For Authors & Publishers

SCBR provides a review venue for small/independent presses, university and regional presses, and women author-publishers (self-publishers). We welcome books written by women, for women, with an emphasis on women’s lives. Books by women of color or by SCN members receive preference in the selection process.

Please note: For several reasons, SCBR has begun charging a $10 query fee to cover internet and administrative costs. The fee will be charged to every query, whether or not the book is accepted and/or reviewed. To do otherwise would give the impression that (favorable) reviews are being purchased, which is not the case. The reviews provided by SCBR are the honest opinions of reviewers and not impacted by any type of payment. This will not change.

Please read our Guidelines before you submit the query form below to ensure your book fits. Questions? See our Guidelines first, then email storycircle@storycircle.org.

1. Unsolicited review copies will not be offered for review.
2. Review copies sent to SCBR will not be returned. 
3. We review hardcover or trade paper books published by small/independent presses, university and regional presses, and women author-publishers (self-publishers). We usually give preference to newly-published authors and to titles that have not yet been widely reviewed.
4. We do not review books published in electronic format only. That is, if your book is available only for an ebook reader (such as Kindle) and not in print, we cannot review it.
5. We do not usually review books published more than two years before the current date. However, we make exceptions for reissues and books that are currently relevant and topical.
6. We prefer print review copies, not electronic. Please do not include press kits or promotional materials. They will be discarded before the book is sent to the reviewer anyway, so save it for somewhere else.
7. We rarely publish reviews of mass market (paperback) genre fiction or series fiction.
8. Story Circle Network does not provide a platform for targeted political or religious argument, and such books are not eligible.
9. We cannot accept all queries we receive. If you haven’t heard from us, it means that we are taking a silent pass.
10. When we do accept a book, we post it for our reviewers’ selection. We do not review all books we receive. A book may not be chosen, or may not be chosen immediately or may be returned by the reviewer without review. Our acceptance of your book for review does NOT guarantee that it will be reviewed.
11. If we review your book, we will notify you by email. If you haven’t heard from us in 12-16 weeks, you may assume that we will not review the book. Please don’t query us–we’ll be in touch if/when we have news to share.
12. It is our policy to present only books that readers are likely to enjoy and learn from. When possible, our reviews are published on Amazon and Goodreads as well as on our site.
13. For promotion purposes, you may quote excerpts of up to 200 words from our reviews, with a link to the page on which the review is posted. Each review is copyrighted by the reviewer. You will find reprint information at the bottom of the review page.
14. Questions? Email: storycircle@storycircle.org.