Samhain Publishing

jennontheisland said:

If you use the search feature you'll find that there is already a thread about them. I'm sure a mod will come along and merge.

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Yeah, I posted the link.

I decided beforehand that I would be satisfied if my first novel earned $1000 in royalties in its first year. I figured that this was a reasonable goal for a first book released by a small press.

It earned that much in five months.

I'm satisfied.

Morningrise said:

http://www.samhainpublishing.com/

this place looks legitimate. Im just wondering if anyone here has dealt with them and what kind of experience you had working with them. I got an email from them today requesting a synopsis and my full manuscript. I hope all goes well with them.

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They're definitely legitimate. I've been with them since their launch (five years), and they have excellent distribution and pretty solid sales.

I wonder how long I should expect to hear back from them. It says on their site that the manuscripts they dont like usualy get responses within just a few days while the more potential ones can take longer. I sure hope they are interested in my book.

I believe it takes something like 14 to 16 weeks before you hear from them, whether they like it or not. They're notoriously slow...probably because they receive so many submissions.

It took me three tries to get in; the two rejections came in at exactly 12 weeks both times (form letters). My acceptance (see cover to the left there. yay!) came in at exactly 4 weeks. I have a friend who subbed a partial and hasn't heard back after 13 weeks. I don't know of anyone who has waited longer than the outside period stated on the submissions page, though.

Basically, YMMV.

With my last submission there (I've tried three times, all no), I had to nudge them at 16 weeks and I got the form rejection a few hours later. I wonder if they hadn't forgotten about me. I also wonder if they would have taken longer than bang on 16 weeks to reply if I hadn't bothered nudging.

My first sub with them, I had a request for a full within 24 hours and the contract was offered about 30 days later. But I subbed it the day they reopened for submissions, and the editor was new & just building her list. My second sub was a full directly to the same editor, and it took about 6 weeks before she responded with a contract offer.

My first sub to them was there about 18 weeks before I nudged and got a form rejection a day later. (My hunch is it just got lost in the pile and never was a contender.) My second got a form rejection after about six weeks. Also a form rejection. I'll definitely keep subbing though.

My first sub was for a special call (Springtime Sweet Romance Anthology) and we were supposed to hear back within a month. I was offered a contract after three days, but I suspect this happened because I subbed so close to the deadline, and there weren't an overwhelming number of submissions. I expect my next sub will take longer.

I'm considering subbing to them. Although my book doesn't have any sex scenes. It does have some romance though. But the end isn't a good one, and they say they prefer happy endings in their books. Mine is not necessarily a bad one, but it implies that it's a bad ending. It kind of leaves you hanging. But I do that on purpose and I have enough material for a second and third book, so the ending is definately not what it seems. And the ending of the overall series would be a happy one.

If you don't have a HEA ending, and you don't have a tragic, non-happy ending, what you might have is termed a "bitter-sweet" ending. Kind of like a neutral between the two extremes.

Tri

triceretops said:

If you don't have a HEA ending, and you don't have a tragic, non-happy ending, what you might have is termed a "bitter-sweet" ending. Kind of like a neutral between the two extremes.

Tri

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That's exactly it! I mean, the first one could probably be described as tragic, if I kept it at one book. But the fact that it also could go into a series changes it. If I do decide to make it a trilogy, then the way I plan the entire series ending is bitter-sweet. So I'm in an awkward spot because not a lot of publishers do the in between thing.

Thanks for all the information. I've been considering sending my manuscript to Samhain, and all the recommendations here have been helpful in convincing me to do so!

I had hoped to get signed on with this epub, but their response time is so long (3 months) that I tend to find somewhere else for my stuff before they respond. It's a pity. Maybe one of these days!

newbound said:

I had hoped to get signed on with this epub, but their response time is so long (3 months) that I tend to find somewhere else for my stuff before they respond. It's a pity. Maybe one of these days!

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3 months isn't long in this business. They're worth waiting for.

Three months is actually considered a pretty good turnaround time. If that's the only reason you haven't subbed to them, you might want to rethink that.

What they all said. The waits are getting longer, even with the smaller e pubs.

Three months isn't that long in the industry. There's an agent who's had my full since September of last year.

That being said, when I first subbed to Samhain I heard back in a month, but that could have been because I queried a specific editor.

Submitting to Samhain today. Very nervous. Haven't submitted to anyone in quite a while. Wish me luck?

Aewgliriel said:

Submitting to Samhain today. Very nervous. Haven't submitted to anyone in quite a while. Wish me luck?

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Good luck!

Good luck Aewgliriel!

I sent in my submission to Samhain on 4/7/11 (before I had my agent) and I haven't heard back yet, but it hasn't been 16 weeks yet.

Best of luck, Aewgliriel.

I subbed one to Samhain on 7/2. The wait has only begun for me. lol

Good Luck to all that sent MS to them =)

I'm thinking about sending mine to them too. And to Carina Press ...

Perhaps I should start a thread titled "Samhain vs Carina" and ask ppl who worked with both, which one they prefer and why ...