HC launches Killer Reads imprint with open submission

HarperCollins is launching a new digital-first crime and thriller list, which will begin publication with the best finds from an open submission held this summer.

Killer Reads, which takes its name from HC's existing crime community site, will invite unagented submissions from 29th August to 14th September, in all crime genres from police procedurals to high-concept thrillers.

Sarah Hodgson, deputy publishing director, said the open submissions would be a good way to tap into undiscovered writing.

She said: "Our Harper Impulse digital list has open submissions all year round, while the Borough Press held a limited open submission which it found really productive. This is something that will be a cross between the two, which we're hopeful will tap into a lot of new material, and if it's successful, it's something that we could do again."

Hodgson added: "I think a lot of our audience is very engaged with our books, they're very intelligent and very knowledgable about the genre, and I imagine a lot of them write themselves. This is another route to publication that can sit alongside manuscripts coming the traditional way, through agents."

The imprint will look to put out around one or two new titles each month.

Killer Reads already exists as a promotional site and community for HarperCollin's crime list, with blogs and other content covering authors such as Agatha Christie and Stuart MacBride, and selling e-books directly to consumers as well as giving links to retailers for physical purchases. Killer Reads has been online since 2009.

As with The Borough Press open submission process, which ran in April this year, all authors must submit their full, completed manuscripts, written in English, and no shorter than 70,000 words.

Writers can submit their books to killerreadssubs@harpercollins.co.uk from 29th August.