Introduction and Acceptance of Terms

Welcome to Severn River Publishing, LLC ("Severn River", "we", "us", or "our") Manuscript Submission Portal. By submitting your manuscript, synopsis, or any other materials (collectively, the "Submission") through this portal, you agree to comply with and be bound by the following Terms of Service ("TOS"). These TOS govern the submission of materials for consideration by Severn River Publishing, LLC and its subsidiaries.

Please read these TOS carefully. If you do not agree to these terms, you are not authorized to make a Submission. Your Submission indicates your acceptance of these TOS.

Intellectual Property Rights

Ownership and Rights: By submitting a manuscript ("Submission") to Severn River Publishing, LLC ("SRP") and its subsidiaries, you affirm that you are the lawful owner of all intellectual property rights to the Submission or have been authorized by the lawful owner to submit the Submission.  SRP acknowledges that the evaluation of your Submission does not constitute a transfer of any intellectual property rights. All rights to the Submission, including copyright and ownership rights, remain with you, the submitter, during the evaluation process.  The rights outlined herein are temporary and only applicable during the time that SRP and its subsidiaries evaluate your Submission.  In the event that your Submission is accepted for publication, a separate agreement outlining the transfer or licensing of intellectual property rights will be provided.

Use of Manuscript

By submitting your manuscript to Severn River Publishing, LLC and its subsidiaries ("Company"), you grant us a limited, non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use your Submission for the specific purpose of evaluating its potential for publication by the Company.

The Company may use artificial intelligence tools and other software (“Evaluation Tools”) for its internal manuscript assessment. Your Submission may be used to validate and optimize the Company's manuscript Evaluation Tools, without generating any publishing-related derivative works from your manuscript. Intellectual property related to the Evaluation Tools remains the sole property of the Company, irrespective of the use of your Submission in the evaluation process.

Liability Limitation

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, Severn River Publishing, LLC and its subsidiaries disclaim liability for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or exemplary damages, including but not limited to damages for loss of profits, goodwill, data, or other intangible losses, that may arise from your Submission.

Data Protection & Privacy

Your privacy is of the utmost importance to Severn River Publishing, LLC and its subsidiaries. Any personal data you provide during the submission process, including but not limited to name, contact information, and any other identifying information, will be securely stored and only accessed by authorized personnel. Your data will be used solely for the purpose of evaluating your manuscript submission and will not be shared with third parties, except as required by law. We may also use your contact information to inform you of future opportunities or services from Severn River Publishing, LLC and its subsidiaries.

Dispute Resolution

Any disputes arising from or related to these Terms of Service shall be resolved exclusively through binding arbitration, conducted within the jurisdiction where Severn River Publishing, LLC is registered. The arbitration shall be conducted in accordance with the rules of the American Arbitration Association or a similar recognized arbitration body.

Amendment Clause

Severn River Publishing, LLC, and its subsidiaries reserve the right to amend these Terms of Service at any time. It is the submitter's responsibility to review these Terms periodically for any changes. Continued submission of manuscripts will be considered acceptance of those changes.

Acknowledgment of Understanding

By submitting your manuscript, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to abide by these Terms of Service.

Termination Clause

Severn River Publishing, LLC and its subsidiaries reserve the right to cease the evaluation or use of a submitted manuscript at any time and for any reason, at their sole discretion, without liability.

Governing Law

These Terms of Service and any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with them shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Virginia, without giving effect to any choice or conflict of law provision or rule.

Severability

If any provision of these Terms of Service is held to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, such provision shall be deemed severed from these Terms and the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect.

Waiver

Failure to enforce any right or provision of these Terms of Service will not constitute a waiver of future enforcement of that right or provision.

Entire Agreement

These Terms of Service constitute the entire agreement between Severn River Publishing, LLC, its subsidiaries, and the manuscript submitter. They supersede and replace any prior agreements or understandings between the parties regarding manuscript submissions.