So here’s something interesting. Dan D’Aurio, formerly head of Dorchester’s horror imprint and one of several editors to be let go when Dorchester/Leisure decided to switch to ebooks and POD, has apparently been contracted by Samhain to launch a new horror imprint.

Samhain’s submission page still reads:

Samhain Publishing is now open to general submissions of all genres of romance and erotica, as well as fantasy, urban fantasy and science fiction with strong romantic elements. We are refocusing our efforts and will no longer be accepting submissions in other genres for the time being, including women’s fiction, chick lit and young adult.

Like a lot of epublishers, they had to tighten things up last year and focus their efforts on the most profitable areas of epublishing. Does this move suggest they think the market’s finally going to start opening out? Of all the major epublishers, Samhain always struck me as the one most likely to successfully branch into other genres*. They’re not alone, of course. Carina have been actively seeking other genres since before they opened (Angela James having previously worked for Samhain) **. And smaller epubs, too, have taken other genres, but anecdotal evidence is that they simply weren’t as profitable, backed up by the fact even recognisable names like Lyrical pared back.

I would love to see epublishing open up to other genres. As ereader sales increase, I think markets are finally opening up, but if readers don’t find books of the quality they desire in the genres they want they’ll stop looking. Horror’s always had an active small press presence – larger publishers finding it unprofitable next to other genres – and I think it’s ripe to be the next e-genre. However, it’s going to take some bravery for authors to risk epublishing when it’s still in its infancy for the genre when there’s so many established small print presses out there. Hopefully having editors like Dan on board will help.

*even Ellora’s Cave Cerridwen Press imprint was still predominantly romance, and has now been merged into the main imprint as ‘Ellora’s Cave blush’

** There’s a certain irony in a press backed by Harlequin, biggest romance publisher in the world, bemoaning the lack of horror submissions!