March 2016 Editor Wish List – Entangled In Romance

The editors at Entangled Publishing are always looking for the next breakout hit. Could that be your book? Each month, we have a new wish list from our editors. Watch for them as they’ll change monthly. Let’s discover each other today! All submissions can be sent through our Submittable system. The link can be found here: http://www.entangledpublishing.com/submission-information/

Alethea Spiridon, Editorial Director of Select Historical and Scandalous
• I want it all if it has to do with Vikings, Regency, Victorian, or Highlander.
• The dialogue has to be snappy and contemporary (and it can be done even if they are historicals!).
• Dark heroes welcome.

Alycia Tornetta, Editorial Director of Bliss and Select Suspense
• High-concept YA. Contemporary with a strong hook (think Kasie West, Emery Lord), Sci-fi…especially something to do with time travel or parallel universes (think Continuum or Sliders), and a compelling fantasy series that has an epic romance. Alternate history stories. I love books that combine genres in a clever way. More interesting settings and cultures. Fun, romantic, dual POV contemporary romances. Bad boys and cute, nerdy guys are my favorite.
• Addictive, sexy, trope-driven NA romance—and light, funny, romantic contemporary books. Sports romances, unique hooks, and humorous voices. LGBT romance with rival sorority or fraternity members falling for each other.
• Small-town adult romantic comedies, contemporary, and historical category romance (Victorian or Regency only) with engaging voices, strong tropes, and lots of sexual tension. I have a serious weakness for highlanders, military heroes, and rakes. I’m also looking for single-title contemporary with a GREAT hook that’s sexy and funny (think Wallbanger or Finding Fraiser).
• As always, I would love more LGBT YA/NA/Adult romance stories.

Erin Molta, Senior Editor
• For either Scandalous or Select Historical, I am looking for stories about Vikings–adventure romances!
• I’d especially like something about the Shield Maiden who meets her match in the Jarl. The Norseman and his Shield Maiden or The • • Shield Maiden and Her Man… Perhaps it is time for The Shield Maiden to find a man — but who will satisfy her who can break down the walls around her heart?
• Think like the Vikings on the History Channel but without the brutal violence. Or a trio of Ragnar-like brothers each meet their soulmates in very different women—what category romances those would be for Scandalous!

Heather Howland, Associate Publisher
• Fun, sexy stories featuring fresh spins on popular tropes. Of particular interest at the moment: fake relationship, wrong bed, best friends to lovers, nanny, forced proximity. Not interested in angsty, abusive backstories.
• Flirty, memorable romantic comedies that’ll make me laugh, cry, and swoon for both Lovestruck (category romance) and Select Contemporary (single title).
• Teen category romance. I’d like to see a story in which a teen sets out on a grand, life-changing adventure as they gear up for college, and falls love in the process. Also, YA twists on fairytales.
• Bold, high-concept single-title YA. The genre isn’t as important to me as the story. You should be able to sum it up in one sentence and have me think, “Whoa. I MUST read that book!” As always, there needs to be at least a thread of romance running throughout.
• Single-title romantic thrillers. I love dangerous, fast-paced suspense with a side of intriguing romance. Give me a Bourne-style book with a stronger love story and I’ll be in heaven.

Jenn Mishler, Senior Editor
TEEN/CRUSH/CRAVE
• Interesting science fiction/fantasy told from the best friend of the “hero/heroines” POV.
• Contemporary romance showing teens now (aka utilizing modern tech/apps)

EMBRACE
• Just out of college stories where the characters are dealing with a new job/new city and have to handle the woes of dating in a world moving more towards dating apps.
• Also looking for stories featuring big, burly football players or hockey players.

Karen Grove, Senior Editor
EMBRACE
• A romance set at one of the military academies (preferably West Point) between a cadet and a local townie or a student from one of the surrounding colleges.
• Finding love during a medical relief mission, peace corps, or other charitable organization, where volunteers enter with ideas of saving the world and discover things that test their beliefs, endurance, or open their eyes in some way.
• Cowboys/western setting – some tight Wranglers and a pair of dusty boots…a cowboy to make us swoon

IGNITE OR SELECT SUSPENSE
• Would love a special forces or bodyguard romance…maybe set in an exotic locale like Dubai.

Kate Brauning, Senior Editor
• High concept, big hook, high-stakes, fast-paced YA/NA of any genre, particularly local disaster stories, anti-hero stories, and thrillers. Think The Coldest Girl in Coldtown, The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, or The 5th Wave. The Unwritten Rule by Elizabeth Scott or Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma.
• Literary YA with that perfect balance of character-driven, thought-provoking story and a gripping plot and concept. Think This Is Not A Test by Courtney Summers and Unteachable by Leah Raedar.
• Charming, heartfelt YA & NA of any genre, particularly dealing with sibling relationships, careers/passions, and complex friendships, such as This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales, Open Road Summer by Emery Lord, and Everything Leads To You by Nina Lacour.
• Sweet to spicy adult romance that revolves around clever and unusual meet-cutes, especially with small-town or rural settings. Think the adult romance version of Gilmore Girls, Friday Night Lights, or Parks and Rec.
Erotica across the genres for our Scorched imprint with unusual settings, non-abusive pasts, and a strong character journey.

Lydia Sharp, Editor
• In general I like stories with a brisk pace, crackling chemistry, witty banter, romantic moments that make you melt, a high stakes plot, characters that jump off the page, and a dramatic ending.

Would like to see the following in YA:
• SCI-FI: modern-day, far-future, or near-future settings; mystery/thriller element is a plus; I love SF stories that blend adventure and romance, and I tend to prefer a punchy voice.
• FANTASY: historical fantasy, high fantasy, and sci-fi/fantasy blends that feel high concept, have a strong hook, and an accessible voice for modern teens; clever use of language and imagery are a plus.
• CONTEMPORARY: emotionally resonant stories that explore what’s inside the characters and challenge their viewpoint, coupled with a high concept plot; a strong voice is a must; I’d love to see more projects where the setting feels like another character in the story, whether it be in the U.S. or a foreign country.

Nina Bruhns, Senior Editor
I’m looking for a few exciting voices for the new Scorched erotic romance line. Stories should be centered on one couple, with an actual plot, and a tone of arousing sensuality.

Stacy Abrams, Executive Editorial Director
• For YA, literary contemporary romance or mystery-thrillers with unique locations and surprise endings.
• For Bliss, stories that center around heroes or heroines working with animals, such as a veterinarian’s office or a rescue shelter.
• For Crave, I’m looking for teen twists on fairy tales. Also open to any unique take on a contemporary world with a paranormal twist.
• For Crush, any stories that are set in the hallways of a regular high school and focus on the tropes of enemies to lovers, fake relationship, or revenge.

Suzanne Evans, Associate Editor
• YA that deals with the real emotions that come with being a teenager and rip her heart out with difficult but down-to-earth themes like addiction, grief, and mental illness.
• For Crave, she’s looking for new and creative takes on classic fairy tales as well as fun fantasy with historical roots.
Covet submissions with strong heroines who can handle their paranormal issues on their own, thank you very much, but choose the sexy, alpha hero to be their partner in crime anyway. For Scandalous, she’s looking for hot regency and highlanders.
• For Entangled’s Select imprints, she’s looking for thoughtful, fast-paced historical with thrilling plots and hot heroes—she has a serious weak spot for Vikings and pirates—and suspense that will keep her on the edge of her seat while remaining believable. She’s also madly in love with fantasy of all kinds, as long as the chemistry is strong.”

Teresa Cole, Editor
• A dark, gritty, BDB-esque series with tortured, growly, hot-as-hell shifters.
• Small town, fish out of water romance akin to Hart of Dixie.
• Blue-collar heroes & quirky heroines. Firefighters, policemen, carpenters… Any imprint. Werewolves can be firemen, too!)
• Pirates, assassins, thieves, etc. Bonus points if the heroine is the one on the wrong side of the law!
• Sports romance! Baseball, football, rodeo, rock climbing… Any imprint. Imagine the implications if someone found out a star football player was also a bear shifter…
• Would love some trope-filled, humorous, contemporary paranormal romance for the Covet imprint!

Tracy Montoya, Senior Editor
• Category romance and YA or NA with strong heroines.
• Fresh twists on proven tropes such as enemies-to-lovers, mistaken identity, opposites attract, fractured fairy tales, unique fake relationships, and more. I would do backflips for a fun time-travel romance, a modern-day Jane Austen romance, a hilarious makeover romance, an emotional vampire romance, and a Paris-set YA or NA romance. For romantic suspense, I love unique settings and spec ops or FBI/CIA heroes.
• I’m always looking for that perfect blend of deep emotion and laugh-out-loud humor, though I love dark or emotional stories, too. • In any case, deeply written characters are a must.

Wendy Chen, Editor
• Contemporary category romance and edits for Indulgence, Bliss, and Lovestruck. Throw in blackmail, a relationship of convenience, a mistaken identity, or an ugly duckling with your smart and sexy hero, and you’ve got her hooked.