Submissions
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Aquitaine Ltd is a publisher of mainstream fiction and poetry either with or without romantic elements, focusing on works by emerging authors who may or may not have previous publishing credits.
We are seeking manuscripts from novella length (between 17,500 and 35,000 words approximately) and novels between 55,000 and 80,000 words. We focus on single-title releases, but we are more than willing to accept queries on book series when at least one book is completed, and a second novel is at least outlined.
We are looking for submissions in the following genres:
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Contemporary
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Suspense
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Romantic Comedy/Humorous Romance
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Christian/Inspirational
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Urban Fantasy
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Fantasy
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Paranormal
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Science Fiction/Futuristic/Speculative Fiction
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Modern Cowboy
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Historical/Political
Sexual content should be “behind the door.” No erotica or explicit sexual content.
Style and Manuscript
Please polish and edit your manuscript before you submit it to us. Your submitted query should adhere to our style guidelines as specified here (POV, active voice, etc.). If we determine too much editorial work is required, we may request the work be resubmitted, or we may reject outright.
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We want active voice storytelling, no passive voice.
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We prefer all books to be told in third person point of view, and require each scene remain in a single point of view for the duration of the scene. No head hopping and no omniscient POV. We are not excluding first person point of view, but your story must truly grab us. Romantic comedy and humorous romances have worked well in first person. While we are flexible on first person vs. third person, we are unwavering on our POV expectations.
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We are not publishing gay, homosexual, lesbian, bi-sexual, multiple partners, BDSM, or other alternative lifestyles romances. This is a preference, and not a moral judgement.
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We will immediately exclude a manuscript from consideration that includes pedophilia, bestiality, incest, necrophilia, non-consensual sex in any context (rape, forced seduction, etc.) as a means of forwarding a potential romance, and intolerance for any group classification.
Should you have any questions about our guidelines, or whether an element of your novel is either acceptable or unacceptable prior to submitting to us, please feel free to email us at Submissions@aquitaineltd.com.
Submission Process
We ask that all submissions follow the guidelines as presented in the next section. No simultaneous submissions.
Manuscripts not submitted following the guidelines will not be reviewed. We also do not send out emails asking you to follow the guidelines if you have not. Your query will be deleted without further response. If you submit to us a book that does not fall into our offered genres, we also will not respond with either a rejection or an explanation. Please be aware of our preferences and guidelines.
It is our intent to respond to all submissions within twelve weeks of your initial email, and may vary from an immediate response to the full twelve-week timeline depending on our volume of submissions. If you have not heard from anyone after three months, please email and ask for confirmation whether the manuscript and query was received.
Once the manuscript has been reviewed, you will receive either an offer to publish or a declination with as much explanation as to why we are rejecting as we feel is warranted. We thoroughly believe in offering whatever guidance we can. On some occasions, an initial rejection may be given with the caveat that if certain changes or edits are done we will entertain reviewing the manuscript again. In this situation, you will be advised as to how to resubmit your manuscript. We ask that you resubmit only if invited to do so.
When a contract is offered, you will receive information on cover art creation, the editing schedule and procedure, and a release date. You will be provided detailed information on manuscript formatting, and all manuscripts must be updated by the author to meet these guidelines prior to the beginning of formal edits.
Send all submissions to Submissions@aquitaineltd.com.
Submission Guidelines
In the subject line, please include the name of the manuscript and your intended genre.
Please include a query letter in the body of your email. In the query letter, please provide the following information:
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The manuscript title. Designate if this manuscript is part of a series, and your desired series name.
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The manuscript genre
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The manuscript word count.
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A 100-word blurb about the manuscript
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Your publishing credits, if applicable. Being previously published is not a requirement.
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Any acknowledgments, nominations, or rewards you may have received.
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Please provide your website address contact email address. An author website is a requirement for publication.
Please attach two (or three if applicable) separate files in .doc format. Do NOT send rtf files. Name files according to their content, such as title and full manuscript, and title and synopsis.
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Full manuscript formatted in double spaced pages, and Time New Roman 12.
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A detailed synopsis of the manuscript, with a maximum double spaced length of 10 pages. Do not leave unanswered questions. Provide the main characters, the setting, the pertinent and important events, the conflict, and the resolution. This is not a blurb.
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If your manuscript is part of a series, please include a short synopsis of the series including any story arcs that tie the books together. The short synopsis should be no longer than 2 to 3 double-spaced pages.
Thank you for reviewing our guidelines, and good luck with your submission!
Cathy Rogers
Editor-In-Chief
Aquitaine Publishing, Ltd.