A couple of children’s fiction markets for you this month. Crooked Cat is a small UK publisher accepting young adult fiction for its Silver range, up to a maximum of 90,000. The bad news is that it is closed to submissions at the moment, but the website asks you to check back in January, so hopefully they are just going through a catchup period. Worth keeping an eye on, I think.
Also, spotted in Writing Magazine this month, is the indie publisher My Little Big Town which is the brainchild of author/illustrator Calvin Innes. Think Aliens Love Underpants rather than Princess Poppy and you’ll be on MLBT’s wavelength. Submission guidelines are strict so follow them to the letter to get the best chance of being read. Unusually, you should send the entire manuscript, and you should also print off a covering header sheet which can be downloaded from the website. Do NOT submit by email! (I’m guessing they are swamped.) MLBT accept all sorts of genres and lengths, but looking at their site I would guess that picture books and chapter books (7-9) are the types of manuscripts you should send to this market.
Finally I would like to wish you all a very happy Christmas, and a successful and happy writing year for 2014. My new year’s resolution is to have one morning a week dedicated writing time instead of snatching moments out of the day. It will be bliss! What’s your writing resolution for next year?
Lou Treleaven 
Thanks Lou for this info. Happy Xmas and Happy New Year! Geraldine
And you!
Happy Christmas. So pleased you didn’t naf about with “happy holidays” and “have a nice winter break” over here, we are shackled by political correctness over here. I wouldn’t be surprised if the manger becomes “redesignated” as a day care center. Anyhow, your greeting was wonderfully refreshing. So again, Happy Christmas to you too!
Have some good news, I’ve just got an agent for my new YA book. I’m very excited, as you can imagine, the agent, Eric Myers is enthusiastic and keen as mustard. So, as they say, we’re off to the races. If this ever get’s done, you will definately be getting a comp copy from me. I can’t tell you how encouraging your blog and your online friendship has been over the past year.
Cheers
Denis Lipman 301-603-9880
Thanks Lou, It’s really thoughtful that a person writing themselves can spare the time and make the effort to let others know about possible Publishers. Thank you for the christmas greeting to all of us, and wishing you a happy and prosperous New year, yourself- I actually think that ‘at least one day a week’ resolution is a good one.’ It’s bad to ‘ obssess’ on any activity you do because it can so easily take you over – writing particularly – but no-one can feel guilty for having one day a week – or something similar just to do what they need to in life- can they ? Debbie Moran
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Hi lou
First time for me to contact you.
You give me heart. I’ve written three books for children ages: 9-12 years and 6-9 years. I have approached quite a few publishers over the last five years. Some reply with a, No. and other don’t even respond, and I was losing heart. But reading your email has encouraged me to start again. I’ll get going in the new year with trying to get some interest in my stories. Also I will begin to write again. The constant rejections have made me lose heart, but you have given me a positive jerk in the, try again direction.
Many thanks and Happy Christmas and New Year
Regards
Janet Jarrett
Thanks so much for this. really helpful info. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! xxx
I love your generosity Lou – it must be so tempting to keep all these bits of info and tips for yourself but it’s brilliant that you pass them on. Have a wonderful Christmas and hope the New Year is a happy and successful one. Writing resolutions? Oh dear, nowhere near there yet.
You were not kidding about the strict submission guidelines! At times it felt like I was taking an exam. I will tell you, though, the task of having to summarize every chapter was rewarding as I found new appreciation for the plot line and the parallels I developed in my novel. Just mailed the cover and manuscript today. With overseas mail I imagine it will arrive in the UK in the middle of everyone’s vacations and whomever ends up with it on their desk will resent it when they get back to work. Yea optimism! Merry Christmas to you and all of your followers. Ed Varga!
Thankyou so much for all your help this year. You have helped me work a lot of things out a lot quicker!
Wishing you lots of success for 2014!
Merry Christmas to all
I found your web site by accident but your advice has been really helpful – especially the lists of publishers etc. Thanks.
The MLBT site made me laugh – all their blather about spell checking and they have a spelling mistake (responce!) on the submissions page. Oh the irony!!