These are the fields on the ARC order form and the expected values. Only the fields with an Asterix(*) next to it are required at the time of booking, the others can be updated later (after booking, you’ll be sent an edit link you can use to update the info you added below – or if you created an author account, you can access it via your Author Dashboard).

However, if you are signing up for the waiting list it is recommended to fill out as much information as possible about your book. The more we know about your book, the more likely you are to be offered an earlier slot if one becomes available. Bookings with hardly any info added are rarely moved earlier.

Email Address*

This is the email address that we will send reminders and/or questions about your booking, and is also the email address that will be sent the final Paypal balance.  So make sure you enter it correctly.  If you don’t get a confirmation email regarding your booking within 30 mins of completing your order and paying your deposit, check your SPAM or JUNK folders.  If you still can’t find it, email us.

Book Title

The title of your book.

Pen Name

The author name on the book.  This can be your real name, or your pen name – whatever you put as author for this book.

Book Blurb/Description

This is where you write your blurb that will go to potential ARC readers. This does not need to match your book store blurb. Remember, you are targeting readers most likely to enjoy your book (since they’ll be leaving reviews) so make sure to be very honest and straightforward about things – adding notes about any potential triggers or elements that may upset or bother typical readers of this genre. If you are including previous books of a series (because the book you’re sending is not the first in a non-stand-alone series) then you should mention that here as well. Even if your book can stand-alone but is still part of an ongoing series, you should mention it.

Book Length*

Select Novel, Novella or Short story, as appropriate.

Number of Words (Approx)

Enter the approximate number of WORDS (not pages!) in your book.  You can round, it doesn’t need to be exact.  Just gives readers an idea of what they’re in for.

Sub Genres/Sub Categories

This is a free form field that you can use to further define your book within the overall genre you selected before starting this form. Please separate with commas and capitalize each sub category. Example:

Contemporary Romance, Small Town, Bad Boy Billionaire

Book Cover

Please upload a cover of less than 1 meg. If your book is already published on Amazon, easiest thing is to just go to your product page, right click on the cover to save it, and then upload that version as it’s already resized nicely.

Number of Reviewers*

This is the number of reader/reviewers you are looking for us to send the book to. Minimum order is 50, but if you want us to send to as many as possible just select MAX. For MAX orders, your final bill won’t exceed $400 – the price of about 140 readers – but we will still to more than 140 if the demand is there. Note that if you get less readers than requested, you are only billed for the number that reserve the book, even if it is less than our minimum. Please read How Much Does It Cost for full pricing details before ordering.

Although this field is required at the time of booking, you can change it later.

Has your book Been released?

Is your book already published, yes or no.

Release Date (this field only appears if you selected No to the question above)

Enter the date your book will be released. Note that by default, the first review reminder for your book goes out a week after we send the book files to readers. However, if you enter a release date that is longer than 1 week, the reminder will go out on that date instead. We do not recommend sending your book out more than 2-3 weeks prior to your release date as readers in our program read a lot of books, and if they have to wait that long before leaving a review they may forget the details, leading to lower quality or even fewer reviews. Most readers can finish a book within a week or two, and they can always leave a review later than that.

Review Sites

By default, all of the review sites that we support are selected, maximizing the number of readers that will be able to reserve this book. If your book is not available on any of the platforms selected, or if you do not want reviews on any of these platforms, please unselect the corresponding checkboxes. (You can edit these later, before your ARC date, if needed)

• Amazon
• Bookbub
• Google Play Books
• Apple Books
• Goodreads
• Kobo
• Barnes & Noble

Remember, the more sites that you select, the more potential reviews you will get. Amazon is very restrictive, and gets worse every year, blocking many real people from leaving reviews and thus many can only review on other sites. Even if you are in KDP Select, you can still get reviews on sites like Goodreads and Bookbub.

Book Links and ASINs

For each checkbox that you leave selected above, a corresponding field will show up where you leave your book link or Amazon ASINs. While these fields are not required at the time of booking, without them we cannot collect reviews as readers need to know how to find your book. Review reminders will only go out when ALL of the fields corresponding to your checkboxes are filled in. If you don’t get them in before the deadline, you are responsible for emailing them to us before your publication date or your reviews may be delayed.

For examples of the links we need for each review site, expand the following:

Can We Mention Your Book?

By answering yes here, you are giving us permission to mention your book on social media or on our web site as being one of the books that has used our ARC service. For example we sometimes write blogs about highly reviewed books of certain genres, and include books that have used our service (and selected YES to this question) as part of that list. Those blogs link to your book, giving you exposure to more readers than just the ARC readers.

We might also post occasionally on social media sites, etc.

Waiting List

As our service has grown in popularity, our schedule has become packed.  While we continue to work on this issue by adding new readers, we’ve also added a waiting list.

If you want to be considered for an earlier slot, please select yes and fill in a date for the next question.

Please note that the waiting list isn’t necessarily a first come, first serve waiting list but based more on best fit – so it is essential to fill in as much info as possible on your order if you want to be considered for an earlier slot, and being on the waiting list does not guarantee you’ll get an earlier slot. Thus do not book a slot for a date that you aren’t going to take. 

Waiting List Date (field only shows up if you said Yes to the question above)

If you answered Yes to being on the waiting list, you must enter the earliest possible date you wish to be moved to.  You will not be offered anything earlier, but you may be offered dates on or later than that date.  If you’re offered a date later and you accept it, you can still remain on the waiting list in case something even earlier comes up.

As many authors change their mind when offered a new spot, we do not automatically move books without first confirming the new date with the author. These offers are sent via email and are time sensitive, so please make sure to respond ASAP. We try to give at least a day before offering the spot to someone else, but in cases of last minute openings it is often first come first serve.

General note about Books File uploads

Please upload your files as soon as possible, but the day before your scheduled to be sent out is the latest you can send them in.  If you are waiting until the last minute, please let us know!

Ideal file size is 5 megs or less, but they have to be less than 10 megs per file or they cannot be uploaded or sent out.  It is the author’s responsibility to ensure that the books are sized appropriately and sent in on time.  If you cannot get us the files on time or within the size limits, your ARC will be canceled and no refunds are offered for your deposit.

If you need help with file conversion, we do offer that service for an extra $10 per file but it depends on what you can provide as the source. We would need either a formatted word processing doc or an eBook file to use as the source, we cannot use PDF files as the source and create other formats from that. Contact us for more info or help.

MOBI File (No longer accepted)

As of August 2022, Amazon dropped support for MOBI files completely so we no longer accept them at all either.

ePub File – REQUIRED

Please upload your ePub version of your book. ePub versions are required, and are the preferred format for reading eBooks by the vast majority of readers.

PDF File – REQUIRED

Please upload your PDF version of your book.  PDF versions are required before we send out your ARC, and subject to the notes above. Worried about sending out a PDF copy?  Read this.

Are you living in Canada (if so, we must charge GST/HST)

As Hidden Gems is located in Canada, we are required to charge fellow Canadian’s GST/HST for any orders.  Taxes will be applied to your deposit and final balance automatically, based on the province you select in the Province field that shows up if you select Yes to this question.