I am thrilled to offer RU readers a chance to get your pitch in front of an acquiring editor. Today Heather Howland, Managing Editor for Entangled Publishing, is here to give you all the details for the pitch event scheduled for Thursday, May 31st.
Thank you so much for having me at Romance University this week! Entangled Publishing is a fresh and innovative new publisher of YA and adult romance. From our NY-style print lines (Entangled Select and Entangled Teen) to our digital-only novella and category romance imprints, there’s something for every reader on our list.
And as of this summer, that list will be four imprints larger.
Indulgence, our first category romance imprint, has been so wildly successful (we hit the NYT and USA bestseller lists within two months of launching!) that we’re branching out even further. This summer, we’re unveiling four new category romance lines: Brazen (sexy contemporary), Bliss (sweet contemporary), Dead Sexy (romantic suspense), and Covet (paranormal).
I’d like to introduce you to one of those lines. Brazen, which we like to call the naughty little sister of our Indulgence imprint, is my pet project. As the name suggests, Brazen is our steamiest line yet, so releasing your inner vixen is a must.
As this is a contemporary category line, I’m currently looking for novels in the 45k-60k range that are centered around proven category tropes and alpha heroes. Think one night stands, revenge plots, falling for the best friend’s older brother, marriages of convenience, mistaken identity, stranded strangers who become intimate, and bait & switch stories. If you’ve got a great voice and a fresh premise, I’d love to read it. Secondary characters who demand their own stories are a plus because I have a weakness for linked books, but the primary story should always be about the hero and heroine.
Entangled doesn’t publish erotica, but a high heat level is a must for this line.
If you think you have a manuscript that fits these requirements, or might be a good fit for one of Entangled’s many imprints (see the guidelines for all the lines here), I’ll be taking pitches until 12pm EST on Friday. Bring on your romance and young adult pitches!
Each pitch should include:
- Title and word count
- 3 to 5 sentence description of the story
- The first 100 words of your manuscript
- For category romance, list the trope(s) and heat level
When pitching, be sure to include all the pertinent details. Show the main characters, conflict, the obstacles the couple must overcome, and the stakes. We need to see the gist of what the main characters want, what stands in their way, and what would happen if these goals aren’t met. For category, make sure that you note what line you’re aiming it for, mention the hero’s profession, and clarify the trope!
If you want specific examples, a great place to find pitches is to read the blurbs of published books. Most address all of these elements – after all, the blurb is a pitch for readers. Let’s look at two that we’ve shortened into 3-5 sentence pitches to give you an idea of what we’d like to see:
Former Army Special Forces Sgt. Marco Vieri has never thought of Alyssa Scott as more than his best friend’s little sister, but her return home changes that…and challenges him to keep his war-borne demons at bay. Marco’s not the same person he was back when he protected Alyssa from her abusive father, and he’s not about to let her see the mess he’s become. When Alyssa takes a job at the bar where Marco works, her carefree smiles wreak havoc on his resolve to bury his feelings, because how can he protect her when he can’t stop thinking about her in his bed? But Alyssa’s not looking for protection–not anymore. Now that she’s back in his life, she’s determined to heal her forbidden hero, one touch at a time…
- Laura Kaye, HER FORBIDDEN HERO (Indulgence)
While trying to save her brother four years ago, Greta was thrown into the witch’s fire herself, falling through a portal to a dangerous world where humans are the enemy, and every ogre, goblin, and ghoul has a dark side that comes out with the full moon. To survive, seventeen-year-old Greta has hidden her humanity and taken the job of bounty hunter, but her skills caught the attention of Mylena’s young Goblin King, the darkly enticing Isaac, who invades her dreams and undermines her determination to escape. But Greta’s not the only one looking to get out of Mylena. The full moon is mere days away, and an ancient evil knows she’s the key to opening the portal. If Greta fails, she and the lost boys of Mylena will die, but if she succeeds, no world will be safe from what follows her back.
- Chloe Jacob, GRETA AND THE GOBLIN KING (Entangled Teen)
Here are some common questions regarding Brazen submissions, and our category lines in general:
Q: Does it have to have a trope and an alpha hero?
Yes. As these are category romances, readers will be looking for a strong, identifiable trope immediately, and will want to read about a hero in a high-powered or heroic profession. Does this mean your novel will be cliché? Not at all! A wickedly crisp voice, swoon-worthy alpha hero (think CEOs, soldiers, business tycoons, firemen, etc.) and creative plotting makes your book stand out – and readers love it.
Q: Does it have to be finished?
No, but ideally it would be completed within a month – please note if your manuscript is not finished in your pitch. It would be best if you only pitched projects that you are at least halfway done with. If this pitch contest sparks an idea for a Brazen (or anything else, for that matter!) you’re always welcome query me later on!
Q: What about M/M or F/F novels?
While we currently do not accept M/M or F/F novels for our category lines, I’m more than happy to read pitches for books that may fit our Entangled Select, Entangled Teen, and Flirt/Ever After imprints. It’s important to note that Entangled believes in love stories. If the sexuality of your couple is treated as an “issue” in the book, it’s not for us. But if you’ve written a paranormal romance about two vampire slayers attempting to take down the biggest vampire threat in the history of mankind while falling in love—and they just so happen to be two men—we’d love to see it. Check out THE FALLEN QUEEN and HUSHED, two books with same-sex couples that we’ve published.
For a more detailed description about the line, please see the Brazen Submissions page or read more about Entangled Publishing in general.
In addition to requesting manuscripts, I’ll give feedback on every pitch received during the event, so even if you’re unsure about pitching, give it a shot! Need more incentive? There’s an excellent chance that several other Entangled editors will be dropping by to request manuscripts as well!
See you all on Thursday…
Heather Howland
Editorial Director, Brazen
Managing Editor, Entangled Select and Teen
Twitter: @HeatherHowland
www.entangledpublishing.com
***
Get your pitches ready for Thursday! We will see you then!
Tomorrow J.K. Coi discusses the lure of steampunk.
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Sounds like it’s going to be an awesome event! =) Thanks for doing this Robin and Heather!
Posted by Carrie Spencer | May 29, 2012, 6:41 amHi Heather and welcome to RU. This is such a great opportunity. It will be fun to see the pitches.
See you on Thursday!
Posted by Adrienne Giordano | May 29, 2012, 6:51 amHi Heather! This is an incredible opportunity! I wish I was finished with revisions – not ready to pitch yet, unfortunately, or I’d be the first in line for this event.
Posted by Becke Martin Davis | May 29, 2012, 8:30 amWhat a wonderful opportunity! Also, it’s good practice for anyone pitching at the RWA conference in July.
Thanks for being with us today.
Posted by Jennifer Tanner | May 29, 2012, 1:21 pmHi Everyone, what a great opportunity,will do my best to be ready for tomorrow to pitch my YA novel. Thanks Jen.
Posted by Jen | May 30, 2012, 4:48 amWhere exactly do we do the pitch? Is there a chat room? What time will the pitches begin? Thanks!
Posted by Melinda Dozier | May 30, 2012, 12:25 pmLooking forward to tomorrow. Thanks for this opportunity!
Posted by Robyn Neeley | May 30, 2012, 5:23 pmJust got the retweet. Is it too late?
Heartland Security
56.000 words
Romantic Suspense (probably Brazen, though it could be modified slightly to Bliss)
Tropes: Law officer, danger, mending broken relationship
Pitch
Erik Tyler, now a Homeland Security operative scoping out t he drug scene as a Local Law Enforcement Officer (LEO). Believing Becca had played him false and had a child with another man seven years before, Erik cut her off and immersed himself in undercover work in Afghanistan. Raising her sister’s child as her own, Becca is now being threatened by “pranks,” break-ins, and menacing encounters. Only regaining trust in each other will allow Erik and Becca to fight off the evil pursuing her and her adopted daughter. Only the strength of their rekindled love will shield them when Erik’s current and past assignments put Becca in deathly peril.
First 100 words
Becca Hart stood at the open driver’s side door of the ‘04 Buick with her head below the seat level, applying English to the reluctant hood latch. Tires scrunched on the loose gravel of the library parking lot. A door slammed, and a well-known voice said, “My, my, I’d recognize that pair of legs anywhere.”
Without straightening up, Becca gave the handle one last twist and was gratified to hear the clunk of the hood latch opening. She straightened up, reaching over the steering column to retrieve her keys, before saying, “Well hi, Duck, I knew Artisanburg’s finest local law enforcement officer wouldn’t strand a lady in distress.”
Posted by Elizabeth Bechtel | May 31, 2012, 2:28 pm