User Rights and Responsibilities

You are welcome to browse, read, and share content from totemjou.com for personal, non‑commercial purposes, provided that you do not alter the content and you credit Totem Jou Publishing where appropriate.

By using this site, you agree that you will not reproduce, duplicate, copy, sell, resell, or exploit any portion of this website or its content for commercial purposes without prior express written permission from Totem Jou Publishing. You further agree not to use this site for any unlawful purpose or in any manner that could damage, disable, overburden, or impair the site, or interfere with any other party’s use and enjoyment of it.

Manuscript Submissions

Totem Jou Publishing currently welcomes manuscript submissions from underrepresented creators based in the DMV area. By submitting a manuscript through our site or via email, you represent and warrant that the work is your original creation, that you hold the necessary rights to submit it for consideration, and that your submission does not infringe any third‑party rights.

Submitting a manuscript does not guarantee publication, does not create a contractual obligation on the part of Totem Jou Publishing, and does not transfer any ownership of your work to Totem Jou Publishing. We will not share, reproduce, or distribute submitted manuscripts beyond internal review without your explicit written consent.

If your work is selected for publication, a separate publishing agreement will be provided outlining all terms, rights, profit share, and responsibilities. Only once that agreement is executed will any publishing relationship or obligations arise.

Intellectual Property

All content on totemjou.com — including, without limitation, the Totem Jou Publishing name and logo, website copy, book covers, artwork, promotional materials, and published titles such as Wobblestrut & Other Proclivities and Vahmroh Tamer — is the property of Totem Jou Publishing or the respective creators and is protected by copyright, trademark, and other applicable intellectual property laws.

Creators published through Totem Jou Publishing retain ownership of their original work, subject to any rights granted to Totem Jou Publishing under a separately executed publishing agreement. Nothing on this site transfers ownership of any creator’s intellectual property to Totem Jou Publishing beyond what is expressly stated in such an agreement.

Unauthorized use, reproduction, or distribution of any content on this site may violate copyright, trademark, and other applicable laws and is strictly prohibited.

Purchases and Third-Party Platforms

Totem Jou Publishing titles are currently available for purchase through third‑party platforms such as Amazon and IngramSpark. Merchandise may be available through platforms such as Shopify. All purchases made through these services are subject to the respective terms, conditions, and privacy policies of those third‑party providers.

Totem Jou Publishing does not control and is not responsible for the operation of these platforms, including any transactions, billing issues, disputes, or service interruptions that may arise. Any concerns related to purchases, refunds, or account matters should be directed to the relevant third‑party provider. We encourage you to review the terms and privacy policies of Amazon, IngramSpark, Shopify, and any other platforms you use before making a purchase.

Disclaimer of Warranties

Totem Jou Publishing makes no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, regarding the accuracy, completeness, reliability, or availability of any content on this site. The website and all content are provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis.

We do not warrant that the site will be uninterrupted, timely, secure, error‑free, or free of viruses or other harmful components. To the fullest extent permitted by law, Totem Jou Publishing disclaims all warranties, including any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non‑infringement. Your use of this site is at your sole risk.

Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, Totem Jou Publishing shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, exemplary, or punitive damages arising out of or in connection with your use of, or inability to use, this website or its content, even if we have been advised of the possibility of such damages.

In no event shall Totem Jou Publishing’s total liability to you for any claims arising out of or related to your use of this site exceed the amount you paid, if any, to access the site or its services during the twelve (12) months preceding the event giving rise to the claim.

Indemnification

By using this site, you agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless Totem Jou Publishing, its founders, employees, contractors, affiliates, and agents from and against any and all claims, damages, obligations, losses, liabilities, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising out of or related to:

• your use of this site or its content;
• your violation of these Terms; or
• your violation of any third‑party rights, including, without limitation, intellectual property, privacy, or publicity rights.

This obligation survives your use of the site and any termination of these Terms.

Changes to These Terms

Totem Jou Publishing reserves the right to update, modify, or replace these Terms at any time. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated “Last Updated” date.

Your continued use of this site after any changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the revised Terms. If you do not agree to the updated Terms, you must stop using the site.

Contact

If you have any questions about these Terms & Conditions or your use of this site, you can contact us at: pub@totemjou.com.

Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms and any disputes arising out of or related to your use of this site shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Maryland, without regard to its conflict of law principles.

You agree that any legal action or proceeding arising out of or related to these Terms or your use of this site shall be brought exclusively in the state or federal courts located in Maryland, and you hereby consent to the personal jurisdiction and venue of such courts.