Have you already written a fiction manuscript, and are now searching for a trustworthy publisher to submit it to? You’re in the right place. Below we’ve featured 8 top fiction book publishers in Pennsylvania you should check out!
1. Sunbury Press
With more than 100 new titles annually, Sunbury Press is one of the biggest publishers in Pennsylvania. Lawrence Knorr established the company in 2004 in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania.
Eighty years later, Sunbury Press moved to Mechanicsburg to accommodate book launches and other related events. Today, Sunbury Press is located in Boiling Springs.
This traditional publisher has 11 amazing imprints. So while it mainly prints nonfiction titles, Sunbury Press also has imprints such as Milford House, Ars Metaphysica, and Brown Posey Press for promising fiction — and its genres range from mystery and horror to fantasy and sci-fi.
Two amazing titles from Sunbury Press are Cynthia Simmons’s Wrong Kind of Paper and Job Tyler Leach’s insightful Wilting at Gin Mills.
Sunbury Press is eager to read new stories in practically any genre. So whether you have historical fiction or a young adult novel in the works, you should submit your proposal.
2. Schiffer Publishing
Schiffer Publishing has a rich history dating back to 1974 when Margaret Schiffer’s extensive inventory research was uncovered by her son Peter Schiffer and his wife Nancy. Based in Atglen, Pennsylvania, it’s now led by Pete Schiffer and boasts a massive catalog.
While Schiffer Publishing is primarily recognized for its books on antiques and collectibles, it also has the Schiffer Kids imprint. This includes middle-grade and general interest fiction like Maia and the Very Tall Wall by Brian Wray and the Holocaust fiction A Promise Stitched in Time by Colleen Rowan Kosinski.
Currently, Schiffer Publishing isn’t looking for adult fiction. On the bright side, you can still submit your children’s fiction proposal.
Simply head to the submission guidelines page for children’s books for more information. Likewise, check the proposal page to read about other open categories.
3. White Mane Publishing Co., Inc.
Located in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, this is the go-to publisher for anyone looking for works about the Civil War — or even both World Wars. White Mane Publishing Co., Inc. has been in the business for more than three decades and has since captured the interest of mature and young readers alike.
Due to its focus on unforgettable historical events, the publisher’s books are often nonfiction and meant to educate and inform. Yet White Man Publishing Co., Inc. is also aware that there’s room for creativity in wartime stories.
Thus, you can find Civil War fiction like The Boys from Kalamazoo by T. J. Johnston and historical fiction for children such as Brothers at War by Margaret Whitman Blair and Ghosts of Vicksburg by Kathleen Ernst.
The White Mane imprint doesn’t seem to be releasing any new novels lately, so your best in getting published is to write historical fiction for middle-grade and young adult readers.
View the proposal section to complete your submission.
4. BatCat Press
BatCat Press is a humble publisher located in Midland, Pennsylvania, that began when editor Deanna Baringer and six high schoolers chose to launch their own independent publishing company in 2009.
Understandably, this small press doesn’t have the resources to release hundreds of books annually across the US. Yet the team unfailingly generates great interest in its select titles by providing first editions that are not only limited-edition but also handmade.
BatCat Press concentrates on poetry and prose. In the House of Memory by Gary Lark, for example, is a stellar combination of poems and stories.
If you want to contribute to BatCat Press’s modest collection of fiction, you’ll have to wait a little longer because BatCat Press has temporarily stopped accepting proposals due to the pandemic.
When it does open, you can submit fiction writing of any genre and length — from short story collections to novels.
5. Quirk Books
Possibly one of the most renowned and amusing publishers in Pennsylvania is Quirk Books. Established in 2002 and situated in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this company made a name for its distinct identity.
From its chosen stories to the packaging and marketing, Quirk Books knows how to create long-lasting intrigue among readers of all ages.
Some of its fiction titles are Ransom Riggs’s Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, and Jane Austen & Seth Grahame-Smith’s Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. Both are bestsellers in the US and were made into movies.
Quirk Books is always willing to accept direct proposals and manuscript submissions from authors. Just don’t forget to send a query letter regardless of how many pages and chapters you send. Go to this page for more information about submissions.
6. Whitaker House
Robert E. Whitaker, Sr. launched Whitaker House more than four decades ago to spread the gospel using inspiring stories. Since then, the Christian publisher has remained true to its purpose and reached folks all around the world.
Located in New Kensington, Pennsylvania, Whitaker House offers an assortment of spiritual literature like devotionals and books about church history.
Likewise, its Christian fiction catalog has genres such as fantasy, sci-fi, suspense, mystery, romance, and contemporary fiction. Two titles you can find in Whitaker House are Andrew Maloney’s Verse of Valor and Loree Lough’s Western romance titled Montana Sky.
Whitaker House will consider manuscripts of Christian fiction. But if you’re a new writer, consider getting a literary agent to improve your chances. The contact page has a link to the extensive PDF file stating its review policies and submission guidelines.
7. University of Pittsburgh Press
As one of the founding members of the Association of University Presses, the University of Pittsburgh Press has built an excellent reputation for decades. Established in 1936, this publisher from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is acclaimed for its portfolio that caters to academics, researchers, and the general public.
The University of Pittsburgh is home to award-winning and one-of-a-kind stories. Its catalog is a treasure trove that has romantic, political, contemporary, African American, and historical fiction, among others.
A couple of intriguing fiction finds from this publisher include Albert French’s I Can’t Wait on God and Adria Bernardi’s award-winning In the Gathering Woods.
When submitting your proposal, you should carefully state crucial details like your book’s subject matter and what type of audience it will primarily serve. For more information, read the book submissions page.
8. Etruscan Press
Situated in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, Etruscan Press hopes to discover and publish works that reflect humanity’s diverse realities and will stand the test of time. With support from the likes of the National Endowment for the Arts and the Ohio Arts Council, it continues to encourage discourse and creativity.
Alongside books of poetry and creative nonfiction, among others, Etruscan Press has fiction titles that fascinate and illuminate — and Lynn Lurie’s Museum of Stones and Auguste Corteau’s Sixteen are two such examples.
Etruscan Press is open to fiction manuscripts that have at least 50 pages. Authors can submit unsolicited electronic manuscripts anytime, but they must prepare $20 for the reading fee. Head to the submissions page to know more.