Five Rivers Publishing seeks a variety of fiction, nonfiction and YA

The Tattooed Witch by Susan MacGregor,
published by Five Rivers

Five Rivers Publishing

704 Queen Street, P.O. Box 293
Neustadt, ON  N0G 2M0

http://www.fiveriverspublishing.com/

Here’s what they have to say about themselves: 

“Five Rivers Publishing is an independent publisher of fiction and nonfiction, giving voice to new and established Canadian authors. Five Rivers is committed to producing quality books that have benefited from the scrutiny of a good editor, with attention to layout and cover design. We work closely with our authors throughout the process. And we are very aggressive in our marketing, ensuring both our authors and our titles receive the best possible exposure in the global marketplace.”

Note that as a print-on-demand publisher, Five Rivers doesn’t offer advances. They pay 10% royalties on sales of print books; 50% on ebooks.

They accept submissions only from February 1 – February 14

Five Rivers welcomes submissions in the following categories:

Non-fiction:
All work must be solidly researched using primary references as a foundation.

Canadian history: this covers a broad spectrum, from stories of national significance to regional, from community to individual. For example,

·                     biographies of notable Canadians

·                     the quirky and esoteric field of experimental archaeology: e.g., recreating a 17th century Quebecois bake oven.

Canadian Issues:

·                     First Nation, Métis or Inuit issues

·                     immigrant issues

·                     other current issues of likely interest to Canadians

Self-Help Books:

·                     although we have published books on writing, editing, creativity, and gardening, we are unlikely to look favorably upon self-help books unless you are an accredited expert in the field about which you're writing.

Academic, Scholarly and Teaching Guides:

·                     we have a keen interest in esoteric and niche market works that would be of interest to schools, universities, teachers and academicians.

Fiction:

We seek novels and short story collections that are solidly plotted and character driven, with an emphasis on Canadian culture and settings, although not necessarily, in the following categories:

·                     Mainstream: Plot and character are the two pillars upon which we base the foundation of the mainstream fiction we publish. Have something to say, and say it well. We are looking in particular for books about Canada, her history, her people, her landscape.

·                     Fantasy: We tend to favour cultural and historical fantasies that reflect Canadian mores, although borrowing from other cultures is part of our multicultural nature. Examples would include The Tattooed Witch, The Runner and the Wizard, and From Mountains of Ice.

·                     Science fiction: We’re looking for original concepts from a Canadian perspective. An excellent example would be North by 2000+, as well as 88.

·                     Horror and Paranormal: Again, we're looking for original concepts from a Canadian perspective, with solid narrative and characterization. It would be wise not to send us a clone of any of the current trends out there. Surprise us. Engage us. Works such as Caitlin Sweet's The Pattern Scars are the sort of horror that capture our interest.

·                     Speculative: We are absolutely keen about authors who push the borders of fiction and concepts, though again we are looking for a Canadian perspective, insight or flavour. Examples would include:Black Wine, and Indigo Time.

·                     Historical: We are very keen to encourage writers to delve into the rich historical foundation we have and create solidly plotted, character-driven stories illuminating our diverse history. Shadow Song would be an example of the sort of well-researched historical novel for which we are looking.

·                     Crime and Detective: If your story has a new spin, if it's solidly Canadian, and refuses to fit into the usual fare dished out as crime and detective, then you've probably found the right home for your novel. We're absolutely slavish about accurate detail. Downshift is an excellent example.

·                     Young Adult: Any stories in the above categories with a target audience in the nine to 18 range. Examples: Mik Murdoch: Boy Superhero, Out of Time, and Type.

We will not consider women's fiction or erotica; and unfortunately do not publish poetry or picture books for either children or adults.

Query Five Rivers Publishing at: submissions@5rivers.org

Include a synopsis and first 30 pages of the manuscript. They accept submissions only from February 1 – February 14.

Full submission guidelines here.

See Brian Henry’s schedule here, including writing workshops and creative writing courses in Barrie, Brampton, Bolton, Burlington, Caledon, Cambridge, Collingwood, Georgetown, Guelph, Hamilton, Kingston, London, Midland, Mississauga, Newmarket, Niagara on the Lake, Oakville, Orillia, Ottawa, Peterborough, St. Catharines, Stouffville, Sudbury, Toronto, Halton, Kitchener-Waterloo, Muskoka, Peel, Simcoe, York, the GTA, Ontario and beyond.