Our Submission Policy

The complete terms behind every offer we make, in plain language, so there's never a surprise buried in fine print.

Our Commitment to Authors

Before anything else, here's what we promise every author who submits to us, whether we end up publishing their book or not.

We never charge to submit or to be considered. No reading fees, no "processing" fees, ever.

We never require an author to buy their own book. Author copies, when needed, are provided at cost, never marked up, and never required to "earn" publication.

We pay for production. Editing, proofreading, cover design, formatting, and ISBN registration are our cost, not the author's.

We put it in writing. Every author gets a full written contract before any work begins, with time to read it and have someone else look it over first.

We define "out of print" in numbers, not vibes. Rights come back to the author automatically once sales fall below a stated threshold or a fixed term ends.

We don't lock up an author's career. Any option on future work is limited to one book, or, for a series, to the next book in that same series, always with a real deadline for us to decide.

We show our math. Royalty statements go out on a set schedule, in plain language.

We only ask for the rights we're actually going to use. Formats we're not publishing, and things like film/TV rights, stay with the author.

What We're Looking For

Psychological Thriller Fantasy Romance Romance Cozy Mystery YA Fantasy Picture Books Non-Fiction

Within those categories, we're drawn to strong voice, a clear sense of who the book is for, and manuscripts that are genuinely finished and revised.

How to Submit

Full requirements and the submission form live on our Submissions page. A couple of additional notes not covered there:

Simultaneous submissions are welcome. Querying other publishers or agents at the same time is completely normal. Just let us know if you receive an offer elsewhere so we can prioritize our review.

AI-assisted work must be disclosed. If any portion of a manuscript was generated or substantially drafted with AI tools, please say so in your query. It's not an automatic disqualifier, but we need to know to represent the book honestly and confirm the rights being offered are actually yours to give.

What Happens After You Submit

1
Acknowledgment — within 10 business days

A brief reply confirming we received it.

2
Initial review — 6 to 8 weeks

Query and sample pages reviewed. Either a pass, or a request for the full manuscript.

3
Full manuscript review — an additional 6 to 10 weeks, if requested

A full read and internal discussion of fit, quality, and market potential.

4
No response by 12 weeks

Treat it as a pass. You're free to consider the submission closed and query elsewhere.

How We Evaluate

  • —Fit with our catalog and readership
  • —Quality of the writing and how finished/revised it is
  • —Market potential: comparable titles, category, audience size
  • —Completeness and professionalism of the submission itself
  • —Willingness to take part in launch marketing (reader magnets, ARC readers, social content)

We won't send detailed critique on every pass. A pass isn't a verdict on your talent, only a fit decision for our catalog right now.

If We Make an Offer: The Business Model

Money flows to the author, not from the author. There's no hybrid or pay-to-publish path, and no submission is ever evaluated differently based on an author's willingness to pay.

43%
of net receipts on every format, from the first sale, until your book has paid you $5,000 in cumulative royalties
60%
of net receipts after that, for the life of the agreement
$0
standard advance. You're paid on every sale from day one, with no advance to earn out first
20%
of net profit on merchandise, included in the standard agreement from the start

Rights We Ask For

We only request the rights we're actually going to use. Everything else, by default, stays with you.

Print, ebook, audiobook — only for formats we're actively publishing, limited term with reversion.

Included

Merchandising — included in the standard agreement, since merch is already part of our business. 20% royalty on net profit.

Included

Foreign / translation rights — case-by-case, only for a language we actually intend to publish in. Otherwise stays with you.

Case-by-Case

Series continuation — if your submission is the start of a series, we get first option on the next book in that series (same terms, no renegotiation), with a defined window to decide. If we pass, you're free to place it elsewhere. Applies only to that series, never your other work.

First Refusal

Film / TV / dramatic rights

Stays With You

Anything not listed here — stays with you, unless we agree otherwise in writing.

Stays With You

Term, Reversion & Accounting

  • —Initial term: 2 years, fixed. No reversion can be triggered during this window regardless of sales.
  • —After that, "out of print" means less than $500 in our own net receipts, across all formats, in a trailing 12-month period, not just a file technically still being for sale somewhere.
  • —Reversion process: written notice from you once the threshold is met, a defined cure period for us to bring the book back above threshold or agree to reversion, then rights revert automatically in writing.
  • —Royalty statements: issued on a set schedule, in plain language, with the right to request supporting detail.

Our Legal Commitment

A full written contract exists before any work begins.

We actively encourage you, in writing, to have an independent party (an attorney, agent, or a group like the Authors Guild) review the contract before signing. Never discouraged, never rushed.

No non-compete beyond the single, time-boxed option clause described above.

Warranty and indemnification are mutual. We don't ask you to promise more than we're willing to promise back.

Ready to submit your manuscript?

Go to Submissions