Hey Fraz! (And any other female writers with strong faith)

[phoenixx]

eharlequin.com is now accepting submissions to both of its Steeple Hill series. They require the books to feature characters facing both real life and faith based dilemnas, and also require no romance without marriage and encourage strong leading ladies.

Just a heads up.

[jgibson2[$]]

Do they pay well enough to make it worth the effort?

[frazzledspice]

I know that Christian Romance is an up and coming category, and that the city where I used to live (St. Louis) even had a Christian Writers Group that met at one of the libraries.

I am woefully illiterate about romance novels, Christian or otherwise. Even Danielle Steele is a little bit too much romance for me.

I don't watch soap operas, either.

But thanks for thinking of me

[phoenixx]

Actually, they have on the website that they are discouraging a romance theme in the two Steeple Hill series, unless it is a tangential theme, with no more than hand holding (no 'necking' or sex without marriage, if at all) - they are requesting open submissions of thrillers, detective stories, and "life stories" about women in strong roles, dealing with challenges and actively using their faith to get through them in some way, etc.

[phoenixx]

jgibson2 said

Do they pay well enough to make it worth the effort?

They do not pay per book - accepted submissions receive a standard multi-book writing contract with Harlequin, HSN, Steeple Hill or another of their imprints.

[Redlass]

I will say that Harlequin has been doing some interesting things.

They have an imprint called Luna that I've been watching. They're fantasy/science fiction books with a strong romantic theme. I've read four of their books now and been really impressed with three of the four. They break out of the stereotype and manage to fuse the genres in surprising ways.

[phoenixx]

I belong to a mailing list that send me names of publishers accepting submissions - that's how I heard about this one.