Comments on: Meet Senior Editor Natashya Wilson

By: Phyllis Houseman

Phyllis Houseman — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 02:27:36 +0000

Hi, Natashya,
I published my fifth novel, Another New Year’s Eve, at Harlequin American back in 1996. Great experience. A health crisis took me out of the writing business around the time of publication. I then worked as a manager at a software security firm for the next several years. Now I’m hoping to try my hand at fiction writing again. If you are in contact with Debra Matteucci, please say hello for me… Regards, Phyllis

By: Natashya Wilson

Natashya Wilson — Thu, 28 May 2009 13:03:07 +0000

Hey Tez, glad to hear Maria’s book is on your radar; I suspect you’ll find it worth the wait. It’s terrific! I’ve read it twice myself and am just blown away by Maria’s characters and world-building. It’s a truly unique yet accessible read, with many wonderful twists.

Hi Susan–yes, they are indeed sold-in as single titles, with similar distribution to our other ST programs. Word counts vary; my general guideline is anywhere from 50-100K, but, a few books are slightly over that and a few are ever-so-slightly under. Each project is handled individually, as with other single titles. We don’t have a set number of books to release each month–we have some months with 1, 2, or, rarely, 3 books, and some with none. Currently there are about 15 books scheduled for 2010, and we’re planning for about 18 in 2011, but that’s flexible, depending on the projects we choose to move forward with. It’s truly exciting!

–Natashya

By: Susan Kearney

Susan Kearney — Wed, 27 May 2009 22:49:28 +0000

Hi Natashya,

Your enthusiasm and excitement about these new books comes through your posts with every word! Are the books sold into stores like Single Titles? Can you tell us about distribution? Word count? How often will HQ release one of these books?
Thanks,
Susan Kearney

By: Tez Miller

Tez Miller — Wed, 27 May 2009 20:46:03 +0000

Am really looking forward to INSIDE OUT – I adore futuristics, and am so glad Maria’s written one

By: Natashya Wilson

Natashya Wilson — Wed, 27 May 2009 19:37:53 +0000

Hi Holly, we hope you both enjoy the books. Let me know!

Vivi Anna–yes, most definitely, those are exactly what I’m looking for (only original, of course). My personal preference is for a romantic book. We have a range, but the titles you name would all have been appropriate for HQ Teen.

I agree with you, the variety and unexpectedness of many YA titles is exciting. I’m in the middle of Being Nikki by Meg Cabot and just finished Wings by Aprilynne Pike–totally different books, both completely YA.

By: Vivi Anna

Vivi Anna — Wed, 27 May 2009 17:59:30 +0000

I love YA. For some reason I don’t have any expectations when I pick up a YA book like I do with paranormal romance or even UF, lately. And just about every one I’ve read both paranormal and contemporary have been stellar. OUt of maybe 30 books I’ve only been slightly disappointed with two.

Natashya, are you looking for really romantic YA in various genres? Great romantic YA I think of is Wicked Lovely and Ink Exchange by Melissa Marr. Twilight is very much a romance as well.

By: Holly

Holly — Wed, 27 May 2009 17:31:29 +0000

My daughter and I are both really looking forward to the new YA line. I love that some of my favorite authors are going to be writing novels my daughter can read.

By: Natashya Wilson

Natashya Wilson — Wed, 27 May 2009 17:28:51 +0000

Donna–we have several straight contemporaries in our lineup–the first is TAGGED by Mara Purnhagen, that’s the March 2010 book. All of our contemporaries happen to have romantic elements in them, as that is a natural part of teen life and of major interest to our target audience, although we don’t have a specific rule about romance in the imprint. We love this type of read! TAGGEd worked for us b/c it not only has a wonderful romance in it, it has a great art-focused mystery and a fun peer clash, among other strong elements.

I don’t have any specific time period in mind for a historical. I wouldn’t have thought of colonial times, but look what Laurie Halse Anderson did with Fever 1793–wow! And Eva Ibbotson focuses on the early 1900s, and I see a rash of REgency era novels coming out, not to mention the early New York setting of the Luxe novels (the exact year escapes me at the moment). I want great characters and a compelling plot–the time period/setting should be a natural extension of the story that enhances it.

Julie–From an individual author, I would be looking for a single-title feeling mystery, probably more sophisticated than Nancy Drew, BUT, we also eventually plan to create our own continuity series, and if we do a mystery series, it might share elements with Nancy. And as far as sleuth v. thriller/suspense (and I’d love to find a historical mystery, too!) that doesn’t matter–it’s the character and story that will lead the way. I loved Graveyard Book! It highlights a wonderful side of YA, crossing categories and delivering something fresh.

Liz–I’m not sure yet on our status with the UK–our UK offices may pick them up, or we may work with other UK publishers, that isn’t clear yet, but, I do expect at least some of the books to be available there one way or another. Stay tuned!

Hi Linda, thanks so much! (waving back). Glad you like the covers, we’ve all worked really hard on them, no one more so than our ever-patient and talented art director, Erin Craig. Kudos to her on the wonderful look.

–Natashya

By: Linda Thomas-Sundstrom

Linda Thomas-Sundstrom — Wed, 27 May 2009 16:12:56 +0000

Hmmmm… my previous message seems to have gone atsray – so here I am again.

Hi Natashya! Wanted to say the covers for this new line are eye-popping! Big yay to the art department.

Waving to you from RWA San Diego ! Happy to see that you’re at the helm of this new line.

Linda Thomas-Sundstrom

By: Linda Thomas-Sundstrom

Linda Thomas-Sundstrom — Wed, 27 May 2009 16:08:58 +0000

Hi Natashya! This is so exciting, and the covers of the first books are eye-poppers. Big yay for the art department.

Wanted to say hello from all of us at RWA San Diego. We’re glad you’re at the helm of this terrific line.

Linda Thomas-Sundstrom
http://www.lindathomas-sundstrom.com