On Mondays, They Give Me the Mic: Do You Have the Perfect Book for PulpFemme?

Two Mondays ago, I announced that PulpFemme is open for submissions. This Monday, I’m sharing what we’re looking for. Huzzah!

Come on, Canada — we are FULL of talent. Where are my scribes who write …

Voice-driven fiction with emotional intelligence

• Give me heroines (and heroes) who are gloriously flawed, navigating tangled relationships, work stress, parenting messes, and existential crises — with grit, humour, and surprising insight.
• Heroine’s journey stories! (See Gail Carriger’s The Heroine’s Journey to learn more.)

Twisty domestic drama with big heart

• I love a juicy plot, but it better come wrapped in believable characters. Secrets, betrayals, long-lost letters, and dysfunctional family dinners? Yes, please — as long as they serve the emotional arc.

Smart, funny, honest prose

• I am a sucker for writing that makes me laugh, cry, and underline passages. Think honest inner monologues, laugh-out-loud banter, and scenes so relatable they sting.
• Magical realism? Yes! I would LOVE a new spin on themes found in Like Water For Chocolate, Practical Magic, Remarkably Bright Creatures …

Stories with scope and soul

• I want to see women (and people of all genders) at the centre of stories that matter. That doesn’t always mean trauma-heavy — and it doesn’t even mean it has to happen on Planet Earth — but I’m not afraid of pain if there’s light at the end. Bonus points for explorations of class, race, identity, gender roles, and power woven organically through a compelling narrative.

If you’re working on a novel that might belong on the shelf next to Big Little Lies, The Murderbot Diaries, Babel, or even a wacky tale à la Stephanie Plum in Janet Evanovich’s long-running comedic private investigator series, I’d love to hear from you. 

Say it with me: Commercial, genre fiction with bite, brains, and zero regrets. (Oh, and feel free to use my new favourite hashtag: #LadyBooks)

Submissions are open now: https://pulpliterature.com/novel-acquisitions/

P.S. But Jenn, are you only interested in books from women authors? No. Pulp Lit Press has multiple imprints, including Pulp Noir, Pulp Mystery, Pulp SFF, etc.! Since PulpFemme is brand new — and I am brand new to the role of acquisitions editor — I am also super interested in terrific titles for our other genre imprints as well. Send me your best work. I can’t wait to read it.