Submissions - Submissions

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: HOT SUMMER TEASES

Red Rose Publishing is celebrating its sixth birthday with an open call for submissions for stories of no more than 15,000 words on the theme of sex and romance on hot summer days. All genres will be considered so long as the action takes place in the summer time—preferably in sweltering weather.

Interested authors should submit their stories to rrpsubmissions@gmail.com. The subject line should read: HOT SUMMER SUBMISSION: TITLE OF WORK by AUTHOR’S NAME. (For Example: HOT SUMMER SUBMISSION: Daydreams by Veronica Tower)

The body of your email should include:

Real Name and Pen Name (if applicable)
Email Address
Snail Mail Address with Valid Phone Number
Brief Author Bio
Published Works (if applicable)
Literary Honors and Awards (if applicable)
Brief Book Blurb (200 words or less)

Each submission should also contain the complete short story and a one page synopsis of the tale. Both documents should be saved as rich text format files. For additional submission information below.

Red Rose Publishing plans to release the stories under the series title, “Hot Summer Teases.” Depending on the final number of works accepted, stories will be published one day at a time in the month of July 2013. Let’s fill the month of July with great short stories that keep people clicking into RRP every day of the month.

Submissions must be received by December 31, 2012 to be considered for the July 2013 promotion.

We encourage you to share this call for submissions.

Submission Guidelines

Red Rose™ Publishing is a full service, royalty-paying publisher. Authors pay no fees for covers or editing. We are NOT a subsidy/vanity press. Our authors receive per ebook title 40% for sales of up to 300 ebooks, 45% for sales between 301 to 500, and 50% for sales over 500 ebooks. Print is negotiated on a case-by-case basis and the royalties per title are 20% for sales up to 300 books, 25% for 301 to 500 books, 30% for 501 to 1000 books, 35% for 1001 to 2999, and 40% for 3000 and up.

*Note* We prefer no multiple submissions (submitting one manuscript to multiple publishers for contract consideration), however Red Rose™ Publishing will accept the necessity of them. In the case of multiple submissions, the author is obligated to divulge (at the time of submission) a manuscript's multi-submitted status and keep Red Rose™ Publishing up-to-date and current on the status of the manuscript's progress.

Red Rose™ Publishing DOES NOT accept the following under any circumstances, no exceptions:

Submissions from persons under 18 years of age
Incest (including twin-cest)
Necrophilia
Bestiality (sentient fantasy creatures allowed)
Bodily Functions (golden showers, et al)
Minors in sexual situations (pedophilia)
Violence/Death in sexual situations
Weapons (knives, guns, et al) used as sex toys
Rape as titillation
Rape represented in a positive light
Racial Intolerance
Previously SELF-published titles

How To Submit:

Failure to comply with any guidelines stated on this page is cause for automatic rejection. Such rejections will NOT be considered if re-submitted.

Red Rose™ Publishing is a digital publisher and all submissions must be sent via email to rrpsubmissions@gmail.com.

Subject lines as follows:

For Interracial/Multicultural - "MC/IR SUBMISSION: [BOOK TITLE] by [AUTHOR'S NAME]"
(example - MC/IR SUBMISSION: Pamper Me by Marie Rochelle)
For Holiday-themed - "[HOLIDAY] SUBMISSION: [BOOK TITLE] by [AUTHOR'S NAME]"
(example - STPATRICKS SUBMISSION: Toss of a Coin by Aline de Chevigny)
For gothic/horror - GOTH/HOR SUBMISSION: [BOOK TITLE] by [AUTHOR'S NAME]
(example - GOTH/HOR SUBMISSION: Flesh by Melissa Glisan)

The body of your email should include:

Real Name
Pen Name (if applicable)
Email Address
Snail Mail Address
Valid Phone Number
Brief Author Bio
Published Works (if applicable)
Literary Honors and Awards (if applicable)
Brief Book Blurb (200 words or less)

Two (2) documents—synopsis and full manuscript—should be sent as RTF attachments to your submission email. DO NOT paste them into the body of the email. Such submissions will be rejected. Also, do not send query letters or partials or proposals. Full and complete manuscripts only.

SYNOPSIS
A synopsis is meant to be brief, succinct, and to the point.

1-2 pages (maximum of 5 pages for longer works - 80k words and above)
RTF (rich text format) format
Include manuscript title and author's name
Single spaced
No indentation
No Headers or Footers or Footnotes
One space between each paragraph
12pt Font (Times New Roman or Courier New preferred)
Full description of setting and main characters
Clearly defined plot from beginning to end
Conclusion (ie - tell us the ending. Yes, tell us the ending)

MANUSCRIPT
Your manuscript should be self-edited within an inch of its life before submitting. Too many obvious typos and grammatical errors are cause for rejection.

Upper Left Corner of FIRST page ONLY Should Include
- Working Title
- Anthology/Series Name (if applicable)
- Author's Name
- Current Word Count (use word processors count function)
- Genre and sub-genres (use those defined on RRP website)
- Is the title previously published? If so, attach as an RTF/PDF a copy of the release returning the rights to you.
- Email
- Phone Number
RTF (rich text format)
One-inch (1in) margins
12pt Font (Times New Roman or Courier New preferred)
Double-spaced
Indented Paragraphs (use word processors margin-control function NOT tabs)
Chapter Headings Spelled Out (Chapter One, Chapter Two, et al)
NO PAGE BREAKS!!
No Headers or Footers or Footnotes

Submissions responses generally take 8-12 weeks, but times vary depending on submissions volume.

Themed Submissions

Desert Rose
Sheikhs, princes with desert roses and impossible dreams! Or are they? The Sahara desert and surrounding countries are your playground. Or you can have your Middle Eastern lovers traveling to different locales to seduce their leading ladies (or men). Let your imagination out to play!

Submission guidelines are as stated above. Subject line should be "DESERT ROSE SUBMISSION: [BOOK TITLE] by [AUTHOR'S NAME]".

Autumn Rose
Love isn't just for the twenty-somethings of the world. Let your 40+ heroes and heroines out to play and show the kids you've forgotten more about love and sex than they'll ever hope to know.

Or, you can have your 40+ teaching the 20-something a thing or two. However you spin it is up to you, but show us life doesn't end at 30.

Submission guidelines are as stated above. Subject line should be "AUTUMN ROSE SUBMISSION: [BOOK TITLE] by [AUTHOR'S NAME]".

Caribbean Rose
Is your heroine or hero going to islands for vacation or business? Did they happen to fall in love while they were there? Was it another visitor to the islands or a native?

Whatever the flavor of your Caribbean tale, we want to read about it. And don't forget to send along some sunscreen if the pages get a little hot.

Submission guidelines are as stated above. Subject line should be "CARIBBEAN ROSE SUBMISSION: [BOOK TITLE] by [AUTHOR'S NAME]".

Holiday Themes
Love during the holidays is some of the sweetest. Christmas, New Year's, Valentine's and all the others are the perfect backdrop for your romantic tale. But, they aren't just a backdrop, the holidays are almost a character themselves.

Holiday-themed stories have a plot that revolves around the holiday and thus are released during that holiday's season for added sales.

Submission guidelines are as stated above. Subject line should be "[HOLIDAY] SUBMISSION: [BOOK TITLE] by [AUTHOR'S NAME]". The holiday for which you are writing should be stated in the body of the email, as well.

Deadlines:
Holiday-themed stories should be submitted for consideration before the FIRST (1st) day of the SIXTH (6th) month PRIOR to the holiday month for which they are intended. That means a Valentine's Day story needs to be in the submission editor's hands no later than 01 August.

Submissions FAQ:

Your submissions format is different than the other publishers where I've submitted.
- Different strokes for different folks applies here. Follow the submissions guidelines stated above or it will slow down or even halt consideration of your manuscript.

Why RTF format instead of DOC or TXT or any other format?
- RTF (rich text format) is a universal file type that will bridge MAC and PC as well as older and newer versions of most word processors (or that's the running theory). RTF is better than TXT only because RTF maintains your formatting, such as italics.

You're an e-publisher, why do you need my snail mail address and phone number?
- This information is needed if your manuscript is contracted. Your personal information will not be shared.

Do you have any advice on editing?
- Eliminate passive voice as much as possible. It should be used sparingly if it is used at all.
- Do NOT overuse dialog tags (said, asked, et al). Most are not needed if your prose is clear.
- No head-hopping. Stable POV is important and cuts back on reader confusion. Yes, some authors do head-hop, but they are famous and bringing in the big bucks so they can get away with it.
- Don't start your manuscript in first person and then switch to third or vice versa.
- Be consistent with hair color, eye color, and skin color. Realize that grey eyes are not the same as blue (unless the person is wearing contacts) and that a mahogany person will not be ebony two paragraphs later (unless they got one heck of a tan). Wikipedia is full of color charts, utilize them if you need to.
- Avoid pronoun confusion. Your characters have names for a reason. Use them.
- Get a beta-reader (person who reads your manuscript before you submit it and critiques it) or be part of a critique group. Another pair of eyes is not a bad thing.

It's been more than 8 weeks and I haven't heard anything. Should I email?
- Yes, you are allowed to email. That means ONE email not several. That also means be polite.

I thought editors are supposed to edit my manuscript. Why should I?
- Your editor's job is to polish your manuscript not overhaul it. Knowing how to self-edit is an asset to an author.