Rachel Kramer Bussel talks to the man:

Since you publish across genres and formats, from political activism to poetry, fiction, graphic novels, comics, spirituality, history, current events, and erotica, is there an overarching theme tying them all together, or do you evaluate each book on an individual basis? Is there anything you categorically do not want to see and would never publish?

The theme is that through all these books, I'm trying to understand the world. In a sense the process is deeply personal (I'm trying to understand) and wholly divorced from my personal tastes (to understand the world properly, you have to let it come at you full-bore, shock you.) So really no, there's very little I could say I would not do -- I just did a book called Power and the Idealists by a so-called liberal hawk, but I did a book by a guy who thinks the Zapatistas need to be far more aggressive militarily. So in this sense, very much everything has to be evaluated case-by-case, so as to allow for discovery.

Find mo' here!

Rachel Kramer Bussel speaks with the 5-year veteran of the romance house:

Harlequin is the standard-bearer for many people when they think of romance, and releases 110 titles a month with its various imprints, selling 144 million books worldwide in 2003. How has the company evolved with the times, and how are the romances you edit different from, say, those from 20 or 30 years ago?

Harlequin is always looking to update their offerings and determine the next wave of reader interest. We were the first company to respond to the success of the chick lit genre. After the success of Bridget Jones' Diary, we launched Red Dress Ink, which still publishes distinctive fiction for the 21st-century woman. And in the last few years, Harlequin has launched several new series and imprints that go well beyond romance: fantasy imprint Luna Books, erotica imprint Spice, as well as a women's fiction series, Harlequin Next, and the upcoming series Silhouette Nocturne, Harlequin Everlasting and Steeple Hill Love Inspired Romantic Suspense and Love Inspired Historicals. We're also invested in new formats for fiction, from mobile phone technology to e-books and audio downloads.

In today's romance market there is a wide range of character types, plots and subgenres. Romance readers tend to read a lot, both in and out of the genre, so romance authors -- and publishers -- capitalize on this by providing romances that blend genres, such as romantic thrillers, Christian romance, romantic suspense, erotic romance, and women's fiction. First and foremost, romance novels are about the emotional high of finding love. That's still true today.

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Rachel Kramer Bussel asks the questions:

Can you give me an overview of the kinds of books Harper Perennial publishers, and then within those areas, what you specialize in?

We reprint books that are published in hardcover by Harper, William Morrow, and Ecco; we publish original paperbacks, including some by young novelists (more on them later), anthologies (like The Revolution Will Be Accessorized, which collects the best of BlackBook magazine), and essay collections (like The Thinking Fan's Guide to the World Cup); and we always keep an eye on what other houses are publishing, with the thought of possibly acquiring the paperback rights. I'm fortunate to be able to work across those boundaries on a variety of projects, rather than having to narrowly specialize in one thing.

According to a 2005 Publishers Weekly article, Harper Perennial was streamlined last year to focus on a media-savvy audience who "read The New Yorker, surf Salon.com, listen to NPR and watch cable channels like BBC America." How has the branding of the imprint played out? Is there anything else you can say about who your target reader is?

I think Nick Hornby was right in High Fidelity when he suggested that our tastes define us as well or better than anything else might, and so that list is a pretty good description—we want to target readers who are broadly intelligent, curious, and plugged in to both high and low(ish) culture. Our readers absolutely might read The New Yorker, but I imagine a lot of them also watch Entourage and/or Pimp My Ride. As for the more material aspects of the branding, many people locked themselves in rooms for many hours to draw up a plan, and they came out with a great new logo and a beautiful, more uniform design for the books, which really stand out.

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"The mission statement we have—to publish books by women for women and which inform women's lives-can be interpreted broadly, of course; but we are a feminist press and will always publish books that speak to women, and ideally that help women," Ms. Warner tells Rachel Kramer Bussel:

What makes a given book stand out for you, and, conversely, what makes you immediately reject a manuscript?

We acquire books by committee, so a proposal kind of goes through the ringer here before we'll bring it on. Sometimes a proposal stands out because of the writing, other times the platform. I acquired Max Wolf Valerio's The Testosterone Files: My Hormonal and Social Transformation from Female to Male because of the writing, but it was a serious conversation here because he is technically the first male writer Seal has ever published (in a single-author book). Yet we're publishing trans issues, and we realized that we needed to embrace writers and issues all along the gender spectrum, so that was a direction that we decided to go as a press.

Things I reject outright include books that would probably have commercial appeal elsewhere. We don't publish guides on how to catch the perfect man of your dreams because we don't believe that those types of books are empowering to women. Conversely, we will publish dating books that have a feminist sensibility to them, in which the writer addresses the range of emotions that are involved around being single. We tend to err toward more complex issues that lots of women grapple with.

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This editor isn't swayed by books with marketing hooks, and he has a list-comprised equally of sci-fi and women's fiction written by virtual unknowns-to prove it, writes Rachel Kramer Bussel:

mediabistro: What makes a given book stand out for you and, conversely, what makes you immediately reject a manuscript?

Stevens: The book has to be different: have a different tone, interesting characters or conflict, or unusual settings. So much of what I receive is perfectly well-written, but tells a story I've heard many times before.

I also have to really love the book. After all, I'm going to be reading it three, four, or five times during the editing process. Then, it's up to me to sell the book to other departments in the company. The enthusiasm I show for a book has to be genuine. Believe me, they know if I'm faking it.

One of my recent buys is Fashionably Late by Nadine Dajani, which is coming out in 2007. Nadine's critique group told her that the book wouldn't sell because it's set in Canada and the Caribbean-not in the United States—and because the book features a Lebanese-Canadian main character. Those are the main things that attracted me to the book. It didn't occur to me for a second to ask her to change the setting to somewhere in the United States. That would have ruined the flavor of the book.

I bought sMothering by Wendy French because the partial she submitted had me rolling on the floor. I made copies of the submission, and was running up and down the hallway giving copies to co-workers, saying they had to read it.

On the science fiction side, Tobias Buckell's novel Crystal Rain is set on a lost planetary colony. But this particular colony was settled by refugees from the Caribbean, and their language and culture shapes the entire novel.

And Gil's All Fright Diner by A. Lee Martinez was a buddy story about a vampire and a werewolf who save the world from a teenage witch. It was just so much fun that I had to buy it. I'm glad I did because it has gone back to press multiple times, it won the Alex Award from ALA, and the movie rights were optioned by the Jim Henson Company. Not too shabby for the author's first novel.

Rachel Kramer Bussel chats with the executive editor of the 18-34 year old targeting imprint that counts Tommy Chong, Jerry Heller, Foxy Brown, Phil Gordon and Gabe Kaplan among its authors.

mediabistro: What kinds of books do you work on/are you looking for? Conversely, what kinds of books don't you want to see at all?

Boczkowski: I do a fair amount of celebrity books-I love working with comedians, in particular. Memoir is probably my favorite genre to work on, but I also do a fair amount of narrative and prescriptive nonfiction (in a "self-help you're not embarrassed to buy" kinda way.) I also have a background in illustrated books, so I have a soft spot for projects that are more visual. And I'm dipping my toes into editing fiction for the first time with Andy Greenwald's next book, which I am really excited to try. While I don't really want to impose any limits on what kinds of proposals are sent to me, because you never know when you'll take a shine to something, I also don't want to have to wade through a lot of crap. Just don't send me crap... unless, of course, it's so crappy that it's hilarious, and will make for an entertaining editorial meeting.

mediabistro: Your books are targeted toward 18-to-34-year-old readers, and have a pop culture bent, from Jess Bruder's Burning Book: Celebrating Twenty Years of Burning Man and Sarah Lewitinn's The Pocket DJ, to Foxy Brown's forthcoming memoir Broken Silence and Tommy Chong's The I Chong. Is there a sense that, with this demographic, you're competing with other forms of media (TV, Internet, etc.) for their attention in ways you're not with readers who are 35 and older?

Boczkowski: We're not competing for their attention so much as we are for their time. I don't think people our age are reading less, I think they're just being more discerning about what they invest their time in. The "other forms of media"-the Internet, in particular-are actually a huge help to us in reaching our readers more effectively, especially when it comes to this target demographic. We try to get creative with the marketing, publicizing-even the selling of our books-in order to get our books in the line of vision of an audience that might be more easily reached on Gawker or in Urban Outfitters than in the Times Book Review or in the chains.

More here.

Rachel Kramer Bussel chats with Nichole Argyres from St. Martin's:

mediabistro: What kinds of books to do you work on/are you looking for? Conversely, what kinds of books don't you want to see at all?

Argyres: In nonfiction, I'm looking for memoir, family stories, "women with something to say"-whether it be on business, politics, family, spiritual, or women's issues. Popular science, soft business, and anything Greek, as well as anything about medicine or mental health. I deal mostly with narratve nonfiction, but have also done some practical nonfiction, and recently bought my first cookbook.

In fiction, I have a large range-from commercial fiction, to upmarket women's commercial fiction, to literary. I'm character and plot-driven. I like fiction about small places and large families. In both fiction and nonfiction, a strong voice and clear message are paramount. Writing that is too quiet or internal doesn’t resonate with me.

mediabistro: You've worked largely with non-fiction books, such as What It Takes: Speak Up, Step Up, Move Up: A Modern Woman's Guide to Success in Business by Amy Henry of The Apprentice; and Brigitte Gabriel's forthcoming Terror in God's Name: Islam's Holy War Against the West; and Christopher Van Tilburg's memoir Mountain Rescue Doctor-most very timely works. What do you look for, specifically, from these types of books? In terms of newsworthy, topical works, do you have a wishlist of issues you want to see covered, or items in the news you'd like to work on?

Argyres: I look for a strong platform and fresh message. The shelves are so crowded these days that getting the attention of the media is key-quality content and connections to the media are two ways to do this.

Rachel Kramer Bussel speaks with an Associate Editor at Random House and Ballantine who wants to "see books with underrepresented characters":

Mediabistro: Is there a typical way authors find you, or vice versa - is it mostly word of mouth? Do you seek out specific projects in addition to what gets sent to you?

Durkin: Agents. Agents call up an editor and pitch a project she/he thinks would be appropriate. If I have an idea for a book, I'll look for a writer or an agent and work on developing a new project. If someone I respect wants to refer an author to me, I will always consider it.

Mediabistro: When you're acquiring a book, how much relevance does the author's long-term potential have?

Durkin: It's usually nice to be able to look at an author's career in the long-term. We always think about that.

Mediabistro: How many manuscripts do you receive in a given week or month? Do you only consider agented submission? Do you look at everything that gets sent to you?

Durkin: I can get 3-10 manuscripts in any given week. I don't always look at the unagented stuff. There just isn't time.

Mediabistro: What are the qualities in a manuscript that immediately grab you and make you keep reading/want to work on a particular book?

Durkin: A strong, mature style; a theme that will make people think; something that makes me laugh out loud.

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This is Annie, home from the ASJA Conference and turning the blog back to Claire. It was great fun; attending conferences every now and again helps writers get ideas, improve craft, and feel some camaradarie in a solitary profession.

Also, a shoutout to United Airlines - the baggage handlers ripped the front pocket off of my suitcase, but they gave me a new one with no muss and no fuss. Hurray!

Rachel Kramer Bussel chats with Allworth Press Associate Editor Jessica Rozler about the books she works on: practical, legal, and business guides for people who work in creative fields:

Mediabistro: Does a potential author need to be an expert in the field they're pitching, or already working in that field, in order to write a guide?

Rozler: It is very important that our authors have experience and background in the field they're pitching. Many of our authors are working photographers, graphic designers, actors, and musicians. We also have a lot of authors who having teaching experience in the particular fields they write about. That's always a good thing. Right now I'm working on a book called Your Career in Animation: How to Survive and Thrive. The author, David B. Levy, has extensive work experience as an animation artist and teaching experience at Parsons School of Design and School of Visual Arts. We love to see that.

Mediabistro: When you're acquiring a book, how much relevance does the author's long-term potential have?

Rozler: When we sign up a book, it's because the particular title is of interest to us, and the author seems like she has knowledge, credibility, and a presence in her field and is able to organize her thoughts for the scope of a book. Initially, we aren't really looking at long-term potential. However, if the author proves to be knowledgeable, professional, and cooperative, and has an interest in writing about related topics, we are eager to make a long-term relationship.

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