Founded in 2015, Cosmographia Books is run by Nina Alvarez and Daniel Herd. Overall, we like the spooky, spiritual, soulful, singular, smart, and strange. We also offer editorial review services.
Learn more about Cosmographia Books at The Codex.
Ongoing Submissions
We’re looking for haunting, beautiful, unsettling tales to share 'round the fire.
Selected stories will be:
- Published in The Cosmographia Codex (free to read) and at the Camp Cosmographia Radio podcast with professional voice actors and sound design
- Published at Camp Cosmographia Radio on YouTube, Spotify, and other major platforms
- Paid — Each published writer receives $50 USD
Every so often, we’ll choose three stories at a time to be fully produced with actor narration and soundscape. There is no fixed schedule—we produce them as the right stories come together.
What We’re Looking For
Fiction or creative nonfiction that carries a dark, liminal, speculative, gothic, or uncanny tone—stories that feel like they belong by the campfire: intimate, eerie, human.
Format, Rights, Fees & Payment
Accepted Works
Short stories, flash fiction, or narrative prose up to 2,000 words
Rights
First publication rights + non-exclusive audio performance rights
Submission Fee
$5 (supports prize, actor fees, and production/software costs)
(paid subscribers to the Cosmographia Codex can submit for free by emailing us)
Payment
$50 upon publication
Submitting
- Simultaneous submissions are okay—just let us know if your work is accepted elsewhere.
- Submit as often as you want.
- Standard manuscript format (Word document preferred).
Listen to Previous Campfire Stories
"The Union Forever" by Gordon Laws
🎉 A Special Year
(paid subscribers to the Cosmographia Codex can submit for free by emailing us to be part of the celebration. Whether you’re sending us your creepiest tale or simply gathering 'round as a reader and listener, we hope you’ll help us make this year one for the books. You can follow along at the Cosmographia Codex.
The Cosmographia Prize for Spiritual Fiction
The Cosmographia Prize for Spiritual Fiction seeks full-length literary manuscripts that engage spiritual, metaphysical, or soulful questions with artistic rigor, narrative depth, and intellectual seriousness.
We are drawn to fiction that does not simply affirm spiritual ideas, but examines them—through character, conflict, history, and consequence. The spiritual dimension may be central or subtle, but it should be integral to the work’s vision, not ornamental or prescriptive.
Spiritual fiction can take many forms. We welcome work that is speculative, historical, realist, or hybrid in form. Previous touchstones include After Color by Malaika Favorite, Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler, and Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse—not as templates, but as examples of fiction in which spiritual inquiry is inseparable from story, voice, and craft.
We are not seeking inspirational or didactic fiction, nor work that offers spiritual conclusions without tension, complexity, or ambiguity. We are most interested in manuscripts that trust readers to grapple with uncertainty and that reward close, attentive reading.
What matters most is that the writing is compelling, cohesive, and well-crafted, and that the spiritual themes—however interpreted—are handled with coherence, depth, and intention.
Award & Publication
The winner will receive $400 USD and publication with Cosmographia Books.
Submissions received prior to February 5, 2026 will remain eligible for the original prize amount under which they were submitted.
Cosmographia publishes a limited number of titles each year and is committed to working closely with authors whose manuscripts align strongly with our editorial vision.
Cosmographia Books reserves the right not to award the prize or to decline publication if no submitted manuscript meets the editorial standards of the press.
Submission Details
- Deadline: May 31, 2026
- Entry fee: $30 USD
- Open to international submissions in English
- Judged by Nina Alvarez and Daniel Herd
Please paste your cover letter and author bio into the Submittable form.
Upload your full manuscript along with a brief synopsis (no more than one page).
To ensure unbiased review, do not include your name anywhere in the manuscript file.
About Cosmographia Books
Founded in 2015 by Nina Alvarez, Cosmographia Books is an independent press dedicated to publishing soulful, ambitious books that explore the complex terrains of self, spirit, history, and human connection.
Inspired by its namesake—a historical atlas mapping the physical, social, and imaginative features of place—Cosmographia seeks works that chart inner and outer worlds with curiosity, care, and craft.
About the Founding Publisher
Nina Alvarez is the founder and publisher of Cosmographia Books. With nearly 25 years of experience in publishing and literary editing, she has overseen the publication of more than 50 books and journal issues and curated 16 titles under the Cosmographia imprint to date.
Her work as a culture creator and writer has been supported by the Creatives Rebuild New York grant. She is especially interested in fiction that explores spiritual and existential questions through innovative narrative forms and grounded imagination.
About the Managing Editor
Daniel Herd has previously worked as Director of Adult Programs at Writers & Books Literary Center and as Assistant Producer for the Rochester Fringe Festival. A Penn State English graduate, Dan brings a deep love of literature to his editorial work—one reflected in his voracious reading and thoughtful engagement with storytelling across genres.
Previous Recipient
After Color by Malaika Favorite (2025)
Hello. We're looking for short novel or novella-length fiction. Do you have something that doesn't fit anywhere particularly well?
Maybe a lumpen little monster you threw in a drawer after it bit you?
Or maybe some piece that just doesn't fit into its clothes? We like to have fun, we like voice-driven stuff, and we like short books with a lot of ideas.
We’re Cosmographia Books, a small press that’s been around since 2015. The Famous Orphans series, curated by Daniel Herd, aims to make "weird little books."
There is no reading fee for submissions.
Submission Guidelines:
- 20,000–40,000-ish words
- Word doc or pdf of full manuscript
- Cover letter. Give us 500 words (max) on what it's about and what it's like (that is, what's the experience of reading it). No need to go beat by beat but give us a sense of the piece and maybe what kind of reader would like it. ALSO, please let us know where you heard about us.
- author bio (150 words)
- Simultaneous submissions: of course! But please let us know if it's been accepted somewhere else.
MASTHEAD
Series Editor
Daniel Herd curates the Famous Orphans short book series and has been an integral part of the literary community in Rochester, NY, for over a decade. He previously worked as Director of Adult Programs at Writers & Books Literary Center and as Assistant Producer for the Rochester Fringe Festival. A Penn State English graduate, Dan brings a deep love of literature to his editorial work—one reflected in his voracious reading and thoughtful engagement with storytelling across genres.
Publisher
Nina Alvarez is the founder and publisher of Cosmographia Books (est. 2015), a small press dedicated to publishing "soulful books" that explore the intricate landscapes of human experience across multiple genres. With 16 titles to date, including the historically significant Lesbian Love by Eve Adams, Cosmographia embraces diverse voices and bold storytelling.
Alvarez is also the creator of Dream Your Book author services (est. 2009), through which she has guided countless writers through the publishing process. With nearly 25 years of publishing experience, she has overseen the publication of 50+ books and literary journal issues, including the nationally recognized Canvas Teen Literary Journal. She received the 18-month Creatives Rebuild New York grant for her work as a culture creator and writer.
Guidelines
Would you like professional feedback on your manuscript’s beginning? Cosmographia editor and Famous Orphans Short Book Series curator Dan Herd will review the first 25 pages (or opening chapter) of your manuscript and provide a focused editorial letter (1–2 pages).
The review will address:
- How effectively your opening pages hook a reader
- Voice, clarity, and pacing
- Character introductions and initial setup
- Big-picture strengths and opportunities for revision
Details:
- Cost: $50
- Length: Please submit up to 25 double-spaced pages, or one full chapter (whichever comes first).
- Formatting: Use standard manuscript format (double-spaced, 12 pt. Times New Roman or similar, 1-inch margins, page numbers).
- Please submit a statement including an overview of the full project, what you're trying to achieve, and who you feel the audience is.
- 2-3 questions about what you'd like me to focus on, or what is or isn't working
Turnaround: Feedback will be returned within 4–6 weeks of submission.
Please note: This feedback is independent from Cosmographia’s curatorial decisions. Choosing this service does not affect whether your manuscript is selected for the Famous Orphans series.
Manuscripts not being submitted to the Famous Orphans series are also welcome.