to end her. She is the key to Koldo’s deliverance…and his downfall. Though he fights duty, destiny and his first addictive taste of desire, his toughest battle will be the one for Nicola’s life-even if he has to sacrifice his own….
What do you think of the series so far? Are you excited for the next book?
The Answer Has Changed
by Laura Bradford, author of Storybook Dad (Harlequin American Romance)
Whenever I give a book talk at a library or other venue, one question I’m always asked is whether I put myself in my books. The easy answer has always been, “very little.” I mean, I might borrow my height or even my eye color from time to time, but, for the most part, I tend to lean more toward wish fulfillment (the hair I wish I had, the height I wish I was).
However, with STORYBOOK DAD’s release for Harlequin American this month, my answer to that tried and true question has now changed. You see, Emily Todd, my story’s heroine, has Multiple Sclerosis—like me. And when the story opens, her diagnosis is still pretty raw—a time I still remember even being six years out, myself.
When I sat down to write this book, I didn’t want it to be about my life. I wanted it to be about Emily—a young woman who had her whole life mapped out when those two scary words came hurtling in her direction. How would she cope? What would she do?
Interestingly enough, Emily doesn’t let her diagnosis change the life she already has in terms of her career or her physical prowess. That, she’s determined to maintain, no matter what. But the dream she hasn’t yet realized—the one that has her being swept off her feet by a dashing young prince—is the one she no longer sees as an option.
Why? Because it’s that dream that requires her to count on someone else in order for it to come true…a nameless/faceless someone who can’t possibly love her enough to see past a diagnosis like M.S.
Sadly, it looks like Emily’s fears may be right when she meets Mark Reynolds—a widower with a four-year-old son and a mountain of guilt/fear where his first wife’s death is concerned. His son has been through enough turmoil and pain in his young life there’s no way he’s going to chance Seth’s heart like that ever again.
Sure, Emily is pretty. Sure, she’s smart. Sure, she’s fun. Sure, she makes him feel alive. But she’s sick. Her future abilities and health come with a question mark that’s entirely too big and too bold for him to ignore, don’t they?
I’ll be honest, this was the most exhausting book I’ve ever written because I wanted to get it right. I wanted to get across the potential limitations, the importance of attitude, and the reality that a diagnosis of M.S. is just that…a diagnosis. It’s not a life sentence. Life is still Emily’s for the taking—dreams and all.
Which brings us back to that answer I must now tweak. The one about whether I put myself into my characters…
Well, just as Seth ends up teaching Emily about the healing power of love in STORYBOOK DAD, my daughter did the same for me. She taught me that anything—even two scary words like Multiple Sclerosis—is doable with the right hand to hold.
It’s a lesson that makes all the difference for Emily. And it’s a lesson that made all the difference for me.
Harlequin Blog News RoundUP: October 11, 2012
Each week we post the best news coming out of Harlequin and Carina Press. Free books, contests, community spotlights and the latest book trailers to check out. Read on for the latest news!
I HEART PRESENTS BLOG:Scandal! The Santina Crown Gossip Page
CARLOTTA’S SHAME + Excerpt
As royal princesses go, Carlotta Santina was believed to be perfect. Her twin sister Natalia had long been creating headlines with her own wild behavior. But it wasn’t Natalia who delivered the first illegitimate Santina child–EVER! READ THE SCANDAL HERE ► http://bit.ly/W38swx
HARLEQUIN – A Romance for Every Mood!
Experience the variety of romance that Harlequin has to offer. Browse all of our categories and discover the series that’s right for you. With more than 100 new releases every month, Harlequin has your romance reading covered–and you can even try a FREE EBOOK from most of our categories. Kick-start a love affair with Harlequin!
TRY A FREE BOOK HERE ► http://bit.ly/RfWkXO
Harlequin READERSERVICE.COM: Perhaps you’ve tried other book clubs in the past, but none can match the fantastic benefits from Reader Service! CHECK OUT THE EXTRAS ► http://bit.ly/SQZhQE
COMMUNITY TUESDAY: Author Spotlight Discussion!
Nocturne author Michele Hauf is always an amazing storyteller, but…she can pick a lock or bake a mean chocolate cheesecake (with a file inside) if duty calls.
JOIN THE CONVERSATION ► http://bit.ly/UJbxnm
HARLEQUIN Featured VIDEO:Harlequin’s Proofreading Department!
A candid video of our proofreading department in Toronto.
The perfect job?? WATCH IT HERE ► http://youtu.be/hHAxhnxPVTA
CARINA PRESS:What stories scare you the most??
CLICK HERE IF YOU DARE ► http://bit.ly/UJcfRP