Independent publishing company
Kensington Publishing Corp.
Fiction, Fantasy and Sci-Fi, History
Published Updated Reviewed every month · next review November 2026
About Kensington
Kensington Publishing has an open submission policy and works with unagented, hybrid and indie authors. Email a query only, in the body of the email with no attachments, to submissions@kensingtonbooks.com. Allow at least three months; no reply means it is not a fit. It does not take children's, YA, poetry, short stories or AI-written work.
Kensington Publishing Corp. is an independent New York publisher founded in 1974 that publishes genre fiction and narrative nonfiction. Its imprints include Kensington Books, Zebra, Pinnacle, Dafina, Citadel Press, Kensington Cozies, John Scognamiglio Books, Lyrical Press and Erewhon Books. The house says it is happy to work with unagented, hybrid and indie authors.
Kensington publishers keep the first step short: a query only, written in the body of an email to the general submissions address. Editors reply when they want to see more. Agents have their own guidelines on the same page, and Erewhon, the speculative fiction imprint, typically takes agented submissions only.
What Kensington is looking for
- Romance in all subgenres
- Mystery, including cozy and historical
- Suspense and thrillers
- Fantasy, science fiction, horror and westerns
- Historical and book club fiction
- Narrative nonfiction, history, popular science and true crime
Publishes
- Fantasy and Sci-Fi
- Fiction
- History
- Horror
- Independent
- Mystery and Thriller
- Nonfiction
- Romance
Readers
- Adult
How to submit to Kensington
From its own guidelines- Check that your book fits one of Kensington's current fiction or nonfiction categories.
- Write a query and paste it into the body of an email; do not attach a manuscript or proposal.
- Send it to submissions@kensingtonbooks.com.
- If an editor asks for the manuscript, send a Word file, 12 point, double spaced and paginated, with title and author in the file name.
- Allow at least three months; no reply means it does not fit current needs.
Is Kensington right for your book?
A good fit if
Commercial fiction writers, especially in romance, mystery and thrillers, including unagented and indie authors with a polished book.
Look elsewhere if
Writers of children's books, middle grade, YA, poetry or short stories, authors of cookbooks and crafts, and anyone using AI to write the book.
Kensington imprints
Which take submissions| Imprint | Direct submissions | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Kensington Books | Yes | Query one editor by email |
| Zebra | Not stated | Listed imprint; guidelines are company-wide |
| Pinnacle | Not stated | Listed imprint |
| Dafina | Not stated | Multicultural fiction and nonfiction |
| Citadel Press | Not stated | Nonfiction |
| Kensington Cozies | Not stated | Listed imprint |
| John Scognamiglio Books | Not stated | Listed imprint |
| Lyrical Press | Yes | Separate guidelines page; query + synopsis by email to one editor |
Questions about Kensington
Does Kensington Publishing accept unagented submissions?
Yes. Kensington says it has an open submission policy and is happy to work with unagented, hybrid and indie authors. Email a query only, written in the body of the message with nothing attached, to submissions@kensingtonbooks.com. If an editor wants to see more, they will ask for the manuscript.
How long does Kensington take to respond?
Allow at least three months. Kensington says editors may only answer projects they want to consider further, so if you hear nothing, the book does not fit its current needs. Use the waiting time to query agents or other publishers, and keep a record of when you sent your query.
What does Kensington not publish?
Kensington does not take short stories, poetry, children's books, middle grade or young adult fiction. It also passes on crafts, cookbooks and other design-led nonfiction, and it does not accept submissions written by AI. Its Lyrical Press imprint deletes emailed manuscripts that were not requested, so always start with a query.
Listing history
- Checked on the publisher's own site
