Wednesday, June 17, 2009
been a long couple of months
and we apologize for being mostly absent. Show us you're still here! Email Lorna at ldoone @ torquerepress.com and get a chance for a free paperback copy of Other Magical Creatures, our BBA menage anthology about all manner of magical men and women!
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Book Expo News
Hey y'all!
Larry and KIL Kenny returned from Book Expo America in New York relatively alive
They both had a lot to report.
Larry mainly wanted us all to know, as publishers, authors and readers of gay and lesbian romance, that a lot of people still don't know we're out there! They're interested in our genre, interested in our books and in our demographic, but they don't know where to go to find us.
As publishers, this means we need to focus on marketing through the industry specific places like Booklist and Publisher's Weekly, and start pounding the pavement with press releases.
But what can authors and readers do, you ask?
Kate reports that bookstores, conference and yes, libraries want authors to come and talk. They want readings, signings, and promo materials. These things don't have to cost a lot, or even cost anything, if a writer wants to do a reading. Book clubs want new experiences. Heck, one of our authors gave a reading at her garden society, for goodness' sake! But I don't have a book in print, you say? They want ebook authors, too. In fact, a lot of libraries are desperate for someone to come in and explain to their staff how ebooks work!
As a reader, you can do just as much to spread the word. Talk to people. Talk to librarians, local bookstores, and book clubs you might attend about gay romance. Tell them that a full 80% or more of the book market today is romance readers. Tell them that we do romance. The 2007 ebook market jumped from 1 million dollars to three million, according to an RWA survey. We estimate m/m romance is about one eighth of that. Booksellers and librarians need to know this! Terrified of outing yourself as a reader of m/m? Just make an anonymous suggestion at your local library and/or bookstore. Drop it in their suggestion box and run! We won't tell anyone.
We learned a lot more about how to set up a booth (don't be late, or everyone's trash ends up in your booth), how to market series and genres, and how to get people interested in ebooks, but the main thing we found out is that we're selling ourselves short, as a whole; readers, writers, and publishers.
So spread the word!
To Read KIL Kenny's blog post on what authors can do, go here!
Larry and KIL Kenny returned from Book Expo America in New York relatively alive
They both had a lot to report.
Larry mainly wanted us all to know, as publishers, authors and readers of gay and lesbian romance, that a lot of people still don't know we're out there! They're interested in our genre, interested in our books and in our demographic, but they don't know where to go to find us.
As publishers, this means we need to focus on marketing through the industry specific places like Booklist and Publisher's Weekly, and start pounding the pavement with press releases.
But what can authors and readers do, you ask?
Kate reports that bookstores, conference and yes, libraries want authors to come and talk. They want readings, signings, and promo materials. These things don't have to cost a lot, or even cost anything, if a writer wants to do a reading. Book clubs want new experiences. Heck, one of our authors gave a reading at her garden society, for goodness' sake! But I don't have a book in print, you say? They want ebook authors, too. In fact, a lot of libraries are desperate for someone to come in and explain to their staff how ebooks work!
As a reader, you can do just as much to spread the word. Talk to people. Talk to librarians, local bookstores, and book clubs you might attend about gay romance. Tell them that a full 80% or more of the book market today is romance readers. Tell them that we do romance. The 2007 ebook market jumped from 1 million dollars to three million, according to an RWA survey. We estimate m/m romance is about one eighth of that. Booksellers and librarians need to know this! Terrified of outing yourself as a reader of m/m? Just make an anonymous suggestion at your local library and/or bookstore. Drop it in their suggestion box and run! We won't tell anyone.
We learned a lot more about how to set up a booth (don't be late, or everyone's trash ends up in your booth), how to market series and genres, and how to get people interested in ebooks, but the main thing we found out is that we're selling ourselves short, as a whole; readers, writers, and publishers.
So spread the word!
To Read KIL Kenny's blog post on what authors can do, go here!
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Wish Us Luck at Book Expo
Webmaster Larry and editor KIL Kenny are off to New York City tomorrow through Sunday for Book Expo America, the premiere trade show for the book industry. If you're attending, stop by and see them! Booth 3962.
Our objective this year is to promote all of our various lines, from the Top Shelf to BBA (our menage line) and Prizm (our Young Adult line). We're focusing hard on independent bookstores and libraries, as well as supporting the ladies at All Romance Ebooks with their think green, read E campaign.
As always, we're aiming to bring gay and lesbian romance to the forefront of the industry!
Our objective this year is to promote all of our various lines, from the Top Shelf to BBA (our menage line) and Prizm (our Young Adult line). We're focusing hard on independent bookstores and libraries, as well as supporting the ladies at All Romance Ebooks with their think green, read E campaign.
As always, we're aiming to bring gay and lesbian romance to the forefront of the industry!
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
recent reviews for TQ books
howdy!
Our overworked review coordinator posted a whole slew of reviews over at our Social Livejournal. Rather that do all of her work over, I'll just give y'all the link!
http://community.livejournal.com/torquere_social/1191164.html
Head over and click through to some of the fabulous review sites that are so good to us!
Our overworked review coordinator posted a whole slew of reviews over at our Social Livejournal. Rather that do all of her work over, I'll just give y'all the link!
http://community.livejournal.com/torquere_social/1191164.html
Head over and click through to some of the fabulous review sites that are so good to us!
BBA title gets a kudo!
noted romance novelist Rebecca York has this to say about Lauren Burka's BBA Novela, The Memorial Garden
In MEMORIAL GARDEN, Lauren Burka, has created a world of decadence ruled by an empress who values her own pleasure far above the lives of her consorts. Full of erotic and ironic twists and turns, this story creates a tapestry of sensual surprises and forbidden pleasures.
Rebecca York ** http://www.rebeccayork.com
Here's the blurb!
In MEMORIAL GARDEN, Lauren Burka, has created a world of decadence ruled by an empress who values her own pleasure far above the lives of her consorts. Full of erotic and ironic twists and turns, this story creates a tapestry of sensual surprises and forbidden pleasures.
Rebecca York ** http://www.rebeccayork.com
Here's the blurb!
Sofian grew up to a privileged but empty life on a backward world until the Empress called him to serve her at the Celestial Court. When he arrived, he discovered that he would be serving her in bed, and that he would not long outlive the day she discarded him.
Then he meets Numair, a former consort of the Empress. They become increasingly entangled under the shadow of their shared fate, and their relationship blossoms. Will they learn the difference between need and love before time runs out for them?
Sunday, May 3, 2009
We're not dead, and a wrap up of Romantic Times
Hey y'all!
The blog is not dead! I've just been swamped, and frankly a little at a loss with what to do over here! We have the social livejournal, the Twitter, the Facebook, the Yahoogroup, the MySpace. It's a little dizzying.
Grins. Somehow a blog seems more formal, more serious. I think I may be showing my age there, huh?
At any rate, we've been swamped since we got back from Romantic Times, but I did want to share some of it with y'all!
We got in Tuesday and caught up with Vincent Diamond and Chris Owen. We were all a little lagged and settled in, just having a blast and waiting for stuff to start. Wednesday we had the electronic book signing in the evening, where Kiernan Kelly joined us, and we got to meet the fabulous Jen McJ, who came by to see us all in what would otherwise have been a very slow night.
In fact, the whole con was slow. Tory Temple came in Wednesday night, just in time to come to the fairy ball Thursday night, which despite us all dressing up as trashy Wizard of Oz characters, was surprisingly underattended. I have to assume the economy really has a lot to do with people not showing up and not costuming. We had fun, though, and got to meet up with artist Alessia Brio and partner Will, and Lori and Barb from All Romance Ebooks. We couldn't eat any of the food (darned allergies) and by the time it was done, we were ready to go have a glass of wine and play some pool. The redneck fairies will be back to jeans again next year, I promise.
The next high point was Saturday. The booksigning was slow, by all accounts, including the big names. We did get to see Elaine, though, which is always fab! Unexpected, too! Tory and Kiernan did well at their first RT, and we all got a little love from the fans, as well as meeting new people.
The best part of the whole weekend was the mass trip to Disneyworld! Kiernan knows all the ins and outs of the park, and we had a ball! You haven't lived until you've taken a load of gay romance writers on Pirates of the Carribean!
Anyway, here are a few pics to make you smile!
Julia Talbot after Kiernan painted her eyes
BA, almost ready for the ball
Kiernan, ready to get her flying monkey on
Chris as Steampunk Dorothy and Kiernan as a flying monkey
Tory Temple as the scarecrow
BA at the booksigning
Julia at the signing
Tory Temple at her first RT!
Chris Owen, in the June Cleaver dress of joy
Kiernan Kelly, getting her promo on!
Anyhoo, I'll try to keep y'all updated better! That's all for now!
The blog is not dead! I've just been swamped, and frankly a little at a loss with what to do over here! We have the social livejournal, the Twitter, the Facebook, the Yahoogroup, the MySpace. It's a little dizzying.
Grins. Somehow a blog seems more formal, more serious. I think I may be showing my age there, huh?
At any rate, we've been swamped since we got back from Romantic Times, but I did want to share some of it with y'all!
We got in Tuesday and caught up with Vincent Diamond and Chris Owen. We were all a little lagged and settled in, just having a blast and waiting for stuff to start. Wednesday we had the electronic book signing in the evening, where Kiernan Kelly joined us, and we got to meet the fabulous Jen McJ, who came by to see us all in what would otherwise have been a very slow night.
In fact, the whole con was slow. Tory Temple came in Wednesday night, just in time to come to the fairy ball Thursday night, which despite us all dressing up as trashy Wizard of Oz characters, was surprisingly underattended. I have to assume the economy really has a lot to do with people not showing up and not costuming. We had fun, though, and got to meet up with artist Alessia Brio and partner Will, and Lori and Barb from All Romance Ebooks. We couldn't eat any of the food (darned allergies) and by the time it was done, we were ready to go have a glass of wine and play some pool. The redneck fairies will be back to jeans again next year, I promise.
The next high point was Saturday. The booksigning was slow, by all accounts, including the big names. We did get to see Elaine, though, which is always fab! Unexpected, too! Tory and Kiernan did well at their first RT, and we all got a little love from the fans, as well as meeting new people.
The best part of the whole weekend was the mass trip to Disneyworld! Kiernan knows all the ins and outs of the park, and we had a ball! You haven't lived until you've taken a load of gay romance writers on Pirates of the Carribean!
Anyway, here are a few pics to make you smile!
Julia Talbot after Kiernan painted her eyes
BA, almost ready for the ball
Kiernan, ready to get her flying monkey on
Chris as Steampunk Dorothy and Kiernan as a flying monkey
Tory Temple as the scarecrow
BA at the booksigning
Julia at the signing
Tory Temple at her first RT!
Chris Owen, in the June Cleaver dress of joy
Kiernan Kelly, getting her promo on!
Anyhoo, I'll try to keep y'all updated better! That's all for now!
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Anthologies Open for Submissions at Torquere Press
Bite Me! Love Bites 2 – A BBA Menage Anthology
One neck. Two sets of bite marks. Or hickeys. Werewolves, vampires, or just a couple of kinky folks who need a third. Whatever gets the threesome motor running is good! Stories should be romance or erotic romance with a male/male/female relationship. Our readers prefer fully realized plots and strong characters, with happy endings if at all possible.
Stories are due March 21, 2009 for release in May 2009. Word count between 3000-8000 words, with a payment of $50.00, as well as a contributor copy in both electronic and paperback format. Since this is a direct to print anthology, we're asking exclusive electronic and paperback rights for 5 years. Please send a synopsis, author bio and your story to submissions@torquerepress.com with Bite Me in the subject line.
***
Cherry
Who doesn’t love a first time story? Not virgins, necessarily, or first time gay sex stories. Just the first time two boys get together. Or the first time someone does something sexual that they never thought they'd try! Anything that might be a cherry to pop will work! We're looking for gay male stories only for this anthology, with fully realized characters and hot loving!
Stories are due April 1, 2009 for release in July 2009. Word count between 3000-8000 words, with a payment of $35.00, as well as a contributor copy in electronic format. We're asking exclusive electronic 2 years. Please send a synopsis, author bio and your story to submissions@torquerepress.com with Cherry in the subject line.
***
Back in the Saddle
Cowboy stories are so popular with Torquere that we had to bring them back in the tradition of Under this Cowboy's Hat or Cowboy Up! Old west, rodeo, contemporary, or foreign, you name it, we want our cowboys! Stories should be gay male, romantic, and feature happy endings.
Stories are due June 1, 2009 for release in September 2009. Word count of 8000 or more words, with a payment of $75.00, as well as a contributor copy in both electronic and paperback format. Since this is a direct to print anthology, we're asking exclusive electronic and paperback rights for 5 years. Please send a synopsis, author bio and your story to submissions@torquerepress.com with Back in the Saddle in the subject line.
***
Vamps
Vamp it up with this Lesbian anthology! What does vamp mean to you? A vampire? A 1940s femme fatale? Let your imagination run wild, and see what kind of vamps spring to mind! Stories should lean toward romance and erotic romance, and should feature lesbian characters.
Stories are due June 1, 2009 for release in September 2009. Word count between 3000-8000 words, with a payment of $50.00, as well as a contributor copy in both electronic and paperback format. Since this is a direct to print anthology, we're asking exclusive electronic and paperback rights for 5 years. Please send a synopsis, author bio and your story to submissions@torquerepress.com with Vamps in the subject line.
***
I Put a Spell on You- a BBA Menage Anthology
Love spells? Magic in the air? You bet. All it takes is two boys, one girl and a magical romance, and you have the perfect story for I Put a Spell on You. We're looking for m/m/f romance and erotic romance with strong characters and great stories.
Stories are due July 1, 2009 for release in October 2009. Word count between 3000-8000 words, with a payment of $50.00, as well as a contributor copy in both electronic and paperback format. Since this is a direct to print anthology, we're asking exclusive electronic and paperback rights for 5 years. Please send a synopsis, author bio and your story to submissions@torquerepress.com with Spell in the subject line.
***
The Care and Feeding of Demons
Demon romance! Demon hunter romance! Urban fantasy, kick-butt antiheroes. This one was requested by Torquere's authors, who asked and received! All demons, all the time! Stories should be gay male, and should be romance or erotic romance with a hopeful or happy ending.
Stories are due July 1, 2009 for release in October 2009. Word count between 3000-8000 words, with a payment of $35.00, as well as a contributor copy in electronic format. We're asking exclusive electronic 2 years. Please send a synopsis, author bio and your story to submissions@torquerepress.com with Demons Anthology in the subject line.
***
Halloween Sip Blitz – Sips are our popular short story line, running 3000-8000 words. Every Halloween we put out Sips with a spooky theme, to be sold separately and as a package. We prefer male/male stories for this line, but will consider lesbian or menage stories if they're exceptional. The deadline for this year's Halloween Sip Blitz is August 1, 2009, and we ask exclusive electronic rights for one year. Sips are a royalty paying line, and authors earn 35% gross on all Torquere site sales, and 25% on all distributor sales.
***
Naughty and Nice Holiday Sips – Are you Naughty, or Nice? You can show us in your short stories, from 3000-8000 words, based on a holiday theme. The deadline for the holiday Sips is October 21, 2009, for release in December 2009, and we ask exclusive electronic rights for one year. Sips are a royalty paying line, and authors earn 35% gross on all Torquere site sales, and 25% on all distributor sales.
***
Holiday Single Shot Extravaganza – Got a holiday story that needs telling? Think it will be novelette length, from 10000 to 20000 words? If it's romantic, gay, lesbian or menage, and has a holiday theme, then query us for our Single Shot extravaganza! Please send query by August 1, 2009 to submissions@torquerepress.com. Once your query has been approved, stories are due by October 1, 2009. We ask exclusive electronic rights for one year. Single Shots are a royalty paying line, and authors earn 35% gross on all Torquere site sales, and 25% on all distributor sales.
***
For formatting guidelines and other information see our general guidelines page here.
One neck. Two sets of bite marks. Or hickeys. Werewolves, vampires, or just a couple of kinky folks who need a third. Whatever gets the threesome motor running is good! Stories should be romance or erotic romance with a male/male/female relationship. Our readers prefer fully realized plots and strong characters, with happy endings if at all possible.
Stories are due March 21, 2009 for release in May 2009. Word count between 3000-8000 words, with a payment of $50.00, as well as a contributor copy in both electronic and paperback format. Since this is a direct to print anthology, we're asking exclusive electronic and paperback rights for 5 years. Please send a synopsis, author bio and your story to submissions@torquerepress.com with Bite Me in the subject line.
***
Cherry
Who doesn’t love a first time story? Not virgins, necessarily, or first time gay sex stories. Just the first time two boys get together. Or the first time someone does something sexual that they never thought they'd try! Anything that might be a cherry to pop will work! We're looking for gay male stories only for this anthology, with fully realized characters and hot loving!
Stories are due April 1, 2009 for release in July 2009. Word count between 3000-8000 words, with a payment of $35.00, as well as a contributor copy in electronic format. We're asking exclusive electronic 2 years. Please send a synopsis, author bio and your story to submissions@torquerepress.com with Cherry in the subject line.
***
Back in the Saddle
Cowboy stories are so popular with Torquere that we had to bring them back in the tradition of Under this Cowboy's Hat or Cowboy Up! Old west, rodeo, contemporary, or foreign, you name it, we want our cowboys! Stories should be gay male, romantic, and feature happy endings.
Stories are due June 1, 2009 for release in September 2009. Word count of 8000 or more words, with a payment of $75.00, as well as a contributor copy in both electronic and paperback format. Since this is a direct to print anthology, we're asking exclusive electronic and paperback rights for 5 years. Please send a synopsis, author bio and your story to submissions@torquerepress.com with Back in the Saddle in the subject line.
***
Vamps
Vamp it up with this Lesbian anthology! What does vamp mean to you? A vampire? A 1940s femme fatale? Let your imagination run wild, and see what kind of vamps spring to mind! Stories should lean toward romance and erotic romance, and should feature lesbian characters.
Stories are due June 1, 2009 for release in September 2009. Word count between 3000-8000 words, with a payment of $50.00, as well as a contributor copy in both electronic and paperback format. Since this is a direct to print anthology, we're asking exclusive electronic and paperback rights for 5 years. Please send a synopsis, author bio and your story to submissions@torquerepress.com with Vamps in the subject line.
***
I Put a Spell on You- a BBA Menage Anthology
Love spells? Magic in the air? You bet. All it takes is two boys, one girl and a magical romance, and you have the perfect story for I Put a Spell on You. We're looking for m/m/f romance and erotic romance with strong characters and great stories.
Stories are due July 1, 2009 for release in October 2009. Word count between 3000-8000 words, with a payment of $50.00, as well as a contributor copy in both electronic and paperback format. Since this is a direct to print anthology, we're asking exclusive electronic and paperback rights for 5 years. Please send a synopsis, author bio and your story to submissions@torquerepress.com with Spell in the subject line.
***
The Care and Feeding of Demons
Demon romance! Demon hunter romance! Urban fantasy, kick-butt antiheroes. This one was requested by Torquere's authors, who asked and received! All demons, all the time! Stories should be gay male, and should be romance or erotic romance with a hopeful or happy ending.
Stories are due July 1, 2009 for release in October 2009. Word count between 3000-8000 words, with a payment of $35.00, as well as a contributor copy in electronic format. We're asking exclusive electronic 2 years. Please send a synopsis, author bio and your story to submissions@torquerepress.com with Demons Anthology in the subject line.
***
Halloween Sip Blitz – Sips are our popular short story line, running 3000-8000 words. Every Halloween we put out Sips with a spooky theme, to be sold separately and as a package. We prefer male/male stories for this line, but will consider lesbian or menage stories if they're exceptional. The deadline for this year's Halloween Sip Blitz is August 1, 2009, and we ask exclusive electronic rights for one year. Sips are a royalty paying line, and authors earn 35% gross on all Torquere site sales, and 25% on all distributor sales.
***
Naughty and Nice Holiday Sips – Are you Naughty, or Nice? You can show us in your short stories, from 3000-8000 words, based on a holiday theme. The deadline for the holiday Sips is October 21, 2009, for release in December 2009, and we ask exclusive electronic rights for one year. Sips are a royalty paying line, and authors earn 35% gross on all Torquere site sales, and 25% on all distributor sales.
***
Holiday Single Shot Extravaganza – Got a holiday story that needs telling? Think it will be novelette length, from 10000 to 20000 words? If it's romantic, gay, lesbian or menage, and has a holiday theme, then query us for our Single Shot extravaganza! Please send query by August 1, 2009 to submissions@torquerepress.com. Once your query has been approved, stories are due by October 1, 2009. We ask exclusive electronic rights for one year. Single Shots are a royalty paying line, and authors earn 35% gross on all Torquere site sales, and 25% on all distributor sales.
***
For formatting guidelines and other information see our general guidelines page here.
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