You should always check to ensure that the publisher is legitimate and that they are in a position to complete the publication of your manuscript in a market that it will sell. Do yourself a favour and view the other types of works being published by that company. A publisher will seldom publish a newcomer's work in a field that is unusal for them. You should be prepared to invest time and money in promoting your own book. A literary agent can help in promoting you and your work, but is not essential.
Many agents are unwilling to take on clients that have yet to publish.
The publishers listed here are not necessarily endorsed by the Canadian Authors Association. These links are provided only for your convenience. You may want to review any contract before you sign. Return to contents Avoid Vanity and Subsidy Presses Beware of the vanity and subsidy publishers because in most cases you will not recover the cost of publication. In the worst cases you may not even receive the books you've paid for.