A New Early Reader Series & Contest from Cosmographia Books

Cosmographia Books is delighted to open submissions for The Pumpkin Patch Library — a new line of Halloween-themed early reader books for ages 5–7.

We’re seeking playful, cozy, and imaginative stories full of autumn wonder. Think pumpkins, costumes, friendly ghosts, silly witches, and trick-or-treat adventures — the kind of tales kids will want to read again and again.

✨ What We’re Seeking

•  Age Range: Early readers, ages 5–7
•  Length: 1,000–3,000 words 
•  Tone: Fun, whimsical, magical — a little spooky is fine, but nothing that will give nightmares
•  Illustrations: These books should be heavily illustrated — full-color art on most pages, with words and images working hand-in-hand to tell the story
•  Who Should Submit: We welcome author-illustrators and author/illustrator teams submitting completed projects. Authors without illustrators may still submit, but priority will be given to projects with art attached.
   

📖 Submission Guidelines

•  Submit the full manuscript along with 3–5 finished sample illustrations (plus sketches or storyboards for the rest, if available)
•  Author-illustrators and collaborative teams should submit together and indicate their roles
•  Include a short author and illustrator bio (100 words max each), relevant experience, and platform links (website, social media, Substack, Etsy/Shop, Patreon, etc.)
•  Format: Manuscript in 12 pt Times New Roman, double-spaced; upload as Word or PDF
•  Multiple submissions are welcome, each submitted separately 
•  Simultaneous submissions are fine — just notify us if your work is accepted elsewhere
   

💰 Entry Fee & Prize

•  Entry Fee: $15 per submission
•  Prize: The winning submission will receive a $450 award and publication in The Pumpkin Patch Library series.
   

We charge a modest entry fee to help offset the cost of Submittable and the editorial time invested in carefully reviewing submissions.

📚 What Authors & Illustrators Receive

•  A traditional small press contract with royalties 
•  Professional editing, design, and production 
•  Inclusion in The Pumpkin Patch Library series (with series branding on covers/spines)
•  Promotion through Cosmographia Books’ newsletters, Substack, Patreon, WKOZ radio (our podcast), and seasonal campaigns
   

🗓 Timeline

•  Deadline: November 30, 2025
•  Reading period: December 2025 – January 2026
•  Winner announced: February 2026
•  Publication: Fall 2026
   

 

A New Chapter Book Line & Contest from Cosmographia Books

Cosmographia Books invites writers into the shadows of The Lantern Tree Library — a new line of Halloween-themed chapter books for ages 6–9.

We’re seeking spooky-but-fun stories that capture the thrill of October nights: mysterious woods, glowing lanterns, friendly ghosts, neighborhood mysteries, and adventures that make readers’ hearts race — but won’t keep them awake all night. Think Goosebumps-lite for younger readers, or a dash of Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark softened for the age group.

✨ What We’re Seeking

•  Age Range: Chapter books for ages 6–9
•  Length: 6,000–15,000 words
•  Tone: Spooky, adventurous, but age-appropriate — more goosebumps than nightmares
•  Style: Engaging characters, clear story arcs, short chapters that invite binge-reading
•  Illustrations: These books should include occasional black-and-white illustrations — roughly 1–2 per chapter (8–15 total). Illustrations should enhance the spooky/seasonal mood without overwhelming the text.
•  Who Should Submit: We are seeking author-illustrators or author/illustrator teams submitting completed projects. Authors without illustrators may still submit, but please note that priority will be given to illustrated projects.
   

📖 Submission Guidelines

•  Submit the first 2–3 chapters plus a one-page synopsis of the full story
•  Include 3–5 finished sample illustrations (plus sketches/storyboards for the rest, if available)
•  Include a short author and illustrator bio (100 words max each), relevant experience, and platform links (website, social media, Substack, Etsy/Shop, Patreon, etc.)
•  Format: Manuscript in 12 pt Times New Roman, double-spaced; upload as Word or PDF
•  Multiple submissions are welcome, each submitted separately
•  Simultaneous submissions are fine — just notify us if your work is accepted elsewhere
   

💰 Entry Fee & Prize

•  Entry Fee: $15 per submission
•  Prize: The winning submission will receive a $450 award and publication in The Lantern Tree Library series.
   

We charge a modest entry fee to help offset the cost of Submittable and the editorial time invested in carefully reviewing submissions.

📚 What Authors & Illustrators Receive

•  A traditional small press contract with royalties
•  Professional editing, design, and production
•  Inclusion in The Lantern Tree Library series (with series branding on covers/spines)
•  Seasonal promotion through Cosmographia Books’ newsletters, Substack, Patreon, and Halloween campaigns
   

🗓 Timeline

•  Deadline: November 30, 2025
•  Reading period: December 2025 – January 2026
•  Winner announced: February 2026
•  Publication: Fall 2026
   

Ongoing Submissions
 

"Campfire Stories" is now an ongoing series.

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.

No strict theme requirements. But if you’d like inspiration:

• Lost things
• Ancestral inheritance & memory
• Abjection / the body
• Ghosts of place
• Your childhood, but haunted
• Haunted holidays
  
   

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

"Shedding" by Robbie Barlow

"The Union Forever" by Gordon Laws

"Seekers" by Lane Stellmaker

🎉 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 seeks full-length manuscripts that offer expansion, delight, spiritual insight, and a transformative reading experience.

Spiritual fiction comes in many genres, including speculative—like our most recent title, After Color by Malaika Favorite or The Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler—instructive like the classic Siddhartha by Herman Hesse, allegorical like The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, or visionary like The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield.

The winner will receive $400 and publication.

The deadline for all manuscript submissions is May 31, 2026. 

Entry fee: $30 US.    

Judged by Cosmographia Books founder and editor, Nina Alvarez.

This competition is open to international submissions for all writers in English.

SUBMISSION 

Your cover letter with author bio should be pasted in the submittable form. Full manuscript should be uploaded with a brief (no more than 1 page) synopsis attached. 

In order to ensure unbiased review, do not include your name anywhere on the manuscript. 

ABOUT US

Cosmographia Books, established in 2015 by Nina Alvarez, is a small press that embraces the spirit of multidimensional mapping, much like its namesake—a historical atlas and gazetteer detailing the geographical, social, and physical features of regions. Our mission is to publish works that explore the intricate landscapes of human experience, delving into the relationships between self, soul, love, work, society, and history. 

About Founding Publisher Nina Alvarez 

Nina Alvarez is the founder and publisher of Cosmographia Books, a small press dedicated to publishing "soulful books" that explore the intricate landscapes of human experience across multiple genres. With 16 titles to date, Cosmographia embraces diverse voices and bold storytelling. 

With nearly 25 years of publishing experience, Alvarez has overseen the publication of 50+ books and literary journal issues, including the Anthology of Transcendent Poetry. She received the Creatives Rebuild New York grant for her work as a culture creator and writer. 

If you have any questions, please email editor@cosmographiabooks.com
 

Previous Winner of the Cosmographia Prize for Spiritual Fiction

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.