Harlequin in August (otherwise known as the month after RWA)
By Senior Editor Victoria Curran

First of all, this:

This picture is courtesy of brand new full-time Editorial Coordinator for Mira and HQN, Keely Kundell, who officially starts work for Harlequin on Monday. Congrats to her and Jube-Jube, who now knows where her next meal is coming from! (Look at that exotic wee face…)

Second of all, this:


The picture above was snapped in San Diego at the end of July at the Romance Writers of America’s annual conference… And what can I say about RWA that hasn’t been said? It’s such a fantastic time to meet with authors and fans of authors, catching up with old friends, like HW authors Rula Sinara, Anna J. Stewart and Catherine Lanigan (pictured here at the Harlequin signing)…

And making new friends (pictured below, the Heartwarming Open House, which the published authors support in droves, yay, and make it such a fun event):


Finally, this:
 The August Heartwarming books. What a treat!!!

Editor Kathryn Lye is busy wrapping up book three of The Daughters of Dancing Falls just as author Cynthia Thomason’s second book, The Bridesmaid Wore Sneakers lands in readers’ hands. Book two features the quiet daughter who’s trying to make a difference in the world but ends up meeting a hero who is about as opposite to her as a hero can get! Kathryn has a beloved six-year-old nephew and the child in this story really stood out to her as smart, charming and still believably kid-like.

Editor Dana Grimaldi had the pleasure of editing two of the August books. She says that Amie Denman’s Carousel Nights, the second in the Starlight Point Stories, is the perfect summer read about the previous hero Jack’s middle sister and the single dad with a really cute kid that turns her head. (Plus, Dana reminds me, there’s a coupon available on harlequin.com (STARPOINT30) discounting the first book in the series, Under the Boardwalk.)

“Marion Ekholm’s Forget Me Not is a lovely second-chance romance,” says Dana. The hero and heroine were really good friends when they were little and now the hero is the dream handy-man and he doesn’t want her to leave…because, you guessed it, he loves her! Cutest backstory: the hero proposed to the heroine a bunch of times when they were kids. Will the next proposal be the charm?

Editor Piya Campana has read all three of Tara Taylor Quinn’s Family Secrets stories (Tara, you write so fast!) and is really excited about the concept of the miniseries as well as the first book out this month, For Love or Money. Each story is set at a reality cooking competition show where contestants rely on family secret recipes…and each story also reveals a real family secret that complicates the hero and heroine’s search to find happiness. In this case, two single parents become a family during this stressful TV competition, each driven by different but compelling reasons to win. Piya and Tara know who wins, but the rest of us will have to read to find out…

I hope you enjoy the August Heartwarming books as much as you do the rest of your summer!

Victoria

Comments

  1. Another stellar line-up and love, love, love the photos from Nationals. We all look forward to meeting Keely.

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    1. Not sure you'll get to meet Keely, though, because she's not going to be hands-on with series romance at Harlequin. BUT, if you ever drop by the Toronto headquarters, she sits right across from me!

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  2. Oh, the cat is just adorable. Welcome Keely. My books just arrived yesterday. I can't decide which one to read first they all look so fantastic.

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    1. Yes, as per usual, I think the covers are outstanding! So happy.

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  3. Happy release month to Cynthia, Amie, Marion and Tara, and a warm welcome to Keely! I love that cat picture . . . and, of course, the one of Catherine, Rula and Anna.

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  4. Ah, the memories! RWA was such fun, as always. So happy to see everyone there and to talk with you, Victoria. Congratulations to this month's authors, a stellar lineup. Love the cat.

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  5. The book covers are beautiful this month! And the cat picture just made my day. Thanks!

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  6. Congrats to all the August authors on their releases and welcome to Keely! The look on Jube-Jube's face is priceless :). And it was truly wonderful getting to see everyone in San Diego!

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  7. Wow. August is a busy month already! Welcome Keely! The August books sound amazing and I was excited to pick a couple of them up at RWA. I started Tara's book last night and sat up way later than I should have because I couldn't put it down. It still blows me away to be able to pick up a book and say, "I've met this author personally!"

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  8. While all the books look really good (love Marion's cover), I have to admit being most excited to read Amie's. I read "Under the Boardwalk" and really loved it.

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    1. Hi Marcie,
      I'm so glad you loved "Under the Boardwalk" and I hope you love "Carousel Nights"!
      Amie

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  9. Love the cat with the Winston Churchill face. I've just finished The Bridesmaid Wore Sneakers and For Love or Money. They're both great stories. Can't wait to read the other two. I love to get the 4 pack on my kindle, but I miss out on seeing the beautiful covers on my coffee table.

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  10. Love the cat with the Winston Churchill face. I've just finished The Bridesmaid Wore Sneakers and For Love or Money. They're both great stories. Can't wait to read the other two. I love to get the 4 pack on my kindle, but I miss out on seeing the beautiful covers on my coffee table.

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  11. Welcome to Keely. What a great post! We had a wonderful time at RWA and it was doubly magical for me to finally meet everyone face to face---getting all those hugs was what I needed! Congrats to Amie, Cynthia, Tara and Marion! The August covers are fantastic and I'll be reading them all. I love Jube-Jube already!

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  12. Yes, the August line up looks wonderful. Loved the photos. Really enjoyed the Heartwarming Open House and meeting with all of you again. Fun photo reminders of a wonderful conference.

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  13. Had a blast in San Diego. The open houses were engaging and I won a beautiful crown picture frame, that I will not give away, no matter how many people ask for it.

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