terms & conditions

MESTIZA BOOKS

TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR MANUSCRIPT SUBMISSION AND PUBLISHING SERVICES

Last Updated: 3rd September 2025

1. ACCEPTANCE OF TERMS

By submitting a manuscript or utilizing any services provided by Mestiza Books ("Company," "we," "us," or "our"), you ("Author," "you," or "your") acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions ("Agreement"). This Agreement constitutes a legally binding contract between you and Mestiza Books.

If you do not agree to these terms, do not submit any materials to us or use our services.

2. MANUSCRIPT SUBMISSION

2.1 Submission Requirements

  • All submissions must be original works authored by you

  • Manuscripts must be submitted in the format specified in our submission guidelines

  • You must provide accurate contact information and promptly notify us of any changes

  • Simultaneous submissions are permitted unless otherwise specified

2.2 Submission Rights

By submitting your manuscript, you grant Mestiza Books:

  • The right to review and evaluate your work for potential publication

  • The right to retain submitted materials for our records

  • The right to contact you regarding your submission

  • A non-exclusive right to consider your work during our standard review period

2.3 Response Time

  • We aim to respond to submissions within 90 days of receipt

  • Due to volume, we cannot guarantee responses to all submissions

  • No response after 90 days may be considered a decline

  • We are under no obligation to provide feedback on declined manuscripts

3. AUTHOR REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

You represent and warrant that:

3.1 Ownership and Originality

  • You are the sole owner of the submitted work and have full authority to enter into this agreement

  • The work is entirely original and does not infringe upon any copyright, trademark, or other proprietary rights

  • You have not plagiarized any portion of the work from any source

  • You have obtained all necessary permissions for any third-party materials included

3.2 Legal Compliance

  • The work does not contain libelous, defamatory, or unlawful content

  • The work does not violate any person's right to privacy or publicity

  • You have not entered into any conflicting agreements regarding the work

  • The work complies with all applicable laws and regulations

3.3 Accuracy

  • All factual statements in non-fiction works are true and accurate to the best of your knowledge

  • You have conducted appropriate research and fact-checking

  • Any disclaimers or warnings required by law have been included

4. PUBLICATION DECISION AND RIGHTS

4.1 Publication Selection

  • Mestiza Books has sole discretion in determining whether to offer a publishing contract

  • Submission does not guarantee publication or any form of commitment from us

  • We reserve the right to decline any manuscript for any reason

4.2 Rights Negotiation

If we offer you a publishing contract:

  • Specific terms will be outlined in a separate publishing agreement

  • Rights, royalties, and obligations will be detailed in that agreement

  • This Terms and Conditions document will be superseded by the publishing contract for accepted works

5. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

5.1 Your Rights

  • You retain all rights to your submitted manuscript unless a separate publishing agreement is executed

  • Declined manuscripts remain your property

  • You are free to submit declined works to other publishers

5.2 Our Rights

  • Mestiza Books retains rights to our proprietary publishing processes, systems, and methodologies

  • Our feedback, editorial suggestions, and communications remain our intellectual property

  • Our company name, logo, and branding materials are protected trademarks

6. CONFIDENTIALITY

6.1 Our Obligations

  • We will treat your submitted manuscripts as confidential

  • We will not share your work with unauthorized third parties

  • Our employees and contractors are bound by confidentiality agreements

6.2 Your Obligations

  • You agree not to disclose any proprietary information about our business practices

  • You will not share confidential information about other authors or manuscripts

  • You will not misrepresent any association with Mestiza Books

7. LIABILITY AND INDEMNIFICATION

7.1 Limitation of Liability

  • Mestiza Books' liability is limited to the maximum extent permitted by law

  • We are not liable for any indirect, incidental, or consequential damages

  • Our total liability shall not exceed the amount you have paid us, if any

  • We are not responsible for lost or damaged manuscripts

7.2 Author Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold Mestiza Books harmless from any claims, damages, or expenses arising from:

  • Breach of your representations and warranties

  • Copyright or other intellectual property infringement

  • Defamatory or unlawful content in your manuscript

  • Third-party claims related to your work

8. COMMUNICATION AND MARKETING

8.1 Contact Information

  • You consent to receive communications from us regarding your submission

  • You agree to respond promptly to our reasonable requests for information

  • We may contact you about other opportunities or services

8.2 Marketing and Promotion

  • If published, you agree to participate reasonably in marketing and promotional activities

  • You grant us rights to use your name, likeness, and biographical information for promotional purposes

  • You may be required to maintain an appropriate public image as our published author

9. TERMINATION

9.1 Termination Rights

Either party may terminate this agreement:

  • At any time before a publishing contract is executed

  • Upon material breach by the other party

  • With written notice as specified herein

9.2 Effect of Termination

Upon termination:

  • All obligations under this agreement cease except for those that survive termination

  • Confidentiality obligations continue indefinitely

  • Indemnification obligations survive termination

10. GENERAL PROVISIONS

10.1 Governing Law

This agreement is governed by [State/Country] law, without regard to conflict of law principles. Any disputes will be resolved in the courts of [Jurisdiction].

10.2 Entire Agreement

This document constitutes the entire agreement between parties regarding manuscript submission and supersedes all prior agreements or understandings.

10.3 Amendment

We reserve the right to modify these terms at any time. Changes will be posted on our website and apply to all future submissions.

10.4 Severability

If any provision of this agreement is deemed unenforceable, the remaining provisions will remain in full force and effect.

10.5 Waiver

Our failure to enforce any provision does not constitute a waiver of that provision or any other provision.

10.6 Assignment

You may not assign your rights under this agreement without our written consent. We may assign our rights to any successor or affiliate.

10.7 Force Majeure

Neither party is liable for delays or failures due to circumstances beyond their reasonable control.

10.8 Electronic Signatures

Electronic signatures are deemed valid and binding for this agreement.

11. SUBMISSION FEES AND PAYMENTS

11.1 Reading Fees

  • Mestiza Books does not charge reading fees for manuscript submissions

  • Any legitimate publisher should not require upfront payment from authors

  • Be wary of any requests for payment during the submission process

11.2 Future Financial Terms

  • Specific royalty rates, advances, and payment schedules will be outlined in separate publishing contracts

  • No financial obligations exist under these terms and conditions alone

12. DATA PROTECTION AND PRIVACY

12.1 Information Collection

We collect and process personal information including:

  • Contact information

  • Manuscript content and related materials

  • Communication records

12.2 Data Use

Your information is used for:

  • Evaluating submissions

  • Communication regarding your manuscript

  • Administrative purposes

  • Marketing our services (with your consent)

12.3 Data Security

We implement appropriate security measures to protect your personal information and manuscripts from unauthorized access, disclosure, or destruction.

For questions about these Terms and Conditions, please contact us using this contact form.

By submitting a manuscript or using our services, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions.

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