How often do you get the chance to pick an editor’s brain, listen to their do’s and don’ts, and check out their outfits? Editors from St. Martin’s Press, Tor, NAL, Warner, Ellora’s Cave, HQN and Harlequin/Silhouette were on hand October 8th at the NJRW’s 2005 Put Your Heart In A Book Conference to share their secrets and (unknowingly) their style. I wasn’t about to miss an opportunity to learn about some individual likes and dislkes, and thought I’d share my tiny glimpse into the shadowy corners of the publishing world, and my peek at current editor fashions.

Rose Hilliard from New American Library was chic yet approachable in stylish horn-rimmed glasses and a simple white sweater. A striking young career woman with beautifully streaked blonde/brown hair, Rose is looking for dark, sexy paranormals (loves vampires!), as well as chick-lit, multi-cultural, erotica, and young adult. NAL (a parent company of Berkley) prefers agented submissions of 90,000 -100,000 words, and is seeking stories for their Eclipse line.

Heather Osborn and Raelene Gorlinski from Ellora’s Cave were at opposite ends of the spectrum in style, but united in their message to aspiring writers. Heather’s bubbly, fresh-faced youth was a perfect compliment to Raelene’s flamboyant Red Hat fashion flair. Anyone who’s met Ms. Gorlinski knows that shyness is not an acceptable accessory! Ellora’s Cave is currently seeking quality erotica of all types, and has expanded their range to include such titillating topics as BDSM, threesomes (2 men, 1 woman only, please), and gay/lesbian romance. Word count varies, and only e-submissions are accepted. Raelene is also acquiring more mainstream type fiction through Cerridwen Press, a spinoff from EC, with an emphasis on fantasy, romance and mystery thrillers.

Melanie Murray from Warner was all business in brown, a lovely beaded necklace offsetting an otherwise somber suit. Warner accepts agented submissions only, and Melanie is particularly excited about the launch of their new ‘Solana’ line, coming in 2007. Solana will be their first venture into the spicy hot market of Latina fiction. Warner’s 5-Spot line was officially launched in September, and is actively acquiring both fiction and non-fiction with a hip, sassy edge. Word count is usually 90,000 -100,000 words.

HQN was represented by the warm and friendly Margo Lipzchultz, Associate Editor. Margo’s quick smile and dark hair were as attractive as her professionalism. HQN prefers agented submissions, and is open to all genres except historical and chick-lit (chick-lit is usually handled by their sister lines, Red Dress Ink and Mira). Word count for HQN is higher, ranging from 85,000-150,000.

Demetria Lucas of Harlequin/Silhouette was a former assistant editor at BET/Arabesque, which makes her the perfect choice to head up Harlequin’s new African-American line. Demetria wins my private ‘Viewer’s Choice’ award by looking every inch the ultra cool, ultra hip young black professional. Her tailored gray pantsuit and white blouse was paired with a funky black polka-dot belt and bangle bracelets. Demetria is looking for realism, fresh plots, compelling characters and satisfying endings.

Natalia Aponte from Tor/Forge isn’t looking specifically for romance, but is actively seeking romantic suspense and medical thrillers. She’s open to non-traditional settings such as the Middle East, and is pleased to announce that Tor has widened its guidelines to include Chick-lit, although it needs to be both extremely smart and extremely funny. Tor accepts either e-submissions or the traditional snail mail variety.

Last but not least, Monique Patterson of St. Martin’s Press shared both a classy sense of style and a goldmine of information. St. Martin’s Press prefers query letters first, but Monique’s personal preference is to see a writing sample. Query letters addressed to her should be accompanied by 1 to 3 chapters and a synopsis. No e-queries. SMP is looking for dark, sexy paranormals, and contemporaries of all types. Word counts range between 85,000 –125,000.

All the editors shared a few common themes: professionalism in presentation is extremely important, and all publisher’s guidelines are different. Those guidelines should be researched and followed to the letter before submitting. Each and every editor on the panel finds ‘gimmicky’ submissions distasteful (no colored paper, exploding confetti or styrofoam peanuts), and were unanimous in the opinion that good writing sells itself. They are all looking for stories with unique plots and great characters, and are always on the lookout for that ever-elusive quality known as ‘voice’.

My only regret after attending this panel was that the tablecloth obscured my view some very fashionable shoes! :) Otherwise, it was a feast for the eyes and ears of this aspiring writer, and well worth the trip to New Jersey. The fashion part was just for fun!

Copyright © 2007 Terri Garey, All Rights Reserved