Anaiah Press is a new publisher based in the United States that focuses on clean fiction and Christian fiction from throughout the world. Executive Editor, Eden Plantz, has shared with us some insight into the Anaiah Press from both a reader and author perspective.
If you want to pitch Anaiah Press, you can do so until the 26th January on YAtopia, or follow their regular submission process outside of this time.
The Interview:
1) Please share with us a bit about Anaiah Press and its imprints.
Anaiah Press is a Christian, digital-first publisher. Our first books will release in eBook in July of 2014 and will move to audio and print soon after. We have five imprints, spanning all age groups.
· Anaiah Adventures is our line for children, with books ranging from picture books to middle grade novels. Word requirements for this line cap out at 60,000 words.
· Anaiah Inspirations is inspirational nonfiction: memoirs, devotionals, etc. Submissions need to be between 20k and 90k words. *Senior Editor Jessica Schmeidler runs both Anaiah Adventures and Anaiah Inspirations, so personalized queries can be addressed to her.
· Anaiah Romance is exactly what the name implies: romance novels and novellas. Word count requirements run from 20k to 90k words, and all sub-genres are accepted (barring erotica, of course).
· Anaiah Presence, run by Senior Editor NateKurant is our speculative fiction imprint. This can be anything from dystopian, to sci-fi, to horror/thriller. No cursing please. Submissions to Anaiah Presence should be between 45k and 110k words.
· Anaiah Surge is our upper YA (young adult) and NA (new adult) line with word requirements set at 45k to 90k words. There are no genre limits, but the same general rules that apply to all of our lines apply toAnaiah Surge as well. Managing Editor Kara Leigh Miller, and Senior Editor, Isabel Sterling run Anaiah Surge and are passionate about YA and NA books.
You can view our submission guidelines, special calls, and editors’ wish lists at www.anaiahpress.comunder the submissions tab.
2) What have you pulled out of the slush pile so far that you've loved and offered on.
Our editors have eclectic tastes, and our acceptances reflect this. We’ve offered on a touching memoir about caregiving, and a contemporary romance that follows a woman in a struggling marriage. There’ve been some YA and even a picture book.
3) What are you hoping to see in you slush pile?
I would love to see some futuristic spec-fic. Some dystopian or sci-fi, written from the perspective of a strong male lead with a fresh voice – I’m tired of the jaded, egotistical male MC’s. Show me a guy who knows how to be a gentleman, but is still strong/brave enough to save your life when it’s go time.
4) What are some of the most consistent issues you're encountering with submissions and what could authors do to avoid this?
The only issue we really see consistently is authors not following guidelines. They either attach the sample pages rather than pasting in the body of the email, don’t send a query letter, or things of this nature. So far, we’ve tried to give a fair read to the authors who don’t follow guidelines, but as our submission numbers increase, we’re not going to be able to devote so much time to submissions that don’t adhere to guidelines. It’s not fair to the authors who do read the guidelines carefully.
5) What should authors do to grab your attention with a query?
Have a good elevator pitch – one sentence that tells the basic premise of your book. If there’s one thing and only one thing I can ever know about your book, what do you want it to be?
Expand from there. Use the query to summarize the opening 1-3 chapters of your book, and be sure to include lots of character voice.
6) What stories are you still missing off your wish list?
Two items on my personal wish list that haven’t come across my desk yet are a pirate-themed historical romance and a psychological thriller. I’m still waiting for both of those.
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