Publishing and Submittal Guidelines
PALM DRIVE PUBLISHING
EMail mark@PalmDrivePublishing.com
Publisher: Mark Hemry
Publishes hardcover and trade paperbacks originals and trade paperback reprints. Averages 4-8 titles/year. Pays royalty or makes outright purchase. Reports in 6 weeks on queries which must be specifically written as follows:
- a one-sentence TV Guide thumbnail synopsis with the hook that will grab the reader;
- 1-page double-spaced treatment (250 words) of what the book is about; and
- the complete first page as it appears in the book.
Nonfiction: How-to, self-help, new age, historical, literary, film, gay pop culture, and gay lifestyle topics presented in a way that can crossover to mainstream readers without losing core consciousness. Authors can be any gender. "We seek terrific memoirs; and fresh literary nonfiction, even academic books written with verve (eg. The Queening of America by David Van Leer), anthologies of provocative essays, and entertaining, informative, human-interest nonfiction addressing popular culture. Interested in anthology interviews with artists, writers, photographers, filmmakers, and others in art, literature, and especially spirituality (ancient witchcraft, through traditional, to new age), and politics significantly interesting enough to be added to the widening canons of gay culture. Gay writing is not a cul de sac. Gay writing--minus political rhetoric--is an important tributary into the mainstream of American culture. Ideally, writing submitted should reflect something of the universal human experience through its use of the gay sensibility. After 3-part query (described above) is accepted, submit outline and sample chapters in hard copy. Enclose SASE for return. Unsolicited manuscripts might not be returned.
Fiction: Literary, erotica, novels, short story collections (by one author, two authors, or a diversity of more). Almost any genre: sci fi, horror, humor, noir, etc. Currently seeking fiction (500-3,000 words) for anthology on homosexuality and Irish men; and on new age "Bears." Authors can be any gender. We buy individual stories as well as book-length manuscripts.
Screenplays and Plays: Everybody in America is writing a screenplay. The crossover appeal of human scripts with gay-themes that have character-driven plots read best. Any genre. (Avoid the cliche of "6-men-at-party play truth-or-dare.") Query in 3-part pitch detailed above. Screenplays should be presented in appropriate format: eg., Ken Schafer's Movie Magic Screenwriter for Windows. One-act plays can be the soul of wit and wisdom as independent films are to movies.
Tips: "Style, wit, and brains complement strong material in nonfiction. For fiction, edit, tighten, polish, and punch up style with focus on characters, dialog, and plot. Make conscious choice of first or third-person omniscient POV. Just because your printer prints out copy that looks like page design, don't think that the first ten drafts clicked in on your keyboard are your finished manuscript. Send finished pages, not a draft-in-progress. We are not manuscript doctors. We encourage your realized, defined, focused manuscripts."
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