Two new romance publishers, writing competitions, mystery short stories

“I would advise anyone who aspires to a writing career that before developing his talent he would be wise to develop a thick hide.”  Harper Lee

*******************************

Fiery Seas Publishing publishes a variety of fiction for adults and young adults, including romance, mystery and science fiction/fantasy. They publish both ebook and paperback editions of their titles.  Right now, the editors are particularly interested in holiday stories — Beach Reads (deadline March 1, 2015), Halloween (deadline May 1, 2015), Christmas (deadline August 1, 2015) and Valentine’s stories (deadline October 1, 2015). These stories may be romance, or any other genre Fiery Seas publishes, and should be between 15,000 and 45,000 words. Read the details for these Special Calls here, or fFind their submission guidelines here.

*******************************

Canadian romance ebook publisher Morning Rain Publishers is temporarily closed to submissions.

********************************

Diversion Books publishes contemporary and historical romance, thrillers, mystery, young adult, new adult, science fiction/fantasy and women’s fiction in both digital and print. Their slogan is “Great reads to distract the mind.” The editors accept submissions from both agented and unagented authors. Their catalog includes both new material and previously published work. They pay quarterly royalties and do a lot of online marketing. Find out more here.

**********************************

The first volume in my Titled Texans trilogy, To Love a Lady, written under my historical pen name, Cynthia Sterling, is currently free at Amazon, B&N and most e-book retailers. Check it out, along with the two other titles in the trilogy,

Educating Abbie and The Runaway.

******************************************

Only a short time left to enter the Denver Women’s Press Club Unknown Writers‘ Contest. Previously unpublished Colorado residents 18 and older may enter a short story or nonfiction article up to 2,000 words or a poem of up to 40 lines. The deadline to enter is February 17, 2015. First prize is $125. The entry fee is $25 for fiction and nonfiction and $15 for poetry. For more info, go here.

*********************************************

A heads-up for my UK readers — Author Christopher Fielden maintains a comprehensive list of short story and novel writing competitions for UK writers or all sorts. Many of these competitions are free to enter and some offer prestigious prizes. Check him out here.

*********************************

The Next Novelist hosts an online writing competition for aspiring thriller, mystery and crime novel writers. Submit your novel of between 50,000 and 150,000 words to be read and voted on by the online public in elimination rounds each week. The winner receives a publishing contract and $5000. The book will be published as an ebook and you will receive royalties. Get the details here.

**************************************

Thuglit ezine accepts original crime fiction stories between 3,000 and 5,000 words. Payment is $25 plus 50 percent of digital sales. Check out the detailed (and profane — just warning if you’re sensitive to foul language) guidelines here.

****************************************

As always, feel free to share the information in this blog with others. Please give me credit as the source, and include a link to this blog. To find out more about me and my books, visit my websites here and here. Or find me on Facebook.

 

Romance novels, short stories and a mystery publisher

“I want to write books that unlock the traffic jam in everybody’s head.” ~John Updike

***************************

Crimson Romance a division of Adams Media, publishes digital-first historical romance, contemporary romance, romantic suspense, paranormal romance and spicy romance. The editors are particularly interested in acquiring stories with the following elements: 

• Gender role reversals or defiance of gender role stereotypes ( i.e. biker heroine, preschool teacher hero)
• Smart humor (especially great romantic banter)
• Friends-to-lovers romances
• Asian heroes and heroines
• Bad girl – Good boy couples
• Superhero or comic book-related romances
• Light paranormals or magical realism
• 30-something or 40-something heroes and heroines
• Characters who craft (knitting, sewing, scrapbooking, etc.)
• Performing arts settings (Hollywood, Broadway, ballet, opera, orchestra, etc.)
• Futuristic or post-apocalyptic romances grounded in realism (think Battlestar Galactica)
• High heat/super sensual romances
• Characters who don’t want children
• Feminist heroines or heroes
• Series romances (trilogies or more with a different couple at the center of each book — usually connected by family, coworkers, community)

Completed manuscripts should be between 55,000 and 90,000 words. Send a query and a jj3 to 5 page synopsis, along with your completed manuscript. Get all the details here.

************************************************

Sci-Fi Romance Quarterly is seeking stories of cy-borg romances for its next issue. Stories should be between 1,000 and 7,500 words. Payment is $30 a story. The deadline for submissions is August 15, 2014.  Guidelines are here. 

***********************************************

If you haven’t yet had a chance to get a copy of my newest release, A Change in Altitude, it’s still widely available in bookstores and online, in both print and ebook format. An audio book will be coming soon. This third volume in my series about a quirky town in the Colorado mountains can be read as a stand-alone book, though if you want to read the whole series, the first two books, The View From Here and The Mountain Between Us are still available. 

*********************************************************

Intrigue Publishing, a boutique publisher based in Maryland, established in 2012, specializes in mysteries and thrillers, but wants to expand its offereings to include crime fiction, young adult, urban drama and sensual romance. Manuscripts should be between 60,000 and 100,000 words. Intrigue pays royalties and an advance. The editors are also looking for short stories, between 3,000 and 10,000 words, in these same categories. They’ll pay $50 for one-time electronic rights. Get all the details here. 

**********************************************************

As always, feel free to share the information in this blog with others. Reprint, repost, retweet. All I ask is that you give me credit as the source of the information and include a link to this blog. If you’d like to find out more about me, visit my web pages at http://www.CindiMyers.com and http://www.CindyMyersbooks.com. Thanks!

********************************************

 

Heartwarming contest and two publishers looking for romance manuscripts

“You can’t think yourself out of a writing block, you have to write yourself out of a thinking block.”   —John Rogers

*********************

You still have time to enter the Harlequin Heartwarming writing contest. Harlequin Heartwarming is a line of sweet, emotional romances of 65,000 to 70,000 words. The line publishes four books each month. Until June 15, you can submit the first page of your sweet romance novel to  WriteFromTheHeart@harlequin.ca.The editors will choose authors whose works piques their interest to go on to the next round, when you’ll submit the first three chapters of the book, along with a five to 10 page synopsis. If the editors love what they see, they’ll ask you to submit your complete manuscript, which could lead to a contract as a Heartwarming author. Get all the details here. 

And if you want to see what Heartwarming stories are like, I have a brand new one that just came out. Pick up your copy of What She’d Do For Love here or here.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

********************************

Hearts Desire Press is an independent digital publisher of all kinds of romance novels — from erotica to historical, romantic suspense, steampunk, contemporary romance and almost every sub-genre in-between. Completed manuscripts should be between 7,000 and 125,000 words. The editors are also interested in receiving manuscripts for special collections with the following themes:

One Hot Night — hot to erotic romance about one night stands.

The Best Bad Boy — bad boys in any time period or sub-genre

Doing Good — sweet romance centered around the characters doing a good deed

Without Fangs — paranormal romance without vampires or werewolves

Billionaire Dreams — lonely billionaires who find their dream women

Find all the details and submissions guidelines here.

********************************

Tor.com is launching a new print imprint for science fiction and fantasy books. Until August 31, the editors will accept unsolicited submissions from authors. Stories should be 17,500 words and above and be science fiction or fantasy stories with mainstream appeal. Though both are owned by MacMillan, Tor.com books will be a separate imprint from Tor books. Get the details here.  

********************************

Jupiter Gardens Press began publishing romance in 2008, under the imprint Pink Petal Books. Now know as Jupiter Gardens, the editors seek manuscripts for a variety of imprints. Manuscripts should be between 10,000 and 100,000 words. Target one of these imprints:

Flare — erotica in all genres

Ignite — erotic romance

Quest — fantasy

Romance — all subgenres of romance, from sweet to hot

Teen — young adult and new adult

Xenon– science fiction.

Jupiter Garden asks for electronic rights only and pays 40 percent royalties. Find all the details here. 

******************************

Feel free to share the information in this blog with others. Reprint, repost or retweet — all I ask is that you give me credit as the source for the information, and include a link to the blog. To find out more about me and my books, visit my website or find me on Facebook. Thanks!  Cindi

 

Markets for romantic comedies, interactive romance and how you could win a house.

“I don’t need an alarm clock. My ideas wake me.” —Ray Bradbury

**************************

Only three weeks until the release of A Change in Altitude. Book Three of my Eureka, Colordo series continues the stories of the quirky characters in the Colorado mountains, but can also be read as a stand-alone novel.  

*************************

Silkwords is a newer romance publisher (established 2013) that combines romance novels with gaming. Silkwords novels are interactive — readers can choose different paths in the story that lead to different endings. Readers pay a monthly subscription fee to the service. The editors are actively seeking submissions. Stories should be 15,000 to 20,000 words and at several points in the stories, readers should have the opportunity to make a significant choice — between two partners, two locations, two jobs, etc. Stories may be romance or erotica. Romances should have a happily ever after or happy for now ending. Payment is $500 plus $3 per subscription the story generates. Find all the details here.

*******************

Want to win a house, free and clear? The Write a House program awards emerging writers with a 900-square foot house completed with basement, one or two bedrooms, bathroom and front and back yard. The house is completely renovated. And it’s in Detroit. Write a House is now accepting applications from writers from across the country. You must agree to live in the house at least 75% of the time and interact with the Detroit literary community. You must pay yearly taxes of approximately $2000. You must be a part-time or full-time writer with a low to moderate income and you must submit a sample of your writing. Find all the details here.

***************************

Entangled Bliss is on the hunt for new authors. The editors would love to see your small-town set romantic comedy — either sexy or sweet. They love contemporary, everyday heroes and modern heroines. Manuscripts should be 50,000 to 65,000 words. Get all the details here. 

******************************

As always, feel free to share the information in this blog with others. Please give me credit as the source and include a link to the blog. Thanks!  Cindi. Find out more about me at http://www.cindimyers.com or http://www.cindymyersbooks.com

 

 

 

Christian romance, children’s books and more

“Every writer I know has trouble writing.” ~Joseph Heller

******************************

I’m very happy to share that The Mountain Between Us is a finalist for the 2014 Colorado Book Award for genre fiction. Winners will be announced in June. The first book in this series, The View From Here, won the 2013 Colorado Book Award.

*****************************

Pelican Book Group is launching a new line of Christian New Adult romances. The line, to be called Pelican Pure Amore, is open for a limited time to unagented authors, who may submit their work via an online submission form. Editors are looking for sweet romances featuring characters ages 21 and 33. Characters must never have been married before, and at least one of them must be a virgin.”The hero and heroine will exhibit traditional Christian values but also should be three-dimensional and therefore exhibit flaws as well as virtues.” Manuscripts should be 40,000 to 45,000 words. Find their detailed writer’s guidelines here.

********************************

MeeGenius, the top-selling ebook ap for children 2-8, is looking for book manuscripts geared toward this age group. Manuscripts should be 15-20 pages, with 20-70 words per page. You do not need to illustrate the work, but you may include illustration descriptions/suggestions. Find more submission details and see a sample manuscript here.

*******************************

Musa Publishing is now accepting online submissions. Submissions should include a query letter, synopsis, and the first 20 pages of your manuscript.  Musa is accepting submissions for all its lines, as well as for a shared-world project,The Darkside Codex. To learn more about this project, and to see the preferences of some of the Musa editors, go here.  Musa is a royalty-paying e-publisher that publishes stories in a variety of genres, including romance, horror, science fiction, historical fiction, young adult, new adult, GLBTQ, mystery and more, from 15,000 words and up.

******************************

As always, feel free to share the information in this blog with others. Please give me credit as the source, and include a link to this blog. If you’d like to know more about me and my books, check out my web pages here and here.

 

Writers fellowship, Pulse romance, Timeless Tales and more

“If you have other things in your life — family, friends, good productive day work — these can interact with your writing and the sum will be all the richer.” David Brin

**************************************

Timeless Tales is an online publication interested in short stories (to 2,000 words, though they prefer under 1,500 words) based on traditional fairy tales and fables. The editors are currently looking for stories based on Pandora’s Box. Open to all genres (no erotica or anything that wouldn’t be family friendly, though these are not children’s stories.) Payment is $15. Deadline is April 30, 2014.Find all the details here.

************************************

Chicken Soup for the Soul is looking for contributions for their upcoming “Angels in Our Midsts” anthology. They’re looking for personal stories about encounters with angels. These are nonfiction stories and should be no longer than 1,200 words. Payment is $200. Find the submission guidelines here.  The deadline for submissions to this anthology is May 15, 2014.

***********************************

The literary journal A Public Space will award three Emerging Writer Fellowships this year. Each winner will receive $1,000 and six months of mentoring from an accomplished writer, plus publication in a future issue of A Public Space. It’s free to enter and is open to any writer in the U.S. You must not have had a book-length work of fiction published. You’ll need to submit and application and samples of your writing by April 15, 2014. Find all the details here. 

*********************************

Pulse Romance is a British-based e-publisher of books that combine “high stakes drama and pulse pounding romance.” Pulse publishes novellas of 20,000 to 40,000 words, and novels from 50,000 to 70,000 words. Stories should be action-packed and may be in an sub-genre of romance. The editors are particularly interested in medical romances, crime and police stories, war stories, westerns, science fiction, family sagas and contemporary romance. See the submissions guidelines here. 

Pulse editors are also looking for short stories for a Summer holiday anthology. Send your story of 2,000 to 7,500 words to submissions at myrmidonbooks.com by April 30, 2014. They’re also putting together and emergency romance anthology featureing stories centered around emergency service personnel — paramedics, firemen, search and rescue, etc. These stories should also be between 2,000 and 7,500 words. The deadline is May 31, 2014.

***************************************

As always, feel free to share the information in this blog with others — repost, retreat, reprint, etc. All I ask is that you give me credit as the source, and include a link to the blog. You can find out more about me at http://www.CIndiMyers.com and http://www.CIndyMyersbooks.com.

 

Dark fiction anthology, Wild Rose Press, new e-publisher and more

“You fail only if you stop writing.”  Ray Bradbury

*********************************************

Cover reveal for the third book in my Eureka, Colorado series. A Change in Altitude will be in stores June 24th. (As I write this, audio versions of The View From Here, The Mountain Between Us and A Change in Altitude are being recorded, so look for them to be available somewhere around late June also) You can preorder A Change in Altitude now.

********************************

Streets of Shadows is an upcoming anthology that will feature dark fiction stories that blend urban fantasy and crime fiction. Editors Maurice Broaddus and Jerry Gordon are looking for 2,000 to 4,000 word stories. Payment is 6 cents per word. Deadline for submissions is April 3, 2014, with the anthology slated for publication later this year. Find more details here

********************************

Brown Girls Publishing is a new digital publisher interested in both fiction and nonfiction manuscripts in all genres except children’s and erotica. Authors Victoria Christopher Murry and ReShonda Tate Billingsley launched the line to feature both new and established authors. They are open to submissions of complete manuscripts only. You can learn more here.

********************************

Amazon is launching Waterfall Press, an imprint that will focus on books for Christian readers, both fiction and nonfiction. Editor Tammy Faxel, previously with Tyndale House, is looking for Christian romance, thriller and mystery manuscripts. You can download the press release and learn more about the new imprint here.

************************************

Wild Rose Press is seeking stories for its series set in the fictional town of Lobster Cove, Maine. Wild Rose wants all kinds of stories, as long as they’re set in Lobster Cove. Stories will be published under the appropriate Wild Rose imprint, so send anything from historical romance to contemporary romance to romantic suspense to paranormal romance — take a look at the guidelines to see what the various Wild Rose imprints encompass.

Stories should be 20,000 words and up. Editors are especially interested in holiday themed stories for a Lobster Cove holiday anthology. The deadline for holiday stories is May 31 — other submissions are ongoing. Find out all the details here.

*****************************

Carina Press has updated their writing guidelines. They no longer accept novella submissions under 35,000 words, and the word count for some lines has been increased .Check it out here.

*********************************

As always, feel free to share the information in this blog with others. Please credit me as the source and include a link to this blog. If you want to know more about me and my books, check out my website. 

 

New romance publishers and calls for submission.

“Can I be blunt on this subject? If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that.”
― Stephen King, On Writing

*********************************

Less than two weeks to sign up for my online class, Editing and Revision for Fiction Writers. Take the class in your pajamas. I promise you’ll learn a lot and we’ll have fun. Find out all the info here.  (And everyone who signs up gets a free copy of my upcoming romantic suspense from Harlequin Intrigue, Rocky Mountain Revenge. )

**********************************

Scarlet Voyage is a new publisher seeking young adult book manuscripts. The company plans to release its first titles this spring. The editors are particularly interested in “fantasy/sci-fi, thriller/mystery, contemporary/teen issues, dystopia, and paranormal romance.” The website doesn’t have much information about the company, so proceed with caution. Find out more here.

**************************************

Spencer Hill Press is a digital-first publisher that specializes in paranormal romance, urban fantasy and science fiction for young adult readers. They have three imprints — Tulip Romance (romance), Spence City (urban fantasy) and Spencer Contemporary (all other fiction.)  Editor Marie Romero is looking for contemporary, paranormal, urban fantasy and new adult manuscripts. Spencer Hill accepts submissions from both agented and unagented writers. Find out more here. 

****************************************

etopia Press is looking for erotic romance manuscripts for several upcoming collections:

Burn, Baby Burn — hot firefighters. 12,000 to 75,000 words. Deadline March 1, 2014.

Shift Into Summer — erotic shifter stories, 12,000 to 75,000 words. Deadline March 1, 2014.

What the Hex? — paranormal, 12,000 to 85,000 words. Deadline May 1, 2014.

Black Cat Tails — Halloween themed, featuring black cats. 12,000 and up. Deadline May 1, 2014.

In the Line of Fire — action/suspense. All heat levels. 55,000 to 85,000. Deadline June 1, 2014.

Touchdown! — football, 20,000 to 75,000, Deadline July 1, 2014.

Holiday Heat — erotic holiday romance, 15,000 to 35,000. Deadline August 1, 2014

The Holiday Gift — heartwarming contemporary romance (not erotic). 65,000 to 85,000. Deadline August 1, 2014.

Find all the details here.

*************************************

My first Harlequin Intrigue, Rocky Mountain Revenge,  is on sale now in stores. Available for download Feb. 1.  

Despite her new identity in the WitSec Program, Anne Gardener has been found by the one person who hurt her the most: FBI agent Jake Westmoreland. And when she testified against her own flesh and blood, her whole existence was turned upside down. Jake couldn’t expect any more from her—except that he did. He wanted the impossible…her help.

Jake doesn’t have much time to restore Anne’s faith in him. She is the only one who can help him locate her mob-boss father and put him away for good. He knows that his betrayal has hurt her deeply. Loving her was never part of the plan; yet losing her is a risk he won’t take. He’ll do anything to keep her safe—even if it means walking into the lion’s den….

*************************

As always, feel free to share the information in this blog with others. You may repost, reprint, forward and link. All I ask is that you credit me as the source of the information and include a link to the blog. Thank you!  Cindi

 

Markets for romance, mystery and more

“Writing is an adventure. To begin with, it is a toy and an amusement. Then it becomes a mistress, then it becomes a master, then it becomes a tyrant. The last phase is that just as you are about to be reconciled to your servitude, you kill the monster and fling him to the public.” — Winston Churchill 

**********************

BelleBooks has acquired small press ImaJinn. Former Harlequin editor Brenda Chin will oversee the new ImaJinn imprint at BelleBooks, which will focus on publishing Regency romance, contemporary romance, paranormal romance and urban fantasy and historical romance.  You can find out more about BelleBooks here. 

*********************

Entangled Publishing has issued a call for submissions for its 2014 Holiday Anthology. They’re looking for historical romance from any time period, up to and including World War I, 15,000 to 20,000 words.  They’re open to characters of all colors, races and gender identification. Deadline for submissions is March 15, 2014. Find all the submission details here.

*********************

Buddhapuss, Ink, is a small press that specializes in series fiction of all kinds — mysteries, thrillers, young adult, romance and more. They publish trade paperback and ebook editions of all titles.  Currently the editors are interested in mystery, thrillers, literary romance and literary fiction designed to be part of a series. These books should be for adults, but without explicit sex or excessive violence. Preferred length is 50,000 to 100,000 words. Send a query letter, synopsis and first three chapters. Expect a reply in three to six months. Find all the details here. 

******************

Big Pulp is now open for submissions of zombie-themed stories for an upcoming collection. Got a zombie romance, zombie space opera or zombie mystery? They’d like to see it.  Length: 2500 to 10,000 words (shorter is better.) Payment is 1 cent a word, up to $25. Find the details here. 

***********************

As always, feel free to share the information in this blog with others. Please give me credit as the source and include a link to the blog. Thanks!  Cindi Myers

 

New releases, short story markets, editor pitch and more

I’m back from vacation and have not one, but two brand new books out.  Get ’em while they’re hot!

**********************************

Pockets magazine is looking for Christian fiction aimed at children ages 6-12, with the theme of “laughter” for the July 2014 issue. Send your story of 600 to 1000 words that explores this theme. Payment is 10 to 14 cents a word. The deadline for submissions is December 1. For more information, go here. 

********************************

If you write snarky, irreverent humor, The Family Farce is looking for you. This new online publication is looking for funny short stories related to the theme of family — 1,000 to 5,000 words. Payment is approximately 17 cents a word.  Find their submission guidelines here.

**************************************

Harlequin is hosting an Editor Pitch Challenge with Editor Ann Leslie Tuttle. If you’re accepted for the challenge you’ll be able to pitch directly to Ms. Tuttle for Harlequin’s contemporary, digital first imprint.  Start by attending the live chat with Ms. Tuttle on November 5th. Submit your 100-word blurb by November 14th.  You’ll be notified by November 18th if you’ve been selected for the challenge, which will take place on November 21st.  Find all the details here. 

************************************

MacMillan Publishing Group is launging Swoon Reads, a YA romance imprint which will publish both digital and print books, based on ratings and reviews from readers.  Manuscripts that receive the most positive ratings will be in the running for a publication contract with a $15,000 advance and an option for the author’s next book.  These should be love stories for readers 16 to 19 or 19-23, with happy endings, set in any time period and any sub-genre of romance. No erotica.  Length: 50,000 to 70,000 words.  Get all the details here. 

**************************************

As always, feel free to share the information in this blog with others. Please credit me as the source, and include a link to the blog. Thank you. Cindi Myers