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EDITOR/PUBLISHER OF THE YEAR, AND PITCH CONTEST

To my complete surprise and delight, I have been named Editor of the Year and Sourcebooks has been named Publisher of the Year by the New York City chapter of RWA. Thank you so, so much for this recognition. I feel very honored.

Ok, that was 10 seconds of glory and celebration, now back to work!

Last month on this blog I took pitches and had a GREAT time, and I'm going to do it again today! HOWEVER, please read these directions carefully because this month's event is a PITCH CONTEST--you must follow the rules (unlike your heroine, ok?).

*I will choose ONE WINNER from the pitches sent to the blog by midnight tonight (Thursday 6/24/10).

*The winner will be announced by midnight tomorrow night (Friday 6/25/10).

*The PRIZE is--a critique from MOI!!!! The winner will be invited to send me their synopsis and three chapters for a critique and will get their critique within 4 weeks of me receiving their materials.

*IF YOU WANT YOUR PITCH CRITIQUED, you should send it to me directly at deb.werksman@sourcebooks.com as well as posting it on the blog. Pitch critiques will be done within 6-8 weeks.

*If you are too shy to post your pitch, send it to me directly at deb.werksman@sourcebooks.com and I will critique it. Please note that only pitches posted on the blog will be considered as entries in the contest.

Here's the gist of what I'm looking for in a pitch:

PITCH TIPS
Please be sure to include:

*Your publishing/sales history (how many books and how many copies sold to readers). This is where, if you're a debut author, you say so. If you're introducing a new pen name, please share your publishing/sales history of your previous name(s).

*The category and subgenre of the book

*A hook!! (The hook is a 2-3 sentence selling tool that gets a buyer excited about stocking your book and a reader excited to buy and then read it. It positions your book as something unique and desirable.)

*A quick introduction to the main characters and the major conflicts

My criteria--what I'm looking for:
*single title romance in any subgenre, 90,000 words minimum generally
*a heroine the reader can relate to
*a hero she can fall in love with
*a world gets created
*a hook I can sell the book with in 2-3 sentences
*the author has a career arc--this book is the beginning of a series or of a set in the same subgenre with a theme I can use to build the author's readership

Comments

  1. Thank you for being so generous with your time once again!

    I am seeking publication of my 96,000 word contemporary single title romance novel, CRUISING TOWARD LOVE.

    Can an unexplained breakup and ten years of heartache be cured by the romance – and endless buffets – of a tropical cruise? Small town librarian Zoe Balis is frazzled. She’s looked everywhere for funding to keep her library from imminent closure, while simultaneously planning her sister’s wedding single handedly. When her arch-nemesis Nate Hyatt becomes a last minute substitute groomsman, it’s the last straw. Nothing could force her to walk down the aisle on the arm of that insufferable man. It’s almost a relief when her sister is left at the altar. Zoe jumps at the chance to take the bride’s unused ticket for the honeymoon cruise. But she never counted on sharing a cabin with the man who broke her heart ten years ago!

    Army medic Nate Hyatt never told Zoe goodbye when he enlisted - or the real reason why he abandoned her on prom night. And he never stopped dreaming about the girl he left behind. Could this voyage be his chance to fix the worst mistake he ever made? After all, a Caribbean cruise should be romantic… if they can get past ten years of bitterness.

    Nate and Zoe team up with a bored Internet mogul who doesn’t have a tactful bone in her body and a ship’s photographer battling PTSD. They'll work together to try and win an island hopping treasure hunt. Oh, and figure out who’s behind Zoe’s mysterious brushes with death. Zoe’s never gotten over her first love, and is tempted to let Nate back into her life. But she already lost him once. She’s not willing to risk loving a man who lives and works in a combat zone. Can Nate breach her defenses and suture her broken heart? Grab a deck chair and see if they survive the stormy relationship seas as they cruise toward love!

    My first novel, CAROLINA HEAT, was published by Eternal Press in December and garnered a slew of rave reviews. My second novel, ACT LIKE WE’RE IN LOVE will be released in October. I was the first runner up in the Washington DC RWA 2010 Marlene contest. I won first place in the West Houston RWA 2009 Emily contest and the San Francisco RWA 2008 Heart to Heart contest, and am a member of both Romance Writers of America and Maryland Romance Writers. The complete manuscript is ready for your request.

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  2. Thanks for the contest Deb! I'm looking forward to seeing all the entries!

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  3. Congratulations! I'm not surprised you and Sourcebooks were voted Editor and Publisher of the Year! This is well-deserved recognition and I'm thrilled for you. Thanks for letting us know.

    See you at conference in July.

    Amelia

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  4. Is it any wonder Deb was named Editor of the Year? Huge congrats to Deb and Sourcebooks!

    Good luck, everyone!

    Tracey

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  5. Congrats on being selected Editor and Publisher of the Year! What an honor.

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  6. Congratulations on being named Editor of the Year and Soucrebooks Publisher of the Year!!! Wow, that's fantastic, but I'm hardly surprised - Sourcebooks has been a fabulous experience for me!! Good luck everyone with the pitches!

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  7. Congratulations on being named Editor of the Year. I can understand why with your name related in so many on-line areas of romance writing.

    Never having been published before I am going out on a limb and hoping for the best. I am looking for a long term relationship with someone who would treat my four book series (to date) "The Sacres" as their own. Writing this series under my name Loni Glover, I am a member of RWA for the past two years and also a member of Maryland Romance Writers. IMMORTAL HEAT finaled in 2009 under a title "Vampires Suck" in the KYOWA "Bold As Brass" contest.

    The first book IMMORTAL HEAT is a 116,000 word paranormal romance.

    “Guys just suck the life out of a girl . . . but I never expected it to actually happen!” When free-lance reporter Marilyn “Mary” Reddlin is bitten during an interview at the latest Gothic hot-spot she’s not only turned into an immortal, but an immortal beast. That’s okay, it’s in her DNA. But when all she can think about is sex and blood she knows she has to find the man who turned her before she goes crazy.

    Immortal Draylon Conier is sent by the leader of his clan to check out the newest Gothic club in town. Rumor has it there is a new, powerful breed of vampire in their area and he must find it before their rival clan. Draylon never expected to turn an unsuspecting woman while he was feeding at the club, but he did and now he can’t get her or the sensual dreams they share out of his head. When he realizes the woman he turned and the new vampire are the same he’s the only one who can save her from their enemies and herself.
    The attraction that they share is more than just blood related though. Now they have to fight the sensual connection between them or die trying . . . literally.

    This series is based on my research into Romanian history. I came across the story of a god that the early Romanian’s (Dacian’s) worshiped known as Zamolxis. It was rumored that he was making the Dacian’s immortal.
    I ran with this inspiration and the fear that other countries had on these ancient people and their mysterious ways. Each story is a romance based on the immortals and those who become intertwined with them for the greater good of their clans and their connection into it's ancient beginnings.

    Thank you for your time. A full or partial manuscript can be sent at your alloted time.

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  8. Thank you for your time and the opportunity!

    I am currently seeking publication for my single title contemporary romance, THE GAME OF LOVE. The manuscript is complete at 92,000 words.

    In the game of tennis, love means nothing. But in the game of life, it’s everything…

    Christina “Chris” St. James is ready to move on and move out, literally. Picking up the pieces of her life—and self esteem—after a break up with jock-tastic asshole and NHL superstud Dax Riley, Chris makes a fresh start. She’s got a new job she loves, coaching tennis and teaching math in a new school district. She just signed the lease on her first home. And she’s ready for a normal, stable relationship, hold the paparazzi. Come on, Life, bring on the mild-mannered, non-celebrity history teachers and financial planners.

    Varsity football coach Brett Wallace is still reeling from his forced retirement from the NFL at the ripe old age of thirty-four. Divorced and wary about the motives of all females under the age of ninety, he’s intrigued when the new girls’ tennis coach is not only unimpressed with his former-pro status, but is actually seems disgusted by it. But is her indifference to his previous brush with fame real, or an act to reel him in?

    When budget cuts and pushy administrators keep driving these two together, sparks fly…and not just from temper. Brett’s on the lookout for gold-digging tendencies, and Chris wants nothing to do with the hometown hero who seems to think he’s God’s gift to women. She’s ready to go to the mat for her tennis team during budget cuts, but is surprised when Brett not only compromises, but proves he isn’t as self-serving as she originally thought. Still, he’s not the one for her. He’s not mild-mannered or celebrity-challenged. So why can’t she seem to keep her hands—and lips—off of him?

    Brett agrees to the no-strings-attached affair Chris proposes. Hell, what guy would say no? Their personalities might clash outside the bedroom, but under the covers they’re quite a match. But when he starts falling for the little harpy, he finds battling for her heart to be harder than breaking through the Cowboys’ defensive line.

    An uninvited guest, meddling parents and too much pride tear these two apart. But at forth and goal with love on the line, will Brett make the final push to win Christina’s heart?

    My publishing debut, an erotic novella titled SONGBIRDS, is set to release with Ellora’s Cave in November 2010 under the name KJ Reed. I am the 2009 NEC RWA’s First Kiss contest winner, and placed second in the Greater Detroit RWA’s 2010 Between The Sheets contest with THE GAME OF LOVE (previous title: Match Point). The complete manuscript is available upon request.

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  9. Congrats Deb! Not surprising in the least considering all that you do for your authors and all the great books you've published. :-)

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  10. WAY TO GO, DEB!!! But then, we all knew you were the editor of the year! :) And, yay, for Sourcebooks!

    Good luck to everyone with their pitches!

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  11. Congrats, Deb! Much deserved.

    And yes, TASTE ME has been whittled down to just under 95K. ;-)

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  12. Dear Ms. Werksman,
    Congratulations for being named Editor of the Year.

    Twin Justice is a completed 93,000 word romantic suspense and book one of The Final Justice series. Book two, Twisted Justice is my current work in progress.

    Assigned a murder investigation, new FBI partners’ hunt for a female vigilante who’s cutting the throat’s of America’s most heinous criminals. The team uncovers and organization called The Final Justice Unit, which serves as judge and jury against perpetrators who’ve managed to slip through the judicial system.

    Dalton Murphy’s arrest and conviction record is the highest in the division. He isn’t sure about his partner’s capabilities. He’s hoping this case will gain him acceptance into the elite Secret Service where he’ll protect the highest ranking official in the nation.

    Alexis Turner has finally landed a transfer to the coveted Special Investigations Unit. A firefighter’s widow, she’s vowed never to love another man who puts his life is in constant danger. Her attraction to Dalton is out of the question.

    Suspended when an artist’s sketch of the killer is a dead ring for her, Alexis believes Dalton has betrayed her. She’ll go undercover and put her life in jeopardy to bring down the vigilante organization. Dalton violates direct orders to prove her innocence. He’ll uncover facts sure to destroy her family while trying to restore her faith in him.

    I am an unpublished PRO member of RWA, an active in the North Texas Chapter and the Kiss of Death Chapter. My weekly critique partners and multiple writing classes have proved invaluable to my growth as an author. Thank you for reading my pitch and I hope you'll want to hear more. I look forward to hearing from you.

    Sincerely,
    Jerrie Alexander

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  13. Congratulations on being named Editor of the Year, and thank you for this wonderful opportunity!

    Please consider my 96,000 word single-title, 12th century Historical Romantic Comedy, HIGHLAND CAPTIVE, rewritten and professionally critiqued.

    English-born Lady Alera of Arundrydge is a procrastinating defender and nurturer with a secret Celtic gift. She wishes to avenge crimes against her family and find her father, who is missing and presumed dead. When a nefarious uncle sells her into bondage to Viking slavers, she escapes only to be caught by a big, sexy barbarian, whose touch ignites passion.

    Laird Duncan Ranald has good reason to hate all things English. They nearly wiped out his clan. Discovering the luscious beauty who washed up on his shore and stoked his lust is English, he decides to keep her as his leaman for a little revenge.

    After seducing her, Duncan realizes Alera is his soulmate. He decides to wed her, but Alera won’t cooperate. Escaping Duncan becomes more and more impossible as Alera helps his clan and he creeps into her heart. But if she stays, how will she gain vengeance and what will become of her father?

    Set in the Scottish Highlands, Highland Captive is a 12th century Historical Romantic Comedy, in which the pairing of enemies, whose antics sizzle off the page, proves love can lead to happily-ever-after.

    My debut book and prequel to this first of a four book series is scheduled for release from Eternal Press on August 7, 2010.

    I have four contract offers on this novel from e-publishers, but prefer to hold out for a traditional press.

    On another note, I'd like to thank you for your visit to Memphis. You were absolutely gracious to me as I botched my first pitch after my wreck, and you helped restore my faith in myself. For that you have my eternal graditude.

    Please feel free to visit my website at www.marymccall.net, my blog at http://marymccall.wordpress.com/, or email mary@marymccall.net

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  14. The seventh child of the seventh child for the past six generations in his mother’s line have all been girls – and they have all been magically powerful. But Morgan Vallentyn, destined to be the greatest of them all, was born a boy. Because of this he never had the powers he should have, until now. Just weeks before he turns twenty-one they are beginning to develop. If he doesn’t get all of his powers quickly, however, he will lose all that he has on his birthday.
    Adriana Hayden was born to paint the natural world with a passion and vision unknown in her time, but is fenced in by the conventions and morals of 19th century English society. Dominated by a guardian who has arranged a marriage for her, she will do anything to keep her freedom – even give up her art.
    Only together can Morgan and Adriana unlock the other’s destiny.
    “Magic in the Storm”, a 100,000 word Paranormal Regency romance, is the first of a series of paranormal romances set in the world of the Vallen (meaning “powerful” in Latin). I have already completed two books of a three-book YA series which shows the beginning of this world two hundred years after the death of King Arthur. I have also begun another adult novel set in the same world which is takes place in modern Washington, DC.
    Under the pseudonym Meredith Bond, have published a series of four Regency romances with Kensington Publishers. Although I was never told what my sell-through numbers were, I know that I earned back my advances on all but one of my books. My first book, Miss Seton’s Sonata, won the Royal Ascot Award and the NJRW’s Golden Leaf Award. My other three books were all finalists in a number of writing contests.
    Congratulations on your win! And thanks for running this contest.

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  15. Congratulations and thanks Deb for offering this critique. You may recognize this query from last month. Here's hoping you like the revisions.



    Dear Ms. Werksman,

    First they were rivals, now they’re lovers. Two steel mill executives face the ultimate test – a paternity test. They just might be cousins.

    Morgan, a disciplined, workaholic executive is shattered when her grandfather brings in Bryan Rivers to lead the family steel mill. Ever since her parents’ death, she vowed to run the mill to honor her father’s memory.

    Rootless, fostered by Morgan’s aunt and uncle, Bryan’s doesn’t belong anywhere. Ten years ago, Bryan swore he’d never return to his hometown after his foster father slept with his girlfriend. But the head of the Carne family always treated him like a real grandson and he can’t refuse the man’s request and the challenge of leading the steel mill.

    Morgan and Bryan’s distrust evolves into respect, admiration and finally a passion hot enough to melt steel. They must use their combined love and wits to fight outside threats against the steel mill and the family. The two orphans form a family bond that may be taboo, but will not be broken.

    STEEL HEARTS is a 100,000 word, single title, contemporary romance set in the fictional steel mill town of Dylan. This is the first book of a four-book series on the Carne family. It is reminiscent of Linda Lael Miller’s McKettrick or Lisa Kleypas’s Travis family sagas.

    My first job was in a male-dominated railroad much like my fictional steel mill. I am a member of RWA, Midwest Fiction Writers, From the Heart Romance Writers and a critique group. I’ve written for many years, full-time for two. Starting last year, I’ve been a finalist in twenty-four contests with three different manuscripts. I’ve just begun submitting STEEL HEARTS which was a finalist in the 2009 Golden Acorn contest and the 2010 Golden Heart.

    I look forward to your response and am prepared to submit the completed manuscript upon your request. Thank you for your time and consideration.

    Sincerely,

    Nancy Stevens Evertz -- writing as Nan Dixon

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  16. CONGRATS on being named Editor of the Year, Deb! Not that I'm surprised or anything.

    Good luck to all the pitch contestants!

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  17. Thanks for this opportunity!

    I currently have a mainstream mystery with romantic elements in print with a small press, under my own name –Kate George. That book (Moonlighting in Vermont) has sold a modest 500 to 600 books in the last ten months, being print on demand with no print run. The sequel (California Schemin’) to that book is under contract and due out March 2011.

    I will be débuting the pen-name Kasey Gentry with Glimmer Girls.

    Glimmer Girls is a single title light paranormal romance of approx 100,000 words. If paranormal has a subgenre it would be mermaids and magic. The follow up novel for this book will be the story of a human/merman romance set in the same town, but 100 years earlier.

    Hook: Clara Delamar grew up believing she’s a freak show oddity. Can a town, a man and the ocean help her discover the truth of her parentage?

    Heroine: At 24, Clara Delamar is finally quit of her mother’s machinations and free to follow her own destiny. But having spent the first quarter of her life being displayed like a carnival oddity, viewed on a million television screens across the country as the “Mermaid Girl” can Clara be sufficiently anonymous anywhere to live a life out of the lime light? She doesn’t dare dream of love and acceptance from one man. But if the community would only accept her, and let her live life in peace, without forever hiding her fish scales and keeping secrets, Clara would be content. But both her heart and peace are shattered when she’s discovered by the press.

    Hero: 30-year-old Johnny Hourne uses his little sister’s deformity as an excuse to avoid committed relationships with women. That’s not to say he doesn’t have damn satisfying, if short term, liaisons. But when Dilly begs Johnny to bring a girl to her 14th birthday party Johnny caves. But instead of bring his usual fling; he turns to Clara for help. She’s kind-hearted, if odd, and will be a suitable afternoon companion for Dilly. Besides Clara is unlikely to make things uncomfortable by asking for more. A fact that Johnny finds more than a little disconcerting, if he’s truthful with himself. When he learns from his mother that Clara is out to expose his sister he’s furious. But when his sister disappears, Clara is the person who he trusts to find her. When Clara falls ill he discovers her secret, and begins to believe that both Clara and Dilly are in truth Mermaid Girls.

    Johnny’s sister: 14-year-old Dilly carries her curse upon her back. A beautiful birthmark made of glimmering scales set in the shape of angel wings. Sequestered from society from birth by her mother, Dilly yearns for life in the real world. When she reads the story of the Mermaid Girl in the local paper, (her mother will kick herself forever for not destroying that newspaper soon enough), Dilly sets out to find the woman she believes can set her free, only to find she’s Johnny’s friend Clara.

    Hyacinth Hourne, mother to both Johnny and Dilly has secrets of her own. She recognizes Clara as the Mermaid Girl almost as soon as she meets her. Afraid that Clara is here to expose her daughter as mermaid, Hyacinth informs the big city newspaper reporters of Clara’s whereabouts, using Johnny’s name, hoping to chase her out of Mabble. To Hyacinth’s chagrin, the reporter who finds Clara lies about her location, sending Dilly far south of the city of Dobbin, searching for Clara on her own.

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  18. Thank you for your time and consideration!

    The first book in my Delilah’s Dish Series, the Twenty First Century Version of Julia Quinn’s Lady Whistledown, is PRINCE OF PLEASURE, a 110,00 word contemporary romance that follows the eldest daughter in the Ambrose family of six siblings.
    And Regency England thought they had the monopoly on Rakes and Gossip Papers!

    Zoe Ambrose, a sweet and shy romance novelist of the widely popular Katrina Steele Series, has been sent to Vegas to finalize contract negotiations for her books to be turned into film. This small town girl from Eastern North Carolina has no idea what’s in store after she bumps into the biggest movie star in the world. All she’s concerned with is finding a man to get it on and finally be given the big O- among other first time events.

    He’s a publicist worst nightmare and gossip bloggers wet dream. Ian Stone, also known by his hidden vice nickname as the Prince of Pleasure, had been ordered to find a non-Hollywood type woman to be seen with and re-make his bad boy image. When he “accidentally” bumps into Zoe Ambrose at McCarran airport, all he sees is positive press and a sick body.

    A scandalous night in a VIP room at Rain leads to a positively shocking proposal. Soon Zoe and Ian are making headlines and twitter blow up. But can Zoe reveal to him what’s she been hiding all along? Can Ian let his guard down and let Zoe’s love save him from his past?

    Only Delilah’s Dish knows and she’s not telling…you’ll have to read tomorrow’s blog to find out.

    KING OF DREAMS is my current work in progress and the second book in the Delilah’s Dish series.

    I am a member of RWA and Heart of Carolina Romance Writers, Raleigh North Carolina. This would be my first published work…I hope!

    Congratulations on your achievement as Editor of the Year!

    Best Regards,

    Marquita Winslow

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  19. Congratulations on being named Editor of the Year! And thank you for being so generous with your time.

    I am seeking publication of my 96,000-word paranormal romance, HIDDEN IN SHADOWS.

    "Why am I a hired assassin? Two reasons. One, because it pays well. Extremely well. And two, because I can."

    In her heart, Lorna knows the real reason stems back to her father’s murder. While trying to track down his killer, Lorna is captured by the Paranormal Intelligence Agency. She has the ability to create and hide in artificial shadows, a power she had unknowingly used during her nightly killings. A PIA goon is willing to give her information about her father’s last assignment with the agency if she agrees to kill a seemingly innocent woman. Lorna does have some morals, refuses, and escapes the compound.

    Her life becomes even more complicated when she meets her newest target – the dashing king of a small island. Lorna hasn’t felt the stirrings of love in a long time, but something about the noble king makes her long for the light after her lifetime spent in darkness and shadows. Torn between murder and love, Lorna struggles to find her father’s killer even as she thinks about giving up the assassin lifestyle.

    I am the author of a medieval fantasy romance series, The Kingdom of Arnhem - Woman of Honor (2009) and Knight of Glory (2010) published with Desert Breeze Publishing. I have also sold six short stories for anthologies, two of which are under the pen name Nicolette Zamora.

    Thank you for your time and consideration. I hope to hear from you soon.

    Best regards,

    Nicole Zoltack

    Nicole.Zoltack AT gmail.com
    www.NicoleZoltack.com

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  20. Congratulations again on your Editor and Publisher honors. And thanks for this opportunity.

    Although a debut novelist, I’ve had several articles published in the award-winning SAN DIEGO WOMAN magazine.

    HAWAIIAN HEAT is a contemporary, single title romance.

    Hook: Passion ignites in HAWAIIAN HEAT. A wealthy divorce attorney escapes her domineering former fiancé to explore her passion for writing and discovers an even hotter passion for another aspiring writer who is, unfortunately, a confirmed bachelor.

    Characters and conflicts: Ginny Fitzgerald has always dreamed of marriage and motherhood. But when the wealthy divorce attorney escapes her domineering former fiancé to pursue her unexplored passion for writing, the HAWAIIAN HEAT and enigmatic Drew Morgan melt her reserved façade, exposing a repressed passion for carnal pleasures. Now she fears that the only happily-ever-after ending in her future is the one she’s writing for her romance novel.

    Drew Morgan believes marriage is a farce and has vowed to remain a bachelor forever. But the bartender and aspiring author discovers he must choose between his moral opposition to the chains of marriage and the possibility of a lifetime of happiness when the HAWAIIAN HEAT welds love and lust into his dream soul mate: Ginny Fitzgerald.

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  21. Anna Murphy is determined to be the best, not to mention the best known, attorney in the state of Georgia and she has been assigned to the case that can make it happen.
    The only things standing in her way are the threats on her life and Casey Evans, the construction company owner and ex-Marine who crashes into her vintage Mustang, bulldozes his way into her life and then assigns himself to save her life.
    When two determined, strong-willed personalities clash, there is going to be sparks.

    ANNA MURPHY is 39 and the lead prosecuting attorney on the case of a lifetime. When an anonymous phone call promises her information to strengthen her case if she will meet the informant in the next half hour, she rushes from her office.
    She intends to win the case against the City Commissioner for voter fraud and receiving contract kickbacks and the promised information might be the key to landing the bigger fish, the governor of Georgia. She won’t let anything stand in her way.
    CASEY EVANS, 44-year old owner of Evans Construction Co. and ex-Marine, only thinks his day is going downhill until he backs into a vintage Mustang and comes face-to-face with Anna, the fiery, rain-drenched wet hen who owns it.
    Anna’s first impression of Casey is that he is arrogant and pushy and Casey is immediately intrigued with Anna’s quick wit and flashy temper.
    Neither Anna nor Casey has an interest in a relationship; after all, Casey has a reputation as the One-Night-Stand-Man to uphold.
    When Anna’s life is threatened, Casey is determined to take charge. She refuses to drop the case or allow him to move in as a bodyguard since they aren’t married and puts her foot down when his final suggestion is for them to get married.
    Anna continues with the case and fights to stay alive while someone is determined to take her out of the equation.
    She soon realizes that being the best in her field is not worth her life, that it’s more important to have the respect and love of those who matter most.
    Although Casey is determined to not clutter his life with another woman, he finally has to admit that he’s met his perfect match, the one who can make a cluttered life worth the effort.

    STARTING OVER is my 103,000 Single Title, Women’s Fiction. Anna has two grown daughters and a feisty best friend who could be used for a series.
    I’ve sold two books to Avalon Books (10/2009 and 8/2010)

    Thank you so much for this opportunity.

    Sandra Elzie

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  22. I think I need to leave my email address...just in case, :)


    winslowmarquita@gmail.com

    Thanks again!

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  23. Dear Ms. Werksman:

    Lord Deveril’s Reluctant Bride is an 88,000 word Regency novel, and Book One of a four-part series entitled “The Bachelor Parties.”

    Romance sizzles in Regency Derbyshire when an independent Cinderella inadvertently turns a bachelor’s-only gathering into a matchmaking party.

    Harriet Allen-Henshaw, of the Yorkshire Allens, does not accept charity. Even if she’s robbed by a cutpurse on the mail coach, abandoned at a posting inn, and mistaken for a lightskirt. In order to reach London and her teaching post at Mrs. Wilmont’s Academy, she’ll have to earn her way. With few opportunities at her disposal, she accepts a position at Lord Deveril’s vast estate. To her horror, a bachelor’s-only gathering is taking place, and one of the gentlemen recognizes Harriet. When Lord Deveril's mother arrives to act as chaperon, Harriet quickly finds herself at the center of a matchmaking storm. Now she must decide if Lord Deveril really loves her, or if he’s only proposing marriage out of charity.

    Once a year, Lucien and his friends gather at his estate in Derbyshire to celebrate their bachelorhood. While attendance has dwindled over the years, Lucien vows to continue the tradition until he’s a party of one. Except this year is different. An impulsive act of chivalry has landed him with an extremely precocious maid. And although a gentleman never dallies with servants, Lucien is sorely tempted. Even before he discovers the lovely maid is actually a lovely lady, (Harriet Allen-Henshaw, of the Yorkshire Allens, to be exact) Lucien loses his heart. He just has to convince the stubborn beauty he's given up his bachelor ways--for love.

    I am an unpublished PRO member of RWA, as well as an active member of my local chapter and the Beau Monde online group. In addition to positive contest feedback, I recently placed in the Hudson Valley RWA Hook, Line and Sinker Contest. I also participate in a weekly critique group which includes published authors. Thank you in advance for reading my pitch and I look forward to hearing from you.

    Sincerely,
    Cheri LaClaire
    cherilaclaire@gmail.com

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  24. Congratulations to Deb and Sourcebooks!

    We know how hard you and Dominique have worked to make Sourcebooks a huge success! Well deserved.

    Ash

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  25. Kudos on being the editor/publisher of the year. That is way cool! And a big, huge THANK YOU for being so generous with your time.

    I would like to submit Happily Never After, a 92,000 word contemporary romance, to you. The novel is set in Puerto Vallarta and on a Texas horse ranch.

    Hook: "Fools Rush In" with a "Hangover" twist.

    Kathleen Witte is a down to earth girl. She has to be. Her father and sisters live by the Play Hard motto, neglecting anything more difficult than making a breakfast decision. But, after seven months of keeping it all together by swearing off men, Kathleen needs a bit of fun in the sun herself. Waking up with a husband she can't remember isn't how she planned to blow off steam, however.

    The last thing Jackson Taylor wants in his life is a down to earth girl. He has four weeks of freedom in which to find his birth mother. He’s done well avoiding commitment until now, so when he wakes up on a Mexican beach with Kathleen Witte his first reaction is curiosity. When he spies the matching wedding rings on their left hands curiosity turns to concern. What happened last night?

    Although both Kathleen and Jackson want nothing more than a shot of hair-of-the-dog and a quick annulment, with her grandfather on the doorstep there is only one way to save a little face - and not lose her beloved ranch: stay married. But pretending to be in love without losing their hearts isn't so easy once they return to Texas and the problems that weren't solved by getting married.

    Although I am unpublished in fiction, I am published in nonfiction, article length manuscripts. I'm a freelance writer for magazines, newsletters and online hubs.

    Happily Never After is a stand-alone single title contemporary romance; I have three more single title romances completed with similar themes of finding yourself before you can find love.

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  26. sorry, the post cut off my email/contact info!

    Kristina Knight (pitched Happily Never After)
    k2knights@gmail.com

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  27. I won't take up pitch space since I've already got a wonderful 3-book deal with Sourcebooks to look forward to, but I wanted to shout a big huge CONGRATULATIONS on the editor/publisher of the year honors. Way to go!

    Tawna

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  28. Congratulations on your awards. Well deserved.
    I don't have a romance to ptich, only historical women's fiction. Hopefully next time.
    Good luck everyone.

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  29. Congratulations on being named Editor and Publisher of the Year.

    A Demon's Redemption is an 89,000 word paranormal romance that is set in the same world as my debut novel, Nora's Soul, which was published by a small press in 2008. As the small press was just starting out then, the sales were modest, but it continues to sell to this day.

    Lorelei is your typical college student - who happens to have a talent for sniffing out demons and sending them back to hell, kind of like a psychic bloodhound. But once a year, she is charged with the task of helping one of the fallen on their quest to earn their way back into heaven. How do they do that? By atoning for their sins. And so far, everything is working out for her - until she meets Az, son of Azazel. Does the demon fall far from the seed?

    Lorelei Angel, at 23, is relatively new to the world of demons and redeemers. In fact, she didn't know that either of them truly existed until she was well into her teens and first came into her powers. So she can't help but to feel that she's spent the past several years playing catch-up - even as the demons came at her from all angles, either with the purpose of destroying her or using her for redemption. Either way, she is just a tool for them.

    Azazel is an ageless demon who's been living in the shadow of his father's dark legacy for far too long. He wants nothing more than to break free of the demon who created him to do something - anything - on his own. Anything that isn't sanctioned by his father first. Unfortunately for him, his father has other plans for him. And he has no choice but to carry them out. Or does he?

    From the moment these two meet on the night before the time of redemption begins, they are set against each other. But neither of them can deny the attraction between them, which takes them both by surprise.

    What happens when a redeemer falls for a fallen one?

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  30. Congratulations on being named editor of the year and publisher of the year by RWA New York! From the wonderful things I've heard it's well deserved.

    I am seeking representation for my regency historical romance, Bound by Honor. The 90,000 word story is complete and is the first novel in The Lies that Bind trilogy.

    Disaster prone country maiden CONSTANCE GRANGE has a prickly relationship with her former guardian, JACK OVERTON, the Marquess of Frieth. Faced with the threat of debtor's prison, Constance has no choice but to use Jack's connections to seek a marriage of convenience. When Jack discovers he’s been dismissed as too old and too arrogant to gain a place on Constance’s suitors list, he's shocked and insulted. However, Constance’s social missteps end up bringing them closer together when her husband hunting efforts flounder. The attraction between them grows until she must decide whether to pursue an honorable loveless alliance or follow her heart to become the engaged marquess’s mistress.

    I have a epublished regency novella, One Wicked Night, available via Noble Romance Publishers LLC (Copyright 2010) and I’m a member of the Romance Writers of America and Australia.

    Thank you for your time and I very much hope to work with you.

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  31. Tattooed, pierced, and smart mouthed, Harper Dailey thinks she’s tough enough for whatever life has to throw at her.

    Unfortunately Harper isn’t ready for the trouble that the ghost of legendary gun fighter Luke Short brings her from the after life. And if having one over blown male ego around isn’t enough, Harper’s drop-your-panties-sexy ex, Colt Bryan shows up wanting her back. With things heating up between Harper and Colt, Luke is not a ghost to be left out no matter where she hides and little does Harper, even under the sheets of your ex’s bed is not a good hiding spot.

    HELL’S HALF ACRE is a paranormal
    romance completed at 87,000 words with two other books planned in the works. My first manuscript, Riding Double, was released with The Wild Rose Press in May of 2010 under the pen name Sayde Grace.

    Thank you and congrats on editor of the year!

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  32. Dear Ms. Werksman:

    My debut contemporary manuscript, Freedom and Magnolias, is a 105,000 word stand-alone single title and the first in a series which centers on the small fictional town of Peaceful Lake, MO. My stories feature alpha-males with a conscience and confident women, who face life with a passion but use different avenues to achieve their goals.

    Freedom and Magnolias is Bruce Willis' Die Hard character John McClane meets the classy cuteness of most Valerie Bertinelli characters.

    Maggie Donovan's struggle to revitalize the small town of Peaceful Lake and Reese Trenton's to overcome a perp from his past who targets her, are small in comparison to the life-changing moments they will confront when a hillside in Afghanistan becomes an obstacle to their future.

    Maggie is a successful, yet slightly klutzy, divorcee who takes a break from her role as antique buyer for a shop in Chicago to enjoy a small vacation. Reese is a CIA Operations Operative who cares about people, but has few friends. For the past twelve years, his life has been simple—go on missions, dodge bullets, avoid capture and file reports. All that changes when, while on stakeout, he winks at her in the overhead mirror and can't get her out of his mind. Her trailing scent of magnolias stirs his thoughts of a normal life and who might mourn him when he's the one left in the dirt one day. Little did Maggie and Reese know they were both headed to Peaceful Lake, where they soon discover her sense of fun and his sense of duty are direct counterparts. So?

    Courage and Azaleas, my current work in progress, is the second in the Peaceful Lake series and has a carryover character from Freedom and Magnolias to solidify the theme and sequence.

    My writing has been crafted by attendance at the Donald Maass, High Tension workshop and the Margie Lawson, Empowering Characters' Emotions workshop, among others. I am a PRO member of Romance Writers of America (RWA) besides being an active member of Missouri Romance Writers (MORWA), Missouri Writers Guild (MWG) and two critique groups. Thank you for your consideration and I look forward to your response.

    Congratulations on NYC Editor of the Year!

    Sincerely,

    Claudia Shelton
    www.claudiawriting.com

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  33. Congratulations on being named Editor-of-the-Year, and thank you for this opportunity to share my world. As an unpublished author, I’m currently seeking publication for Demon Lover, a Paranormal Romance with the projected word count of 90,000, and the first in my Dragon Hunter series.
    In a world kept secret where dragons have evolved, the lives of a human and a dragon collide in a war pitting good against evil. His destiny is to love her forever. Hers is to see him dead.

    Orphaned at the age of ten, Kimball Crossly’s only memory of her youth is the sight of her parents’ death. The one responsible had the face of an angel and the eyes of the devil himself. For eighteen years she’s trained for the day she’d come face-to-face with the demon who murdered her parents. Yet nothing could have prepared her for the dragon who would change her life forever.
    Demitrie of the Dhampir Clan is one of the elite Dragon Hunters. A band of thirteen chosen at birth to search out the rogues of their world and bring them to justice. For eighteen years he’s stood against evil, believing he’ll forever be a warrior for his people. Until the night, while gathering intel on suspected incinerations, he is confronted with his future bride.
    With whispers of war in the air, Kimball must learn to trust what she’s always hated and except her love for the Dragon Hunter. To put aside her beliefs and except the truth of her past. Demitrie’s skills as a hunter are superior, but he must learn to allow others to fight for themselves. He will discover how women, human and dragon, can be just as strong in mind and body as any well-trained hunter. Together, their love will transcend barriers and save both their worlds.
    For now.
    I am a member of RWA, my local chapter of RWA, and the third in a critique trio. I look forward to your response and thank you again for your consideration.

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  34. Lynn Cahoon’s, Paris or Bust, is a completed contemporary romance. Lynn’s had several romantic short stories published but this is her first full length manuscript.

    Paris or Bust is the first installment in the Looking for Mr. Right series that highlights unusual dating opportunities outside the bar scene. Books with strong alpha males who have learned there’s more to life than bringing home the bacon and heroines who want it all; career, love and family, even if they don’t know how to get there.

    Finding herself single, Melinda Chambers has had one focus since completing chemotherapy– work. Averaging seventy hours a week as a training designer for a Seattle software developer, she’s finally feeling the bottom of the glass ceiling that she’s determined to break through. But she needs one thing, a man on her arm while she attends the mandatory after work events and parties.

    Chance Baxter knows all about being a workaholic. The handsome building contractor is busy trying to keep his business successful and dodging blind dates his grown daughter keeps throwing his way. With his wife’s death a painful reminder of the need to put life before work, he’s vowed to do things differently next time…if there ever is a next time.

    Chance answers Melinda’s singles ad but when he finds out Melinda’s planning on taking a promotion that will move her to France, he realizes he doesn’t fit into the corporate world or her future. Melinda soon finds the promotion isn’t what she was looking for and she returns to Seattle –her career plans off course and without hope of reconciling with Chance. Concerned family members bring in the services of a dating consultant. Can learning love’s lessons bring Chance and Melinda together? Or will Gloria, the dating doctor, have other plans?

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  35. Congratulations on being named Editor of the Year and Sourcebooks as Publisher of the Year and thank you for this generous opportunity.

    MISSING MAGIC is a 140,000 word fantasy romance and intended to be the first in a series centered around four brothers and the lost queen they have sworn to serve. This would be my debut novel.

    In the Fae world of Summerlands, the High Queen is dead, her sustaining magic fades from the land, and after centuries of war, a vengeful enemy is poised on the brink of victory. But there are some faithful warriors who believe not all hope is lost. . . .

    Blessed with a gift for Finding, and driven by madman’s curse, outlaw prince Finn macc Liamor has no choice but to seek the fabled lost crown princess. Only seeing the restored queen on the throne will break the curse and let him find peace from the madman’s shattered eye-witness memories. His quest leads him to the alien realm of 21st century Earth. There his gift fails him and the long-cold trail ends without answers—until a painting that should not be leads him to the enigmatic artist Annie Doran.

    Annie considers her nightmares and sensual dreams a curse and a blessing: they’re excellent inspiration for her fantasy art, but she longs for a normal life and for touch without fear. Then a quiet stranger inquires about her paintings. His touch soothes, and this time the voices whisper: he'll listen, tell him all.

    Finn means only to use her to win his freedom—then a forbidden kiss and a touch bringing peace changes everything. He hadn’t calculated love into his plans.

    But not all desire the return of the queen and when Finn's enemies strike, Annie learns just how deadly real her dreams are. The truth turns her world upside down: she is Fae and spell-bound, her visions are uncontrolled magic, her family has deadly secrets, and she is suddenly a targeted prize in the battle for the domination of the Summerlands. Her visions show her a confusing future and leave her torn between the outlaw Finn, who holds her heart, and the dark temptation of his vengeful brother, who needs her healing.

    She chooses love, and Finn. Pursued across two worlds, they race to unlock Annie's spell-bound secrets and locate the crown princess before the treachery and magic legacy overshadowing their lives destroy them all.

    I'm a Pro member of RWA, along with its Fantasy, Futuristic & Paranormal and Celtic Hearts chapters, and I serve on the board of my local chapter.

    Thank you again so much for your time and advice,

    Babette James

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  37. Congratulations, Deb, on being Editor of the Year!

    Paranormal Investigations is a 92,000 word contemporary paranormal romantic suspense, the first in a trilogy.

    During a quiet evening at home, private investigator, Sydney Winters, accidentally breaks her favorite antique teacup. Being an authentic tarot-reading psychic does not prepare her for what happens next. Instead of spilled tea, a man, who she believes to be a ghost, bursts from the cup.

    Cursed over 200 years ago, Marcus Wickham has spent those years in a void of nothing. He feels neither hunger nor tiredness, only the burning rage of loneliness. As he slowly adjusts to the realities of the twenty-first century, the one thing that comes clearly into focus is Sydney. She becomes his touchstone; she's his friend and guide in this world, and he desires her with an intensity he's never known. Both are fully aware that any intimacy would be ill-fated, yet it stops neither of them.

    As Sydney tries to juggle her unexpected attraction for Marcus, a murder investigation, death threats, surly co-workers, and Feeders who crave dark energies like a drug, she is shocked when the one thing that helps retain her sanity turns out to be that uninvited ghost.

    Isabel Roman is published in two anthologies with The Wild Rose Press, as well as numerous short stories and five full-length novels with Ravenous Romance, all to rave reviews. Through Ravenous Romance, the print rights to two of her novels were sold to the Home Shopping Network, and two additional novels to Red Wheel/Weiser’s new fiction imprint, Red Silk Editions, due this summer in bookstores. In bookstores this fall, her short story, Zombified, will appear in the zombie romance anthology published by St. Martin’s Press, "Hungry for your Love". In total, her print books have sold more than 15,000 copies. www.isabelroman.com

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  38. Congratulations on being named Editor of the Year.

    My name is Mary and I am a debut author active with FCRW Chapter of the RWA.

    Humor and darkness collide when a directionally-challenged psychic stumbles into the home of a no-nonsense detective and straight into the middle of a murder mystery.

    PRECIOUS JEWELS is a 90,000 word light paranormal romance.

    JULES WARD is a directionally-challenged psychic who has recently returned to her hometown of Tidewater, VA. She has two goals in life: to find the two younger sisters she lost when they were placed into foster care ten years before, and to escape from all things paranormal. As if locating her siblings wasn’t hard enough, the ghosts are growing more demanding making it impossible to ignore her family gift.

    SETH ENGLISH is a no-nonsense Tidewater beat cop determined to take the Sergeant’s exam. He married his pregnant high school sweetheart only to divorce her after she and her lover were caught in a drug trafficking ring. His goals in life are to repair the damage they did to his reputation six years earlier and to see his daughter graduate from college before she marries her boyfriend.

    Seth and Jules meet when the ghost of a jewel thief sends Jules crawling through Seth’s window in the middle of the night. The next day, they are reunited when the ghost’s body is discovered in a dumpster located across the street from Jules’s business.

    Another body, an attempted mugging and a series of mishaps soon leads Seth to believe that Jules might know more about the dead jewel thief than she’s admitting. Despite his growing attraction for her, he cannot risk his heart. Jules knows Seth is a non-believer which doesn’t bother her until she realizes to deny the psychic part of her means denying herself. She wants Seth to love all of her. When Jules disappears, Seth must accept there is more to the case than what he can experience with his five senses. Will he be able to rescue her in time or will Jules end up another body in the morgue?

    PRECIOUS JEWELS is the first in a three book series about psychic sisters as they search for each other, true love, a life less paranormal and the perfect cup of hot cocoa.

    Thank you for your time.

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  40. Congratulations Deb and Sourcebooks as well! We already knew you were Editor of the Year(s) but now everyone is finding out! Kudos :)

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  41. If you're wondering why I have two deleted comments prior to this one, it is because I found a typo after I posted. So sorry.

    Ms. Werksman, congratulations and thank you for this opportunity.

    COURAGEOUS HEART is a 95,000 word historical romance set during the fall of 1856.

    Hook: Grey’s Anatomy meets Victorian England

    The end of the Crimean War brings Victoria Thorne home to face a society that isn’t ready for a lady with the education and experience of a physician. While nursing a Crimean veteran she proves herself able to deal with medical challenges and discrimination, but she’s dismayed when she develops an attraction to her patient’s brother, the Earl of Havenwood.

    Robb Merrick, Earl of Havenwood, is engaged to a darling of society and breaking such a connection would result in scandal. When Victoria captures his heart, he’s not sure he has the will to deny their love. Even if it’s the right thing to do.

    I have drawn on my experience as an ER nurse to add action and tension with several medical-themed scenes. I am a member of RWA, Yosemite Romance Writers and a long-standing critique group. COURAGEOUS HEART was a 2009 Gotcha! finalist and placed in the top quartile of RWA’s 2010 Golden Heart. Last year I attended the Don Maass Breakout Novel Intensive workshop. The complete manuscript can be sent immediately. My WIP is another Victorian romance populated by unique characters dealing with unusual challenges.

    Thank you for your time.
    Sheri@SheriHumphreys.com
    http://SheriHumphreys.com

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  42. Dear Ms. Werksman,
    I'd like to add my thanks for your generosity today and for this opportunity.

    I'm pleased to pitch SONGBIRD, my single title contemporary novel, to you. It's a warm, emotional romance spiced with humor and complete at 105,000 words.

    There comes a time in every independent woman’s life when she just has to step aside and let a white knight do his job.

    Abby Stadtler might need a white knight, but she doesn’t want one, especially a rock singer who’s missing his son and has paparazzi on his trail. Gray Covey might be a superstar to his fans, but in actuality, he’s a frantic dad looking for his runaway teen. When Gray’s search lands him at a deteriorating Minnesota horse farm, where his son has befriended Abby’s daughter, he enters a world of emotional chaos personified. He discovers one teen who hates him, one teen who adores him and a woman who flips his heart on its axis.

    Neither Gray nor Abby is prepared for the flying sparks that start to weld them and their children into a family. Abby, however, has built her quiet life with little but determination and blind faith. Despite overdue bills, a lost job, and a very dead well can a lonely-but-independent woman lower her pride long enough to see that if she lets the knight save her, she can save him right back?

    I am honored that SONGBIRD is a 2010 Golden Heart finalist and also took first place in the NW Houston Lone Star Writing Competition.

    My professional background includes many years working as a newspaper journalist and magazine editor. I have several finished manuscripts and I'm a member of Romance Writers of America, the Golden Network, the Alaska Chapter of RWA, and am current president of the Midwest Fiction Writers RWA chapter in Minnesota.

    Once again thank you so much for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you, and would welcome an opportunity to discuss working with you at Sourcebooks. And hearty congratulations on being named Editor of the Year!

    Sincerely,
    Lizbeth Selvig

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  43. Deb,

    The cost of deception is romance novel of approximately 100, 000 words. It is one of two novels about brothers. I love books that involve family and suspense as part of the romance.

    How can a woman forgive a man who lies to her about everything but his love for her and her children

    The Cost of Deception is the story of two class loners who attend their twentieth year high school reunion, a first for both. She is a widowed mother and high school teacher and he is an undercover cop.

    Though not a widow, I can relate to Tess, who has forgotten she is a sexual being until she attends her twentieth year class reunion. For fifteen years I taught school and helped my husband build a business, while raising our daughter. I understood how Tess felt as a former nerd whose success did not erase insecurities of her teen years.

    Drew has to fall in love with his old classmate to realize what he has missed by avoiding close relationships. Working undercover, he can’t tell Tess the truth about what he does, even as he learns to care for her and her teenagers, who trust him.

    Only after he faces his ghosts of insecurities and becomes the real Drew will Tess forgive his lies and accept him.

    I appreciate your time and any comments you have for making this story the best it can be. I am open to suggestions.

    I have been a storyteller and an avid reader forever. My memberships in RWA, Georgia Romance Writers,and and Southeastern Writers Association began in 1991.

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  44. Congratulations, Ms. Werksman, on the recognition of your hard work. In my 91,000-word romantic suspense Vermont Escape, politics, gambling, murder and love collide. A Fort Worth socialite moves to Woodstock to try to put her life together. A distrusting New Englander seems an unlikely source of help when odd occurrences suggest those who murdered the woman’s husband two years ago and then her father are now after her.

    Jill Barlow’s father is a state representative who fights the spread of gambling to Texas casinos. After his murder, she relocates to Woodstock where a high school friend lives. With only her two grown children left and the need to reinvent herself, she buys a glass store because of a sense of peace, which pours over her when she enters. A difficult to control attraction to a hardheaded Yankee is a surprise, but his negative reaction fits right into her plan to never get involved with another politician.

    Jerrod Phillips, son of the former storeowner, is a lawyer and state assemblyman with aspirations to higher office. He denies the Texan he suspects could be involved in murders stirs his blood. He’s afraid she’s like his ex-wife, who years ago deserted him and their two young children, resulting in his distrust of blondes from the Lone Star state. Protecting his mother and town from the danger he believes Jill has brought takes precedence over any desire building for the woman.

    Jill’s peaceful new life is shattered when her homes in Fort Worth and Woodstock are both ransacked. Crystal Rainbows, the glass shop she purchased from Jerrod’s mother is broken into, and his brother kidnaps her. He demands the flash drive containing evidence against the gambling syndicate, which they believe she has in her possession. When he fails to get it, they kill him, and professional thugs physically threaten Jill and her friends. Unwilling to put their lives in jeopardy, she agrees to turn over the device even if she loses her life in the process. If she survives, is there a chance for her and Jerrod, when he holds her responsible for his brother’s death?

    I wrote Vermont Escape as a stand alone, but one of my characters, a Fort Worth homicide detective, nearly took over until I promised him his own book. My heroes and heroines are mature. They’re finding second chances at love, even when they don’t realize that’s what they’re searching for. With baby boomers turning sixty, and more of them doing that every day, I believe there’s a real market for romances about people in their forties and older. Love isn’t just for people twenty-five any more.

    I’m a PRO member of Romance Writers of America, a weekly critique group, KOD, and my local chapter. Thanks for offering this unique way of pitching.

    Sincerely,

    Marsha R. West
    mwest7012@sbcglobal.net

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  45. I am a debut author seeking publication of my 90,000 word, Regency era romance titled MORE THAN A STRANGER.

    She thinks he’s a stranger, but her heart knows he’s so much more.

    When Benedict Hastings, a spy for the British government, learns of treasonous activities within his own family, he is torn between loyalty to his country or to his blood. Shaken to his core and needing time to figure out his next step, he turns to his oldest friend for safe haven. Benedict has never met his friend’s family, but he did share an amusing and sharp-witted correspondence with the man’s younger sister for the whole of his time at Eton. Not wanting to be recognized, he asks that he be introduced as Mr. James Benedict, buying time with anonymity to deal with the turmoil in his life.

    Lady Evelyn Moore is suspicious when her brother shows up with a mysterious stranger in tow. When she discovers that the enigmatic Mr. Benedict is hiding a secret, Evie is determined to get to the bottom of the mystery. Her propensity to speak her mind hinders her plans to sweet talk the truth out of him, but it also seems to intrigue him and even wrench the occasional unexpected amusement from his stiff façade.

    Though Benedict tries to hold Evie at arm’s length, it is impossible to deny the connection between them. Just when he thinks things might actually work out, trouble comes looking for him, and may forever destroy his chances for happiness. With the worst possible timing, love blooms, danger threatens, and family ties are tested as Evie learns he’s More Than a Stranger.

    MORE THAN A STRANGER received Honorable Mention in the historical category of the 2010 Spring Into Romance Contest. I am a member of Romance Writers of America, where I am active in my local chapter, Heart of Carolina.

    This novel is the first of the series that follows the five Moore siblings. I am a full time writer, and am currently working on the second book. Thank you for your time, I appreciate this unique opportunity.


    Sincerely,

    Erin Kelly

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  46. Congratulations on your awards, both for you personally and for Sourcebooks!

    Dear Ms. Werksman,

    Thank you for the opportunity to pitch the first of my two linked novels about forgiveness, redemption, and timeless love.

    TIMELESS, my debut contemporary single title, is complete at 90,000words.


    Two wounded souls torn apart by secrets and lies, bound by something stronger, something deeper, something timeless . . .

    Attorney Nathan Hunt lives his life by a strict code: everyone lies. Even the beautiful woman he finds ensconced in his loft is no exception. Determined to learn her part in his father’s fraudulent scheme, Nathan makes her a proposition she can’t refuse. But getting close to Daniella Kirk leads to something Nathan never expects, and it’s not the lie that tears his heart apart but the truth.

    Behind her lens, Houston photographer Daniella Kirk keeps her world in focus, but her life has always been far from picture perfect. When one moment changes everything and Dani’s past blurs with her present, she must convince the only man she really loves to find some way to forgive her, to trust her, to love her.


    An avid photographer and PRO member of Romance Writers of America, I have a Bachelor of Science degree in journalism from Texas A&M University and a Master of Arts degree in literature from the University of Houston—Clear Lake. My published thesis Fairy Tales and Feminism: Compatible Contradictions in Jane Austen’s Novels explores the importance of romance and relationships in the world of feminist fiction.

    Thank you again for your consideration of my novel and for your time.

    Sincerely,
    Brynna James

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  47. Congratulations on being voted Editor of the year, Deb. I'm excited to be working with you and Sourcebooks.

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  48. Deb,

    I am a debut author seeking representation for my 95,000-word single title contemporary romance, And He Cooks Too.

    Three men, three lies. Two made her doubt herself and the last nearly destroyed her career. And yet, finding herself unfairly blacklisted by the City’s finest restaurants, Chef Reese Dunbar must put the resuscitation of her battered reputation in the hands of yet another man. The television experience Nick Coltrane’s cooking show offers is the only available option.

    But after giving her heart to him, her trust is put to the test when she discovers that Nick has lied about the real reason he brought her on board – he wants her to replace him before his audience learns he is a fraud; the host of “And He Cooks Too” can’t cook.

    Reese must not only come to terms with Nick’s deception, she must also reconsider the unhealthy motivations behind her relentless success drive. Before he can escape the charade he has allowed himself to be party to, Nick must stand up to his aunt, the only woman who has always stuck by him, and risk losing her support. Reese’s parting words, questioning whether the woman owns his soul, help him find the courage and self-knowledge to do that. In return, he helps her realize the folly of atoning for a teenager’s mistake through an adult’s misplaced ambitions. Only as they come to trust the other can they truly return the other’s love and pursue the careers that give their lives meaning.

    Though seemingly unrelated, cooking shows and celebrity scandals are two major topics in today’s popular culture. Not only are there at least two television networks devoted to food, cooking shows are popping up everywhere, including the morning news and talk shows. Julie and Julia was one of the top motion pictures of 2009, earning Meryl Streep her sixteenth Academy Award nomination as one of television’s pioneer cooking show hosts, Julia Child. Rarely a week goes by without some celebrity confessing their secrets, be it a mistress, an incestuous relationship with a father or an addiction. And He Cooks Too combines these two elements in this examination of truth, ambition, loyalty, and guilt.

    Sixth of my completed manuscripts, this novel has a proven track record, having finaled in several RWA chapter writing contests: the Linda Howard Award of Excellence, 2010; Launching a Star, 2009; Romancing the Rockies, 2008, and Put Your Heart in a Book, 2008. I am a member of Romance Writers of America and the Space Coast Authors of Romance, Kiss of Death Mystery-Romantic Suspense, and Scriptscene RWA chapters. I also have done significant technical writing for the Iowa Department of Administrative Services. You can find samples of this on the following website: http://www.das.hre.iowa.gov/wp_home.html.

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  49. When Sourcebooks, Casablanca published Laura Kinsale’s Lesson’s in French I was ecstatic. Reading about your Editor and Publisher of the Year awards is absolutely wonderful. Congratulations!

    To Deb Werksman,

    After heartache nearly destroys Nathalia, she finds solace in the arms of her mate’s twin. Circumstances threaten their budding relationship and they form an unlikely alliance. While a secret blood-bond unites their bodies, driving them to an all-consuming passion, fate intends more; a final union of their souls for eternity.

    Young and fanciful, Nathalia dreams of her mate whisking her away in his strong arms. Before they have a chance to further their bond, a terrible stroke of fate rips him from her and the beautiful life they’d planned. Devastated and lost in her grief, she must face her destiny without him. Withdrawing from his essence could take her life. Only one choice remains for her to survive. She must bond with his twin, Sevastian. At first, she resists Sevastian’s advances, wanting more than simple sustenance. When the Grim-Reaper comes knocking though, she’s forced to grow up, fast. She realizes there is no longer an alternative solution. One taste of his blood sends her into a spiral of lust and need. When he finally takes her body, she’s determined to break through his resistance and win his heart.

    Cold and aloof, Sevastian knows he is not the prince his twin was. He’s the monster in the fairy-tale of Nathalia’s romantic dreams. But, one rash promise to his dying twin leaves him in a quandary. She will perish if he doesn’t mate with her. Offering her survival is all he is willing to do. Fanciful notions of love don’t figure into the equation. Except, when the Council threatens to supplant his right to a blood-bond, Sevastian realizes she could be taken from him. Incensed, the deadly, calculating beast, twined within his DNA, will do everything in its power to make sure she is his, irrevocably.

    Bound by Coercion is the first stand-alone title in my Blood-Vine series. It is complete at 93,000 words. This contemporary, paranormal romance novel features the Kan Asma, a race of people who have altered genetics. Although it is related to my Blood-Vine series, currently published with Liquid Silver Books, this story delves deeper into the secret culture of a unique people with preternatural strengths and vampire traits. I intend for this plot arc to continue in several related stories.

    I am a published author with the digital publisher, Liquid Silver Books an imprint of Atlantic Bridge Publishing. I write under the name Christa Paige. My debut novella Bound by Deception released October, 2009. Since then, I have had three more releases in two genres. Like most digital authors my sales, so far, have been in the several hundred ranges.

    Thank you for your consideration,
    Christa Paige
    christapaigeauthor@gmail.com

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  50. Congratulations, Deb and Sourcebooks! It is well deserved.

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  51. Dear Ms. Werksman,

    Congratulations on your honor of Editor of the Year, and thank you for providing such a wonderful opportunity.

    The impulsive daughter of a treasure hunter and a guilt-ridden Earl square off across the battlefield of Regency London’s marriage mart, where rules of etiquette reign and betrothals aren’t supposed to come with deadly consequences.

    MISS ARIA WHITNEY has spent her life traveling the world with her antiquarian father, knowing nothing but freedom since she could toddle on two legs. But when her father disappears along with a priceless archeological treasure, she’s left with only a list of ten of London’s wealthiest men to provide answers. Aria dives into a world she never wanted to be part of—the battleground of London society’s marriage mart. Donning the role of Title Hunter, she dodges a minefield of ridiculous rules and teeters on the edge of impropriety every day in pursuit of someone who can lead her to her father.

    Haunted by past mistakes that almost killed his eldest sister, ADAM WILLOUGHBY, THE EARL OF MEREWOOD, has vowed to see all four of his sisters happily and safely married. But that means no distractions—no wife, no mistress, not even the occasional dalliance. When he discovers the alluring Miss Whitney sprawled on the bed belonging to his sister’s betrothed, he’s determined to stop another disaster in his family. Using her impetuous actions against her, Adam blackmails Aria into staying away. But that only refocuses her pursuit—on him.

    Thrust into a situation neither fully comprehends, Adam and Aria end up tangled in a scandal that forces their betrothal. But when Aria is kidnapped and an attempt is made on Adam’s life, it becomes clear that more is at stake than a ruined reputation.

    AT ANY COST is a regency-set historical romance at 95,000 words, in a series of connected (but stand-alone), single-title historicals focused on love and family in the rich world of Regency society. My first regency historical, SOMETHING ABOUT HER, was published in 2009 with epublisher The Wild Rose Press. It has sold several hundred copies and garnered strong reviews, including being called “a rich, well-presented story” by RT Book Reviews. I am happy to send a partial or full manuscript of AT ANY COST at your request.

    Thank you for your time, and I look forward to hearing from you.

    Respectfully,
    Jeannie Ruesch
    jeannie@jeannieruesch.com

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  52. She robbed a train. . .he stole her outlaw heart.

    My debut Western, Love At Twenty Paces, the first in The Heart of An Outlaw series, approximately 88k, is set in the Wild West of Kansas.

    Pinkerton detective Garrison McGuire is a man on a mission: find his orphaned nieces, ensure their well-being, and return to Chicago's darkest alleyways where he can appease his conscience, but he can't help the pull he feels to woman who smokes cigars, gambles, misquotes scripture and rescues orphans.

    Abandoned by her parents, Darbigal O'Donnell believes her only purpose in life is to carry on the legacy of the man who rescued her from a life of prostitution by saving young girls in similar situations, even if it means breaking the law. But when she robs a train and shoots the wrong man, she just might find her purpose is about to change.

    I'm a member of Romance Writers of America, Celtic Hearts and Hearts Through History.

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  53. Congratulations on Editor of the Year, Deb! That's so fabulous! And there's a lot of wonderful pitches here. You'll be busy. :}

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  54. Woohoo, Deb, congratulations on being editor of the year! We all know you deserve it!!! Look forward to seeing you and the rest of the gang in Orlando! :)

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  55. Congratulations on the 'Editor of the Year' award.

    I’ve previously published several short stories. I've now written a 90,000 word cross-genre Urban Fantasy/Romance entitled, ‘Spirited!.

    Amelia Swenson’s plans for the weekend did not include a sexy djinni or saving the world from demons – but plans change. Her whole life changes when Amelia discovers a magical djinni and releases a succubus demon into the world.

    The djinni, Al-Marid has been trapped alone for three thousand years – it’s no wonder he falls for the woman who frees him. But Amelia has survived divorce and a miscarriage that left her unable to bear children. She’s not ready for love, or magic, or the evil creature threatening her friends. Lilits prey on men, driving them to madness, kill infants, and cause miscarriages.

    In the gallery owned by her friends, Mike and Brenda, Amelia breaks an ancient artifact known as a lilit bowl. ‘You break it, you bought it,’ so Amelia takes the bowl home and discovers a ring embedded in the shards. When she dons the ring a handsome djinni appears, announcing himself as ‘the slave of the ring.’ Amelia does not condone slavery and immediately offers him back his own ring. Unfortunately the spell that binds him to the ring prevents that, so Amelia commands, ‘obey only those commands you choose to obey, as long as it harms no one.’ With that degree of freedom he vows his friendship, and soon discovers his love for her. Only then does Amelia learn that in breaking the bowl she also released a lilit into the world – leaving it alone in the gallery with Mike, who is now its target.

    She enlists Al-Marid’s help in tracing the lilit to a local casino, where a chase ensues that leads them into Ancient Sumeria. There they subdue the lilit, solve the mystery of how the ring came to be embedded in the bowl, deal with trouble from Al-Marid’s people in Djinnistan, and discover a clue to freeing him from the spell that binds him to the ring. Despite the incredible liberties he takes with her, love begins to grow between Amelia and Al-Marid during their adventures.

    Meanwhile, the lilit freed by Amelia is not the only lilit existing in the modern world. Another spotted them at the casino and plots to use a human dupe to steal the ring, gaining control of the djinni’s powers for her own ends. When this plot succeeds, Amelia realizes how much Al-Marid has come to mean to her. As Mike was taken hostage at the same time, Brenda joins forces with Amelia to solve the puzzle of breaking the spell of the ring. In the final showdown Amelia succeeds in giving Al-Marid the information he needs to free himself, they trap the 2nd lilit and are reunited in love.

    (The story establishes that there are many lilits in the world, that Amelia and her friends are dedicated to stopping them, using a new technique Al-Marid has come up with, and there is room for a sequel.)

    - Laramie Sasseville
    writing as Naomi Stone

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  56. Congrats Deb and all at Sourcebooks! What a tremendous and well deserved accomplishment.

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  57. Hi Deb
    Congrats. I guess it's not a coincidence that in the last year I seemed to have many faves from Sourcebook: Marie Force, Robin Kaye, Mary Margret Daughtridge & have Cheryl Brooks in my TBR pile.
    I just started reading Fatal Affair
    by Marie Force & was totally hooked from the first page.
    Hope to find more TBR's.

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