Frequently Asked Questions

Where do the ebooks come from?

All ebooks available are exclusively published by imprints Always Inspired Writing and Sunflower Romance Press. Both AIW and SRP are one publishing entity - a one-person Polish press owned and operated by M. Foti, founded in January 2019.

Who are the authors publishing here?

Always Inspired Writing / Sunflower Romance Press operates with a unique approach to authorship. Rather than traditional individual authors, we utilize author brands: Maxine Foti, Tina Isabel Leung, and Seraphine Blair. These brands represent distinct writing styles and genres within our catalog. All ebooks published under these brands are crafted in-house by the owner of AIW / SRP, M. Foti. She owns all rights to all books by all author brands published here, and is therefore free to distribute them on itch.io.

Are the ebooks copyrighted?

Yes, all ebooks sold here are protected by copyright. As a customer, you are not permitted to share or distribute these pdf files anywhere. It's crucial to adhere to the copyright notice included in each book. Remember, purchasing a book grants you personal reading rights but does not transfer ownership of the copyright or allow for unauthorized distribution. 

Are the ebooks written by AI?

All ebooks published on this platform are written, edited and prepared for publishing by M. Foti - some may be crafted with the assistance of AI tools. However, it is important to note the following: while advanced AI writing and editing tools are utilized to enhance efficiency and quality, human creativity, expertise, and decision-making are at the core of every ebook's creation. Each ebook undergoes a rigorous quality improvement process to meet the high standards our readers expect.

Is this an amateur writing project?

No. Since its launch in 2019, this small publishing press known under the imprints Always Inspired Writing / Sunflower Romance Press, established itself as a professional publishing entity, producing a substantial catalog of high-quality short stories and ebooks that rival those released by traditional publishing houses. 

We great pride in the commitment to excellence, ensuring that all ebooks are written in impeccable English and undergo rigorous editing processes using a variety of sophisticated tools.

At the helm of Always Inspired Writing is always M. Foti, the owner and driving force behind the press. With years of experience as a published author, professional ghostwriter, and indie press CEO, M. Foti brings an abundance of industry knowledge and expertise to every project. Regardless of which author brand a book is published under, M. Foti personally oversees its development, guaranteeing consistent quality across all publications.

Are the books pirated? I saw them on Amazon.

Absolutely not. The books published here are distributed directly by M. Foti, the owner of Always Inspired Writing / Sunflower Romance Press, and all author brands released by the two imprints. Consequently, she is the ultimate owner of every single book published, regardless of the author brand stated on the cover. So, this is not a case of piracy but rather an example of wide distribution by the rightful owner. You may have seen these books on Amazon because it was our main distributor for many years. We have, however, suspended the cooperation with Amazon, due to a variety of reasons. While we didn't remove our books from there, we ceased to publish new ones.

Why author brands? Why not real authors?

M. Foti established her private press primarily to publish and monetize her own personal works. Author brands were created to provide readers with a uniform experience across diverse genres and styles. Perhaps, M. Foti will create more author brands in the future, to further distinguish between different works.

Will Always Inspired Writing ever publish other authors?

Maybe yes, maybe no. From a legal and financial standpoint, managing author brands owned by a single individual proves much more straightforward than dealing with multiple authors. And that's because, sublicensing content owned by other authors is typically limited to brief periods, while costs remain. Publishers are also expected to offer authors comprehensive services and promotion, which is challenging for a one-person press with limited funds. Additionally, given the accessibility of self-publishing tools today, we consider traditional publishing services largely redundant for our purposes.

Why should I buy the books here and not on Amazon?

By purchasing books directly from this platform, you're ensuring fair compensation for the ebooks, and recognizing the considerable effort invested in creating quality literature. 

Producing e-books takes hundreds of hours of hard work. Every book has to be ideated, outlined, written, edited, and polished - this takes time. If a ghostwriter or translator is hired, this means extra costs. We strive to always pay well to the people who are helping us, but this means high costs.

On Amazon, mass publishing of books has led to fierce competition and subsequent book price devaluation, which makes it difficult to sell an e-book at an honest price. If you want to support us, please buy the ebooks directly here, not on Amazon. 

Why are ratings disabled?

We've disabled ratings due to ongoing challenges in the online environment. Issues like trolling, mass review bombing, and abuse of the rating system that we have seen on Amazon, before, have led to this decision. To protect our brand and maintain fair representation of our content, we're focusing on more constructive forms of engagement.

We strongly encourage our community to share thoughts and feedback through reviews instead. This approach promotes meaningful dialogue, allows for detailed feedback, and creates opportunities for direct interaction. We appreciate your understanding and look forward to engaging with you through comments. Thank you for your continued support!

What are the guidelines for review writing?

To ensure your review remains published, please adhere to the following guidelines:

1. Be respectful, even if you didn't enjoy the book. It's fine to write negative reviews but being disrespectful and offensive won't be tolerated (moreover, it violates itch.io guidelines and you may get into trouble).

2. Maintain objectivity in your assessment. "I didn't like it" is subjective feedback and  not a reflection of the book's worth. While you didn't like the book, it still has value and may appeal to other readers. So, please, be objective with your feedback.  

3. Refrain from posting images or GIFs in your reviews as it creates a spammy reading experience for other commenters.

By following these rules, you can help ensure your review stays on the platform and contributes to the community's discussion.

Is Always Inspired Writing associated with Hasalynx Games?

Yes, there is an association. Hasalynx Games is a gaming project by M. Foti that sells visual novels and card games. Some of these games (but not all) are based on books published by Always Inspired Writing / Sunflower Romance Press.

M. Foti  has chosen to separate the publication of books and games for two main reasons. First, to avoid confusion: keeping books and games on separate platforms prevents potential mix-ups where customers might accidentally purchase an ebook thinking it's a game, or vice versa. And second, to cater to specific audiences: Always Inspired Writing / Sunflower Romance Press is primarily designed for readers who are interested in purchasing books, while Hasalynx Games caters to those seeking gaming experiences. 

Are the ebooks sold here and the games with the same titles on Hasalynx Games identical?

Generally, Hasalynx Games visual novels with the same titles as our ebooks follow the main storyline closely using mainly the same text, but may differ in several ways depending on the title. In particular, games might omit certain scenes, rearrange content, or add new endings. They may also include extra scenes for additional dating options. Additionally, certain games are based on earlier versions of our ebooks, which we continuously update and improve. Overall, when choosing between the book or game, consider your preferences: Do you want a polished, linear reading experience with refined text (an e-book), or a more dynamic, interactive story with potential alternative scenes and branches (a game)?

Why can't I find some ebooks here when there's a corresponding game on Hasalynx Games?

Some Hasalynx Games are based on public domain works which weren't published here. Since these ebooks are already freely available elsewhere (for example, on Project Gutenberg),  we aren't offering them here, it would be counterintuitive. 

Will all Always Inspired Writing e-books eventually be turned into games?

While we aspire to this goal, it's not always feasible due to the length and complexity of certain books, which require significant effort to adapt into games. Short stories generally take precedence in the game development process. If you particularly enjoy an ebook, you can help expedite its transformation into a game by submitting a request for its adaptation. Do so by asking in any comment section on Hasalynx Games.

 Are other language versions of ebooks available?

Some books have been translated into Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese as you may have seen on Amazon. We are working to make these translations available to you as well. Translations are more costly because we have to pay our translators, and we want to compensate them well.

Please note that making your own translation of our works to share with others, free or not, is strictly forbidden as it breaches our copyright. You can, however, create a machine translation for your own reading purposes, provided that it is only for your personal use and won't be shared anywhere.

Why are stories from the collections published separately?

Stories exceeding 5,000 words are often published individually to cater to readers who prefer purchasing single short stories rather than entire collections. This approach offers flexibility, allowing readers to acquire specific stories that interest them without committing to a full anthology. You can purchase the whole collection as a sale bundle.