Harlequin editors are busy reading submissions for the 2024 Romance Includes You Mentorship and we marked Pride month with new online LGBTQ+ romance stories and promotions on Harlequin.com.
Essence Festival
New York Times bestselling author Brenda Jackson attended the star-studded 30th Annual Essence Festival in New Orleans on July 6 as a speaker for Pillars of Prose: Black Authors Building a Legacy in Literacy with Beverly Jenkins and long-time Harlequin author Donna Hill. Torri Reed moderated the panel. Brenda’s latest book in her beloved Catalina Cove series, THE COTTAGE ON PELICAN BAY will release on August 20.
Love Stories for All
We celebrated Pride month in May and June, featuring LGBTQ+ romances from a variety of Harlequin imprints during a Love Stories for All campaign. Supported by paid online advertising on Goodreads, TikTok and other platforms, a fresh and colorful homepage banner, website pop-up and site stripes led readers to a dedicated page on Harlequin.com that highlights new and favorite LGBTQ+ romance titles all year round.
Readers could also enjoy new online reads with LGBTQ+ characters on Harlequin.com. These free serialized stories written by Harlequin authors are a popular way to introduce readers to the romance genre and new authors with upcoming new releases.
The June line-up featured four new stories:
- Trapped with the Bodyguard by Tyler Anne Snell
- Famestruck by Karmen Lee
- Gentlemen Prefer Scandal by Emma-Claire Sunday
- Her Chef’s Kiss by Elle Douglas
And in case you missed it, Special Edition author Elle Douglas wrote an insightful piece celebrating LGBTQ+ romance stories for WriteForHarlequin.com.
Juneteenth Book Recommendations:
In honor of June 19, also known as Juneteenth, editors shared books that have topped their personal reading lists this year. S.A. Cosby’s thrilling All the Sinners Bleed, Kuchenga Shenjé’s Victorian-era novel The Library Thief, and Colson Whitehead’s Harlem Trilogy and Nickel Boys were among their favorites Read the Juneteenth blog post on WriteForHarlequin.com.
Romance Includes You Mentorship Update:
Harlequin asked and aspiring romance writers delivered! We were excited to receive 150 story submissions for the 2024 Romance Includes You Mentorship, a Harlequin initiative aimed at kick-starting writing careers and publishing more romance stories by authors in underrepresented communities.
All story submissions were read in June, and we will announce a shortlist in July. The writer of the top submission will be offered a publishing contract for their debut novel, a writing grant, and the chance to work with a Harlequin editor to develop their romance story for publication during a one-year mentorship. We will announce the winning submission in September.
Looking ahead to fall, we are hyped for the October release of THE DUKE’S SISTER AND I by Emma-Claire Sunday, winner of the 2023 Romance Includes You Mentorship. Congratulations on your debut Emma-Claire!
You can also read the incredible In Conversation between Emma-Claire Sunday and her editor, Hannah Rossiter, right here on the Write for Harlequin blog.
Writers’ Conferences Promoting Diversity:
Harlequin is involved in summer writers’ conferences that promote diverse voices and stories in the romance genre. We are proud to sponsor Romance Slam Jam, One Love Reunion and Steamy Lit Con this year. We will be involved in many activities, including pitch sessions, panels and book giveaways, at these events.
National Book Club Conference:
The National Book Club Conference is celebrating its 20th anniversary in Atlanta this August, featuring Black writers and readers from across the country. HTP Books, comprising six trade imprints published by Harlequin, is a 2024 sponsor and will have three authors featured on panels: Daniel Black (Black on Black), Michelle Lindo-Rice (The Bookshop Sisterhood) and Iris Mwanza (The Lion’s Den). The event official bookseller is 44th & 3rd Bookstore, a Black-owned bookstore based in Atlanta. Find all the details on the National Book Club Conference here.
