Curiosity Quills Press

mayqueen · Mar 17, 2015

I also got a star on PitMad from CQ. I'm excited about it because I wasn't sure they'd be into my MS. I sent my query and got a reply that was was short and seemed to have actually been meant as an internal email (to the effect of, look at this and tell me what you think). I'm not sure what to do. Should I write back and say, I don't think this email was for me, or do I just assume they'll figure it out?

Aggy B. · Mar 17, 2015

mayqueen said:
I also got a star on PitMad from CQ. I'm excited about it because I wasn't sure they'd be into my MS. I sent my query and got a reply that was was short and seemed to have actually been meant as an internal email (to the effect of, look at this and tell me what you think). I'm not sure what to do. Should I write back and say, I don't think this email was for me, or do I just assume they'll figure it out?

I would just send a quick reply. Something along the lines of "I think this got misdirected." Sure, they'll probably figure it out eventually, but maybe not until it's been a while and person A starts wondering why person B hasn't responded.

(I had the same thing happen with an agent. It was doubly confusing because the agent he was asking for a second opinion had the same name as I did. But I replied with "I think you meant this to go to someone else." and it was fine. They weren't upset. It was just a case of hitting reply instead of forward.)

tyrthunder · Mar 17, 2015

Springs2 said:
Please don't take this the wrong way but I see from your earlier post you're new to subbing, and it sounds like you're days-counting (I used to, and it's madly stressful) - CQ have had my full for about four weeks now (which is fine, btw, subbing is a slow business) and haven't yet responded. So, two weeks might be a bit optimistic. Maybe try to extend that expectation in your mind and then you won't be disappointed if it's missed - and you'll have a bonus if it's met!

Your post wasn't taken the wrong way at all! They responded today!!

But thank you for your calming words! I've submitted to a couple of other publishers in the past and never even received a 'thanks, but no thanks' so I'm grateful that CQ is open and friendly to us! I bet you'll hear back any day Springs2!! Please let us know how you go!!! x

Jo Zebedee · Mar 30, 2015

tyrthunder said:
Your post wasn't taken the wrong way at all! They responded today!! But thank you for your calming words! I've submitted to a couple of other publishers in the past and never even received a 'thanks, but no thanks' so I'm grateful that CQ is open and friendly to us! I bet you'll hear back any day Springs2!! Please let us know how you go!!! x

I got a near pass with some useful editing notes - mostly, after some toing and froing, their list balance of sff wouldn't support it.

That being the case and given it's also had a near pass by one of the big 6 - I need to decide what to do with it. I'm busy launching my trilogy, I have an offer on the book declined by CQ, I need to decide whether to keep subbing, shelve in the hope of later opportunities, or take the offer. I'll need to muse for a while, I think.

But CQ were very professional and approachable - I'd certainly sub again.

RoseColoredSkies · Mar 31, 2015

I just subbed a contemporary women's fiction (they say they accept that) so we'll see what happens. If they say no, then so be it.

BinaryCat · Apr 16, 2015

Just last Friday CQ got back to me asking for a revise & resubmit for my urban fantasy novel! He'd requested the full after the #pitmad event query. He liked my style and dark humour, called the characters unique and well developed, and the story well executed.

His requests were primarily trimming some excess fat from the middle and clarifying a few scenes. So I printed out the MS and I'm getting to work. So bloody excited.

A few less reputable publishers also gave me gold stars during the Twitter thing, so I was a bit cautious. It's great to see that the press seems to have a good rep, though! I'd never have even heard of them if it wasn't for #pitmad.

S. L. Saboviec · Apr 19, 2015

Everyone seems so excited about Curiosity Quills that I actually refrained from posting this back when I got a PitMad favorite from them. Now I'm just going to put it out there:

I recently read one of their books. It was a sequel to a book they'd also published, which I LOVED. The problem with this sequel was that it was riddled with copy editing errors.

To add to this, I didn't know who had published it until I specifically researched it. I wasn't looking for the errors, quite the opposite. I was appalled at how bad this sequel was, having not remembered the issues with the first. I thought the author was indie, but when I looked this person up, both books had been published by CQ. It was not an ARC; I purchased it myself on Amazon.

Any thoughts on this?

Filigree · Apr 19, 2015

It is one of the problem areas I still see from this publisher. A recent hour or two with Amazon sample chapters was...illuminating. Editing and marketing are two places where many new pubs fail. I'm hoping CQ addresses this issue.

Amadan · Apr 19, 2015

Samantha Lane said:
Everyone seems so excited about Curiosity Quills that I actually refrained from posting this back when I got a PitMad favorite from them. Now I'm just going to put it out there:

I recently read one of their books. It was a sequel to a book they'd also published, which I LOVED. The problem with this sequel was that it was riddled with copy editing errors.

To add to this, I didn't know who had published it until I specifically researched it. I wasn't looking for the errors, quite the opposite. I was appalled at how bad this sequel was, having not remembered the issues with the first. I thought the author was indie, but when I looked this person up, both books had been published by CQ. It was not an ARC; I purchased it myself on Amazon.

Any thoughts on this?

Was it the "Please Don't Tell My Parents..." books? I also noticed that the second book was somewhat less polished than the first. I suspect they might have rushed it a bit given the success of the first one.

I still liked it, but I have yet to find a small publisher that can really put big-publisher resources into copy and story editing.

veinglory · Apr 19, 2015

I, personally, buy a lot of small press books and the great majority of them are edited to a fully professional standard. I also go at least three rounds plus proofing with my own small press editors despite not being a huge best seller. So I would argue that full editing is the norm with good small presses.

S. L. Saboviec · Apr 19, 2015

Amadan said:
Was it the "Please Don't Tell My Parents..." books? I also noticed that the second book was somewhat less polished than the first. I suspect they might have rushed it a bit given the success of the first one.

I still liked it, but I have yet to find a small publisher that can really put big-publisher resources into copy and story editinug.

No, it wasn't, which is more concerning because that means there is more than one book with this issue. It was the December People series. I really like both the books and the author, so I didn't want to say right off the bat since it's not her fault.

It's unfortunate because I like the energy behind this publisher and they're clearly trying hard. But copy editing is, in my opinion, key, and based on that, I won't be submitting.

Sad, really. :-(

dondomat · Apr 19, 2015

I re-read two books of mine that went out with small presses back in 2012. Both are far better than I feared, albeit messy, and I'll fix them once the rights revert to me, however, as things stand now, every second sentence needs fixing, as does every second paragraph, as does 1/4 of the punctuation.

But that's because now I am in possession of advanced editor goggles in the brain, which I did not have back then, and neither did their editors, apparently.

It takes knowledge, experience, and an ability to focus which only develops with time, and only when both the author and the editor have those, that a clean copy comes out, I think.

misswriter88 · Apr 20, 2015

Hi, there! I wanted to chime in and say that my book is coming out from CQ, and the editing process has been rigorous, professional, and thorough. I don't know how many rounds of edits books go through at the big publishing houses, but CQ requires a MINIMUM of two rounds of edits with an editor (mine was outstanding) PLUS one round with a proofreader. There's an option for a third round with the editor, if necessary. Then, the author gets to review the book once it's put together as an ARC and submit a final round of corrections.

Do mistakes slip through? Sure they do, just as they do with books published by the big guys. I've found multiple mistakes in books from the big publishing houses (when I read the Twilight series, I kept saying, "Didn't someone edit this?!?!").

Bottom line? As a writer, I feel well served by this publisher, my editor, and my proofreader. Just wanted to share my thoughts since I'm on the inside going through the process.

geagar · Apr 20, 2015

I had a book published through Curiosity Quills Press and I'm not saying CQ is perfect, but for a small publisher they are wonderfully close.

They really are a community of writers who are pulling for one another. They do cover reveals, blog tours, release parties, and Beta reading. They share tricks of the trade and commiserate with one another over those hard times.

I feel very fortunate to be part of them.

S. L. Saboviec · Apr 21, 2015

I don't want to argue, which is why I reluctantly posted. The first book I read was well-edited, but the second had too many errors for my liking. To my editorial eye, it seemed sloppy. I agree that every book has errors, but I guarantee that if I went through any random chapter, I would find at least a handful of errors. Perhaps this speaks to the skill of the editor assigned to the project.

Anyway, I just wanted to give that as a point for anyone considering this press. Like I said, I like their energy. I actually hope they get their copy editing under control and have a lot of success.

Christine N. · Apr 21, 2015

I wonder, then, if it wasn't an accident and an earlier file was published instead of the finished one. Because I had several opportunities to review my text, and then again two more to review it once it had been formatted. I'm sure there probably are things I, the editor, and the copyeditor might have missed, but overall it looks great. Can't wait for it to be published.

But if someone accidentally submitted an earlier file then that might explain it.

The Hybrid · Apr 22, 2015

I have noticed an unfortunate pattern of late with CQ. If the author has an agent, they get far more attention to detail in the edits, and with publicity afterward. Maybe your author hasn't got an agent so they don't care as much? It's sad really, because their earlier titles were great, but their new stuff is becoming quite generic.

NikkiCQ · Apr 23, 2015

Quick Thank You

Hi everyone!

My name is Nikki, I'm the friendly neighborhood Marketing Dir. at CQ. I do NOT want to interupt or encroach on your space whatsoever, so I won't constantly be commenting in here, I promise.

I did just want to pop in and thank those who mentioned editing issues with a couple of our books. We do go through several rounds of editing and proofing, so hearing there are 5 or more mistakes in a title of ours is definitely a red flag. While a completely mistake free book is rare, that is too many for our standards and we are re-editing both the December People series and Supervillain series, so thanks so much for bringing that up!

We're trying to develop an editing error software right now so that any issues can be reported asap and fixed, but in the meantime if you do ever encounter an error in any CQ book, just email me at [email protected] and I'll get that fixed!

p.s. thanks to all of our authors here who have supported us, we can't tell you how grateful we are!

*poof*

misswriter88 · Apr 25, 2015

The Hybrid said:
I have noticed an unfortunate pattern of late with CQ. If the author has an agent, they get far more attention to detail in the edits, and with publicity afterward. Maybe your author hasn't got an agent so they don't care as much? It's sad really, because their earlier titles were great, but their new stuff is becoming quite generic.

If you saw my earlier comment, you know I had a very positive editing and proofing experience. My book improved dramatically thanks to my editor's feedback and insights. And I do not have an agent. I came to CQ after getting a request from them through a contest. I had hoped to snag an agent, and was very close, but didn't. I signed with CQ without an agent, and have not noticed any slights. In fact, CQ is going out of its way to do some extra marketing things for my book.

As an aside, I do hope to get an agent and plan to query my work in progress when it's done.

BinaryCat · May 14, 2015

A little (exciting) update with my experience with CQ. I got an r&r request from them a few weeks ago. Just yesterday I received a contract offer. I'm not a lawyer, but I do have legal experience, and it seems solid so far.

My query is still in the hands of a few agents, though, so I felt it was only good form to let them know - and I'd prefer agent representation if possible.

Still, my experience so far has been a very positive one. I hope that this is the start of something awesome.

tarak · May 29, 2015

BinaryCat said:
A little (exciting) update with my experience with CQ. I got an r&r request from them a few weeks ago. Just yesterday I received a contract offer. I'm not a lawyer, but I do have legal experience, and it seems solid so far.

My query is still in the hands of a few agents, though, so I felt it was only good form to let them know - and I'd prefer agent representation if possible.

Still, my experience so far has been a very positive one. I hope that this is the start of something awesome.

Congrats! I have an urban fantasy I will likely query in the next week or so.

pinkbowvintage · Jun 22, 2015

I have a full out with them right now, which I sent after reading through this entire thread. The woman I've been in contact with has been very fast about getting back to me and is happy to answer questions. She says that they publish trade paperbacks along with ebooks and hardcover in some cases, and that many of their titles are at B&N.

I'm cautiously optimistic, but I also really, really want to secure a bigger publisher through an agent (which I've been trying to do since March).

I know an agent won't guarantee anything and neither will a big publisher necessarily, but I'm concerned about my debut novel not selling that much and/or losing my "debut" status when I could have aimed a little higher. I'm very new to publishing so I'm not sure how important those things are in the long-run.

ANYWAY, any additional/updated thoughts on this company would be greatly appreciated!

DrFaerieGodmother · Jun 23, 2015

As for updates from CQ: I have two books coming out with them, the first in November. I connected with them through the Pitcharama contest held over at http://aussieownedandread.com/ . The acquisitions editor was great and very enthusiastic. The editing was very thorough for one of my books (the other book was already much further along as far as development and polish, so it didn't require as much work). For both books, they have been timely and professional, answering all questions promptly. Small publishers aren't for everyone, and there are some serious considerations. I recommend listening to this podcast ( http://www.shippingandhandlingpodcast.com/post/122200709847/episode-17-summer-reading ) since someone asks about small publishers specifically (around the 40 minute mark, so there's quite a bit of chat leading up to the question). They talk about some of the hurdles that go into publishing, and trying to advance in publishing after taking a swing with a small publisher.

So, in short: I've thus far only had good experiences with them, but I'm also not all the way through the pipe and at the point of trying to sell my books to readers yet.

pinkbowvintage · Jun 23, 2015

DrFaerieGodmother said:
As for updates from CQ: I have two books coming out with them, the first in November. I connected with them through the Pitcharama contest held over at http://aussieownedandread.com/ . The acquisitions editor was great and very enthusiastic. The editing was very thorough for one of my books (the other book was already much further along as far as development and polish, so it didn't require as much work). For both books, they have been timely and professional, answering all questions promptly. Small publishers aren't for everyone, and there are some serious considerations. I recommend listening to this podcast ( http://www.shippingandhandlingpodcast.com/post/122200709847/episode-17-summer-reading ) since someone asks about small publishers specifically (around the 40 minute mark, so there's quite a bit of chat leading up to the question). They talk about some of the hurdles that go into publishing, and trying to advance in publishing after taking a swing with a small publisher.

So, in short: I've thus far only had good experiences with them, but I'm also not all the way through the pipe and at the point of trying to sell my books to readers yet.

Thanks for the link to that podcast and the info!

I listened to that section and now I'm more nervous about putting out a debut novel with a small press and no agent. What if my sales records aren't great no matter how hard we market it? Will that hurt my chances of getting an agent on my second novel? Is it better to just hold out for the next book?

I'm a bit of a worrier, but these are things I'm trying to consider.

I'm really glad your experiences with CQ have been great! They seem like an awesome bunch, I'm just concerned about their sales.

Sage · Jun 24, 2015

Had an interesting experience with querying CQ that I'll share here for queriers' information.

I subbed my ms through their form with the 3 chapters and was rejected about a week later. But I received a #pitmad request from a different editor and sent, following her instructions, a query + 10 pages via e-mail. I received a partial request for half the book from a third editor (I assume through the #pitmad query, not some glitch with the form). However, she informed me today that the original rejection, even though it was at the query stage, overrode her interest and that she had to reject it.

So regardless of any interest you receive through a different means at CQ, a no from one, even at the query stage, means a no from all.

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