Press Kit / This House Isn’t Haunted But We Are by Stephen Howard
Publishing 3 April 2025; Paperback (also available as an ebook); ISBN 9781739458065; £12.99; A couple mourning the loss of their young daughter take up an opportunity to renovate a rural cottage on the remote North Yorkshire Moors. However, they can't process their grief as increasingly eerie events unfold. Is it their daughter haunting them or something else?
Opening for submissions from unagented writers
Very exciting news from the Wild Hunt Books team - we’re opening to unagented writers from 13-26 January 2025. While we are always open to agent submissions we also like to periodically read work from new and emerging authors.
Announcing six new novellas for The Northern Weird Project
We are happy to report that we have acquired six new novellas for The Northern Weird Project, a set of books by authors living in the North of England and who are also engaging with the North as setting, subject and character.
FAQ with the publisher
As the publisher/editor of Wild Hunt Books, I get lots of questions about submitting and general housekeeping. Some of this information might only be relevant to our publishing house, but generally, these answers can be applied to most agents and editors.
Our Roadmap for 2025-2026
t’s getting very exciting over here at Wild Hunt Books HQ. At the moment, we’re open to submissions for our new publishing venture, The Northern Weird Project. But we also have a few other things planned that I hope interest you as much as it does for us!
How to format your novel manuscript so an editor actually reads it!
You wouldn’t expect it but more often than not, I receive manuscripts that are so strangely formatted that they are just about unreadable. And if that’s the case with yours, it’s a disservice to all the hard work and passion you’ve put into your book. It’s easy to format your manuscript to industry-standard (and don’t think that being kooky with your font choices or adding pictures will grab the attention of an editor; it won’t or it will for the wrong reasons). Go ahead and write your drafts however way you like! But when you’ve finalise edits and are ready to send it off for publishing consideration, it’s best to follow these guidelines.
How to make your manuscript submission standout
Querying your book can be extremely stressful but as an editor for more than ten years, I often see messy submission packages more than I receive strong, engaging ones. These are a few tips to make you shine and standout.
Bear Season in the Wild!
It’s been a real pleasure to see Bear Season out in the wild and receiving so much love! If you still haven’t ordered your copy, you can purchase directly from us in the UK or your favourite local bookshop. If you’re outside the UK, you can order from your favourite online retailer in ebook or paperback.
Read an exclusive excerpt from Bear Season
Bear Season tells the story of Jade Hunter, a PhD student from Manchester, who goes missing in the Alaskan wilderness. Suspicion immediately falls on the reclusive survivalist Ursula Smith, who is swiftly arrested and convicted of Jade’s murder – even though a body has not been found.
Press Kit / Bear Season by Gemma Fairclough
Publishing 29 February 2024; Paperback (also available as an ebook); ISBN 9781739458003; £9.99; Jade Hunter, a PhD student from Manchester, goes missing in Alaska in 2016 and all suspicion turns to reclusive survivalist Ursula Smith. No body has been found but Ursula is convicted of murder, nonetheless.
Advance Review Copies of BEAR SEASON
Wild Hunt Books are happy to report that we have e-ARCS* ready for bloggers and reviewers! If you are interested in receiving one and/or interviewing the author, please let us know here.
How to Write the Best One-Page Synopsis
The dreaded synopsis! How can you possibly sum up the entirety of your book in one single-spaced page? There are so many ways to write a compelling synopsis but getting there can be hard. We personally like to read clear, thrilling and spoiler-filled ones.
How to Stand Out With a Sparkling Query Letter
When reading for Wild Hunt Books, the first thing we look at is the query letter. It’s your way to introduce yourself to us and also your work. We have a fondness for succinct and clear queries that keep it to one page max but writing the letter can be so hard!
#mswl for December Submissions
We are open for new submissions during the month of December. We request your query letter, synopsis and full manuscript. For our second list, we are expanding into novels of maximum 85,000 words (but we are still looking for novellas, so don’t fret). More information will be available on the Submissions page closer to December, but for now, we’re sharing our manuscript wish list.
Witchy Reads for Autumn Nights
Amy Douglas is the digital marketing assistant for Wild Hunt Books. She recommends a variety of witchy reads to flavour your reading list for autumn and well into winter.
#indiepublishing transparency
Yesterday, there was a kerfuffle on Twitter over a US-based small independent publisher, who shall not be named. They withdrew a publishing offer from an emerging author and then proceeded to post bizarre statements on their personal account that included identifying information about the author. Besides reneging on their offer, there were so many parts of the story that didn’t sit right with the Wild Hunt Books team.
Featured Creative: Gemma Fairclough
Gemma Fairclough is a writer living in Manchester. A range of unsettling influences, including horror films, surrealist art, and folklore inspire her writing, which frequently centres upon experiences of alienation, grief, and aberrant desire. Her novella, Bear Season, a dark fairytale set between the United Kingdom and Alaska, is scheduled to publish next year with Wild Hunt Books.