Submission calls

submission guidelines

Novels and Novellas

Crystal Lake Publishing Submission Window: August – September, 2025

We’re excited to announce that Crystal Lake Publishing and our imprints will be open for submissions from August 1st until September 30^th (end of day)!

This is a great opportunity for authors looking to work with a passionate and dynamic independent publisher specialising in dark fiction, horror, suspense, fantasy, and speculative genres. Whether you’re an established author or new to the industry, we welcome your work and encourage you to submit.

Each of our imprints is looking for something unique, so we’ve tailored our search to fit the strengths and needs of our diverse lineup. If you’re an author with a gripping manuscript, a haunting story, or a fresh take on classic genres, we want to hear from you! Our team is committed to fostering new voices while continuing to work with some of the most exciting authors in the genre.

In the next section, you’ll find more details about each of our imprints and the types of works we are specifically seeking. If you have a project that fits, we encourage you to submit when the time comes and be part of our ever-expanding lineup of talented writers. Please do not submit until August 1^st. We will update this info at the end of July with details on how and where to submit. And yes, your story needs to be complete by the time you submit.

Simultaneous submissions are allowed.
No AI-generated text/stories (we will test submissions for AI). To ensure we don’t falsely classify text as AI, we will use several AI-testing programs.
No multiple submissions, so only send us your best work.
Format: PDF or DocX, Times New Roman, according to the Shunn guidelines.
Cover letter optional

We’re looking for first English rights, worldwide. There are no advances. Royalties offered will be 40% on digital and paperback/hardcover sales. 50% on audio and any 3^rd party rights sold (translations, etc.). Rights to translations, comic books, board games, film etc. is optional.

Crystal Lake Publishing:

Novels / novellas over 30k words.

No reprints.
No extreme horror.

Looking for great stories: dark fiction, suspense, mystery, supernatural, horror, thriller, fantasy. Science Fiction is welcome if it forms part of the before-mentioned genres. So no hard SF.

To be published between June 2026 and December 2026.

Torrid Waters:

Extreme Horror / Pulp.
Novels / collections over 40k words.
For collections, no more than 60% of the short stories may be reprints.

To be published 2026 and early 2027.

Sinister Smile Press:
Novels and novellas only (nothing under 40k words).

No collections. No reprints.

Looking for all sub-genres of horror, supernatural, psychological, and thrillers. Series will be considered, but at least one book in the series must be complete.

To be published in 2026.

Crystal Cove Press:
Young Adult Fantasy, Horror, Dark Fiction.
Novels only.
No reprints.

No extreme horror.

To be published end of 2026 and early 2027.

We will reply to you as soon as possible, with all final decisions made by the end of the year.

Happy writing.

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On writing Books

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