ARC Terms and Conditions

In order to receive an advance reader copy (ARC), you must understand and comply with the terms and conditions outlined here.

1. What is an ARC?

An ARC, or advance reader copy, is a copy (in this case, digital) of a book sent out to readers in exchange for an honest review. The book is sent prior to its publication and general release, and thus may contain typos or small pieces (scenes, cover art) that are not final. However, the book is complete and will be delivered in full to any advance readers.

2. How is the ARC delivered?

When your ARC is ready, we will email a personal download link to the address you gave when you signed up. The link opens a page made just for you, which offers the book in EPUB and PDF and shows short instructions for your device. The formatting may not be final.

To read on a Kindle, download the EPUB and upload it through Amazon’s Send to Kindle page.

Your link is yours alone. It works until 30 days after the advance reading period ends, and each format can be downloaded up to five times, which leaves room for a few devices and the occasional failed download. If your link stops working or you run out of downloads, use the “Request a new link” button on the link page or email books@winterforestpress.com, and we will send a new one. Sending a new link switches off the old one.

3. What is required of a participating advance reader?

In exchange for the ARC of the book, readers will write an honest review of the book after reading it in its entirety. At an absolute minimum, readers are expected to post their reviews on Goodreads.com. It is strongly suggested that readers also review the book on other places the book is available, such as Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com, as well as the reader’s own channels, such as a blog or YouTube channel. Video reviews on YouTube, Instagram, or TikTok are greatly appreciated. The reviews posted to each site do not need to be different; a reader may write one review and post it on all the aforementioned sites. Because the advance copy given to readers is not final, readers should not write about typos, formatting issues, or any other mistakes that are likely gone in the published version in their reviews.

Links to the places we would like reviews are on your download page and in the reminder emails described below.

4. When should an advance reader’s review be posted on different sites?

Reviews should be posted on Goodreads.com and any personal platforms like YouTube and blogs as soon as the reader finishes reading the book and composes a review. However, reviews can only be posted on Amazon.com after the book’s official publication.

You will receive an email reminder shortly before the advance reading period ends, and another on the day of publication to post your review on the sites that were waiting for the book’s release.

5. Your copy is for you

Your ARC is for your own reading. Please do not share, forward, sell, post, or upload the file or your download link, or copy the book in whole or in part (apart from short quotations in your review). The book remains the property of its author and Winter Forest Press, and the copy you receive is licensed to you only. If a copy is shared, we may switch off your link and end your participation in the ARC program.

6. Data we record

To deliver your copy and keep it from spreading beyond its intended readers, we record:

• when your link is opened and each time a file is downloaded or refused (for example, after the link expires);
• the type of device you used (for example, “iPhone” or “Windows”) and your browser’s user-agent text;
• a scrambled (hashed) form of your internet address, which lets us notice when one link is used from many different places without storing the address itself.

We use this to deliver your book, help you if something goes wrong (including noticing if an email to you bounced), send review reminders, and spot sharing (for example, one link being used from several different places at once). We do not sell it or use it for advertising.

Your copy may be marked so it can be traced back to you. A mark may be visible (for example, your email address printed in the file) and may also include hidden markers in the file itself, such as invisible characters. To add the mark, your email address is printed in the file. If we use an outside watermarking service to make your personal copy, your email address is sent to that service solely for that purpose.

7. How can participating advance readers contact the author?

If you wish to contact Grayson Taylor, please email grayson@graysontaylor.info. If you wish to contact Winter Forest Press, please email books@winterforestpress.com.

8. ARC terms and conditions updates

We reserve the right to modify these terms and conditions at any time. Changes and clarifications will take effect immediately upon their posting on the website. If we make changes to these terms and conditions that affect participating advance readers, we will notify them of the update.

Last updated October 18, 2026