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The Steve Laube Agency

Helping to Change the World…Word by Word

The Steve Laube Agency

The Steve Laube Agency

Helping to Change the World Word by Word

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Home » Romance

Romance

Book Proposals I’d Love to See (What Tamela Hancock Murray Is Looking For)

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon January 7, 2025
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(Updated 1/7/2025) I’m thankful to the Lord that I’m a literary agent working for Him in Christian publishing. I’m grateful to the readers of this blog for being part of our writing community. As for approaching me with your work, let’s see if our passions match: Christian Romantic Suspense and Suspense Readers of Christian romantic suspense and suspense are a large and devoted fan base. I’m privileged to represent many significant authors in this space. I would like to see category novels and longer stories. The suspense author creates a realistic situation involving immediate, life-threatening danger that doesn’t diminish until the perpetrator is apprehended. Authors must know proper law enforcement procedures, weapons, and how criminals think and operate. The plot needs to be logical. The motive must be strong enough to justify the crime. The reader is waiting to see the reason for the crime, so a weak motive will diminish the reader’s enjoyment of the novel. But a twisty conclusion will encourage readers to become lifelong fans! Romantic suspense novelists should follow the above guidelines, but stories must feature a compelling and natural romance. The couple is in imminent danger. The romantic protagonists are appealing both inside and out, emphasizing personality and integrity over physical appearance. Historical and Contemporary Christian Romance Novels Christian romance readers love their authors and books. I’m honored to be an agent entrusted by many prominent authors to represent their work. I would like to see category romance novels, as well as longer novels. This author creates a fresh take on traditional plots for uplifting, inspiring stories. The author is an expert in the chosen setting, attitudes, and mores of the time. For example, to ensure accuracy, authors of Amish fiction should have a close connection with the particular community they’re portraying in their novels. When considering historical novels, choose an era you’re passionate about enough to spend numberless hours researching. Hone the discipline to include historical elements the reader needs to know and will enjoy while keeping nonessential factoids off the page. As with all Christian romance novels, the star couple is attractive inside and out, emphasizing sincere charm, temperament, and integrity over physical attributes. Other Christian Fiction I seek a tale well told that deserves a place in CBA. While novels not within a genre may have fewer guidelines, traditional publishers seek a word-count range. For example, a standalone 30,000-word novella and a 250,000-word novel from an unproven author are each likely to secure rejections from traditional publishers. Unfortunately, I must decline many submissions because of length. General Market Fiction My list boasts successful authors writing for the general market. Some authors on my roster write for both the Christian and general market because I only represent clean reads. This author has studied the market and knows where and why the work will fit. Nonfiction The importance of platform here is magnified a thousandfold in comparison with fiction. I need to see an author already connecting with a sizable number of potential readers. Nonfiction readers seek insight, help, knowledge, and encouragement. An author must show authority in the chosen topic when delivering a book to these readers. Dynamic writing is essential, even when the topic is intense. I love books that beg me to read them even when the subject doesn’t apply to me. Now that’s a well-written and engaging book. Read Before Writing Writers eager to be published must know the competition, so read what’s already available, preferably published within the last couple of years. Take notes to keep from repeating the same settings or ideas in fiction. The nonfiction author should make sure an author with an international platform has yet to publish a similar book. Visit publishers’ websites to discover their books. Some publishers offer submissions guidelines. Hearing From Me We aren’t perfect in our response speed. Please follow up if you don’t hear from us. Every submission we receive is reviewed. We attempt to respond to every offer. You can send proposals to ewilson@stevelaube.com. (Please visit the guidelines for specifics.) I look forward to hearing from you!  
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Category: Agency, Book Business, Book Proposals, Career, Craft, Creativity, Romance, Trends, Writing CraftTag: Agency, book proposals

Saving the World, One Romance at a Time

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon February 27, 2020
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Often I will receive submissions of novels tying in an element of mystery and suspense with romance. Writers targeting the romantic suspense market will find difficulty in placing this type of story. Why? Because romantic suspense readers have certain expectations that won't be met with a mere element of mystery and intrigue.

In my experience trying to sell and market romantic suspense, I have …

Read moreSaving the World, One Romance at a Time
Category: Genre, Get Published, Romance, Romantic Suspense, Tamela, Trends, Writing CraftTag: Pitching, Proposals, Tamela, Trends

To Romance or Not to Romance

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon November 14, 2019
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According to St. Teresa of Avila’s biography, the battle over romance novels has been going on at least since the 1500s:

Teresa's father was rigidly honest and pious, but he may have carried his strictness to extremes. Teresa's mother loved romance novels but because her husband objected to these fanciful books, she hid the books from him. This put Teresa in the middle -- especially since she …

Read moreTo Romance or Not to Romance
Category: Genre, Romance, Trends, Writing CraftTag: Ideas, Romance, Tamela, Trends, Writing Craft

First Lines in Fiction

By Steve Laubeon August 26, 2019
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The opening words of your novel may be all a prospective buyer will read before making their purchasing decision. Are yours an opening salvo; an opening punch; or an opening sigh, easily dismissed? They will also be the first words an agent or an editor reads when they see the sample chapters you have pitched. Every story starts somewhere. Even “once upon a time” is a beginning. I thought it would …

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Category: Pitching, Romance, Romantic Suspense, Writing Craft

Should I Write Genre Fiction for an Established Line?

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon August 8, 2019
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Sadly, Heartsong Presents is no more (shut down in 2014). It was a very popular line of Christian romance novels published by Barbour Publishing. However, when I was a young mother with school-aged children, I appreciated the fact that I didn’t have to market my books when I wrote for Heartsong. Instead, Barbour mailed books to subscribed readers every month. The books sold themselves. They did …

Read moreShould I Write Genre Fiction for an Established Line?
Category: Book Business, Book Proposals, Get Published, Romance, Romantic Suspense, The Writing Life, Trends

What is Inspirational Romance?

By Guest Bloggeron May 24, 2018
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Our guest blogger today is Angela Breidenbach. She is a Montana author & Christian Authors Network president, is the host of Lit Up! on Toginet Radio and Apple Podcasts. Angela went back to college for genealogical studies w/specialties in English & Scottish Records. She’ll graduate in 2019 as a professional genealogist. Find her at: AngelaBreidenbach.com …

Read moreWhat is Inspirational Romance?
Category: Branding, Genre, Guest Post, Marketing, Romance, Romantic SuspenseTag: Christian, Genre, Romance

Beyond the Hook: Writing Sympathetic Characters

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon October 26, 2017
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The first page may be promising. The opening chapters may be engrossing. But a reader might still abandon your book if it doesn’t deliver. How can you keep your readers going? Sympathetic Characters Some writers are talented in creating sympathetic characters from page one. Perhaps Page one occurs during a fire, when the characters have lost everything. Or the heroine has been abandoned by a …

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Category: Craft, Creativity, Editing, Romance, Romantic SuspenseTag: Characters, Craft, Reading

Researching Your Historical Novel

By Guest Bloggeron September 21, 2017
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Angela Breidenbach is a bestselling author of fiction through the ages with most of her books set in Montana. She’s the host of Lit Up! on TogiNet.com and iTunes about great entertainment from books to movies. Visit Angela and her fe-lion personal assistant, Muse, posting comedic conversations with his Writer on social media, entertaining fans just for fun. Please find her web site …

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Category: Get Published, Historical, RomanceTag: Historical, Research

Trade Fiction Versus Category Fiction: What’s the Difference?

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon May 25, 2017
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Often I’m asked, “What’s the difference between a trade book and a mass market category book?” Great question! Here are some primary differences and as always, the exception proves the rule. Trade books are: About 95,000 words in length, varying between 85,000 and 100,000. Trim size called “Trade Paperback” is usually 5.5″ x 8.5″ Not restricted by the rules of any category …

Read moreTrade Fiction Versus Category Fiction: What’s the Difference?
Category: Book Business, Romance, Romantic Suspense, The Publishing LifeTag: Book Business, The Publishing Life

Should I Push Romance into my Story?

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon November 17, 2016
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Whenever I go to a conference, I am privileged to hear about a wide range of stories and ideas. I always want the writer to succeed in marketing work to editors, so often I’ll ask how much romance the story has. Sometimes it has quite a bit. Other times, not so much. One writer told me that a male character was “intrigued” by a female character, but that was the extent of that thread, and more …

Read moreShould I Push Romance into my Story?
Category: Romance, Writing CraftTag: Marketing, Romance, Writing Craft
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