Leap Books: Call For Submissions by Judith Graves for YA Horror

As acquiring editor for SHINE, the new YA/NA line from Leap Books, I’m always in the market for great reads and what better way to seek them out than to share news about our upcoming releases and provide our submission guidelines?

Leap Books, LLC has been around since 2009, but we’re just venturing into the world of ebook novellas for both young adult and new adult markets. Early in 2015 we’ll see the launch of two young adult SHINE titles and I can’t wait for these babies to go live.

Tina Ferraro, a two-time RITA Young Adult finalist and the author of The ABC’s of Kissing Boys (Delacorte Books for Young Readers), helps to launch SHINE with HALF-LIFE, a dreadfully fun paranormal. This story follows Trisha in the days before her 15th birthday, as her long deceased identical twin makes appearances in mirrors to help prevent her similarly early demise.

From author, Laura Lascarso, we have RACING HEARTS: Book One, the first of a new series that will do much more than just rev your reading engine. The book follows a pair of star-crossed lovers. Jesse wants to honor his father’s legacy; Brooke wants to prove her father wrong in this modern-day Romeo & Juliet set in the world of competitive car racing. Lascarso’s debut novel Counting Backwards (Atheneum) won the Florida Book Award gold medal for YA literature.

Thanks so much for helping to spread the word about SHINE and allowing me to connect with your readership!

Interested in submitting a manuscript to SHINE? I’m accepting both agented and unagented submissions at: submissions@leapbks.info – attention: Judith Graves.

The nitty-gritty details:

• SHINE word counts: 15-30k
• We’re looking for solid storytelling with romantic elements, engaging voices, and characters that LEAP from the page
• All genres will be considered, but preference for: contemporary, thriller, paranormal, and mystery

Why an e-novella with Leap Books SHINE?

• Introduce readers to your young adult fiction brand / style / tone / voice / worlds by giving them a short, fun, affordable read. Snag their interest in your other projects by offering a tale sure to SHINE
• If you want to step into the ebook arena, but have been hesitant to offer a full-length novel, here’s your chance to test this market
• Each book will be professionally edited and have an eye-catching cover
• At a small press, you’ll have more one-on-one contact with our editors and other authors
• Each title will be launched with a blog tour facilitated by a successful blog-tour organizer
• SHINE titles may be compiled into anthologies to be sold in both print and ebook format.

I’ve confirmed with Judith that they’re looking for dark YA and YA horror, so get on it people! Here’s a chance to be published with your sweet novella! Judith and Shannon are fantastic and talented people and anyone would be lucky to work with them.

Have any questions? Leave a comment below!