Do you enjoy reading or writing about sophisticated, glamorous, international locations? Do you like your heroes to be strong, wealthy, and breathtakingly charismatic? How about your heroine? Do you want her to be spirited and independent?
If you answered, "Heck, yeah!" to any or all of the above questions...well, then the line you're looking to read or write for is Harlequin Presents!
Presents provides fast-paced stories that take you on an adventure in romance and will leave you breathless and wanting more. The line is best known for its Alpha heroes and international locations. And to take a further look into both of those elements and what it's like writing for the line, WWR asked some of today's leading Presents authors for their insight.
Insight from Presents Authors
Lucy Monroe
According to Lucy Monroe (see Lucy's Author Focus), author of the October release The Italian's Suitable Wife, Presents provides her "with an opportunity to indulge in fantasy while writing about issues that face modern women at their deepest level." More likely than not, most readers and writers would agree that a good romance novel has a depth of emotion intertwined with a sensual, life changing plot. Lucy has definitely conquered this balance in many of her novels...just as our next author has.
Kate Walker
Kate Walker, a twenty year veteran of the romance industry, is an amazing source of information on the Presents line. She recently told us she enjoyed writing for Presents because she can tackle conflicts and situations that can be "dark and emotionally dangerous." She likes to create wounded heroes or heroines, while writing an emotionally charged book.
Kate went on to tell us that conflicts featured in Presents books are such that they "could ruin people's lives, drive couples apart, end relationships, [and] create heartbreak" if they're not sorted out. But ultimately, Kate said that writing a Presents novel for her "means having the chance to create wonderfully sophisticated and often exotic settings" with "men of the world" heroes. And, that "it's the sophistication and the intensity of the relationship that really makes it a Presents story."
Be sure to check out Kate's November release, Their Secret Baby!
Trish morey
When we asked newly published Presents author, , about writing for the line she explained a little about why she thought—after eleven years of trying to write and publish within the Presents line—her book, The Greek Boss's Demand, was accepted!
She said she felt it was because "it carries the tension and drama right through from beginning to end." And that statement pretty much sums up what we found while researching the line. A successful manuscript is one that follows through on emotion and plot in a way that makes it stand out. Trish's next book, The Italian's Virgin Bride will be a Harlequin / Mills & Boon Sexy Bonus Novella Xmas Special, scheduled for release in December 2004 (November 2004 in the UK).
Susan Stephens
Our last quote comes from professional singer turned professional author, Susan Stephens. Susan told us a bit about her experience in writing a Presents book. Basically, she said that a "Presents plumbs the extremes of all of our emotions, and it's not unusual to find [her] laughing, or sighing happily, or even shedding a tear as [she] write[s] simply because the characters have become so real to [her]." Watch for Susan's March 2005 release, The Greek's Seven Day Seduction.
If you would like to read the quotes from these wonderful authors in the complete format, click here.
WWR would like to thank all of the authors who participated in our request for a quote on the line. Time is a valuable commodity and we thank you for sharing some of yours with us.
Good luck to all the writers targeting this line. And for all you readers out there, enjoy!
An Interview with Presents Editor, Kim Young
Kimberley Young, Harlequin Presents Editor, graciously agreed to participate in our very first editor interview by email. Ms. Young began her career for Harlequin as a reader, and is now an editor who works with over twenty-five authors. For more insight into the Presents line, check out what Ms. Young had to say in her interview!
A Look at Harlequin Presents' Writing Guidelines
If you'd like to see more about what the publisher says Presents should be, check out our summary of their guidelines.
Interested in attending a Chat with Presents Authors?
Well, here's your chance. Don't miss the Harlequin Presents authors here on WeWriteRomance.com's AuthorChat November 28, 2004 at 6 p.m. EST!
