It was what I’d been waiting to hear… for about five years….
A new e-publishing imprint that’s truly looking for strong robust stories – big enough to build storyworlds around a defined core theme and with the potential to move, whilst also moving you.
And then it was double what I’d been waiting to hear..
They wanted me to work with them on outreach, acquisitions, curation, development and production. Talk about perfect!
The thing is, you see, I could never be a salesman. I simply can’t ‘hype’ about things I don’t believe in. Sky dish insurance, washing machines, vacuum cleaner filters, garden leaf blowers.. It’s all just hot air.
So the news that Harlequin Mills & Boon UK were launching Carina UK – a brand new digital imprint – a dynamic digital publisher of fantastic stories – was exciting! Because that’s something I believe in. Like, 100%.
Carina, like me, believe that creativity flourishes best in collaboration and want to work with you to help tell your stories, regardless of genre, platform, length or style, to as many people as possible.
So, on a session at Digital Book World Conference in New York- I broke the news about us working together on this exciting venture. I was co-hosting a session – ‘Beyond Books: New Opportunities for Growth’ along with the awesome Cynthia Cleveland and Nancy Cushing-Jones of Broadlit, who are making impressive moves with their TruLoveStories franchise, and we spoke about books/stories as brand and extending longevity and audience engagement through episodic, high-quality content. It was the perfect opportunity to verbally launch Carina UK.
I’m excited to say I’ve already received some amazing submissions and enquiry emails but I’d like to see more. Carina is looking for authors from the UK and Ireland as well as from global markets such as India and South Africa.
Want the ‘official’ spin from Carina? Buckle up…
“Harlequin UK have been at the forefront of digital publishing for many years and now we are using that expertise to home our new digital list – collaborating with you the author to bring your stories and ideas to readers globally.
Carina will consider ALL genres of writing. What matters to us is that you tell a great story! No matter the genre, the style,the format – if its a novel, novella, serial or series – we want to hear from fresh voices across the storytelling world.
Publishing is changing rapdily, you are authors in an inspiring new era, and we want to collaborate with you to take advantage of thsese exciting changes and bring the best stories to the world of readers.
If’s your passion, storytelling and voice that will make your manuscript stand out and be conisdered for publication. The journey after that is limitless….
You will be partnered with highly experienced editors and eagle-eyed copy-editors, creative design experts and award-winning digital marketing and retail team and together they will make your work achieve the very best. Carina UK is about finding exceptional talent and connecting your creativity and storytelling quickly and cleverly with readers everywhere.”
Guidelines? They’re simple – tell a good story. No matter genre, length or style Carina are buying stories that send shivers down their spines, make them laugh out loud, gasp with shock, make them wipe away their tears or stay up all night, make them wish they were vampires! You name it, they’ll tell it. Just keep them hooked.
Send 3 chapters and a synopsis plus a covering letter. (legible normal font, 12 point, double spaced) and with full mss word count in covering letter along with your contact info to CarinaUKSubs@hqnuk.co.uk
or if you have any queries or would like to bounce an idea around, then give me a shout at storycentralDIGITAL@yahoo.co.uk
Also referenced at The Bookseller – 17Jan2013
The Comments.