We're a small press, and we read everything that reaches us. If you’ve made a book with real care, we’d love to see it.
Before the Alarm publishes a small number of carefully made books each year — fiction, children’s books, and nonfiction alike. We take on only what we can champion completely, which means we're selective, and it means every author gets our full attention from first edit to final launch.
We welcome debut and established authors alike. We don't care where you came from or how big your following is — we care whether the book earns its place, and whether it’s made with warmth and craft. If that’s the book you’ve made, read on.
What ties our books together is care and warmth, not category. If your book sits a little outside these, but shares the spirit, send it anyway and let us decide.
A complete submission helps us say yes. Please send all four as PDF or Word attachments.
Who you are, what the book is, and who it's for — a paragraph or two. Tell us why this book, and why now.
The shape of the book — where it goes and how it ends, or, for nonfiction, its chapters. Roughly how long it is, and what makes it different from what’s already on the shelf.
Your best, most representative writing — enough for us to hear your voice and see how you handle the material.
Your background, and any audience you can reach — a newsletter, a following, a community, a professional platform. Not required, but always helpful.
Send everything to submissions@beforethealarm.org with your book's title in the subject line.
We read in two windows — spring (February–April) and autumn (September–November). Submissions sent between windows are held and read when the next one opens.
We reply to every submission we receive. If you haven't heard from us after twelve weeks, you're welcome to send a gentle nudge.
We offer clear contracts and work hand in hand with our authors through editing, design, and launch. Simultaneous submissions are fine — just let us know if you're accepted elsewhere.
One project at a time, please. If it isn't right for us, it may simply be right for someone else — a pass is never a verdict on your work.