Editor P And Q With Sarah Stubbs Harlequin Historical

SARAH STUBBS, EDITOR, HARLEQUIN HISTORICALWHAT MOST DISTINGUISHES YOUR FROM THE OTHER LINES (ESPECIALLY LINES THAT MAY BE SIMILAR TO YOURS)?Our line is sexy, challenging, diverse and vibrant. We publish across all time periods, including Regency, Medieval, Viking, even Tang Dynasty China! We have a diverse range of sexy heroes and dynamic, original heroines. We like to push the boundaries. We're not afraid to tackle big themes, and we're always looking for original ideas to keep the line fresh. And we are utterly dedicated to our author base. We offer lots of encouragement to our authors to bring out the full potential of their work. We understand that the power of historical romance lies in the strength of your characters, your central relationship and in creating those timeless emotions These people lived hundreds of years ago, but the feelings and emotions they experience are as powerful as those of people today.WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SUBMISSION PET PEEVE?My primary interest in a new submission is your writing voice. I don't want your photo, or your life story, or to hear how amazing you are I want a brief synopsis, and three chapters of awesome writing!IF YOUR LINE WAS A TV SERIES, WHICH ONE WOULD IT BE?Our line is too diverse to be limited to one TV series! We have something for everyone - the sparkling wit of the BBC's Pride and Prejudice, the heart-warming emotion of Cranford, the sexiness and power politics of The Tudors, the strong determined women of The White Queen, the rugged alpha males with heart of Spartacus What's your favourite part of being an editor?Getting to read a lot! And the thrill of discovering a new voice. WHAT DOES YOUR TYPICAL DAY LOOK LIKE?There isn't really a typical day (!) but my days often involve a bit of the following, fuelled by endless cups of tea: reading manuscripts on the train to work, checking emails and answering queries, giving feedback on submissions, writing blurbs, thinking up title ideas, art briefing, brainstorming meetings, line-edits, copy-edit deflags, and general admin And there are occasionally a few perks, like taking an author for a lavish lunch or attending a fancy RNA party. WHAT'S THE MOST RECENT BOOK YOU'VE READ FOR PLEASURE?Geek alert: I'm reading the Game of Thrones series, on the fifth book. It's so much more than typical fantasy - the author was inspired by real history (particularly the War of the Roses) and weaves in echoes of real-life historical events with a true understanding of the way history works. His biggest strength is his characterisation: each chapter reads from one person's point of view so that the huge, epic events of his invented history are filtered through the eyes of his flawed individuals and their lives and loves. Strong characters, strong storyline, strong emotion perhaps not so different to historical romance! Why did you become an editor?I absolutely love to read, it's my favourite thing to do, and to actually get paid to do it all the time is a dream come true! DO YOU HAVE ANY HOBBIES?Reading in bed. Reading in the bath. And, er Reading. What type of character/plot are you DYING to see?My fellow editor Kathryn Cheshire and I are longing for a sumptuous Borgia plot, after becoming hooked on the TV series. I recently acquired an Undone story about a sexy Roman gladiator, and being a classics nerd would love to see more stories set in Ancient Rome or Ancient Greece. I read the Great Gatsby recently, and adored the film version - would be thrilled to see more Jazz Age flappers! But I have a soft spot for our perennially popular Regency books, and love to see how writers spice them up and offer a new twist! I love strong heroines - so any stories where a girl challenges the conventions of her time and carves out her own path hit the spot for me. And I want strong heroes that challenge them - and ultimately deserve them. I like to see a real strong dynamic between a couple, a real sense of spark and plenty of witty banter and feistiness! Attached Images