I’ve received a nice email from Cris at Pants on Fire Press which I’d like to share. Pants on Fire are an American publisher but they are open to submissions from the UK, and have just signed their second UK author (hurrah!).
The book is The Vampire Cat by Antony Bowers Smith from Manchester. Bernard is an ordinary house cat who, after an encounter with Max Von Strangfelt, is transformed into a vampire!
Cris says, “I hope this news will encourage your website readers and budding authors to not lose hope and to consider querying US publishers.”
So please be encouraged and keep submitting!
About Pants on Fire Press
Pants On Fire Press, located in Winter Garden, Florida, is an award-winning children’s book publisher of picture, middle-grade and young adult books. We publish big story ideas with high concepts, new worlds and meaty characters for children, teens and discerning adults. Disney is our heritage which is why we strive to follow a high degree of excellence while maintaining high-quality standards. Titles we publish will tell stories that entertain. At Pants On Fire Press entertainment is everything.
Note: they no longer accept picture book submissions.
Lou Treleaven 
Reblogged this on elizabethfrattaroli and commented:
For any children’s / YA writers out there, this may be of interest. ….. Thanks to Lou for another helpful post.
Hi Lou,
The last line of your post has me confused: “Note: they longer accept picture book submissions.” Perhaps they NO longer accept…
Thank you for a great post!
Oops! Thank you for that Ruth, will correct immediately! Lou
Love the name! (Although it has a slightly different connotation in the UK!) – very useful link. Will pass around.
Thank you Lou. What is the difference in publishers eyes between a picture and pencil illustrations? I am creating around twelve illustrations age group 7-10 year olds. Do they mean the younger age group with coloured drawings?
Thank you
Roxanne
Do you mean picture books, Roxanne? A picture book is for the 0-7 age group and has very little text, usually under 1000 words. The pictures tell a lot of the story. Books for the 7-10 age group would not be classed as picture books. Does that help?
so glad to have you around Lou!
Thanks for this info, I’ll add Pants on Fire to my list of possible opportunities.
Hi Lou. Do you know if Pants on Fire accept manuscripts from Ireland? I am a new writer, just finished writing my synopsis and about to dip my toe into the “Publishing Pond”!
Hi Carol, I’m sure they would but I will check for you!
Lou
Thanks Lou, much appreciated and thanks also for all the advice you give. I regularly check your list of publishers. I’ve actually sent out my manuscript before but with no joy. Have now re-titled it (much prefer the new title!) and done an immense amount of editing and re reading and improved on my synopsis. Feel in a much better position now to resend it out and hope for the best! Thanks again! 🙂
Apparently they accept submissions from anywhere in the world including outer space!
Thanks, Lou. Might give it a whirl!
Hi. I started writing short stories for my grand children.and am now thinking of trying to get one or two published..Can you help , with some advise. Thanks.
Hi Susan. How exciting that you are starting your publication adventure! I would recommend browsing these pages (of course!) and reading up on all the different publishers in my submissions list. Decide on which ones you think would suit you, making sure your stories fit their requirements set out on their website submission pages (follow the links on the list). Make your own list and submit to each in turn, waiting about 3 months in between if you don’t hear back. Your submission should be double spaced on a4 numbered pages with contact details on a cover sheet or header/footer. I imagine you would probably be submitting your stories as picture books so make sure you fit the word length required. Otherwise look out for short story opportunities such as Alfie Dog Fiction. Good luck!
Thank you. Will start looking in different web sites,and make a list. I,ll keep in touch and let you know how I manage..
Hi, this is about pants n fire. At the bottom of your blurb about them you they longer take picture books! Have you left no out? I took it as a typeo, but I would hate to miss a chance just because I took it the wrong way, Yvonne Scott
That tick on this blank is because I forgot to press the reply button before I sent the pants on fire comment, sorry, I do want a reply on cats on fire
Yes I did leave the no out, sorry, but it’s all corrected now! Lou
Hi Lou this is Fran Davies (Francine Davies1 on Twitter). I wondered if you would consider reading through my 5000 words for the Scholastic Montegrappa competition. I know you may say you are not an editor but I just desperately wanted someone independent who may understand the process a little to know what The Ogs are all about and why I keep trying. I really do understand if you are too busy it was just a chance thought and I wanted to see if they charm you. Also I am not sure how to write discourse properly. The Ogs do a lot of chatting and I wondered if you could advise me on whether speech marks are needed or not? When I look in other books I “can’t see for looking” how to do it properly.
Thank you for simply, being approachable enough to ask!
Regards,
Fran
Hi Fran, I’ll have a read for you if you like, as a fellow writer! My email address is lou dot treleaven at sky dot com (I’ve written it like that as apparently this deters spam robots or something equally steampunky).