Many big name authors started out writing for the Harlequin and Silhouette category lines, including Nora Roberts, Suzanne Brockmann, Cherry Adair and Susan Mallory. Do you aspire to join their ranks? The Presents line features ruthless billionaires, greek tycoons and many secret babies. Alpha males at their brawniest and the women who tame them. I have often thought this would be a fun line to write for.

Harlequin Presents/Modern Heat guidelines
Length: 50,000 words

Upmarket, glossy and sharply contemporary, these stories sparkle with lively dialogue and sizzling sensuality! They offer all the international glamour, passion and alpha-male heroes you expect from Modern/Presents, with a flirty young voice and a whole load of sass! These entertaining romances reflect the life experiences of today’s young women, within a chic, glamorous and usually urban setting. The heroines are often your twenty-something girl-about-town but there’s no compromising on the hero: he must be very alpha and absolutely to die for! There’ll be sparks flying when these two meet—and nothing short of fireworks once they get to the bedroom!

I Heart Presents Contest details:

1. The competition entry must consist of either the first chapter and synopsis of a Harlequin Presents or Modern Heat novel
2. Please email your entry to writingcompetition@hmb.co.uk
3. The WINNER receives an editor for a year
4. TWO RUNNERS-UP will be given critiques of their first chapter entries and an editorial consultation
5. The competition will close on November 2nd 2009 and the winner will be announced in December 2009 on I Heart Presents
6. More detailed rules will be added to I Heart Presents on July 9

PS: I’m passing this information on, but I have no involvement in the contest. Please visit the I Heart Presents blog for all your contest needs.

I heart eHarlequin. Not only do they have excellent writing guides and fabulous online sales, but they keep giving away free eBooks like it’s going out of style. It’s Christmas time again!!! If you missed the Harlequin free book a day over the holidays, or you’re like me and just want moooore, check out the Harlequin Celebrates site to download 16 free ebooks. That’s right SIXTEEN FREE EBOOKS. I am in heaven!

I’d like to draw your attention to two of the 16 offerings:

SNOWBOUND by Janice Kay Johnson
2008 RITA® Award for Contemporary Series Romance!!!
How can you go wrong with a Seattle RWA member and a RITA-winning book???

When a blizzard strands Fiona MacPherson and her students in Oregon’s Cascade Mountains, their only hope of survival is to seek shelter at Thunder Mountain Lodge. Their host is John Fallon, a handsome, enigmatic war veteran haunted by secrets and scars that may never heal.

John Fallon never imagined he’d be playing host to this captivating teacher and her eight teenage charges. But when his solitude is shattered by their arrival, his world shifts on its axis. He needs Fiona—but does she need him? There’s only one way to find out. The ex-soldier must find the courage to reach out to the remarkable woman who has transformed his life…

SLOW HANDS by Leslie Kelly
I recently discovered author Leslie Kelly when her hubby friended me on Twitter. (Let the record show that Twitter is useful for promotion!) Ms. Kelly’s Harlequin Blaze book DON’T OPEN TILL CHRISTMAS was fabulously hot, witty and delightfully romantic. I was swept off my feet by the story and laughed out loud at the sharp dialog. Ms. Kelly has won a fan and I can’t wait to read her free offering from Harlequin. (I would have bought Slow Hands along with her other eBooks yesterday if the eharlequin site hadn’t failed on me. Free is better!)

This is Maddy Turner’s lucky day. The civilized society girl just bid on sexy rogue Jake Wallace at a charity bachelor auction—and won! But Maddy knows Jake’s dirty little secret. And it should keep her from trying out her new boy toy. Too bad she can’t stop herself from indulging in raw, quite uncivilized sex all the same….

Jake Wallace is utterly bewitched by Maddy—and utterly bewildered. How can this tantalizing woman melt so rapturously under his ministrations one moment, then turn into a haughty queen the next? He’s determined to get to the bottom of Maddy’s agenda. One slow, delicious inch at a time…

Let’s Celebrate!

Smart Women Read eBooks

I took the survey and you should too. The results will be used for the “Smart Women Read eBooks” panel being presented at the Tools of Change Conference in New York, February 9 through 11, 2009. The presenters (including Kassia from Booksquare, Sarah from SBTB, and Harlequin’s Malle Vallik) would like to get a sense of how women read ebooks, what you like/dislike about digital text, and what you want from ebook publishers.

Merry Christmas from Harlequin! Now through December 31st, Harlequin is giving away a free ebook each day on the Harelquin ebook boutique. Yesterday I downloaded COME TOY WITH ME by Cara Summers (Harlequin Blaze) and today I downloaded MISTLETOE AND MIRACLES by Marie Farrerella (Silhouette Special Edition). Nine free ebooks? Now that’s what I call being on Santa’s really good list.

Today’s Book: MISTLETOE AND MIRACLES

“You can get through to him. I know you can.”

Though he heard her words, Trent Marlowe knew he had to be dreaming. What were the odds that Laurel would just reappear after vanishing seven years before? She’d turned his heart to stone and he wanted to keep it that way. Then he learned the real reason for her visit….

Laurel would regret leaving Trent until the day she died. She’d disappeared with a litany of secrets too shameful to confide in a man she’d never stopped loving. But now she desperately needed him to help her troubled young son. Yet how could she fight the desire Trent was reigniting? And the bittersweet yearning for a second chance?

Are you giving books for Christmas? Which ones?

Enjoy!

Mr. Wonderful came back from his asia tour yesterday and brought me three romance novels in Japanese for my new international collection.

Left to Right:

1. An unnamed Harlequin by Joanna Maitland (it looks like she writes historical regency romance)
   
2. The Reckless One by Connie Brockway (He saw word “RITA” knew that was a big deal in my little world)
3. Daniel’s Gift by Barbara Freethy (also selected for “RITA” on the cover)

The books are written in Japanese, so of course I can’t read them. Luckily I have friends who can. The bookstore wrapped each in paper book covers before he left. We don’t know if they do that for all books or only romance novels.

If you’ve always wanted to write for Harlequin Historical, but were daunted by the length, now is your chance to submit something shorter!

Harlequin Historical UNDONE

Word Length: 10-15,000 words
Format: eBooks

The response to Harlequin Historical’s more sensual storylines have been so positive that we are creating a new eBook sexy short story program—Historical UNDONE.

Whether you choose a dark and devilishly sexy Regency rake caught in a compromising situation with a headstrong miss, or a courageous Saxon lady held captive by a powerful Norman warrior, your characters should be fully fleshed out and should be the main focus of the story.

<How about a dark and devilishly sexy miss and an innocent Regency gentleman? I want to read that story.>

Now accepting un-agented submissions and actively acquiring new authors! Please visit the website for more information.

Senior Editor: Linda Fildew
Editor: Suzanne Clarke
Editorial Assistant: Mimi Berchie
Editorial Office: London

Historical UNDONE e-mail address: undone (at) harlequin. ca