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Many years ago I wrote a BDSM novel and nobody wanted to know about it: it was too hot for the mainstream and not single-mindedly pornographic enough for the dirty book market.
But times have changed, people are publishing things like BDSM murder mysteries, and my gf has encouraged me to blow off the dust, bring it up to date and find a publisher. Any suggestions where to offer it? It's in the form of a light hearted crime story with a strong D/s setting.
In Britain you could try Nexus (Thames Wharf Studios, Rainville Road, London W6 9HA) or Chimera Publishing Ltd. (PO Box 152, Waterlooville, Hants, PO8 9FS). In the States, Masquerade Books (801 Second Avenue, New York, New York, 10017). Masquerade also has other imprints (Rosebud, Rhinoceros).
Signet books, an imprint of New American Library, which is a division of Penguin Books Ltd. (27 Wrights Lane, London, W8 5TZ) and St. Martin's Press (175 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York, 10010) are mainstream publishers who both put out a fair amount of 'risque' material.
Smaller players in the genre would include: Carroll & Graf Publishers, Inc. (260 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York, 10001); Blue Moon Books, Inc. (61 Fourth Avenue, New York, New York, 10003); and Magic Carpet Books, which also has the maya imprint (PO Box 473, New Milford, Connecticut, 06776) and is probably affiliated with SCB Distributors (15608 South New Century Drive, Gardena, California, 90248).
The granddaddy of them all, who may no longer be in business, is Grove Press, Inc., who also had the Black Cat and Venus library imprints (196 West Houston Street, New York, New York, 10014).
Hmm...I have a different address for Carroll & Graf and Blue Moon Books. Both are part of the Avalon Publishing Group, though Avalon is undergoing some changes and I'm not sure exactly what's going on - I think it's just that they've acquired some new imprints, not that they're letting anything go. The address I have is 161 William Street, 16th Floor, New York, NY 10038. You can also find more on their website, www.avalonpub.com.
This probably isn't right for you, Leo, but there's also Black Lace, which is part of Virgin Publishing. They're marketed as "erotica written by women for women." They don't get too, too hardcore, but they do have a lot of BDSM-themed books. I don't have the address, but their website is www.blacklace-books.co.uk.
You could also check out a recent edition of Literary Marketplace (LMP) for more information on different publishing houses. They're usually in the reference section of the bookstore/library.
If you need any help or insider tips (I'm a fiction editor) on preparing your submission, feel free to PM me. I don't know much about the erotica market, but I'm sure the rules are pretty much the same as at the mainstream houses.
Good luck and be persistent!