First, some info about Kensington’s new erotica line.  If you want the free book info, skip ahead.   The erotica line still does not have a name.  It launches in January 2006.  The covers are amazing.  They’re looking for novellas and single titles.  The basic word counts are 25,000 for novellas and 90,000 for single title but they are open to anything.  They even said that if you have a 15,000 word manuscript, send it and they’ll see if they can make it work.  They are buying.  Let me repeat that, they are buying.  Some folks are talking about getting 6 book contracts.  People who tried to get in with Brava but the books were too hot are finding a home with the whatever-we-call-it line.  Don’t send to Kate Duffy because she said this isn’t her thing.  Hillary Sares and Audrey LaFehr are the folks to write to.  Don’t bother with synopsis and waiting for a response to a query - send in chapters.  Unsolicited and unagented - as with all of the Kensington romance lines - are welcome. 

As for the other Kensington lines, Kate insists westerns are making a comeback, regency is dead and erotic romance is hotter than ever.  Kate also said something a bit new - if you have a partial done, don’t wait to finish it to send it in.  She knows that’s not conventional wisdom but said she can tell if she’ll be interested based on a partial and doesn’t want folks wasting time on "bad" books if she can stop you.

Another general thought, if you’re out there writing chick lit because you think there’s a big need, stop.  According agent Evan Fogelman (and just about everyone else) the market is saturated and the stories have to be pretty special to get attention right now.  Write it because you love it not because it sells.  There was a suggestion that chick lit mysteries were still in demand but the "aren’t my shoes pretty" type without something deeper aren’t going anywhere.

Now, the books…  One of the interesting aspects of the RWA conference is the unbelievable number of free books thrown at the attendees on a daily basis.  Some are books you didn’t buy and probably wouldn’t the next time you walk by them in the B&N racks but when they’re handed out free you take 15 copies.  The books are on the chairs at the luncheons, handed out at publisher signings and left, well, everywhere.  As a result of the frenzy, I have some extra books - those I have multiple copies of or do not plan to foist off on my unsuspecting cp Wendy, my mom and my romance reading friends.  Like Sylvia (I actually stole this idea from her - btw, if you haven’t met Sylvia, you’re missing out because she is charming as well as talented, as is Sasha), I will give away some of the books to keep my TBR pile at a controlled chaos level. 

If you’re interested in any of the below sets of books, write me an email or post a comment telling me which set (you only get one shot and you can’t pick and choose individual books in different sets) you’re interested in.  If you email absolutely no attachments (I will delete those unopened) and the subject line should say Book Giveaway.  Again, just make sure to let me know which set you’re interested in.  If more than one person wants a particular set, I’ll randomly select names on Wednesday August 3rd then post the winners.  I’ll ship the books out but take no responsibility whatsoever if they are lost in transit, damaged, if you hate them, etc. The books are free folks, so no complaints or whining or I absolutely will say nasty things about you in a blog entry.

The sets (all are paperbacks):

1.  The Julia Set -  Includes: When He Was Wicked by Julia Quinn and Highlander in Disguise by Julia London

2.  Sexy/Paranormal Set-  Includes:  the anthology Secrets 10, Angela Knight’s The Forever Kiss and The Challenge by Susan Kearney.

3.  Chick Lit Set:  Includes: Confessions of a Serial Dater by Michelle Cunnah and Exes and Ohs by Beth Kendrick

This entry was posted on Friday, July 29th, 2005 at 7:48 pm and is filed under About Contests & Associations, About Publishing, About Writing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.