i work for an academic book publisher, so i can give you a quick rundown of what to include according to our book proposal guidelines:

cover letter: introducing yourself, the title of your proposed publication, a concise description of the purpose and scope of the book, and an indication of whom the audience will be.

curriculum vita: though i'm sure this is more relevant for purely academic books. nevertheless, this should include name, title, address, phone/fax/e-mail, primary specialty, and areas of interest.

list of contributors: if applicable, including full affiliation info.

status of manuscript: like, how much is completed at the moment and a realistic date of completion and delivery to publisher.

mechanical dimensions: pages, tables, figures, etc.

table of contents: with an outline/descriptive paragraph of each chapter.

introduction or preface, and at least one complete chapter of the proposed publication.

potential markets: including level of readership, blah blah blah

timeliness of the book.

list of competing titles, and how your bok differs from the competition.

I hope this helps! Good luck! - steph :)

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