Author Agreement general guidelines

THIS AGREEMENT is made and entered into by and between Kerolos LLC, a limited liability company organized under the laws of the State of New Mexico, USA (hereinafter referred to as the “Publisher”), and the individual or entity engaging the Publisher’s services (hereinafter referred to as the “Author”).

1. PRE-PUBLISHING EVALUATION & ADMISSION

1.1. Mandatory Evaluation: All manuscripts must undergo a “Professional Manuscript Evaluation” prior to formal acceptance for publishing. The Author shall pay a nominal, non-refundable evaluation fee as specified by the Publisher.
1.2. Right of Refusal: The Publisher reserves the absolute right to refuse services for any Work that it deems inconsistent with its professional standards, or that contains defamatory, unlawful, or plagiarized content.
1.3. Credit Toward Package: If the Work is accepted for publication, the full amount of the evaluation fee shall be credited (deducted) from the total cost of the selected Publishing Package.
1.4. Professional Critique: Regardless of acceptance or refusal, the Publisher will provide the Author with a professional critique report assessing the Work’s technical and structural readiness for international markets.

2. CONFIDENTIALITY & NON-DISCLOSURE

The Publisher acknowledges that the manuscript and all related materials are the confidential intellectual property of the Author. The Publisher agrees:

To use the manuscript solely for evaluation and the agreed-upon publishing services.
To protect the Work from unauthorized disclosure or distribution to third parties, except as required for international distribution (e.g., Amazon, IngramSpark).

3. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY & OWNERSHIP

3.1. Author’s Ownership: The Author retains one hundred percent (100%) of all right, title, and interest in and to the Work, including all copyrights and trademarks.
3.2. Technical Deliverables: Upon completion of services, the Publisher shall provide the Author with “Print-Ready” files (PDF/ePub). The internal “Source Files” (e.g., formatting project files) remain the administrative property of the Publisher.
3.3. Promotional Rights: The Author grants the Publisher a limited, non-exclusive license to display the book’s cover, title, and brief excerpts on the Publisher’s website and marketing materials for portfolio and promotional purposes.

4. PUBLISHING IDENTITY & ISBN

4.1. Publisher of Record: Kerolos LLC shall act as the “Publisher of Record” in global databases.
4.2. ISBN Assignment: The Publisher will assign an ISBN registered under its corporate prefix (Bowker). This identifies the Work under the Publisher’s professional umbrella for tax and distribution purposes but does not grant the Publisher ownership of the content.

5. FINANCIAL TERMS & ROYALTIES

5.1. Tax Management: The Publisher will utilize its US Federal Employer Identification Number (EIN) to manage withholding taxes. Royalties will be collected by the Publisher and distributed to the Author net of retailer cuts, printing costs, and the Publisher’s administrative fees as defined by the selected package.
5.2. Payouts: Royalties shall be distributed to the Author on a periodic basis, subject to reaching the minimum payout threshold.
5.3. Returns Liability: For packages where “Bookstore Returns” are enabled, the Author is solely liable for the costs associated with returned copies. The Publisher reserves the right to withhold a “Returns Reserve” from royalties to cover potential debts from retailers.

6. AUTHOR WARRANTIES & INDEMNITY

The Author warrants that they are the sole creator and owner of the Work and that the Work does not infringe on any third-party rights. The Author agrees to indemnify and hold Kerolos LLC harmless from any legal claims, damages, or expenses arising from a breach of these warranties.

7. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY & DISCLAIMER

7.1. No Sales Guarantee: The Publisher provides the technical and administrative infrastructure for publishing. The Publisher makes no guarantees, express or implied, regarding book sales, rankings, or commercial success.
7.2. Liability Cap: In no event shall the Publisher’s total liability for any claim exceed the total amount paid by the Author for the specific services rendered.

8. TERMINATION & EXIT PROTOCOL

8.1. Termination: Either party may terminate this Agreement with 30 days’ written notice.
8.2. De-listing: Upon termination, the Publisher will initiate the removal of the Work from active distribution.
8.3. ISBN Portability: The Author acknowledges that an ISBN registered to Kerolos LLC cannot be transferred. If the Author moves the Work to another publisher or individual account, a new ISBN will be required for the new edition.

9. GOVERNING LAW & JURISDICTION

This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New Mexico, USA. Any disputes arising under this Agreement shall be resolved exclusively in the competent courts located in New Mexico.

Corporate Details:

Legal Entity: Kerolos LLC
Jurisdiction of Incorporation: New Mexico, USA (Established 2024)
Corporate Physical Address: 206 S CORONADO AVE, ESPANOLA, NM 87532, USA
Official Website: https://books.kerolos.work
Global Customer Support Email: support@kerolos.work
International Phone Support (US/Global): +1 (505) 373-3339