ABBEVILLE PRESSThe markets in this year’s Book Publishers section offer opportunities in nearly every area of publishing. Large, commercial houses are here as are their smaller counterparts.
The Book Publishers Subject Index is the best place to start your search. You’ll find it in the back of the book, before the General Index. Subject areas for both fiction and nonfiction are broken out for all of the book publisher listings.
When you have compiled a list of publishers interested in books in your subject area, read the detailed listings. Pare down your list by cross-referencing two or three subject areas and eliminating the listings only marginally suited to your book. When you have a good list, send for those publishers’ catalogs and manuscript guidelines, or check publishers’ websites, which often contain catalog listings, manuscript preparation guidelines, current contact names, and other information helpful to prospective authors. You want to use this information to make sure your book idea is in line with a publisher’s list but is not a duplicate of something already published.
You should also visit bookstores and libraries to see if the publisher’s books are well represented. When you find a couple of books the house has published that are similar to yours, write or call the company to find out who edited those books. This extra bit of research could be the key to getting your proposal to precisely the right editor.
Publishers prefer different methods of submission on first contact. Most like to see a one-page query, especially for nonfiction. Others will accept a brief proposal package that might include an outline and/or a sample chapter. Some publishers will accept submissions from agents only. Each listing in the Book Publishers section includes specific submission methods, if provided by the publisher. Make sure you read each listing carefully to find out exactly what the publisher wants to receive.
When you write your one-page query, give an overview of your book, mention the intended audience, the competition for your book (check local bookstore shelves), and what sets your book apart from the competition. You should also include any previous publishing experience or special training relevant to the subject of your book. For more on queries, read “Query Letter Clinic.”
Personalize your query by addressing the editor individually and mentioning what you know about the company from its catalog or books. Under the heading Contact, we list the names of editors who acquire new books for each company, along with the editors’ specific areas of expertise. Try your best to send your query to the appropriate editor. Editors move around all the time, so it’s in your best interest to look online or call the publishing house to make sure the editor you are addressing your query to is still employed by that publisher.
Writer’s Market is a reference tool to help you sell your writing, and we encourage you to work with publishers that pay a royalty. Subsidy publishing involves paying money to a publishing house to publish a book. The source of the money could be a government, foundation or university grant, or it could be the author of the book. If one of the publishers listed in this book offers you an author-subsidy arrangement (sometimes called “cooperative publishing,’’ “co-publishing,’’ or “joint venture’’); or asks you to pay for part or all of the cost of any aspect of publishing (editing services, manuscript critiques, printing, advertising, etc.); or asks you to guarantee the purchase of any number of the books yourself, we would like you to inform us of that company’s practices immediately.
ABBEVILLE PRESS137 Varick St., New York NY 10013. (212)366-5585. Fax: (212)366-6966. E-mail: abbeville@abbeville.com. Website: www.abbeville.com. Estab. 1977. Mainstay in the art book publishing world. “Our list is full for the next several seasons.” Publishes 8 titles/year. 10% of books from first-time authors.
NONFICTION Subjects include art. Not accepting unsolicited book proposals at this time.
FICTION Picture books through imprint Abbeville Family. Not accepting unsolicited book proposals at this time.
Acquisitions Department, P.O. Box 1911, Santa Barbara CA 93116. (805)968-1911. E-mail: acquisition_inquiries@abc-clio.com. Website: www.abc-clio.com. Estab. 1955. ABC-CLIO is an award-winning publisher of reference titles, academic and general interest books, electronic resources, and books for librarians and other professionals. Publishes 600 titles/year. 20% of books from first-time authors. 90% from unagented writers. Pays variable royalty on net price. Accepts simultaneous submissions. Catalog and guidelines online.
IMPRINTS ABC-CLIO; Greenwood Press; Praeger; Linworth and Libraries Unlimited.
NONFICTION Subjects include business, child guidance, education, government, history, humanities, language, music, psychology, religion, social sciences, sociology, sports, women’s issues. No memoirs, drama. Query with proposal package, including scope, organization, length of project, whether a complete ms is available or when it will be, CV, and SASE. Check guidelines online for each imprint.
TIPS “Looking for reference materials and materials for educated general readers. Many of our authors are college professors who have distinguished credentials and who have published research widely in their fields.”
8000 W. 78th St., Suite 310, Edina MN 55439. (800)800-1312. Fax: (952)831-1632. E-mail: nonfiction@abdopublishing.com. E-mail: fiction@abdopublishing.com; illustration@abdopublishing.com. Website: www.abdopub.com. Contact: Paul Abdo, editor-in-chief. Estab. 1985. Publishes hardcover originals. ABDO publishes nonfiction children’s books (pre-kindergarten to 8th grade) for school and public libraries—mainly history, sports, biography, geography, science, and social studies. “Please specify each submission as either nonfiction, fiction, or illustration.” Publishes 300 titles/year. Guidelines online.
NONFICTION Subjects include animals, history, science, sports, geography, social studies.
Imprint of The United Methodist Publishing House, 201 Eighth Ave. S., P.O. Box 801, Nashville TN 37202. (615)749-6000. Fax: (615)749-6512. Website: www.abingdonpress.com. Estab. 1789. Publishes hardcover and paperback originals. “Abingdon Press, America’s oldest theological publisher, provides an ecumenical publishing program dedicated to serving the Christian community—clergy, scholars, church leaders, musicians, and general readers—with quality resources in the areas of Bible study, the practice of ministry, theology, devotion, spirituality, inspiration, prayer, music and worship, reference, Christian education, and church supplies.” Publishes 120 titles/year. 3,000 queries received/year. 250 mss received/year. 85% from unagented writers. Pays 71⁄2% royalty on retail price. Publishes ms 2 years after acceptance. Responds in 2 months to queries. Book catalog available free. Guidelines online.
NONFICTION Subjects include education, religion, theology. Query with outline and samples only. The author should retain a copy of any unsolicited material submitted.
FICTION Publishes stories of faith, hope, and love that encourage readers to explore life. Agented submissions only for fiction.
HARRY N. ABRAMS, INC.115 W. 18th St., 6th Floor, New York NY 10011. (212)206-7715. Fax: (212)519-1210. E-mail: abrams@abramsbooks.com. Website: www.abramsbooks.com. Contact: Managing Editor. Estab. 1951. Publishes hardcover and a few paperback originals. Publishes 250 titles/year.
IMPRINTS Stewart, Tabori & Chang: Abrams Appleseed; Abrams Books for Young Readers; Abrams Image; STC Craft; Amulet Books.
Does not accept unsolicited materials.
NONFICTION Subjects include art, architecture, nature, environment, recreation, outdoor.
FICTION Subjects include young adult. Publishes hardcover and “a few” paperback originals. Averages 150 total titles/year.
TIPS “We are one of the few publishers who publish almost exclusively illustrated books. We consider ourselves the leading publishers of art books and high-quality artwork in the U.S. Once the author has signed a contract to write a book for our firm the author must finish the manuscript to agreed-upon high standards within the schedule agreed upon in the contract.”
ABRAMS BOOKS FOR YOUNG READERS115 W. 18th St., New York NY 10011. Website: www.abramsyoungreaders.com.
Abrams no longer accepts unsolicted mss or queries.
814 N. Franklin St., Chicago IL 60610. (312)337-0747. Fax: (312)337-5985. E-mail: frontdesk@ipgbook.com. Website: www.academychicago.com. Contact: Anita Miller and Jordan Miller, editors-at-large. Estab. 1975. Publishes hardcover and some paperback originals and trade paperback reprints. “We publish quality fiction and nonfiction. Our audience is literate and discriminating. No novelized biography, history, or science fiction.” No electronic submissions. Publishes 10 titles/year. Pays 7-10% royalty on wholesale price. Publishes ms 18 months after acceptance. Responds in 3 months. Book catalog online. Guidelines online.
NONFICTION Subjects include history, travel. No religion, cookbooks, or self-help. Submit proposal package, outline, bio, 3 sample chapters.
FICTION Subjects include historical, mainstream, contemporary, military, war, mystery. “We look for quality work, but we do not publish experimental, avant garde, horror, science fiction, thrillers novels.” Submit proposal package, synopsis, 3 sample chapters, and short bio.
TIPS “At the moment, we are looking for good nonfiction; we certainly want excellent original fiction, but we are swamped. No fax queries, no disks. No electronic submissions. We are always interested in reprinting good out-of-print books.”
ACE SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASYImprint of the Berkley Publishing Group, Penguin Group (USA), Inc., 375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014. (212)366-2000. Website: www.us.penguingroup.com. Estab. 1953. Publishes hardcover, paperback, and trade paperback originals and reprints. Ace publishes science fiction and fantasy exclusively. Publishes 75 titles/year. Pays royalty. Pays advance.
As imprint of Penguin, Ace is not open to unsolicited submissions.
FICTION Subjects include fantasy, science fiction. No other genre accepted. No short stories. Due to the high volume of manuscripts received, most Penguin Group (USA) Inc. imprints do not normally accept unsolicited mss.
4848 N. Clark St., Chicago IL 60640. E-mail: acta@actapublications.com. Website: www.actapublications.com. Contact: Acquisitions Editor. Estab. 1958. Publishes trade paperback originals. “ACTA publishes nonacademic, practical books aimed at the mainline religious market.” Publishes 12 titles/year. 100 queries received/year. 25 mss received/year. 50% of books from first-time authors. 90% from unagented writers. Pays 10-12% royalty on wholesale price. Publishes ms 1 year after acceptance. Responds in 2-3 months to proposals. Book catalog and guidelines online.
"While some of ACTA's material is specifically Catholic in nature, most of the company's products are aimed at a broadly ecumenical audience."
NONFICTION Subjects include religion, spirituality. Submit outline, 1 sample chapter. No e-mail submissions. Reviews artwork/photos. Send photocopies.
TIPS “Don’t send a submission unless you have examined our catalog, website and several of our books.”
8041 Sierra St. #321, Fair Oaks CA 95628. (916)962-9296. E-mail: web@adams-blake.com. Website: www.adams-blake.com. Contact: Monica Blane, acquisitions editor. Estab. 1992. Publishes only e-books. “We are getting away from doing trade titles and are doing more short-run/high-priced specialized publications targeted to corporations, law, medicine, engineering, computers, etc.” Publishes 5 titles/year. 50 queries received/year. 15 mss received/year. 80% of books from first-time authors. 99% from unagented writers. Pays 15% royalty on wholesale price. Publishes ms 2 months after acceptance. Accepts simultaneous submissions. Responds in 2 months.
NONFICTION Subjects include business, economics, computers, electronics, counseling, career guidance, labor, money, finance. “We like titles in sales and marketing, but which are targeted to a specific industry. We don’t look for retail trade titles but more to special markets where we sell 10,000 copies to a company to give to their employees.” Query. Does not review artwork/photos.
TIPS “If you have a book that a large company might buy and give away at sales meetings, send us a query. We like books on sales, especially in specific industries—Like ‘How to Sell Annuities’ or ‘How to Sell High-Tech.’ We look for the title that a company will buy several thousand copies of at a time. We often ‘personalize’ for the company. We especially like short books, 50,000 words (more or less).”
Division of F+W Media, Inc., 57 Littlefield St., Avon MA 02322. (508)427-7100. Fax: (800)872-5628. E-mail: adamsmediasubmissions@fwmedia.com. Website: www.adamsmedia.com. Contact: Acquisitions Editor. Estab. 1980. Publishes hardcover originals, trade paperback, e-book originals and reprints. Adams Media publishes commercial nonfiction, including self-help, women’s issues, pop psychology, relationships, business, careers, pets, parenting, New Age, gift books, cookbooks, how-to, reference, and humor. Does not return unsolicited materials. Publishes more than 250 titles/year. 5,000 queries received/year. 1,500 mss received/year. 40% of books from first-time authors. Pays standard royalty or makes outright purchase. Pays variable advance. Publishes ms 12-18 months after acceptance. Accepts simultaneous submissions. Responds in 3 months to queries. Guidelines online.
P.O. Box 45327, Omaha NE 68145. (402)330-7493. Fax: (402)330-1707. E-mail: info@addicusbooks.com. Website: www.addicusbooks.com. Contact: Acquisitions Editor. Estab. 1994. Addicus Books, Inc. seeks mss with strong national or regional appeal. “We are dedicated to producing high-quality nonfiction books. Our focus is on consumer health titles, but we will consider other topics. In addition to working with a master book distributor, IPG Books of Chicago, which delivers books to stores and libraries, we continually seek special sales channels, outside traditional bookstores.” Publishes 10 titles/year. 90% of books from first-time authors. 95% from unagented writers. Publishes ms 9 months after acceptance. Responds in 1 month to proposals. Catalog and guidelines online.
"Due to the amount of queries we receive our editors are not available for phone inquiries. If we're interested in taking a closer look at your book, we'll contact you after we receive your inquiry."
NONFICTION Subjects include business, economics, consumer health, investing. “We are expanding our line of consumer health titles.” Query with a brief e-mail. “Tell us what your book is about, who the audience is, and how that audience would be reached. If we are interested, we may ask for a proposal, outlining the nature of your work. See proposal guidelines on our website. Do not send entire ms unless requested. When querying electronically, send only 1-page e-mail, giving an overview of your book and its market Please do not send hard copies by certified mail or return receipt requested. Additional submission guidelines online.”
TIPS “We are looking for compact, concise books on consumer health topics.”
1 Oakglade Circle, Hummelstown PA 17036-9525. E-mail: info@possibilitypress.com. Website: www.aeronauticalpublishers.com. Contact: Mike Markowski, publisher. Estab. 1981. Publishes trade paperback originals. “Our mission is to help people learn more about aviation and model aviation through the written word.” Pays variable royalty. Responds in 2 months to queries. Guidelines online.
IMPRINTS American Aeronautical Archives, Aviation Publishers, Aeronautical Publishers.
NONFICTION Subjects include history, aviation, hobbies, recreation, radio control, free flight, indoor models, micro radio control, home-built aircraft, ultralights, and hang gliders. Prefers submission by mail. Include SASE. See guidelines online. Reviews artwork/photos. Do not send originals.
TIPS “Our focus is on books of short to medium length that will serve the emerging needs of the hobby. We also want to help youth get started, while enhancing everyone’s enjoyment of the hobby. We are looking for authors who are passionate about the hobby, and will champion their book and the messages of their books, supported by efforts at promoting and selling their books.”
MFA Program in Creative Writing, Boise State University, 1910 University Dr., MS 1525, Boise ID 83725. (208)426-3414. E-mail: ahsahta@boisestate.edu. E-mail: jholmes@boisestate.edu. Website: ahsahtapress.org. Contact: Janet Holmes, director. Estab. 1974. Publishes trade paperback originals. Publishes 7 titles/year. 1,000 mss received/year. 30% of books from first-time authors. 100% from unagented writers. Pays 8% royalty on retail price for first 1,000 sold; 10% thereafter. Publishes ms 2 years after acceptance. Accepts simultaneous submissions. Responds in 3 months to mss. Book catalog online. Guidelines online; submit through submissions manager.
POETRY “We hold an open submissions period in May as well as the Sawtooth Poetry Prize competition, from which we publish 2-3 mss per year.” Submit complete ms. The press publishes runners-up as well as winners of the Sawtooth Poetry Prize. Forthcoming, new, and backlist titles available on website. Most backlist titles: $9.95; most current titles: $18.
TIPS “Ahsahta’s motto is that poetry is art, so our readers tend to come to us for the unexpected—poetry that makes them think, reflect, and even do something they haven’t done before.”
ALADDINSimon & Schuster, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, 4th Floor, New York NY 10020. (212)698-7000. Website: www.simonandschuster.com. Contact: Acquisitions Editor. Publishes hardcover/paperback originals and imprints of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Children’s Division. Aladdin publishes picture books, beginning readers, chapter books, middle grade and tween fiction and nonfiction, and graphic novels and nonfiction in hardcover and paperback, with an emphasis on commercial, kid-friendly titles.
FICTION Simon & Schuster does not review, retain or return unsolicited materials or artwork. “We suggest prospective authors and illustrators submit their mss through a professional literary agent.”
Workman Publishing, P.O. Box 2225, Chapel Hill NC 27515-2225. (919)967-0108. Website: www.algonquin.com. Contact: Editorial Department. Publishes hardcover originals. “Algonquin Books publishes quality literary fiction and literary nonfiction.” Publishes 24 titles/year. Guidelines online.
IMPRINTS Algonquin Young Readers.
NONFICTION Query by mail before submitting work. No phone, e-mail or fax queries or submissions. Visit our website for full submission policy to queries.
FICTION Subjects include literary. Query first.
222 Riverside Dr., 16th Floor, New York NY 10025-6809. (212)678-0232. Fax: (212)666-3682. Website: www.algora.com. Contact: Martin DeMers, editor (sociology/philosophy/economics); Claudiu A. Secara, publisher (philosophy/international affairs). Estab. 1992. Publishes hardcover and trade paperback originals and reprints. Algora Publishing is an academic-type press, focusing on works by North and South American, European, Asian, and African authors for the educated general reader. Publishes 25 titles/year. 1,500 queries received/year. 800 mss received/year. 20% of books from first-time authors. 85% from unagented writers. Pays $0-1,000 advance. Publishes ms 10-18 months after acceptance. Accepts simultaneous submissions. Responds in 1 month to queries/proposals; 3 months to mss. Book catalog and guidelines online.
NONFICTION Subjects include anthropology, archeology, creative nonfiction, dance, education, environment, finance, government, history, language, literature, military, money, music, nature, philosophy, politics, psychology, religion, science, sociology, translation, war, womens issues, womens studies, economics. Algora Publishing welcomes proposals for original mss, but “we do not handle self-help, recovery, or children’s books.” Submit a query or ms by uploading file to our website.
TIPS “We welcome first-time writers; we help craft an author’s raw manuscript into a literary work.”
IAN ALLAN PUBLISHING, LTD.Terminal House, Shepperton TW17 8 AS, United Kingdom. (44)(193)226-6600. E-mail: info@ianallanpub.co.uk. Website: www.ianallanpublishing.com. Contact: Peter Waller, publishing manager. Publishes hardcover, trade paperback and mass market paperback originals and reprints. Publishes 120 titles/year. 300 queries received/year. 50 mss received/year. 5% of books from first-time authors. 95% from unagented writers. Payment is subject to contract and type of publication. Publishes ms 6 months after acceptance. Accepts simultaneous submissions. Book catalog available free.
NONFICTION Subjects include history, hobbies, military, war, sports, travel. Query with SASE. Reviews artwork/photos.
TIPS “Audience is enthusiasts and historians. We don’t publish books with a strong autobiographical bias—e.g., military reminiscences—and no fiction/children’s/poetry.”
An imprint of Skyhorse Publishing, 307 West 36th St., 11th Floor, New York NY 10018. (212)643-6816. Fax: (212)643-6819. E-mail: allworthsubmissions@skyhorsepublishing.com. Website: www.allworth.com. Estab. 1989. Publishes hardcover and trade paperback originals. “Allworth Press publishes business and self-help information for artists, designers, photographers, authors and film and performing artists, as well as books about business, money and the law for the general public. The press also publishes the best of classic and contemporary writing in art and graphic design. Currently emphasizing photography, graphic and industrial design, performing arts, fine arts and crafts, et al.” Publishes 12-18 titles/year. Pays advance. Responds in 4-6 weeks.
NONFICTION Subjects include art, architecture, business, economics, film, cinema, stage, music, dance, photography, film, television, graphic design, performing arts, as well as business and legal guides for the public. “We are currently accepting query letters for practical, legal, and technique books targeted to professionals in the arts, including designers, graphic and fine artists, craftspeople, photographers, and those involved in film and the performing arts.” Query with 1-2 page synopsis, chapter outline, market analysis, sample chapter, bio, SASE.
TIPS “We are helping creative people in the arts by giving them practical advice about business and success.”
4119 Wildacres Dr., Houston TX 77072. E-mail: lark@alondrapress.com. Website: www.alondrapress.com. Contact: Henry Hollenbaugh, fiction editor; Solomon Tager, nonfiction editor. Estab. 2007. Publishes trade paperback originals and reprints. Publishes 4 titles/year. 75% of books from first-time authors. 75% from unagented writers. Publishes ms 8 months after acceptance. Accepts simultaneous submissions. Responds in 1 month to queries/proposals; 3 months to mss. Guidelines online.
NONFICTION Subjects include anthropology, archaeology, history, philosophy, psychology, translation. Submit complete ms.
FICTION Subjects include literary, all fiction genres. “Just send us a few pages in an e-mail attachment, or the entire manuscript. We will look at it quickly and tell you if it interests us.”
TIPS “Be sure to read our guidelines before sending a submission. We will not respond to authors who do not observe our simple guidelines. Send your submissions in an e-mail attachment only.”
38262 Linman Rd., Crawford CO 81415. (970)921-5005. Fax: (970)921-5081. E-mail: editorialdept@alpinepub.com. Website: alpinepub.com. Estab. 1975. Publishes hardcover and trade paperback originals and reprints. Publishes 6-10 titles/year. 40% of books from first-time authors. 95% from unagented writers. Pays 8-15% royalty on wholesale price. Pays advance. Publishes ms 18 months after acceptance. Accepts simultaneous submissions. Responds in 1 month. Book catalog available free. Guidelines online.
NONFICTION Subjects include animals. Alpine specializes in books that promote the enjoyment of and responsibility for companion animals with emphasis on dogs and horses. No biographies. Query with a brief synopsis, chapter outline, bio, 1-3 sample chapters, and market analysis.
TIPS “Our audience is pet owners, breeders, exhibitors, veterinarians, animal trainers, animal care specialists, and judges. Our books are in-depth and most are heavily illustrated. Look up some of our titles before you submit. See what is unique about our books. Write your proposal to suit our guidelines.”
THE ALTHOUSE PRESSUniversity of Western Ontario, Faculty of Education, 1137 Western Rd., London ON N6G 1G7, Canada. (519)661-2096. Fax: (519)661-3714. E-mail: press@uwo.ca. Website: www.edu.uwo.ca/althousepress. Contact: Katherine Butson, editorial assistant. Publishes trade paperback originals and reprints. “The Althouse Press publishes both scholarly research monographs in education and professional books and materials for educators in elementary schools, secondary schools, and faculties of education. De-emphasizing curricular or instructional materials intended for use by elementary or secondary school students.” Publishes 1-5 titles/year. 50-100 queries received/year. 14 mss received/year. 50% of books from first-time authors. 100% from unagented writers. Pays $300 advance. Publishes ms 18 months after acceptance. Accepts simultaneous submissions. Responds in 1-2 months to queries; 4 months to mss. Book catalog available free. Guidelines online.
NONFICTION Subjects include education, scholarly. “Do not send incomplete manuscripts that are only marginally appropriate to our market and limited mandate.” Reviews artwork/photos. Send photocopies.
TIPS “Audience is practicing teachers and graduate education students.”
American Management Association, 1601 Broadway, New York NY 10019. (212)586-8100. Fax: (212)903-8083. E-mail: ekadin@amanet.org; rnirkind@amanet.org; spower@amanet.org; whelms@amanet.org. Website: www.amacombooks.org. Contact: Ellen Kadin, executive editor (marketing, career, personal development); Robert Nirkind, senior editor (sales, customer service, project management, finance); Stephen Power, senior editor (leadership, management, human resources); William Helms, associate acquisitions editor (training, science and technology, education). Estab. 1923. Publishes hardcover and trade paperback originals and e-books. AMACOM is the publishing arm of the American Management Association, the world’s largest training organization for managers and their organizations—advancing the skills of individuals to drive business success. AMACOM’s books are intended to enhance readers’ personal and professional growth, and to help readers meet the challenges of the future by conveying emerging trends and cutting-edge thinking.
NONFICTION Publishes nonfiction books for consumer and professional markets, including all business topics, parenting, health & fitness, and popular psychology. Submit proposals including brief book description and rationale, TOC, author bio and platform, intended audience, competing books and sample chapters. Proposals returned with SASE only.
TIPS “Platform reflects author activities that demonstrate author’s visibility, authority, and audience reach.”
Hal Leonard Publishing Group, 33 Plymouth St., Suite 302, Montclair NJ 07402. (973)337-5034. Fax: (973)337-5227. E-mail: jcerullo@halleonard.com. Website: www.amadeuspress.com. Contact: John Cerullo, publisher.
NONFICTION “Amadeus Press welcomes submissions pertaining to classical and traditional music and opera. Send proposal including: a letter describing the purpose and audience for your book, along with your background and qualifications; please indicate which word-processing software you use as we ask that final ms be submitted on disk; an outline or table of contents and an estimate of the length of the completed ms in numbers of words or double-spaced pages; a sample chapter or two, printed out (no electronic file transfers, please); sample illustrations as well as an estimate of the total numbers and types (for example, pen-and-ink artwork for line drawings, black-and-white glossy photographic prints, camera-ready music examples) of illustrations planned for your book; your schedule to complete the book. Generally, we ask authors to submit book proposals early in the writing process as this allows us to give editorial advice during the development phase and cuts down the amount of revisions needed later. Due to the large volume of submissions, you may not receive a response from us. If you wish to have the materials you submit returned to you, please so indicate and include return postage.”
16565 S. State St., South Holland IL 60473. (312)331-5845. Fax: (708)331-5484. E-mail: acp@acpress.org. Website: www.acpress.org. Contact: Rev. Michael Gilligan, PhD, editorial director. Estab. 1967. Publishes hardcover originals and hardcover and paperback reprints. Publishes 4 titles/year. Makes outright purchase of $25-100. Guidelines online.
NONFICTION Subjects include education, music, dance, religion, spirituality. “We publish books on the Roman Catholic liturgy—for the most part, books on religious music and educational books and pamphlets. We also publish religious songs for church use, including Psalms, as well as choral and instrumental arrangements. We are interested in new music, meant for use in church services. Books, or even pamphlets, on the Roman Catholic Mass are especially welcome. We have no interest in secular topics and are not interested in religious poetry of any kind.”
TIPS “Most of our sales are by direct mail, although we do work through retail outlets.”
Publications/Books Division, 1155 16th St. NW, Washington DC 20036. (202)452-2120. Fax: (202)513-8819. E-mail: b_hauserman@acs.org. Website: pubs.acs.org/books/. Contact: Bob Hauserman, acquisitions editor. Estab. 1876. Publishes hardcover originals. American Chemical Society publishes symposium-based books for chemistry. Publishes 35 titles/year. Pays royalty. Accepts simultaneous submissions. Responds in 2 months to proposals. Book catalog available free. Guidelines online.
NONFICTION Subjects include science. Emphasis is on meeting-based books. Log in to submission site online.
206 N. Washington St., Suite 200, Alexandria VA 22314. (703)224-0194. Fax: (703)224-0172. E-mail: kellim@aca.org. Website: www.aca.org. Contact: Kelli McAfee. Estab. 1870. Publishes trade paperback originals. “American Correctional Association provides practical information on jails, prisons, boot camps, probation, parole, community corrections, juvenile facilities and rehabilitation programs, substance abuse programs, and other areas of corrections.” Publishes 18 titles/year. 90% of books from first-time authors. 100% from unagented writers. Publishes ms 1 year after acceptance. Responds in 4 months. Book catalog free. Guidelines online.
NONFICTION “We are looking for practical, how-to texts or training materials written for the corrections profession. We are especially interested in books on management, development of first-line supervisors, and security-threat group/management in prisons.” No autobiographies or true-life accounts by current or former inmates or correctional officers, theses, or dissertations. No fiction or poetry. Query with SASE. Reviews artwork/photos.
TIPS “Authors are professionals in the field of corrections. Our audience is made up of corrections professionals and criminal justice students. No books by inmates or former inmates. This publisher advises out-of-town freelance editors, indexers, and proofreaders to refrain from requesting work from them.”
6101 Stevenson Ave., Alexandria VA 22304. (703)823-9800. Fax: (703)823-4786. E-mail: cbaker@counseling.org. Website: www.counseling.org. Contact: Carolyn C. Baker, associate publisher. Estab. 1952. Publishes paperback originals. “The American Counseling Association is dedicated to promoting public confidence and trust in the counseling profession. We publish scholarly texts for graduate level students and mental health professionals. We do not publish books for the general public.” Publishes 8-10 titles/year. 1% of books from first-time authors. 90% from unagented writers. Accepts simultaneous submissions. Responds in 1 month to queries. Guidelines available free.
NONFICTION Subjects include education, psychology, religion, spirituality, womens issues, LGBTQ mental health, school counseling, marriage, family, couples counseling. ACA does not publish self-help books or autobiographies. Query with SASE. Submit proposal package, outline, 2 sample chapters, vitae.
TIPS “Target your market. Your books will not be appropriate for everyone across all disciplines.”
6535 S. Rural Rd., Tempe AZ 85283. (480)838-1751. Fax: (480)838-8293. E-mail: info@astrologers.com. Website: www.astrologers.com. Estab. 1938. Publishes trade paperback originals and reprints. American Federation of Astrologers publishes astrology books, calendars, charts, and related aids. Publishes 10-15 titles/year. 10 queries received/year. 20 mss received/year. 50% of books from first-time authors. 100% from unagented writers. Pays 10% royalty. Publishes ms 10 months after acceptance. Accepts simultaneous submissions. Responds in 6 months to mss. Book catalog available free. Guidelines online.
NONFICTION “Our market for beginner books, Sun-sign guides, and similar material is limited and we thus publish very few of these. The ideal word count for a book-length manuscript published by AFA is about 40,000 words, although we will consider manuscripts from 20,000 to 60,000 words.” Submit complete ms.
TIPS “AFA welcomes articles for Today’s Astrologer, our monthly journal for members, on any astrological subject. Most articles are 1,500-3,000 words, but we do accept shorter and longer articles. Follow the guidelines online for book manuscripts. You also can e-mail your article to info@astrologers.com, but any charts or illustrations must be submitted as attachments and not embedded in the body of the e-mail or in an attached document.”
AMERICAN PRESS60 State St., Suite 700, Boston MA 02109. (617)247-0022. E-mail: americanpress@flash.net. Website: www.americanpresspublishers.com. Contact: Jana Kirk, editor. Estab. 1911. Publishes college textbooks. Publishes 25 titles/year. 350 queries received/year. 100 mss received/year. 50% of books from first-time authors. 90% from unagented writers. Pays 5-15% royalty on wholesale price. Publishes ms 9 months after acceptance. Responds in 3 months to queries.
Mss proposals are welcome in all subjects and disciplines.
NONFICTION Subjects include agriculture, anthropology, archeology, art, architecture, business, economics, education, government, politics, health, medicine, history, horticulture, music, dance, psychology, science, sociology, sports. “We prefer that our authors actually teach courses for which the manuscripts are designed.” Query, or submit outline with tentative TOC. No complete mss.
5801 Kentucky Dam Rd., Paducah KY 42003. (270)898-7903. Fax: (270)898-1173. E-mail: editor@aqsquilt.com. Website: www.americanquilter.com. Contact: Elaine Brelsford, executive book editor (primarily how-to and patterns, but other quilting books sometimes published, including quilt-related fiction). Estab. 1984. Publishes trade paperbacks. “American Quilter’s Society publishes how-to and pattern books for quilters (beginners through intermediate skill level). We are not the publisher for non-quilters writing about quilts. We now publish quilt-related craft cozy romance and mystery titles, series only. Humor is good. Graphic depictions and curse words are bad.” Publishes 20-24 titles/year. 100 queries received/year. 60% of books from first-time authors. Pays 5% royalty on retail price for both nonfiction and fiction. Publishes ms 9-18 months after acceptance. Fiction published on a different schedule TBD. after acceptance of ms. Responds in 2 months to proposals. Guidelines online.
Accepts simultaneous nonfiction submissions. Does not accept simultaneous fiction submissions.
NONFICTION No queries; proposals only. Note: 1 or 2 completed quilt projects must accompany proposal.
FICTION Submit a synopsis and 2 sample chapters, plus an outline of the next 2 books in the series.
6666 W. Quincy Ave., Denver CO 80235. (303)347-6260. Fax: (303)794-7310. E-mail: submissions@awwa.org. Website: www.awwa.org. Contact: David Plank, manager, business and product development. Estab. 1881. Publishes hardcover and trade paperback originals. “AWWA strives to advance and promote the safety and knowledge of drinking water and related issues to all audiences—from kindergarten through post-doctorate.” Publishes 25 titles/year. Responds in 4 months to queries. Book catalog and ms guidelines free.
NONFICTION Subjects include nature, environment, science, software, drinking water- and wastewater-related topics, operations, treatment, sustainability. Query with SASE. Submit outline, bio, 3 sample chapters. Reviews artwork/photos. Send photocopies.
TIPS “See website to download submission instructions.”
6815 Shallowford Rd., Chattanooga TN 37421-1755. (423)894-6060. Fax: (423)894-9511. E-mail: ricks@amgpublishers.com. Website: www.amgpublishers.com. Contact: Rick Steele, Product development/acquisitions. Publishes hardcover and trade paperback originals, electronic originals, and audio Bible and book originals. Publishes 25-30 titles/year. 2,500 queries received/year. 500 mss received/year. 25% of books from first-time authors. 25% from unagented writers. Pays 10-14% royalty on net sales. Publishes ms 12-18 months after acceptance. Accepts simultaneous submissions. Responds in 1 month to queries, 4 months to proposals/mss. Book catalog and guidelines online.
IMPRINTS Living Ink Books; God and Country.
NONFICTION Subjects include Reference, Bible Study workbooks, Bibles, commentaries. Looking for books that facilitate interaction with Bible, encourage and facilitate spiritual growth. Subjects include Christian living, women’s, men’s family issues, marriage and divorce issues, devotionals, contemporary issues, biblical reference, applied theology, and apologetics. Query with letter first, e-mail preferred.
FICTION Young Adult (teen and preteen) contemporary and fantasy; historical fiction for adults to expand God and Country imprint. “We are looking for youth/young adult (teen) fantasy that contains spiritual truths. We are also now looking for historical fiction for adults.”
TIPS “AMG is open to well-written, niche books that meet immediate needs in the lives of adults and young adults.”
175 Rano St., Suite 200, Buffalo NY 14207. (716)874-4450. Fax: (716)874-4508. E-mail: submissions@amherstmedia.com. Website: www.amherstmedia.com. Contact: Craig Alesse, publisher. Estab. 1974. Publishes trade paperback originals and reprints. Amherst Media publishes how-to photography books. Publishes 30 titles/year. 60% of books from first-time authors. 90% from unagented writers. Pays 6-8% royalty. Pays advance. Publishes ms 1 year after acceptance. Accepts simultaneous submissions. Responds in 2 months to queries. Book catalog online. Guidelines online.
NONFICTION Subjects include photography. Looking for well-written and illustrated photo books. Query with outline, 2 sample chapters, and SASE. Reviews artwork/photos.
TIPS “Our audience is made up of beginning to advanced photographers. If I were a writer trying to market a book today, I would fill the need of a specific audience and self-edit in a tight manner.”
2721 N. Rosedale St., Baltimore MD 21216. (704)858-7533. E-mail: submissions@amirapress.com. Website: www.amirapress.com. Contact: Yvette A. Lynn, CEO (any sub genre). Estab. 2007. Format publishes in paperback originals, e-books, POD printing. “We are a small press which publishes sensual and erotic romance. Our slogan is ‘Erotic and Sensual Romance. Immerse Yourself.’ Our authors and stories are diverse.” Publishes 50 titles/year. Pays royalties, 8.5% of cover price (print)—30-40% of cover price (e-books). Publishes ms 1-4 months after acceptance. Accepts simultaneous submissions. Responds in 3 months. Guildelines online.
FICTION Subjects include erotica. Submit complete ms with cover letter by e-mail. “No snail mail.” Include estimated word count, heat level, brief bio, list of publishing credits. Accepts unsolicited mss. Sometimes critiques/comments on rejected mss.
TIPS “Please read our submission guidelines thoroughly and follow them when submitting. We do not consider a work until we have all the requested information and the work is presented in the format we outline.”
AMULET BOOKS115 W. 18th St., New York NY 10001. Website: www.amuletbooks.com. Estab. 2004. 10% of books from first-time authors.
Does not accept unsolicited mss or queries.
FICTION Middle readers: adventure, contemporary, fantasy, history, science fiction, sports. Young adults/teens: adventure, contemporary, fantasy, history, science fiction, sports, suspense.
1130 Walnut St., Kansas City MO 64106. (816)581-7500. Website: www.andrewsmcmeel.com. Contact: Christine Schillig, vice president/editorial director. Estab. 1973. Publishes hardcover and paperback originals. Andrews McMeel publishes general trade books, humor books, miniature gift books, calendars, and stationery products. Publishes 300 titles/year. Pays royalty on retail price or net receipts. Pays advance. Guidelines online.
NONFICTION Subjects include cooking, games, comics, puzzles. Submit proposal.
ANHINGA PRESSP.O. Box 3665, Tallahassee FL 32315. Phone/Fax: (850)577-0745. E-mail: info@anhinga.org. Website: www.anhinga.org. Contact: Kristine Snodgrass, editor. Publishes hardcover and trade paperback originals. Publishes only full-length collections of poetry (60-80 pages). No individual poems or chapbooks. Publishes 5 titles/year. Pays 10% royalty on retail price. Accepts simultaneous submissions. Responds in 3 months. Guidelines online.
POETRY Not accepting any unsolicited submissions at this time. Enter Robert Dana-Anhinga Prize for Poetry.
American Bar Association, 321 N. Clark St., Chicago IL 60654. Website: www.ababooks.org. Contact: Tim Brandhorst, director of new product development. Estab. 1878. Publishes hardcover and trade paperback originals. “In 1215, the Magna Carta was signed underneath the ancient Ankerwycke Yew tree, starting the process which led to rule by constitutional law—in effect, giving rights and the law to the people. And today, the ABA’s Ankerwycke line of books continues to bring the law to the people. With legal fiction, crime books, popular legal histories, public policy handbooks, and prescriptive guides to current legal and business issues, Ankerwycke is a contemporary and innovative line of books for everyone from a trusted and vested authority.” Publishes 30-40 titles/year. 1,000’s of queries received/year. 25% of books from first-time authors. 50% from unagented writers. Publishes ms 12-18 months after acceptance. Accepts simultaneous submissions. Responds in 1 month to queries and proposals; 3 months to mss. Book catalog and ms guidelines online.
NONFICTION Subjects include business, consumer legal. “Extremely high quality nonfiction with a legal aspect; business books specifically for service professionals; consumer legal on a wide range of topics—we’re actively acquiring in all these areas.” Query with cover letter; outline or TOC; and CV/bio including other credits. Include e-mail address for response.
FICTION “We’re actively acquiring legal fiction with extreme verisimilitude.” Query with cover letter; outline or TOC; and CV/bio including other credits. Include e-mail address for response.
ANNICK PRESS, LTD.15 Patricia Ave., Toronto ON M2M 1H9, Canada. (416)221-4802. Fax: (416)221-8400. Website: www.annickpress.com. Contact: The Editors. Publishes picture books, juvenile and YA fiction and nonfiction; specializes in trade books. “Annick Press maintains a commitment to high quality books that entertain and challenge. Our publications share fantasy and stimulate imagination, while encouraging children to trust their judgment and abilities.” Does not accept unsolicited mss. Publishes 25 titles/year. 5,000 queries received/year. 3,000 mss received/year. 20% of books from first-time authors. 80-85% from unagented writers. Pays authors royalty of 5-12% based on retail price. Offers advances (average amount: $3,000). Pays illustrators royalty of 5% minimum. Publishes book Publishes a book 2 years after acceptance. Book catalog and guidelines online.
NONFICTION Works with 20 illustrators/year. Illustrations only: Query with samples.
FICTION Publisher of children’s books. Not accepting picture books at this time.
ANVIL PRESSP.O. Box 3008 MPO, Vancouver BC V6B 3X5, Canada. (604)876-8710. Fax: (604)879-2667. E-mail: info@anvilpress.com. Website: www.anvilpress.com. Estab. 1988. Publishes trade paperback originals. “Anvil Press publishes contemporary adult fiction, poetry, and drama, giving voice to up-and-coming Canadian writers, exploring all literary genres, discovering, nurturing, and promoting new Canadian literary talent. Currently emphasizing urban/suburban themed fiction and poetry; de-emphasizing historical novels.” Canadian authors only. No e-mail submissions. Publishes 8-10 titles/year. 300 queries received/year. 80% of books from first-time authors. 70% from unagented writers. Pays advance. Average advance is $500-2,000, depending on the genre. Publishes ms 8 months after acceptance. Accepts simultaneous submissions. Responds in 2 months to queries; 6 months to mss. Book catalog for 9×12 SAE with 2 first-class stamps. Guidelines online.
NONFICTION Query with 20-30 pages and SASE.
FICTION Subjects include experimental, literary, short story collections. Contemporary, modern literature; no formulaic or genre. Query with 20-30 pages and SASE.
POETRY “Get our catalog, look at our poetry. We do very little poetry-maybe 1-2 titles per year.” Query with 8-12 poems and SASE.
TIPS “Audience is informed, educated, aware, with an opinion, culturally active (films, books, the performing arts). No U.S. authors. Research the appropriate publisher for your work.”
American Psychological Association, 750 First St., NE, Washington DC 20002. (202)336- 5792. E-mail: booksubmissions@apa.org. Website: www.apa.org/books. Publishes hardcover and trade paperback originals. Book catalog online. Guidelines online.
IMPRINTS Magination Press (children’s books).
NONFICTION Subjects include education, gay, lesbian, multicultural, psychology, science, social sciences, sociology, women’s issues, women’s studies. Submit cv and prospectus with TOC, intended audience, selling points, and outside competition.
TIPS “Our press features scholarly books on empirically supported topics for professionals and students in all areas of psychology.”
5 Joy St., Boston MA 02108. (617)523-0636. Fax: (617)523-0722. E-mail: amcbooks@outdoors.org. Website: www.outdoors.org. Estab. 1876. Publishes hardcover and trade paperback originals. “AMC Books are written and published by the experts in the Northeast outdoors. Our mission is to publish authoritative, accurate, and easy-to-use books and maps based on AMC’s expertise in outdoor recreation, education, and conservation. We are committed to producing books and maps that appeal to novices and day visitors as well as outdoor enthusiasts in our core activity areas of hiking and paddling. By advancing the interest of the public in outdoor recreation and helping our readers to access backcountry trails and waterways, and by using our books to educate the public about safety, conservation, and stewardship, we support AMC’s mission of promoting the protection, enjoyment, and wise use of the Northeast outdoors. We work with the best professional writers possible and draw upon the experience of our programs staff and chapter leaders from Maine to Washington, D.C.” Accepts simultaneous submissions. Guidelines online.
NONFICTION Subjects include nature, environment, recreation, regional, Northeast outdoor recreation, literary nonfiction, guidebooks, Maps that are based on our direct work with land managers and our on-the-ground collection of data on trails, natural features, and points of interest. AMC Books also publishes narrative titles related to outdoor recreation, mountaineering, and adventure, often with a historical perspective. “Appalachian Mountain Club publishes hiking guides, paddling guides, nature, conservation, and mountain-subject guides for America’s Northeast. We connect recreation to conservation and education.” Query with proposal and the first 3 chapters of your ms.
TIPS “Our audience is outdoor recreationists, conservation-minded hikers and canoeists, family outdoor lovers, armchair enthusiasts. Visit our website for proposal submission guidelines and more information.”
612 Johnnie Dodds, Suite A2, Mt. Pleasant SC 29464. (843)971-6722. Fax: (843)216-3804. E-mail: katie@arbordalepublishing.com. E-mail: donna@arbordalelpublishing.com. Website: www.arbordalepublishing.com. Contact: Donna German and Katie Hall, editors. Estab. 2004. Publishes hardcover, trade paperback, and electronic originals. “The picture books we publish are usually, but not always, fictional stories with nonfiction woven into the story that relate to science and math and retellings of traditional cultural folklore with an underlying science theme. All books should subtly convey an educational theme through a warm story that is fun to read and that will grab a child’s attention. Each book has a 4-page ‘For Creative Minds’ section to reinforce the educational component. This section will have a craft and/or game as well as ‘fun facts’ to be shared by the parent, teacher, or other adult. Authors do not need to supply this information. Mss. should be less than 1,500 words and meet all of the following 4 criteria: Fun to read—mostly fiction with nonfiction facts woven into the story; National or regional in scope; Must tie into early elementary school curriculum; must be marketable through a niche market such as a zoo, aquarium, or museum gift shop.” Publishes 20 titles/year. 1,000 mss received/year. 50% of books from first-time authors. 100% from unagented writers. Pays 6-8% royalty on wholesale price. Pays small advance. Publishes ms 18 months after acceptance. May hold onto mss of interest for 1 year until acceptance. Accepts simultaneous submissions. Acknowledges receipt of ms submission within 1 month. Book catalog and guidelines online.
NONFICTION Subjects include science, math. “We are not looking for mss. about: pets (dogs or cats in particular); new babies; local or state-specific; magic; biographies; history-related; ABC books; poetry; series; young adult books or novels; holiday-related books. We do not consider mss. that have been previously published in any way, including e-books or self-published.” Accepts electronic submissions only. Snail mail submissions are discarded without being opened. Reviews artwork/photos. Send 1-2 JPEGS.
FICTION Subjects include picture books. Picture books: animal, folktales, nature/environment, math-related. Word length—picture books: no more than 1,500. Accepts electronic submissions only. Snail mail submissions are discarded without being opened.
TIPS “Please make sure that you have looked at our website to read our complete submission guidelines and to see if we are looking for a particular subject. Manuscripts must meet all four of our stated criteria. We look for fairly realistic, bright and colorful art-no cartoons. We want the children excited about the books. We envision the books being used at home and in the classroom.”
Skyhorse Publishing, 307 W. 36th St., 11th Floor, New York NY 10018. (212)643-6816. Fax: (212)643-6819. E-mail: arcadesubmissions@skyhorsepublishing.com. Website: www.arcadepub.com. Contact: Acquisitions Editor. Estab. 1988. Publishes hardcover originals, trade paperback reprints. “Arcade prides itself on publishing top-notch literary nonfiction and fiction, with a significant proportion of foreign writers.” Publishes 35 titles/year. 5% of books from first-time authors. Pays royalty on retail price and 10 author’s copies. Pays advance. Publishes ms 18 months after acceptance. Responds in 2 months if interested. Book catalog and ms guidelines for #10 SASE.
NONFICTION Subjects include history, memoirs, nature, environment, travel, popular science, current events. Submit proposal with brief query, 1-2 page synopsis, chapter outline, market analysis, sample chapter, bio.
FICTION Subjects include literary, mainstream, contemporary, short story collections, translation. No romance, historical, science fiction. Submit proposal with brief query, 1-2 page synopsis, chapter outline, market analysis, sample chapter, bio.
420 Wando Park Blvd., Mt. Pleasant SC 29464. (843)853-2070. Fax: (843)853-0044. E-mail: publishingnortheast@arcadiapublishing.com; publishingsouth@arcadiapublishing.com; publishingwest@arcadiapublishing.com; publishingmidwest@arcadiapublishing.com; publishingmidatlantic@arcadiapublishing.com; publishingsouthwest@arcadiapublishing.com. Website: www.arcadiapublishing.com. Estab. 1993. Publishes trade paperback originals. “Arcadia publishes photographic vintage regional histories. We have more than 3,000 Images of America series in print. We have expanded our California program.” Publishes 600 titles/year. Pays 8% royalty on retail price. Publishes ms 9 months after acceptance. Accepts simultaneous submissions. Book catalog online. Guidelines available free.
NONFICTION Subjects include history, local, regional. “Arcadia accepts submissions year-round. Our editors seek proposals on local history topics and are able to provide authors with detailed information about our publishing program as well as book proposal submission guidelines. Due to the great demand for titles on local and regional history, we are currently searching for authors to work with us on new photographic history projects. Please contact one of our regional publishing teams if you are interested in submitting a proposal.” Specific proposal form to be completed.
TIPS “Writers should know that we only publish history titles. The majority of our books are on a city or region, and contain vintage images with limited text.”
Imprint of Boom! Studios, 1680 N. Vine St., Hollywood CA 90028. Website: www.archaia.com. Contact: Mark Smylie, chief creative officer. Use online submission form.
FICTION Subjects include adventure, fantasy, horror, mystery, science fiction. Looking for graphic novel submissions that include finished art. “Archaia is a multi-award-winning graphic novel publisher with more than 75 renowned publishing brands, including such domestic and international hits as Artesia, Mouse Guard, and a line of Jim Henson graphic novels including Fraggle Rock and The Dark Crystal. Publishes creator-shared comic books and graphic novels in the adventure, fantasy, horror, pulp noir, and science fiction genres that contain idiosyncratic and atypical writing and art. Archaia does not generally hire freelancers or arrange for freelance work, so submissions should only be for completed book and series proposals.”
1429 S. 9th St., Philadelphia PA 19147. (877)732-ARCH. E-mail: contact@archstreetpress.org. Website: www.archstreetpress.org. Contact: Managing Editor. Estab. 2010. Publishes hardcover, trade paperback, mass market paperback, and electronic originals. Publishes 4 titles/year. 100 queries received/year. 5 mss received/year. 30% of books from first-time authors. 50% from unagented writers. Pays 6-20% royalty on retail price. Publishes ms 1 year after acceptance. Accepts simultaneous submissions. Responds in 1-2 months. Book catalog and guidelines online.
NONFICTION Subjects include art, business, communications, community, contemporary culture, creative nonfiction, economics, education, environment, finance, government, health, history, humanities, labor, language, law, literary criticism, literature, memoirs, multicultural, music, nature, philosophy, social sciences, sociology, spirituality, translation, womens studies, world affairs, leadership. Query with SASE. Submit proposal package including outline and 3 sample chapters. Review artwork. Writers should send photocopies.
FICTION Query with SASE. Submit proposal package, including outline and 3 sample chapters.
ARC PUBLICATIONSNanholme Mill, Shaw Wood Rd., Todmorden, Lancashire OL14 6DA, England. E-mail: editorarcuk@btinternet.com. E-mail: international-editor@arcpublications.co.uk. Website: www.arcpublications.co.uk. Contact: John W. Clarke, domestic editor; James Byrne, international editor (outside Ireland/England). Estab. 1969. Responds in 6 weeks.
POETRY Publishes “contemporary poetry from new and established writers from the UK and abroad, specializing in the work of world poets writing in English, and the work of overseas poets in translation.” Send 16-24 pages of poetry and short cover letter.
8551 Research Way, Suite 180, Middleton WI 53562. (608)203-2565. E-mail: pamela.whitcomb@areditions.com. Website: www.areditions.com. Contact: Pamela Whitcomb, managing editor (Recent Researches Series). Estab. 1962. “A-R Editions publishes modern critical editions of music based on current musicological research. Each edition is devoted to works by a single composer or to a single genre of composition. The contents are chosen for their potential interest to scholars and performers, then prepared for publication according to the standards that govern the making of all reliable, historical editions.” Publishes 30 titles/year. 40 queries received/year. 30 mss received/year. 75% of books from first-time authors. 100% from unagented writers. Pays royalty or honoraria. Responds in 1 month to queries; 3 months to proposals; 6 months to mss. Book catalog online. Guidelines online.
NONFICTION Subjects include computers, electronics, music, dance, software, historical music editions. Computer Music and Digital Audio Series titles deal with issues tied to digital and electronic media, and include both textbooks and handbooks in this area. Query with SASE. Submit outline. “All material submitted in support of a proposal becomes the property of A-R Editions. Please send photocopies of all important documents (retain your originals). We suggest that you send your proposal either with delivery confirmation or by a service that offers package tracking to avoid misdirected packages.”
20411 Sawgrass Dr., Montgomery Village MD 20886. (301)299-9422. Fax: (240)632-8477. E-mail: arrow_info@arrowpub.com. Website: www.arrowpub.com. Contact: Tom King, managing editor; Maryan Gibson, acquisition editor. Estab. 1987. Publishes 50 e-book titles. Paperback version launched in 2009 with 12 English and 12 Spanish titles/year. titles/year. 150 queries received/year. 100 mss received/year. 80% of books from first-time authors. 100% from unagented writers. Makes outright purchase of accepted completed scripts. Publishes ms 4-6 months after acceptance. Responds in 2 month to queries; 1 month to mss sent upon request. Guidelines online.
No graphic novels until further notice.
FICTION “We are looking for outlines of stories heavy on romance with elements of adventure/intrigue/mystery. We will consider other romance genres such as fantasy, western, inspirational, and historical as long as the romance element is strong.” Query with outline first with SASE. Consult submission guidelines online before submitting.
TIPS “Our audience is primarily women 18 and older. Send query with outline only.”
ARSENAL PULP PRESS#202-211 East Georgia St., Vancouver BC V6A 1Z6, Canada. (604)687-4233. Fax: (604)687-4283. E-mail: info@arsenalpulp.com. Website: www.arsenalpulp.com. Contact: Editorial Board. Estab. 1980. Publishes trade paperback originals, and trade paperback reprints. “We are interested in literature that traverses uncharted territories, publishing books that challenge and stimulate and ask probing questions about the world around us.” Publishes 14-20 titles/year. 500 queries received/year. 300 mss received/year. 30% of books from first-time authors. 100% from unagented writers. Publishes ms 1 year after acceptance. Accepts simultaneous submissions. Responds in 2-4 months. Book catalog for 9×12 SAE with IRCs or online. Guidelines online.
NONFICTION Subjects include art, architecture, cooking, foods, nutrition, creative nonfiction, ethnic, Canadian, cultural studies, aboriginal issues, gay, health, lesbian, history, cultural, language, literature, multicultural, political/sociological studies, regional studies and guides, in particular for British Columbia, sex, sociology, travel, women’s issues, women’s studies, youth culture, film, visual art. Rarely publishes non-Canadian authors. No poetry at this time. “We do not publish children’s books.” Each submission must include: “a synopsis of the work, a chapter by chapter outline for nonfiction, writing credentials, a 50-page excerpt from the ms (do not send more, it will be a waste of postage; if we like what we see, we’ll ask for the rest of the manuscript), and a marketing analysis. If our editorial board is interested, you will be asked to send the entire ms. We do not accept discs or submissions by fax or e-mail, and we do not discuss concepts over the phone.” Reviews artwork/photos.
FICTION Subjects include ethnic, general, feminist, gay, lesbian, literary, multicultural, short story collections. No children’s books or genre fiction, i.e., westerns, romance, horror, mystery, etc. Submit proposal package, outline, clips, 2-3 sample chapters.
University of Houston, 4902 Gulf Fwy, Bldg 19, Rm 100, Houston TX 77204-2004. Fax: (713)743-2847. E-mail: submapp@uh.edu. Website: artepublicopress.com. Contact: Nicolas Kanellos, editor. Estab. 1979. Publishes hardcover originals, trade paperback originals and reprints. Arte Publico Press is the oldest and largest publisher of Hispanic literature for children and adults in the United States. “We are a showcase for Hispanic literary creativity, arts and culture. Our endeavor is to provide a national forum for U.S.-Hispanic literature.” Publishes 25-30 titles/year. 1,000 queries received/year. 2,000 mss received/year. 50% of books from first-time authors. 80% from unagented writers. Pays 10% royalty on wholesale price. Provides 20 author’s copies; 40% discount on subsequent copies. Pays $1,000-3,000 advance. Publishes ms 2 years after acceptance. Accepts simultaneous submissions. Responds in 1 month to queries and proposals; 4 months to mss. Book catalog available free. Guidelines online.
NONFICTION Subjects include ethnic, language, literature, regional, translation, women’s issues, women’s studies. Hispanic civil rights issues for new series: The Hispanic Civil Rights Series. Submissions made through online submission form.
FICTION Subjects include contemporary, ethnic, literary, mainstream. “Written by U.S.-Hispanics.” Submissions made through online submission form.
POETRY Submissions made through online submission form.
TIPS “Include cover letter in which you ‘sell’ your book—why should we publish the book, who will want to read it, why does it matter, etc. Use our ms submission online form. Format files accepted are: Word, plain/text, rich/text files. Other formats will not be accepted. Manuscript files cannot be larger than 5MB. Once editors review your ms, you will receive an e-mail with the decision. Revision process could take up to 4 months.”
7005 132 Place SE, Newcastle WA 98059. (425)235-1500. E-mail: feedback@asa2fly.com. Website: www.asa2fly.com. “ASA is an industry leader in the development and sales of aviation supplies, publications, and software for pilots, flight instructors, flight engineers and aviation technicians. All ASA products are developed by a team of researchers, authors and editors.” Book catalog available free.
NONFICTION Subjects include education. “We are primarily an aviation publisher. Educational books in this area are our specialty; other aviation books will be considered.” All subjects must be related to aviation education and training. Query with outline. Send photocopies or MS Word files.
TIPS “Two of our specialty series include ASA’s Focus Series, and ASA Aviator’s Library. Books in our Focus Series concentrate on single-subject areas of aviation knowledge, curriculum and practice. The Aviator’s Library is comprised of titles of known and/or classic aviation authors or established instructor/authors in the industry, and other aviation specialty titles.”
Asabi Publishing, (813)671-8827. E-mail: submissions@asabipublishing.com. Website: www.asabipublishing.com. Contact: Tressa Sanders, publisher. Estab. 2004. Publishes hardcover, mass market and trade paperback originals. Publishes 24 titles/year. Accepts professional queries only. 30% of books from first-time authors. 10% from unagented writers. Pays 10% royalty on wholesale or list price. Pays up to $500 advance. Publishes ms 1 year after acceptance. Responds in 1 month to queries and proposals, 2-6 months to mss. Book catalog online. Guidelines online.
IMPRINTS Solomon Publishing Group-Sweden.
NONFICTION Subjects include agriculture, environment, ethnic, gay, health, history, house and home, lesbian, medicine, psychology, science, sex, travel, young adult, skilled trades. Wants how-to skilled trades, organic agriculture, how-to renewable energy, alternative homebuilding, natural medicine, psychology, sexual instruction, African history, living abroad, non-religious homeschooling, lesbian romance. Submit professional query letter only. “We do not publish poetry or titles containing religious or spiritual content of any kind.” Reviews artwork/photos. Writers should send photocopies.
FICTION Subjects include confession, erotica, lesbian, romance. Submit professional query letter.
American Society of Civil Engineers, 1801 Alexander Bell Dr., Reston VA 20191. (703)295-6275. Fax: (703)295-6278. Website: www.asce.org/pubs. Estab. 1989. “ASCE Press publishes technical volumes that are useful to practicing civil engineers and civil engineering students, as well as allied professionals. We publish books by individual authors and editors to advance the civil engineering profession. Currently emphasizing geotechnical, structural engineering, sustainable engineering and engineering history. De-emphasizing highly specialized areas with narrow scope.” Publishes 10-15 titles/year. 20% of books from first-time authors. 100% from unagented writers. Guidelines online.
NONFICTION “We are looking for topics that are useful and instructive to the engineering practitioner.” Query with proposal, sample chapters, CV, TOC, and target audience.
TIPS “As a traditional publisher of scientific and technical materials, ASCE Press applies rigorous standards to the expertise, scholarship, readability and attractiveness of its books.”
401 College Ave., Ashland OH 44805. (419)289-5098. Fax: (419)289-5255. E-mail: app@ashland.edu. Website: www.ashlandpoetrypress.com. Contact: Wendy Hall, managing editor. Estab. 1969. Publishes trade paperback originals. Publishes 2-3 titles/year. 400 mss received/year in Snyder Prize. 50% of books from first-time authors. 100% from unagented writers. Makes outright purchase of $500-1,000. Publishes ms 10 months after acceptance. Accepts simultaneous submissions. Responds in 1 month to queries; 6 months to mss. Book catalog online. Guidelines online.
POETRY “We accept unsolicited manuscripts through the Snyder Prize competition each spring-the deadline is April 30. Judges are mindful of dedication to craftsmanship and thematic integrity.”
TIPS “We rarely publish a title submitted off the transom outside of our Snyder Prize competition.”
Book division for the American Society for Microbiology, 1752 N St., NW, Washington DC 20036. (202)737-3600. Fax: (202)942-9342. E-mail: lwilliams@asmusa.org. Website: www.asmscience.org. Contact: Lindsay Williams, editorial and rights coordinator. Estab. 1899. Publishes hardcover, trade paperback and electronic originals. Publishes 30 titles/year. 40% of books from first-time authors. 95% from unagented writers. Pays 5-15% royalty on wholesale price. Pays $1,000-10,000 advance. Publishes ms 6-9 months after acceptance. Accepts simultaneous submissions. Responds in 2 months. Book catalog online. Guidelines online.
NONFICTION Subjects include agriculture, animals, education, health, medicine, history, horticulture, nature, environment, science, microbiology and related sciences. “Must have bona fide academic credentials in which they are writing.” Query with SASE or by e-mail. Submit proposal package, outline, prospectus. Reviews artwork/photos. Send photocopies.
TIPS “Credentials are most important.”
1703 N. Beauregard St., Alexandria VA 22311-1714. (703)578-9600. Fax: (703)575-5400. E-mail: acquisitions@ascd.org. Website: www.ascd.org. Contact: Genny Ostertag, acquisitions editor; Allison Scott, acquisitions editor. Estab. 1943. Publishes trade paperback originals. ASCD publishes high-quality professional books for educators. Publishes 24-30 titles/year. 100 queries received/year. 100 mss received/year. 50% of books from first-time authors. 95% from unagented writers. Pays negotiable royalty on actual monies received. Publishes ms 1 year after acceptance. Accepts simultaneous submissions. Responds in 2-3 months to proposals. Book catalog and ms guidelines online.
NONFICTION Subjects include education, for professional educators. Submit full proposal, 2 sample chapters. Reviews artwork/photos. Send photocopies.
Finney Company, 5995 149th St. W., Suite 105, Apple Valley MN 55124. (866)543-3045. E-mail: info@finneyco.com. Website: www.astragalpress.com. Estab. 1983. Publishes trade paperback originals and reprints. “Our primary audience includes those interested in antique tool collecting, metalworking, carriage building, early sciences and early trades, and railroading.” Accepts simultaneous submissions. Responds in 3 months. Book catalog and ms guidelines free.
NONFICTION Wants books on early tools, trades and technology, and railroads. Query with sample chapters, TOC, book overview, illustration descriptions.
TIPS “We sell to niche markets. We are happy to work with knowledgeable amateur authors in developing titles.”
ATHENEUM BOOKS FOR YOUNG READERSSimon & Schuster, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York NY 10020. Website: kids.simonandschuster.com. Estab. 1961. Publishes hardcover originals. Accepts simultaneous submissions. Guidelines for #10 SASE.
NONFICTION Subjects include Americana, animals, art, architecture, business, economics, government, politics, health, medicine, history, music, dance, nature, environment, photography, psychology, recreation, religion, science, sociology, sports, travel. Publishes hardcover originals, picture books for young kids, nonfiction for ages 8-12 and novels for middle-grade and young adults. 100% require freelance illustration. Agented submissions only.
FICTION Subjects include adventure, ethnic, experimental, fantasy, gothic, historical, horror, humor, mainstream, contemporary, mystery, science fiction, sports, suspense, western, Animal. All in juvenile versions. “We have few specific needs except for books that are fresh, interesting and well written. Fad topics are dangerous, as are works you haven’t polished to the best of your ability. We also don’t need safety pamphlets, ABC books, coloring books and board books. In writing picture book texts, avoid the coy and ‘cutesy,’ such as stories about characters with alliterative names.” Agented submissions only. No paperback romance-type fiction.
TIPS “Study our titles.”
23 Lily Lake Rd., Highland NY 12528. (845)691-2021. E-mail: tjp2@optonline.net. Contact: Anthony Prizzia, publisher (education); John Prizzia, publisher. Estab. 2001. Publishes trade paperback originals. Publishes 1-3 titles/year. 5-10 queries received/year. 100% of books from first-time authors. 100% from unagented writers. Pays 15-25% royalty on retail price. Makes outright purchase of $500-2,500. Pays $500-1,000 advance. Accepts simultaneous submissions. Responds in 1 month to queries; 2 months to proposals; 4 months to mss.
NONFICTION Subjects include cooking, foods, nutrition, education, recreation, science, sports. Query with SASE. Submit complete ms. Reviews artwork/photos. Send photocopies.
TIPS “Audience is people interested in a variety of topics, general. Submit typed manuscript for consideration, including a SASE for return of ms.”
871⁄2 Westwood St., Pittsburgh PA 15211. (412)381-4261. E-mail: info@autumnhouse.org. Website: www.autumnhouse.org. Contact: Michael Simms, editor-in-chief (fiction). Fiction Editor: Sharon Dilworth. Estab. 1998. Publishes hardcover, trade paperback, and electronic originals. Format: acid-free paper; offset printing; perfect and casebound (cloth) bound; sometimes contains illustrations. Average print order: 1,000. Debut novel print order: 1,000. “We are a non-profit literary press specializing in high-quality poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. Our editions are beautifully designed and printed, and they are distributed nationally. Approximately one-third of our sales are to college literature and creative writing classes.” Member CLMP and Academy of American Poets. “We distribute our own titles. We do extensive national promotion through ads, web-marketing, reading tours, bookfairs and conferences. We are open to all genres. The quality of writing concerns us, not the genre.” You can also learn about our annual Fiction Prize, Poetry Prize, Nonfiction Prize, and Chapbook Award competitions, as well as our online journal, Coal Hill Review. (Please note that Autumn House accepts unsolicited mss only through these competitions.) Publishes 8 titles/year. Receives 1,000 mss/year. 10% of books from first-time authors. 100% from unagented writers. Pays 7% royalty on wholesale price. Pays $0-2,500 advance. Publishes book Publishes 9 months after acceptance. Accepts simultaneous submissions. Responds in 1-3 days on queries and proposals; 3 months on mss. Catalog free on request. Guidelines online.
NONFICTION Subjects include memoirs. Enter the nonfiction contest.
FICTION Subjects include literary. Holds competition/award for short stories, novels, story collections, memoirs, nonfiction. We ask that all submissions from authors new to Autumn House come through one of our annual contests. See website for official guidelines. Responds to queries in 2 days. Accepts mss only through contest. Never critiques/comments on rejected mss. “Submit only through our annual contest. The competition is tough, so submit only your best work!”
POETRY “We ask that all submissions from authors new to Autumn House come through one of our annual contests.” All finalists will be considered for publication. Submit only through our annual contest. See guidelines online.
TIPS “The competition to publish with Autumn House is very tough. Submit only your best work.”
Avalon Publishing Group, 1700 4th St., Berkeley CA 94710. (510)595-3664. Fax: (510)595-4228. E-mail: avalon.acquisitions@perseusbooks.com. Website: www.avalontravelbooks.com. Estab. 1973. Publishes trade paperback originals. “Avalon travel guides feature practicality and spirit, offering a traveler-to-traveler perspective perfect for planning an afternoon hike, around-the-world journey, or anything in between. ATP publishes 7 major series. Each one has a different emphasis and a different geographic coverage. We have expanded our coverage, with a focus on European and Asian destinations. Our main areas of interest are North America, Central America, South America, the Caribbean, and the Pacific. We are seeking only a few titles in each of our major series. Check online guidelines for our current needs. Follow guidelines closely.” Publishes 100 titles/year. 5,000 queries received/year. 25% of books from first-time authors. 95% from unagented writers. Pays up to $17,000 advance. Publishes ms an average of 9 months after acceptance. Accepts simultaneous submissions. Responds in 4 months. Guidelines online.
NONFICTION Subjects include regional, travel. “We are not interested in fiction, children’s books, and travelogues/travel diaries.” Submit cover letter, resume, and up to 5 relevant clips.
Harper Collins Publishers, 10 E. 53 St., New York NY 10022. E-mail: info@avonromance.com. Website: www.avonromance.com. Estab. 1941. Publishes paperback and digital originals and reprints. “Avon has been publishing award-winning books since 1941. It is recognized for having pioneered the historical romance category and continues to bring the best of commercial literature to the broadest possible audience.” Publishes 400 titles/year.
FICTION Subjects include historical, literary, mystery, romance, science fiction, young adult. Submit a query and ms via the online submission form at www.avonromance.com/impulse.
AZRO PRESSPMB 342, 1704 Llano St. B, Santa Fe NM 87505. (505)989-3272. Fax: (505)989-3832. E-mail: books@azropress.com. Website: www.azropress.com. Estab. 1997. Pays authors royalty of 5-10% based on wholesale price. Pays illustrators by the project ($2,000) or royalty of 5%. Publishes ms 1-2 years after acceptance. Accepts simultaneous submissions. Responds in 3-4 months. Catalog online.
NONFICTION Picture books: animal, geography, history. Young readers: geography, history.
FICTION Picture books: animal, history, humor, nature/environment. Young readers: adventure, animal, hi-lo, history, humor. Average word length: picture books—1,200; young readers—2,000-2,500.
TIPS “We are not currently accepting new manuscripts. Please see our website for acceptance date.”
Hal Leonard Publishing Group, 33 Plymouth St., Suite 302, Montclair NJ 07042. (800)637-2852. E-mail: jcerullo@halleonard.com. Website: www.backbeatbooks.com. Contact: John Cerullo, group publisher. Publishes hardcover and trade paperback originals; trade paperback reprints. Publishes 24 titles/year.
NONFICTION Subjects include music (rock & roll), pop culture. Query with TOC, sample chapter, sample illustrations.
Imprint of The Countryman Press, P. O. Box 748, Woodstock VT 05091. (802)457-4826. Fax: (802)457-1678. E-mail: countrymanpress@wwnorton.com. Website: www.countrymanpress.com. Contact: Submissions. Estab. 1973. Publishes trade paperback originals. “We publish books of the highest quality that take the reader where they want to go. Our books are promoted and sold to bookstores and to specialty markets throughout the United States, Canada, and other parts of the world.” Publishes 70 titles/year. Accepts simultaneous submissions. Responds in 3 months to proposals. Book catalog available free. Guidelines online.
NONFICTION Subjects include nature, environment, recreation, bicycling, hiking, canoeing, kayaking, fly fishing, walking, guidebooks, and series, sports, travel, food, gardening, country living, New England history. Query with SASE. Submit proposal package, outline, 2-3 sample chapters, market analysis. Reviews artwork/photos. Send transparencies.
TIPS “Look at our existing series of guidebooks to see how your proposal fits in.”
3502 N. 52nd St., Omaha NE 68104. Website: www.thebackwaterspress.org. Contact: James Cihlar, editor.
POETRY Only considers submissions to Backwaters Prize. More details on website.
P.O. Box 1188, Wake Forest NC 27588. (919)570-1640. E-mail: info@baen.com. Website: www.baen.com. Estab. 1983. “We publish only science fiction and fantasy. Writers familiar with what we have published in the past will know what sort of material we are most likely to publish in the future: powerful plots with solid scientific and philosophical underpinnings are the sine qua non for consideration for science fiction submissions. As for fantasy, any magical system must be both rigorously coherent and integral to the plot, and overall the work must at least strive for originality.” Responds to mss within 12-18 months.
FICTION “Style: Simple is generally better; in our opinion good style, like good breeding, never calls attention to itself. Length: 100,000-130,000 words Generally we are uncomfortable with manuscripts under 100,000 words, but if your novel is really wonderful send it along regardless of length.” “Query letters are not necessary. We prefer to see complete manuscripts accompanied by a synopsis. We prefer not to see simultaneous submissions. Electronic submissions are strongly preferred. We no longer accept submissions by e-mail. Send ms by using the submission form at: http://ftp.baen.com/Slush/submit.aspx. No disks unless requested. Attach ms as a Rich Text Format (.rtf) file. Any other format will not be considered.”
309 East Mulberry St., Fort Collins CO 80524. (970)672-4878. Fax: (970)672-4731. E-mail: info@bailiwickpress.com. E-mail: aldozelnick@gmail.com. Website: www.bailiwickpress.com. “We’re a micro-press that produces books and other products that inspire and tell great stories. Our motto is ‘books with something to say.’ We are now considering submissions, agented and unagented, for children’s and young adult fiction. We’re looking for smart, funny, and layered writing that kids will clamor for. Authors who already have a following have a leg up. We are only looking for humorous children’s fiction. Please do not submit work for adults. Illustrated fiction is desired but not required. (Illustrators are also invited to send samples.) Make us laugh out loud, ooh and aah, and cry, ‘Eureka!’” Accepts simultaneous submissions. Responds in 6 months.
FICTION “Please read the Aldo Zelnick series to determine if we might be on the same page, then fill out our submission form. Please do not send submissions via snail mail or phone calls. You must complete the online submission form to be considered. If, after completing and submitting the form, you also need to send us an e-mail attachment (such as sample illustrations or excerpts of graphics), you may e-mail them to aldozelnick@gmail.com.”
BAKER ACADEMICDivision of Baker Publishing Group, 6030 E. Fulton Rd., Ada MI 49301. (616)676-9185. E-mail: submissions@bakeracademic.com. Website: bakerpublishinggroup.com/bakeracademic. Estab. 1939. Publishes hardcover and trade paperback originals. “Baker Academic publishes religious academic and professional books for students and church leaders. Does not accept unsolicited queries. We will consider unsolicited work only through one of the following avenues. Materials sent to our editorial staff through a professional literary agent will be considered. In addition, our staff attends various writers’ conferences at which prospective authors can develop relationships with those in the publishing industry.” Publishes 50 titles/year. 10% of books from first-time authors. 85% from unagented writers. Pays advance. Publishes ms 1 year after acceptance.
NONFICTION Subjects include anthropology, archeology, education, psychology, religion, women’s issues, women’s studies, Biblical studies, Christian doctrine, books for pastors and church leaders, contemporary issues. Agented submissions only.
BAKER BOOKSDivision of Baker Publishing Group, 6030 East Fulton Rd., Ada MI 49301. (616)676-9185. Website: bakerpublishinggroup.com/bakerbooks. Estab. 1939. Publishes in hardcover and trade paperback originals, and trade paperback reprints. “We will consider unsolicited work only through one of the following avenues. Materials sent through a literary agent will be considered. In addition, our staff attends various writers’ conferences at which prospective authors can develop relationships with those in the publishing industry.” Book catalog for 91⁄2×121⁄2 envelope and 3 first-class stamps. Guidelines online.
NONFICTION Subjects include childe guidance, psychology, religion, women’s issues, women’s studies, Christian doctrines.
TIPS “We are not interested in historical fiction, romances, science fiction, biblical narratives or spiritual warfare novels. Do not call to ‘pass by’ your idea.”
BAKER PUBLISHING GROUP6030 E. Fulton Rd., Ada MI 49301. (616)676-9185. Fax: (616)676-2315. Website: www.bakerpublishinggroup.com.
IMPRINTS Baker Academic; Baker Books; Bethany House; Brazos Press; Chosen; Fleming H. Revell.
Does not accept unsolicited queries.
BALLANTINE BOOKSImprint of Random House, Inc., 1745 Broadway, 18th Floor, New York NY 10019. (212)782-9000. Website: www.randomhouse.com. Estab. 1952. Publishes hardcover, trade paperback, mass market paperback originals. Ballantine Books publishes a wide variety of nonfiction and fiction. Guidelines online.
NONFICTION Subjects include animals, child guidance, community, cooking, foods, nutrition, creative nonfiction, education, gay, lesbian, health, medicine, history, language, literature, memoirs, military, war, recreation, religion, sex, spirituality, travel, crime. Agented submissions only. Reviews artwork/photos. Send photocopies.
FICTION Subjects include confession, ethnic, fantasy, feminist, gay, lesbian, historical, humor, literary, mainstream, contemporary, womens, military, war, multicultural, mystery, romance, short story collections, spiritual, suspense, translation, general fiction. Agented submissions only.
JONATHAN BALL PUBLISHERSP.O. Box 6836, Roggebaai 8012, South Africa. (27)(11)622-2900. Fax: (27)(11)601-8183. E-mail: shamiela.steyn@jonathanball.co.za. Website: www.jonathanball.co.za. Contact: Shamiela Steyn. Publishes books about South Africa which enlighten and entertain. Guidelines online.
NONFICTION Subjects include cooking, foods, nutrition, history, military, war, nature, environment, sports, travel, politics.
P.O. Box 1660, West Chicago IL 60186. (630)231-3675. Fax: (630)231-5254. E-mail: cbeytes@ballpublishing.com. Website: www.ballpublishing.com. Contact: Chris Beytes. Publishes hardcover and trade paperback originals. “We publish for the book trade and the horticulture trade. Books on both home gardening/landscaping and commercial production are considered.” Publishes 4-6 titles/year. Accepts simultaneous submissions. Book catalog for 8 1⁄2×11 envelope and 3 first-class stamps.
NONFICTION Subjects include agriculture, gardening, floriculture. Query with SASE. Submit proposal package, outline, 2 sample chapters. Reviews artwork/photos. Send photocopies.
TIPS “We are expanding our book line to home gardeners, while still publishing for green industry professionals. Gardening books should be well thought out and unique in the market. Actively looking for photo books on specific genera and families of flowers and trees.”
BALZER & BRAYHarperCollins Children’s Books, 10 E. 53rd St., New York NY 10022. Website: www.harpercollinschildrens.com. Estab. 2008. “We publish bold, creative, groundbreaking picture books and novels that appeal directly to kids in a fresh way.” Publishes 10 titles/year. Offers advances. Pays illustrators by the project. Publishes ms 18 months after acceptance.
NONFICTION Subjects include animals, cooking, dance, environment, history, multicultural, music, nature, science, social sciences, sports. “We will publish very few nonfiction titles, maybe 1-2 per year.” Agented submissions only.
FICTION Picture Books, Young Readers: adventure, animal, anthology, concept, contemporary, fantasy, history, humor, multicultural, nature/environment, poetry, science fiction, special needs, sports, suspense. Middle readers, young adults/teens: adventure, animal, anthology, contemporary, fantasy, history, humor, multicultural, nature/environment, poetry, science fiction, special needs, sports, suspense. Agented submissions only.
BANCROFT PRESSP.O. Box 65360, Baltimore MD 21209-9945. (410)358-0658. Fax: (410)764-1967. E-mail: bruceb@bancroftpress.com. Website: www.bancroftpress.com. Contact: Bruce Bortz, editor/publisher (health, investments, politics, history, humor, literary novels, mystery/thrillers, chick lit, young adult). Publishes hardcover and trade paperback originals. “Bancroft Press is a general trade publisher. We publish young adult fiction and adult fiction, as well as occasional nonfiction. Our only mandate is ‘books that enlighten.’” Publishes 4-6 titles/year. Pays 6-8% royalty. Pays various royalties on retail price. Pays $750 advance. Publishes ms up to 3 years after acceptance. Accepts simultaneous submissions. Responds in 6-12 months. Guidelines online.
NONFICTION Subjects include business, economics, government, politics, health, medicine, money, finance, regional, sports, women’s issues, women’s studies, popular culture. “We advise writers to visit the website.” All quality books on any subject of interest to the publisher. Submit proposal package, outline, 5 sample chapters, competition/market survey.
FICTION Subjects include ethnic, general, feminist, gay, lesbian, historical, humor, literary, mainstream, contemporary, military, war, mystery, amateur sleuth, cozy, police procedural, private eye/hardboiled, regional, science fiction, hard science fiction/technological, soft/sociological, translation, frontier sage, traditional, young adult, historical, problem novels, series, thrillers. “Our current focuses are young adult fiction, women’s fiction, and literary fiction.” Submit complete ms.
TIPS “We advise writers to visit our website and to be familiar with our previous work. Patience is the number one attribute contributors must have. It takes us a very long time to get through submitted material, because we are such a small company. Also, we only publish 4-6 books per year, so it may take a long time for your optioned book to be published. We like to be able to market our books to be used in schools and in libraries. We prefer fiction that bucks trends and moves in a new direction. We are especially interested in mysteries and humor (especially humorous mysteries).”
BANTAM BOOKSImprint of Random House, Inc., 1745 Broadway, New York NY 10019. (212)782-9000. Website: www.bantam-dell.atrandom.com. Not seeking mss at this time.
BANTAM DELL PUBLISHING GROUP1745 Broadway, New York NY 10019. E-mail: bdpublicity@randomhouse.com. Website: www.bantamdell.com. Estab. 1945. Agented submissions only.
P.O. Box 170881, Boise ID 83716. E-mail: submissions@barbarianbooks.com. Website: www.barbarianbooks.com. Contact: Conda Douglas, e-talent scout; Kathy McIntosh, e-talent scout. Estab. 2011. Publishes electronic originals. Barbarian Books believes that quality ebooks should be plentiful and affordable. Offers great reads for great readers. By only publishing for digital devices, Barbarian Books believes it can bring more well written stories to more people, faster than ever before. Publishes 4-5 titles/year. Receives 40 queries and 100 mss per year. 80% of books from first-time authors. 98% from unagented writers. Pays authors 70% royalties on retail price. Publishes book Publishes 12 months after acceptance. Accepts simultaneous submissions. Responds in 2-6 months on mss. Catalog available online. Ms guidelines available online.
FICTION Subjects include adventure, contemporary, experimental, fantasy, historical, horror, humor, mainstream, mystery, occult, romance, science fiction, suspense, western, cross genre. “Strong plots and compelling characters are more important than easily classified genre. A Barbarian Books title is an excellent and often refreshingly different choice for a reader of crime, fantasy, romance, science fiction, westerns, and cross genre. Our motto is: Great reads for great readers.” Submit completed ms. Looking for submissions of entire, completed novel-length mss, around 60,000 words.
BARBOUR PUBLISHING, INC.1810 Barbour Dr., P.O. Box 719, Urichsville OH 44683. E-mail: editors@barbourbooks.com; aschrock@barbourbooks.com; fictionsubmit@barbourbooks.com. Website: www.barbourbooks.com. Estab. 1981. “Barbour Books publishes inspirational/devotional material that is nondenominational and evangelical in nature. We’re a Christian evangelical publisher.” Specializes in short, easy-to-read Christian bargain books. “Faithfulness to the Bible and Jesus Christ are the bedrock values behind every book Barbour’s staff produces.”
185 Bridge Plaza N., Suite 309, Fort Lee NJ 07024. (201)944-7600. Fax: (201)917-4951. Website: www.barricadebooks.com. Contact: Carole Stuart, publisher. Estab. 1991. Publishes hardcover and trade paperback originals, trade paperback reprints. “Barricade Books publishes nonfiction, mostly of the controversial type, and books we can promote with authors who can talk about their topics on radio and television and to the press.” Publishes 12 titles/year. 200 queries received/year. 100 mss received/year. 80% of books from first-time authors. 50% from unagented writers. Pays 10-12% royalty on retail price for hardcover. Pays advance. Publishes ms 18 months after acceptance. Responds in 1 month to queries.
NONFICTION Subjects include business, economics, ethnic, gay, lesbian, government, politics, health, medicine, history, nature, environment, psychology, sociology, crime. “We look for quality nonfiction mss—preferably with a controversial lean.” Query with SASE. Submit outline, 1-2 sample chapters. Material will not be returned or responded to without SASE. “We do not accept proposals on disk or via e-mail.” Reviews artwork/photos. Send photocopies.
TIPS “Do your homework. Visit bookshops to find publishers who are doing the kinds of books you want to write. Always submit to a person—not just ‘Editor.’”
BASIC BOOKSPerseus Books, 250 W. 57th St., Suite 1500, New York NY 10107. E-mail: basic.books@perseusbooks.com. Website: www.basicbooks.com. Contact: Editor. Estab. 1952. Publishes hardcover and trade paperback originals and reprints. Accepts simultaneous submissions. Responds in at least 3 months to queries. Book catalog available free. Guidelines online.
NONFICTION Subjects include history, psychology, sociology, politics, current affairs.
One Bear Place 97363, Waco TX 76798. (254)710-3164. Fax: (254)710-3440. E-mail: carey_newman@baylor.edu. Website: www.baylorpress.com. Contact: Dr. Carey C. Newman, director. Estab. 1897. Publishes hardcover and trade paperback originals. “We publish contemporary and historical scholarly works about culture, religion, politics, science, and the arts.” Publishes 30 titles/year. Pays 10% royalty on wholesale price. Publishes ms 1 year after acceptance. Accepts simultaneous submissions. Responds in 2 months to proposals. Guidelines online.
NONFICTION Submit outline, 1-3 sample chapters via e-mail.
26 Austin Ave., P.O. Box 337, Amityville NY 11701. (631)691-1270. Fax: (631)691-1770. Website: www.baywood.com. Contact: Stuart Cohen, managing editor. Estab. 1964. “Baywood Publishing publishes original and innovative books in the humanities and social sciences, including areas such as health sciences, gerontology, death and bereavement, psychology, technical communications, and archaeology.” Pays 7-15% royalty on retail price. Publishes ms within 1 year of acceptance. after acceptance of ms. Book catalog and guidelines online.
NONFICTION Subjects include anthropology, archaeology, computers, electronics, education, health, environment, psychology, sociology, women’s issues, gerontology, technical writing, death and bereavement, environmental issues, recreational mathematics, health policy, labor relations, workplace rights. Submit proposal package.
Nazarene Publishing House, P.O. Box 419527, Kansas City MO 64141. (816)931-1900. Fax: (816)753-4071. E-mail: crm@nph.com. Website: beaconhillbooks.com. Contact: Judi Perry, consumer editor. Publishes hardcover and paperback originals. “Beacon Hill Press is a Christ-centered publisher that provides authentically Christian resources faithful to God’s word and relevant to life.” Publishes 30 titles/year. Pays royalty. Publishes ms 2 years after acceptance. Responds in 3 months to queries.
NONFICTION “Accent on holy living; encouragement in daily Christian life.” No fiction, autobiography, poetry, short stories, or children’s picture books. Query or submit proposal electronically.
24 Farnsworth St., Boston MA 02210. E-mail: editorial@beacon.org. Website: www.beacon.org. Contact: Melissa Nasson, acquisitions editor. Estab. 1854. Publishes hardcover originals and paperback reprints. Beacon Press publishes general interest books that promote the following values: the inherent worth and dignity of every person; justice, equity, and compassion in human relations; acceptance of one another; a free and responsible search for truth and meaning; the goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all; respect for the interdependent web of all existence. Currently emphasizing innovative nonfiction writing by people of all colors. De-emphasizing poetry, children’s stories, art books, self-help. Publishes 60 titles/year. 10% of books from first-time authors. Pays royalty. Pays advance. Accepts simultaneous submissions. Responds in 3 months to queries.
NONFICTION Subjects include anthropology, archeology, child guidance, education, ethnic, gay, lesbian, nature, environment, philosophy, religion, women’s issues, women’s studies, world affairs. Strongly prefers agented submissions. Query by e-mail only. Strongly prefers referred submissions, on exclusive.
TIPS “We probably accept only 1 or 2 manuscripts from an unpublished pool of 4,000 submissions/year. No fiction, children’s books, or poetry submissions invited. An academic affiliation is helpful.”
P.O. Box 71426, Albany GA 31708. (800)755-4506. Fax: (814)690-1559. E-mail: books@benohmart.com. Website: www.bearmanormedia.com. Contact: Ben Ohmart, publisher. Estab. 2000. Publishes trade paperback originals and reprints. Publishes 70 titles/year. 90% of books from first-time authors. 90% from unagented writers. Negotiable per project. Pays upon acceptance. Accepts simultaneous submissions. Responds only if interested. Book catalog available online, or free with a 9 x 12 SASE submission.
NONFICTION Subjects include old-time radio, voice actors, old movies, classic television. Query with SASE. E-mail queries preferred. Submit proposal package, outline, list of credits on the subject.
TIPS “My readers love the past. Radio, old movies, old television. My own tastes include voice actors and scripts, especially of radio and television no longer available. I prefer books on subjects that haven’t previously been covered as full books. It doesn’t matter to me if you’re a first-time author or have a track record. Just know your subject and know how to write a sentence!”
185 Hollow Oak Dr., Cohasset CA 95973. (530)891-0360. Website: www.bearstarpress.com. Contact: Beth Spencer, publisher/editor. Estab. 1996. Publishes trade paperback originals. “Bear Star is committed to publishing the best poetry it can attract. Each year it sponsors the Dorothy Brunsman contest, open to poets from Western and Pacific states. From time to time we add to our list other poets from our target area whose work we admire.” Publishes 1-3 titles/year. Pays $1,000, and 25 copies to winner of annual Dorothy Brunsman contest. Publishes ms 9 months after acceptance. Accepts simultaneous submissions. Responds in 2 weeks to queries. Guidelines online.
POETRY Wants well-crafted poems. No restrictions as to form, subject matter, style, or purpose. “Poets should enter our annual book competition. Other books are occasionally solicited by publisher, sometimes from among contestants who didn’t win.” Online submissions strongly preferred.
TIPS “Send your best work, consider its arrangement. A ‘wow’ poem early keeps me reading.”
11 Edison Place, Springfield NJ 07081. (973)379-7200. Fax: (973)379-7280. E-mail: customersupport@behrmanhouse.com. Website: www.behrmanhouse.com. Estab. 1921. Publishes books on all aspects of Judaism: history, cultural, textbooks, holidays. “Behrman House publishes quality books of Jewish content—history, Bible, philosophy, holidays, ethics—for children and adults.” 12% of books from first-time authors. Pays authors royalty of 3-10% based on retail price or buys ms outright for $1,000-5,000. Offers advance. Pays illustrators by the project (range: $500-5,000). Publishes ms 18 months after acceptance. Accepts simultaneous submissions. Responds in 1 month to queries; 2 months to mss. Book catalog free on request. Guidelines online.
NONFICTION All levels: Judaism, Jewish educational textbooks. Average word length: young reader—1,200; middle reader—2,000; young adult—4,000. Submit outline/synopsis and sample chapters.
609 Whitaker St., Savannah GA 31401. (912)233-2446. Fax: (912)233-6456. E-mail: editor@beil.com. Website: www.beil.com. Estab. 1982. Publishes hardcover originals and reprints. Frederic C. Beil publishes in the fields of history, literature, and biography. Publishes 13 titles/year. 3,500 queries received/year. 13 mss received/year. 80% of books from first-time authors. 100% from unagented writers. Pays 7.5% royalty on retail price. Publishes ms 20 months after acceptance. Accepts simultaneous submissions. Responds in 1 week to queries. Book catalog available free.
NONFICTION Subjects include art, architecture, history, language, literature, book arts. Query with SASE. Reviews artwork/photos. Send photocopies.
FICTION Subjects include historical, literary, regional, short story collections, translation, biography. Query with SASE.
TIPS “Our objectives are (1) to offer to the reading public carefully selected texts of lasting value; (2) to adhere to high standards in the choice of materials and in bookmaking craftsmanship; (3) to produce books that exemplify good taste in format and design; and (4) to maintain the lowest cost consistent with quality.”
New York University School of Medicine, Dept. of Medicine, NYU School of Medicine, 550 First Avenue, OBV 612, New York NY 10016. (212)263-7802. E-mail: blpsubmissions@gmail.com. Website: blpress.org. Contact: Erika Goldman, publisher/editorial director. Estab. 2005. “Publishes literary and authoritative fiction and nonfiction at the nexus of the arts and the sciences, with a special focus on medicine. As our authors explore cultural and historical representations of the human body, illness, and health, they address the impact of scientific and medical practice on the individual and society.”
NONFICTION “If you have a completed ms, a sample of a ms or a proposal that fits our mission as a press feel free to submit it to us by e-mail.”
FICTION Subjects include literary. Submit complete ms.
TIPS “We are a project of New York University’s School of Medicine and while our standards reflect NYU’s excellence in scholarship, humanistic medicine, and science, our authors need not be affiliated with NYU. We are not a university press and do not receive any funding from NYU. Our publishing operations are financed exclusively by foundation grants, private donors, and book sales revenue.”
10300 N. Central Expressway, Suite 530, Dallas TX 75231. E-mail: glenn@benbellabooks.com. Website: www.benbellabooks.com. Contact: Glenn Yeffeth, publisher. Estab. 2001. Publishes hardcover and trade paperback originals. Publishes 30-40 titles/year. Pays 6-15% royalty on retail price. Publishes ms 10 months after acceptance. Accepts simultaneous submissions. Guidelines online.
NONFICTION Subjects include pop contemporary culture, cooking, foods, nutrition, health, medicine, literary criticism, money, finance, science. Submit proposal package, including: outline, 2 sample chapters (via e-mail).
1734 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge MA 02138. (617)547-4170. Fax: (617)876-9235. Website: www.bentleypublishers.com. Contact: Michael Bentley, president. Estab. 1950. Publishes hardcover and trade paperback originals and reprints. “Bentley Publishers publishes books for automotive enthusiasts. We are interested in books that showcase good research, strong illustrations, and valuable technical information.” Automotive subjects only. Query with SASE. Submit sample chapters, bio, synopsis, target market. Reviews artwork/photos. Book catalog and ms guidelines online.
NONFICTION Subjects include Automotive subjects only. Query with SASE. Submit sample chapters, bio, synopsis, target market. Rreviews artwork/photos.
TIPS “Our audience is composed of serious, intelligent automobile, sports car, and racing enthusiasts, automotive technicians and high-performance tuners.”
BERKLEY BOOKSPenguin Group (USA) Inc., 375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014. Website: us.penguingroup.com/. Contact: Leslie Gelbman, president and publisher. Estab. 1955. Publishes paperback and mass market originals and reprints. The Berkley Publishing Group publishes a variety of general nonfiction and fiction including the traditional categories of romance, mystery and science fiction. Publishes 700 titles/year.
IMPRINTS Ace; Jove; Heat; Sensation; Berkley Prime Crime; Berkley Caliber.
NONFICTION Subjects include business, economics, child guidance, creative nonfiction, gay, lesbian, health, medicine, history, New Age, psychology, crime, job-seeking communication. No memoirs or personal stories. Prefers agented submissions.
FICTION Subjects include adventure, historical, literary, mystery, romance, spiritual, suspense, western, young adult. No occult fiction. Prefers agented submissions.
1333 Broadway, Suite #1000, Oakland CA 94612. E-mail: bkpub@bkpub.com. Website: www.bkconnection.com. Contact: Anna Leinberger, editorial assistant. Publishes hardcover and trade paperback originals, mass market paperback originals, hardcover and trade paperback reprints. “Berrett-Koehler Publishers’ mission is to publish books that support the movement toward a world that works for all. Our titles promote positive change at personal, organizational and societal levels.” Please see proposal guidelines online. Publishes 40 titles/year. 1,300 queries received/year. 800 mss received/year. 20-30% of books from first-time authors. 70% from unagented writers. Pays 10-20% royalty. Publishes ms 10 months after acceptance. Accepts simultaneous submissions. Responds in 1 month. Book catalog online.
NONFICTION Subjects include business, economics, community, government, politics, New Age, spirituality. Submit proposal package, outline, bio, 1-2 sample chapters. Hard-copy proposals only. Do not e-mail, fax, or phone please. Reviews artwork/photos. Send photocopies or originals with SASE.
TIPS “Our audience is business leaders. Use common sense, do your research.”
BETHANY HOUSE PUBLISHERSDivision of Baker Publishing Group, 6030 E. Fulton Rd., Ada MI 49301. (616)676-9185. Fax: (616)676-9573. Website: bakerpublishinggroup.com/bethanyhouse. Estab. 1956. Publishes hardcover and trade paperback originals, mass market paperback reprints. Bethany House Publishers specializes in books that communicate Biblical truth and assist people in both spiritual and practical areas of life. “While we do not accept unsolicited queries or proposals via telephone or e-mail, we will consider 1-page queries sent by fax and directed to adult nonfiction, adult fiction, or young adult/children.” All unsolicited mss returned unopened. Publishes 90-100 titles/year. 2% of books from first-time authors. 50% from unagented writers. Pays royalty on net price. Pays advance. Publishes book Publishes a book 1 year after acceptance. Accepts simultaneous submissions. Responds in 3 months to queries. Book catalog for 9 x 12 envelope and 5 first-class stamps. Guidelines online.
NONFICTION Subjects include child guidance, Biblical disciplines, personal and corporate renewal, emerging generations, devotional, marriage and family, applied theology, inspirational.
FICTION Subjects include historical, young adult, contemporary.
TIPS “Bethany House Publishers’ publishing program relates Biblical truth to all areas of life—whether in the framework of a well-told story, of a challenging book for spiritual growth, or of a Bible reference work. We are seeking high-quality fiction and nonfiction that will inspire and challenge our audience.”
Imprint of F+W Media, Inc., 10151 Carver Rd., Suite 200, Cincinnati OH 45242. E-mail: jim.schlender@fwcommunity.com. Website: www.betterwaybooks.com. Contact: Jim Schlender, publisher and community leader. Publishes trade paperback and hardcover originals. 60% of books from first-time authors. 95% from unagented writers. Pays 8-10% royalty on wholesale price. Pays $2,500-3,000 advance. Publishes ms 18 months after acceptance. Accepts simultaneous submissions. Responds in 3 months.
NONFICTION Subjects include gardening, house and home, preparedness, house and home self-sufficiency, home organization, homemaking, simple living, homesteading skills. Query with SASE. Submit proposal package, outline, 1 sample chapter. Reviews artwork/photos. Send photocopies and PDFs (if submitting electronically).
TIPS “Looking for authors with a savvy online presence in their category and strong interaction via social media outlets.”
BETWEEN THE LINES401 Richmond St. W., Suite 277, Toronto ON M5V 3A8, Canada. (416)535-9914. Fax: (416)535-1484. E-mail: submissioins@btlbooks.com. Website: www.btlbooks.com. Contact: Amanda Crocker, managing editor. Publishes trade paperback originals. “Between the Lines publishes nonfiction books in the following subject areas: politics and public policy issues, social issues, development studies, history, education, the environment, health, gender and sexuality, labour, technology, media, and culture. Please note that we do not publish fiction or poetry. We prefer to receive proposals rather than entire manuscripts for consideration.” Publishes 8 titles/year. 350 queries received/year. 50 mss received/year. 80% of books from first-time authors. 95% from unagented writers. Pays 8% royalty. Publishes ms 1 year after acceptance. Accepts simultaneous submissions. Responds in 2-4 months. Book catalog online. Guidelines online.
NONFICTION Subjects include education, gay, lesbian, government, politics, health, medicine, history, nature, environment, social sciences, sociology, development studies, labor, technology, media, culture. Submit proposal as a PDF by e-mail.
BEYOND WORDS PUBLISHING, INC.20827 NW Cornell Rd., Suite 500, Hillsboro OR 97124. (503)531-8700. Fax: (503)531-8773. E-mail: info@beyondword.com. Website: www.beyondword.com. Contact: Submissions Department (for agents only). Estab. 1984. Publishes hardcover and trade paperback originals and paperback reprints. “At this time, we are not accepting any unsolicited queries or proposals, and recommend that all authors work with a literary agent in submitting their work.” Publishes 10-15 titles/year. Accepts simultaneous submissions.
16 Marion Rd., Branford CT 06405. Phone/Fax: (203)208-5253. E-mail: bickpubhse@aol.com. Website: www.bickpubhouse.com. Contact: Dale Carlson, president. Estab. 1994. Publishes trade paperback originals. Bick Publishing House publishes step-by-step, easy-to-read professional information for the general adult public about physical, psychological, and emotional disabilities or special needs. “The mission of Bick Publishing House for Teens/Young Adults is to relate modern science and its ethics, communications arts, philosophy, psychology to the teenager’s world, so they can make their own responsible decisions about their own lives and future. The Life Sciences books in the series are presented with accessible texts, with glossary of terms, illustrations, index, resources, bibliography,websites. The mission of Bick Publishing House for Adults is to bring professional information to the general audience in mental illness and recovery, addictions and recovery, in the art of living with disabilities, and in wildlife rehabilitation.” Currently emphasizing science, psychology for teens. Publishes 4 titles/year. 100 queries received/year; 100 mss received/year. 55% of books from first-time authors. 55% from unagented writers. Pays $500-1,000 advance. Publishes ms 1 year after acceptance. Responds in 1 month to queries; 2 months to proposals; 3 months to mss. Book catalog available free. Guidelines for #10 SASE.
NONFICTION Subjects include health, medicine, disability/special needs, psychology, young adult or teen science, psychology, wildlife rehabilitation. Query with SASE. Submit proposal package, outline, resumè, 3 sample chapters.
P.O. Box 81, Delhi NY 13753. Fax: (607)746-7453. E-mail: birchbrook@copper.net. Website: www.birchbrookpress.info. Contact: Tom Tolnay, editor/publisher; Leigh Eckmair, art & research editor. Estab. 1982. Occasionally publishes trade paperback originals. Birch Brook Press “is a letterpress book printer/typesetter/designer that uses monies from these activities to publish several titles of its own each year with cultural and literary interest.” Specializes in literary work, flyfishing, baseball, outdoors, theme anthologies, and books about books. Publishes 3 titles/year. 200+ queries received/year; 200+ mss received/year. 95% from unagented writers. Pays modest royalty on acceptance. Publishes ms 10-18 months after acceptance. Accepts simultaneous submissions. Responds in 3 to 6 months. Book catalog online.
NONFICTION Subjects include film, music (rare), nonfiction of cultural interest, including stage, opera, including outdoors.
FICTION “Mostly we do anthologies around a particular theme generated inhouse. We make specific calls for fiction when we are doing an anthology.” Query with SASE and submit sample chapter(s), synopsis.
POETRY Query first with a few sample poems or chapters, or send entire ms. No e-mail submissions; submissions by postal mail only. Must include SASE with submissions. Occasionally comments on rejected poems. Royalty on co-op contracts.
TIPS “Write well on subjects of interest to BBP, such as outdoors, flyfishing, baseball, music, literary stories, fine poetry, and occasional novellas, books about books.”
University of Missouri - Kansas City, 5101 Rockhill Rd., Kansas City MO 64110-2499. (816)235-2558. Fax: (816)235-2611. E-mail: bkmk@umkc.edu. Website: newletters.org. Estab. 1971. Publishes trade paperback originals. “BkMk Press publishes fine literature. Reading period January-June.” Publishes 4 titles/year. Accepts simultaneous submissions. Responds in 4-6 months to queries. Guidelines online.
NONFICTION Creative nonfiction essays. Submit 25-50 sample pages and SASE.
FICTION Subjects include literary, short story collections. Query with SASE.
POETRY Submit 10 sample poems and SASE.
TIPS “We skew toward readers of literature, particularly contemporary writing. Because of our limited number of titles published per year, we discourage apprentice writers or ‘scattershot’ submissions.”
649 Delaware Ave., Delmar NY 12054. (518)439-6512. Fax: (518)439-1309. E-mail: blackdomep@aol.com. Website: www.blackdomepress.com. Estab. 1990. Publishes cloth and trade paperback originals and reprints. Do not send the entire work. Mail a cover letter, table of contents, introduction, sample chapter (or 2), and your CV or brief biography to the Editor. Please do not send computer disks or submit your proposal via e-mail. If your book will include illustrations, please send us copies of sample illustrations. Do not send originals. Accepts simultaneous submissions. Book catalog and guidelines online.
NONFICTION Subjects include history, nature, environment, photography, regional, New York state, Native Americans, grand hotels, genealogy, colonial life, French & Indian War (NYS), American Revolution (NYS), quilting, architecture, railroads, hiking and kayaking guidebooks. New York state regional material only. Submit proposal package, outline, bio.
TIPS “Our audience is comprised of New York state residents, tourists, and visitors.”
P.O. Box 13396, Mill Creek WA 98082. Website: www.blackheronpress.com. Estab. 1984. Publishes hardcover and trade paperback originals, trade paperback reprints. “Black Heron Press publishes primarily literary fiction.” Publishes 4 titles/year. 1,500 queries received/year. 50% of books from first-time authors. 90% from unagented writers. Pays 8% royalty on retail price. Publishes ms 2 years after acceptance. Accepts simultaneous submissions. Responds in 6 months. Catalog available online.
NONFICTION Subjects include military, war. Submit proposal package, include cover letter and first 30-50 pages of your completed novel. “We do not review artwork.”
FICTION Subjects include confession, erotica, literary (regardless of genre), military, war, sci-fi, young adult, Some science fiction—not fantasy, not Dungeons & Dragons—that makes or implies a social statement. “All of our fiction is character driven. We don’t want to see fiction written for the mass market. If it sells to the mass market, fine, but we don’t see ourselves as a commercial press.” Submit proposal package, including cover letter and first 40-50 pages pages of your completed novel.
TIPS “Our Readers love good fiction—they are scattered among all social classes, ethnic groups, and zip code areas. If you can’t read our books, at least check out our titles on our website.”
326 Bigham St., Pittsburgh PA 15211. E-mail: editors@blacklawrencepress.com. Website: www.blacklawrencepress.com. Contact: Diane Goettel, executive editor. Estab. 2003. Black Lawrence press seeks to publish intriguing books of literature—novels, short story collections, poetry collections, chapbooks, anthologies, and creative nonfiction. Will also publish the occasional translation from German. Publishes 15-20 books/year, mostly poetry and fiction. Mss are selected through open submission and competition. Books are 20-400 pages, offset-printed or high-quality POD, perfect-bound, with 4-color cover. Accepts submissions during the months of June and November. Pays royalties. Responds in 6 months to mss.
FICTION Subjects include literary, short story collections, translation. Submit complete ms.
POETRY Submit complete ms.
P.O. Box 567, Baker City OR 97814. E-mail: info@blacklyonpublishing.com. E-mail: queries@blacklyonpublishing.com. Website: www.blacklyonpublishing.com. Contact: The Editors. Estab. 2007. Publishes paperback and e-book originals. “Black Lyon Publishing is a small, independent publisher. We are very focused on giving new novelists a launching pad into the industry.” Publishes 15-20 titles/year. Responds in 2-3 months to queries. Guidelines online.
FICTION Subjects include gothic, historical, romance. Prefers e-mail queries.
TIPS “Write a good, solid romance with a setting, premise, character or voice just a little ‘different’ than what you might usually find on the market. We like unique books—but they still need to be romances.”
P.O. Box 52030, Boston MA 02205. Fax: (617)849-5678. E-mail: carrie@blackocean.org. Website: www.blackocean.org. Contact: Carrie Olivia Adams, poetry editor. Estab. 2006. Publishes 6 titles/year. Responds in 6 months to mss.
POETRY Wants poetry that is well-considered, risks itself, and by its beauty and/or bravery disturbs a tiny corner of the universe. Mss are selected through open submission. Books are 60+ pages. Book/chapbook mss may include previously published poems. “We have an open submission period in June of each year; specific guidelines are updated and posted on our website in the months preceding.”
E-mail: ric@blackvelvetseductions.com. Website: www.blackvelvetseductions.com. Contact: Richard Savage, acquisitions editor. Estab. 2005. Publishes trade paperback and electronic originals and reprints. “We publish two types of material: 1) romance novels and short stories and 2) romantic stories involving spanking between consenting adults. We look for well-crafted stories with a high degree of emotional impact. No first person point of view. All material must be in third person point of view.” Publishes trade paperback and electronic originals. “We have a high interest in republishing backlist titles in electronic and trade paperback formats once rights have reverted to the author.” Accepts only complete mss. Query with SASE. Submit complete ms. Publishes about 20 titles/year. 500 queries received/year. 1,000 mss received/year. 90% of books from first-time authors. 100% from unagented writers. Pays 10% royalty for paperbacks; 50% royalty for electronic books. Publishes ms 6-12 months after acceptance. Accepts simultaneous submissions. Responds in 6 months to queries; 8 months to proposals; 8-12 months to mss. Catalog free or online. Guidelines online.
FICTION Subjects include romance, erotic romance, historical romance, multicultural romance, romance, short story collections romantic stories, romantic suspense, western romance. All stories must have a strong romance element. “There are very few sexual taboos in our erotic line. We tend to give our authors the widest latitude. If it is safe, sane, and consensual we will allow our authors latitude to show us the eroticism. However, we will not consider manuscripts with any of the following: bestiality (sex with animals), necrophilia (sex with dead people), pedophillia (sex with children).” Only accepts electronic submissions.
TIPS “We publish romance and erotic romance. We look for books written in very deep point of view. Shallow point of view remains the number one reason we reject manuscripts in which the storyline generally works.”