Bookmakers: Harlequin Turns 60.

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 20:43:50 GMT

Charles, John (author) and Shelley Mosley (author).
FEATURE. First published September 15, 2009 (Booklist).

In the last 60 years, Harlequin has published some 34,000 titles by 2,700 authors and sold 5.8 billion books. Many of today’s best-selling romance authors got their literary start with Harlequin, including Stella Cameron, Heather Graham, Jayne Ann Krentz, Carla Neggers, and Diana Palmer. Yet despite its global presence and powerful impact on the romance genre, Harlequin remains something of a mystery. What better time to learn more about this diamond of a publisher than on its sixtieth anniversary?

Harlequin was founded in 1949 in Winnipeg, Canada, by Richard Bonnycastle, who published business reports and reprints of British fiction. It was Bonnycastle’s wife, Mary, and his secretary, Ruth Palmour, both of whom were dedicated readers of romance fiction, who encouraged Bonnycastle to work out an arrangement with the British publisher Mills and Boon to reprint its romances in North America. This reprint arrangement went on until 1970, when Harlequin formally bought Mills and Boon and the companies merged. In 1984 Harlequin acquired American publisher Silhouette, whose series romances rivaled Harlequin’s in popularity. Today, Harlequin publishes more than 100 titles each month and delivers these books in 28 different languages to 114 markets around the world.

The most common misperception about Harlequin is that it’s a type of romance. It is not. Harlequin publishes a number of different series (or category) romances, including its Blaze, Intrigue, Presents, and Historical lines. Books written in each of these different lines have the same essential components of all romances—a focus on the romantic relationship between the hero and heroine and a happy or happily optimistic ending—but each of Harlequin’s series is distinguished by key elements, such as the blend of danger and desire found in Harlequin’s Intrigue line.

Harlequin romances are as diverse as the ever-changing genre itself, encompassing Holly Jacobs’ sweetly humorous contemporary romances, Brenda Jackson’s sizzlingly sexy multicultural love stories, and Michele Hauf’s darkly sensual paranormals. In addition, while other romance publishers stick to the tried-and-true Regency era in their historical romances, Harlequin’s historical line offers readers love stories set everywhere from ancient Rome to Edwardian England. RITA Award–nominated Terri Brisbin, who has written 16 novels and novellas for Harlequin, believes that this refreshing sense of “diversity” found within Harlequin lines is one of the main benefits of writing for Harlequin.”

Harlequin publishes chick lit under its Red Dress Ink imprint. Harlequin’s Luna line provides “romantic, epic, and urban fantasy novels focusing on female heroines,” while its Steeple Hill line offers inspirational contemporary, romantic-suspense, and historical romances. The MIRA imprint publishes mainstream titles, mystery and suspense novels, and women’s fiction. In 2008 Harlequin began publishing nonfiction, including Debbie Macomber’s Cedar Grove Cookbook (2009), which offers more than 130 tempting recipes inspired by Harlequin author Macomber’s best-selling Cedar Grove series.

Although Harlequin (also referred to as HQN) remains one of the most influential publishers in the romance genre, it isn’t an impersonal publishing juggernaut; it’s a genuine community. For author Roz Denny Fox, whose career with Harlequin spans more than 20 years and 48 books, the best thing about writing for Harlequin is that “the editors and staff feel like family, and I get to hear from wonderful readers around the world.” For Harlequin editor Paula Eykelhof, who has worked for Harlequin for almost 25 years editing such lines as American, Super, Everlasting, and now MIRA, there are many benefits to working for Harlequin. “I love the opportunity to work on fiction that entertains and moves and, one way or another, affects so many women. I’ve learned so much, and continue to learn.” Johanna Raisanen began reading Harlequin novels when she was around 12 years old. After working for a legal publishing company, she reports, “I jumped at the opening in the proofreading department here at Harlequin, and I worked really hard to get a position in editorial. The best thing about being a Harlequin editor is working with a truly wonderful author base. Plus I get to read romance novels for a living. What could be better?”

Harlequin connects millions of romance readers and writers through its Web site, www.eharlequin.com, as well as message boards,, and blogs. The publisher also concretely invests in its community of readers through its “More than Words” Program. Every year since 2004, Harlequin has not only donated $50,000 to various community charities that make a difference in women’s lives but it has also published an anthology in which a collection of romantic short stories inspired by the lives of the recipients is written by five of Harlequin’s leading authors. The fifth volume of More than Words (2009) includes stories by Heather Graham, Candace Camp, Stephanie Bond, Brenda Jackson, and Tara Taylor Quinn about such charities as Pittsburgh’s Care for Children Hospital, Alliance for Eating Disorders, Windfall Clothing Service, Allergy and Asthma Network, and Strengthen Our Sisters.

When it comes to understanding Harlequin’s contributions to the romance genre, Debbie Macomber, who has spent her entire 25-year writing career with Harlequin, says it best: “No one does romance or understands romance the same way Harlequin does. Nor does anyone do it better. Harlequin has a unique understanding of women, and what women readers want, that is unmatched in publishing. The editors understand a woman’s heart and provide the books women want to read.”

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Bookmakers: Harlequin Turns 60.