by Amanda Thiessen, Harlequin Presents Marketing Team
Hi, my name is Amanda Thiessen and I am a part of the Harlequin Presents marketing team.
First off I wanted to congratulate all of our wonderful authors who have recently made the USA Today Bestsellers list, what a great achievement! It is fabulous to see Harlequin Presents finally being recognized in the industry.
On another note I wanted to talk to you, our most avid fans, about a recent change that you may have noticed within the Harlequin Presents line. In the month of May there are a few less Presents stories available than you may be used to, instead of 8 titles per month we will now be publishing 6 titles each month. We decided on this change for a few different reasons as we felt very strongly that we weren’t being fair to our authors or readers; with so many titles out there we noticed it was becoming difficult for our readers to keep up and we didn’t want anyone to miss out on any of the fantastic stories that were being offered.
As Harlequin Presents continues to be such an important part of Harlequin (a bestselling imprint since the 1970s!) we are continuously taking notes on different trends to keep this line at its best. For instance, continuities like the Royal House of Karedes and the 2-in-1s we’re offering this year are a couple other recent things we’ve done to keep the line fresh without changing the things that our readers love about classic Presents books.
We hope you continue to enjoy all of the stories from our now USA Today Bestselling Authors!
~Amanda
Tagged with: Amanda Thiessen
Amanda since you are on the marketing team I am going to be frank here and give you some of my thoughts about that HP line in general.
I have been reading the books since the late 70s and they remain my overall favorite. That being said some things have bothered me in the past few years.
First of all it appears that “editing and correcting mistakes” has just about disappeared. I recently read a book where the H’s grandfather was referred to first as his father’s father, then he had a different last name and was referred to as the mother’s father. There are also quite a few spelling mistakes/wrong words (”there” instead of “their” for example and vice versa). There always were some mistakes in the past but they have become more prevalent.
The worst in my opinion is the mis-use of “I” and “me” Now “I” is used most of the time even when it should be “me.” Because people used to say “me” and were corrected to say “I” instead now it appears that “I” is used all the time. You wouldn’t say “please come see I.” Therefore you shouldn’t say please come see Gary or I. In both cases “me” is correct.
I also don’t expect a billionaire to use “slang.” While it may be common to say “gotta,” “cos” etc… reading a billionaire use that langauge is a turn off.
Over the years I’ve seen the line develop. In the past most of the Heroes were very arrogant, sometimes physically abusive, never explained themsleves, thought nothing of adultery or even rape (words used by the authors themsleves). In the 90s we saw a change. While the alpha male was still arrogant in some respects he was an honorable man who based his actions on the truth as he knew it to be. We also got an inkling into what made him “tick” because books began to include the Heroes’ POV something that some of the older books could have benefited from.
Now in the past three or so years, in quite a few books we’ve seen a return to the adulterous Hero. While I totally understand that if the heroine and Hero are separated for many years fidelity probably is not logical. I don’t like it but I accept it. But, in cases where they are separated for two to four months, his committing adultery (usually more than once) is quite inconceivable to me. Calling him an honorable alpha doesn’t apply. Quite frankly he’s a cad. In one the wife was in a hospital while they were separated. His mother lied to him. He went out and brought other women to his wife’s house and mentioned this casually to her. Then when he found out the truth – he never even apologized. What kind of honorable man is that? In another the Hero wore his wedding ring while living with another woman – just plain nasty.
I try to avoid books like that. My list of auto buy authors has shrunk tremendously. Now if a book intrigues me I may wait to see if I can find any reviews about it first. If not, then I may go to the store and skim through it. What ends up happening is that sometimes I end up not buying a book even if it doesn’t contain my “hot buttons” because by the time I finish skimming through it I don’t want to buy it.
Sometimes I wonder if this is the result of the Hollywood mentality. As soon as someone separates they are said to be “available.” And yet, until there is a divorce it is still adultery.
I know that I am not alone in feeling this way about the editing, grammar and the adultery.
Therefore I don’t necessarily agree with you that there are too many books being published monthly. Instead I offer to you the possibility that it isn’t quantity but quality that is the driving force.
The only positive as I see it is that I spend less money — probably not something that you want to hear.
Amanda, nice to see you here. All you have to do is take a look at my review blog and you’ll know that I’m such a fan.
My only comment would be that Harlequin and Mills and Boon let their authors have a say in their book titles. Lately there have been some negative comments on blogs, Shelfari and Goodreads making fun of authors I highly respect.
Also, for me there can never be enough Presents. I enjoyed The International Billionaire series and The Royal House of Karedes so keep them coming!
Having long been a fan of Trish Morey, I can see and read excellence, since I have read her books. I believe the Harlequin decision to cut back is prudent and a sign that although they are an old and established company, they know how to stay afloat on the stormy seas of publishing in this day and time.
I am glad they are thoughful of their readers and I feel they are. I myself feel it is good to tighten up things and keep the excellence at a high level, much as an Olympic Gold Medal participant does every day of their lives. The results show.
I want to be able to count on Harlequin for providing not only a good read, but also a book worth keeping.
Anna well stated.
Presents authors are talented, professional and very generous!
I enjoy reading the presents/mills and boons series .. definitely the hero has become more sensitive .. i like the fact that an effort is being made to make the hero more relatable to younger readers …. i also like the fact that books are being set in russia, south america and so dont have asuch a euro centric focus ..
As many readers will know, this year I am celebrating the fact that I have been published by Harlequin Mills & Boon for 25 years. (So incidentally is my lovely fellow author Anne McAllister.) In those 25 years, so many things have changed, authors have come and gone, stories have been told differently, the hero’s POV has been used, some themes have stayed popular, others have gone out of fashion. And that’s really how it should be. Romance writing is a growing, developing thing. I almost said ‘living’ because sometimes that’s how it seems to me.
So I’ve got used to change and I’ve learned to adopt a ‘wait and see’ approach to see what sticks and what doesn’t. One thing I know is certain, the consistent popularity of the Presents line over those 25 years shows that the authors and editors of the line are giving the readers what they want. Not every change suits everybody – that’s part of life and we shouldn’t expect every author to write exactly the samea as what has gone before. How boring a line Presents would be if they did. And one thing Presents is not is boring! That’s something to be proud of – and it’s something I’m proud to have been part of in the past, now and in the future.
The titles, Marilyn – well, all I can say, is watch this space! There are some changes coming there too – as I said, change and growth is happening all the time.
And while the first wave of Presents publications – those books brought out at the beginning of the month – may be reducing in number slightly, there will still be the second wave of stories in the Presents EXTRA that will bring some great classic Presents stories (my own Konstantos Marriage Demand is out in the EXTRA line in March) so there will be plenty of great reading to look out for.
Kate
I am glad to hear that the titles are going to be reviewed. They seem to be repeated over and over again. I actually preferred the titles back in the 70s which didn’t seen so in your face.
Any chance that the covers might be updated too? I’ve got bored with silk nightdresses (for the heroines, obviously!!)
Hello all,
I wanted to thank everyone for your comments to this post — Harlequin always value the thoughts of our readers and authors so I’ll make sure all the right people see what you had to say!
Best,
~Amy
Kate’s book: “Konstantos Marriage Demand ” is great!
I agree that the titles from the 70s and 80s were better. Recently I saw a book by an author that I like and wondered if it was re-print because the title appeared familiar. Later found out it was a new book and the title was almost exactly the same except for one word. Titles need to stand out.
As I said, HPs continue to be my favorite line. A well written alpha male is the best. He is secure, nurturing and honorable. While he doesn’t show his sensitive side, with the heroine he can let go of his reserve/inhibitions. How many of those wonderful heroes tell the heroine things that they have never shared with any other person? It is a testament to how secure they are in their relationship with the heroine. Yes, many times the alpha will resist admitting how important the heroine is to him, to his well being, to his future. And yet, eventually he will because the alternative, not having the heroine in his life is unbearable.
Kate mentioned the HP Extras. One thing that I’ve noticed is that not all stores carry the Extras — or perhaps they have fewer copies of them. Something the marketing department should look into.
Amy, Amanda and all…….this is such a wonderful blog where we can all come together to share no matter what part of the world we live in.
Kate thanks for your comments, I forget about the “Extras” even though I purchase them. Sometimes it hard for me to wait until they get to North America so I’ve been purchasing a few books from Mills and Boon.
Have a wonderful weekend all!
To be honest, I love the ‘Presents’ line, and it has sort of kept pace with changing times and changing attitudes to sex and relationships.
That said, and bearing in mind ‘Presents’ features filthy rich dudes: playboy billionaires and the like. I do feel many of the present day ‘Presents’ heroes are not necessarily reflecting the modern young billionaire’ lifestyle. Some of them are portrayed as young but come across like staid (set-in-their-ways) fifty/sixty-somethings with no interest beyond that of big business and bedding the heroine.
Please can we have young billionaires who participate in dangerous sporting activities and, whom act more in the mind-frame of twenty/thirty-somethings, or at least young forty going on twenty something alpha males!
thanks
best
Francine
Bravo Lidia for being gutsy to call it like it is! As much as times may change, integrity, honor and ‘true love’ NEVER go out of style! That’s what made the Presents line so very special…ordinary people, extraordinary love…and that takes real character! And that’s sexy! No matter what hell the hero/heroine went through, the integrity of the love relationship stayed true! I and a lot of other reader/writers sincerely hope there is a resurgence of the hero/heroine we can stand up and cheer for! And spend our $$$ on!
Cheers!
Sun Chara
I agree with Francine that sometimes the Presents billionaire does come across as being prematurely middle-aged(despite his rampant sex drive!!). However, Sandra Marton writes young, rich alpha males who seem to behave their age despite tripping over umpteen private jets and penthouses.
I just had to pop in to thank Mary F for her lovely comment about my heroes. I love creating rich, sexy alpha males and making sure they’re young enough to enjoy all that money, all that sexual prowess… and the heroine!
Love,
Sandra
Hello all.
Quality counts absolutely and I agree with Francine regarding Alpha males and how they’re portrayed.
Can I suggest that the titles and covers be reviewed? The authors work incredibly hard to ensure the reader has a wonderful journey with pure escapism. But nothing annoys me more than picturing a hero/heroine in my head that look nothing like the models on the cover. Sometimes the hero on the cover really does annoy me! The authors definately should have a say in the titles. And the covers.
I have a couple of good friends who are avid readers but say they can never read a M&B on the train because they’re too embarassed by the covers and titles. This is such a shame. I overheard a couple of ladies in the library a few weeks ago say exactly the same thing – they were in their late thirties – so not exactly long in the tooth! Which means you are losing readers. Please can we have a bit of class on the covers? They are too repetitive at the moment.
The advent of e-readers will take of the issue in the long run.
I’ve been a fan of Presents for a LONG time and wish to see the line thrive. It all comes down to the quality of the writing and wonderful fully formed characters. Some of the authors are simply wonderful and can compete with the ‘big guns’ of romantic authors.
Good luck for the future.
Christine
I agree with everything that has already been said – especially about covers and titles. The “Wanted: mistress for a billionaire” style is so reductive and unpoetic. And some of the cover pictures definitely go face down on the night stand so my husband and kids don’t look askance! I would NEVER read them in public! I would certainly welcome a review of that side of things.
For what its worth, I’m also sick to death of secret babies – I don’t buy them any more. I want the romance of a couple. Kids are great but I doubt anyone with any experience of raising them would believe them to be a key ingredient for carefree, passionate romance! Most of us mothers rely on babysitting or reading for that kind of escapism (God Bless Mr Mills and Mr Boon). And I don’t even want to go into how uncomfortable I feel about the slightly dubious area of the possible psychological impact it might be having on the child involved.
I accept that the market talks, however, and that therefore I am probably in a minority. But that’s why I buy so few these days.
Coming back on “secret babies”, as mentioned, the odd miscarriage wouldn’t come amiss, because let’s be honest, babies are romance killers for quite awhile!
And, given that modern twenty-first century young women are much more self-aware, not to mention figure conscious and just about every other thing that represents perfected beauty, I’d say a fair few heroines would, (fiction fact) be heading for nearest doc looking for the morning-after-pill! Except, of course, those whose religion puts great store on nature takng its course.
Oh, and for the ladies too embarrassed to be seen reading an M&B. There’s a simple solution. One goes to a secondhand bookstore purchases a suitably sized paperback cover from say a thriller, the contents then carefully removed cover and the cover utilised as fake outer! Neat, huh?
Now that is bad for the marketing department at M&B, and wrecks the bounty of free advertising by readers on public transport.
BABIES ARE A BLESSING! I love babies in the stories, it brings the h/h full circle…the baby’s there, but not necessarily in the forefront of the romance,…the ’secret baby’ story is wonderful! Presents is supposed to be part fantasy/fairy tale/escapism, so could we please have more stories engaging the imagination? And whether you choose to believe it or not, there have been/are real life royalty/commoner love stories! Classy, feel good and uplifting stories have my vote & my $$$!
Sun Chara
Cheers!
Hi Sun Chara,
I’m probably about to shoot myself in the foot and ensure I never get published by HM&B. That said, I do consider honesty to be important no matter one’s ultimate goal.
I’m not against ’secret babies’ as such, but they are becoming a cliche and, to the unpublished aspriring author (like myself) a secret baby is seemingly a ubiquitous requirement!
If the’ Presents’ line is to move on with present times and be less formulaic in content, then might not originality of imagination be more likely and draw back a younger readership as well as those who’ve been followers of M&B since the early days of Charlotte Lamb and are equally fed up with tired cliche’.
I have a daughter who never wants children, and who am I to question her decision or that of her husband equally happy to be just a couple!
I have a teenage granddaughter dating seriously, her and her boyfriend determined never to have children.
Both these girls have read M&B novels, both declaring the books are now too samey, and too out of touch with modern thinking young women!
As an example of niggling little gripes:
To quote Lynne Connally who gives “Bought: Damsel IN DISTRESS by Lucy King a glowing review, she does add the following:
… yes, Emily does get pregnant later on. I just want to know what brand of condoms Harlequin heroes use, because you can almost guarantee they won’t work. I really don’t want to come across that brand…
Reviews of HM&B at: http://goodbadandunread.com/
I’m another Presents fan, and I’m interested to hear how the line is developing. I’m a bit disappointed to see that you plan to have more 2-in-1’s (at least I think that’s what you were saying). Since the Romance line has been sold in that form I’ve bought hardly any of them because I really resent having to buy a book I don’t want in order to read the one I do. There are some Presents authors I’ll always buy and some I never want to read again and likewise there are certain plots I love and some I can’t be bothered with. So, I hope that you’ll continue to sell most of the Presents books separately.
On another note, I really want to draw your attention to what people have been saying about Sara Craven’s latest book. Rape storylines really aren’t romantic and I know that I was not the only reader shocked to discover that these books are still being published.
x
Sorry, that second link was meant to be to the Dear Author post: http://dearauthor.com/wordpress/2010/02/22/review-the-innocents-surrender-by-sara-craven/
The beauty of the classic Presents love story is depicting not how it is, but how it could be. The best of the best! Francine, see if you & your girls can get a hold of Anne Mather’s Leopard in the Snow (this one was made into a movie), Janet Dailey’s To Tell the Truth, Violet Winspeare’s Lucifer’s Angel…all classics! The library should still carry them… Then, there’s the ageless Betty Neals…just imagine ‘modern’ stories like that…winners every time! Why is it that readers still talk about these authors/stories…my take is that they touched the heart!
I’ve also heard and hope it’s true that Classic Presents and Modern Heat/Presents are going to be individual lines. The talented Modern Heat authors are delivering stories that are simply not Presents…at least not the classic brand Presents that outsells every other line!
Sun Chara
Blessings all!
Ros – a little late in the day I know – but may I dare to stick up for Sara Craven just a little bit?
Yes, her latest book made me wince too, but she also wrote one of my favourite romances: One Night with his Virgin Mistress. In this book, the heroine actually wants the hero to relieve her of her virginity but he refuses (initially) with a witty response along the lines that Tuesday is not his day for deflowering virgins. (And any heroine who finds her mother secretly reading wedding cake books and considers “stabbing her with her own icing nozzle” gets my vote!)
It seems that when Ms Craven writes a British alpha male she gives them a wonderfully dry wit, whereas her Mediterranean heroes often behave in a way that is borderline sleazy.
I agree with lidia about the proofing of books. I have found too many grammatical and punctuation mistakes. Sometimes I have to read a sentence several times because it does not make sense and after having reread I discover what it was trying to say and that the sentence was missing a much needed comma. There was also a book where a relationship between characters was incorrectly stated and that confused me until I realized it was a mistake. I shouldn’t have to think so much when reading!
So if reducing the number of books put out will mean that more time is spent on proofing and editing, I’m all for it.
I recently got back into reading H Presents and they are the only line I read. The titles now are quite different from Presents I have from the 80s. I too think today’s titles are a bit much, misleading, repetitive, but I just figured, that’s Harlequin, so it’s not a problem for me. Although sometimes I’ll think I’ve read a book only to find out that I haven’t because the titles are so similar.
I couldn’t get into the Karedes line, but I have enjoyed trilogies by Lynne Graham (Pregnant Brides and Virgin Brides, Arrogant Husbands) and Sandra Marton’s Sheikh trilogy and her ongoing Orsini Brothers line. I’m not so sure about 2-in-1 books because what if someone is a fan of only one of the authors?
Overall I think HP does a good job.
Also I’d like to suggest that not every book that takes place in Australia needs a picture of the Sydney Opera House on the cover! I read a few books that take place in Australia and except for maybe one, the opera house was on the cover. I thought that a bit much. More focus should be on the couple, not the background.
Ros,
Just had to come back on this (rape), which really isn’t good in a contemporary novel, no argument about that because one has to remember girls as young as 12 read these novels and what sort of message is (a rape in which the heroine falls for the rapist) being given to young impressionable girls. Like it’s okay, so long as you fall for the guy, or liked him before he went too far!
However, in a historical I reckon it passes muster!
Hee hee, in a poll conducted by a broadsheet newspaper a few years back, rape was the most popular fantasy women like reading about, but fantasy and reality are worlds apart or should be!
best
F
I loved the House of Karedes and I also a huge fan of continuity series. When first introduced you feel like your a member of the family. With each new book in the series you become more and more involved with the characters. It is wonderful that so many different authors can bring the whole scenario together with great results.
Wow, what a fabulous batch of feedback – makes for great reading!
Anna, I just wanted to send you a huge thanks for your lovely words! Just the inspiration I need as I go head to head with the latest wip!
And Maire, if you loved Karedes, watch out for Dark Hearted Desert Men, coming soon! It’s the follow up mini continuity series and starts in the US in April I believe. If you’re in the UK, it starts this month with Carol Marinelli’s Wedlocked: Banished Sheikh, Untouched Queen.