Terms of Service

1. Cosy Crime Specialist Terms

By using the Cosy Crime website (cosy-crime.com) and submitting to our specialist mystery imprint, you agree to these terms in addition to the general Rhubarb Press Terms of Service.

2. Cosy Crime Submission Requirements

• Genre Compliance: Works not fitting cosy crime criteria will be declined
• Series Potential: We prefer works with ongoing character development potential
• British Preference: Strong preference for UK/British Commonwealth settings
• Minimum Length: Minimum 70,000 words for full consideration
• Complete Manuscripts: We only consider finished novels, not proposals

3. Mystery Publishing Standards

By submitting cosy crime fiction, you warrant that:

• Your work contains no plagiarism of existing mystery plots or characters
• You understand the conventions of traditional British crime fiction
• Any real locations or professions are accurately portrayed
• You own all rights to characters, settings, and plot elements
• The work has not been submitted to other cosy crime specialists simultaneously

4. Evaluation Process

Our cosy crime evaluation includes:

• Genre Assessment: First screening for cosy crime compliance
• Plot Analysis: Evaluation of mystery structure and clue placement
• Character Development: Assessment of amateur sleuth and supporting cast
• Setting Authenticity: Review of community dynamics and local colour
• Series Potential: Consideration of ongoing story possibilities
• Market Fit: Analysis of position within our cosy crime catalog

5. Response and Feedback

For cosy crime submissions:

• Standard response time: 8-12 weeks for initial review
• Genre-specific feedback provided for near-misses
• Referrals to appropriate mystery publishers when work doesn't fit our list
• Invitation to resubmit future cosy crime works if current submission shows promise

6. Publication Agreements

If we accept your cosy crime novel, separate publishing agreements will address mystery-specific terms including series development, character rights, and ongoing mystery marketing strategies.

7. Community Standards

Cosy Crime maintains high community standards:

• Respectful communication with our editorial team
• Understanding that rejection reflects genre fit, not writing quality
• Professional behavior when interacting with other cosy crime authors
• Adherence to traditional mystery genre conventions

8. Intellectual Property in Mystery Fiction

Special considerations for cosy crime submissions include protection of plot twists, recurring characters, series concepts, and distinctive amateur sleuth characteristics until publication agreements are finalized.