Genres & Sub-Genres

Crime Fiction / Mystery

Mysteries deal with the solving of a murder or a series of related crimes.

Detective Fiction (whodunit)

The reader tries to figure out whodunit and the identity of the murderer is revealed at the end of the book.

• Amateur Sleuth
• Private Investigator
• Hard-boiled – explores the gritty, seamy side of a large city
• Cozy – very little onstage violence, usually amateur sleuth

Police Procedural

The focus is on the way the police force solves crimes (forensics, autopsies, search warrants). The reader may or may not know the perpetrator’s identity.

Capers

The focus is on the perpetrator of the crime.

Suspense

These books are characterized by high tension. The reader is waiting for something to happen, knowing that is coming.

Thrillers

Fast-paced action sequences, good vs. evil plot lines. The consequences are usually large – the terrorists explode a bomb, the president is killed.

• Action Adventure
• Legal Thriller
• Medical Thriller
• Political Thriller
• Espionage

Westerns

Tales set in the American West usually during the last half of the 19th century.

Speculative Fiction

Horror

The intent is to horrify the protagonist and in so doing scare the reader.

Fantasy

Fantasy uses magic and other supernatural elements as the main focus of plot, theme, and/or setting.

• Urban Fantasy — set in contemporary, real-world, urban settings
• Epic Fantasy — themes of grand struggle against supernatural, evil forces. Generally set in alternate worlds
• Heroic Fantasy (Sword & Sorcery) — swashbuckling heroes engaged in exciting and violent conflicts. Tends to be set in pseudo-medieval settings
• Alternate history – Set on Earth with a different historical twist
• Dark Fantasy– Horror novels with a supernatural element

Science Fiction

• Space Operas – set in space emphasizing romantic adventure, exotic settings, and larger-than-life characters
• Apocalyptic – set on Earth after the end of civilization usually caused by nuclear war, plague or other catastrophic disaster
• Steampunk – set in an era when steam power was still widely used — usually the 19th century, and often set in Victorian England with fictional technological inventions
• Cyberpunk – near-future settings where technology has overtaken the Earth and individuals feel isolated
• Military – the principal characters are members of a military service and an armed conflict is taking place, normally in space, or on another planet

Women’s Fiction

Books that appeal to women, but may or not be classified as a romance. They primarily deal with a woman’s journey of self-discovery.

Chick Lit

Young women discovering themselves while living in large urban environments.

Romance

• Traditional Regency — comedy of manners
• Category Romance — series like Harlequin and Silhouette
• Historical Romance
• Romantic Suspense
• Contemporary Romance
• Gothics– woman in peril
• Paranormal Romance– any supernatural element mixed with romance

Poetry -We are not accepting Poetry at this time.

Romance (any sub-genre) – A creative twist on the old plots. Romance stories should be a love story between a male and female (if otherwise, please see gay/lesbian submission guidelines). Relationship between hero and heroine should be fully realized by the end of the story with a Happy Ever After OR Happy for Now ending. Story should be written mainly from the heroine’s point of view, (however, including hero’s POV can strengthen story). Story should have a strong plot and well developed secondary characters. Please specify the heat level of your story in your query letter using the following gauge:

Romance will be graded by the following heat levels:
• Sweet- fully realized love story with no sex scenes.
• Sensual-fully realized love story with detailed love scenes that push but do not cross the boundaries of eroticism or explicitness.
• Explicit-We are now accepting romance with explicit sex. It MUST adhere to the other requirements of romance and must be tasteful.

Mystery/Suspense/Crime/Thrillers – Should be well written, have well-developed characters.  Can not show violence in a positive light.  We are looking for entertaining well written suspense/mystery.  The villian should be caught in the end.  Surprise and thrill us.

Horror – We are not accepting horror submissions at this time.

Science Fiction (Fantasy, Paranormal, Time Travel) – In fantasy and science fiction a fully realized world is important. It is important that a reader is pulled into the world and feels as if it is real.

Historical – A well told story that has time accurate details. Should be well researched and as historically accurate as possible without sounding like a history book.

ChickLit – Story should be witty, fresh, and have fully developed characters.

Children – We are not accepting fiction or non-fiction targeted at children below age 13.

Young Adult/Teens (high school aged) – We are looking for fresh ideas that will challenge and entertain the mind of teens today. We are looking for quality well developed ideas, witty and unforgettable characters, and situations that motivate and empower teens. If you have found a fresh new way to say the same old thing to teens, we are ready to hear it. *Any sub-genre is acceptable, but work must adhere to the fact that readers are less mature than adults and language and content should be appropriate. We do accept that the teen of today is more sophisticated than in years past, but certain standards must be followed. Strong language, strong sexual references, and detailed violence are not acceptable. If you are unsure, you may send a query letter first.