Submissions
PLEASE READ THIS ENTIRE PAGE CAREFULLY BEFORE SENDING US ANYTHING.
TwinStar Media is currently accepting queries for a variety of products focused on horror, science fiction, suspense, and speculative fiction. We are interested in:
- Completed novels of no less than 60,000 words and no more than 125,000 words. We will consider reprints/reissues of previously published/self-published books. Please include details about the previous publication, including formats and sales figures, in your query. We will consider queries of any kinds of stories that fall into the above-mentioned genres, but we are particularly interested in unique ideas or fresh takes on stories. Subjects of distinct interest to us include:
- Zombie stories: we are not zombie bigots, so any type of zombie (slow, fast, dumb, intelligent, alien, sympathetic, etc.) is fine by us.
- Apocalyptic or post-apocalyptic stories: non-zombie tales about the end of the world can be fun too!
- “Theoretical” sci-fi stories: yes, that seems like an oxymoron, but what we mean is a tale that is extrapolated from the current state of life on Earth, something that could theoretically happen. Imagine if someone in the 1960s would have written a story about hybrid cars…
- Time travel, multi- or parallel-universe, or false realities stories: when written correctly, these are some of the most engaging forms of sci-fi out there.
- Mash-ups: “unique” is the name of the game if you’ve combined a public-domain work with a horror or sci-fi element. Just make sure the existing work you’ve mashed your work with is definitely in the public domain!
- Completed musical albums, preferably full-length (10 songs or more) but we will consider well-crafted EPs (5 songs minimum). The music can encompass any style, as long as the content of the songs relate to one of the genres listed above. We will consider reprints/reissues of previously published/self-published material. While we are looking for an exclusive deal for the actual music, we would not require exclusivity on the part of the musician; we are looking to sign the album, not the artist.
- Any other unique or intriguing project. We are always on the lookout for intriguing ideas and products. As you can tell by our existing product line (books, music, cookbooks, calendars), we like to offer a wide range of items to our customers, so no idea is too “far out” for us. If you have an existing completed project or a well-thought-out and well-planned idea (that you are prepared to give us intricate details about to prove that you’ve thought this through), you may query.
We are absolutely not interested in:
- Anthologies or short story collections.
- Any project that exists in a genre other than those listed above. Crossover or “mash-ups” are welcome. For example, if you have a Firefly-esue sci-fi/western story, feel free to query; if you have a straight Western story, we are not the publisher for you.
- Heavy erotica or novels which contain graphic descriptions of sexual acts. If you make it past the query stage and your novel contains this sort of material, please edit it out prior to submitting.
- For fiction novels and music, we are not interested in unfinished works or idea pitches. Please query only if you have a complete novel or album already composed.
Hmm, you say, I’m still not sure if my project is exactly what TwinStar is looking for… If your project isn’t specifically ruled out in the “not interested in” section immediately above, feel free to query.
How To Query
We stay very busy with the workings of the company, so we are initially interested in hearing a bit about your novel/album/product idea, not reading an entire novel or hearing an entire album. Please send an email to submissions@twinstaronline.com with the following (READ CAREFULLY):
- A query letter in the body of your e-mail. At a minimum this should include a 2-4 paragraph description of your novel/album/product idea. This is your primary chance to make us want to read your novel, listen to your music, or hear more about your idea. If your initial query doesn’t truly rivet us, you won’t make it past the query stage, so spend some time on this. You are welcome (but not required) to include any data relevant to market research, including a description of your target audience and/or a brief comparison with competitive titles, demonstrating how your project fills a need and covers new ground. If you’re lost on how to write a query letter, you might find The Complete Nobody’s Guide to Query Letters helpful.
- DO NOT send any other kind of attachments with your e-mail. Any queries submitted with your manuscript or music attached will not be met with a positive response on our end.
I’ve Queried, Now What?
After you’ve queried you should receive:
- An automated response letting you know that your email was received into our inbox. If you don’t receive this we didn’t get your submission, so submit again.
- A response within 30 days, either letting you down gently or requesting more from you (a full novel manuscript, the full musical album, discussion of project details, etc.).
If you received the automated response but haven’t heard from us within 30 days, please contact us.
Still have questions? Feel free to contact us.
