Our curated commercial romance line publishes engaging contemporary and genre love stories developed in collaboration with selected writers.
DartFrog Romance titles are developed internally and this line does not accept submissions.
Professional Publishing
for Independent Authors
Traditional standards and flexible publishing options since 2015
Rated "Excellent" by The Alliance of Independent Authors
We bring traditional publishing standards to independent authors
-Proven publishing professionals. Our team includes a current Big Five designer, a former Big Five literary agent, award-winning editors, and experienced publishing strategists who shape each book’s positioning, production, and launch.
-Unmatched reader access. Through our exclusive partnership with Bookclubs.com, DartFrog titles reach more than 1 million readers and 200,000+ book clubs.
-Authentic influencer reach. Our vetted network of dedicated book influencers can connect titles to more than 750,000 engaged readers.
-Transparent pricing. Clear, upfront costs with no hidden fees or surprise add-ons.
-Authors retain 100% of royalties. We support editing, production, launch, and marketing while ensuring your creative work remains fully yours
This Just In...
True Origin™ by DartFrog Launches
In today’s digital publishing environment, written work can be copied, reused, or ingested by automated systems without an author’s knowledge. True Origin™ by DartFrog establishes clear, verifiable documentation of authorship and timing.
Our proprietary system timestamps a unique digital fingerprint of a file—without storing or recording the text—creating a permanent, independent record of the work’s existence. Authors receive a certificate verifying authorship and timing.
DartFrog Books Strengthens Its Publishing Team with Acclaimed Literary Agent Zoe Sandler
Zoe Sandler brings 15 years of experience as a literary agent working with Big Five publishers. She has represented New York Times and national bestsellers, award-winning titles, and a Reese’s Book Club pick.
In her role at DartFrog, Sandler evaluates manuscripts chosen for publication to help identify each book’s audience, target markets, and comparable authors, sharpening market positioning and reader alignment. This approach underscores DartFrog’s distinct model: pairing the flexibility and author control of hybrid publishing with the market insight, editorial rigor, and strategic perspective of traditional publishing.
“Zoe’s experience working directly with Big Five publishers, along with her proven eye for commercially and critically successful work, makes her a perfect fit for our mission,” said Gordon McClellan, Founder of DartFrog Books. “We’re proud to offer authors a publishing experience backed by real industry expertise and unparalleled market access.”
A Project Management Platform for Publishers
PubBound is a project management system built specifically for book publishers. Designed around real publishing workflows—editorial development, production, marketing, and backlist management—it brings every title, asset, and deadline into one coherent system.
Available by subscription to small and mid-sized independent publishers, PubBound is designed to replace general-purpose project management tools with a platform tailored to how publishers actually work.
This Just In...
DartFrog Books Strengthens Its Publishing Team with Acclaimed Literary Agent Zoe Sandler
Zoe Sandler brings 15 years of experience as a literary agent working with Big Five publishers. She has represented New York Times and national bestsellers, award-winning titles, and a Reese’s Book Club pick.
In her role at DartFrog, Sandler will evaluate manuscripts chosen for publication to help identify each book’s audience, target markets, and comparable authors, sharpening market positioning and reader alignment. This approach underscores DartFrog’s distinct model: pairing the flexibility and author control of hybrid publishing with the market insight, editorial rigor, and strategic perspective of traditional publishing.
“Zoe’s experience working directly with Big Five publishers, along with her proven eye for commercially and critically successful work, makes her a perfect fit for our mission,” said Gordon McClellan, Founder of DartFrog Books. “We’re proud to offer authors a publishing experience backed by real industry expertise and unparalleled market access.”
Our Publishing Options
Curated publishing pathways for independent authors
Traditional
Our traditional publishing imprint for authors with established, highly engaged audiences. DartFrog invests in production, marketing, and distribution, partnering with authors whose platforms support broad readership. No Author Investment.
Hybrid
Our flagship, award-winning publishing program, combining Big Five publishing leadership with professional proofreading, coordinated marketing, and strategic publicity/discovery strategies to position your book for success in a crowded marketplace. Author cost: $12,000
Hybrid Kids
Our hybrid publishing program for children’s books, pairing Big Five publishing leadership with professional manuscript development, editing, proofreading, coordinated marketing, global distribution, and publicity/discovery strategies tailored to young readers, parents, and educators. Author cost: $8500
Canoe Tree Press
DartFrog’s imprint for authors who choose to publish independently. Canoe Tree includes professional proofreading, custom design, formatting, platform optimization, metadata setup, and full distribution upload—everything needed for a high-quality, turnkey publishing process. Author cost: $4,500
In today’s digital publishing environment, written work can be copied, reused, or absorbed by automated systems without an author’s knowledge or consent—and authors are increasingly asked to demonstrate that their work is genuinely their own. True Origin™ by DartFrog provides a secure, independent record of authorship—giving creators verifiable proof of ownership, timing, and documented human authorship. Click to learn more.
New Releases
"A top read" -Midwest Book Review
On 9/11, a young J.P. Morgan banker in downtown Manhattan survives the attacks and helps stabilize the financial system. Over the next eight years, she rises through Wall Street’s ranks—only to find herself at the center of the 2008 collapse. Her memoir reveals ambition, motherhood, trauma, and the cost of holding everything together.
An Editor's Pick - BookLife
Born into a powerful U.S. labor family, John Reuther forged an unexpected path—from political campaigns to pioneering business ventures in post-Soviet Russia. Confronting corruption, navigating shifting power, and witnessing democracy’s retreat, he offers a rare insider’s view of U.S.–Russian relations and one man’s mission to build bridges across a historic divide.
High Praise for Deborah Brannigan's New Memoir
Squirrel Pie is a powerful and highly engaging true story about family relationships, a kidnapping, murder, and an interstate FBI manhunt. Midwest Book Review praises Branigan’s story as “remarkable…engrossing, unexpected reading” that “portrays an outcome possible not just for the author, but for all her readers.
Recently Released: Operation Texas by Anita Lampel
In 1938, Rosalind Fisher is sent by Lyndon B. Johnson to Poland to secure 40 visas for a friend’s family before war erupts. Aboard the Queen Mary, she encounters spies and a British agent, and once in Warsaw must risk everything—her safety, her future—to save both her mission and her own trapped relatives.
Find Your Next DartFrog Read
Featured: Poppy's Egyptian Adventure
After sending postcards to her little brother from her recent travels, Poppy returns home to surprise him with a special postcard. As he reads it, his tail begins to wag. His dreams of traveling the world with his big sis have just come true!
On their journey, Poppy and her little brother show the importance of compassion, courage, friendship, and using Good Listening Ears.
Promote your book to 200,000+ Book Clubs
Shelf Scout
Featured Bookclubs.com Picks
DartFrog Author Spotlight
Allie Nava is an American writer who survived the violent anti-minority massacres of 1970s Sri Lanka. Her writing explores the nature of reality, perception, and beliefs, as well as our ability to shape them to live more positive lives. Her first novel, July and Everything After, was a finalist for the First Horizon Award–a distinction bestowed by the Eric Hoffer Book Award for outstanding work by debut authors, and shortlisted for both the Eric Hoffer Book Award Grand Prize and the Hawthorne Prize.
Book Buzz
Book Buzz
Our Publishing Services
Promote your book to 750,000 Book INFLUENCERS
What Authors are Saying
I feel fortunate to have had the chance to work with the Dartfrog Books team. They didn’t just talk about integrity in the publishing industry, but executed on it. With their focus on excellence, accountability, and continual learning, it’s no wonder this publisher has grown.”
– Allie Nava
“DartFrog listens to their authors and takes time to understand the goals with each book. The collaboration between author, editor, and illustrator has been key to producing my books—and to their winning awards.”
– Judith Tabler
“I cannot overstate my good fortune in having found DartFrog for the publication of my first novel. The advice and support that I have received from the DartFrog team has been above reproach.”
-John Kiyonaga
“I appreciated the time and effort from my team in evolving the book from draft to storyboard to publication. In particular, matching me with my illustrator was the most influential step. We collaborated the whole way and made a product that has been very successful.”
– Brian Mulcahey