Market News for May 2006

by Julie Moffett

"Reprinted with the permission of Washington Romance Writers and Julie Moffett."

Let me start this month's column with a little announcement, which is that after 11 years on the job as the market columnist, I'm turning in my hat. It's been a looong run and a great one at that, but it's time for me to move on to other things. Back when I started this column in 1995, the Internet was just up-and-coming and chat loops and web pages were rare. Editors could call me regarding information about new lines since it was hard to get tidbits and they wanted to get the word out. But today RWA has a market column in the magazine and online; Publisher's Lunch gives out detailed information on contracts; publishing houses have their own websites; authors individually post market news on their home pages; and a zillion different loops and chat rooms make market information readily available and accessible. As it is, for the past few years I've mostly gathered material already available and put it together into one column. After a discussion with Washington Romance Writer's Board, we decided to fold the column rather than find a replacement. So, with this final column, I am saying farewell. I hope it was helpful to some of you over the years. It has been a fun experience and a pleasure to work with many of you! Best of luck to everyone and may you all continue to garner lucrative contracts and have wildly successful careers. -- Julie Moffett

NYT best-selling author Erica Spindler has sold three new books, moving to Jennifer Weis at St. Martin's from Mira. (Publisher's Lunch/3-21-06)

Tracy Anne Warren sold an untitled Regency Romance and two sequels to Charlotte Herscher at Ballantine. (Publisher's Lunch/3-29-06)

Author Cheryl Holt sold three new historical romances, a trade paper erotica, and an erotic thriller to Jennifer Enderlin and Rose Hilliard at St. Martin's; and USA Today best-selling author Savannah Russe sold three more book in the DARKWING CHRONICLES, featuring a vampire recruited by the US government to become a spy, to Liz Scheier at NAL. (Publisher's Lunch/4-4-06).

New American Library (NAL) is actively seeking a wide variety of historical, paranormal, romantic suspense, mainstream women's suspense, and general women's fiction manuscripts. In addition, they are also seeking manuscripts for their Accent trade paperback program which consists of chick-lit and "lady-lit" novels. For more information on the types of books they publish, check out: http://nalauthors.com.

Bethany House Publishers, a leading publisher of Christian fiction, is seeking manuscripts for its romance, historical, mom/chick lit, suspense, general fiction and fantasy lines. For those interested in their fantasy line, editors suggest checking out the series titled, Legends of the Guardian King series by Karen Hancock. Overall, editors say all books should have a coherent, identifiable theme and/or particular characters who reflect Christian values or teachings without being preachy, a focus on love, commitment and responsibility rather than merely emotional and physical attraction, and a word count of approximately 100,000 words. While Bethany House does not accept unsolicited manuscripts, it will accept a one one-page only query letter sent by fax to: 952-996-1304 and directed to the appropriate department (Fiction, Nonfiction or Youth). Queries of interest should receive a reply within four to six weeks.

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