Christine Rimmer has written nearly 100 books for the various Harlequin and Silhouette programs over the years. But her warm, emotional style, charming characters, devastating heroes and independent heroines are perfectly at home in the Harlequin Special Edition line. Her 72nd and 73rd Special Edition titles are published at the end of this year. With her new contracts she’ll have another nine coming out in the next two years. So we asked–what does writing for Special Edition mean to her?
I’ve been happily writing for Harlequin for a very long time. I’ve written Desires and Single Titles and various novellas and online reads. But I continue to think of Special Edition as my writing “home.” I love writing Specials and intend to keep on writing them for years to come.
People often ask me what it is I like the most about writing for this line. It’s hard to narrow it down to just one element. In fact, Specials are in no way about “narrowing down.” One of the best things about Special Edition is the range of stories that fit in the line. When you write for Special Edition, your boundaries are wide ones. You can write very sexy. Or pure and sweet. Special Editions can take place anywhere—in the good old USA or the wide, wide world. Our characters can travel the globe. Or live out their love story in their cozy hometown.
In Special Edition, we deliver the stories readers love. We are about home and family and community and getting it right. In Specials, you’ll be encouraged to write the classic romance situations: The Marriage of Convenience, Secret Baby, Pretend Engagement, Sexy Single Dad—you name a favorite romance plotline and chances are, you will find that kind of story in Special Edition. You’ll also be challenged to write the classic stories in unexpected ways, to turn those beloved situations on their heads a little. Maybe you’ll write a secret baby story where the father is the one keeping the baby’s parentage a secret. In Special Edition, we write all the favorite stories, but we do them in a way that keeps the reader guessing—and happily turning pages instead of turning off the light.
I tend to write alpha heroes, but they’re not for everyone. Do you prefer writing big-hearted beta heroes over sexy, commanding alphas? Some of our bestselling Special Edition authors write stories starring the hunky, sweet, supportive boy-next-door.
Special Edition also happens to be one of the most successful lines, with a large readership of longtime, loyal fans. If you’ve always wanted to write stories about today’s woman finding love smack dab in the middle of all the challenges and distractions of real life, a woman committed to her family and true to her friends and strong enough to persevere even when the going gets tough, Special Edition could very well be the right line for you.
I’ve written (wow, is it really nearly 80 titles for Specials!!!???) and the ideas just keep bubbling up. I write the kind of story that affirms life, love and family—with a little humor and heat thrown in for good measure. I can’t even imagine a job more satisfying than that.
And thank you, Christine, for writing those stories! They fly off the shelves and on to e-readers throughout the world. Can we say “Brava!”? (Christine’s most popular series is the Bravo Family in their many incarnations!).
Keep up to date with all her titles on her website or her Facebook page!
Happy Reading!