Something Wicked (and Wonderful) is Happening at Crystal Cove Press! 2025 isn’t even over yet, and we’re already calling it: this is a landmark year for Crystal Cove Press. The kind of year that has readers whispering late at night, writers hitting “send” with their hearts pounding, and editors pulling all-nighters because they just can’t put a manuscript down.
Why? Three reasons.
One: Our submissions window is wide open right now — and it’s not staying that way forever.
Two: We released our first-ever Crystal Cove Press title earlier this year, and it’s already stealing hearts (and sleep).
Three: We’ve got a gothic horror debut coming this fall that’s going to haunt your TBR list in the best possible way.
Your Story Could Be Next
Every other year from here on out, we’ll open our doors to see what fresh nightmares, strange worlds, and daring voices are out there. We want the stories that keep you awake because your brain refuses to let them go. We want the manuscripts that scare you a little because they’re that weird, that intense, or that full of heart.
We’re not here for cookie-cutter. We’re here for bold. For smart. For strange.
If you think you’ve got something that fits our dark little corner of the YA universe, don’t sit on it. The door closes August 31, 2025, and once it does, it’s gone until the next submission period.
Don’t overthink it. Don’t let imposter syndrome talk you out of it. Just head over to our Submissions Page, read the guidelines, and send us the book only you could write.
Where It All Began: The Neverborn Thief
In July, we launched Crystal Cove Press into the world with our very first title: Andrew Najberg’s The Neverborn Thief — a haunting, mind-bending YA fantasy that proved exactly the kind of stories we want to champion.
If you haven’t picked it up yet, now’s the time. It’s dark, it’s imaginative, and it’s been finding its way into the hands of readers who crave something just left of the familiar. The fact that this was our debut release makes it all the more special—it set the tone for everything we want Crystal Cove Press to be.
Up Next: The Haunting of Ashley Hall School by Jim D’Andrea
Some authors seem destined for horror. Jim D’Andrea is one of them.
Born and raised in New England, Jim grew up on a steady diet of Tales from the Crypt, The Twilight Zone, and a long list of horror classics. As the youngest of five kids, he learned early how to tell a good story—and how to hold an audience’s attention. After college, his life took some unexpected turns: a year running a clinic for the homeless in San Francisco with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps, a stint in New Orleans as a repo man, and work on Hollywood film sets for Kingpin, The Ringer, and Fever Pitch.
Jim’s writing career began in screenwriting, where he honed his knack for sharp pacing and memorable dialogue. Represented by both WME and Paradigm at different points, he developed multiple comedy projects before his love for horror finally pulled him toward prose.
Influenced by everyone from Mario Puzo and Hunter S. Thompson to Franz Kafka and Elmore Leonard, Jim writes with grit, wit, and a cinematic eye. He currently lives in Charleston, South Carolina, in a gently haunted 300-year-old home (his words, not ours), guarded by two cats. He never works on Halloween — ever.
So, this fall, you’re going to want to clear some space on your nightstand for Jim D’Andrea’s debut.
If you’ve ever had the thrill (or terror) of being dared to explore somewhere you definitely weren’t supposed to be, this book will feel like coming home — if “home” had boarded-up windows, strange whispers in the dark, and a history no one wants to talk about.
Emily’s first semester at Ashley Hall is supposed to be about new friends, new routines, maybe the occasional rule-breaking adventure. But a late-night dare in a condemned building uncovers something much older, darker, and hungrier than she could have imagined.
The discovery? A dusty old VHS tape. The footage? The night Ashley Hall School was purposefully haunted by a group of students forty years ago.
What follows is a twisting, gothic coming-of-age tale — a reimagining of Frankenstein that manages to be both a love letter to classic horror and an addictive, keep-the-lights-on page-turner.
Why This Year Feels Different
We’ve always loved stories that push boundaries, but 2025 feels like the start of something bigger. From The Neverborn Thief to the eerie corridors of Ashley Hall School, we’re building a library of YA speculative fiction that surprises even us.
And if you’re reading this thinking maybe my story belongs here, we’ll tell you right now: it’s worth finding out.
Because here’s the truth … publishing isn’t just about books. It’s about connection. It’s about someone, somewhere, picking up your story and feeling less alone, more alive, or maybe just more deliciously unsettled than they were five minutes ago. That’s the magic. And we want more of it.
So Here’s Your To-Do List
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Mark your calendar: August 31, 2025 is your deadline.
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Go to the Submissions Page and get the details. (Yes, you have to follow them. We’re weird, but we’re still professionals.)
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Read The Neverborn Thief if you haven’t already.
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Watch for The Haunting of Ashley Hall School this fall, because we can promise you, the wait will be worth it.
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Keep your eyes on us. This is only the beginning.
We’ve got more announcements coming before the year is out. Some are haunting, some are hopeful, and some … well, let’s just say they’re going to make you question everything you thought you knew about YA speculative fiction.
Until then, keep writing, keep reading, and keep your lights on!