About

This blog was created by a team of fans of Harlequin Presents, many of whom also happen to work at Harlequin. Other contributors include authors and readers… we’d love to hear from YOU!

The blog contributors include:

Amy Wilkins, Digital & Internet Team and I Heart Presents manager

While growing up, Amy was often asked, “Do you think you’ll write romance novels someday?” Probably not what most little girls hear, but as the daughter of a published romance author, Amy is now used to being asked if she’ll follow in her mother’s footsteps. Though not a writer herself, Amy is pursuing a career in publishing after recently graduating from a Book & Magazine publishing program. After interning at Harlequin for two summers, Amy is thrilled to be back with the Digital and Internet team and returning to the world of eBooks, social networking, and, of course, blogging! If you have questions about I Heart Presents, you can email her at Amy_Wilkins @ Harlequin.ca (remove the spaces).

Lucy Gilmour, Assistant Editor, Harlequin Mills & Boon, UK office

Assistant Editor Lucy joined Harlequin Mills & Boon London office three years ago after finishing her classics degree and spending two glorious years working in the French Alps. She works across all the London acquired series, giving her the chance to work with some of her favourite heroes — the Alpha males of Harlequin Presents and Harlequin Romance, devilishly handsome doctors of Harlequin Medicals and Harlequin Historical’s Regency Rakes!

Lucy dreamt of working for Harlequin since she spent her first-ever allowance of pocket money on a much-treasured Presents at the age of thirteen. Reading (and editing!) romance is still utterly delightful — what could possibly be better than falling in love with a new hero every day!

Jenny Hutton, London Editorial Team

Assistant editor Jenny Hutton joined the Mills & Boon team just over two years ago having previously resided in the world of media publishing and before that a financially stretched Masters student. She acquires for all the M&B series — giving her the chance to work with a varied and talented author base and indulge in her passion for reading romance.

Like any wannabe heroine Jenny lives her life with a touch of glamour — shoe obsessed, handbag obsessed: a sprinkling of royalty — she’s a distant relation of a Russian princess (or so her mother told her); a penchant for the jet-set — reading celebrity gossip mags whilst on her travels; and indulging daily in love affairs — every book brings a new hero….

Tessa Shapcott, London Editorial Team

Tessa is the Executive Editor of the Harlequin Mills & Boon series that are commissioned in London, England. Her special responsibilities are the Harlequin Presents titles.

Tessa began reading romance fiction at an early age, encouraged by her grandmother, who bequeathed Tessa her own 1936 first edition of Margaret Mitchell’s Gone With the Wind on Tessa’s tenth birthday. Tessa took the novel wit her to her very strict convent school, where it was promptly confiscated for being too racy for a young girl!

But Tessa has begun a life-long love-affair with the Alpha Male hero, and when her career in publishing led to being employed as Editor at Mills & Boon, she knew she’d died and gone to heaven. Twenty years later, she’s still there and having the time of her life!

Malle Vallik, Digital Content Team

Malle remembers carefully selecting which of the glamorous, sophisticated “white” books to buy each week at the small town’s drugstore close to her cottage and has loved the stories ever since. The heroes are always fantastic but the heroines are just as great! Malle is thrilled to be able to publish Presents titles in digital format, both as eBooks and downloadable audio.

Kimberly Young, London Editorial Team

Kim is the Senior Editor of M&B/Harlequin Romance in London. She currently acquires across all of the Harlequin Mills & Boon series.

Kimberly has been at Harlquin Mills & Boon for six years. She has always been an avid romance reader and was introduced to the delights of romance fiction under her grandmother’s kitchen table! Kim now thinks it’s a dream come true to work with romance authors who give women the world over hopes and dreams come true!