What are your #HarlequinMoments?
By Stacy Boyd, Senior Editor, Harlequin Desire
A few years ago at a Harlequin RWA presentation, there was a lovely lady in the audience who shared a story that stuck with me. She told the crowd how much Harlequin novels meant to her. She read Harlequin books aloud to her mother, and the stories brought them closer, let them travel together to faraway lands and allowed them to fall in love with romantic heroes. By the time she finished speaking, we were all teary-eyed.
I have never forgotten that reader’s story. Harlequin novels made her life better, richer—happier. And I think about her Harlequin moments as I read and edit, as I go to meetings and create presentations. That happiness—those emotional moments every romance reader experiences—are why I love my job so much.
Harlequin is the home of romance, and the Harlequin editorial team loves the warm and fuzzies (and sometimes the hot and heavies!) that come with working on romance novels every day. We love to hear about the escapes you take when you read a good romance on the beach, or when you steal five minutes to fall in love while the kids are in the backyard. We love making The Call to new writers; we know you’ve devoted hours of work and passion to your story and it’s an honor to help you publish. We love that regency romance novels teach you words like “pelisse” so you can impress your friends. We love doing a happy dance when “our” authors, who have worked amazingly hard, are rewarded with a bestseller placement or a RITA nomination. Our Harlequin moments also include the amazing, long-lasting friendships we make in this business: as readers of the best genre in the world, as writers of romances with happy-ever-afters, as editors who are privileged to work on these very special stories.
We’d love to hear about your #HarlequinMoments! Please share them in the comments below, and post them to Twitter (along with a photo, if you can!) on Thursday, June 2nd, noon EST, when editors, authors and readers will share all the #HarlequinMoments that make our lives brighter, richer, fuller. We’ll feature #HarlequinMoments highlights in our next Harlequin series presentation at RWA San Diego, on Friday, July 15th at 2 pm PST!
