What is Swoon Reads, you ask? It's a novel idea from Macmillan: a crowdsourced romance imprint for teens. It's a community of writers and readers; both can make a Swoon Reads account and sign in, either to upload their manuscript to the site or to read uploaded manuscripts. Submissions should be 50,000-70,000 word romances written for readers aged 14 and older, in any sub-genre (historical, dystopian, mash-up, etc.), and gay and lesbian romances are welcome. Readers can rate (0-5 hearts, from "Did Not Finish" to, you guessed it, "Swoon-Worthy") and comment on the manuscripts they read, and the submissions that have the highest ratings will be passed to an editorial board - if the board concurs that the manuscript is "SW♥♥N-worthy", it gets published!
Swoon Reads' first title, A Little Something Different: Fourteen Viewpoints, One Love Story is in the library catalog, so place your holds now! Written by Sandy Hall, a librarian from New Jersey, it's a romance with an interesting twist - the novel's 14 viewpoints don't include the love story's protagonists, Lea and Gabe! Instead, the reader learns about their "meet-cute" and all that follows from viewpoints that include a roommate, a professor, a brother, a classmate, a friend, a barista, a bus driver, a squirrel, and a bench. Reviewers have called it "a sweet, quick romance" [VOYA Reviews] and a "good choice for reluctant readers" [School Library Journal]. "Swoonworthy Extras" include "A Coffee Date" with the author and editor, discussion questions, and a short preview of the next title to be published. Watch for more from this new imprint!
Links
Swoon Reads: The Next Romance Bestseller, Selected by You [NPR]
Swoon lets YA readers choose which books get published [CNN]
Quote Roundup: A Little Something Different by Sandy Hall [Mac Teen Books]
Swoonworthy Manuscripts Selected for Publication [Swoon Reads]
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