Submissions

Primera Submissions

Oliver Heber Books was built by an author, for authors — and Primera is how we open that door wider.

Primera is OHB’s digital-first imprint, welcoming submissions from both agented and non-agented authors. We’re looking for compelling voices across romance, mystery, thriller, and women’s fiction, though a great book has a way of making its own case regardless of category.

What we offer:

Authors who publish with Primera get everything that makes OHB different — editorial collaboration, creative input on covers and direction, speed to market, monthly royalty payments, and some of the highest royalty percentages in the industry. We invest in careers, not just titles.

Submission guidelines:

Please send your complete manuscript — no partial submissions. We ask that you not submit simultaneously to other publishers while your work is under consideration with us.

We read everything. We’d love to hear from you.

What are we looking for?

Because our team is small, our submissions call is focused. We’re currently accepting the following for our Primera imprint:

Historical mysteries
Select historical romance
Dark, sexy contemporary romance, including Mafia
New adult and sports romance
Romantic fantasy, including dark/horror, spicy, and cozy
Select romantic suspense

You’re welcome to query outside this list, but these are the categories we’re actively seeking right now.

Do you have specific submission calls?

Along with the genres listed above, we’re especially interested in:

Stories with series potential — the longer, the better
Strong, savvy heroes and heroines
Detective stories, particularly with female sleuths
Own voices and stories with diversity

What don't you accept?

We do not accept children’s books, poetry, biography/autobiography, comics, manga, cookbooks, DIY, self-help, strictly literary works, or short stories.

Please — no partial or simultaneous submissions.

Do I have to have an agent to submit?

No, we accept both agented and non-agented works.

What should I submit?

We’re looking for quality books that fit our submission guidelines — and authors who are committed to building their careers alongside us. A robust online presence and a willingness to promote and market your work go a long way.

Along with your submission letter and complete manuscript, please include:

A bio with links to your website and social media
A synopsis of your book and the full manuscript, each as a separate attached Word document

We do not accept partial submissions. Please make sure your work fits our guidelines before submitting, because of the size of our team, improper or partial submissions may not receive a response.

If you’re an established author, you’re welcome to query with a request to send a partial manuscript.

When will I hear back?

We read all submissions; however, because of the volume of inquiries we receive and the size of our team, we cannot give you a detailed response with editorial feedback. We will also not respond to submissions that are not submitted properly. Please allow ample time for a response.

I'm interested in the "White-Glove" Program.

As of January 2023, our program for backlist management is invitation-only.

Why don't you take simultaneous submissions?

We understand that choosing a publisher is a big decision, and we encourage you to take your time researching your options. OHB is a small press with extremely author-friendly terms — but we want you to decide based on your specific needs whether we’re the right fit for you.

If we are, we’d love to see your work. Please withdraw your submissions elsewhere before submitting to us.

What are your terms?

Our terms are among the most author-friendly in the business — and that’s by design. We offer a true 50% royalty, paid monthly. And because our terms are already structured to put as much as possible back in our authors’ pockets, there isn’t a lot of room for negotiation, and we don’t currently offer advances.

We’d rather pay you more on every book, every month — and we think most authors prefer that math too.

Ready to submit?"

Submit

We are

A Full-Service Publisher. We pay for professional editing, cover design, formatting, and marketing support.
Selective. We do not accept all submissions and prefer to work with more established authors.
Author-Friendly. It’s our mission to be the ultimate publishing experience and advocate for our authors.
Inclusive. We actively pursue diversity. BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ authors are encouraged to submit.

We are not

A Publishing Collective. We only accept submissions that fit our quality standards and imprint requirements.
A Vanity Press. We pay our authors, not the other way around. We require only quality writing and marketable books.