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Submissions
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What
we're looking for: Spicy, sensual love stories which leave a
reader breathless, intense plots, alpha males, strong
heroines and sizzling dialogue. Though strong conflict is
necessary, it should not detract from the passionate
relationship. Sub-plots should be kept to a minimum as
should secondary characters.
We are not seeking M/M, F/F, or
sweet romances at this time.
We are looking for stories in any
genre from science fiction to historical. Just make it romantic and
erotic. Word count should be no less than 5,000 words and no more than
75,000 words.
To submit:
Please note that we do not accept simultaneous
submissions.
Please submit exactly as outlined below:
A Query Letter with:
- Your name,
pseudonym, contact e-mail, complete mailing address, and
telephone number
- The name of
the manuscript you are submitting and the name of the
series it is a part of, if any.
- The total
word count of your manuscript and whether or not it is
completed. By completed we mean polished and ready for
submission.
- The genre,
whether your book is sensual or erotic, and if this
manuscript has been previously published.
A short but complete Synopsis focusing on the characters'
goals and motivations, the major story events, climax, and ending.
A Partial which includes the first Three Chapters of your
manuscript which should also include any prologue. The hero and the
heroine should be introduced within the first three chapters of your
story, preferably within the first chapter.
Formatting Your Submission
Please follow these simple formatting guidelines precisely.
- RTF files only.
Submissions in DOC or in the body of the e-mail will not be
accepted.
- Double-spaced. Times New
Roman or Book Antiqua font is preferred.
- Emphasis words should be
italicized not underlined.
- The partial should be
attached to the e-mail and not included in the body of the e-mail.
- Place the Query Letter
only in the body of the e-mail, addressed to our
Editor-in-Chief, Rhonda Jackson Joseph. Attach the Synopsis and
Partial to the e-mail (RTF files only).
- Include your name,
pen-name, and contact e-mail in the Synopsis and Partial as well.
Send the submissions package to
whisperssubmissions@gmail.com.
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You will receive
confirmation of receipt within one week. If you have not
received confirmation at the end of one week, please
e-mail Editor-in-Chief Rhonda Jackson Joseph at
eicwhisperspublishing@gmail.com
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Our current
submissions' read time is four weeks. If you have not
heard from an editor at the end of one month, you may
inquire about the status of your submission by sending
an e-mail to
whisperssubmissions@gmail.com. Please include the
title of your story and the words “Status Inquiry” in
the subject line.
Frequently Asked
Questions
The following questions are the ones we hear most often from
prospective authors. If you have a question that isn’t answered below,
please contact us prior to submitting at
whisperssubmissions@gmail.com.
What's your turnaround time
on submissions?
Our current response time to a query or proposal is approximately a
month, although, we are running a little quicker than that at present.
Our response time for requested full manuscripts is about four to
eight weeks.
If my book is contracted, when will it be
published?
Your book will be published within a year of the completion of all
edits.
Will my book be published in print format?
No. At this time, Whispers Publishing has elected not to publish
individual books in print. However, from time to time, we do publish
themed anthologies which include up to four of our titles. Of course, we
cannot guarantee your book will be chosen for inclusion in any of our
anthologies as our selection process depends upon a number of factors
including reviews, author sales history, author history with the
company, and print market viability.
How often are royalties paid?
Royalties are paid monthly.
Can I use my own art for the cover?
Usually, no, but we will consider any requests on a case-by-case
basis, and we reserve the right to reject any cover that is not up to
Whispers Publishing’s standards. We have had great success with our
covers and have a talented cover art team that will work to ensure your
book’s art will appeal to our customers and attract more sales.
Whispers Publishing’s Taboos
The following is a list of situations
that are not allowed in our books. Please use this guideline to ensure
your manuscript conforms with our acceptance guidelines.
No sexual activity involving any character
under the age of twenty-one. There will be no exceptions.
No sexual activity involving the use of
garden tools, construction tools, kitchen utensils, or any other tool
not usually reserved for sexual play. We don’t want to read about how
one of the characters in the book creatively utilized a wire whisk.
The complete description of a rape scene.
Rape may be utilized to enhance the nastiness of the antagonist;
however, the crime should be perpetrated off camera (or out or the sight
of readers) and should not be explained in detail. References can be
used that will elucidate what the author needs to convey to the reader,
i.e., she suffered a brutal rape at his hands, and he’d never been
convicted.
No hard core BDSM or
role-playing. By this, we mean we don’t want scenes involving the
following:
horse play (yes, we’ve seen submissions with
these type of scenes)
men dressing up in dominatrix clothing
women utilizing strap-ons for
intercourse with the hero
the use of whips for beating or to encourage
submission
spanking (yes, we know it does happen in books,
but we don’t want it in ours unless it is a couple of light swats).
Role-playing of any kind between the
hero and heroine, i.e., the hero plays the cop and the heroine plays
the prostitute, etc.
the use of gags or other methods to silence a
partner.
rough sex that involves any type of
physical abuse, especially that results in bruises or trips to the
emergency room
No necrophilia. Vampires, of course, are
not considered dead. They are undead. Big difference between them and a
corpse.
No bestiality. In a shapeshifter romance,
the hero/heroine should not have sex with the character while that
character is in shapeshifter form, i.e., the heroine should not have sex
with the hero while he’s in wolf form.
If you have any type of sexual
situation in your manuscript you’re not sure will fit within our
guidelines, please feel free to e-mail us at
whisperssubmissions@gmail.com prior to submitting.
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titles are available at
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