Samiha Hoque

Shaherazad Shelves (ShSh) is a small independent press. It is a Muslim-owned business, which informs its operation and some of the clauses in its contract. Modest advances are offered on a case-by-case basis.

Samiha graduated from Brooklyn College with a minor in English with honors and a B.S. in the Earth and Environmental Sciences. As the lead editor and director at Shaherazad Shelves, she actively seeks MG fantasy, YA, and Adult fiction. She also accepts fantasy chapter book series. (Please note, due to religious reasons, she works mainly with female authors.)

MG, YA, or Adult Fantasy

• Every subgenre of fantasy (dark, portal, urban, court, etc.)
• Settings with generic monotheistic religion (e.g., Of Jade and Dragons or Skylight by Patchree Jones)
• Magic-less/cozy fantasy, but yes! to mythical creatures like The Princess Academy or Dragon Slippers
• #OWNVOICE second-world fantasy
• Teen fantasy like Ella Enchanted (the book) or Sitara, Lady of the Lotus
• Chapter book fantasy like The Magic Tree House series; contemporary chapter books are allowed if there is a Muslim protagonist (like Yusuf and Yusra’s Holiday Dilemma series)
• Dream projects: Wuxia, Balkan-inspired fantasy, Tang dynasty-inspired fantasy, prehistoric Earth as a setting (e.g., mammoths, dinosaurs), chapter book/early middle-grade horse or dragon series.

YA or Adult Contemporary

• Upmarket fiction (literary aspects + high-stake plot) like Home Is a Silhouette
• Anything that explores or critiques culture or region-based conflicts
• Slice of life/high school stories
• College/Adult romances (bonus to see a non-super-rich love interest)
• Dream Projects: Muslim romances starting after marriage, love life of essential workers (factory, janitorial, etc.)

Adult Historical Fiction

• All time periods, preferably with romance sprinkled in
• Anything after WW2 might be a hard sell unless it has an interesting set-up (e.g., Bangladesh’s independence in 1971)

Adult Nonfiction

• Counter-culture essays/collections
• Career-based memoirs (think: James Herriot’s veterinary series) OR memoirs during important life/historical events
• Books about Muslim communities, events, and anything that includes science with Islam!
• Dream projects: essay collection critiquing post-modernism, modern beauty standards, or secular religion.

Overall things she likes:

• Moral-driven books/moral characters
• Muslims in fiction
• Stories that compare to ANY book ShSh has published
• Retellings, folklore, and legendary beasts
• Stories that are anti-colonial/imperialist
• Little or no magic
• Girls working with boys, not against, re: Studio Ghibli
• Romantic aspects should be minimally physical, leaning more emotional
• If you think your story is “too generic” for the market, chances are it would fit
• F/f friendships as an integral part of a story, as well as female villains!
• Don’t stress word count or the three-act structure; ShSh publishes stories at any length and in any way!
• The inherent diversity of Muslims. While experiences vary, she leans toward orthodoxy (Sufism is orthodoxy! Samiha will die on this hill)
• NOTE: Samiha is a hands-on editor. She will comb through your work!

ANTI-MSWL:

• Heists
• Horror
• Mystery/thriller/detective (but OK if it’s in MG)
• Abrahamic Religion as an antagonist force
• Anything about France, Belgium, Netherlands/Denmark, or Portugal that doesn’t address their brutality of Indigenous peoples
• “Issue books” that bash a culture, people, etc., to appeal to the modern gaze
• Any level of descriptive/explicit sexual actions (suggestive, closed-door, or references are OK in adult fiction)
• “Stabby” heroines or morally gray protagonists unless written purposefully
• Hard Sci-fi (genre blends of sci-fi are OK e.g., goldenpunk or silkpunk).

Submission Guidelines

Submissions should be emailed to https://querymanager.com/query/ShaherazadShelves

Please familiarize yourself with the imprints and what each is looking for before submitting. I accept both unagented and agented submissions. I prefer agented submissions to be sent via email rather than the Query Manager link, but please make sure to include all crucial details.

Guidelines & Details