Do you write inspirational historical romance and want to submit to Harlequin? Then don’t forget the open submission call for our inspirational historical limited series! Note that this is NOT part of the Warriors Wanted blitz but a separate submission call that’s part of our inspirational limited series. Read on as Editor Leah Mol gives an overview of what we’re looking for!
We’re doing a lot of acquiring here at Harlequin! Right now, we’re on the lookout for wholesome romance for our new Inspirational Historical limited series. Have you got a compelling, uplifting 70,000 word historical story with a Christian worldview? Send it our way!
If you think your idea might work for this series, here are some details to keep in mind…
What is an inspirational historical romance?
Think Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman or Little House on the Prairie. The editors are on the hunt for solid stories and tender romances with a sense of family, community and faith at the core.
What are the editors looking for?
Emotional Conflict: Emotion is key here. We’re looking for emotional intimacy rather than sexual desire. The conflict between the hero and heroine should be emotional and arise naturally from the story.
Faith: The underlying faith element should feel natural and integral to the story rather than seeming didactic or preachy. If you’re struggling with the tone in your historical inspirational story, try reading one of our Love Inspired books to get a sense of how faith is integral to our books without overwhelming the romance.
Strong Characters: We want to see your relatable heroines and honorable heroes, of course, but make sure you also give us strong supporting characters. Family and community are an important part of this series, so while the point of view should focus on your two main characters, don’t ignore their families and friends. And if you’re really looking to hit all our hooks, babies and children are a great addition to an inspirational story!
Fresh Takes on Popular Hooks: We’re always on the hunt for Westerns, especially those featuring cowboys and ranchers. Since this is a historical series, the editors also want to see your mail-order-bride and marriage-of-convenience stories. Be creative with tropes!
Quaint Settings: Your cowboy heroes could fit in perfectly in an Oregon Trail, Prairie, Frontier, or Americana setting—hint, hint! The editors also love seeing Regency and Amish stories. But we’re excited to see what you come up with—if there’s a setting you don’t often see that you think would perfectly showcase the love story you want to tell, go for it.
When should I submit by?
There isn’t a set deadline for this limited series, but the sooner the better. We’ve seen lots of submissions for our limited series, and this opportunity won’t last forever!
Who can submit?
You! We’re open to submissions from everyone for this series. Published author? Great! Never been published? We love discovering new authors! Take a chance and send us your best.
How do I submit?
Head over to the Submittable page to send us your full manuscript.
We hope you find this helpful! We’d love to see your inspirational historical romances and we can’t wait to read your submissions!
Please note: This is a separate submission call from the Warriors Wanted! Blitz, which is seeking non-inspirational historical romances about Vikings, Medieval Knights and Highlanders. Thank you!
