www.theindieauthorhive.com

Contact: theindieauthorhive@gmail.com

Version 1.0 | Last updated: May 2026

1. Agreement to Terms

By submitting a sign-up form for any event run by The Indie Author Hive ("we", "us", "our"), and by confirming your submission, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms & Conditions in full. This includes all rules, policies, quality standards, and guidelines set out in this document and on our website FAQs.

If you do not agree to these terms, do not submit a form or make a payment.

These Terms & Conditions are always available at www.theindieauthorhive.com. It is your responsibility to check for the most current version before each submission. Continued participation following any update constitutes acceptance of the revised terms.

2. About Our Events

The Indie Author Hive runs a range of promotional book events including Buzzfest, our monthly Stuff Your Kindle / Book Blast event, and Bee Mine, our quarterly romance-focused event. During each event, readers browse and download free or discounted indie ebooks. Authors submit books for inclusion. Acceptance is not guaranteed. We reserve the right to accept or reject any submission at our sole discretion.

Buzzfest runs monthly and is open to multiple genres. Bee Mine runs quarterly, is romance-only, runs for one day, and prioritises free books over paid. Both events operate under these Terms & Conditions unless otherwise stated.

• Event dates, formats, durations, and themes are subject to change at any time.

• Events are capped at a number of books determined by us. Buzzfest averages between 50 and 100 books but this is not guaranteed. Bee Mine capacity is set per event.

• We are an Amazon-first event. All books must be listed on Amazon as ebooks. Authors must submit their Amazon ebook link on the sign-up form. We may use our own Books2Read universal links on the event page for tracking purposes. This does not affect the requirement for authors to submit Amazon links only.

• Accepted genres are listed in Section 5.

3. Entry Rules — Standard (Non-Member)

3.1 Book Entries

• One (1) book per pen name, per event.

• One form per book, per event. Forms are not transferable between events.

• You may sign up for future events in advance on their respective forms.

• The same book may be entered a maximum of six (6) times per calendar year across all events.

• You must skip at least one event between entries of the same book. You cannot enter the same book in two consecutive events.

• Of the maximum six entries per year, no more than three (3) may be at 99c/99p. If you do not wish to offer your book for free, you are limited to three (3) events per year with that book.

3.2 Pricing Rules

• Books must be listed at either free or 99c/99p for the entire duration of the event. No other price points are accepted for standard entries.

• Your book must remain at the stated price for the full event duration. If your price is not correctly set at the start of the event, or changes during the event, your listing will be removed without refund.

• It is your responsibility to ensure your pricing is correctly set in advance of the event. We are not responsible for pricing errors on your end.

• Kindle Unlimited (KU) titles are not accepted for standard entries. KU entry is a members-only perk.

• Pre-orders are exempt from the 99c/99p annual entry limit. A book listed as a pre-order may be entered at 99c/99p across multiple events until its release date, as pre-orders cannot be set to free. Once the book has released, the standard pricing rules and annual limits apply.

3.3 Form Completion

• All form fields must be completed accurately and in full. Any error, omission, or deviation from our form instructions is grounds for rejection without refund.

• This includes but is not limited to: submitting more keywords than requested, entering information in the wrong field, submitting an incorrect or incomplete author name, or leaving required fields blank.

• You must submit your Amazon ebook link only. Links to any other destination including but not limited to Books2Read, Payhip, your author website, or any other retailer will result in rejection.

• You must select the correct spice level accurately reflecting your book's content.

• You must select the correct genre accurately reflecting your book's primary category.

• Submitting incorrect, misleading, or incomplete information is grounds for rejection without refund.

3.4 Participant Responsibility

By entering, you confirm that you have the technical knowledge and ability to participate in the event independently. This includes but is not limited to: setting your book price correctly on Amazon and other relevant platforms, generating and submitting the correct Amazon ebook link, and understanding how the event works as described in our FAQs.

We do not provide individual technical support, tutorials, or guidance on how to use Amazon KDP, pricing tools, or any third-party platform. If you are unsure how to set your book to free, generate an ebook link, or manage your Amazon listing, please ensure you are confident in these skills before signing up.

We are not responsible for errors arising from your failure to correctly manage your book listing, pricing, or any platform settings.

4. Entry Rules — Members

Members enjoy additional perks subject to their tier. Membership does not guarantee acceptance. All quality standards apply equally to members and non-members.

4.1 Basic Tier Members

• Up to three (3) books per event under one (1) pen name.

• May enter consecutive events without skipping, but must still skip at least one event between entries of the same book.

• May enter Kindle Unlimited titles.

• May list books at 99c/99p without the annual limit applying to standard entries.

• Prioritised ahead of capacity limits, subject to quality checks.

• May request live listing adjustments during an event, for example changing a book from 99c to free for one day only. This is a members-only perk and must be requested via email within the timeframe communicated for each event.

4.2 Gold Tier Members

• Up to ten (10) books per event across a maximum of three (3) pen names.

• May enter the same book in consecutive events without skipping.

• All Basic Tier perks apply.

4.3 Lifetime Members

• Lifetime membership grants access to member perks for as long as The Indie Author Hive exists and operates in any capacity. This includes but is not limited to events, memberships, newsletters, communities, or any other service we provide.

• Lifetime membership does not guarantee that any specific event, product, feature, or service will continue to exist permanently.

• We reserve the right to change, adjust, limit, or restructure membership perks, event rules, or any aspect of our services at any time. Changes to our rules, perks, or services do not entitle lifetime members to a refund of any kind.

• A refund on a lifetime membership is only available in the event that The Indie Author Hive ceases operating entirely in all forms. In this circumstance, a pro-rata refund will be calculated based on the number of months remaining within the first twelve (12) months of the membership purchase date only. For example, if a member purchased a lifetime membership three months prior to closure, they would be entitled to a refund equivalent to nine months of the pro-rata value. No refund is available after twelve (12) months of the purchase date regardless of circumstances. Members who have actively used their membership in any capacity during the relevant period will have their refund calculated accordingly.

• Members will be notified of significant changes to perks via our usual communication channels.

4.4 Membership — General

• Membership does not bypass quality checks. All submissions from members are subject to the same quality standards as standard entries.

• Membership cannot be transferred outside the pen name allowances stated above.

• We reserve the right to cancel or suspend a membership if these Terms are breached, without refund.

• Membership fees may change at any time. Existing paid memberships are not affected until renewal.

5. Accepted Genres & Exclusions

We accept the following genres:

• Romance (all subgenres including contemporary, historical, paranormal, dark romance, and erotica — see spice level rules)

• Romantasy

• Fantasy

• Paranormal

• Thriller & Mystery

• Horror

• Science Fiction

• Contemporary Fiction

• Other adult fiction at our discretion

The following are not accepted as standard:

• Religious fiction of any kind — not accepted under any circumstances

• Children's books or middle grade fiction — not accepted under any circumstances

• Any content featuring characters under the age of 18 in romantic or sexual situations — not accepted under any circumstances

• Non-fiction — not accepted for standard events. May occasionally be included at our discretion for specific themed events where relevant. This is rare and subject to each individual event.

• Poetry — not accepted for standard events. May occasionally be included at our discretion for specific themed events where relevant. This is rare and subject to each individual event.

We reserve the right to update accepted and excluded genres at any time. Genre availability may vary by event.

6. Spice Levels

You must select the spice level that accurately reflects your book's content as listed on Amazon. Inaccurate selection is grounds for rejection without refund.

• Level 1 — No Sexual Content: No sexual content on or off the page.

• Level 2 — Fade to Black: Sex happens but is not described. Scene cuts before intimacy.

• Level 3 — Half-Open Door: Sex is shown but lightly described with softer language and minimal detail.

• Level 4 — Open Door: Sex is fully described in explicit detail but is not the core plot.

• Level 5 — No Door at All: The story is sex-driven with minimal plot. Erotica.

Level 5 books are accepted but must be entered accurately as Level 5. A book where the sexual content is the primary purpose of the story is Level 5 regardless of how it is categorised elsewhere.

All romantic or sexual content in submitted books must involve characters who are 18 years of age or older. We do not accept any content depicting characters under the age of 18 in romantic or sexual situations regardless of the age of consent in any jurisdiction. This is a firm and non-negotiable rule.

7. Quality Standards

All submissions are reviewed against the following criteria. Failure to meet any of these is grounds for rejection. We do not provide individual rejection reasons. You are welcome to reapply in a future event if the issue is something you can address.

7.1 Page Count

• Minimum 100 pages as listed on Amazon.

• Short stories, flash fiction, and low-content books under 100 pages will not be accepted.

7.2 Cover Standards

• No AI-generated imagery. Zero tolerance. See Section 8.

• All cover text must be clearly legible against the background.

• Typography must be consistent and professionally presented.

• No visible watermarks.

• No spelling errors on the cover.

• The cover must meet an industry and genre-appropriate standard broadly consistent with the commercial market for your genre.

• Low-resolution, pixelated, or visibly unfinished covers will not be accepted.

7.3 Blurb Standards

• Blurb must be present and accurate on your Amazon listing.

• Maximum approximately 200 words or three (3) paragraphs. Blurbs significantly exceeding this will be rejected.

• Must be free of significant grammatical errors and typos.

• Must accurately represent the content and spice level of your book.

7.4 General Presentation

• Overall Amazon presentation must meet a professional standard consistent with your genre.

• Amazon categories must accurately reflect your book's content.

• We reserve the right to reject any submission that does not meet the standard expected of a curated reader-facing event.

8. AI Content Policy

We operate a zero-tolerance policy on AI-generated content. This applies to covers, book text, blurbs, and author branding. We will not knowingly accept submissions from authors who actively use and promote AI-generated content as part of their author platform, including but not limited to authors whose social media presence is predominantly AI-generated content.

8.1 Declaration

If you reference AI usage anywhere on your sign-up form, your submission will be rejected regardless of which book or project the reference applies to. It is your responsibility to be clear and specific on your form.

8.2 How We Assess Covers

We assess covers visually. Indicators we look for include but are not limited to:

• Unnaturally smooth or waxy skin textures

• Incorrect or distorted hands, fingers, or anatomy

• Unusual or inconsistent background details

• Lighting that does not behave realistically

• The general aesthetic commonly associated with AI image generation tools

• Public statements by the author on social media or elsewhere referencing AI use

• An author's social media presence being predominantly or visibly AI-generated

• Any combination of factors that in our reasonable assessment suggests AI generation

We may also use AI detection tools. We do not guarantee detection of all AI content but anything we identify or that is declared will result in rejection.

8.3 Disputing an AI Determination

If we flag your cover as potentially AI-generated we will contact you and give you the opportunity to provide evidence to the contrary. It is your responsibility to provide this evidence. We are not obligated to seek it on your behalf.

Evidence we accept:

• A receipt or invoice from a professional cover designer confirming they do not use AI

• A verifiable time-lapse or screen recording showing the cover being created in design software such as Photoshop, Procreate, or Canva using original assets

• A purchase receipt for original stock photography from a reputable non-AI stock library

• Any other independently verifiable documentation demonstrating human creation

Evidence we do not accept:

• Screenshots of AI-generated images purporting to show a creation process

• Written statements alone without supporting documentation

• Evidence that cannot be independently verified

We review evidence in good faith. The final decision rests with us.

9. Paid Features & Add-Ons

9.1 What Paid Features Cover

Optional paid features provide enhanced placement and visibility within the event. Features may include cover placement, highlighted listings, or other promotional benefits as described on the form at the time of purchase. Available features may change between events.

Purchasing a paid feature does not guarantee acceptance. Payment prioritises your place ahead of capacity limits but acceptance remains subject to all quality standards and rules in these Terms.

9.2 Work Commencement & Refunds

Once your submission has been accepted and work on the event has begun — including but not limited to building the event page, placing your feature, and preparing promotional materials — no refund will be issued regardless of any subsequent change in your circumstances, including but not limited to:

• Your book becoming unavailable at the stated price

• Your book being removed from Amazon or another platform

• You changing your mind or deciding not to participate

• Technical issues on your end or with your Amazon listing

• Any issue with your book listing not disclosed at the time of submission

In these circumstances we will offer you the option to carry your feature over to a future event of your choosing. A carry-over is not a refund and the feature remains non-refundable.

9.3 Refund Policy

Paid features are non-refundable. The only exceptions are:

• The event is cancelled by us and not rescheduled within twelve (12) months.

• We are unable to offer a suitable alternative event within twelve (12) months of a cancellation.

Refunds are not issued for:

• Rejection for quality or rules violations

• Event rescheduling, date changes, or theme changes

• Capacity-based rejection where a carry-over is offered

• Your book not being correctly priced at event start

• Technical issues outside our control including platform outages

• Change of mind

• Failure to read these Terms

All payments are final after 24 hours of purchase outside of the exceptions above.

Where a refund is approved it will be processed within fourteen (14) days of that approval being confirmed in writing by us. Refunds will be returned solely to the PayPal account from which the original payment was made. We do not issue refunds to any alternative account, payment method, or third party under any circumstances.

Refunds are issued for the net amount received by us after PayPal transaction fees have been deducted. We are not able to refund payment processing fees as these are non-recoverable costs charged directly by PayPal at the time of the original transaction. Upon request we will provide evidence of the fee deducted so the refunded amount can be verified.

9.4 Feature Pricing

• Feature prices may change at any time without notice.

• The price paid at the time of purchase applies to that transaction only.

• Price changes after payment do not entitle you to a refund of any difference.

• Updated pricing applies to future purchases only.

10. Pre-Event Listing Check

Before each event goes live we will publish a preview of the event page and notify all accepted authors to check their listing. You will receive multiple notifications to review your entry. This window varies each month but will be clearly communicated and is typically between a few days and two weeks.

During this window you must check:

• Your book link is correct and working

• Your book is listed at the correct price

• Your listing information is accurate and matches your form submission

• Any paid feature is displaying correctly

If anything is incorrect you must notify us by email within the checking window. We will not accept correction requests after the window has closed.

After the checking window closes:

• No changes will be made to any listing for any reason, except for members exercising their live listing adjustment perk as set out in Section 4.1.

• If an error is identified after the window has closed the listing will be removed from the event. It will not be corrected.

• Removal due to an uncorrected error is not grounds for a refund. A carry-over may be offered at our discretion.

• If your link is not working, your price is incorrect, or your information is wrong on event day and you did not flag this during the checking window, this is your responsibility entirely.

By agreeing to these Terms you confirm you understand and accept your responsibility to check your listing during the notified window. Failure to check or failure to notify us of an error during that window means you accept the listing as it appears. We are not liable for any errors not raised within the checking period.

11. Social Media Participation Requirement

By entering an event you agree to actively promote your participation on social media.

• You must make at least one (1) publicly visible post on any social media platform promoting the event or your participation in it, during or around the event period.

• Where The Indie Author Hive is present on your chosen platform please tag us. Use of our hashtags (#TheIndieAuthorHive, #BuzzfestSYKD, #BuzzfestBookBlast) is encouraged but not required.

• Using our pre-made promotional assets satisfies this requirement.

• Failure to post will result in your next event application being rejected. This is a one-event consequence. You may reapply after that.

• By entering you consent to us checking publicly available social media for evidence of your post.

12. Event Changes, Cancellations & Rescheduling

We reserve the right to change, reschedule, cancel, or alter any event at any time for any reason including but not limited to illness, injury, bereavement, technical failure, platform outage, or any other circumstance within or outside our control.

• If an event is rescheduled your submission and paid features will be carried over to the new date or an alternative event of your choosing within twelve (12) months.

• If an event theme changes and your book no longer fits we will offer you an alternative event within twelve (12) months.

• If an event is cancelled and not rescheduled within twelve (12) months paid feature fees will be refunded.

• Rescheduling or theme changes are not grounds for a refund under any circumstances.

13. Force Majeure

We shall not be liable for any failure or delay in performing our obligations under these Terms where such failure or delay results from any cause beyond our reasonable control. This includes but is not limited to:

• Illness, injury, or incapacity of the organiser or any member of the Hive Team

• Bereavement or personal emergency

• Internet or power outages

• Failure or outage of any third-party platform including but not limited to Amazon, Squarespace, PayPal, or any email service provider

• Amazon removing, suppressing, or otherwise affecting any book listing during the event period

• Any act of God, pandemic, civil unrest, or other event outside our reasonable control

In the event of a force majeure event affecting an event we have already started or are running we are not obligated to issue refunds. We will make reasonable efforts to reschedule affected features where possible but this is at our discretion and not a guaranteed entitlement.

14. Third Party Platforms & Affiliate Links

Our website and event pages may contain links to third-party websites and platforms including but not limited to Amazon. We are not responsible for the content, availability, pricing, policies, or actions of any third-party platform. Your use of any third-party platform is governed by that platform's own terms and conditions.

Some links on our website may be affiliate links. This means we may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through those links at no additional cost to you. Affiliate links will be disclosed on the relevant pages of our website. By using our website and participating in our events you acknowledge and accept that affiliate links may be present.

We are not responsible for any changes Amazon or any other platform makes to its services, pricing structures, availability, or policies that affect your book listing or participation in our events.

15. Organiser Rights

The Indie Author Hive is an independently operated business. The organiser(s) and any members of the Hive Team are not subject to the participant entry rules set out in these Terms.

By agreeing to these Terms you acknowledge and accept that:

• The Hive Team may feature their own books in any event at their discretion without restriction on number, frequency, pricing, or any other entry rule that applies to participants.

• The Hive Team is not subject to the same eligibility criteria, quality checks, spice level requirements, page count minimums, or any other rule that applies to participant submissions.

• The Hive Team may adjust, change, or override any aspect of any event including their own participation within it.

• The presence of Hive Team titles in any event does not constitute unfair treatment and is not grounds for complaint or refund.

• Running and administering events involves significant labour by the Hive Team. The ability to feature their own work is a reasonable benefit of providing this service.

16. Communications & Complaints

16.1 Contact All communications, complaints, queries, and questions must be directed to our email address: theindieauthorhive@gmail.com. This email address may change. The current address will always be listed on our website. It is your responsibility to use the current address.

16.2 Response Times We process administrative emails on a weekly basis. Response times may be up to seven (7) days. We are a small team and cannot guarantee faster responses outside of urgent matters.

16.3 Communication Channels We do not accept complaints, queries, or questions via direct message on any social media platform. Messages sent to our social media accounts or to any individual team member via direct message will not receive a response. All communications must go through our email address.

16.4 Repeated or Already-Addressed Queries We will not respond to queries that have already been answered whether in a previous email, in our FAQs, in these Terms, or in any event communication we have sent. It is your responsibility to read all communications sent to you in full before raising a query.

17. No Guarantees

We make no guarantees regarding:

• Downloads, sales, page reads, or any commercial outcome

• Event traffic or reader numbers

• Your book's visibility relative to other entries

• The number of books in any given event

We provide a promotional platform only. Results depend on factors entirely outside our control.

18. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, The Indie Author Hive's total liability to any participant for any claim arising out of or in connection with their participation in any of our events shall not exceed the total amount paid by that participant to us in connection with the event giving rise to the claim.

We are not liable for any indirect, consequential, special, or incidental losses including but not limited to lost sales, lost downloads, lost revenue, damage to reputation, or any other loss arising from participation or non-participation in our events, rejection of a submission, removal from an event, or any technical issue affecting the event.

19. Intellectual Property & Indemnity

19.1 Your Content By submitting a book to any of our events you confirm that:

• You are the author or rights holder of the submitted work or have full authorisation from the rights holder to submit it.

• The submitted work does not infringe any third party's intellectual property rights including copyright, trademark, or any other proprietary right.

• Your cover image is either original work, licensed for commercial use, or created by a designer with appropriate rights.

19.2 Indemnity You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless The Indie Author Hive and the Hive Team from and against any claims, damages, losses, or expenses including legal fees arising from your breach of these Terms, any inaccuracy in information you have provided, any infringement of third-party rights by your submitted content, or your participation in our events.

20. Data, Privacy & Record Keeping

We collect and process personal data you provide via our sign-up forms including your name, email address, pen name, book details, and payment information. This data is:

• Stored securely on internal spreadsheets and administrative tools accessible only to the Hive Team.

• Used solely for the purpose of administering our events and communicating with you about your submissions.

• Never sold, shared, or disclosed to third parties except where required by law.

• Retained for as long as necessary for administrative and legal purposes.

You have the right to request access to, correction of, or deletion of your personal data by contacting us at theindieauthorhive@gmail.com. We comply with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

By submitting a sign-up form you consent to us retaining a record of your submission including your confirmation of these Terms & Conditions as evidence of your agreement. This record may be used in the event of any dispute.

21. No Partnership or Agency

Nothing in these Terms creates or implies any partnership, joint venture, agency, employment, or franchise relationship between you and The Indie Author Hive. You participate in our events as an independent author. You have no authority to act on behalf of or to bind The Indie Author Hive in any way.

22. Conduct & Removal

We reserve the right to remove any author from an event, reject future applications, or cancel a membership without refund if:

• These Terms are breached

• False or misleading information is provided on any form

• An author behaves in an abusive, threatening, or disrespectful manner toward the Hive Team

• An author publicly misrepresents our services, policies, or team

23. Our Right to Change These Terms

We reserve the right to update, change, or replace any part of these Terms at any time. This includes pricing, membership perks, event structure, quality standards, genres, and any other aspect of our service. Continued use of our services following any change constitutes acceptance of the updated terms. The current version is always available at www.theindieauthorhive.com.

24. Legal Framework

These Terms & Conditions constitute a legally binding agreement between you and The Indie Author Hive. By ticking the confirmation checkbox on our sign-up form you are providing a valid electronic signature under the Electronic Communications Act 2000, which recognises electronic signatures as legally binding in the United Kingdom.

Your statutory rights as a consumer are protected under the Consumer Rights Act 2015. Nothing in these Terms seeks to exclude or limit any right you have under that Act that cannot lawfully be excluded or limited. Where any clause in these Terms conflicts with your statutory rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, your statutory rights will prevail.

These Terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales. Any disputes are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales. Participants based outside the UK enter into these Terms voluntarily and accept that English law governs this agreement.

25. Agreement & Digital Signature

By completing and submitting a sign-up form and by ticking the confirmation checkbox you confirm:

• You have read and understood these Terms & Conditions in full.

• You have read the FAQs at www.theindieauthorhive.com.

• You agree to be bound by these Terms.

• All information provided is accurate and truthful.

• You understand submission does not guarantee acceptance.

• You understand paid features are non-refundable except as stated in Section 9.3.

• You understand purchasing a paid feature does not guarantee acceptance.

• You acknowledge the organiser rights set out in Section 15.

• You agree to the social media participation requirement set out in Section 11.

• You consent to your form submission being retained as a record of this agreement.

Ticking the confirmation checkbox on the form constitutes a valid electronic signature under the Electronic Communications Act 2000 and is legally binding.

The Indie Author Hive | www.theindieauthorhive.com | theindieauthorhive@gmail.com | Version 1.0 | May 2026