Comments on: How to Write for Modern Extra

By: hornblower

hornblower — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 16:23:57 +0000

Julie, thank you very much!

By: Julie Cohen

Julie Cohen — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 10:03:34 +0000

Hornblower, a Modern Heat heroine is a “young, urban girl-about-town”, and she’s likely to have had a sex life before she’s met the hero. There’s nothing saying it should have been unsatisfactory, either. A Modern Heat heroine knows what she wants, and this can be born out of experience.

All of my Modern Heat heroines have had sex lives before meeting the hero. One has been married, two have been engaged, others have had affairs. And the sex might have been good–even great–but there’s something about the hero that means that sex with him is unbelievably fantastic.

My heroine Joanna from MARRIED IN A RUSH (MH and Presents), for example, is a party girl who has had lots of affairs and one night stands, and dumped the man whenever he seemed to be getting serious. Then she meets the hero, Bruno, and has what she thinks is a one night stand with him…but there’s something different about him, something that interests her heart as well as her body. She’s far from innocent or bumbling–quite the opposite–but when it comes to love, it’s all new for her.

Hope this helps!

By: hornblower

hornblower — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 20:11:33 +0000

I’m wondering about the heroine’s sexual experience in the Modern Heat books. Is there a requirement for her to be a virgin or at least an ‘innocent’, with only a few bumbling, unsatisfactory experiences? Or can she have had a somewhat decent sex life before she meets the hero?

By: Shelley Munro Blog » Blog Archive » Out and About on the Web

Shelley Munro Blog » Blog Archive » Out and About on the Web — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 07:44:38 +0000

[...] At IHeartPresents there’s a post from editor Bryony Green about what they’re looking for in the new Modern Extra line. These books are sold as Sensation Sexy in Australia and New Zealand, and I believe in the US some have come out as part of the Presents line. They’re younger feeling with lots of dialogue and are fairly hot. I’ve enjoyed the ones I’ve read. Also check out the contests they are having for Presents and Modern Extra – write a chapter plus a synopsis by mid-February. [...]

By: LorieHartt

LorieHartt — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 17:34:35 +0000

TheÂ guidelines for the Harlequin Presents competition can be found here The guidelines for the Mills and Boon Competition can be found here No, submissions will not be accepted before January 1st.

By: Janet

Janet — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 21:57:03 +0000

We can’t send the entries until Jan 1st, can we?

By: problemchild

problemchild — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 16:37:55 +0000

Did I miss the competition guidelines somewhere? Like what the entry is to include–synopsis? chapter?

By: Bryony Green

Bryony Green — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 09:36:52 +0000

Thanks for your comments – I’ll try to answer your questions:
There is definitely a younger feel in Modern Heat, but we’re aiming that with vibrant writing, appealling characters and compelling storylines, readers of all ages will enjoy these stories. That’s certainly been the case in the UK. It’s not an age thing – it’s an attitude!

And that goes for the hero’s age too! I guess the majority of Modern Heat heroes are between 28 and 35 but it’s not really his age that’s important – it’s his attitude, charisma, his confidence, presence and sheer gorgeousness that really matters!

Finally, I can assure you the US versions will be exactly the same as the UK books, but with different covers and often different titles – but exactly the same stories inside.

Bryony Green, Senior Editor, Modern Heat

By: janet85

janet85 — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 07:18:24 +0000

I think I’ll like the Modern Extra books. I have read a few of Susan Napier’s books and loved them. There’s comedy in her books, is that part of the Modern Extra theme or just her style?

I agree with Mitchy about AGE… I prefer my hero’s to be older than 18-25. Personally hero’s can’t be an alpha male (experienced the world and commanded respect) unless they’ve put in some years. A freshly graduated college man isn’t my idea of a hero, there’s still more experience needed.

It’s funny that I say that… given I’ve just graduated university myself… but I like my heroes slightly older and experienced.

By: CT

CT — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 00:59:58 +0000

Karen,

I’ve already read the Susan Napier book “The Price of Passion” because I bought the original UK version (was called “Just Once” as a UK Modern Extra). I love Susan Napier and couldn’t wait for her book to be published in the US.

I loved the book and I also have coworkers that are 20 years younger than me (yikes, how did that happen!), so it wasn’t “too young” for me. Hopefully, the US version won’t be edited shorter than the original, because there aren’t any scenes that I would want to lose. I’ve re-read the book many times and highly recommend it. I will probably end up getting a couple more of the titles when they become available in January.

Cheryl