FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

*What is a blurb?

A blurb is what you find on the back of traditional print books to entice the reader to buy the book. They're also used as part of a book's marketing package. It's a short, one to three paragraph description of the most important elements of the story. If you're unsure how to write yours, pick up a few books to see how those are written.

*What is a synopsis?

A synopsis is your book's summary. Depending on the length of the story, it can be anywhere from one to five or six single-spaced pages. Consider the synopsis as an expanded blurb. It introduces us to your protagonists in greater detail, and to some extent the most important secondary characters.

As well, it should give us a concise plot of the story, and if a romance, how your hero and heroine work together to the HEA at the end. And we must know the end . . . no cliffhangers.

Do I still have to send a synopsis if I’m sending the full manuscript?

Yes.

May I send an excerpt instead or a synopsis?

No. We ask for specific things in your submission for a reason. Sending exactly what we ask for not only gives us the best possible view of your work, but also tells us many things about a writer, including how well he/she pays attention, how well he/she follows instructions, how much care he/she puts into their work, how easily he/she will be to work with, etc. All of this also tells us how much he/she is dedicated to their work and their career.

What formats do you accept for submission?

We prefer MS Word rtf of doc formats. If your book is being contracted, we will use MS Word with tracking controls for edits. If you do not have MS Word, your document program should have a 'save as' option to save as rtf or doc. If you cannot do this, contact us for an alternative format.

Can I send my submission through the regular mail?

No. We're a digital book publisher and everything is handled electronically. Welcome to the 21st century.

How long is Tirgearr Publishing's response time?

It depends on workload, but we aim for about 60 days. If you do not hear from us within that time, please feel free to send a follow-up. Be sure to give us the book title and the date you sent it to us.

I submitted this same manuscript to Tirgearr Publishing and it was rejected. May I submit it again?

One of three things may happen when we reject manuscripts--

CONTRACTS

Will I have to pay Tirgearr Publishing to publish my book?

No. Tirgearr Publishing is not a vanity press or self-publisher.

What are your contract terms?

We contract books for five years and require full rights.

May I review the contract?

Contracts are available for review when we offer to contract your book.

I've written a series. If Tirgearr Publishing contracts the first book, does this mean you will automatically offer a contract on the rest of the series?

No. We usually contract books on a book-by-book basis. However, if you submit the first book in your series and we contract it, obviously we would be interested in the series and would ask you give us first right of refusal before submitting to another publisher.

What programs will I need to know if offered a contract?

We strictly work with Microsoft Word. Within this program is a feature called Track Changes. If you do not know how this works, learn it now. Whether we contract you or another house, you will need to know how to use this features during the editing process of your book.

PUBLICATION

How soon after acceptance will my book be released?

A publication date will not automatically be given on contract. Publication date will be determined on a number of factors, but we aim for publication three to six months from contract.

Will my book be published as a print book as well as a digital book?

Tirgearr Publishing is a digital-first publisher. While we do print some titles, the decision to print those titles is based on digital sales and other factors.

COVER ART

May I provide my own cover art?

Tirgearr Publishing has an art department who work hard to design a unique cover for your book, and one that is identifiable as a Tirgearr Publishing book. Covers designed in-house are part of your contract agreement for publication.

If you're an author with design skills or have worked with another designer in the past, we would be happy to work with you or your design to ensure your cover design falls within our guidelines.

•• All final covers must fall under our guidelines and meet our approval before acceptance.
•• Keep in mind that should you employ your own artist or design the cover yourself, you are responsible for any fees incurred.

MONEY

Does Tirgearr Publishing pay advances?

No. We are a royalty paying publisher, but we do not offer advances at this time.

How are royalties paid?

Tirgearr Publishing pays royalties on a quarterly basis -- April, July, October, January -- under contract terms.

Payments are made into the author's PayPal account or via an Amazon gift voucher, or by special arrangements.

MARKETING

What will Tirgearr Publishing do to promote my book?

We encourage authors to do as much self-promotion as possible and will work side-by-side with each author to guide them through all phases of learning book self-promotion. This includes advising authors to set up social networking sites where possible, design an effective and attractive website, and join other Yahoo! Groups and reader circles to meet new readers.

We ask our authors to send us copies of reviews for their books published with us so we can add blurbs to the book's page on our website.

Additionally, Tirgearr Publishing maintains several social media sites -- Facebook, Twitter, Blogger, Goodreads, LinkedIn, and an RSS Feed. Each new release is advertised on these social media sites, and we encourage authors to use these sites as well.

We also host promotions and ad spots through the year.

Please note that authors are encouraged to promote their work as much as possible themselves and not solely rely on Tirgearr promotions.

Where can I purchase books published by Tirgearr Publishing?

Our books are linked through our website to online sellers include Amazon Kindle, Apple, Kobo, Nook, Smashwords, and other digital booksellers.

Will you please explain your heat levels in romance and erotica?

Certainly.

Level 1 - Sweet (from no sexual contact at all to kissing and petting)
Level 2 - Sensual (kissing and at least one sexual encounter, missionary)
Level 3 - Spicy (one or more ramped-up sexual encounters)
Level 4 - Hot (lots of sex, language)
Level 5 - Scorching (kink, raunch, language)

Be assured that all of our romance and erotic romance stories are emotional reads, first and foremost. Sexual acts enrich the characters' relationships and help move those relationships forward.

Please note: At this time, we do not have a rating for other genres, such as thrillers, horror, mysteries, etc.

I don't have an digital reader. Can I still buy your books?

Of course. You can read digital books on most digital devices. Kindle, Kobo, Nook, and Apple have free apps available for reading on your PC or Mac.

Do you give refunds on digital books?

Sorry, no. If you purchase through a third-party seller, you must return to the site of purchase to find out what their return policy is. Some booksellers will refund books if the refund is asked for within a certain period of time. If your book is lost or accidentally deleted, you can return to your point of purchase which often stores your download list where you can load another, free (you already bought it so this is the back up), version of the book.

How can I rate or review books at Tirgearr Publishing?

There are a number of ways to rate or review our books --

• Click one of the 'share' links on the book's page and post a comment on your social networking site
• Go onto one of the bookseller sites and post a review
• Post a review on the book's page on Goodreads
• Send us an email and we'll share your comments with the author
• Go onto the author's site directly and email your comments directly

Do you have a gift certificate program?

No, not at this time, but you can go onto sites like Amazon or Barnes and Noble and buy gift cards there.

If you have a question about Tirgearr Publishing that hasn't been answered here, please send us an email.