Gabrielle Prendergast

I only acquire for our “hi/lo” lines Currents, Soundings and Anchor and our middle grade horror line, Shivers. Please read the submissions guidelines for these series here https://www.orcabook.com/AuthorGuidelines

Many years ago, I started reading Orca books while I was doing my MFA at the University of British Columbia. I loved Orca’s focus on striving readers, Canadian authors and politically progressive subject matter. So, when I finished writing my first YA novel, I was over the moon when Orca offered to publish it. Since that first book, working with Orca has been one of the great joys of my publishing life, and taking on the role of editor for Orca’s hi-lo series felt like a natural progression.

Acquiring for Orca’s Currents, Soundings and Anchor lines of hi-lo fiction, my first concern is the needs of our readers. I’m looking for clear, concise writing for lower reading levels (grades 1 and 2 for Anchor, 2 to 5 for Currents and 2 to 4.5 for Soundings) with short chapters (under 1000 words), fast-paced linear plots, single protagonists and PG to PG+ language. The word length MUST be: 6000-9000 for Anchor (ideally about 8000), 14,000-18,000 for Currents or Soundings (ideally about 16,000).

That said, the books need to be readable AND appealing to our target group, so I’m very drawn to titles that vibe with what tweens and teens are currently into. And because these are hi-lo books, and quite different from the rest of the genres in kidlit publishing, pitches and manuscripts that are closely comparable to popular published teen books are welcome. I’d love a hi-lo akin to Heartstopper, One of Us Is Lying or The Hate U Give, as well as anything that resembles TV shows like The Last of Us, Never Have I Ever or Reservation Dogs, video games like Fortnight or Minecraft, popular horror or action movies or even social-media celebrities. Currents submissions should appeal to middle-grade readers, aged 9-13, while Anchor and Soundings submissions should appeal to teens aged 12+.

Themes such as homelessness, climate change, refugees, mental health, discrimination and bullying continue to be appealing. I’m especially keen to incorporate these themes in a range of other popular genres, such as sci-fi, horror, fantasy, mystery, action, adventure or romance.

Finally, our readership is as diverse as the Canadian youth population—very. I’m keen to get submissions from authors from racially, ethnically and culturally diverse backgrounds, authors with disabilities, LGBTQ+ authors and authors from religious minorities, as well as submissions that incorporate many forms of diversity in their casts. For now, I prefer plots that hinge on some particular identity to be written by someone who shares that identity.

Submission Guidelines

Please submit via CanSubmit (https://cansubmit.com/). Please note, due to funding considerations, Orca can only accept submissions from Canadian citizens (whether currently living in Canada or not) or Canadian permanent residents.

I only acquire for our “hi/lo” series Currents, Soundings and Anchor. Please read the submissions guidelines for these series here https://www.orcabook.com/AuthorGuidelines

For hi-lo submissions from new authors, I would like a 200–300-word pitch, a chapter outline (one or two paragraphs per chapter) and three sample chapters (about 2000–3000 words).

Existing Orca hi-lo authors can submit a 200–300-word pitch. I may or may not ask for a chapter outline or more details.

Experienced authors who have NOT written hi-lo before can submit a 200–300-word pitch and ONE sample chapter to demonstrate a grasp of hi-lo expression.

Guidelines & Details