Focus On: Allure Imprint

Ever read publisher guidelines and wish they were more specific? Then you've come to the right place.

Today, we're focusing on the Allure Imprint.

From the imprint submissions guidelines page:

• Acquiring editor: Emma Wayne Porter
  
• Genre: erotic contemporary romance
  
• Length: 60-80k
  
• Key Characteristic: willful hero, capable heroine
  
• Key Characteristic: sexual tension and romantic conflict
  
• Requirement: HEA
  
• Sensuality Level: extremely hot
  

Editor's notes: Know your tropes. This line is focused on the buildup and resolution of sexual tension and romantic conflict. The thrill of anticipation is as key as the erotic payoff.

We want willful heroes, and capable heroines. We do not want "perfect" or cardboard characters, nor do we want helpless, shrinking-violet heroines. We want compelling, fully developed contemporary characters with GMC and sizzling conflict brought to fulfilling resolution.

We'll go over the editor's notes to help authors shooting for this imprint. Let's start with tropes. By tropes I mean base structural ingredients like "marriage of convenience", "forbidden love", "taming of the shrew", "secret baby", "wrong bed", "married by mistake", and all those other thematic patterns romance readers have come to expect from romance.

Note what the guidelines don't say regarding tropes... the word "follow" is not used. "Know" is. Innovative treatment of the tropes is most welcome for this line.

A happily ever after ending is required for this line. "Happy for now" works for some erotic romances, but not these. We want full-on happily ever after. And we're quite serious about putting the sexual tension back into the mix. We want the sensuality level to be scorching hot, but this is not the line for "two sex scenes every chapter".  There can be as many sex scenes as drive the conflict when the time is right -- when the actual sex becomes a powerful reader (and character) payoff. 

Willful heros: I don't necessarily believe in the "alpha" or "beta" hero terminology, and don't believe it applies to this line. In this case, "willfull" means the hero wants or needs something and God help anything or anyone who gets in his way. Betas can be put in this position and perform just as well as any alpha, hence why I've stayed away from those terms.

Capable heroines: I grew up on Harlequin Presents and love them dearly...except for the powerless heroines. Now yes, there is much plot-fodder to be found in the Cinderella trope wherein the "good girl" gets her man despite some ugly obstacles, but there should be no hand-wringing going on with these heroines. In the case of a Cinderella trope setup, the arcs should  move them from deprivation to empowerment, but not solely because she hooked up with a rich, powerful prince.

Show me a marriage of convenience where it's the heroine who ropes the hero into it instead of the other way around, and you'd have my full attention. Show me a self-made gabillionaire heroine who's not skulking in a corner, but unapologetically enjoying her success. Show me heroines who put the fear of God into anyone who gets in their way.

"Perfect" characters need not apply. Let them be wrong, foolish, uncaring, selfish, single-minded... Of course, their perspective mate gets to show them how wrong, foolish, uncaring, selfish or single-minded they are, and most importantly, inflict change for the better.

Lastly, those of you who know me know I couldn't let a guideline go without tossing GMC into the mix. GMC stands for Goals, Motivation and Conflict. If you aren't familiar with this theory written by Debra Dixon, pick up a copy. The theory is brilliantly simple and is the very heart of what we're looking for with Allure. Conflict needs to be strong and well-developed so that when the hero and heroine do finally get together, the payoff is as fulfilling and satisfying as possible.

Renee and I will be back soon to look at Elements. Until then, if you have any questions, fire away here on the blog or send questions privately to: