July 2016 Editor and Imprint Wish List:
The editors at Entangled Publishing are always looking for the next breakout hit. Here is their wishlist for the month of July, not only individual editors, but also what the imprints would love to see.
Imprints
Entangled Select and Entangled Teen – 70k-120k word romance novels or novels with romantic elements.
Embrace – New Adult romance novels or novels with romantic elements.
Indulgence – 45k-60k contemporary category romance.
Lovestruck – 20k-60k contemporary category romance.
Brazen – 20k-60k erotic category romance.
Bliss – 20k-60k sweet category romance.
Covet – 20k-70k paranormal category romance.
Scandalous – 20k-65k historical category romance.
Ignite – 25k-80k romantic suspense, mysteries, and thrillers.
Teen Crush – 20k-60k contemporary YA category romance.
Teen Crave – 20k-60k paranormal/scifi/fantasy YA category romance.
We accept both agented and unagented submissions.
Alethea Spiridon, Editorial Director of Scandalous and Select Historical
Scandalous (historical category romance):
• I really want well-developed Highlander and Viking stories right now. But also a story that has epic chemistry that flies off the page. Bring me the passion and obstacle-ridden romance that makes readers refuse to put the story down until they sort out how these two will make their love story work for them. Regency and Victorian time periods are also of particular interest.
Select Historical (single-title historical romance):
• Incredibly rich, evocative period pieces, something that takes risks. High concept, hero driven stories are what I want at the moment. Swoonworthy alpha hero who is driven by his goals and motivated to succeed in getting what he wants and the woman he loves. We’re particularly interested in Highlander, Viking, Regency, and Victorian stories.
Personal wish list:
• I’d love a great blackmail and revenge story for Indulgence, Scandalous, or our single-title historical list.
• A swarthy, sexy, brooding alpha male. I’m in alpha male withdrawal and craving him. I’ll consider any alpha as long as he is going to make me forget my life and take me away with him.
• I’m happy to review all kinds of historical stories if authors are looking for a new home for their ideas.
Alicia Tornetta, Editorial Director of Bliss, Suspense, and Ignite
Bliss (our sweet contemporary category romance imprint):
• Books with series potential featuring men in uniform (firefighters, police, military, etc). E.g.. Brothers all in various branches of the military who come home and fall in love.
• Babies! Single dads, baby on the doorstep. E.g. Two people become primary caregivers to a baby who isn’t theirs. Or a bachelor suddenly finds himself a dad and falling for the girl next door.
• Holiday romances. Snowball fights, snowed in, decorating the tree, family dinner—lots of potential with this setting. E.g. Heroine is stranded at the airport due to weather and plays fake girlfriend for the hero going home for the holidays.
• Weddings! Bridesmaids, wedding planners, marriages of convenience, etc. Anything where a story revolves around a wedding. E.g. The maid of honor falls for the bad boy best man at their best friends’ wedding.
• Small town romantic comedies! City girl in the country unexpectedly and at odds with a local guy, neighbors at war. Anything that has a humorous voice and a plot with lots of potential for laughs.
Suspense and Ignite (single-title and category-length suspense):
• Books with military/special forces/security heroes. E.g. A playboy hero who falls for his teammate’s sister while protecting her.
• Foreign settings. London, Brazil, Syria, Colombia etc.
• Undercover situations. E.g. An FBI hero who falls for his mark while undercover. Two agents who pose as a couple while undercover and fall for each other.
• A hero or heroine who falls for his/her partner. LGBT a plus! E.g. A CIA or FBI hero must work with a bad boy partner to stop a terrorist plot.
• No: Women in jeopardy from husband/ex/stalker.
Brenda Chin, Editorial Director of Brazen and Scorched
Brazen (sexy contemporary category romance):
• Authors with youthful, fresh voices who find unique spins on tried and true tropes.
• Stories that feature realistic love scenes, not only the rough type inspired by Christian Grey.
Scorched (erotic romance):
• Full length erotic romances (50,000 +)
• True to life heroines who find sensuality in the ordinary world (not sex clubs, sex toy shops, etc.).
• New Adult erotic romances (first person point of view, present tense).
Candace Havens, Editorial Director of Indulgence and Embrace
Indulgence (contemporary category romance with larger than life heroes):
• Looking for great stories with powerful, drool-worthy, alpha males and the sassy women who don’t mind taking them on. We want conflict-driven romances full of emotion. Sweep us off our feet and keep the stakes high. We’d like to see something with surgeons/brotherhood, a wealthy cowboy, and CEOs and power players are always welcome. No Sheiks, royalty, or suspense stories.
Embrace (single-title new adult romance):
• Looking for emotional, high-stakes stories with characters and love stories we can’t forget. We’re interested in characters experiencing first jobs, grad school, med-school, finding that first place to live, and the sexy neighbor next door.
Heather Howland, Editorial Director of Lovestruck
Lovestruck (humorous contemporary category romance):
• Send me fun, comedy of errors-style romances written in a fresh, engaging voice. I’m loving Sarah Ballance’s Lovestrucks right now. Smart humor, fun turns of phrase, and ridiculous situations we can all picture ourselves in. Combine that with a hot, everyday hero, a swoonworthy romance, and yummy sexual tension, and I’ll be hooked.
• I’d like to see a romance set around a sports team. Not superstars, necessarily, but hardworking athletes that come alive in their element…and when they’re with the heroine. Think of all the hilarious ways the couples could meet, and how steamy things will get as they try to deny they’re falling in love. Hockey and football are of particular interest. Will consider baseball.
• I’d also like to see a military, cop, or firefighter series with a lighthearted bent. Think of Marine for Hire and Wife for Hire by Tawna Fenkse. The series revolved around a military family, and I would love something similar.
Personal wish list:
• Lovestrucks! See above
• Super high-concept YA with strong romantic elements and a killer voice. I’d really like a teen thriller, a badass hero like Four or Jason Bourne paired with a smart, resourceful heroine, and/or relatable sci-fi. I only have room on my print list for unicorns, so bring it!
• High-concept single-title romance with an addictive voice. Again with the badass heroes and smart, resourceful heroes. I already have strong military romantic suspense and romantic comedy authors on my list, so be different. I’d love to see an everyday hero with badass skills that come out of nowhere. Maybe he’s hiding who he is, is found, and the heroine is standing right there with a bag of groceries when he lets his assassin skills fly. Fun, tense, and sexy.
Heidi Shoham, Editorial Director of Select Contemporary
Select Contemporary (single-title contemporary romance)
• I want powerful, emotional, hero-centric stories told with a strong voice. I’m looking for likable heroines and strong, sexy, broody, alpha heroes, authentic characters handling complicated situations, loads of emotional depth, and real conflict.
Stacy Abrams, Executive Editorial Director of Teen, Crush, and Crave
Teen (single-title romantic fiction for teens):
• Psychological thrillers/mysteries with a unique, commercial approach and fast-paced writing. Bonus if it is written in multiple POVs.
• High-concept contemporary romance with strong romantic tropes like enemies to lovers or best friends to lovers.
• Extremely commercial historical fiction with a strong centralized hook.
Crush (contemporary teen category romance):
• Stories set in a regular, modern-day high school. No boarding schools!
• A fun, unique take on the “virgin” trope. Think American Pie!
• Valentine’s Day stories. Could work nicely with the bet trope, friends-to-lovers trope, or ugly duckling trope.
Crave (contemporary-set teen category romance with a paranormal or scifi element):
• Stories set in a regular, modern-day high school, but with a science-fiction or paranormal element added in.
• Fairy-tale retellings. Could take a darker look, or a modern, light approach.
• Would love to see a teen take on the “monster movie,” like Cloverfield, written from multiple POVs.
Tera Cuskaden, Editorial Director of Select Otherworld
Select Otherworld (single-title paranormal and scifi romance):
• I’m looking for paranormal romance with alpha males and strong heroines with great romantic tension.
• I’m looking for fresh voices and amazing stories that will suck me into the world and keep me up past my bedtime reading.
• I’m open to all genres and themes, though I am specifically looking for shifters (wolves, big cats, bears, dragons in particular), vampires, and science fiction/fantasy with crossover elements, such as shifters and/or vampires.
• I’d love to see large paranormal worlds with many different paranormal elements, such as vampires, shifters, witches, angels and demons, etc., and I would love to see sci-fi stories in the style of 12 Monkeys and Star Wars.
Jenn Mishler, Senior Editor
• Sweet romances that feature friends to lovers, opposites attract, and fish out of water. Also looking for stories that have military aspects and even cowboys. For teen I’m looking for female characters that are scouts, spymasters, and tacticians. I also want to see more books for our TEEN Crave line.
Lydia Sharp, Editor
• I’d love to see more contemporary YA! For the Teen line, I’m looking for high concept stories with equal parts romance and drama (family issues, social issues, mental illness, grief, etc) and some kind of travel or adventure involved, either to another country or a road trip across the U.S., whatever you can think up.
• For the Crush line, I’m looking for strong contemporary romance within high school walls, something that utilizes common tropes but also gives us a fresh spin on how the story plays out or an unexpected twist on a character archetype. Please read the guidelines for Crush thoroughly before submitting!
Suzanne Evans, Associate Editor
• Teen paranormal set in high school.
• Adult fantasy and paranormal with lovable characters and deep worldbuilding.
• Historical (especially with hot Vikings)
Wendy Chen, Editor
• Wendy Chen is looking for contemporary romances for Bliss, Indulgence, and Lovestruck. I love small towns, alpha heroes and also guy-next-door hotties. Put them in an exotic setting, throw in some blackmail, a surprise baby, a case of mistaken identity, and I’ll be hooked!
Hope you found this helpful.
Talk tomorrow,
Kathy
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