Love, Actually

The popular series of romantic novels Mills & Boon gets an Indian makeover

Tall, dark and handsome. Petite, pretty and perfect. The two shall meet, fall in love and share an amazing chemistry. The altercations and differences notwithstanding, the couple will walk down the aisle and live happily ever after. In Mills & Boon novels some things are forever, like love. However, when the popular romantic novel was launched in India, its publishers, Harlequin Mills & Boon India (HMBI), decided to give it an Indian twist. The authors of Indian Mills & Boon set out on a mission to keep in mind the preferences of Indian readers while conceiving the characters, situations and stories.

While over 20 titles are now locally published and distributed every year through Harlequin, Manish Jain, country manager of HMBI, says that the success story dates back to 2008, when they launched the India operations. The company’s network, which is more than 100 years old, comprises 1,300 authors from diverse backgrounds. An author development programme is conducted through the contest titled Passions Aspiring Authors Auditions (PAAA). “The first Indian Mills & Boon, titled The Love Asana, was launched in December 2010 and written by Punjab-born Milan Vohra. The second winner of the PAAA contest, Aastha Atray’s book will be launched in December 2011,” says Jain, adding that the cover of the novels will also have Indian faces, selected via a model hunt.

Full report here Indian Express

Mills & Boons to go digital from Dec

Harlequin Mills & Boon India (HMBI), the Indian subsidiary of publisher of Mills and Boon novels, is planning to launch their digital operations by the end of this year.

Till now, HMBI vends most of its novels through news-stands, kiosks and retail stores.

HMBI started its Indian operations in February 2008, printing and marketing books locally. It is currently publishing 20 new romance titles every month, focusing on five series: modern, romance, desire, special moments, historical and the latest one being nocturne. Manish Singh, country manager, HMBI said the e- book operations would be launched later this year that initially would commence with limited test marketing.

With the Indian e-book market still in nascent stage, the company would be closely monitoring the growth through e-books. The launch of e-books would help the novel publisher to expand its reach to new cities across India. Apart from e books to expand their reach, HMBI is also trying to capitalise on growth of retail revolution.

Manish added they were further trying to penetrate the retail operations form where they expect sale to grow. Although majority of the sales is coming through news-stands and kiosks, but it is not growing. As of date the main sale for HMBI novels comes through news-stands and kiosks which contribute 55 per cent with rest coming from retail stores.

Full report here Business Standard

Sense of exile

The story comes into its own when the author explores an extra-marital affair between two men.

Ghalib Shiraz's Dhalla's book catches you unawares. Just when you are resigned to another — somewhat florid — account of the Great Indian Diaspora, it decides to throw a whammy, or two. Just when it is chugging along nicely like a cross between Brokeback Mountain with an Asian twist and a gay version of a Mills & Boon romance, it decides to introduce an altogether new dimension. In fact, The Exiles hits its stride somewhere in the middle of its rambling narrative; it comes into its own when the author explores an extra-marital fling between two queer men from the point of view of a wife who is not merely betrayed but straight!

Is the betrayal any greater, the book seems to be asking, because the husband's affair is with a man and not a woman? Would the wife's pain have been any less if the “other” had been a woman? And what of her inexplicable sense of shame? As though she is guilty and responsible for driving her husband away — that too, into the arms of a man? Could she have done something, said something to have prevented this? And what of their college-going son? How is a mother to protect her homophobic son from finding out that his father has not merely walked out on them, but has done so with his gay lover?

Full report here Hindu

Mills & Boon, Saregama invite Indian women

Ageless hero, timeless romance, passionate fantasy, friend, … all of these are part of many women’s thoughts and emotions as they have enjoyed a special journey with Mills & Boon books for over 100 years. No matter which year it is or what age a woman may be, a romantic story always stirs hope, cheer, warmth and passion in a woman’s heart.

Harlequin Enterprises Ltd., the global leader in series romance and publisher of the most widely read women's fiction books “Mills & Boon,” is coming closer to the heart of the Indian woman. With over 14 titles now locally published and distributed every year through Harlequin Mills & Boon India (HMBI), the thrill of reading a romantic novel is on the rise among Indian women.

Mills & Boons books have often been seen as a close friend and companion of women from early teenage years through various phases and stages of their lives, from a quick daily read, to being a vacation companion, rejuvenator, emotional advisor and even an imaginary friend and confidant - a true “Friend for Life.” Inspired by the results of research among Indian women, HMBI is committed to further strengthen its relationship with them by engaging in various customer connect activities. “Friends for Life” is new nationwide initiative which invites readers to share their experiences and thoughts on how or why Mills & Boon has been their friend through the journey of life.

Full report here Indiantelevision

MB to publish book by Indian

Mills and Boons (M and B), leading global publishing brand in romance and women's fiction, today said it had doubled its sales here in the last two years and proposed to publish a book penned by an Indian writer.

M and B, an over 100-year old brand, which was imported into India for the last 60 years, commenced its India operations in 2008 by printing and marketing books locally."We have doubled our sales in the last two years. Our sales are as expected", Manish Singh, Country Mangager Harlequin Mills and Boons India, publishers of M and B, said.

"India is one of our biggest potential overseas market", he said while launching an initiative aimed at connecting readers of the M and B brand called `Friends for Life' M and B was also planning to launch a book in next four to six months, penned by an Indian author, Milan Vohra. Vohra would be the first Indian author to write for M and B. She was selected from the 550 entries received for a story writing contest. The plot of the book titled `The Love Asana' was based in Delhi and had Indian characters, he said.

The firm has a multiple-product format offering, including digitial, hand held mobiles, PC, he said. Currently the brand was available in the book format in India, but it was keen in rolling out the other formats once the market was ready and big enough for these roll outs. Going by the popularity of the brand, the publishers launched two titles with setting in India last year. M and B globally released 60 titles in 10 categories every month. In India the group releases 14 titles in four categories every month. The categories were Modern, Romance, Desire and Special Moments.

Full report here IBN Live

Romantic novels move into new era

They stroll beaches in Saint Tropez, take a gondola ride in Venice in the moonlight, and sip champagne under the stars in Nice. The hero is always tall, dark and brooding, the heroine, smart, sexy and sweet. They may have their ups and downs, face seemingly insurmountable obstacles, but there’s no doubt that in the end… they will live together and happily ever after.

This has perhaps been the formula of the Mills and Boon for years and women have devoured them with relish. For those few exquisite hours, lost in the romance of the story, many women are swept into another world, an exotic locale a dreamy partner, a roller coaster relationship and finally, a perfect marriage.

In an attempt to take a fresh look at romance writing and to launch a new initiative among readers, Harlequin Enterprises Ltd held a panel discussion in the city recently. Over the afternoon, women professionals who’ve loved Mills and Boon books all their lives, spoke about the genre at length. A nationwide initiative was also launched called ‘Friends for Life’, which invites readers to share their experiences and thoughts on how and why Mills and Boon has been their friend through the journey of life.

Full report here DNA

Mills & Boon publisher sees India as ‘largest potential overseas market'

Indian readers seem to be on a romance over-run. Harlequin Enterprises, the publishers of the Mills & Boon brand of romance fiction, which claim its sales volume in India has been rising 10 per cent every quarter over the last couple of years, views the country as its “largest potential overseas market”.

India sales
“India sales has more than doubled in the last two years and the country has the potential to get into our top five markets in five years,” says Mr Manish Singh, Country Manager, Harlequin Mills & Boon, pointing out favourable factors such as economic prosperity, increasing urbanisation and growth in modern retail.

Today, North America, the UK, and even Japan (thanks to the digital edition in Japanese) figure in the top five markets for Harlequin. India currently features in the top 10 markets for the publisher.

After the company started its Indian operations in 2008, with its own printing and marketing, the Indian reader no longer needed to wait for six months (sometimes even longer) for the imported edition. Currently, 14 titles are released every month in the country, simultaneously with their global launch. Local printing has also allowed prices to come down by 50-60 per cent, making Mills & Boon an “affordable” “recession-proof” product, says Mr Singh. “At price points of Rs 99 and Rs 125, these novels have become an impulse buy today,” he says.

Full report here Newsy Stocks

Share your Mills & Boon experience

Those stories of timeless romance that you would have once read and enjoyed are coming closer. Mills & Boon, in order to strengthen its relationship with Indian readers, is inviting women in Bangalore to join their circle of true `Friends for Life'.

`Friends for Life' is a new nation-wide initiative which invites readers to share their experiences and thoughts on how or why Mills & Boon has been their friend through the journey of life.

Any woman staying in India can log onto www.millsandboonindia.com before October 25 and share how Mills & Boon has been her friend for life. A panel will identify 10 best `Friends for Life' and invite them for a discussion to select a `Ms Mills & Boon, India - Friend for Life 2011.'

Full report here Times of India 

Eternal romance that survives a marriage

Love may be independent of real life in the books, but marriage takes its toll on romance outside them, admit the publishers of Mills & Boon. They suspect it happens most in India.

According to market research carried out by the most well-known brand of romantic fiction, which started its India operations in 2008, the reader group that it targets in the Indian market is the single, working woman in her 20s. She has money and she is ready to indulge herself.

But she goes off the hook once she is married, for about five years. “There’s a hiatus,” says Clare Somerville, general manager, India and UK sales, Harlequin Mills & Boon. “The break is peculiar to India. After that the reader returns.”

Full report here Telegraph

Our MB man

You may disdain Mills & Boon (MB) novellas but that should not prevent the admission that Kuldip Chander, the seller of MBs, is a great product that has come out of that pulp factory. Year after year, this quiet and unassuming man is seen seated on the same spot outside his little shack in Hargyan Singh Arya Marg, a rutty lane in South Extension-I. We rarely see a crowd at ‘Kuldeep Book Shop’, but since Chander has been in business for more than four decades, he must be making money. One of the three signboards outside his stall advertise: “Return the books and take half the money back.”

Chander was six when his father left the hometown Gujranwala, now in Pakistan, in 1947. They came to India as Partition refugees. The family lived in various towns in North India before settling in Delhi in 1958.

After graduating from a government school in Lodhi Road, Chander opened a second hand bookshop in Defence Colony in 1965. In the beginning, he stocked thriller novelists such as James Hadley Chase, Nick Carter and Alistair MacLean. He would get them from the discards of private libraries and also, of course, from second-hand book dealers in Daryagnaj’s Sunday Book bazaar. The customers were, and still are, mostly college students, especially girls, looking for bargains in R30 romance paperbacks.

Full report here Hindustan Times

When chick-lit is a guy thing

About the time Sex And The City was being released in theatres, a popular joke among men was that watching the film with their wives would be the ultimate agnee pariksha (a walk through fire). Survivors of that experience would be nominated for the ‘best husband award’.

Cinematic therapy works differently on both sexes. Watching Carrie Bradshaw and friends’ desires, sexual fantasies and lives unfold in New York city is one thing. Admiring Robert Patrick strolling coolly through fire, dodging bullets in The Terminator is something else.

The charms of literature work similarly. Chick-lit and dude-lit are probably the most egoistical bedfellows on a bookshelf. Both have their devoted readers. But for some strange reason, men are expected to read only one of them, while it’s considered acceptable for women to read both.

Then there’s the ‘literature infidel’. And ladies and gentlemen, it’s a he. The same man who will make faces at the bookstore billing counter when he spots his wife’s shopping basket overflowing with Mills & Boon, Nicholas Sparks and Helen Fielding. The same man who will check out the back-covers of those books after his wife is asleep. The same man who will resume his disapproval once she wakes up the next morning.

Full report here DNA

M&B's romantic boon in India

Here is the best example of the exaltation of two consenting adults in the mood for whoopee. Harlequin Mills and Boon (M&B), once the lovey-dovey of teenage imagination, has introduced four of its imprints in India, with plans to add more from its global portfolio.

“India is potentially the largest overseas market for the M&B brand,” says Manish Singh, country manager, HM&B India Pvt Ltd.

In India, HM&B sells Blue, which is modern romance, Pink for romance, Desire for seduction and passionate desires and Special Moments for family and friends. To this, they will add Historical later this year and Nocturne next year.

“The Nocturne series is about para-normal love, romance with werewolves and vampires. This is a genre which is very popular in India,” says Clare Somerville, HM&B general manager, India, UK and export sales.

Full report here Economic Times

Coming up, love stories starring werewolves, vampires

India, clearly has weather conducive to the rose of romance', given the fact that business has doubled in the two years that Mills and Boon, a British publisher of romance novels, started their India operations. And though they're not disclosing the figures, Clare Claire Somerville, general manager, India, UK and Export Sales, Mills and Boon, and Manish Shroff, country manager, Harlequin Mills & Boon, say the English-speaking, fast-moving India is the largest overseas potential market for their books.

With annual world-wide sales in the realm of 150 million books a revenue that added up to 200 million pounds in 2009, to say nothing of 4.5 books sold every second, the Mills & Boon romantic fiction series was not affected by either recession, internet boom, cable television or various other forms of entertainment. "In fact, we tend to do quite well during the hard times," says Somerville, who was on a brief visit to the city recently.

In India, it's the single working woman up to the age of 25 who is their niche customer, says Singh. Plans on the anvil include tie-ups with Bollywood and other brands, and editorial expansion. With 80 new titles sold in the UK every month, 14 in India and many more in North America, what does it take to write those books?

Full report here Times of India 

Mills and Boon looking for Indian writers

The handsome rake that eventually turns out to be an earnest lover is an idea in literature that many find fascinating. Mills and Boon (M&B) has always harped on that very idea, when it comes to creating a plot for their stories. The novels tickle the Indian sensibility even more because of its larger-than-life characters, setting, and emotional drama, much like our Bollywood movies.

The publishing house, Harlequin Mills and Boon, is taking Bollywood really seriously. In their most recent tie-up, the typical M&B hero will take inspiration from Imran Khan’s character in I Hate Luv Storys (IHLS).

The publishing house has collaborated with Dharma Productions to come up with a special series of eight books, which will carry forward the story of the lovers in IHLS and Imran as the cynical loverboy.

Clare Somerville, of Harlequin Mills and Boon says, “We did a special pack with the cover of the film posters of IHLS, and held a competition where the winner could meet Imran Khan. Imran and Sonam Kapoor really cooperated with us and as it turned out, Imran’s mum is a great M&B fan!”

Full report here Hindustan Times

In full bloom

Clare Somerville recounts Mills and Boon's journey of love

Knights, sheikhs and billionaire businessmen with drop-dead killer looks languorously rule these pages. Gorgeous women, who make them go weak in their knees, complete the canvas. The obstacles on their way are namesake and before long passion and love seal their lives.

Mills and Boon novels have squeezed tight this age-old formula for over a century and triumphantly gallop forward. The stories, meanwhile, keep their date with contemporary times; protagonists have grown bolder and dare to venture into territories taboo 50 years ago.

The wiry novels typically with a passionate man and woman on the cover entered the Indian market couple of years ago. “Our India operations have been hugely successful and we have doubled our sales. There is a growing appetite (for M&B),” says Clare Somerville, general manager, India, UK and export sales, Harlequin Mills & Boon, on a visit here.

Mills and Boon answer call of India's new middle class for English novels

Publishers predict India will become the world's biggest market for books in the English language within a decade

In among the slightly decrepit halls and the rubbish strewn grass of New Delhi's Pragati Maidan conference halls is a stand decked in pink and powder blue.Beneath the posters for Ruthless Magnate, Convenient Wife, and Accidentally Expecting, Manish Singh, Mills & Boon's country manager for India, is doing brisk business.

The popular romantic novels were launched in India exactly two years ago and doubled their sales in the past year. "We are looking to expand still further in 2010," Singh says.The publisher, Harlequin Mills & Boon, is far from the only beneficiary of a boom in book sales that is sweeping India. Dan Brown's sequel to The Da Vinci Code, The Lost Symbol, has already sold 100,000 in hardback alone.

Aravind Adiga's Man Booker winner The White Tiger has sold more than 200,000 copies since its publication in 2008. Driving the demand is the country's continuing economic boom – 6.7% growth in 2009 despite the global crisis – and the tastes of the new Indian middle class.

"It is a forward looking generation," said Singh. "The low hanging fruit for us is the single working woman who has money in her hands, the liberty to read, no responsibilities yet, no husband, children and so on."

Full report here Guardian

India embraces Mills & Boon

Mills & Boon has come to India, and its romantic novels featuring Indian love interests are being embraced by the middle class. Jerry Pinto looks at the genre that it is finally taking root in a country that has been modest about amorous entanglements.

He’s tall, dark and handsome. She’s beautiful, doe-eyed and chaste. His eyes flame when he sees her. She wonders if it is wrong to feel “this way”. For decades, Indian middle-class women grew up reading about men with hard thighs and women who didn’t even know how beautiful they were. Of course, they were all white people, although a Latin lover might sometimes be permitted, so long as he owned a castle in Spain.
The good news is: Mills & Boon has come to India.

Last year, the world’s largest publisher of romantic fiction ran a contest to discover new talent, and Milan Vohra won it with a short story called Love Asana, in which Shioli Dewan, a yoga instructor (height: 5ft 1in; eyes: delicious warm honey-brown; hair: a rich, dark auburn mane that tumbles to her shoulders in careless abandon) finds love with one of her students, Sujay (height: 6ft; legs: long, lithe; hair: charming jet-black hair that flip-flops any old way). The catch is that he’s 28; she’s 30 and a battle-scarred veteran of the love wars.

Full report here The National

Books for V-Day?

Everyone loves a good love story. With Valentine's Day less than a week away, the world of fine print is once again waking up to good old romance.

"So what can this bond be called which does not abide by the rules - which does not care for political correctness, which just flourishes on its own strength of love, compassion, companionship and belonging. Romance?" writes Medha Gujral Jalota, the wife of bhajan king Anup Jalota, in an anthology of 101 short tales, Chicken Soup for the Indian Romantic Soul.

The book, released as Valentine's Day special at the World Book Fair, is a compilation of voices from across the country that offers a peek into real life stories soulmates. Recalling the day Anup Jalota proposed to her, Medha says as he went down on his knees, there was a loud clap of thunder. The oppressive heat gave way to a flash of lightning and slashing rainfall. "See", he said, "even the gods approve and are giving their blessing". They married in 1995 after living with him for a year. The book has been published by Tranquebar Press & Westland Ltd ahead of Valentine's Day Feb 14. The short stories are recapitulations - mostly walks down the memory lanes that describe chance meetings culminating into lasting bonds, old loves, sacrifice, romantic omens and first crushes. We scheduled the release of the book so that it would be at the bookstores just before Valentine's Day, but it is a title that we think will do well all the year round," Deepthi Talwar, senior commissioning editor of Tranquebar Press-Westland Ltd, told IANS.

The popularity of romances as a literary genre and as a business has been fuelled by the entry of Mills & Boons in the Indian market, Talwar said.

Business for Mills & Boon India has doubled by 50 percent in 2009 compared to 2008."We are growing by 10 percent every quarter," said Manish Singh, the country manager (sales) of Harlequin Mills & Boon India, which prints and distributes M&B titles in the country. Priced at Rs.125, the books target women - mostly mothers, housewives and working woman between 30 and 35 - who live within the framework of families.

Three new titles by Penguin Books-India add variety to the cache of popular romantic literature.

Full report here Hindustan Times