Library Journal will be previewing upcoming winter/spring Romance titles in our October issue. The focus will be on first novels, notable series debuts, e-originals, and stand-alone titles to be published between October 2019 and April 2020. Please consider the following suggested topics and any other subjects in which you think our librarian readers would be interested:

• Debut authors and series (we love to spotlight both)

• What are publishers doing to ensure diversity remains a priority? Specifically:
  o What’s new in LGBTQ+ romance?
  o Who are the #ownvoices authors to look forward to?
  o Can we anticipate more stories featuring interracial relationships?
  o Recent popular romances have focused on individuals with disabilities or developmental disorders. Will this trend continue?
• Regency-era, London-set romances have long ruled historicals. What other locales and time periods can we expect from the subgenre?
• Romantic comedies took center stage last year; will that growth continue?
• Fans are clamoring for more realistic heroes. Are the days of billionaires and alpha males past us?
• Similarly, the #metoo movement is helping to ensure stories feature smart, capable women who triumph. Which romances fit that bill this year?
• Will there be stories featuring characters finding love later in life (40+)?
• Any notable sports romances to look forward to in the coming months?
• Sf romance has seen a recent resurgence (with films such as Black Panther promoting Afro-futurism, Ready Player One the female geek, Captain Marvel strong military-type women, and Annihilation female scientists. What will be new in romance in this area?
• Are there any classic retellings on the horizon?

• With the continuing popularity of e-original romances, both by well-known and new authors, will we see a growth of e-only imprints this year? Are any other initiatives planned to increase digital access in libraries?
• How are publishers addressing the issue of time-metered ebooks (least desirable for libraries)? Will they revert back to the one copy/one use method that many public libraries prefer?
• Are publishers buying more self-published titles or courting self-published authors? How does the continuing success of self-publishing impact the romance landscape?

We’d love to hear from you, your editors, and your authors on any or all of these topics (please include the full title of those speaking so we can quote them accurately). We also will be including your top titles for the coming season within the narrative feature itself and in a companion title list. Please email the following information: author, title, pub date, and a brief description—catalog copy will suffice—to our author, Eve Stano, at evestano@gmail.com and be sure to cc me at apesek@mediasourceinc.com and Stephanie Klose at sklose@mediasourceinc.com.

The deadline is Monday, August 26!!! It’s tight, but we want to be sure to hear from all of you.

Sincerely,

Annalisa

Annalisa Pešek
Assistant Managing Editor
Library Journal
123 William St., Suite 802
New York, NY 10038