We keep our list intentionally small so every project receives the time, attention, and craft it deserves. Our team works closely with each author, offering serious editorial partnership, thoughtful design, illustration art direction when needed, careful file preparation, and steady project management from first pages through final publication. Authors collaborate directly with experienced professionals who treat each book as a singular creative undertaking—not as a preset package or a transactional service.

At the center of our work is a commitment to elevating voices that too often go unheard. We believe that literature is strongest when it reflects many perspectives, and we are dedicated to helping authors create books that feel meaningful, distinctive, and built to last.

Sea Star Books publishes a select list of adult fiction, adult nonfiction, and children’s literature. On the adult side, we consider literary and upmarket fiction, memoir, and narrative nonfiction. Through our children’s imprint, Sea Star Kids, we publish picture books with strong storytelling and exceptional art. Across all categories, we seek distinct voices, fresh perspectives, and culturally resonant narratives.

In our hybrid model, authors invest in professional production while retaining their rights, creative control, and royalties. We guide the editorial, design, and production process; prepare print-ready files; and support title setup through KDP and IngramSpark. Books are published through the author’s own accounts, ensuring transparency and full ownership of revenue.

We provide comprehensive editorial services, including developmental editing, line editing, copyediting, and picture book editing; book and cover design; illustration coordination and art direction; project management; and assistance with KDP and IngramSpark setup. We also offer foundational marketing support such as Amazon optimization, A+ content guidance, sell sheets, press releases, and newsletter writing.

No. We can provide the full creative and editorial team. If you already have collaborators you wish to work with, we can often integrate them into the process after reviewing their experience and ensuring their work aligns with our standards and schedules. 

We can support production-only projects by reviewing files, refining design elements, preparing final print-ready files, and guiding title setup. In these cases, books are typically published under the author’s own imprint. We can help you develop and articulate that imprint, and provide the professional support needed to self-publish at a high standard. Acceptance is dependent on scope, scheduling, and suitability.

Timelines vary depending on editorial depth, revision cycles, illustration needs, and print-on-demand setup. Picture books with completed illustrations usually take about four months. Projects requiring original illustration typically take seven to ten months. Adult fiction and nonfiction generally require six to nine months from start to finish.

Illustration timelines depend on the artist’s style, the complexity of the project, and the number of revision rounds. Most picture book projects require approximately three to five months for illustration. This includes concept sketches, development of visual style, full-color artwork, and final adjustments. High-quality illustration requires time, collaboration, and a steady creative process.

No. We accept a limited number of projects each year in order to maintain the quality and attention each book deserves. Every manuscript is evaluated for craft, readiness, market potential, and alignment with our mission and editorial vision. If a project is not the right fit for our list, we will always offer the author a clear path forward—and when appropriate, we can support them in producing and self-publishing their book at a professional standard.

Authors retain all rights to their work and receive royalties directly through their own KDP and IngramSpark accounts. Sea Star Books does not take a percentage of sales. Our role is to provide the professional services required to bring the book to publication.

Once published through IngramSpark, your book becomes available for bookstores and libraries to order. Print-on-demand eliminates the need for warehousing and large upfront print runs. Placement in physical stores is always at the discretion of each retailer, but we provide guidance and materials—such as sell sheets and outreach strategies—to support your efforts, with particular emphasis on the strong independent bookselling culture in Texas. Austin, in particular, has a lively network of indie bookstores and literary spaces, and we help authors navigate that landscape thoughtfully and effectively.

We offer marketing plans that include in-depth metadata development and Amazon Optimization, a process that positions the discoverability of your book by the readers who are already searching for stories like yours. This includes keyword strategy, category placement, and the shaping of your book’s online presence so it can rise in visibility and convert browsers into buyers. We also create A+ content—the enhanced visual storytelling that transforms an Amazon product page into a richer, more immersive experience for potential readers. Additional services include press releases, sell sheets, newsletter writing, and the creation of elegant author websites.

A manuscript evaluation is an indispensable tool for both authors and publishers seeking clarity and direction before moving into full editing and production. 

For fiction and nonfiction, an evaluation will provide a comprehensive editorial review of all the manuscript’s strengths and weaknesses, including aspects such as structure, pacing, voice, audience, and market positioning. 

For picture books, it also addresses page flow, vocabulary, read-aloud rhythm, and illustration considerations. 

Our evaluations are guaranteed to provide real, actionable advice on how to make the manuscript the best it can be. Not merely a critique, the evaluation serves as a conversation between author and editor where a shared vision of the manuscript’s path forward can be co-created.

Manuscripts may be submitted directly through our submission page here. If you prefer to email your manuscript, please send it to books@seastarbooks.co along with a brief description and a note about your goals or timeline. We will review your submission and follow up with next steps.

We treat all submissions as strictly confidential and do not share manuscripts, proposals, or related materials with anyone outside our organization. Your work will never be distributed, referenced, or shown to any external party without your explicit authorization.