Orca Books seeks kid lit, board books to middle grade, plus reluctant readers, nonfiction, and graphic novels

Orca Books

1016 Balmoral Road
Victoria, BC

https://www.orcabook.com/

Note: You can hang out and chat with quick brown foxes and vixens on my Facebook page (here), and if you’re not yet on my newsletter list, send me an email, including your locale to brianhenry@sympatico.ca ~Brian

Founded in 1984, Orca Book Publishers is an independently owned Canadian children’s book publisher. With over 1,000 titles in print and more than 80 new titles a year, Orca prides itself on publishing Canadian authors (only) and bringing them to a wider market.

Orca accepts submissions in August and February. Look for announcements on their social media: OrcaBook Publishers on Facebook or @orcabook on Twitter, and doubtless they’re on other platforms, too. To submit to Orca, create an account on CanSubmit.

In August and February, Orca will be looking for manuscripts in the following genres:

Board Books

Manuscripts should have minimal text and be aimed at ages 0–24 months.

No art should be included with board book submissions unless you are a professional illustrator. Original art should never be included.

Please send submissions to the attention of Vanessa McCumber.

Picture Books

Good stories, well told. Any lesson or moral should be secondary to credible characters, an engaging plot and strong writing. The point of view should invite the child reader into the story.

Even if you have written a series, please send only one submission. We rarely publish sequels to our picture books, and then only if the first book has been very successful.

Picture book manuscripts should typically be 1,500 words or less.

No art should be included with picture book submissions unless you are a professional illustrator. Original art should never be included.

Complete manuscripts (no queries, please) should be sent to the attention of Sarah Howden and Vanessa McCumber.

Orca Echoes

Early chapter books aimed at ages six to eight

Contemporary stories or fantasy with a universal theme, a compelling, unified plot and a strong, sympathetic child protagonist who grows through the course of the story and solves the central problem him/herself

Currently seeking stories where humour, imagination and play are at the forefront. Any lesson or moral should be well-disguised, and secondary to an engaging plot, strong characters, and child-appeal. 

6,000 to 8,000 words (max.)

Submissions should be sent in their entirety to the attention of Sarah Howden.

Middle Grade fiction

Contemporary stories with a universal theme, a compelling, unified plot and a strong, sympathetic child protagonist who grows through the course of the story and solves the central problem themselves

35,000 to 50,000 words

Target audience: readers for this genre can range anywhere from 8 to 12 years old. Please be clear about the target age group for your work in your cover letter.

A cover letter and the complete manuscript should be sent to the attention of Sarah Howden.

Orca Currents

High-interest novels aimed at reluctant readers ages 9-12, with a reading level of grades 1.0-4.5

Protagonists are between 12 and 14 years old and should be appealing and believable.

These stories should have middle-school-appropriate story lines (family issues, humor, sports, adventure, mystery/suspense, sci-fi/fantasy, etc.).

14,000 to 16,000 words, 12 to 16 chapters.

Submit a cover letter, a short (100–200 words) synopsis, and a chapter-by-chapter outline, and a sample chapter to the attention of Doeun Rivenell.

Orca Soundings

High-interest novels aimed at reluctant readers aged 12 and up, with a reading level of grade 2.0-4.5, preferably closer to 3.0

Protagonists are between 14 and 17 years old and should be appealing and believable.

These stories should reflect the universal struggles that young people face. They need not be limited to "gritty" urban tales. Can include adventures, mystery/suspense, performing arts, romance, sport, and fsci-fi/antasy

14,000 to 16,000 words, 12 to 16 chapters

Submit a cover letter, a short (100–200 words) synopsis, a chapter-by-chapter outline, and a sample chapter to the attention of Doeun Rivenell.

Orca Anchor: High-interest novels for reluctant teen readers ages 12 and up, with a reading level below grade 2.0, preferably closer to 1.0

Protagonists are between 14 and 17 years old and should be appealing and believable.

These stories should reflect the universal struggles that young people face. They need not be limited to "gritty" urban tales. Can include adventures, mystery/suspense, performing arts, romance, sport, and fsci-fi/antasy

6,000 to 8,000 words, 8 to 10 chapters

Submit a cover letter, a short (100–200 words) synopsis, a chapter-by-chapter outline, and a sample chapter to the attention of Doeun Rivenell.

Graphic Novels

Orca is looking for stories for all ages that can be told in graphic novel format, but no manga or anime.

Submissions should include a cover letter, synopsis and full text of the story. The more complete the submission, the better. If you are working with an illustrator, please include samples of their work and any finished art (copies only).

Orca Footprints

Nonfiction books about the complex environmental issues that kids face every day. 

Each 48-page book aims to inspire kids to take action.

Geared to readers ages 9 to 12 who are asking questions about the state of the natural world. 

Please submit query only to Kristie Hudson.

Orca Think

Nonfiction books that introduce readers to the issues making headlines today

Well-researched topics by authors with a connection to the subject matter

Please submit query only to Kristie Hudson.

Orca Timeline

Nonfiction books that explore how big ides have shaped humanity in the past, present, and into the future.

Well-researched topics by authors with a connection to the subject matter

Material should be appropriated for middle-grade readers, ages 9 to 12

Please submit query only to Kristie Hudson.

Orca Wild

Nonfiction books that challenge us to think about our relationships, both good and bad, with vulnerable species and habitats.

Well-researched topics by authors with a connection to the subject matter

Material should be appropriate for middle grade readers, ages 9 to 12

Please submit query only to Kristie Hudson.

Other Nonfiction

Orca is looking for unique projects that will have broad appeal to young North American readers. These could be nonfiction picture books for elementary readers (ages 4 to 8) or books for middle grade readers (ages 9 to 12) outside the scope of the series above. Material should be age appropriate.

To submit to Orca, create an account on CanSubmit.

See full submission guidelines here. See guidelines for illustrators here. 

Literary agent Olga Filina will be the
guest speaker for our July 30 
"How to Get Published" workshop 

If you're interested in writing for children or for young adults, join us for a weekly class this fall (see here) or to see all upcoming kid lit classes and workshops, see here {and scroll down}.

If you’re interested in meeting an agent and in getting published, don’t miss our upcoming How to Get Published  workshop. Details here.

Check out upcoming writing retreats here {and scroll down – because there's usually more than one).

See all of Brian’s upcoming weekly writing classes, one-day workshops, and weekend retreats here.

Navigation tips: Always check out the Labels underneath a post; they’ll lead you to various distinct collections of postings. For more children’s and young adult publishers, see here {and scroll down}. For book publishers in general, see here {and scroll down}.

Online "How to Get Published" workshop with literary agent Olga Filina, Sunday, July 30

If Only I Had Told Her
by New York Times bestselling author
Laura Nowlin, represented by 5 Otter 

How to Get Published

An editor & a literary agent tell all

Sunday, July 30, 2023
1:15 – 5:00 p.m. Toronto time
Online and accessible wherever there's Internet

If you've ever dreamed of becoming a published author, this workshop is for you. We’ll focus on the process of submitting to an agent or publisher, and show you exactly how to write a query letter that will get a “yes!” Bring all your questions! Come and get ready to be published!

Special Option: Participants are invited to prepare a draft of a query letter you might use to interest an agent or publisher in your book. You don't need to prepare anything, but if you like, email me a draft of your query prior to our workshop. Olgaand I will critique several queries, perhaps half a dozen, so everyone can see what works, what doesn’t and how to improve your query. Do remember that agents come to these events wanting to hear what you’ve got and hoping to find authors they want to represent. ~Brian

Guest speaker Olga Filina is a Literary Agent and Partner with 5 Otter Literary.

Olga brings over twenty years of book industry experience to her work as an agent. From bookseller and buyer at national and independent bookstore chains, to director of literary festivals, library board member, publishing consultant, independent editor, book reviewer, and founding member of the Professional Association of Canadian Literary Agents, Olga has the specialized knowledge to find the best direction for her clients’ work.

Olga is currently looking for literary and book club fiction, historical fiction, crime, mystery, and suspense novels. She also wants prescriptive nonfiction projects, and memoir with exceptional writing, focusing on underrepresented voices.

In Kid Lit, she is looking for middle grade fiction with memorable characters, contemporary YA, and nonfiction across all categories.

Note: 5 Otter Literary took on participants from two previous workshops Olga and I did together. 5 Otter landed Matteo L. Cerilli a two-book deal with Tundra, the Penguin-Random House's imprint for kid lit (see here), and following our most recent workshop, Olga took on Kristy Jackson as a client, and Olga's gotten Kristy a two-book deal with Harper-Collins (see here). ~Brian

Workshop leader Brian Henry has been a book editor and creative writing instructor for more than 25 years. He publishes Quick Brown Fox, Canada’s most popular blog for writers, teaches creative writing at Ryerson University, and has led workshops everywhere from Boston to Buffalo and from Windsor to Charlottetown. But his proudest boast is that he has helped many of his students get their first book published and launch their careers as authors. 

See reviews of Brian's classes and workshops here.

Fee: $45.13 + 13% hst = $51 paid in advance by mail or Interac

To reserve a spot now, email: brianhenry@sympatico.ca

See all of Brian’s upcoming weekly writing classes, one-day workshops, and weekend retreats here.

“The Great Lakes Octopus” by Brian Lintner

"Great Lakes Octopus" by Brian Lintner

(Inspired by the Arowhon Writing Retreat in Algonquin Park)

The Great Lakes Octopus – ten tentacles, because "ten" is in tentacles. None have ever been caught, but they have been spotted, usually at dawn or late dusk, feeding. A tentacle is an occasional sight on small placid lakes, far from shore, far from people. The first signs are present are the ripples, created as the tentacle breaks the water surface from below. A long black arm, as though stretching from a nap, reaching skyward. Two long pincers at the end of the tentacle flex and snap at the air. A reflex? The tentacle may sway for moments, longer if you’re lucky, silently slip back beneath the surface. Another ripple.

With patience, the octopus tentacle can be spotted resurfacing elsewhere, repeating the process. Stretch, snap, dip.

It is believed they feed on medium sized fish. But if hungry enough, they will near the shore and snack on leeches, frogs, or occasional ducklings.

***

This was my first writer’s retreat. I was there to kill two birds with one stone; to learn how to better tell stories and depart the mundane cycle of routine.

I drove from the city wasteland until the tarmac was no longer flat. Small lakes and forests were the boundaries of the road. I arrived at the destination sign that said ‘turn here.’ The laneway was gravel and dust, a ribbon of tight hilly turns amid the cathedral of conifers and maples.

Was I in the right place? It was too nice.

Long drives create full bladders, and I wondered if I took ten paces into the bush to relieve myself, would I lose sight of the beaten path? People have been lost for days, only meters from the main trail. Panic, dehydration, eventual death. Did Stephen King have eyes in the forest that could spot me? Would Hercule Poirot stand over my mosquito bitten lumpy carcass, disembowelled by predators and raptors, and find the missing clue? Lunatic silliness. I could wait for the loo until I arrived. A sign said the hotel was around the corner, past the big tree, dead ahead.

At the car park, I knuckle-rubbed the glare of the drive from my eyes. I could hear the quiet of remoteness. Eerily quiet, save for the buzz of mosquitoes and occasional squawking water fowl.

***

At dinner, I met the other writers. The evening was full of enlightened chatter as they spoke of their stories, themselves, titillations and imaginations. Would my titillating imagination compare? Could I flock with these birds of a feather?

I told my fellow writers of the Colossal Great Lakes Octopus that occupy the lake water next to our cabins. Their tree limb tentacles come with one evolutionary difference to their smaller cousins; their snapping phalanges have developed into spiney-spike beak-claws. Their favoured meals, rumours of course, are monster sturgeon. However, when foraging, they are capable of coming close to shore to snatch turtles, dogs, or misbehaving children.

I asked them if they had noticed any children running about.

There was a breath-beat of unanswered thought.

***

After this richness of supper and company, I strolled beyond the trail to the water’s edge, to the guest dock, beside the staff dock, where anyone can borrow a canoe. By now, it was night. The air was filled with humid earthy dew and the haze of distant fires. The forest silhouette and blue-purple horizon shimmied on the flatness of lake. Tranquility.

Was that a ripple?

Voices and someone with a headlamp approached the staff dock. They chattered. Two young men and a woman. They removed a canoe from the storage rack. There were hollow bumps and thumps as it was dragged across the lawn. It scratched the shoreline as they slid it into the calm water.

They loaded themselves into the canoe. By the amount of topsy-turvying going on, I wondered about their skill.

I watched the woman step into the middle seat and lean on the gunnels for support. The canoe dipped to the tipping point.

The fellow with the headlamp sat in the back. He said to the fellow at the front, “Turn left, now right…”

I’d understood that the rear seat in a canoe was the steerage control. Those kids must have a new way of doing it.

I watched them zig-zag almost out of sight. I saw the flicker of a lighter, a couple of times. Their laughter became quieter. Tranquility once again.

Splosh! Snap snap! Splashes. Ripples. Then, a creepy quiet.

***

The next morning, I returned from breakfast and crossed paths with a fellow guest, a hiker, not a writer. She told me her name was Agatha. Her mosquito net head-covering topped a mop of white hair, her false teeth aligned looked new, not stained by tea or nubbed with age. With her walking sticks and gloves, it was obvious she was on an exercise mission. We paused at the bridge adjacent to the cabins and looked out to the water, where there was a ripple.

She pointed and said with delight, “A crane!”

“Yes, a crane.” I lowered my voice and asked, “Have you ever heard about the Great Lakes Octopus?”

She smiled, a gentle smile, and said “Oh, I’m not concerned about the octopus. It fed well last night. Besides, I don’t have any children … anymore.”

Like an apparition, Agatha disappeared into the woods.

***

Brian Lintner is a veteran and former corporate guy who loves good stories and word salads. He and his tolerant wife of 37 years have dragged their kids around Canada and overseas, and now live somewhere in the armpit of the Golden Horseshoe. When not writing, he is known to paint (www.zendenart.ca) and continues to pluck away at his ukulele, or occasionally babysit the grandkids.

For information about upcoming writing retreats, see here {and scroll down; there's usually more than one coming up}.

See Brian Henry’s upcoming weekly writing classes, one-day workshops, and weekend retreats here.

 

 

Kudos to Kristy on her book contract and to Sue on winning 2nd place in a writing contest, plus you're invited to a book signing

If you’ve had a story (or a book!) published, if you’ve won or placed in a writing contest, if you’ve gotten yourself an agent, or if you have any other news, send me an email so I can share your success. As writers, we’re all in this together, and your good news gives us all a boost. 

Also, be sure to let know if you're looking for a writers' group or beta readers; a notice in Quick Brown Fox, will help you find them. 

Email me at: brianhenry@sympatico.ca

 

Hi, Brian.

I'm so excited to share my news...

My debut novel Mortified (for ages 8-12) will be published by Harper Collins in Spring 2024.

I’ve dreamed about publishing a novel since I was a little kid. There are no words for how happy I am about this little book of mine coming to life and out into the world!

No book happens on its own and I can't thank you and the Friday morning intensive group enough. Your classes, workshops and editing have all helped me improve my writing to where it is today (and ongoing ... I still have LOTS of room for improvement).

The Friday morning intensive group's feedback, encouragement and friendship were also key – without them, I would never have had the guts to take a shot at this. They are all just amazing people, I’ve learned so much from them, and there’s such talent in this group that I’m certain there will be announcements like this one in the future from these guys.  

Thanks so much.

Kristy Jackson

Note: There’s still room in the Tuesday evening Intensive class this fall and in several other online and in-person classes (though not in the Friday morning class – though email me if you’d like to be on the waiting list:  brianhenry@sympatico.ca. Details of all fall classes here.

Also, we have a How to Get Published workshop on Sunday, July 30, with Kristy’s agent, Olga Filina. Details here.  

 

Sue

Hi, Brian.

Last year, I received second place in the Canadian Legion Literary Contest in the memoir category and this year won first place.

I’m entering the Amy Memoir Contest this year.

Sue Kelly

 

Hi, Brian.

I took one of your creative writing classes back in 2016 at The Living Arts Centre. It was very informative and I still use your tips to this day. 

I am writing to let you know I’ve self-published a journal and will be doing a book signing at Chapters-Indigo in the Burlington Centre (map here) on Sunday,  July 9th at 12:00-3:00 p.m.  

Everyone’s invited.

My book will be available in Indigo Burlington for purchase and is on Amazon, as well. See here.

Thank you so much for everything you do for writers. The information you provide is valued.

Selena Singh-Russell

 

See Brian Henry’s upcoming weekly writing classes, one-day workshops, and weekend retreats here.

A Teenage Rodeo by Jeff Heal

 

I was a stock boy at the Bargain Shop in Dixie Mall. At the time I complained about working there, but thinking back, the complaints were only trying to disguise how much I enjoyed it. I didn’t want to appear uncool next to all the other kids who were my fellow workers.

One night late in October the parking lot at the rear of the store was wet with puddles, but luckily the rain had stopped, because it was mine and Darrel’s turn to take out the cardboard that had piled up waiting to be broken down and taken to the trash.

A new cardboard compacter had been added to the mall earlier that summer and both of us were excited that we were going to be able to load and crush the broken-down cardboard.

There were large plastic bins the size of small compact cars that we would load up the cardboard in and then push over to the rear of the mall and unload, but the way the mall was set up there was no direct route to this garbage dump area. We had to go out and around the back side of Knob Hill Farms, then around the bowling alley parking lot to get into the little alcove where the dumpsters and the new cardboard-compacting machine were located.

Here is where my very smart plan came into play. At that time, I was driving my dad’s 53 Ford pick up. It was in tough shape but legal for the road. Most importantly there was no need to worry about scratching the paint.

As Darrel and I were finishing loading the plastic bin on wheels with cardboard I told him this would be a pain in the ass to push over to the compacter. “Why don’t we hook it up to the rear of my pickup and pull it over” I asked. He thought that was an awesome plan.

I got the truck; we hooked it up to the rear with a rope I found behind the seat in the pickup and we started to pull the bin across the parking lot, slowly with Darrel walking beside it to steer it.

It worked great until…

Darrel hollered, “Hold on I’m going to jump in so you can get going faster so this doesn’t take us all night!” With that I stopped, he jumped into the front of the bin with the cardboard, and grabbed the rope tied to the back of the truck like the reins of a horse and hollered, “Give her Hell!”

I slowly started going again; not wanting to give the rope a sudden jerk and break it. But then noticed everything was working better then I imagined so I got the whole thing rolling along at a good speed and put the truck into second gear. 

The bin started to shake a little but I never heard anything from Darrel so all must be good. But as I turned the corner around the back side of Knob Hill Farms, I noticed about five or six cars all lined up with only one running and driver inside and they were blocking our way.

I jumped on the brakes and at that point realized the huge flaw in our plan. The pickup would stop but the plastic bin the size of a small car and way overloaded with cardboard and a 250-pound line backer named Darrel had no brakes and a lot of momentum.

With me hammering on the brakes the bin hit the back of the pickup with so much force it kicked the little pickup sideways and my buddy Darrel ended up out of the bin and face planted in the back of the pickup box.

He was not the happiest of guys when he figured out who he was again, but by that time I was occupied by some other stupidness I had never seen before. The line of cars at the back of Knob Hill Farms was a bunch of the teenage mall workers, and on Friday nights they had something called the rodeo.

Darrel explained. He said a bunch of the guys would kick, bang, and hit the dumpsters and that would scare the rats out and they would run across the parking lot and head to the safety of the creek behind the mall.

But that is when the guy in the car would start to chase them. Most of the time the rats were never hit or hurt they just got a little exercise, but that was lucky for the teenagers who thought this was a good idea.  These were no ordinary rats. They were the size of bull moose and just as solid. I didn’t know rats got that big, but I guess Knob Hill Farms garbage bins fed them well.

Well, this night as me and Darrel watched, the idiot in the car chasing the moose size rat was lucky or should I say unlucky and hit the rat in a four-wheel drift that was at a speed where the tires were starting to pull off the rims.

 As he struck the rat with his passenger door the sideways momentum stopped suddenly, and the car went airborne and flipped right over the rat as if the car did a hopscotch and then landed on its roof sliding to a stop twenty feet away from where he struck the rat.

The rat was just laying there until the friends of the guy in the rolled car came running to see if he was ok. But just as the first guy running got close to the rat, (because the rat and the flipped over car were in line of the crowd watching), the rat jumped up on all fours and started chasing him. The guy ran back past his friends at lightning speed with the rat chasing. All his other friends finally noticed what was chasing him, screamed, and started running after him.

It looked like the rat was catching up with them, but it broke off and ran towards the creek and out of sight. The guys, however, were still running as fast as they could without looking back. When they reached the first parked car all of them jumped on its hood and slid up on the roof to stay out of reach of this moose size rat coming after them, but then noticed the rat was nowhere in sight and the only sound was the laughter off in the distance, from two dumbasses who found it funny that the rat won this rodeo.

***

Jeff Heal has been writing short stories and was recently published in The Canadian Stories Magazine. He enjoys camping, blacksmithing and restoring vintage equipment when not writing.

For information about submiting to Canadian Stories magazine, see here.

See Brian Henry’s upcoming weekly writing classes, one-day workshops, and weekend retreats here.