About Loyal Lyre

Loyal Lyre is the publishing imprint of British indie author Jessica O'Toole. "Indie" across this site means those who are self-published or published by small, independent presses.

If you are an indie author with a great book, get in touch about being featured via reviews, author spotlights or blog tours.

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If you are a new indie author looking for independent alpha or beta reading services, proofreaders or other help go here.

About Loyal Lyre

Featuring your Book
Submitting
This scheme is free of charge, and intended to open up indie writers, new or established, to new readers, especially those interested in enhancing their reading lists with independent authors.
Loyal Lyre purchases and reads at least one indie book per month under the Book of the Month scheme. Where your book is accepted the purchase and reading will take place at some point in your allotted month. Only books available in paperback format can be accepted at this time.
Reviews
This service will not produce an automatic five-lyre review because it is independent. Your book will be assessed on its merits, and the review will be honest and in-depth enough to provide a complete overview.
Please be aware there is only one reader, and so once your book is accepted be patient in awaiting your review, and it is appreciated you do not chase this up – I can be very busy like I imagine you are!
If for any reason your book cannot be read in the allotted month it will be made priority for the following month. If it is finished early, the next month’s book may be brought forward to share the allotted month.
There are rare occasions where a Book of the Month allotment may be best served not being reviewed. You will be contacted if this is the case, with discretion and reasoning.
Reviews are posted on Loyal Lyre, Goodreads and Amazon. If there are specific websites other than these you wish the review to be posted, this can be arranged through contact before review, or if you release the book later on another platform.
Features
Regardless of lyre-rating featured books will be shown on the Book of the Month page in month order and will be given a book blurb page with purchase link(s).
Links to the book on Amazon and the author’s page on Goodreads (and other retailers where requested) will be added to the review post and pages specifically featuring your book.

Author Spotlights
Where a Book of the Month has been read and given a 4 or 5 review, the author is invited for a Spotlight Feature page. This will be arranged with the author after the review has posted, and will usually be in the form of an email exchange to allow and organic exchange and fit around busy schedules. If you prefer, there can be a standard randomised question list that you can complete, where you may choose the questions. However, some questions may not relate directly to your book.

Standard Book Reviews
Other indie books are read and reviewed as standard where possible. Although to guarantee a review a book must be submitted through the BotM scheme, if you want your indie book to be added to Loyal Lyre’s reading list so that it may be read in the future please send a message or visit Loyal Lyre’s Goodreads page and recommend.



Policies

Privacy Policy
All submitted personal data is treated as strictly private and confidential. Loyal Lyre will never pass on or sell your personally identifiable data or information to any other party when submitted directly via any means. Ever. If you wish to have your details deleted from Loyal Lyre's records, or be removed from any lists you have signed up to, you can request it directly and it will be honoured.
The only exceptions are where third-party processing is used (eg. Paypal) where you submit data directly through their systems. Please see the individual payment processor’s Data Protection for advice how your data is used by third parties. Additonally, if you leave comments on a publicly viewable forum or comments section on this site where your consent is implied by your posting it. If you don't want it public, don't post it! Sign-up forms
Only email addresses that are submitted via the sign-up forms are used for newsletters. If you submit your email for a Book of the Month slot or for information, your email address is used only for those purposes. But you are of course invited to sign up and keep in touch!
Cookies Policy
Cookies may be used and stored on your device for ease of use. They can be deleted through your browser where this happens. Google Analytics This is used across this site to understand visitor usage. It is anonymous, but if you do not want to be anonamously analysed, certainly close the site at your leisure. Amazon Associates (AA) This is used across this site for linking books to Amazon sale pages to keep Loyal Lyre going, as AA . You are free to search for books manually if you don't want to link via AA.



Services

I provide services on a personal basis. All services require payment of 50% upfront, and 50% when due for delivery. Additionally, I will accept payment in fiat electronic currency or otherwise gold, silver, books of specific interest and suchlike, payment in kind (i.e. in similar services) and so on. Goodwill Tokens I am also looking to operate at some future point Goodwill Tokens. These are tokens that can be used against services to those who have offered for no recompense help and assistance to other independent writers. This will mean you can claim a discount for paid services on Loyal Lyre. Anyone who is interested in a scheme such as this kindly get in touch. Follow-ups I also take part in follow up questions and discussion for no charge, so if you have anything you want to clarify or expand upon, kindly contact me after you have reviewed your read. This does not include re-reading, or reading new material. Incomplete Reads In the very rare occurence (it has happened once) that I at any time believe I cannot complete a read for whatever reason (you will be advised exactly what), I will refund any excess up to the point I have completed. For example, if I have completed 30% of a read, I will refund the extra 20%. All reads that reach 50% will be completed.



Publishing

Loyal Lyre is currently going through a few changes... ​ It's hoped and expected that Loyal Lyre will be open for submissions from 2021. ​ If you want to be advised in the future when publishing submissions are open, please register your interest.



Terms & Conditions

Writers, creatives and bookworms have too little time to be frustrated and unhappy when we buy online. At Loyal Lyre we want customers to be 100% satisfied with not only your purchase but your experience from start to finish. Servies and goods are provided privately, and not as part of a corporation. Goods are phyical or digital products, and services are skills and assistance I provide to you and your work.
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If you are in any way unhappy with your goods, please let me know as soon as you receive them so it can be remedied. The only non-returnables are digital goods, as they are literally non-returnable.
Normal delivery is between 3-5 days from date of despatch, but estimated time will be advised during ordering.

All effort is made to get your order out sooner than stated.



Lawful and Legal

JESSICA O'TOOLE and LOYAL LYRE, and all images, logos and derivations, are Copyright and Trademark property of Jessica Frances O'Toole. All usage is subject to copyright laws and may be used only under Fair Use terms.