Library Journal will be previewing forthcoming winter/spring Romance titles in the October issue. The focus will be on first novels, notable series debuts, e-originals, and stand-alone titles to be published between October 2020 and April 2021. 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 highlight both)

• Will we continue to see more romances featuring activists and advocates for social justice, maintaining the momentum of diversity and inclusion in romance publishing? Or will stories move in different directions, bending toward escapism: i.e., more paranormal romances, lighthearted rom-coms, science fiction, fantasy, etc.?
• Can we expect an upsurge in stories highlighting diverse protagonists and perspectives?
• Can we anticipate upcoming historical romances expanding to address social justice issues and feature diverse characters and histories?
• Are there any exciting new times or places being featured in historical romances?
• What new sports romances will we see in the coming months? Will the sports featured extend beyond the currently popular fields of baseball and hockey?
• Will we continue to see growth in romantic suspense?
• Are more LGBTQA+ romances and authors on the way in 2020/21?
• Is it fair to say Erotic Romance is experiencing a kind of renaissance? Will we see more of these romances published in 2020/21? What is the current state of Erotica?
• Will consent become a frequently addressed topic in romance for the upcoming seasons?

• How has the covid pandemic affected publishing? Will we see more medical romances or stories featuring couples in the medical profession who are dealing with the crisis? Will there be more historical romances set during previous pandemics?
• Have recent calls for police reform impacted the way law enforcement is portrayed in romance?
• How is the #metoo movement continuing to affect publishing? Will we see more romances featuring couples with equal power balances? Are any republished works being edited to remove problematic plot developments acceptable in the past?
• Are more e-originals being published by both well-known and new authors?
• Given the potential recent increase in ebook sales, how are publishers marketing ebooks to libraries?
• Can we expect to see more novellas and shorter-length titles?

We’re excited to hear from you, your editors, and your authors on any or all of these topics (please include 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, Kellie Tilton, at tilton.25@gmail.com and be sure to cc me at apesek@mediasourceinc.com.

DEADLINE: August 1

Sincerely,

Annalisa

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