Whether you are a writer who composes whimsical tales of fun-loving intrigue, or a producer of contemporary captivating thrillers, here is a collection of publishers to be considered for the unveiling of your new manuscript.
We have listed 21 of the best book publishing companies in the Colorado area, many of which accept not just local talent, but international book proposals as well.
From academic textbook publishers, to spirituality, nature and religion, here are the top publishers across all categories in Colorado. Each is open to unsolicited submissions.
1. Bower House
Established in 2002, Bower House is a leading publisher of fiction and non-fiction. The company is based in Denver, Colorado, and it is driven to create books for a global audience. Their books cover diverse topics like cooking, environmental protection, poetry, memoirs, fiction, trail guides, speculative fiction, and memoirs to name a few. Over the years, the company has acquired Conundrum Press, Johnson Books, and Trails Books. These companies are now the imprints of Bower House. Some of the award-winning titles from this publishing house are “A Quilt of Words” by Sharon Neiderman, “Cinematic States” by Gareth Higgins and “Lost Sheep; Aspen’s Counterculture in the 1970s” by Kurt Brown. Currently Bower House only publishes 10 to 15 titles every year. They are fond of titles exploring the Western Life and discussing Native American issues and culture. They also accept books on history, travel, cooking and gardening. Bower House is currently closed for fiction and poetry submissions. For more details about the submission process, check this page.
2. Sounds True
Established in 1985 by Tami Simon, Sounds True is a publishing company based in Louisville, Colorado. With a fixed focus on books concerning spirituality and all forms of spiritual wisdom, Sounds True is always seeking submissions of books, audio-learning programs, multimedia creations and music. All content concerning spirituality, a spirit-conscious lifestyle, healing, self-empowerment and world-religions are considered. Even spiritual memoirs and spiritual fiction titles are eligible for publication. Within their range of over 1,500 individual titles are prominent works such as the open-heart awareness discourse “Shift Into Freedom” by Loch Kelly, and Megan Devine’s discussion on grief in today’s culture “It’s OK That You’re Not OK”. Sounds True provides a great list of content guidelines for prospective submissions. Since the company is not open to receiving unsolicited manuscripts, you can send an unsolicited book proposal via email. Sounds True accepts titles focusing on spirituality, religion, mind and body, transpersonal psychology, spiritually oriented self-help, and other similar genres.
3. 3: A Taos Press
Based in the quaint corners of Denver, Colorado, 3: A Taos Press is an independent publishing house driven to work with writers across diverse cultures. In addition to publishing excellent books, they also host reading sessions, book signing sessions, writing workshops and similar other programs to foster creative encouragement. Some of the best works published by their authors include “Godwit” by Eva Hooker, “The Burnings” by Gary Worth Moody and “The Cairns: New And Selected Poems” by Bill Brown. Currently, the editors of this company are focusing on poetry titles. Also note that 3: A Taos Press only accepts submissions by invitation. You can find more details about the required processes by contacting them here.
4. WildBlue Press
Established by New York Times bestselling author Steve Jackson and online marketing mogul, Michael Cordova, WildBlue Press is a self-publishing publishing company based in Denver, Colorado, which accepts a select range of submissions. With a focus on finding the best new talent, WildBlue strives to develop a range of award-winning authors who rise above the general mediocrity of the industry. With a transparent publishing agreement which sets out higher royalties than is commonly found, fiction authors would do well to consider publishing with WildBlue Press. The genres covered primarily are true crime, mystery books, thrillers, historical works and non-fiction business orientated books such as “Productivity Tools for Business: 57 Proven Online Tools to Recapture the Hours of Your Day” by Michael Cordova. To procure a publishing request, simply complete the form found on the “For Interested Authors” page of WindBlue Press.
5. Baliwick Press
Baliwick Press is a publishing company situated in Fort Collins, Colorado and is renowned for its innovative novels, telling inspiring stories. Established in 2009 by a team of three innovators, Karla Ocaenak, author, Kendra Spanjer, illustrator, and Launie Parry, designer, this publishing house rose to prominence through their flagship series, the Aldo Zelnick Comic Novels. The company aims to deliver character rich books which connect young readers to educational disciplines in a cognitively immersive experience. Best sellers from their range include “Good Morning Brew” by Karla Oceanak and the illustrated chapter book “Logjam”, which is a part of the acclaimed Aldo Zelnick Comic Novel series. Submissions concerning children’s and young adult fiction will be considered, with a submission form being available here.
6. Elixir Press
Elixir Press was established in 2000 in Minneapolis by the iconic poet and editor Dana Curtis. After four years, Dana moved the operations to Denver, Colorado. The company currently operates from Colorado and publishes excellent titles in poetry and literary fiction. Some of their best books include “Deed” by Justin Wymer, “Barnburner” by Erin Hoover, and “Everyone Was There” by Anthony Varallo. They also hold poetry and fiction contests every year. Unfortunately, Elixir Press isn’t accepting new submissions for 2019’s contests. You can, however, always check this page to stay updated about their upcoming contests and open submission dates.
7. BillyFish Books
BillyFish Books is a publishing company based in Pueblo West, Colorado, with a fixed focus on non-fiction. Established by Tammie Stevens, a performer and founder of animal rescue foundation, The Lazarus Fund, Billyfish Books caters to writers who are unwilling to compromise their unique content by conforming to industry-standards, beginning with the publishing of the tale of real-life explorer Jason Lewis. “The Expedition, Dark Waters: True Story of the First Human-Powered Circumnavigation of the Earth” by Howard Fisher, claimed the Benjamin Franklin Award in 2013 with its three-part discourse into the true-to-life exploration of the globe, while also taking the National Indie Excellence Award of the same year. Non-fiction submissions of travel books, adventure books, inspirational content, motivational discourses, books concerning environmental affairs, books suitable to children and animal-related content are all accepted. View the manuscript submission page of BillyFish Books for more information.
8. Selene River Press
Selene River Press is a publisher founded over twenty-five years ago by Stephanie Selene Anderson, who specializes in nutrition, food safety and alternative health care. Their publications are centred around the philosophy referenced in the work of Dr. Royal Lee, a leader in the proof that vitamin deficiencies resulted from processed foods are at the root of most degenerative disease. Great examples of their preferred style are found in “An Endocrine Handbook” by Jeremy E. Kaslow, and “Cooking Techniques for the Gut and Psychology Syndrome Diet” by Monica Corrado, which has been released in multiple parts. Eligible manuscripts include those covering self-health literacy, holistic health education, herbal medicine, homeopathy, professional health care experiences, research which highlights the benefits of whole-foods, organic farming & husbandry and cookbooks which focus on fresh, whole foods. Diet books and cookbooks which promote soy as a main protein are not accepted. To submit your book proposal, please view the “Write for Us” page of Selene River Press. Some of their accepted genres include common-sense nutrition, self-health, holistic health education, organic gardening, farming, husbandry, and cookbooks that focus on using fresh ingredients. In addition to publishing services, they also have a guest posting form readily available on their site.
9. Punch Drunk Press
Punch Drunk Press is a Denver based publisher of poetry and poetic anthologies. The company doesn’t just publish books, but they also run an online journal celebrating bold and unconventional poetry and host yearly local events in a bid to promote and support local art. Punch Drunk Press believes in publishing poetry without the pretence. They, therefore, welcome authors whose works reek of boldness and honesty. Some of their published works include “Salt of us” by Ellie Swensson, “The Jellyfish Dream” by Varinia A. Rodriguez and “Gathering View” by Jack C. Buck. Punch Drunk Press organizes annual poetry contests. Unfortunately, they are not currently open to submissions. You can check this page to stay updated about their upcoming open submission period.
10. Flying Pen Press
Flying Pen Press is based in Denver, Colorado and is a publisher specializing in science fiction, fantasy, role-playing game books, poker books and mystery novels. The only non-fiction which is considered is memoirs. As the brainchild of David A. Rozansky, a well-versed writer with over twenty years’ experience in publishing, Flying Pen Press makes use of a print-on-demand system whereby the costs of publishing are cut significantly. To gauge the preferred style of their accepted works, one needs but look at titles such as the steampunk adventure “Owl Dance” by David Lee Summers, and the first of the “Mountain Men” novels, “Crossed Arrows” by Terry Grosz. Before submitting your manuscript, a proposal is required. Flying Pen Press is accepting titles in science fiction, fantasy and mystery. They are also open to poker books and other titles discussing role playing. You can find full submission details on the submission guidelines page of Flying Pen Press, alternatively contact them via email for more information.
11. Shambhala Publications
Shambhala Publications is a publisher based in Boulder, Colorado, which specializes in eastern religion & philosophy. Established in 1969, this publisher carries 1,600 titles in print. From the acclaimed works of their first author Chögyam Trungpa, whose “The Collected Works of Chögyam Trungpa” has reached no less than nine volumes, to “In the Lap of Buddha” by Gavin Harrison, Shambhala carries a renowned range of authors. Some of their accepted genres include Buddhism, mindfulness, yoga, psychology, health, wellness, nature, parenting, crafting, and more. For additional information concerning their submission process, please view the submissions page of Shambhala Publications. Alternatively, email your proposal to their editors.
12. Subito Press
If you’re looking for a publishing house to publish your quirky fiction and non-fiction titles, Subito Press might be an excellent option. Subito Press is a non-profit publisher and it has been created by the literary stalwarts from the Creative Writing Department of the University of Colorado at Boulder. The company is open to every type of work that challenges the formal narrative techniques. Some of their recent titles include “Our Colony Beyond the City of Ruins” by Janalyn Guo, “Your Love Alone is Not Enough” by Richard Froude, and “Ever Really Hear It” by Soham Patel. Subito Press accepts new submissions via their annual contests. Since these contests are currently closed, you can always check this page for the latest details about their open submission window.
13. Lynne Rienner Publishers
Operating out of Boulder, Colorado, Lynne Rienner Publishers was founded in 1984 and specializes in scholarly and textbook publishing. They cover international studies, comparative politics from all regions of the world, books pertaining to US politics, international military history, sociology and criminology books relating to the US. Among their more prominent books are “Undocumented Latino Youth: Navigating Their Worlds” by Marisol Clark-Ibanez, divulging the undocumented communities affected by immigration policies and state laws, as well as “Power Politics in Zimbabwe” by Michael Brattan which discusses the authoritarian rule of the former leader, Robert Mugabe. For more information regarding their publishing program, please view this page, alternatively contact Lynne Rienner via email.
14. Open Books
Open Books is an independent publisher operating out of Denver, Colorado. As a publisher of both fiction and non-fiction, Open Books covers multiple genres with the only areas not being accepted lying in romance, horror and paranormal tales, while in non-fiction self-help books, books covering diets and pseudo-psychology are also not eligible for publication. Numerous notable authors are carried by Open Books. For example, when one looks at novels such as “In the Weeds” by Mark Ozeroff, and “The Ballet Lover” by Barbara L. Baer, the quality of contemporary fiction is clear. The company accepts literary and contemporary fiction and scholarly non-fiction. For more information regarding the submission process, please visit the submissions page of Open Books. Alternatively contact them via email.
15. Unbridled Books
Operating from Lakewood, Colorado, Unbridled Books is a prime publisher of fiction, with a focus on works which appeal to a broad audience. Established in 2003 by Fred Ramey and Greg Michalson, Unbridled Books has brought many authors to mass appeal. Books such as the #1IndieNext Pick winner “In Hovering Flight” by Joyce Hinnefeld, and “Last Night in Montreal” by Emily St. John Mandel, are fine examples of their more prominent publications. While their submissions department is extremely busy and currently has more than its fair share of publications in the pipeline, it is open to manuscript queries. For more information, please view the contact page of Unbridled Books, or email either Fred Ramey or Greg Michalson. Please note, it is preferred that you mail only one of the founders, not both.
16. University Press of Colorado
Open to scholars of the University of Colorado and Utah State University, the University Press of Colorado has been on operation since 1965. Forty-five titles are published each year on average, with the aim of supplying the highest level of quality throughout a diverse range of educational fields. 2017 brought numerous faculty publications including “New Approaches to Teaching Folk and Fairy Tales” by Christa C. Springs and the winner of the Colorado Book Award for Creative Nonfiction “The Man Who Thought He Owned Water” by Tershia d’Elgin, among an array of other prize-winning publications. A full list of specifications and guidelines are provided on the University Press’s author materials page. Note that the institution is currently accepting submissions in anthropology, archaeology, composition, folklore, history, and natural sciences. They are also open to submissions about Colorado, Utah, and the Rocky mountain region. Prior to submitting your manuscript, please ensure that your work is presented as a prospectus, with all of the submission details available here.
17. Pioneer Drama
Pioneer Drama is a family-owned business based in Denver. The company publishes a wide range of books, plays, and musicals on different theatrical subjects. Some of their best-selling works include “An Act of Piracy” by Patrick Derksen, “Caught in the Web” by Brian D. Taylor and “The Best and Worst Day of My Life” by Dick Grunert. They are currently open to publishing acting textbooks, monologs, duologs, short scenes, speech and theatre textbooks, improvisation guides, and theatre games. Pioneer Drama is also looking to publish your full-length plays. For more details about the submission process, visit this page.
18. Filter Press
Established by Doris and Tom Baker in 1956, Filter Press is a publisher with a focus on non-fiction and historical fiction related to the Southwest in general, and specifically Colorado. Their published works span a variety of genres including but not limited to youth and adult fiction, biographies, history & travel, Native American history, and picture books. With notable authors such as Carolyn Brink with her rich background in education and philosophy, reflected in her title “Class Acts”, and Colorado historical storyteller John Stansfield with stories such as “John Denver: Man for the World”, Filter Press is a well-established publisher. Filter Press is open to submissions, however only hardcopy manuscripts are eligible for review. You can find submission guidelines on the ‘About Us’ page of Filter Press, alternatively contact them via email.
19. Fulcrum Publishing
Seated in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, Fulcrum Publishing is a non-fiction publisher who is welcoming of manuscripts exploring US culture and historical subjects, Native American studies, materials relating to conservation and graphic novels based on non-fiction subjects. Established just over thirty years ago by Bob Baron, prominent author, this publishing house has received awards from numerous organizations including the American Booksellers Association, the American Library Association and even the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian. Excellent examples of their publishing style can be found in “America is Indian Country” by Jose Barreiro, and “Brave New World of Healthcare Revisited” by Richard D. Lamm and Andy Sharma, looking at the healthcare crisis in the US. For more information concerning Fulcrum Publishing’s submission process, please view this page, or contact them via email. Currently, the company is only accepting submissions exploring U.S History and Culture, conservation-oriented materials, and Native American History or Culture. Fulcrum Publishing doesn’t accept memoirs or fiction.
20. Wolverine Farm Publishing
Wolverine Farm Publishing is headquartered in Fort Collins, Colorado, and was established by Todd Simons. This small publisher aims to release a minimum of two books per year, in addition to their regular publishing lineup. Other than their two journals, “Boneshaker” – covering cycling, and “Matter Journal” – handling literature, art and poetry, Wolverine Farm also publishes fiction novels. To get a better idea of their publishing style, take a look at “Logodaedaly or Sleight-of-Words” written by Erzsebet Gilbert. His delightful discourse on the English language is no mere dictionary, but rather a look at the history and origin of words and phrases used by writers through the ages. To submit your manuscript, please view Wolverine Farm Publishing’s submissions page, or present your pitch via email. Since the company only publishes 1 to 2 books every year, they are extremely selective about the content of the manuscripts.
21. Suspect Press
Suspect Press is a publisher of a quarterly magazine focused on poetry, fiction, comics, essays, art. In addition, they also publish a limited range of non-fiction and fiction books and comics. Based in Denver, Colorado, and founded in 2013, Suspect Press has driven up quite a following thanks to their events throughout the city of Denver. To gauge their preferred publishing style, simply take a look at any of their magazines, available on the following page. You will notice a preference for thought-provoking works which are suited to creative minds, exhibited through their poetry, non-fiction interviews and reviews, and short stories. For more information regarding the submission process of Suspect Press, please visit their submissions page, or place your proposal to the publisher via their contact page. Note that the company is not currently open to new submissions.
Final Steps to Getting Published
Once you have proofread your novel, received feedback from mentors and loved ones, edited and proofread again, devised the perfect pitch and target market, and finally decided that your manuscript is ready for a professional editor, be sure to pick your publisher carefully.
Submission to multiple publishers is always a good idea; however don’t just throw your book out to anyone. Ensure that your style is consistent with that of your prospective publishing house, while your cover letter and initial proposal itself requires personal attention and research.
Compare your manuscript to that of authors within your genre or vertical, while being sure to state how your book makes a difference to your publisher. Make reference to similarities between the demographics targeted by your book, and titles carried by the publisher. The impact of your publication must be clear, original and concise. The key to getting published is getting noticed.
21 Top Book Publishing Companies in Colorado is an article from Writing Tips Oasis.
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I do what I love, following the path of the heart, and I love what I do, I write. I write with passion in every word, expressing what is right in the best words I can conjure. “Just write.” is my creed. Artist, wordsmith, story-teller and creator, expression is my joy, my fuel, the essence of self and my motivation for everything else.