Small press query

Status
Not open for further replies.

Randy

Banned
Joined
Sep 3, 2009
Messages
19
Reaction score
1
Location
Houston
Years ago I wrote a novel about a Honduran boy who comes to Houston, meets near the end of the story an investment banker who has, for different reasons, hated his own father. The circumstances of that meeting involve an extortion attempt, a crime encouraged by a woman the boy of 18 is sleeping with. I sent it out too soon. Little Brown, though interested, rejected it. Weeks later, my agent left the agency. I rewrote the novel, sent it out again, to small presses since I was unrepresented. One liked it a lot but said it wasn't their genre---my fault for not paying more attention to the guidelines. I tried others, one here in Texas, after reading the first chapter, said in today's mail I had an interesting premise that wasn't right for them. I've contacted others over the years: Gray Wolf, Unbridled, Seven Something, the one in North Carolina, all sending me their form letter rejections. Anybody know of a small press that might take a look?
randy
 

Red-Green

KoalaKoalaKoala!
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Sep 21, 2007
Messages
4,392
Reaction score
3,782
Location
At the publishing party, whacking the piñata
Website
www.bryngreenwood.com
I'd hit Writers Digest first. A lot of libraries buy it, but it's not that expensive. Also, I looked for it and couldn't find it, but a user on AW, named Triceratops, he has one of the best lists of small presses that I've seen just off hand. Where did it go, though?
 

Unimportant

No COVID yet. Still masking.
Staff member
Moderator
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
May 8, 2005
Messages
19,519
Reaction score
22,751
Location
Aotearoa
What genre is it? I can't really tell from your description if it's crime fiction, literary fiction, erotica, or what.
 

Randy

Banned
Joined
Sep 3, 2009
Messages
19
Reaction score
1
Location
Houston
Your question about "The Riches of Circumstance"

Literary fiction, a cross between "Tortilla Curtain" and "Bonfire of the Vanities."
randy
 

Unimportant

No COVID yet. Still masking.
Staff member
Moderator
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
May 8, 2005
Messages
19,519
Reaction score
22,751
Location
Aotearoa
Maybe try Algonquin? Or Soft Skull? Or one of the university presses?

If you go to Duotrope (http://www.duotrope.com/index.aspx) and choose "literary" and "novel" it'll throw up at least a hundred hits. Each one will include a link to the press's webpage. That's probably the easiest way to start your research.
 

Randy

Banned
Joined
Sep 3, 2009
Messages
19
Reaction score
1
Location
Houston
I've tried Algonquin, SMU, but not Soft Skull or the Duotrope. Thanks very much for sending this "important," to me at least, message.
randy
 

Chris P

Likes metaphors mixed, not stirred
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Nov 4, 2009
Messages
22,616
Reaction score
7,292
Location
Wash., D.C. area
Maybe try Algonquin? Or Soft Skull? Or one of the university presses?

If you go to Duotrope (http://www.duotrope.com/index.aspx) and choose "literary" and "novel" it'll throw up at least a hundred hits. Each one will include a link to the press's webpage. That's probably the easiest way to start your research.

Nice link! Thanks!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.