Dagan Books, LLC

Hello! I’m Kelly C. Stiles, the Assistant Acquisitions Editor in charge of Novellas for Dagan Books.

The first of four quarterly novellas we will publish this year, “Inedible Sins” by K.V. Taylor, is a beautifully written story. It’s full of history, romance, sex, and violence. There’s also a sin-eating robot (automation if you prefer). Our second novella will appear this summer. That story is part Greek myth, part spaghetti western, and all awesome. Centaurs in the old west! Two more novellas will also be published–one each quarter. We are still taking submissions for these final two slots, as well as for 2014.

Why novellas, though? I have heard novellas called the perfect story length before. They are long enough for the reader to get into the depth and intricacy of the story, but short enough that the author can’t linger too long on one scene. They’re fast paced, but still complete.

As a staff member of Dagan Books, I get to read a lot. When I receive a submission, I like to glance at the cover letter before I dive into the prose. It gives me an idea of what kind of adventure I’m about to embark on. (As a side note, I don’t care about a writer’s credentials as long as the story is good.) When I read a submission, I usually form my impression quickly. Even if it is not a story I want to accept, I do try to read at least 20-30 pages of it. I know how hard authors work, and sometimes they surprise me a few pages in.

After I’ve finished reading a story, I let it sit for a day or two before I come back to it with a decision. Sometimes I need to leave it for even longer. Eventually, though, decisions are made, one way or another.

Let me tell you a little about what we are looking for:

• Engaging stories that make me want to keep reading.
• Science Fiction of all kinds. Hard, soft, near future, we want them all.
• QUILTBAG characters, characters of color, and other people underrepresented in fiction.
• Stories with a good ending. By good, I don’t necessarily mean happy. I mean a well-plotted ending.
• Unique stories. We found our place in publishing by not being just like everyone else. I love finding different, quality fiction in my submissions stack.

What I Am NOT Looking For:

• Sword and Sorcery stories. Don’t get me wrong, I will read it if it ends up in my stack, but it will be a hard sell.
• Romance. Romance is fine as a subplot, but there has to be more to a story for me. The plot can’t revolve around whether two people are “meant to be together”, or put the characters through danger and distress simply so they can hook up at the end. (Same thing goes for erotica. We like it, but it has to serve a purpose.)
• Religious themes of any kind. Again, I will read them, but they will be a very hard sell.
• Girls or women whose only role is as a damsel in distress. All characters need to be well thought out, even if we don’t see much of them on the page. Don’t start a story with a dead girl unless you’re going to show us something new, fascinating, and special about who she was before she was a part of the scenery.
• Gratuitous violence, including rape. If it’s there, it needs to further the story. Not just “this thing happened” but a story that couldn’t have moved forward any other way.

What Will Get You Kicked Out of the Slush Pile:

Author racism, sexism, or bigotry of any kind. Of course there is racism, sexism, and other forms of bigotry in the world, and your story and characters should reflect that (or show us what’s changed). But there’s a difference between a character having that perspective, shown through  dialogue or internal thought, and a writer including that view as part of the narration. Say, “Bob thinks this,” but don’t say, “The world thinks this and that’s right.”

I am still reading novellas and I need more. Here’s a link to our submissions page.

- KCS