Interview With Kathleen Scheibling:

The question of the ages: What really IS the difference between Harlequin American and Harlequin Superromance? Readers can sense it, but an editor must define it. To that end, we're talking with Harlequin American editor, Kathleen Scheibling and hoping she can lend our writers a hand.

eHQ: Welcome Kathleen! To get started, let's begin with the guidelines. There's only 5,000 words-an average chapter-recommended difference between American and Supers, so word count shouldn't mean a whole lot. Why shouldn't writers who go slightly over the 60k mark automatically switch their manuscript to Supers?

Kathleen Scheibling: The difference between the two series is not just about word count, although the slightly shorter word count means our books have a bit of a faster pace. Two things that each and every American Romance has are a sense of family and community, and a sense of place. We look for these elements in every manuscript, and in every proposal we receive.

Harlequin / Silhouette publishes three Home and Family contemporary lines - American Romance, Superromance and Special Edition. All of these books ared about family. But there are elements that define each of these lines. For Superromance, the stories are more "slice of life" -- they're about situations that women might find themselves or their friends in on any given day. Special Editions have a bit more fantasy in them - millionaires, princesses, etc. And American Romance is probably the most aspirational-as in we're painting a picture of American life as it could be. Full of family, friends and happiness! Yes, a bit lighter in tone. We're definitely optimistic.

eHQ: Both guidelines accept a variety of tones, from comedy to drama with a wide spectrum of sensuality, but American is considered the "lighter" read. Is there a concentration on more upbeat romances, as opposed to heartbreaking conflict, such as characters with emotionally scarring pasts? How dark does American really go?

KS: I would agree that American Romances are lighter reads than Superromances. We have certainly featured wounded heroes and heroines with dark secrets in their pasts, and I would ultimately say it's all about how the character's past, or the conflict, is treated from story to story. But as a rule, I'd say American Romances are definitely set on the sunny side of the street!

eHQ: There's a general belief that American romances are all about the small town, as the guidelines recommend a strong sense of community, where Supers can be written for any town, anywhere in the country. The thinking is that if your town is too big, your book won't be considered. Is this a myth?

KS: We publish a lot of small town stories, it's true. Our authors seem to like to write them, and of course, our readers enjoy them. The idea that the place you came from is unchanged-still pure, still wholesome-is something that captures the imagination. It's part of the American dream that you can always go home again.

That said, we do indeed publish books that take place in mid-sized and big cities. Dallas, Chicago, Kansas City, Seattle and Atlanta have all been recently featured. Home is anywhere you live-and you can certainly have a community of family, friends and neighbors in a city. Our only restriction of "place" in these books is that they are set in America. And Alaska and Hawaii, of course, count.

eHQ: "We're looking for energetic writing and well-constructed plots based on contemporary, credible, appealing characters." What would constitute an unappealing character?

KS: Someone is isn't likeable or believable is unappealing. We don't want a reader to think "no person would ever say that!" Characters are usually made through their dialogue-so what they say has to be credible. Writing dialogue is an excellent skill for an author to hone.

eHQ: The guidelines also recommend a strong secondary cast. Is there such a thing as too many secondaries? Do you have a numerical point where you would tell a writer to pull back on her cast of thousands?

KS: There's no set number, but I think it's obvious when there are too many characters. The whole purpose of a secondary character is to provide interaction, and therefore help develop, the characterization of the hero and heroine. And there's only so many characters you can introduce in 55-60,000 words and do justice to.

eHQ: American has a long, literally storied history. The guidelines remind us to be contemporary, but also that you're open to classic themes. What would some of these be and which ones would you prefer to avoid?

KS: Contemporary stories about pregnancy, babies and children, stories about engagements and weddings, or first love reunions are examples of classic themes. Warring families is a classic theme (think Romeo and Juliet, or maybe Hatfield and McCoy is more like it J) but in AR, it would be set on a ranch or in a small town. There are many more themes than this, of course.

Let's say you've got a story of an unwed pregnant woman afraid to tell a man she's pregnant after spending the night with him. You could imagine how that story would play out in 1950 vs. 2008. It's all about HOW you tell the story to make a classic theme fresh and relevant to today's readers.

I don't necessarily say what I would "avoid" because that isn't cut and dried. If a story has all the family and setting elements of an American Romance but it has a paranormal element too, I'll take a look to see if it works for us. But we wouldn't normally consider paranormal. It's all about HOW a theme is worked into a story.

eHQ: Last question: Can you recommend up to three current releases that best show the voice and spectrum of what makes a romance an American Romance? Or offer any final thoughts that might strengthen a writer's understanding of the difference between American and Supers?

KS: The Family Plan by Cathy McDavid is a good example of how to use the setting to good effect to complement the story. It's also a fresh take on a first love reunion.

An Unlikely Mommy by Tanya Michaels shows a lovely picture of how extended family can run (or is that ruin? J) your life when you're falling in love.

The Pilot's Woman by Ann Roth also has a lovely setting, and is a classic story of small town vs. big city, the importance of family and the great feeling you get when you realize you are "home."

To summarize, American Romances ALWAYS have:

• A strong setting-you should know where you are in America when you are reading these books
• An extended family or community surrounding at least one of the main characters
• An optimistic, upbeat tone

Giant thanks, Kathleen, for doing this interview and giving everyone a peek into your mind. For the rest of today, March 10th, members will be able to ask questions of Kathleen in the "American vs Superromance" discussion, but from Tuesday on, we'll be discussing her answers and hopefully helping some of you sort out which line is the best for you!