Marketing Madness, Part 1: Publishers

Let's face it, writers become writers because they like to write. When you create glorius, action-packed or touching stories, does it even once occur to you where you're going to sell it? For some, it does. But in case you need a little help, below are a list of publishers* that you might want to consider. Because many authors (myself included) don't have an agent, I have listed only romance publishers which accept non-agented submissions. If I have overlooked a publisher which you feel should be included, feel free to let me know via email at c.hanoux@hotmail.com, or by commenting below.

E-Book Publishers:

• The Amber Quill - While this small press does not accept unsolicited submissions (either by an author, or by an agent), they do have ongoing calls for submissions, as linked above. They publish homosexual (M/M) erotic romances.
  
  
• Amira Press - While this ebook publisher occasionally puts out select works in print format, these are works over 55,000 words, and open to authors who have already had a work published with the press. They take all genres of romance and erotic except M/M, and are especially looking for:
  -Captive romance
  -Interracial romance
  -Fantasy romance
  -Science-fiction romance
  -Paranormal romance
  -Erotica of all genres
  They accept works from 20,000-85,000 words.
  
  
• Asylett Press - This publisher accepts works from 50,000-150,000 words, as specified for the specific line. Subgenres include: contemporary, fantasy, futuristic, historical, gothic, mystery, paranormal, romantic comedy, romantic suspense, science fiction, time travel, western.
  
  
• Aspen Mountain Romance - This ebook publisher accepts manuscripts ranging from 20,000-90,000 words. They accept historical (regency), contemporary, M/M, erotica stories, and paranormal stories which are set in the Del Fantasma bar in Vista Loma, California.
  
  
• Blade Publishing - This ebook publisher accepts stories in all subgenres from 15,000 words and up.
  
  
• Breathless Press - This ebook publisher accepts romance works of all heat levels in all subgenres. They publish stort stories "Temptations" as well as longer works. Word count lengths range from 1,500-100,000 words.
  
  
• Carnal Desires Publishing - They accept erotic works from 20,000-90,000 words. They encourage works in all subgenres, so long as they remain erotic. They caution against writing pornography, which they classify as "writing comprised of a pointless set of graphic portrayals of steamy sex intended solely to initiate arousal."
  
  
• Cerridwen Press - Although they are under a temporary hiatus, this sister to Ellora's Cave publishes more sensual romances as opposed to the erotic undercurrent which is in each of Ellora's Cave's books.
  
  
• Changeling Press - This ebook publisher of erotica accepts hot works in the subgenres of sci-fi, futuristic, cyber-punk, dark fantasy, urban fantasy, paranormal, action/adventure, time travel, BDSM, and fetish club. They accept stories ranging in length from 10,000-28,000 words. Any serials must be submitted as a complete set.
  
  
• Cobblestone - This ebook publisher accepts erotic works from 10,000-65,000 words, and sometimes puts its books into print. Subgenres include: action/adventure, African-American, contemporary, fantasy, futuristic/sci-fi, M/M, historical, interracial, menage, paranormal, romantic comedy, time travel, thriller/suspense, urban fantasy.
  
  
• Ellora's Cave - This popular ebook publisher also puts some of its books into print. They accept erotic romances in all subgenres ranging from 10,000-120,000 words.
  
  
• Extasy Books - This ebook publisher, open to works from 16,000 words and up, in all subgenres and all heat levels.
  
  
• Imajinn Books - This ebook publisher specializes in the unusual. They have specific guidelines for erotica (15,000-90,000 words in all subgenres) regency (50,000-90,000 words), and paranormal (70,000-90,000 words) subgenres.
  
  
• Liquid Silver Books - This ebook publisher accepts stories of 15,000 words and up, in all erotic romance subgenres.
  
  
• Loose-Id - This ebook publisher accepts works from 20,000-120,000 words, in the following subgenres: contemporary, historical, pararnormal, sci-fi, fantasy, suspense, M/M, menage, BDSM.
  
  
• Mundania Press - This press takes stories ranging from 30,000-120,000 words, although they prefer books around 80,000 words. All books over 60,000 words will also be released in print format. Currently, in the romance genre they are only seeking paranormal romance. They have a reading period, which will open in June.
  
  
• Red Rose Publishing - They are currently open only to submissions which are holiday themed, gothic/horror, and interracial/multicultural books, of any heat level. They put many of their ebook titles into print.
  
  
• Resplendence Publishing - This ebook press focuses on: historical, paranormal, contemporary, romantic suspense, and erotic romance. It seeks unusual tales, especially for their historicals -- while they accept regency stories, they prefer romances set in other time periods, up to WWII. They accept stories from 12,000-90,000 words.
  
  
• Samhain - This major ebook publisher often has submission calls for anthologies. Besides those calls, they accept romance of all subgenres in all heat levels. Wordcount ranges from 12,000-120,000 words.
  
  
• Torquere Books - They accept M/M romance in all subgenres, ranging from novella-length to novel length, as well as collections of short stories.
  
  
• Total E-Bound - This ebook publisher accepts works up to 100,000 words in the following subgenres: action/adventure, BDSM, romantic comedy, contemporary, western, fantasy/fairytale, futuristic/sci-fi, M/M, historical, menage, paranormal, timetravel, thrillers, shapeshifters, vampires/werewolves.
  
  
• Wild Rose Publishing - This ebook publisher accepts works from 7,500-100,000 words. Works over 65,000 words will be considered for print. Subgenres include: romantic suspense, erotica, paranormal, historical, western, contemporary, and vintage (1900-1990).
  

Print Publishers:

• Avalon Books - This small publisher publishes hardcover books only. They accept contemporary and historical romances ranging from 50,000-70,000 words.
  
  
• Avon Romance - Currently one of the leaders in romance, they accept manuscripts from unagented authors as well as agented ones. They actively seek romance in the following subgenres: historical (90,000-100,000 words, primarily set in Great Britain before 1900), contemporary (90,000-100,000 words), paranormal (90,000-100,000 words), African-American (90,000 words), inspirational (60,000-90,000 words).
  
  
• Barbour Books - The Heartsong line is open to submissions from historical (prior to WWII) and contemporary subgenres. They want sweet romances, and specify no erotica, paranormal, timetraveling, or sci-fi. Word length is 45,000-50,000 words.
  
  
• Black Lyon Publishing - This small press publishes print and ebook romances in the following genres: contemporary (45,000-60,000 words), paranormal (60,000-80,000 words), historical (no wordcount specified), and literary romantic fiction (65,000-85,000 words). They prefer historicals set between 1000-1600AD, although they also have a line of works from "Ancient Times" which should be set before 1000AD.
  
  
• Black Velvet Seductions - This small press publishes in both print and ebook format. They have four lines: Tender Destinations (Sweet romance), Sensuous Journeys (Sensual romance), Forbidden Experiences (Erotic romance, especially seeking BDSM, erotic historicals, especially westerns, and erotic suspense), and Amorous Adventures (romantic suspense). They note that any romantic suspense submissions might take longer to review due to the overwhelming volume they receive.
  
  
• Dangerous Curves Books - This imprint from Draumr Publishing accepts works over 45,000 words in length featuring only big-hearted and -bodied heroines. They publish in both print and ebook format.
  
  
• Dorchester Publishing - This print publisher includes the Leisure and Love Spell imprints. They accept historical (set before 1900), futuristic, time travel, paranormal, contemporary, fantasy, and romantic suspense romances between 75,000-90,000 words.
  
  
• Harlequin - Perhaps the biggest romance publisher, Harlequin has several different lines. American Romance (55,000-60,000 words), Blaze (55,000-60,000 words), Historical (70,000-75,000 words), Historical Undone (10,000-15,000 words, released in ebook form), Intrigue (55,000-60,000 words), Medical Romance (50,000-55,000 words), Presents - Modern Romance (50,000 words), Presents - Modern Heat (50,000 words), Romance (50,000 words) and Superromance (60,000-65,000 words).
  
  
• HQN - While this imprint of Harlequin primarily takes agented submissions of around 90,000 words, they do accept queries from unagented authors to see if your story fits their needs.
  
  
• Kensington Books (Zebra) - This print publisher accepts historical, paranormal, contemporary, fantasy, erotica, multicultural, and romantic suspense. They do not list wordcount requirements. They ask that queries/submissions be sent to a specific editor.
  
  
• Kimani Press - This imprint of Harlequin focuses on African-American love stories. They have a contemporary line (50,000-60,000 words) and an Arabesque Romance line (75,000-85,000 words).
  
  
• LUNA - If your romance contains just as much fantasy as romance (if not more), and falls between the wordcount of 100,000-120,000 words, you might want to take a peek at this imprint of Harlequin.
  
  
• Parker Publishing, LLC - This small press is the publisher of Noire Romances, a line of African-American and interracial romance. The lines include: Noire Entice (interracial romance), Lotus Blossom (focusing on the largely ignored ethnicities in the romance field), and Noire Fever (erotica). They publish in print and ebook format.
  
  
• Silhouette - This imprint of Harlequin has a variety of lines as well, including: Silhouette Desire (50,000-55,000 words), Silhouette Romantic Suspense (55,000-60,000 words), Silhouette Nocturne (70,000-75,000 words), Nocturne Bites (10,000-15,000 words, released in ebook format), Special Edition (55,000-60,000).
  
  
• Spice Books - This imprint of Harlequin publishes erotica of 90,000-120,000 words. Spice Briefs publishes an ebook component of short erotic stories 5,000-15,000 words.
  
  
• Steeple Hill - This imprint of Harlequin publishes Christian romances. Along with contemporary, they publish historical and suspense. Wordcounts range from 55,000-60,000 words.
  
  
• Sugar and Spice - This new press accepts stories 20,000 words and up, although any books shorter than 45,000 will not be published in print. They accept works in all romance subgenres and welcome erotica and interracial romance.
  
  
• TOR (Tom Doherty Associates) - Aside from science fiction and fantasy, this major speculative fiction publisher also accepts paranormal romance. Guidelines are listed at the link above.
  

Another brilliant site is Brenda Hiatt's Show Me the Money, an article letting you know what sort of money you can expect to make per book with various publishers. But choosing a publisher and being accepted is only half the battle. Check in later this week for resources to help you promote your book!

Clara.

*Please note: this information is current only as of May 2nd, 2010. I strongly recommend you study the publisher's guidelines before you submit.