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Harlequin, in its quest for world women’s fiction domination (and I don’t mean that in a bad way), is launching a new line called Prime Time, geared toward older heroines in July, 2005. They currently plan to release four books a month — given HQ‘s marketing genius, it’s just more evidence that certain segments of the fiction market have been chronically overlooked. The 75 – 85k word books focus on stages in a woman’s life (older, more mature women, by the way), but aren’t romances, at least in the traditional sense. In other words, you don’t have to tie up the relationship with a bow and ring. Not that men are bad — but think mum lit (somewhat) and empty nests and dating for the first time in twenty years. No…I can’t do that. Just the thought of dating gives me hives. No guidelines yet, Gail Chasan, New York office, is editing the line.

• eHarlequin.com: List of Editorial Office Addresses