Submission Information for Authors

Love Finds You™ Inspirational Romance Fiction

In the fall of 2008, Summerside Press™ launched the Love Finds You™ fiction series, which features inspirational romance novels set in actual cities and towns across the United States. Beginning in 2009, we will release 12 titles per year. These will be full-length novels, with a word count of around 80K words (or 320 pages). The stories may be historical or contemporary.

One goal of the Love Finds You™ series is to give readers a taste of local life across America, so each novel should draw on the compelling history or unique character of a real town. Plot details should remain reasonably faithful to the town’s history, geography, and/or atmosphere. Additionally, each story in the series should make a clear connection to the name of the town in which it is set. For example, a story titled Love Finds You in Revenge, Ohio might feature revenge as a central theme.

Although Summerside Press™ will provide clear content boundaries, authors will be allowed the creative leeway they need to develop excellently-crafted fiction. Please refer to our Fiction Guidelines for more information regarding the goals and criteria for the line.

Submission Guidelines

Agented queries should be directed to: 
Rachel Meisel
Senior Fiction Editor, Summerside Press™
rachel at summersidepress dot com

Agents: We would prefer “from scratch” proposals designed specifically for our project. (Please do not send existing manuscripts that have not been modified for the Love Finds You™ series.) Submissions must include: a brief (1-paragraph) overview of the novel, a long (2-3 page) synopsis, and at least three sample chapters. Please submit proposals in a single Word document and e-mail as an attachment to Rachel Meisel.  

Fiction Guidelines

While these serve as guiding principles for fiction published by Summerside Press™, books will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Questionable content that is central to the progression of the story might be tolerated, but gratuitous content is subject to omission or revision.

• Realistic: The novel does not sacrifice realism in order to tell a feel-good tale.
  Characters speak, think, and act naturally; relationships feel realistic and authentic; settings are accurately depicted; and plotlines are believable.
   
• Relevant: The novel engages and relates to readers, so that its message is applicable and meaningful.
  The novel is not afraid to honestly depict some of the real issues people face in this world, explore moral gray areas, or tackle themes of sin and redemption, but it does so from a biblical perspective in which God’s truth prevails. It does not sugarcoat the struggles of the Christian faith, but it does not engage in wanton depictions of sinful lifestyles.
   
• Wholesome: The novel is free of offensive language and gratuitous descriptions of sex and violence.
  The novel may acknowledge that the physical aspect of romantic love is designed by God to enhance intimacy between a man and a woman, but references to sexual relations are not explicit. Furthermore, they either: 1) take place within a marital relationship, or 2) reflect the consequences of extramarital sexual relations from a biblical standpoint.
   
• Positive: The novel is constructive and affirming. It ends on a note of hope and optimism.
  The story conveys a positive view of both romantic love and Christianity, but without becoming preachy, trite, or unrealistic.