Cobblestone Press, LLC

We are an electronic publisher of sensual & erotic romance and short story erotica seeking creative storytelling and original style. Because we at Cobblestone Press are selective about what we accept, we are looking for authors to set the standard of writing for this press; authors that show extraordinary ability to weave tales of romance through strong, unforgettable characters, plots that twist and turn with layers of conflict and emotion, and a style that sets them apart from other writers in the market.

Cobblestone Press is a full service publisher. There are NO fees for the author at any point during our publication process. Your book will be edited, and cover art will be provided.

Royalty rate is 35% of the cover price and will be paid on a monthly basis. We currently request electronic and audio rights. Print on Demand rights are contracted separately based on length and sales.

We publish sensual & erotic romance stories and short story erotica. All sexually active characters in the manuscript must be at least 18 no matter the time period.

Sensual romance stories are what “romance” is all about. These love stories should have strong plots, fully developed characters, open-door love scenes, and a Happily Ever After ending. Must be at least 20,000 words.
Erotic romance stories are tales of love with an erotic flavor. They have all of the same elements found in sensual romances, but must use explicit, adult-oriented language when describing the sexual elements within the story.
Erotica short stories are all about arousing the reader. These vignettes must have open-door sex scenes using explicit, adult-oriented language. These short stories are not necessarily romances, so a Happily Ever After ending is not required, but a “Happy for Now” is preferred.

For all stories, we prefer you avoid purple prose. If you are unsure of how to define purple prose, check out this informative and hilarious article by Deb Stover: The Purple Prose Eater

We Are Accepting the Following Submissions:

We're currently seeking manuscripts between 5,000-75,000 words in the the following romance subgenres:

Action Adventure
African American
BDSM
Contemporary
Erotica
Fantasy
Futuristic/Sci-Fi
LGBT
Historical

Interracial/Multicultural
Ménage (m/m/f preferred)
New Adult
Paranormal (Vampire, Shifter, Ghosts, etc.)
Romantic Comedy
Time Travel
Thriller/Suspense
Steampunk
Urban Fantasy

For more information, see our Line Submissions and Seasonal Submissions.

A complete manuscript is required at submission from all authors.

We Do Not Accept:

Racism, sexism or discrimination presented in a positive light.
Adultery/Cheating
Pedophilia
Sex with characters under the age 18.
Incest
Daddy/Mommy fantasies
Felching and/or snowballing
Autobiographical or stories based on true events

Rape, dubious consent, and/or forced seduction.
Erotic asphyxiation
Knife play
Snuff and/or necrophilia
Bestiality
Urethral sounding or cock torture
Water play (golden showers) & Brown play

Some publishers accept rape or non-con if it's not done for titillation, we are not one of those publishers. We will not accept
it in any form, in any genre for any reason. If you aren't sure whether content in your story is acceptable, please feel free to ask before submitting.

We try to answer questions regarding our submission guidelines within 48 hours.

Line Submissions

*If you are submitting a novel for one of the lines, please put it in the subject of your email and in the cover letter.* 　

Blue™ Line (submissions are open to In House Authors only)
Word Count: 3k-5k
This line is for erotica shorts for highly sexual and explicit content. Let your Freak Flag Fly! HEA or romantic content not required. First and third person accepted (male or female POV). All genres considered. Language in these works should be adult and explicit.

Brazen™ Line
Word Count: 10k-65k
This line is for New Adult romance (sensual and erotic) featuring characters between the ages of 18 and 30. All genres are considered, HEA required, first or third person point of view accepted.

Wicked™ Line
Word Count: 5k-10k
Be wicked for us. We're looking for short story erotica with a very high level of sexual content. HEA or romantic content not required. First and third person accepted (male or female POV). All genres considered. Language in these works should be adult and explicit.

Tryst™ Line
Word Count: 10k-20k
The Tryst line is our signature short story line. These short, erotic, and quick reads should stimulate the reader and the promise of a future. Language in these works should be adult and explicit.

Shifter™ Line
Word Count: 10k-65k
The Shifter line at Cobblestone is dedicated to shape shifters of both genders. Get in touch with your wild side and let us take a look! We are interested in shape shifter romance that crosses over into all genres and heat levels.

Seasonal Submissions

Space is very limited! Mark your submissions accordingly so they will be routed to the proper place for consideration.

Military Heroes
Word Count: 10k-40k
Criteria: All genres
Must be submitted by April 1

Your hero/heroine must have served or be serving in the U.S. Military (any branch) personnel.

Octoberfest
Word Count: 10k-40k
Criteria: Paranormal Sensual or Erotic Romance
Must be submitted by July 1

Shifters, vampires, ghosts, and everything in between. Octoberfest is about celebrating all things paranormal.

Naughty November
Word Count: 10k-40k
Criteria: Ménage or BDSM
Must be submitted by August 1

We're especially interested in m/m/f or m/f/m ménage. Submissions for Naughty November must be “erotic romance” or “erotica”.

Formatting Guidelines

Use either Times New Roman or Palatino Linotype, 12pt. font
All paragraphs should be indented .5 (without tabs preferred)
One inch margins
Attach the manuscript as a .doc or a .docx file.
Include a cover letter in the body of your email. Discuss past publications, if any, future goals, and at least a paragraph blurb describing your book.
On the first page of your manuscript include in the upper left corner the following: Title of Manuscript, Word Count- Calculated by your word processor program, Genre (or Line), Full Name, Pen Name (if applicable), Mailing Address, Phone Number, and Email Address

Please submit full manuscript as an attachment to: manuscripts@cobblestone-press.com.

Failure to properly format your manuscript can/will result in an automatic rejection.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. To whom do I submit my work?
A. Please submit your full manuscript in .doc or .docx format as an attachment to: manuscripts@cobblestone-press.com. Failure to properly format and attach your manuscript can/will result in an automatic rejection.

Q. Do you contract on proposal?
A. Yes, but only from our In-House Authors currently under contract with us on at least one other manuscript.

Q. Can I submit a partial manuscript?
A. No. Only full manuscripts are processed for contract consideration.

Q. What if my story was previously published? What about self-published works?
A. We do not consider currently self-published works for contract. If your manuscript was previously released by another publisher but is no longer under contract and, therefore, considered “out of print”, you may contact us to discuss the possibility of contract consideration.

Q. Do you accept multiple submissions?
A. Yes – but do let us know if the work is currently being considered by another publisher.

Q. What should I put in my cover letter?
A. Tell us about you, your work, and the material you are submitting.

Q. What is your current acceptance rate?
A. This depends greatly on the number of submissions during a given month; but a safe estimate would be about 5%.

Q. Do you accept submissions written in First Person POV?
A. Though our preference is Third Person Limited past tense, exceptional First Person works written in past tense will be considered.

Q. Do you accept books from multiple authors?
A. Yes, but the authors will have to split the 35% royalty.

Q. Do you accept anthologies?
A. Contact us directly and we can discuss it.

Q. How long will I have to wait for an answer on my submission?
A. Our current response time is roughly 180 days. At the time of submission, our system will automatically respond to let you know that the submission was received. If you do not receive the automatic reply, it means that we did not get your email.

Q. Do I need an agent to submit to Cobblestone?
A. No, no agent is required but we are comfortable working with and have worked with agents in the past.

Q. I write under a pen name, can you guarantee my privacy?
A. We will do everything within our power to protect your privacy.

Q. If my story is contracted, how long will I have to wait for publication?
A. This depends on the number of manuscripts contracted ahead of you, editing, and special events that are planned at Cobblestone. We like to see contracted manuscripts published within six months of contract.

Q. How many titles do you publish a month?
A. Our current schedule allows up to 5 to 12 titles a month.

Q. How often does Cobblestone Press pay authors?
A. Monthly

Q. What rights does Cobblestone acquire?
A. Our standard contract electronic rights for five years. Our contract is renewable and can be negotiated if you acquire an agent. Print rights on full lengths are negotiated separately at the discretion of the publisher.

Q. Can I supply my own cover art?
A. No, we do not allow authors to provide cover art.

Q. How much say will I have in cover art design?
A. We have a staff of dedicated and talented artists that produce cover art that fits each book by studying closely the information provided by the authors on the cover art form. We pride ourselves on the quality of our cover art.

Q. Will my book be edited?
A. Of course! We have a thorough and professional editing staff that will do all they can to make your work shine. We will not compromise on matters of grammar and accuracy. Our editing staff utilizes Track Changes in our digital editing process. It is recommended that you have software, such as Microsoft Word, installed that can handle that process easily.

Q. Do you distribute your books to vendors?
A. Yes, we currently distribute with many outlets including Nook, iBookstore, Kobo, Bookstrand, and Amazon.

Q. Why should I publish at Cobblestone Press?
A. We’re dedicated to producing quality. Everything about Cobblestone is designed to create a positive, creative, and attractive experience for both authors and readers. Our contracts are pro-author and demonstrate our dedication to the success of our authors while they are with us and beyond.