NEW YORK, February 15 – XOXO After Dark and Archway Publishing are thrilled to announce the winners of the Hot Books, Cold Nights Romance Novel Writing Contest. The contest has been running since November 2017. Abby Zidle, Editor-in-Chief at XOXO After Dark and Associate Director of Marketing and Senior Editor at Pocket and Gallery Books named the winners today.

“Congratulations to Margay Leah Justice for her submission, Strip Me, a sharp and sexy book about two men whose unlikely romance surprises even themselves,” said Zidle. Justice’s manuscript will be published by Pocket Star, the digital-first imprint of Simon & Schuster.

Holland Rae and Lexy Stanton are the two runners up (first and second, respectively). Rae’s submission, titled In My Sights, is about two members of a special ops team who most overcome their own demons to find happiness and peace together. Stanton’s submission, titled Over the Edge, is about a woman who must escape a web of corporate espionage with the help of the security expert posing as her fiancé. Rae, as first runner up, will receive a Bookseller publishing package (valued at $5,299) and Stanton, second-runner up will receive a Designer publishing package (worth $3,999) from Archway Publishing to turn their manuscripts into published books. All winners will be invited to a special Book Expo America author reception.

For more information on the finalists and winners of the Hot Books, Cold Nights contest please visit www.archwaypubishing.com/HBCN.aspx. Thank you to everyone who entered.

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Simon & Schuster, a part of CBS Corporation, is a global leader in general interest publishing, dedicated to providing the best in fiction and nonfiction for readers of all ages, and in all printed, digital and audio formats. Its distinguished roster of authors includes many of the world’s most popular and widely recognized writers, and winners of the most prestigious literary honors and awards. It is home to numerous well-known imprints and divisions such as Simon & Schuster, Scribner, Atria Books, Gallery Books, Pocket Books, Touchstone, Adams Media, Threshold Editions, Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing and Simon & Schuster Audio and international companies in Australia, Canada, India and the United Kingdom, and proudly brings the works of its authors to readers in more than 200 countries and territories. For more information visit our website at www.simonandschuster.com

Archway Publishing is a strategic self-publishing alliance between leading global publisher Simon & Schuster and self-publishing world leader Author Solutions, LLC. For more information about publishing your book with Archway Publishing, please visit archwaypublishing.com or call 888-242-5904.

 

Pocket Books Contact:

Jean Anne Rose
Deputy Director of Publicity
212-698-7579
jeananne.rose@simonandschuster.com

Archway Publishing Contact:

Sandy Powell
Imprint Manager
Archway Publishing
812-334-5238
Spowell@authorsolutions.com<mailto:Spowell@authorsolutions.com