I haven't been impressed by the romance-packaged fantasies I've read. On the other side of the fence, I've read a lot of good SF and fantasy novels that used romance tropes. Bujold is building on romance tropes, so much so that she named one novel in homage to Heyer. Here are the bones of the article:

For published and not yet published writers, Luna Books represents a chance to write the kind of stories they've been itching to read. A longtime fantasy fan who believes that vivid characterization, world-building, imagination and compelling writing cross all genre lines, Luna Books Executive Editor Mary-Theresa Hussey welcomes this opportunity to move into the "real" fantasy market. In her first in-depth interview on Luna Books, Hussey tells Crescent Blues her hopes for the new line…and its writers.

What inspired Harlequin to name their new fantasy line Luna?

We were searching for a word that was elemental, powerful, mystical, female and yet accessible. Luna seemed the perfect combination of all of that!

What are the guidelines?

They are available through the Learn to Write channel on our www.eharlequin.com website. We are in the process of setting up a website, but it won't be ready for a little while.

What do you mean by "female-focused fantasy?" Could you give us any examples of writers and novels who you'd suggest as models?

Mercedes Lackey, Catherine Asaro, Barbara Hambly, Sarah Zettel, Jacqueline Carey, Anne McCaffrey, Elizabeth Hayden and Cecilia Dart-Thornton are a few examples of the type of authors we'd love to publish. We're honored to have the first four under contract for various projects. All those writers create strong, admirable, courageous, powerful female characters who are able to achieve their goals on their own. But each female lead also has a vulnerable side, and a varying degree of romance appears in their stories.

t jaw drops Barbarah Hambly and Sarah Zettel are going to write for this?

Holy Hermeneutics, Batman!

Hell, no. You took their bait.

They want the *next* BH and SZ to write for this. They want people who are just like BH and SZ.

Actually, the press release reads "We're honored to have the first four under contract for various projects" which might mean reprints or "co-authors" who get a credit in tiny type.

They want people who are just like BH and SZ.

Well, it's weird either way. Cause I have yet to read a romance written by Sarah Zettel. It's not what she does. Complicated alien societies and fubar politics? Sure. Romance? NSM.

My god, the Constances are right. Whoa.

t preens

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Another reason that some writer-teachers tramp on people's aspirations is that they figure if the wannabee can be discouraged, they should be.

Every published author has piles of rejection slips they got. It's hard to keep going in the face of impersonal dismissal.

Another reason that some writer-teachers tramp on people's aspirations is that they figure if the wannabee can be discouraged, they should be.

There was a column at Word Player that was essentially an essay on how much you (the reader) sucked as a writer and would never be a success and should just give up and pack it in. At the end, he makes the point that you need to get used to hearing that because you're going to hear it a lot. You need to learn to shrug it off and prove them wrong.