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Inspirational Romance
LColeman: Welcome Gail!! Gail: Thanks - LColeman: Gail would you begin by telling us a bit about yourself and your current book that's available or soon will be. Gail: I'm multipublished in short and long non-fiction and in inspirational fiction.I have two published novels with Barbour - Heartsong Presents and a Barbour historical novella YULETIDE TREASURES out this August or Sept in an anthology called Christmas Threads. My first Love Inspired (Steeple Hill) will be released in October - UPON A MIDNIGHT CLEAR. And I just learned this week that I sold a second, SECRETS OF THE HEART - out next year sometime. LColeman: Gail would you like to start with a short statement concerning working for two different publishers? Gail: Sure. Though Steeple Hill and Barbour have some definite difference, they also have some similiarites. I'll give you a run down and compare some points. Gail: Love Inspired released 36 novels a year -70-75K in length Gail: Barbour - Heartong released 52 novels and 48 novellas a year Gail: Steeple Hlill is totally contemporary - and Barbour buys equal historical and contemporary novels and alternates between contemp and hisotrical in their novella themes. Gail: Barbour -Heartsong Prsents is a book club - so it is a flat rate fee. A small raise is given after the 1st novel. Gail: Steeple Hill is royalties and an advance. As is Barbour's Novellas. Both companies are looking for compelling love stories where God and spiritual elements are a theme throughout the novel. The difference is that Steeple Hilll is looking for a more subtle approach, weaving the elements throughout the novel without a preachy effect. Gail: Heartsong wants elements
that the conservative Evangelical readership Gail: Steeple Hill is plotted more like a category romance. The H & H must meet within the first couple of pages. Gail: The romance has an immediate attraction but the hero and heroine's journey is slow through their relationship step by step. The publishing house wants the the attraciton to be more than physical. It is looking for the same deeper elements that Barbour is looking for - trust, compassion, gentleness, etc. Gail: One thing that Love Inspired is looking for that might be different than HP (HP is Heartsong Presents and LI is Love Inspired) is that they want the hero and heroine to "need" to be together - drawn together by more than the fact that they like each other or work in the same building. They want them to be working toward a similiar goal or must depend on each other for something in their lives - like where they live or a project that they must work on together. Gail: Both HP and LI allow subplots but want the plots to relate directly to the romance. They want nothing to be in the way of the romance. Gail: HP is more tolerable in this area and is willing to allow the spiritual message to be very strong. Gail: Where LI demands the story totally focus on the romance - no side issues to distract or to take away from that. Gail: I might give you some idea of the times for Barbour's historicals Gail: Contemp novels are 1990-2000 Gail: Historicals are from WWII or before Gail: What to avoid? Gail: Both will not tolerate cursing or scenes of viiolence. Barbour does not allow Euphenisms either - such as gosh, heck, darn, etc. Even some strange ones you wouldn't think about - because most of them go back to some connection with using the Lord's name in vain. Gail: I think that even LI is similiar to that. I never use them anyway so I'm not sure. Gail: Where Barbour will allow NO divorce in their stories, LI will, if it's necessary to the plot or with a minor character. But they do use divorce, LI tells the author that divorce will mean fewer foreign sales since many countries that buy the books have strong feelings against divorce. Both will not allow sexual content. Anything overtly sensual will not be tolerated by either publisher. Gail: HP will not tolerate alcohol or dancing unless it's a historical either. They prefer the writer to keep the romance in the area of simple kisses, hugs, caresses in appropriate locations. Nothing beyond that. No suggestion of sex even behind a closed door. Gail: LI will allow such references if married - but the door closes at the bedroom and no details are given. This is rare in an LI nonetheless. Gail: Okay - I hope I've covered a lot - now for any questions ga LColeman: Wow, great info Gail Chara: ! Gail: Thanks LColeman: Does anyone have any questions? faith: I suppose LI wouldn't go for hero delivering heroine's baby? LColeman: Chara Ga LynetteS: ? GailS: ? Gail: Faith I'll answer you later on that. Idjut: ? LColeman: Chara's having difficulty posting - Here's her post. I know that years ago, Heartsong didn't want anything outside of the US (although they did publish some from Australia from an Australian author). I was wondering if this is still the case? Gail: Do you mean the setting or the authors? GailS: ! LColeman: Yes, she does Gail: HP has many authors from Canada Gail: One from Greece Gail: As far as the setting - they will alllow out of the country settings because I sold them my second novel set in Germany GailS: I'm Canadian, and I have set all my books where I live, in the Vancouver area, which is 6 HPs so far, 4 released, 2 coming up. LColeman: Faith GA LColeman: Faith's question was: I suppose LI wouldn't go for hero delivering heroine's baby? Gail: Yes, let me answer that Cheryl Wolverton in her novel that I think was up for a RITA last year had exactly that situation in it. ga LColeman: Lynette GA LynetteS: How would either publisher expect a relationship to develop between an unsaved heroine and a saved hero (or vice-versa)? Any preferences? Any obvious no-nos?? Of course the girl cmoes to know the Lord! :-) ga Gail: HP will allow that. As long as the hero or heroine is saved by the end of the novel. They do not want a marriage or romance based on conversation but a relationship that begins with something deeper - and slowly, the non-Christian begins to question and learn. They would need to have many of the qualities of a Christian in most cases. Gail: Love Inspired - if I remember correctly didn't like that in a plot I submitted to them. They want characaters who are Christians - but perhaps have lost their faith or had something happen that has turned them from God - and then they willl grow and return to their faith as the story progresses. LColeman: Gail S GA GailS: What exactly is LI looking for? Not necessarily do's and don't's but plots, sub-plots, type of conflict, etc. ga Gail: They have really very different stories - they are willing to try some more difficult topics such as rape, children born out of wedlock, etc. but always the stories show the sorrow and grief of the person who sinned - or was hurt and how God is able to strenghten the person, etc. They tend to be a little like the categroy romances. They love babies and children in their stories. They will accept a little humor - but they don't seem to like too much bantering. They are very funny about dialogue. I guess I didn't mention that. They want about 1/3 dialogue to 2/3 narration, both internal and external - like descriptions, etc. Gail: I know you write humor Gail S- and I think you might do that without a lot of dialogue, but with narration and action. I think I'm right. Otherwise, they are pretty much looking for no specific type of story - but one that is compelling and unique. LColeman: Idjut GA Idjut: Gail, I'll start by thanking you for your time and wonderful explaination of this genre. Would you say this type of romance is more difficult to write than other romance, because of the strict protocol? The writer cannot fall back on hot love scenes to spice the story but has to write a truely wonderful story to attract the readers. Idjut: ga Gail: Absolutely. Gail: I think all inspirational romance is difficult because beside writing a moving compelling love story, you are writing a second love story - a story between God and the main characters. This is sensitive and difficult to portray in a realistic fashion. Idjut: ! Gail: I also believe that it is more difficult to please LI than HP. The reason being - as I said before -though they are inspirational they tend to look for the category format of a story. Gail: I'll be happy to share with you - that once published by LI doesn't mean it's easy to sell the next. I gave them 3 novels before they found one they liked and even then I'm making major revisions to my original plot. LColeman: Idjut GA Idjut: I think I'm getting this, Gail. The romance is not so much between the couple, but it is between the couple and their god. Correct? Idjut: correct? Gail: Yes - but let me explain. It is a true romantic love story -- conflicts and issues, dating and showing affection. But the conflicts are often related to a spiritual issue - a serious problem of forgiveness or trust or trying to do things by yourself without allowing God to take over and help you. These types of problems that cause conflicts - but deal with God as well as the love of the H &H. Does that make sense? Gail: These novels can be fun or mysterious, but they also show how God is with us. Idjut: Yes. This seems like one of the hardest of genres Gail: Yes it is very difficult. Idjut: nod Idjut: ga Gail: Plus it does not have the huge market that others have. ga LColeman: Gail what wonderful information. We have a few minutes left any last questions for Gail? Gail: I have addresses if anyone wants them GailS: ? LColeman: Gail S GA GailS: How closely do you work with your editor? Gail: Very closely GailS: I mean once they like a story, do they offer much in the way of revision suggestions until the story is how "they" want it? Gail: The editor gets the proposal and if she believes it has something for the line - she will take it to the head editor - who is Tracey Farrell. My editor is Patience Smith. They talk it over and decide what they see as problems in the plot or writing style. I'm not big on dialogue and was shocked when I recieved her revisions to cut my dialogue in 1/2. Anyway, then she sends me a list of revisions. I must then redo my propsoal to the revisions and then go ahead - if they find more problems - more revision. I was very blessed with my first novel. One set of revisions and she loved the changes and asked for nothing else - said it was perfect. GailS: So then they look for a very detailed synopsis on query? Gail: Yes with motivation, conflicts, story line, subplots, etc and three chapters GailS: I'm done. Thanx Gail: Welcome LColeman: Gail do you have any closing comments you'd like to add, perhaps the addresses you mentioned Gail: Barbour has theme sheets for their novellas, otherwise the themes are open for the novels LColeman: And please give us your web page address so folks can visit it Tracey: ? Please Gail: I think if people want to write for a line, they need to read lots of novels from that line so that they get the feel and get an idea of the popular stories. And then write and write and write. Gail: My website is http://members.aol.com/GailGMartin - and I might add that I'm in the process of getting a domain and I will be with a different server soon. LColeman: Tracey GA Tracey: Did they ask for the dialogue cuts on the first book you sold them? Gail? LI I mean ga Gail: Not particularly. I had to cut 35-50K to meet the length of the line Idjut: wow Gail: I had sent 300 pages thinking that was good - with 1 inch margains - but that didn't work because I had too many words to a line - so I've changed my margins to 1.37 and that works with 25 lines - you get 10 X 25 and that equals 250 words per page. That's how they do it. LColeman: Gail can you answer one more question before we end tonight? ga Tracey: Thank Gail: Sure LColeman: Pamela GA Pamela: So, are they specifically looking for say 60 characters per line, or does that matter? Pamela: ga Gail: That's probably it - they call it ten word line. ga Pamela: thanks :) Gail: Please drop by my site. I have my old workshop logs on there and a guest book. I have a drawing 4 times a year for a free book. LColeman: Before we close I need to ask everyone a question Gail: So sorry I was late- I figured I'd be on time. LColeman: You did a wonderful job Gail, thanks so much. Gail: But I need "getting into chatrooms for Dummies!" djut: Thank you, Gail. This was a very informative workshop.
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