Presents Authors Storm the USA Today List!
27 Comments February 5th, 2010 in Uncategorized Posted by AmyBy Jennie Lucas, author of Bought: The Greek’s Baby (Harlequin Presents, February 2010)
As you may know, last month – for the first time in 15 years – the USA Today bestseller list finally started including Harlequin and Silhouette books. As one of Harlequin’s bestselling lines, it should be no surprise to anyone that Presents has stormed the list!
In fact, I’m thrilled to report that all eight of the new February Presents releases became bona fide USA Today bestsellers yesterday, with our own Carol Marinelli’s fabulous concluding book of the Karedes continuity, The Desert King’s Housekeeper Bride, riding high at #62!
Think about that. These are the top 150 books in the country by sales – and that includes nonfiction, novels, hardcover paperbacks, everything. So Carol’s book was the 62nd most popular book in the whole country. Incredible.
And best of all, it seems certain that the trend will continue. Each month, new Presents authors, including beloved stars of the genre for whom it’s much overdue, will finally get the coveted USA Today bestseller designation.
Why is USA Today counting category books in their list for the first time since 1995? The very basic answer is apparently that they can now read the barcodes on our books. Or, as my editor explained, that “our barcodes are now compatible with the point of sale information USA Today uses to track book sales.” That one small change has brought thrilling results – and finally shows the whole country how popular our “little books” are.
When I found out yesterday that my book had made the list, I immediately called my husband, who’s been so busy at work I’ve barely seen him for the last month. He came home from work with a bottle of Dom Pérignon under his arm.
He knew that though I always have my characters drink it in stories, at $100 a bottle I’d never tasted it myself. Last night, for the first time ever, I did. My husband and I toasted each other with the fancy champagne, while the kids toasted with juice in sippy cups. An excellent vintage which we all used to wash down rice krispie treats. It was a night I’ll never forget.
For those of you who’ve just hit the list for the first time, how did you celebrate? And for those of you, published or unpublished, who dream of someday seeing your name there – what would your celebration be?
Jennie
Tagged with: author Jennie Lucas • Bought: The Greek's Baby • USA Today bestsellers
I’m so happy for you as the book was incredible. In fact I’m giving away a copy this month on my review blog.
Many hugs!
Congratulations, Jennie! I have your book on my night stand and can’t wait to read it.
And congratulations to all the other authors who made the list, too. Let’s hear it for Presents!
Marilyn, thanks so much for your nice words! Hugs!
Caitlin, I’m so happy that your debut Presents made the USA Today list as well. What an amazing feeling! How did you celebrate when you found out?
Thanks, Jennie. It really is amazing!
My husband and I went out to our favorite sushi restaurant to celebrate. It was lovely. And honestly? I don’t think it’s sunk in yet.
Congratulations Jennie, and all the other HP authors who made the list. What fun and fantastic news. And what a sweetie your husband is–so glad you got to taste Dom Perignon, and I’m sure it will be an inspiration to your future books! I’ve been reading Bought:The Greek’s Baby on my writing breaks, and am loving it.
Kate
Massive congrats to you and Carol (and the other HP authors who have made the list), that is absolutely brilliant!!!
Expensive bubbly – what a perfect way to celebtrate
What an appropriate way to celebrate making the USA Today list, Jennie, and how gorgeous of your personal hero to think of it!
Of course Presents have always been bestsellers. It’s just fabulous to see that status being recognised. May there be more of it!
Jennie,
Many congratulations on hitting the bestseller list.
Couldn’t be better news all round.
Especially the wallowing in bubbly!
best
Francine
It is the most amazing feeling in the world, isn’t it!? Congrats to everyone who made it this time! I can only imagine we’ll do even better in the months to come. It’s such a fabulous, fabulous thing that Presents are getting the recognition they deserve. As a fairly new writer to the line, I was beyond thrilled to hit that list. But for the authors I’ve read and loved forever, I’m just so happy they are getting what they were always due.
Since I was in the first batch to hit the list, I found out a little late because I wasn’t looking for it. I was sitting on the couch with my hubby, surfing the web on my iPhone, when one of my GH finalist friends told me on Twitter that I’d made the list. I didn’t believe it at first, LOL.
I think we cracked open a bottle of sparkling juice, because it’s what we had on hand. Still, I floated for days, though it didn’t seem real. I can’t remember where we went to dinner, but I know we did that weekend.
Congratulations again to everyone! Can’t wait for next month’s Presents to come out…..
Caitlin – sushi, yum! I hated it for years, but I’ve come to really adore it. What a fun, international, low-carb way to celebrate!
Kate, you’re so sweet! Thanks so much for your nice words about Bought: The Greek’s Baby. My husband’s gesture was certainly very inspiring. Now, if his work would just settle down so I could actually see him for more than an hour, that would be perfect. Champagne celebrations are wonderful, but joy in real life is even better!
Joanne, thank you! The champagne was delicious, but I think the best part was the romance of the gesture. As far as the taste goes, I
confess I couldn’t hugely tell the difference between the Dom Perignon and my usual cheap champagne, but that’s my unrefined palate for you. I still have the empty bottle sitting on my desk now though, and I love looking at it!
Trish, you’re totally right – Presents books have always been bestsellers, and that’s why it’s so nice to see proof of that on USA Today. It shows the passion and loyalty of the wonderful fans. Presents fans are the best in the world!
Francine, thanks for your lovely note. The champagne was the funnest thing ever, but as far as “wallowing” goes I’ve wallowed in way more rice krispie treats I’m afraid. For the last few weeks, I’ve eaten every pastry and bread in sight. (So much for the New Year’s diet…)
Lynn, I know just what you mean! I can’t wait for next month either, or the month after that, as all the Presents stars I’ve adored for years finally get the recognition they deserve. Their next release will hit the list – and hopefully hit it so high the whole country will sit up and take notice!
As I said before – Presents fans are the best in the world!
So Lynn, you celebrated with…sparkling juice? Such wild hedonism. You are a crazy woman.
Congrats Jennie — and all the HP authors on earning that coveted place on the list.
I have to admit, I cried when I found out. (I’m such a weenie.) Then I drank waaay too much champagne!!
It’s lovely that people can now *see* just how many women ? Presents.
I printed it off and showed the children. Middle son very impressed that I’m on the same page as Diary of a Wimpy Kid!
Love to all
Carol x
PS) The question mark was supposed to be a heart, but it didn’t come through.
Cx
So exciting! Jennie, that is a lovely story! Congrats to everyone who’s made the list!
Huge congrats to you!! I love the sippy cups with juice toasting your spectacular champagne. Wonderful way to celebrate with your family. Yay!!
Huge congrats to everyone making this list and showing the world how popular our books are! Jennie the Dom Perignon sounds gorgeous and what a star of a hubby to bring it home! Hope you enjoyed every last sparkling drop..
x Abby
Well done to all! Of course it’s my duty to celebrate for you, so I’ll open something fizzy, too…….:-)
I celebrated yesterday, Jennie, by going to tiffin tea at the Langham’s chocolate bar.
Very swish. Very yummy.
Hubby and my 2 young boys came along (and behaved beautifully, thankfully, so mummy could really enjoy herself!)
On the way out, hubby bought me a bottle of the ginger flower spray the hotel uses (every time you step into this hotel, it smells divine, a real signature scent!) so I can remember the first time I hit the USA Today list. Nice, huh?
And congrats to my fellow bestsellers. I swear I’m still grinning
(Kim, you’re cute, not a weenie!)
Congratulations to you Jenny and all the other very talented authors who made the list! May you all shine for a long time to come.
Tina
Kim, congrats and big hugs! BTW crying seems like a totally normal reaction to me.
Carol, that’s when you know you’ve truly made it as a writer – when you can impress your kid. Hehe! Looking forward to your big book next month starting the “Dark Men of the Desert” series!
Hi Maisey! Thanks! And just wait till your debut book is out.
Abby, thanks sweetie! And I have something to confess: we didn’t actually drink it all. We drank half the first night, then the next day, I drank a little more before I ended up pouring the rest down the drain. I know, I can’t believe it!! But what can I say? It was a weeknight, and more champagne (no matter how fancy and delicious) was just not what I wanted. I can assure you, however, that all the rice krispie treats were eaten.
Sarah, thanks! And thanks for drinking a little extra on our behalf. Talk about taking one for the team. Just don’t forget to save some for the future, I have a feeling you might need it soon.
Nicola, your celebration sounds so lovely – chocolate and family. And the perfume too? Your husband’s choice was brilliant, because now you’ll never forget the feeling, even if you live to be 120.
Tina, thanks so much! So glad you’ve joined us, and wishing you the same!
That’s brilliant news, Jennie – champagne sounds the perfect way to celebrate such recognition. May you have many more bubbly (and sippy cup) moments!
Congratulations Jennie, Carol and everyone else on the list!
(I have a confession to make – last month when my book appeared on there I had no idea what a big deal it was and so didn’t even mention it to my husband! Kicking myself now for missing out on a champagne opportunity… But celebrating the achievements of friends is just as much fun as celebrating your own, right? Can’t stretch to Dom Perignon, but will unearth a bottle of Waitrose special reserve to toast you girls this week! xx)
Congrats on making the list, Jennie. Your books are truly wonderful!
PS – my Captcha is “testimony schulman”. Huh?
Hi Christina! Thanks so much. Wishing the same for you sweetie!
India, you didn’t notice? You crack me up!! I always picture you a little above the fray, sipping tea with your stylish friends in a gorgeous country manor house. Of course you didn’t notice a little thing like making the USA Today list. HA! But now that you know, it’s time to celebrate. Grab your honey and tell him he’s taking you out on the town tonight, because the lucky man is married to a celebrity!
Maya, thank you so much for your lovely words! Wow, what a nice thing to say! And good on you for noticing the Captcha words. I can’t tell you all the times I’ve forgotten the Captcha altogether, only to discover that “oops,” the reply I just wrote is now lost and must be composed again from scratch. Ack!
Congradulations for making the list Jennie and everyone else. Its about time romance gets its due. Romance is the one book that I read the most but i do read other books but romance sets the mood calms me down.
congrats jenny, i am a great fan and enoy all your books