[CONTEST] Harlequin Blaze 1chpt/synopsis

pepperlandgirl

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Yep, I've got the chapter done. I just need to finish the synop.
 

veinglory

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I've done the first draft of the chapter but I roped in a cowriter for the synopsis--not my strongest suit.
 

maestrowork

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That sounds like something fun, and I have two months to do this. ;)

Does anyone know anything about the Blaze books? What kind of writing these books look for? Language? Sex? etc.

Thanks,
Ray
 

MacAllister

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Best just to go buy a handful and read 'em, Ray. Harlequin, IIRC, has a pretty specific idea of what they're looking for.

Then we'll pick a cool pseud for ya...:D
 

maestrowork

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I was hoping I don't actually have to go and buy one... ugh...

Ah, pseudonym... what should I use? I was thinking about Rae Mundo... :D
 

MacAllister

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Ray...if you don't want to read 'em, then why on earth would you want to write one?

Or are you just worried about the looks you'll get at your local B&N?

Goofball!
 

veinglory

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I'd have to confess I've never read a Harlequin and not many other category romances. I read no-sex romancr sometimes--but only write erotic romance. Ah, the hypocracy of it all.

The Blaze line is contemporary romance with multiple explicit sex scenes--think a cross between normal Harlequin and 'Sex in the City'.
 

Susan Gable

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Not to sound like a real stick in the mud :) but you shouldn't try to write these without reading some.

There really are difference to each line, and the only way you can really pick up on the nuances is by reading some.

I haven't read too many recently, but one of my all time favorite Blazes is Whisper by Nancy Warren. I like Nancy's stuff.

I am also eagerly awaiting one where the heroine actually gets to have sex with more than one man at one time. (Although, the hero has been cloned, so it's still sort of the hero. <G> But it still sounds like fun to me. <G>) In fact, I'm not sure when this one is coming out. I'll go and check. :)

Blaze walks a really fine line. They're the hottest of the category romances, but they are still category romance, and they also have to keep WalMart happy. Yes, you heard me. WalMart has had some influence on this line. It used to be that "toys" were allowed, but I'm not sure if that's still the case.

Bad words - well, you can get away with more in Blaze, but that doesn't mean over-zealous use of the F-word will be allowed. But they don't want the love scenes written in "purple prose." No throbbing manhoods, etc. (A throbbing erection, on the other hand, is probably a different thing entirely. <G>)

Anyway, good luck to those of you entering! With the end of Temptation this month <sniffle, sniffle> the Blaze line is increasing to 6 books per month from 4.

If you have any really specific questions, and you'd like, I could see if I could get some Blaze writers to drop in here and answer for you. Let me know.

Susan G.
 

AprilBoo

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I'm really interested in the new SPICE line - thanks for the link, AprilBoo.

Good luck to everyone on their submissions!

:Fairydust

(At last - a good excuse to use the fairy dust smiley!)
 

AprilBoo

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I picked up a couple of Blaze books since I thought I might have a story to enter into this contest. I bought it at Wal-Mart for about $3 - slipped it in between the toothpaste and the bug spray.

After reading Thrill Me by Isabel Sharpe (which I liked, somewhat in spite of myself) I can report that toys are allowed, and so is public sex, voyeurism, and masturbation. Oh, and large chocolate penises (which was pretty funny). No "F" words that I remember, and pretty standard terms for body parts. High level of detail too. Honestly, I don't think the Wal-Mart police actually read the books, unless this one happens to be an exception. I haven't read the other ones I picked up.
 

veinglory

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I looked thru some at Borders and they were pretty explicit. Funny how the brand gets it in walmart et al, isn't it?
 

Susan Gable

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AprilBoo said:
I picked up a couple of Blaze books since I thought I might have a story to enter into this contest. I bought it at Wal-Mart for about $3 - slipped it in between the toothpaste and the bug spray.

After reading Thrill Me by Isabel Sharpe (which I liked, somewhat in spite of myself) I can report that toys are allowed, and so is public sex, voyeurism, and masturbation. Oh, and large chocolate penises (which was pretty funny). No "F" words that I remember, and pretty standard terms for body parts. High level of detail too. Honestly, I don't think the Wal-Mart police actually read the books, unless this one happens to be an exception. I haven't read the other ones I picked up.

LOL on liking it in spite of yourself. I'm glad you did - and thanks for the report of specifics. And slipping it between the bug spray and toothpaste is exactly why Harlequin has been selling its books in grocery stores for numerous years. <G> Housewives didn't have to make a seperate trip, nor explain the purchase to hubby. <G>

Yes, the WalMart police probably didn't read it. They can't possibly read all of the books. :)

Public sex? I suppose that depends on exactly what you mean by public sex, but even I had an outdoors love scene in one of my books. It was very private, though. <G>

Susan G.
 

BonnieD

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I've sent my submission to both SPICE and the Blaze contest but I have the highest hopes for SPICE since they appear to really want to push the envelope. The trouble with my novel is that it is falls between the cracks of various styles. It's definitely not category romance but not strictly erotica either. The subject matter is a little too edgy for mainstream, too romance-oriented to be considered straight fiction, not chockful of sex enough to be erotica (although the sex scenes are explicit). My writing partner and I couldn't get an agent interested at all and most publishing house I looked at either don't accept non-agented material or don't seem an appropriate match for our book.
So my fingers are crossed for SPICE. Failing an acceptance there, I may try an e-publisher. Since I now have Liquid Silver interested in two of my novellas, publication of those will give me an idea of how well the electronic media works.
For those of you who are e-published on a regular basis, what do you think of your earnings?
 

veinglory

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Print sales obviously tend to be an order of magnitude better. I am happy with what I get epublishing novellas--well over 3c a word. Just go for major epublishers with a customer base.
 

JennaGlatzer

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Ooh! They accept partials. Do all the Harlequin lines accept partials? I have one started but am unsure whether it's worth finishing... would love to submit to see if it has potential.
 

pepperlandgirl

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All the lines want 3 chapters and a max 5 page synop.

Also, I read a Q&A session with the Blaze editor, and she indicated it couldn't hurt to submit 3 chaps and synop as a standard submission, plus the 25 pages and synop as part of the contest.
 

AprilBoo

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pepperlandgirl said:
All the lines want 3 chapters and a max 5 page synop.

Also, I read a Q&A session with the Blaze editor, and she indicated it couldn't hurt to submit 3 chaps and synop as a standard submission, plus the 25 pages and synop as part of the contest.

I wonder which is a quicker route to acceptance? Is the Q&A posted somewhere you could link to?