I have read many books about murderous authors and I have yet to find one that I really enjoyed. On Submission by Michael J. Seidlinger follows an aspiring author who, after being rejected by a publisher, decides to murder all of his big authors. Once I finished, I felt hollow, as if my brain deleted all knowledge of the book once I closed the last page. A murder workshop won’t be necessary, but some cuts can be made.

Full review at fanfiaddict.com : https://fanfiaddict.com/review-on-submission-by-michael-j-seidlinger/

"If I were to sum up Michael J Seidlinger “On Submission,” in a word, it would be unhinged. Full-blown, blood-in-the-margins, unhinged industry horror. A breakdown in book form. If I were to expand upon that I would say that “On Submission,” is a novel that revolves around the most unlikable, moral-lacking, ambitious and thus dangerous characters I’ve read in a while, and for those who work in publishing, they’re perhaps familiar ones. I am lucky enough to work with authors and publishers on occasion, but by every conceivable notion I am absolutely winging it. I’m really quite unfamiliar with the world of agents and editors and publisher’s marketplace. Let me tell you, “On Submission,” is a baptism by fire and ink. Were it not for Seidlinger’s stellar writing and insane plot mechanics, I’d perhaps wonder if this one was sold, edited and published under duress… Lane Heymont, blink twice if you need help. Short, sharp, bizarre and brilliant, “On Submission,” is a scathing autopsy of the publishing industry, and I delighted in it. It’s coming from Clash Books October 7th."

First I wish to thank Netgalley and Author Michael J. Seidlinger for providing me with an advanced e-copy of On Submission.

Initially, I was excited to read this, as I am a fan of Yellowface and stories surrounding the publishing world. I appreciate the way the author beings forward the struggle of the industry, but also gives life to the characters and how their life actually is.

However, this was not a hit for me, and I believe that the book need to have a page for trigger warnings, especially for the scenes in section two. This is what threw me off the most, leaving me to give the rating I did.

On Submission by Michael J. Seidlinger absolutely floored me. As someone who writes, creates, or just grapples with the anxiety of putting anything out into the world, this book hits like a gut punch—but in the best, most cathartic way.

It’s raw, vulnerable, and almost painfully honest. Seidlinger doesn’t just explore the process of writing—he exposes the mental minefield of doubt, obsession, validation, and rejection that comes with it. The narrative is fragmented in a way that mirrors the creative mind at its most restless and self-critical, and that structure really worked for me. It felt like I was reading someone’s unfiltered internal monologue, and at times, I saw too much of myself in it.

What makes this book so powerful is how it refuses to romanticize the struggle. There’s no neat arc or inspirational takeaway here. It’s just the truth: writing is submission—not just to editors, but to fear, failure, and the hope that someone, somewhere, might see you in what you’ve made.

And yet, despite the darkness, I found it oddly affirming. There’s a strange comfort in realizing you’re not alone in the madness, that the doubt and the waiting and the endless revisions are all part of the deal.

On Submission is not a how-to guide. It’s a mirror. It’s a scream in the void that somehow sounds like your own. And for that, it deserves every star. I’ll be thinking about this one for a long time.

Michael Seidlinger really hit this book out of the park. Revenge, obsession, fucked up relationships with extensive dashes of sadism all centered within the book world. What is not to love? There was one specific scene for me that absolutely made my skin crawl!

This book was a damning parody of the book industry while being an extremely tense and disturbing horror novel. The way that the killer hunts, plans, and carries out the murders, all while truly believing he is helping them do their best work while furthering his own aspirations to be a published author is terrifying but all too believable. This is a ride!