Today, we are putting a spotlight on Afterglow by Harlequin and Carina by Harlequin, two Harlequin imprints that publish a wide range of romance stories in print, ebook and audio formats. We’re introducing the editorial team and sharing new writing guidelines to let you know what’s topping editor wish lists for these imprints.
Hi everyone! I’m Leyla, an editor at Harlequin obsessed with all things love, romance, and happily ever after. I’m so excited to talk about romance themes and subgenres we are interested in for Afterglow by Harlequin and Carina by Harlequin. But before I do that, let me officially introduce our wonderful team.
Meet the Team
Stacy Boyd, Executive Editor, an outdoorsy book lover who loves reading at the beach and asking lots of questions. A fan of books with big feelings and twisty concepts—grab me with your story’s opening and I’ll follow you anywhere.
Stephanie Doig, Senior Editor, a morning person who still manages to regularly stay up too late reading. I love spending every November/December eagerly devouring the latest holiday romance made-for-tv movies.
Leyla Erkan, Editor, lover of iced coffee, color coded bookshelves, and swoon-worthy romance. Give me a broody vampire or a hot villain any day.
Eugénie Szwalek, Editorial Assistant, incorrigible night owl and lover of inclement weather. A fan of all things queer, romantic, and strange—give me sapphic knights, horror romance, and all that gay yearning.
Get to know Afterglow by Harlequin and Carina by Harlequin:
Our team acquires and edits two imprints at Harlequin:
- Afterglow by Harlequin: Afterglow focuses on trend future romances in all subgenres, with books publishing in print, ebook, and audio.
- Carina by Harlequin: Carina is a digital-first imprint that publishes adult romance, with a focus on emerging subgenres within online romance communities. Titles publish first in ebook and audio, with select releases in print.
What We Want:
We’re looking for bold, emotional, expansive stories with layered hooks and stand-out tropes. Stories that are fresh or familiar; that are sweet, spicy, or somewhere in between; with romance that ranges from it’s complicated to happily every after.
Above all, we want romance that is big hearted and all consuming, between characters we can’t forget. Stories that take us on an unforgettable journey of love, that demand to be read long into the night. Give us all the unexpected twists and big feelings, because we’re desperate to fall in love over and over and over again.
Genres and Tropes:
We accept multiple genres of romance, including dark romance, romantasy, paranormal, dystopian, contemporary, fantasy, science fiction, LGTBQ+, and more.
For Afterglow by Harlequin, we’re particularly interested in:
- Dystopian romance
- Paranormal romance
- Dark romance or Dark romantasy
- Contemporary romance with speculative elements
- Contemporary romances with a strong seasonal hook
For Carina by Harlequin, we’re particularly interested in:
- Werewolves and/or omegaverse
- Monster romance, especially M/M or F/F
- Why Choose/reverse harem
- Polyamorous relationships
- Stories with fanfic origins
- Queer Western romances—think Chappell Roan and Orville Peck, but in book form
We welcome diverse voices and are looking to champion queer, BIPOC, and other underrepresented creators in all categories and genres.
How to submit:
We accept agented and unagented submissions through Submittable:
Thank you for writing such wonderful, heart-grabbing novels. We can’t wait to read them!
– Leyla and the Afterglow & Carina team
