Embla Books, the digital-first imprint of Bonnier Books UK, is thrilled to announce that it is opening up its submissions for the first time, accepting manuscripts directly from unagented authors. This is part of Embla’s ongoing commitment to finding the very best voices in commercial fiction and offering opportunities to all emerging talent.
Embla Books is actively seeking compelling, original manuscripts in three commercial genres: twisty domestic thrillers, Christmas murder mysteries and witchy romances. Submissions are open 9 February to 20 February 2026 and are welcomed from debut and experienced writers alike, with a strong encouragement for authors from backgrounds currently underrepresented in publishing – including, but not limited to, writers from socio-economically marginalised backgrounds, Black, Asian and minority ethnic writers, LGBTQ+ writers, and disabled writers.
For this open call out, Embla will be trialling the use of Storywise to support in the administration side of handling open submissions. All submissions will be reviewed by Embla’s experienced editorial team, offering unagented authors a chance to have their manuscript considered by a leading digital-first publisher.
Publishing Director Martina Arzu said: ‘In only four years, Embla has built a reputation for discovering and launching standout new authors who go on to become brands readers love. Opening submissions for the first time feels like a huge and exciting milestone for us, and we can’t wait to discover brilliant new voices directly. If you’ve written a propulsive psychological domestic thriller, an unputdownable witchy romance, or an irresistibly twisty Christmas murder, we can’t wait to read it.’
For full submission guidelines, FAQs and to upload manuscripts, authors should visit the Embla Books submissions page.
