Thank you for taking an interest in contacting me! Below is a quick form you can fill out and send immediately. However, if you prefer to contact me directly via email, feel free to send me a message at AshborneStardustEditing@gmail.com or via Twitter / Facebook.
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FAQs
How long will it take to receive the completed files?
The answer depends on your project and my availability, and we will discuss it via email. Each project is unique, and some projects may require more time than others, particularly if it’s a long manuscript or one that requires a lot of fact-checking or a multitude of edits. For custom covers, the more complicated the cover, or the more complex, the longer it might take, though I will endeavor to get it done as soon as possible.
For book formatting and pre-made covers, the turnaround will be much quicker. I will format files as quickly as I can, which will be within days. For pre-made covers, it will also be within days of payment — essentially, as quickly as it takes me to modify the original file and send it to you after the work is paid for in full.
Rest assured I will do whatever I can to make your work the best it can be. During the process, however, you can keep in touch with me to follow along with how it’s going.
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What genres of fiction do you accept?
Any! As a writer, I’m best known for fantasy and science fiction, whether it be part of the romance genre or mainstream. (High fantasy and LGBTQA+ fantasy/sci-fi romance are my particular specialties.) However, I read across genres and will treat every project with the same level of care and attention as any other. This includes contemporary, Young Adult, LGBTQIA+, erotica and BDSM, paranormal and paranormal romance, horror, and other genres.
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Do I need to pay a deposit?
For most services, there is a deposit of 50%. This deposit applies to custom cover designs, copyediting projects, proofreading projects, and book formatting. Pre-made covers, however, must be paid for upfront.
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What forms of payment do you accept?
Only Paypal at this time.
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What if I want to purchase a pre-made cover now but don’t have the title, author name, etc. yet?
That’s okay! If you purchase the cover in full now, I’ll simply put it aside for you until you send me the details.
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With the cover designs, are the images and fonts licensed?
Yes and yes. The images used in the covers I design are licensed from official stock photo sites, such as Adobe Stock, Depositphotos, or CanStockPhoto. Many of the stock photo sites allow for the distribution of the images up to a certain number of copies. If those limits are exceeded, the images will require the purchase of an extended license for all images used. The cost of these images is included in the design fee.
The fonts used are available for commercial use, some of which require a commercial license, which is paid for by me and included in the cost of your design. If there is a specific font you want to use on your custom cover, it must be available for commercial use, whether under a paid license or for free (such as operating under an SIL Open Font license). If the font you want isn’t available for commercial use, I will try to find a similar font, if possible, or a new font that meets the licensing requirements.
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Do you use AI-generated images?
No. I do not use machine-learning programs (“AI”) to create covers, either in part or in full. Every effort is made to not create covers using AI-generated images, including those being sold on stock photo sites.
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How can I give you credit for your cover or editing services?
Thanks for asking! Here are a couple of options, completely at your discretion, whether you prefer the short or the long:
Ashborne Stardust Editing & Design
or,
Ashborne Stardust Editing & Design ~ http://www.ashbornestardust.com
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For print covers, what do I need to provide?
Most importantly, I need the final page count of your ready-to-print manuscript! The size of the print cover varies based on the number of pages in your work. More specifically, the spine of the book changes. A printer like Amazon provides templates for the covers, but they’re based on page count, where something like an additional twenty pages makes a difference.
I will also need the Trim Size and Type of Paper you’ve chosen for your book. Again, those specifications are needed to obtain the appropriate template for the design.
Please make sure that you’ve prepared your manuscript to be printed by whichever company you’ve chosen before work is started on the print cover. This means ensuring your work has been finalized and is ready to go to market as soon as the cover is finished. Otherwise, changes to the manuscript may change the size of the cover.
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Can I have the work files for the covers?
No. If you need changes made to your cover, please let me know and I’ll be happy to make them, then send you a new high-resolution version of your cover. This is due to the legal rules around the licenses for stock photos and fonts.
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For the cover designs, are there any types of covers that could be problematic?
If your work falls under the category of erotica, BDSM, or related themes that may use nudity and/or sexual imagery on the cover, you may run into a bit of a problem on the retail side of things. Please be aware of what the policies are of the platforms where you intend to sell your work! For example, Amazon does not like female nudity, full nudity, or suggestions of sexual activities on covers, meaning they could flag your work for removal. That doesn’t mean you can’t have a fantastic cover, though! It also doesn’t mean you can’t have a sexy cover at all. There are other options we can explore.
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Ashborne Stardust Editing & Design 