Submission Guidelines

Red Rose™ Publishing is a full service, royalty paying publisher. Authors pay no fees for covers or editing. We are NOT a vanity press. Our authors receive 40% for sales of up to 300 books, 45% for sales between 301 to 500, and 50% for sales over 500 books. For a sample contract, please email rrpsubmissions@gmail.com subject line "Contract Inquiry".

Red Rose™ Publishing welcomes all genres of romance at all times, especially MC/IR. However, at this time, we are actively seeking:

*Note* We prefer no multiple submissions (submitting one manuscript to multiple publishers), 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

Red Rose™ Publishing is an e-publisher and all submissions must be sent via internet to rrpsubmissions@gmail.com subject line "SUBMISSION: [BOOK TITLE] by [AUTHOR'S NAME]" (example - SUBMISSION: Pamper Me by Marie Rochelle).

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 attachments to your submission email. DO NOT paste them into the body of the email. Such submissions will be rejected.

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

• 1-2 pages (maximum of 5 pages for longer works - 60k 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
• Space between each paragraph
• 12pt Font (Times New Roman or Courier New preferred)
• Full description of setting and main characters
• Clearly defined plot
• 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. Red Rose™ Publishing prefers the FULL manuscript rather than a partial.

• Upper Left Corner of FIRST page ONLY Should Include
  • Working Title
  • Series Name (if applicable)
  • Author's Name
  • Current Word Count (use word processors count function)
  • Genre (use those defined on website)
  • Heat Rating
  • Email
  • Phone Number
• RTF (rich text format) format
• One-inch (1in) margins
• 12pt Font (Times New Roman or Courier New preferred)
• Double-spaced
• Indented Paragraphs (use tab for cleanliness and uniformity)
• Chapter Headings
• NO PAGE BREAKS
• No Headers or Footers or Footnotes

Submissions responses generally take 4-8 weeks, but times vary depending on submissions volume.

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]". Also, the holiday for which you are writing should be stated in the body of the email.

Deadlines:
Holiday-themed stories should be submitted for consideration before the FIRST (01) day of SIXTH (6) month PRIOR to the holiday 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.

Exceptions are as follows:

• Holidays taking place October 2008 through November 2008 by August 01, 2008
• Holidays taking place December 2008 through January 2009 by September 01, 2008
• Holidays taking place February 2009 through April 2009 by October 01, 2008

• 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.