Romance books, paranormal romance and horror books at Dorchester Publishing

Because of the many submissions we receive, we must strictly adhere to word-count requirements and the descriptions that follow. We are currently acquiring only the following: romance, horror, Westerns, and thrillers.

Authors should attach their full manuscript in a Word or .rtf document, along with a 3- to 7-page synopsis.

Authors who currently have submitted via regular mail should not resend their material.

� Please query or submit synopsis and first three chapters only�no complete manuscripts unless specifically requested.

� Include a stamped, self-addressed business-size envelope for response. If you'd like your proposal returned, you must include an envelope of sufficient size with all the required postage. No material will be returned without a SASE.

� All material must be typed, using a legible double-spaced font, and unbound. There are no requirements for a particular font.

� Name, address, phone number and e-mail of author, as well as the word count of the submission, should be on the first page of the manuscript, and a header for subsequent pages should contain the author�s last name and title.

� Retain a copy of all material sent in case the original gets lost in the mail.

We are seeking sensual romances with intriguing plots, strong writing, and a pace that grabs readers� attention from page one and holds it to the very end. We look for interesting, three-dimensional characters who are separated by emotional conflict or the twists and turns of the plot. And who in the end overcome the barriers keeping them apart and live happily ever after. We particularly enjoy humor where appropriate, and originality�either in plot, character, or writing style�that will differentiate the story from others of the genre without losing the distinct flavor of a romance.

HISTORICAL ROMANCE: Historical background, details of costume, etc., should be accurate; however, we discourage long descriptions of battles, the political climate of the period, or a treatise on contemporary social history. Our readers are much more interested in the developing relationship between the heroine and hero.

FUTURISTIC ROMANCE: Futuristics contain all the elements of romance�beautiful heroine, dashing hero, some conflict that separates them, a happy ending, etc.�but they are set in lavish lands on distant worlds. Avoid long descriptions of science-fiction-type hardware, technology, etc.

TIME-TRAVEL ROMANCE: A hero or heroine travels through time and falls in love. For present-to-past time travel, traditional guidelines for historical romance apply. The challenge here is to maintain credibility during the transition between the present and the past. The fun is seeing another way of life through the eyes of someone from a different time. The conflict and resolution of the romance arise from the fact that the hero and heroine are from different eras, but should involve more than the secret that one comes from the future.

Beware of philosophizing about the meaning of time, and how the past affects the present. No time machines, please.

PARANORMAL ROMANCE: Either a historical or contemporary romance with magic, witches, ghosts, vampires, etc., as a subsidiary element. Must have a happy ending.

CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE: Fun and whimsical, these books should showcase your sense of humor and focus on a modern couple in a zany situation.

Westerns are exciting novels set in the Old West (before 1900 and west of the Mississippi River) with three-dimensional characters and strong plots. Historical accuracy is important, but should not eclipse the story. Finished Western manuscripts should be 60,000�80,000 words.

Suspenseful, terrifying novels with dark atmosphere and chilling plots. Contemporary settings are preferred, but historical settings are possible if well done. Supernatural horrors (ghosts, vampires, demons, monsters, etc.) are strongly preferred. Please avoid science fiction, fantasy and mystery novels.

Finished manuscripts should be 80,000�90,000 words and addressed to the attention of Don D�Auria, Executive Editor.

THRILLER

These are exciting, fast-paced novels filled with high tension and gripping characters. They should not contain supernatural elements. Finished manuscripts should be 80,000�90,000 and addressed to the attention of Don D�Auria, Executive Editor.

SUSPENSE THRILLERS: A dangerous criminal is on the loose and it�s one man�s (or woman�s) job to stop him before more people get hurt. Please note that this is not a Whodunit-type mystery. The question should not be who the killer is, but rather will he (or she) be stopped before killing again.

POLICE PROCEDURALS: Similar to a suspense thriller, but additional emphasis is placed on police methods, forensics and other means of tracking and capturing the killers. Sense of authenticity is important, and all details must be accurate.

POLITICAL THRILLERS: Fast-paced novels filled with intrigue and danger, usually set at least partly in Washington, DC, but often with international scope. Authenticity is important and these novels should provide an insider�s view of the corridors of power.

LEGAL THRILLERS: Compelling novels of suspense in a legal or judicial setting. Avoid mysteries or Whodunits. Emphasis should not be on identifying a killer, but rather on a danger or threat to the main character.

Please send non-returnable tearsheets to the attention of the Art Department. We do not accept e-mails or portfolio showings.

Unless otherwise specified, your work can be addressed to the attention of the Editorial Assistant, who will make sure that it gets in the hands of the proper editor. Remember to include a SASE if you wish to have your materials returned. It might also be helpful for you to include a postcard that we can date and send back at the time your package is opened so that you know it arrived safely.