Harlequin Blog News Round-Up: March 28, 2013
Each week we post the best news coming out of Harlequin and Carina Press. Usually it means a few sales. But there’s also free books, contests, community spotlights and the latest video-in-convos with our authors and book trailers to check out.
Find out what’s behind the curtain below.
If you’re a longtime member of Harlequin.com, you’ve most likely noticed a few NEW CHANGES to Harlequin.com. If you’re brand new to the site, we’ve got an easier way to start shopping!
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What do you think of the Social Sign-in & Book Review functions?
Harlequin’s New Paranormal Books for April 2013
by Amy Wilkins, Harlequin Digital
Spring is here, bringing new weather, new flowers…and new books from Harlequin! This month, Harlequin Books has new paranormal romances from favorite series like Harlequin Nocturne and Nocturne Cravings, as well as the final book in Rachel Vincent’s Soul Screamers series from Harlequin TEEN, and new looks for Julie Kagawa’s The Immortal Rules and Sophie Littlefield’s zombie series, Aftertime. Click read more to check them all out!
My Crappy Romance Story
by Amber Dusick, author of Parenting: Illustrated with Crappy Pictures (Harlequin Nonfiction)
My illustrated humor book, Parenting: Illustrated with Crappy Pictures, was just published by Harlequin Nonfiction this week. The ‘nonfiction’ part of the publisher’s name is important because otherwise people get confused and ask me if I wrote a romance novel.
But maybe this is the universe telling me that I should write a romance novel. I mean, I have my foot in the door, right? Sorta?
I could totally do it.
This is my romance novel outline…
There is a beautiful damsel in distress. She has a name like Ambrosia or Velouria. Her cleavage heaves. Her flaxen hair bounces around her shoulders and stuff like that. This chick is hot.
She is chained up. I’m not sure who chained her up. I haven’t figured this part out yet. It doesn’t really matter.
Then a dude with muscles shows up.
He has a sword. Isn’t there always a sword? He is a rough pirate who will never settle down.
But he is captivated by her beauty. Intoxicated…
He firmly grasps her tiny waist and she trembles in fear and….
Huh?
Then their two kids enter the room and reality returns.
And this? This is why I’ll stick with parenting humor. For now.
(And it doesn’t escape me that since this is appearing on Harlequin’s blog they so TOTALLY just published my crappy romance story. See? It was meant to be. I was made for this.)
Check out the official book trailer for Parenting: Illustrated with Crappy Pictures by Amber Dusick from Harlequin Nonfiction!
How to Have a Stellar Date Night in Yoga Pants
by Sarah Matheny, author of More Peas, Thank You (Harlequin Nonfiction)
Sure, you could squeeze yourself into the dress you wore to your girlfriend’s wedding. Six years ago. And you could wedge your feet into some sassy but totally impractical shoes. Just make sure they’re closed toed. There’s no way you have time for a pedicure. Keep your fingers crossed (or your covered toes, for that matter) that the babysitter is free. Did you make reservations? He loves the steakhouse. You love thinking there is a chance that dress you wore to your girlfriend’s wedding might fit in six more months, let alone years.
Problems. Date night causes ‘em.
I solve ‘em.
Put on your yoga pants (pair them with a MLB team t-shirt and a ponytail you’ve got my husband’s dream). Hit the grocery store on your way home. You’ll compromise on the movie rental, with an action flick, he’ll think he’s compromising on the food. Until he tastes it.
Check out the menu below, filled with delicious and healthy dishes from the new book More Peas, Thank You and our blog Peas and Thank You.
You’ll save money. You’ll save calories. You’ll save time.
You may even be able to squeeze in that pedicure.
You’re welcome.
Appetizer: Nutty Cauliflower Wings with Buffalo BBQ Sauce—like the wings he loves, but without the bird.
Salad Course: Kale Sunshine Salad—yes, kale! You’ll show him you love him by giving him the healthiest of greens and he’ll show you he loves you when he admits he now totally digs kale.
Main Course: Zucchini Quinoa Lasagna—noodles? We don’t need no stinkin’ noodles! This elegant dish features zucchini instead of starchy pasta, which leaves plenty of room for dessert.
Dessert: Thin Mint Cookies—not only will these impress your man, but they’ll give you fresh breath for that goodnight kiss. And you won’t have to hunt down a Girl Scout for these. I’ve got you covered.
For a sneak peek into More Peas, Thank You, the upcoming sequel to Peas and Thank You, visit Sarah at www.peasandthankyou.com
Leap Into Spring
by Tara Parsons, executive editor of Harlequin MIRA
It looks like March is going out more like a lion than a lamb this year! We have some big changes here at the office. After thirteen years of dedicated service to MIRA, beloved Executive Editor Valerie Gray is retiring. Valerie has been a true mentor, leader, and tireless advocate for her authors. We will miss not only her keen editorial eye, but her warmth, her grace, and her inimitable style.
Daunting as it is to replace the irreplaceable, I’m delighted to be entrusted with the Executive Editor position at MIRA. Since 2009, I’ve had the pleasure of managing the Harlequin HQN and LUNA imprints. In addition to editing bestselling authors of romance, women’s fiction and suspense, I’ve worked with a phenomenal team who succeeded in growing the HQN imprint by nearly 50 percent in the last few years. Susan Swinwood will be taking my place with HQN and, while I’ll miss the group greatly, I know they’re in terrific hands. Prior to joining Harlequin, I acquired and edited general fiction at Simon & Schuster. So this is a coming home of sorts for me – to the editorial I cut my teeth on.
Speaking of coming home, Nicole Brebner will be returning to our editorial team as Senior Editor, MIRA, from her recent position as Senior Manager, Overseas Editorial Strategy. She’ll bring her deep knowledge of the world market to our team, along with her steady hand and editorial prowess. And “Eagle Eyes” Leonore Waldrip, formerly with HQN, will be joining our group as Assistant Editor. She’s looking for strong, unique voices in all genres. Last but certainly not least, MIRA’s own Michelle Venditti has been promoted to Assistant Editor. Michelle’s latest acquisition, ALICE CLOSE YOUR EYES by debut author Averil Dean (on sale in January 2014), is a psychological thriller that will have readers on the edge of their seats.
With all these changes around here, it feels like Spring, despite the weather! Nicole, Leonore and I couldn’t be more thrilled to join the phenomenal team of MIRA editors – Paula Eykelhof, Erika Imranyi, Leslie Wainger, Emily Ohanjanians and Michelle – and to immerse ourselves in the great works of women’s fiction, suspense, romance and commercial literary fiction that we have in store for readers in 2013 and beyond. Please tell us what books YOU are excited about in the comments!
Happy Spring, and happy reading!
Harlequin Blog News Round-Up: March 21, 2013
Each week we post the best news coming out of Harlequin and Carina Press. Usually it means a few sales. But there’s also free books, contests, community spotlights and the latest video-in-convos with our authors and book trailers to check out.
Find out what’s behind the curtain below.
Four wonderful titles every month – now available in ebook format!
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Get to know Author Cindy Dees – author of A BILLIONAIRE’S REDEMPTION. Find out what Cindy’s reading, where she’s traveled to and which of her own books is her favorite!
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Parenting: Illustrated with Crappy Pictures by Amber Dusick
Your average, sleep-deprived mother of two sat down to write her first blog post in May 2011. Wishing she had photos to illustrate her stories, she drew them. The pictures were admittedly crappy.
WATCH IT HERE ► http://youtu.be/W0Sa54mFYig
Giveaway: Win this Month’s Harlequin Nocturne Books!
by Amy Wilkins, Harlequin Digital
Have you picked up the March Harlequin Nocturne books yet? If not, you’re missing out on two great reads — but luckily it’s not too late to get your hands on them since we’re giving away a set!
Here are the two books up for grabs this week:
Presents Needs You! Online Pitch Starts Today
by Harlequin Presents editorial assistant Pippa Roscoe
Calling all aspiring authors, the Presents team have an exciting opportunity for you! Following on from the fantastic success of last year’s online pitch, we’re going to dive right in with another one!
However this year, there’s a twist… Not only are we asking you to submit an extract of your work, but our top 5 submissions will invited to an online pitch with a difference — see below for more details…
Your submission – The First Meet
It’s the moment that every girl dreams of and every romance fan relishes. Whether their eyes meet across a crowded room, they’re stuck in an elevator, or your heroine’s sought out your hero to give him an earful! It’s the moment that makes the hairs on your arms stand up, the tingly feeling spreads across your body, and you just know that’s your hero!
We want you to make it interesting, sparkly and original. It doesn’t have to be the first page of your story, but exactly that moment when your hero and heroine first lay eyes on each other. Extracts should be 1,000 – 2,000 words and five lucky entrants will be invited to a highly exclusive online party!
Submissions should be emailed to Rae (doeraemi @ gmail . com) by March 24th at midnight EST.
The top five will be chosen and notified on or about April 8th and will be invited to an exclusive online pitch on the 15th of April.
The Online Pitch – Come as your Character!
The Presents team want to meet one of your characters! Whether it’s your hero or heroine, we’ll ask the questions and let your character tell us about themselves! Don’t worry – the questions won’t be hard, but we LOVE getting to know your characters and uncovering what makes them tick, so make sure you know them inside out!!
Our top three ‘characters’ will be asked to submit the first three chapters and a synopsis of their story to the Presents team, who will provide an editorial critique
Harlequin Presents Series Spotlight in the Harlequin Community
by Amy Wilkins, Harlequin Digital
Harlequin Presents is the series spotlight of the month in Harlequin Community for March! The Community is the place to be to meet and chat with fellow readers, authors and aspiring writers of Harlequin/Mills and Boon books but the series spotlight means that there are even more great discussions about Harlequin’s most iconic series happening right now. Here are links to a couple great topics currently on the go that you should definitely check out!
Read an Excerpt from Carol Marinelli’s “Playing the Dutiful Wife”
by Amy Wilkins, Harlequin Digital
“We have made an application on behalf of Niklas Dos Santos to exercise his conjugal rights…”
Now that‘s a way to start a book! A falsely imprisoned hero and hot reunion romance feature in Carol Marinelli’s latest Harlequin Presents novel on sale this month,
Memories of Time Spent at Castonbury Park
by Amanda McCabe, author of A Stranger at Castonbury (Harlequin Historical)
When I was first asked to participate in a series described as “Downton Abbey in the Regency,” I jumped eagerly at the chance! Like so many other people, I am a Downton fanatic and have avidly followed the series from the beginning. (Mary and Matthew! Sybil and Branson! Bates and Anna! Thomas! The scandal! The clothes!). Mix it with another of my favorite things, the Regency period, and I was completely hooked. Also, I was very, very excited at the chance to work with so many authors whose books I love.
But then the reality set in. There were eight of us, and we had to work closely together to create a world as colorful and complex as that of Downton, with interlocking characters, upstairs/downstairs dynamics, scandal and passion. And I had to write the last story, tying it all together and making sure I stayed true to the world of Castonbury and other authors’ characters. Easy and simple, of course. Not!
Luckily one of the things I love best about Downton is how everyone’s lives interlock and entwine, and having the chance to create the same thing at Castonbury was great fun. (And luckily many of the other authors are much more organized than I am, and created spreadsheets and images that made the place come really alive for us all). Through the other stories, I could easily envision the house and the people in it, and by the time I finished writing Stranger at Castonbury, it felt like home.
I miss working on the project now, but I have to admit I cried just a bit when the grief-stricken, outcast Jamie and Catalina finally saw each other again across the crowded Castonbury drawing room. Could they ever find a way to be happy amid the shocking scandal of their past? Even as I wrote their story myself I was always on the edge of fear for them, I loved them so much and so many perils awaited them. But I will always remember the magical time I spent at Castonbury Park…
About the Book:
The obliterated battlefields of Spain are a world away from the privileged life of James Montague, Earl of Castonbury. Only nurse Catalina Moreno eases the deafening roar of mortar fire–and in a crumbling chapel by candlelight they make their vows. But before the sheets cool from their scorching wedding night Jamie leaves for a brutally dangerous mission…
Two years later, believing her husband dead, Catalina is shocked to see a man who looks and sounds like her Jamie at Castonbury–but where once there was warmth and charm now unflinching torment lies in the gaze of a man she barely recognises…
A Stranger at Castonbury
is part of a unique Harlequin Historical ebook collection, Castonbury Park. Love Regency romance? Love the upstairs/downstairs dynamic of Downton Abbey? Then check out the whole Castonbury Park series! It’s available on Harlequin.com along with the rest of series. Click for more Castonbury Park blog posts.
Harlequin Blog News Round Up: February 28, 2013
Each week we post the best news coming out of Harlequin and Carina Press. Usually it means a few sales. But there’s also free books, contests, community spotlights and the latest video-in-convos with our authors and book trailers to check out.
Find out what’s behind the curtain below.
Did you know there’s a FREE Harlequin app for your phone or iPad? Browse the new monthly releases, take a sneak peek at what’s coming soon and create a wishlist of your future purchases.
You can download the app for Android from Google Play and for iPhone/iTouch/iPad from iTunes.
Sherryl Woods’ Angel Mine, the first novel in the Whispering Wind series. Sherryl reminds us yet again that family comes first.
Purchase the book from Harlequin.com today!
Join multi-published author Charlotte Carter & her friends for tips on how to make your writing shine! This week we’re discussing “Dialogue with a Crowd”. Want to talk shop? Join the conversation at the Harlequin Community!
Put on your detective hat and curl up with a wonderfully refreshing cozy mystery! If you love getting to the bottom of things, these engaging tales will entertain. Try one from Monique Domovitch, Jean Harrington or Wendy Roberts by visiting CarinaPress.com today!
Harlequin’s New Paranormal Romances for March 2013
by Amy Wilkins, Harlequin Digital
Harlequin is thrilled to have a great new batch of paranormal romances on sale for March — and available right now in print and ebook stores. Among this month’s releases are new titles by bestselling authors like Gena Showalter and Michele Hauf, and highly anticipated entries into fan favorite series like C.E. Murphy’s The Walker Papers and the final book in Aimée Carter’s The Goddess Test series from Harlequin TEEN. Click “read more” to check out all our new books below!