markets that welcome bi and/or poly romance?

SabrinaS · Apr 27, 2015

I've surrounded myself with bi and poly folks pretty much my whole adult life, and so, when I sit down to write tales of erotica and romance, the characters whose stories come to life on the page are bi and usually poly/non-monogamous.

There don't appear to be a lot of publishers or markets who genuinely welcome stories about such folks. Any recommendations? Positive experiences?

I could work my characters and stories into more mainstream situations, but it would flow more slowly and I'd have less fun doing it.

Thanks in advance!

elindsen · Apr 28, 2015

A quick search brings up Samhian, Carina, Decadent and Riptide. All of those are very reputable. Most publishers will take bi, and I believe many take poly.

StoryofWoe · Apr 28, 2015

What elindsen said. Also, are you familiar with the Erotic Readers and Writers Association? They have an extensive list of erotica publishers, many of which take bi and poly romance. Less Than Three Press jumps to mind for both. Some of the big publishers will take them, too (usually via an agent). Harlequin Mira publishes Tiffany Reisz and Megan Hart, both of whom have books featuring poly and bi characters/scenarios. Also Roni Loren, who is published by Berkley (Penguin Group), has a few bi and poly couplings in her Loving on the Edge series. All three are bestselling authors, btw, so bi and poly stories can be mainstream.

SabrinaS · Apr 28, 2015

Thank you both!

Apologies, I just got a little concerned, because as I started looking through genre listings on a few publishers' sites, I saw they had lists of gay stories and lesbian stories, but none of the ones I looked at listed bisexual stories. So I just didn't know what to conclude about what they would do with, or whether they would even publish, a story about bi characters. I found a thread here about a "LGBT"-themed imprints that strongly downplayed stories with bisexual characters. It added up to wondering if this would be an uphill struggle.

Filigree · Apr 28, 2015

Write well, and you'll find more markets opening to the genre. Trans*, bi, and asexual themes are still tricky sells but I am seeing headway.

Pterofan · Apr 28, 2015

Siren/Bookstrand has a whole line devoted to poly romance. They published a book of mine that included a bi main character, so they're not averse to that either. What Filigree said: if your story is well-written, it will find a home.

sunandshadow · Apr 28, 2015

Bisexual romances seem to get categorized as menage in systems where there is no bi category.

Beachgirl · Apr 28, 2015

I have seven poly books published with Siren. They have a very healthy market for poly romance.

thethinker42 · Apr 29, 2015

SabrinaS said:
Thank you both!

Apologies, I just got a little concerned, because as I started looking through genre listings on a few publishers' sites, I saw they had lists of gay stories and lesbian stories, but none of the ones I looked at listed bisexual stories. So I just didn't know what to conclude about what they would do with, or whether they would even publish, a story about bi characters. I found a thread here about a "LGBT"-themed imprints that strongly downplayed stories with bisexual characters. It added up to wondering if this would be an uphill struggle.

A lot of times it's not about what they'll publish, but what they *receive.* I know Riptide wants to publish more bisexual and lesbian, but they just don't get the submissions.

That said, I've written bisexual and poly for both houses, and they've been enthusiastically received.

TessB · Apr 29, 2015

I've just submitted a bi/poly romance (F/F/M) to my editor at Samhain, who was good with the concept. We'll see if she picks up the book. If she doesn't, it will be because of the writing, not the relationship.

markets that welcome bi and/or poly romance?

SabrinaS

elindsen

Zombie lovin'

StoryofWoe

Sick and pale with grief.

SabrinaS

Filigree

Mildly Disturbing

Pterofan

Trust me, I'm a writer

sunandshadow

Impractical Fantasy Animal

Beachgirl

Not easily managed

thethinker42

Abnormal Romance Author

TessB

The Boxing Baroness