Are you a writer based in Western Canada and are looking for book publishing companies for your completed manuscript?
This post is especially for you.
Below you’ll find 17 top book publishers in Alberta.
1. Bayeux Arts
Bayeux Arts is a small independent publishing house based out of Calgary, Alberta founded in 1994. They publish works of fiction, poetry, children and young adult fiction, and nonfiction. Some of their titles include “Requiem for the Last Indian” by Ashis Gupta and “The Rite of James Biddle” by Andrew Bailey. They are constantly seeking new and undiscovered authors and are willing to work with projects that other publishing companies may shy away from.
They are currently accepting submissions, but ask that you do not send a complete manuscript unless requested by their editorial team. Be sure to send a cover letter with a synopsis of your work and the first few chapters of your manuscript. You can expect to receive a response within three months. The best way to get in contact with Bayeux Arts is via email or through their website’s online contact form.
2. Blue Bike Books
Blue Bike Books was founded in 2005 in Edmonton, Alberta. They primarily publish Canadian children’s fiction, educational works, children’s history, humor, nonfiction, and young adult fiction. They love to work with authors who put a unique spin on subject matter to help encourage younger readers to learn new things. Some of their titles include “For the Love of Chocolate” by Karen Rowe and “Gross and Disgusting Things about the Human Body” by Joanna Emery.
Blue Bike Books is currently seeking authors who are capable of writing humorously, are able to do extensive research, and write in an accessible manner for younger audiences to understand. They’re currently looking for submissions about cultural trivia, strange and weird science, strange phenomena, and interesting facts about Canada. Be sure to include a writer’s resume, an overview of your manuscript, an annotated outline, and two to three sample chapters for consideration. You can submit via email.
3. Dragon Hill Publishing
Created in 1993, Dragon Hill Publishing is based out of Edmonton, Alberta. They primarily publish books concerning Canadian topics like arts and culture, biographies, Canadian history, nonfiction, and young adult fiction. Some of their published titles include “Porcupines to Polar Bears” by Jerry Haigh and “The Adventures of Pinkin Rasbury” by A.H. Jackson.
Their website is currently down for maintenance, but there are several ways to get in contact with the publishing house. You can see their profile with the Book Publishers Association of Alberta, found here. If you have a manuscript that you’re interested in submitting, you can first send a query letter either by regular mail or via email. For general questions, you can contact Dragon Hill Publishing’s editorial team via Facebook. Be sure to include a synopsis of your book, your contact information, a brief author bio, and the first three chapters of your manuscript for consideration.
4. Durvile Publications
Durvile Publications and UpRoute Books is a small independent publishing house based out of Calgary, Alberta. Primarily focused on publishing books about Canadian arts and culture and other Canadian-themed nonfiction, they are also very interested in publishing books about Canadian “true cases” about law and the criminal justice system. Some of their titles include “Women in Criminal Justice” edited by William Trudell and Loren Shyba and “Less Painful Duties: Reflection on the Revolution in the Legal Profession” by C.D. Evans QC.
They publish twice a year and only accept manuscript submissions in the months of September and October. If you have a book that you believe would be a good fit with Durvile Publications, you can send a proposal via email. For more information on their submission guidelines, click here.
5. EDGE
Edge Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishing, also known simply as EDGE, is an independent publishing house located in Calgary, Alberta. They specialize in publishing books of fantasy, horror, and science fiction. Some of their published titles include “Bad City” by Matt Mayr and “The Relativity Bomb” by Arlene F. Marks. They publish in both traditional print and ebook formats to help their authors reach a wider audience, regardless of reading medium.
They are currently seeking submissions for novel-length science fiction and fantasy works. They are not interested in erotica, religious fiction, short story collections, dark or gruesome fantasy, or poetry collections. They are looking for works between 75k and 100k words in length, and they are more than happy to work with brand new and established authors. They ask that you submit a query letter, synopsis, a title page, the prologue of your work, and the first three chapters of your manuscript for review. For more information about their submission guidelines, click here. They expect submissions to be sent via regular mail.
6. Eschia Books
Eschia Books is a small independent publishing company based out of Stony Plain, Alberta. It is an Aboriginal-owned publishing house that focuses on promoting works about Aboriginal culture by Aboriginal authors. They like to produce books written to engage younger readers and to help encourage cultural understanding. If you’re interested in working with Eschia Books, you can contact the company’s president, Dianne Meili, via email with a book proposal.
7. Folklore Publishing
Folklore Publishing was founded in 1998 in Edmonton, Alberta. They publish books that discuss North American history and culture in unique and accessible ways. Funded by the Government of Canada, Folklore Publishing hopes to promote Canadian history and keep it alive through their books. Some of their titles include “Alberta’s Oil Patch” by Timothy Le Riche and “Gold Rushes” by Tony Hollihan.
They are currently seeking submissions for books about Canadian history and current affairs. They ask that you review their submission guidelines in detail before reaching out with a query letter. They ask that you include a writer’s resume, an overview of your manuscript, some information on your intended audience, and two to three sample chapters for consideration. You can submit via regular mail. For more information or general inquiries, you can check out their contact information on their page at the Book Publishers Association of Alberta.
8. Freehand Books
Freehand Books is an independent publishing house that was recently founded in 2007 in Calgary, Alberta. They publish books of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry anthologies. Some of their titles include “Twin Studies” by Keith Maillard, “All of Us in Our Own Lives” by Manjushree Thapa, and “Hummingbird” by Devin Krukoff. With several award-winning books under their belt, Freehand Books knows exactly how to help their authors bring their works to fruition.
They are now accepting submission queries via regular mail. They ask that you include a cover letter that describes your book, an author bio that includes any previously published works under your name, a brief summarization of your intended audience, and the first forty pages of your manuscript for consideration by their editorial team. For more information on their submission guidelines and where to send your query, click here.
9. Frontenac House
Frontenac House is a publisher of children’s fiction, young adult fiction, drama, trade fiction, nonfiction, and poetry collections. They’ve published books like “The Grass Beyond the Door” by Cicely Veighey and “Juggling the Jitters” by Deborah Fannie Miller. Established in the year 2000 in Calgary, Frontenac House is well known for its annual poetry book publications.
They are currently seeking submissions from new and established authors, but encourage you to take a look at their catalogue of previous titles to see if your book would be a good fit. They ask that you include a cover letter that includes your contact information, your writer’s resume, the full manuscript of your book for consideration, and information of your marketing plans (if any). You can submit your book either by regular mail or via email. For more information concerning their submission guidelines, click here.
10. Laksa Media Groups
Laksa Media Groups is based out of Calgary, Alberta. They publish works of experimental literary fiction and narrative nonfiction books. They work closely with local charities, and a portion of all book sales goes towards helping these causes. They are open to agent queries and submissions year-round, but have specific submission periods for unrepresented authors. For more information on their submission guidelines, click here.
If you’re an author of a nonfiction book, they ask that you include a complete table of contents, an estimated length of your manuscript, three sample chapters, information on your intended audience, and a brief author bio and resume. You can submit your book proposal using their website’s online submissions form.
11. Lone Pine Publishing
Lone Pine Publishing produces books specifically about Canadian nature, outdoor recreation, and popular local history. They have a wide catalogue of nature guides, books concerning gardening and regional flora, and biographies about great Canadian figures in history. Some of their titles include “Best Garden Plants for Alberta” by Donna Dawson and Laura Peters and “Canada’s World War II Aces” by Larry Gray.
They are currently accepting submission from authors with completed projects only. They ask that you first send a book proposal before sending your full manuscript for submission. You should include a cover letter with a description of your book, a detailed table of contents, a few sample chapters, any illustrations that you wish to include, and a self-addressed stamped envelope is to be included if you want any material returned. For more information about Lone Pine Publishing’s submission guidelines, click here.
12. NeWest Press
NeWest Press is an ideal publishing house for new and emerging authors. They publish works of drama, fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and academic books. They have a specific interest in works with Canadian-related themes. Some of their titles include “59 Glass Bridges” by Steven Peters, “After Alice” by Karen Hofmann, and “Aphelion” by Jenna Butler. NeWest Press is funded by the Government of Canada with the mandate to promote writing about Canada by Canadians for Canadian readers.
They are currently accepting submissions from Canadian authors only. Since they are a small publishing house and only produce ten to twelve books every year, the competition is insanely fierce. If you believe you have a book that would be a good fit with NeWest, they ask that you include a cover letter with a synopsis of your project, your contact information, your writing resume, and your complete manuscript for review. NeWest does not publish science fiction, high fantasy, inspirational memoirs, or self-help guides. For more information about their submission guidelines, click here.
13. Renegade Arts Entertainment
Based out of Canmore, Alberta, Renegade Arts Entertainment publishes comic books, audio books, and novels. Some of their titles include “Frank” by Ben Rankel and “Granny’s Attic: A Tale of Curious Critters” by Liz Dodsworth. If you’re a writer or illustrator with a project that you think would be a good fit with this publishing house, you can send a query letter to their editorial team via email.
14. Rocky Mountain Books
Rocky Mountain Books has published works like “Calgary Through the Eyes of Writers” by Shaun Hunter, “A Few Feet Short” by Jamey Glasnovic, and “Quenching the Drago: The Canada-China Water Crisis” by Robert William Sandford. While their main office is located in Victoria, British Columbia, Rocky Mountain Books produces works concerning topics about mountain history, adventure travel, outdoor activities, and the regional environment found between BC and Alberta.
They are currently accepting unsolicited manuscripts, but they ask that you review their submission guidelines before proceeding. They ask that you first send a proposal to make sure that your work will be a good fit with their publishing house. Be sure to include a short cover letter with a synopsis of your book, a sample chapter, any relevant photography, a brief author bio, your writing resume, and any marketing plans that you may have.
15. Stonehouse Publishing
Stonehouse Publishing is a relatively new publishing house based out of Edmonton, Alberta founded in 2014. The publishing company focuses primarily on historical fiction. Some of their titles include “Lady Franklin of Russell Square’ by Erika Behrisch Elce and “My Brother Chuck” by Andrew Evans.
While they are not currently accepting submissions at this time, they strongly encourage you to return at a later date. They plan on reopening for submissions in December of 2018. They love to work with new authors just as much as established authors. They ask that you review their submissions guidelines in the meant time, found here. They do not publish nonfiction, formulaic genre fiction, science fiction, horror, erotica, or picture books.
16. Tyche Books
Based out of Calgary, Alberta, Tyche Books is a small independent publishing house that specializes in publishing science fiction and fantasy. Some of their recently published titles include “Hearing Voices” by E.C. Bell, “Wolf and Devil: Demon Days” by Axel Howerton, and “Point of Fate” by David L. Craddock.
They are unfortunately closed to submissions at this time, but strongly encourage you to check back at a later date to see when they will reopen. They prefer works of science fiction and fantasy between 60k and 120k words, and like to work with sub-genres including steampunk and slipstream. For more information about their submission guidelines, click here.
17. Evil Alter Ego Press
Evil Alter Ego Press was founded by Michell Plested and Jeffrey Hite. As a small independent publisher, they are always on the look out for talented new writers with projects marketed towards young readers. They have a very hands-on approach and will help their authors through the entire publishing process, including layout, editing, promotion, and cover design. Some of their titles include “The West Woods” by Suzy Vadori and “Finding Atlantis” by J.M. Dover. They are currently not open to submissions at this time due to a high volume of submissions, but encourage you to check back soon.
Do you know any other book publishers in Alberta? Please tell us about them in the comments box below!
K. Z. Kwan is a freelance writer based out of Halifax, Canada.