Terms

1. Agreement to Terms

By accessing or using Novel Stacks ("the Platform," "we," "us," or "our"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service ("Terms"). If you do not agree to these Terms, you may not access or use the Platform.

Novel Stacks reserves the right to modify these Terms at any time. We will notify users of any material changes via email or through the Platform. Your continued use of the Platform after such modifications constitutes your acceptance of the updated Terms.

2. Description of Service

Novel Stacks is a subscription-based platform that provides:

For Readers: Unlimited access to ebooks and audiobooks for a monthly subscription fee
For Authors: A free platform to publish and distribute content (ebooks and audiobooks)

3. Eligibility

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account and use Novel Stacks. By creating an account, you represent and warrant that:

You are at least 18 years of age
You have the legal capacity to enter into these Terms
All information you provide is accurate and complete
You will maintain the accuracy of such information

4. Account Types and Registration

4.1 Reader Accounts

Requires a paid monthly subscription of $11.95 USD
Payment information must be provided at registration
Subscription automatically renews every 30 days
Provides unlimited access to all published content on the Platform

4.2 Author Accounts

Free membership with no subscription fee
Requires valid email address and profile information
Authors may upload ebooks and audiobooks in accordance with Section 7
If an Author removes all published content, their account will automatically convert to a paid Reader subscription unless the account is cancelled entirely

4.3 Account Security

You are responsible for:

Maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials
All activities that occur under your account
Notifying us immediately of any unauthorized access or security breach

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate accounts that violate these Terms.

5. Subscription and Payment Terms

5.1 Reader Subscription

Monthly subscription fee: $11.95 USD
Billing occurs every 30 days from the date of initial subscription
Payment processed via Stripe
All fees are in United States Dollars (USD)
Subscriptions are available worldwide with no geographic restrictions

5.2 Payment Authorization

By providing payment information, you authorize Novel Stacks to charge your payment method:

The monthly subscription fee on your billing date
Any applicable taxes
Any other fees or charges disclosed at the time of purchase

5.3 Failed Payments

If a payment fails:

We will attempt to process payment again
You will receive notification of the failed payment
If payment cannot be processed after multiple attempts, your account access will be suspended
Your subscription will be cancelled if payment issues are not resolved

5.4 No Refunds

All subscription fees are non-refundable. We do not provide refunds or credits for:

Partial subscription periods
Unused subscription time
Content that is removed by authors
Dissatisfaction with content quality or selection
Any other reason

5.5 Cancellation

You may cancel your subscription at any time through your account settings
Cancellation is effective at 11:59 PM on the 30th day of your current billing cycle
You will retain access to the Platform until the end of your paid period
No refunds will be issued for the remaining days of your billing cycle
You will receive confirmation of cancellation with the exact date access will end

5.6 Price Changes

We reserve the right to change subscription prices with 30 days' notice. Price changes will not affect your current billing cycle but will apply to subsequent renewal periods.

6. Free Trials

6.1 Free Trial Terms

Free trials are 7 days in duration
Payment information must be provided at trial sign-up
No charge during the 7-day trial period
Automatic conversion to paid subscription at 12:00 AM on day 8
Trial recipients can cancel anytime during the trial without charge
Trial subscriptions are for new users only (one per person)

7. Content Policies for Authors

7.1 Content Ownership and Rights

By uploading content to Novel Stacks, you represent and warrant that:

You own all rights to the content or have obtained all necessary permissions
Your content does not infringe on any copyright, trademark, patent, or other intellectual property rights
You retain all ownership rights to your content
You have the authority to grant Novel Stacks the license described in Section 7.3

7.2 License Grant to Novel Stacks

By uploading content, you grant Novel Stacks a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to:

Store, reproduce, and distribute your content on the Platform
Display your content to subscribed Readers
Create derivative works necessary for technical operation (e.g., format conversion, compression)
Use your author name, book titles, and descriptions for promotional purposes

This license continues for as long as your content remains on the Platform.

7.3 Content Requirements

Authors must:

Upload content in acceptable formats: EPUB, PDF, MOBI (ebooks); MP3, M4A, M4B (audiobooks)
Ensure content meets minimum quality standards
Provide accurate metadata (title, description, category, etc.)
Upload a minimum of 3 chapters for serialized content before publication
Comply with all applicable laws and regulations

7.4 Adult Content Warning

Authors must check the "Adult Content" box if their content contains adult material
Adult material includes: explicit sexual content, graphic violence, or other mature themes
When checked, a warning will automatically display: "⚠️ This book contains adult content. Reader discretion is advised."
Authors should include specific trigger warnings in the book description
Failure to properly mark adult content may result in content removal and account suspension

7.5 Prohibited Content

You may not upload content that:

Violates any law or regulation
Infringes on intellectual property rights of others
Contains malware, viruses, or malicious code
Promotes hatred, violence, or discrimination
Exploits or harms minors in any way
Contains non-consensual intimate imagery
Is deceptive, fraudulent, or misleading
Violates the privacy rights of others
Constitutes spam or unsolicited advertising

7.6 Content Moderation

Authors can publish content immediately without pre-approval
Novel Stacks reserves the right to review any content at any time
We may remove content that violates these Terms without prior notice
Authors will be notified of content removal with a stated reason
Removed content requires admin approval before reposting
Repeated violations may result in account termination

7.7 Duplicate Content

Duplication of content already on the Platform is not allowed
Authors may not upload content they do not have rights to
DMCA takedown requests will be processed according to Section 12

7.8 Author Content Deletion

Authors may delete their content at any time
Important: If an Author removes all published content, their free Author account will automatically convert to a paid Reader subscription ($11.95/month)
To avoid conversion to paid subscription, Authors must cancel their account entirely before or after removing content
Authors are encouraged to notify readers of pending content removal by adding a removal date to the book description
Deleted content is immediately inaccessible to all Readers
Novel Stacks is not liable for reader dissatisfaction due to content removal

7.9 Non-Exclusivity

Authors are not required to publish exclusively on Novel Stacks
Authors may publish the same content on other platforms
Authors retain all rights to distribute their work elsewhere

8. Reader Rights and Restrictions

8.1 Access Rights

Active subscribers may:

Read/access all ebooks on the Platform
Listen to all audiobooks on the Platform
Bookmark and save reading progress
Leave reviews and ratings
Create and customize their profile

8.2 Restrictions

Readers may not:

Share their account credentials with others
Download content for redistribution or commercial use
Remove digital rights management (DRM) or other protections
Reproduce, modify, or create derivative works from Platform content
Use automated systems (bots, scrapers) to access content
Resell, rent, or sublicense access to content
Access content after subscription cancellation or suspension

8.3 Content Availability

Novel Stacks does not guarantee continuous availability of specific content
Authors may remove their content at any time
Removed content is immediately inaccessible with no refunds or compensation
We are not liable for content removal by authors

9. Reviews and Ratings

9.1 Posting Reviews

Readers may:

Rate content on a 1-5 star scale
Write text reviews (maximum 1,000 characters)
Review any content they have accessed

9.2 Review Guidelines

Reviews must not:

Contain hate speech, harassment, or personal attacks
Include spoilers without warning
Violate any applicable laws
Contain spam or promotional content
Include personal information of others

9.3 Review Moderation

Novel Stacks reserves the right to remove reviews that violate these Terms
Authors cannot delete reviews but may respond
Users may flag inappropriate reviews for moderation
Repeated violations may result in loss of review privileges

10. Affiliate Program

10.1 Program Overview

Novel Stacks offers an affiliate program allowing members to earn commissions by referring new users.

10.2 Affiliate Commissions

Reader Referrals:

Subscription Commission:

50% commission on monthly subscription fees
Commissions paid for all active referrals each month
Example: Each active referred Reader generates $5.98/month commission

Page Reading Commission:

$0.0002 per page read (2% of 1 cent per page)
Based on fixed page breaks set by authors
Monthly cap: 100,000 pages per referred reader (maximum $20/month additional earnings per referral)
Commissions calculated monthly based on total pages read
Stacks with subscription commission

Combined Example:

Referred reader maintains subscription: $5.98/month
Referred reader reads 50,000 pages: $10.00/month
Total monthly commission: $15.98/month for this referral

Author Referrals:

One-time $3.00 bonus payment
Paid when referred Author completes registration and uploads first content

10.3 Affiliate Terms

Unique referral link provided to each member
30-day cookie tracking for attribution
Minimum payout threshold: $25.00
Payments processed monthly on the 1st of each month
Payment via PayPal or bank transfer

10.4 Prohibited Affiliate Activities

Affiliates may not:

Use spam or unsolicited emails to promote referral links
Create fake accounts or self-referrals
Use misleading advertising or false claims
Engage in fraud or manipulation of the tracking system
Violate any applicable advertising laws or regulations

10.5 Affiliate Termination

We reserve the right to:

Terminate affiliate participation for violations
Withhold commissions for fraudulent referrals
Modify or discontinue the affiliate program with 30 days' notice

11. Intellectual Property Rights

11.1 Platform Ownership

Novel Stacks, including its design, features, functionality, and content (excluding user-generated content), is owned by Novel Stacks and protected by copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws.

11.2 Trademarks

Novel Stacks® and associated logos are trademarks of Novel Stacks. You may not use these trademarks without prior written permission.

11.3 User Content

Authors retain copyright to their uploaded content
Readers retain copyright to their reviews
By posting content, users grant Novel Stacks the licenses described in these Terms

12. Copyright Infringement and DMCA

12.1 DMCA Compliance

Novel Stacks complies with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). We respond to valid takedown notices and terminate repeat infringers.

12.2 Filing a DMCA Notice

If you believe content on Novel Stacks infringes your copyright, submit a notice to:

DMCA Agent

Novel Stacks

Email: admin@novelstacks.com

Your notice must include:

Physical or electronic signature of copyright owner
Identification of the copyrighted work
Identification of the infringing material and its location
Your contact information
Statement of good faith belief
Statement of accuracy under penalty of perjury

12.3 Counter-Notice

If your content is removed due to a DMCA notice and you believe it was removed in error, you may file a counter-notice following DMCA procedures.

13. Privacy and Data Protection

Your use of Novel Stacks is also governed by our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated into these Terms by reference. By using the Platform, you consent to our collection and use of your information as described in the Privacy Policy.

14. Disclaimers and Limitation of Liability

14.1 No Warranties

NOVEL STACKS IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO:

Warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose
Warranties of uninterrupted or error-free service
Warranties regarding content accuracy, quality, or availability
Warranties that the Platform is free from viruses or harmful components

14.2 Content Quality

We do not guarantee the quality, accuracy, or legality of user-generated content
We are not responsible for content posted by authors
We do not endorse any content, opinions, or recommendations on the Platform

14.3 Limitation of Liability

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, NOVEL STACKS SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR:

Indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages
Loss of profits, revenue, data, or business opportunities
Damages arising from content removal by authors
Damages from unauthorized access to your account
Any damages exceeding the amount you paid to Novel Stacks in the 12 months preceding the claim

14.4 User Responsibility

You acknowledge that:

You use the Platform at your own risk
You are responsible for your interactions with other users
You are responsible for backing up any content you upload
Novel Stacks has no obligation to store your content indefinitely

15. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Novel Stacks, its officers, directors, employees, and agents from any claims, damages, losses, liabilities, and expenses (including legal fees) arising from:

Your violation of these Terms
Your violation of any law or rights of others
Your use of the Platform
Content you upload or post
Your affiliate activities

16. Termination

16.1 Termination by You

You may terminate your account at any time by:

Cancelling your subscription through account settings
Contacting customer support
Following the cancellation procedures outlined in Section 5.5

16.2 Termination by Us

We may suspend or terminate your account immediately without notice if:

You violate these Terms
You engage in fraudulent or illegal activity
Your payment fails repeatedly
We discontinue the Platform
Required by law

16.3 Effect of Termination

Upon termination:

Your access to the Platform ends immediately (or at end of billing cycle for voluntary cancellation)
Your content may be deleted (Authors should download their content before cancellation)
Unpaid affiliate commissions under $25 minimum may be forfeited
Sections of these Terms that should survive termination remain in effect

17. Dispute Resolution

17.1 Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of United States of America, without regard to conflict of law principles.

17.2 Arbitration Agreement

Any dispute arising from these Terms or your use of Novel Stacks shall be resolved through binding arbitration rather than in court, except:

Small claims court disputes
Intellectual property disputes
Disputes seeking injunctive relief

17.3 Class Action Waiver

You agree to bring claims only in your individual capacity and not as part of any class or representative action.

17.4 Informal Resolution

Before filing arbitration, you agree to first contact us at admin@novelstacks.com to attempt informal resolution.

18. General Provisions

18.1 Entire Agreement

These Terms, along with our Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and Novel Stacks.

18.2 Severability

If any provision is found unenforceable, the remaining provisions remain in full effect.

18.3 No Waiver

Our failure to enforce any provision does not waive our right to enforce it later.

18.4 Assignment

You may not assign these Terms without our written consent. We may assign these Terms without restriction.

18.5 Force Majeure

We are not liable for delays or failures due to circumstances beyond our reasonable control.

18.6 Updates to Terms

We may update these Terms at any time. Material changes will be communicated via:

Email notification
Platform notification
Updated "Last Updated" date at the top of this document

Continued use after changes constitutes acceptance of updated Terms.

19. Contact Information

For questions about these Terms, contact us at:

Novel Stacks