Terms of Service

1. Agreement to Terms

Welcome to BookAuth. These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your access to and use of the BookAuth platform at bookauth.com and related services (collectively, the "Service"), operated by BookAuth ("we," "our," or "us").

By creating an account or using the Service, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree to these Terms, do not use the Service.

We may update these Terms from time to time. We will notify you of material changes by posting the updated Terms on this page and updating the "Last updated" date. Your continued use of the Service after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.

2. Description of Service

BookAuth is a platform connecting authors and readers. Our Service includes:

• For Authors: Tools to publish and sell books, create Advance Reader Copy (ARC) campaigns, manage pricing and discounts, build an author profile and website, and receive payments for sales.
• For Readers: Access to discover and purchase books, apply for ARC campaigns, write reviews, build a reader reputation, and manage a personal library.
• Marketplace Features: Book discovery, search functionality, author profiles, reader profiles, book bundles, and community features.

3. Account Registration

3.1 Eligibility

You must be at least 13 years old to use the Service. If you are under 18, you must have parental or guardian consent to use the Service. By using the Service, you represent that you meet these eligibility requirements.

3.2 Account Creation

To access certain features, you must create an account. You agree to:

• Provide accurate, current, and complete information
• Maintain and update your information as needed
• Keep your account credentials secure and confidential
• Notify us immediately of any unauthorized access
• Accept responsibility for all activities under your account

3.3 Account Types

BookAuth offers different account types with distinct features and responsibilities:

• Author Accounts: For individuals publishing and selling books on the platform
• Reader Accounts: For individuals discovering, purchasing, and reviewing books

4. Author Terms

4.1 Publishing Rights and Content Ownership

By publishing content on BookAuth, you represent and warrant that:

• You own or have the legal right to publish the content
• The content does not infringe any third-party intellectual property rights
• The content does not violate any applicable laws or regulations
• You have obtained all necessary permissions, licenses, and releases for any third-party content included in your work

You retain full ownership of your content. By publishing on BookAuth, you grant us a non-exclusive, worldwide license to display, distribute, and promote your content as necessary to operate the Service.

4.2 Pricing and Sales

Authors may set their own prices for books, subject to:

• Minimum and maximum price limits established by BookAuth
• Applicable tax and regulatory requirements
• Platform fee structures as communicated to authors

4.3 Payments and Payouts

Book sales are processed through Stripe. Authors will receive payouts according to our payout schedule, minus applicable platform fees. You are responsible for:

• Providing accurate payment information through Stripe Connect
• Complying with Stripe's terms of service
• Reporting and paying any applicable taxes on your earnings

4.4 Advance Reader Copy (ARC) Campaigns

Authors may create ARC campaigns to:

• Distribute free copies of books to readers in exchange for honest reviews
• Set eligibility requirements for ARC applicants
• Review and approve/reject ARC applications
• Set review deadlines and requirements

Authors may not require positive reviews as a condition of ARC participation. All reviews must be honest and unbiased.

4.5 Author Websites

Authors may receive a customizable author website (subdomain.bookauth.com). These websites are subject to our content guidelines and may be suspended or terminated for violations.

5. Reader Terms

5.1 Purchases

When you purchase a book on BookAuth, you receive a license to access and read the content for personal, non-commercial use. You may not:

• Redistribute, resell, or share purchased content
• Remove or circumvent any digital rights management (DRM) if applicable
• Use purchased content for commercial purposes without permission

5.2 Refunds

Digital purchases are generally non-refundable due to the nature of digital content. Refund requests may be considered on a case-by-case basis for:

• Technical issues preventing access to purchased content
• Duplicate purchases
• Fraudulent transactions

5.3 ARC Participation

When participating in ARC campaigns, readers agree to:

• Read the book within the specified timeframe
• Submit an honest, thoughtful review by the deadline
• Not share or distribute the ARC copy
• Disclose that they received a free copy when posting reviews elsewhere

Failure to complete ARC commitments may affect your reader reputation score and eligibility for future ARC campaigns.

5.4 Reviews and Reputation

Reviews must be:

• Honest and based on your actual reading experience
• Respectful and constructive, even when critical
• Free from personal attacks, hate speech, or harassment
• Your own original work (not copied from other sources)

Your reader reputation is based on review quality, completion rates, timeliness, and other factors. Reputation scores help authors identify reliable ARC readers.

6. Content Guidelines

6.1 Prohibited Content

The following content is not permitted on BookAuth:

• Content that infringes intellectual property rights
• Illegal content or content promoting illegal activities
• Content depicting sexual exploitation of minors
• Hate speech, harassment, or content promoting violence
• Misleading or fraudulent content
• Spam or commercial solicitation outside permitted channels
• Malware, viruses, or harmful code
• Content that violates privacy rights

6.2 Content Moderation

We reserve the right to review, remove, or restrict access to any content that violates these Terms or our content guidelines. We may also suspend or terminate accounts that repeatedly violate our policies.

7. Intellectual Property

7.1 BookAuth Property

The BookAuth name, logo, website design, and all software, features, and functionality of the Service are owned by BookAuth and protected by intellectual property laws. You may not copy, modify, distribute, or create derivative works without our permission.

7.2 User Content License

By posting content (reviews, comments, profile information), you grant BookAuth a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide license to use, display, reproduce, and distribute that content in connection with operating and promoting the Service.

7.3 DMCA Compliance

If you believe content on BookAuth infringes your copyright, please submit a DMCA takedown notice to our designated agent at [email protected]. Include:

• Your contact information
• Identification of the copyrighted work
• Identification of the infringing material and its location
• A statement of good faith belief that use is not authorized
• A statement under penalty of perjury that the information is accurate
• Your physical or electronic signature

8. Prohibited Conduct

You agree not to:

• Violate any applicable laws or regulations
• Impersonate another person or entity
• Use the Service for unauthorized commercial purposes
• Interfere with or disrupt the Service or servers
• Attempt to gain unauthorized access to any part of the Service
• Use automated means to access the Service without permission
• Manipulate reviews, ratings, or reputation scores
• Engage in price manipulation or fraudulent transactions
• Harass, threaten, or intimidate other users
• Circumvent any security or access controls

9. Termination

9.1 Termination by You

You may close your account at any time through your account settings or by contacting us. Upon termination:

• Your access to the Service will end
• Your public content (reviews, published books) may remain on the platform but will be anonymized
• Pending payouts will be processed according to our normal schedule

9.2 Termination by BookAuth

We may suspend or terminate your account at our discretion, with or without notice, for:

• Violation of these Terms
• Fraudulent or illegal activity
• Conduct harmful to other users or the Service
• Extended inactivity
• Any other reason at our sole discretion

10. Disclaimers and Limitations

10.1 Service Availability

The Service is provided "as is" and "as available" without warranties of any kind, express or implied. We do not guarantee that the Service will be uninterrupted, error-free, or secure.

10.2 User Content

We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or quality of any user-generated content, including books, reviews, or profile information.

10.3 Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, BookAuth shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, including loss of profits, data, or goodwill, arising from your use of the Service.

Our total liability for any claims arising from your use of the Service shall not exceed the amount you paid to BookAuth in the twelve months preceding the claim.

11. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless BookAuth and its officers, directors, employees, and agents from any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising from:

• Your use of the Service
• Your violation of these Terms
• Your content or activities on the platform
• Your violation of any third-party rights

12. Dispute Resolution

12.1 Informal Resolution

Before filing any formal dispute, you agree to contact us at [email protected] to attempt informal resolution for at least 30 days.

12.2 Governing Law

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to conflict of law principles.

12.3 Arbitration

Any disputes not resolved informally shall be resolved through binding arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association under its Commercial Arbitration Rules. The arbitration shall take place in Delaware or at a mutually agreed location.

12.4 Class Action Waiver

You agree that any dispute resolution proceedings will be conducted only on an individual basis and not in a class, consolidated, or representative action.

13. General Provisions

13.1 Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy and any other policies referenced herein, constitute the entire agreement between you and BookAuth regarding the Service.

13.2 Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found to be unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue in full force and effect.

13.3 Waiver

Our failure to enforce any right or provision of these Terms shall not constitute a waiver of that right or provision.

13.4 Assignment

You may not assign or transfer your rights under these Terms without our prior written consent. We may assign our rights and obligations without restriction.

14. Contact Us

If you have questions about these Terms of Service, please contact us: