Popular Romance Project

How did publisher Sourcebooks acquire the rights to many of influential novelist Georgette Heyer‘s historical romances and mysteries? With good luck and determination! Sourcebooks founder and president Dominique Raccah and editorial manager Deb Werksman told the story to Laurie Kahn, executive producer of the Popular Romance Project.

What do you think of Georgette Heyer’s work? What authors or works do you think should never fall out of print? Read More

I began writing when I was in third grade, and since we didn’t have kindergarten back in the Paleolithic era, that was only two years after I had literally learned how to write. Poetry became my way to escape when school was boring, when other kids picked on me, and basically all the time. In other words, I have been writing, a lot, for a long time. Officially, I began writing and submitting romance novels 10 years ago.

During those years, I have been active in my local romance writers’ chapter and RWA. I have written seven complete manuscripts and a number of incomplete. I was a finalist in the American Title Contest as well as other smaller writing contests; I have had requests for partial and full manuscripts; I have been this close. . .

But no cigar.

Well, at least not yet. And that’s the question. Why would anyone continue to do something in the face of rejection after rejection? Hopes up and hopes dashed? I’ve had friends say that they would Read More

I don’t know about the rest of you historical writers out there, but there are times when I am riveted with jealousy for contemporary writers—mostly when I’m reading a contemporary and the hero speaks. It’s so much easier to do a man in “regular” speech than it is in “Regency-speak.”

Here’s an example. I happen to adore MaryJanice Davidson’s books, so I picked up a set of three sexy novellas published together as Under Cover. In a novella you must establish the character and feel Read More

Librarians are sort of used to being stereotyped. We’re used to friends and families thinking that we sit around all day and read. Our days are filled with luxury and kind, calm patrons who adore us immensely for the services we provide. Librarians’ minds are full of every book we ever read. And every book we haven’t read.

Reality is a bit different. Our days are busy and sometimes patrons are not so appreciative. And despite our attempts at super knowledge, our brains can’t hold all information.

But being a librarian who reads, enjoys, and promotes the romance genre can present an additional challenge. Even though the genre is Read More

How do authors pick the perfect scene for a reading? Something sweet? Sexy? Humorous? Sad? The tone of piece, the venue, and the audience all need to match, and there’s only a short window of time to give a tantalizing glimpse into an entire novel. Sarah MacLean shares selections from an antagonistic scene in Eleven Scandals to Start to Win a Duke’s Heart at New York City romance reading series Lady Jane’s Salon:

Have you ever been to a romance reading? What type of scene would you most like to hear? If you’re an author, what scenes do you share? Read More

I am a published novelist and storyteller, and for more than two years I have provided editorial support to Harlequin Turkey. During this period, I have had the chance to translate many Harlequin books written in English into my language and to compare their content with popular romance novels written by Turkish writers. I found several interesting cultural differences.

In the Harlequin romances written outside of Turkey, for example, love and passion are portrayed in dialogue or as events happening between the hero Read More

Remember how much you longed to be a teenager? When I was unpublished, the published state looked just as glorious as the magic year 13 does to an 11-year-old girl. I had no problem visualizing myself signing my name with a flourish and meeting my editor at fancy New York lunches. But First Years are often not exactly as one visualizes. Take the First Year of Marriage, for example. Magazines and movies portray it as a blur of romantic dinners and surprise gifts from one’s dearly beloved. Yet even as my husband and I wander through our second decade together, I shudder to think of our first 12 months. I am not just complaining about the state of Read More

Readers of inspirational romance want both a compelling, wholesome love story and an uplifting Christian faith element. A good inspirational romance supplies both of these, and more. Many contemporary readers find it challenging to live an authentic Christian life in today’s world, to act with integrity in an impure culture and to keep their faith, hope, and love alive in an atmosphere that doesn’t always promote or support these attributes. They are looking for books that will inspire and guide them in these goals. Both the requirement of wholesomeness—i.e., no profanity or explicit sex scenes and a high moral tone—and the presence of a faith element distinguish inspirational romance from general romance. Ideally, the faith element is organic and the lessons are embodied in the story without recourse to “preachy” or didactic language.

Wholesome romance is heartwarming and positive, always delivering the “HEA” (happily ever after), with either a church wedding or the promise of one by the end of the book. But although these romances are “clean,” that doesn’t mean they are boring or even unrealistic. Characters often Read More

Have you ever wondered how your favorite authors were introduced to romance novels? From discoveries made while babysitting to gifts from relatives, authors Jessica Andersen, Kristan Higgins, Debbie Kaufman, Jayne Ann Krentz, Caridad Piñeiro, Jill Shalvis, and Nalini Singh share their first romance read!

Do you remember your first romance novel? Read More

In historical romances, the clothing may not make the man or woman, but it can speak volumes. Questions of fashion involve not only what characters should be wearing in their place and time based on material availability, trends, and social standing, but also how attire dictates ways of moving and modes of communication unavailable without the wardrobe.

At the Romance Writers of America 2011 national conference, author Deeanne Gist presented a workshop called “Bottoms Up: Victorian Women’s Clothing from the Inside Out.” Gist addresses questions like “How did you speak with your gloves?” and “Did women wear shorter corsets for meals?”

In what ways does your own clothing choice restrict movement? Do you sit differently in jeans and short skirts? What messages do you try to send to others with your clothing—either clothing choice or actions such as putting your hands in your pockets? If you’re an author, what choices have you made for your characters (in any subgenre) and why? Read More