Updated June 13th 2016
Samahin has closed their doors. Do not submit.
Samhain Publishing is an independent publisher of romance and horror books. They publish digital and print versions. They have good distribution. Founded in 2005 as a digital only publisher, they have now published over 2200 titles by over 600 authors. Just from glancing at these numbers it is clear that a lot of authors are happy enough with Samhain to maintain an ongoing relationship.
Some authors have been very happy working with Samhain, others less so, to learn a little more about them before submitting, it is helpful to read the absolute writes forum thread about them (it is over 50 pages long). Also, Googling Samhain reveals a lot of information about them, from an authors perspective. Much of it is positive, but considering how many books they publish a year, it is not surprising that all of it is not favorable.
Their website is easy to navigate and reveals that they generally have an excellent cover designer.
For their line of horror novels they are looking for exciting, dramatic and frightening stories. They are open to supernatural and non-supernatural novels, as well as contemporary or historical novels.
Content can range from subtle and unsettling to gory and shocking, as long as it is well written. It is important that the novel is suspenseful.
For romance books they consider all genres of romance and erotica (any heat level will work), as well as fantasy, urban fantasy and science fiction with strong romantic element. For science fiction, fantasy, and urban fantasy submissions, they would like strong romantic themes throughout. A traditional happy ending is not required, they require that there is some progression in the romantic arc as well. Work should be between 12,000 and 100,000+ words in length. For print eligibility the book must be a minimum of 50,000 words and a maximum of 120,000 words.
They are also interested in reprints, but check their website for specifics.
You must submit via email, including the complete manuscript and a full synopsis of the plot as two separate attachments. In the body of the email make sure to include a brief description of the novel, word count, and any publishing history. Include contact information. The title of the novel should be the email’s subject lines. Formatting preferences are detailed on their website.
To learn more visit their website here.
Bio: Emily Harstone is the pen name of an author whose work has been published internationally by a number of respected journals. She is a professional submissions adviser. You can follow her on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/emilyharstone/
