Recently eHarlequin hosted a SYTYCW (so you think you can write) week.One of the sessions was a webinar (like a combined powerpoint slide show and podcast rolled into one - but live). Hosted by Harlequin editors Susan Litman and Victoria Curran it included a clear explanation of what is a category/series novel. I thought it was worth sharing (if you want to listen to the whole webinar, you can find a replay here):
What is Series?
- set number of books per month under a specific brand
- particular kind of read, creating reader expectation
- create a fan base so readers return to their beloved lines each month
- each book has a strong romance with a happy ending
- each series has its own set of requirements including word count and story elements
They also grouped Harlequin's lines into Series. I hadn't been aware of this division before, so found it quite interesting. The series are:
Classic (Quintessential, modern love stories)- Presents/Modern/Sexy Sensation
- Presents Extra/Modern Heat/Sexy
- Harlequin Romance/Sweet
- Medical Romance
- Blaze
- Desire
Heart and Home (Heartwarming contemporary romances that balance life and love)
- Special Edition
- Superromance
Suspense and Paranormal (Heart stopping contemporary stories with intrigue and mystery... where true love always triumphs)
- Intrigue
- Romantic Suspense
- Nocturne
Inspirational (Christian/faith-based)
- Love Inspired
- Love Inspired Suspense
- Love Inspired Historical
Historicals
African-American
- Kimani Romance
Throughout the discussion they outlined each line in detail, as well as recommending a few authors who truly represent the line. I won't list them here, but if you are interested you can listen to the replay yourself (link above). I learnt a few new things about my line, and in particular one big change - but I'll leave that for a future post.