However, these enigmatic men are often those who claim our hearts and seduce our bodies, and the unveiling of their mysteries is part of the path to true love. The challenge in writing a Gothic for Candleglow, along with creating an evocative, ominous setting, is maintaining the powerful sexual attraction the heroine feels for the hero-despite any questions she might have regarding her safety and the trustworthiness of her lover. As always, the focus should remain on the development of the relationship between the hero and heroine, and should not be shifted to other plot concerns. Although these romances can contain paranormal elements, they should be strictly historical in regard to time period and as sensual as possible. However, while the stories' tones will range from outrageous hilarity to lighthearted cleverness, the focus of each must remain upon the development of the romance between the hero and the heroine.
Strong plots continue to be crucial.
In all other respects, authors should follow the basic guidelines provided earlier. Finished manuscripts should be approximately 95,000 to 100,000 words. The Perfect Hero line consists of sensual romances that focus upon a heroine and her discovery of the perfect mate. Embodying the most positive romance themes, The Perfect Hero series is intended to capture the grandest and most lovable heroes of all. Ideally, the opening sentence should be a knockout and refer to the hero, as it may be used in connection with the cover art.