Screaming Dreams

Frequently Asked Questions

Please read the following information carefully before getting in touch, thanks.

Question : How do I contact you?
Answer : Because of the extremely high-rate of spam I receive these days I no longer list my e-mail openly on this site. Please use the new form on the Contact page, thanks. Sorry for any inconvenience caused.

Question : Why am I getting spam from Screaming Dreams?
You are not! I've noticed the spammers and scammers using variations of the SD e-mail address in the past, to send out their junk. But a more recent development is they are being more specific with their subject text, labelling them as "SD Newsletter" or "SD Account". It's a sad state of affairs that there's nothing much we can do to stop them spoofing valid e-mail addresses, to trick people into opening the messages. So be on your guard and I assure you that none of the junk comes from me! If you ever receive an e-mail labelled from SD with links to dodgy products or other websites, discard them right away.

Question : Who runs this site and what's it all about?
Answer : You can read further details on the About page.

Question : Why doesn't this new layout display properly in my browser?
Answer : The software I used to create this site should (in theory) be fully compatible with most modern systems. But due to the wide range of platforms, browsers, versions and settings in use around the world then it's inevitable that some visitors may encounter problems viewing the site. Please report any errors and I will do my best to fix them if I can.

Question : How do I order products from this site?
Answer : Any items that are for sale here will include an "Add To Cart" button somewhere on the product page. Click on this to update your basket contents and when you are ready proceed to the checkout and follow the instructions provided.

Question : How to do I pay for my order?
Answer : The new software I use to create this site has a slightly different approach for the shopping cart and checkout, so my apols for any confusion caused! The cart produces all the necessary details of your order and asks for your name, address, etc before sending the order e-mail to me. BUT after you complete the details and the e-mail is sent, it will take you to a page on the site which gives you the option to pay by Credit Card (via PayPal). Please click on that button link to complete you order by paying on the PayPal site, thank you. The link will automatically transfer the order number to the PayPal system so you don't need to enter any product details again. Once your payment has been cleared your order will be sent out. Please note that I will not ship any orders until payment is complete.

Question : Can you accept international orders?
Answer : Yes, the online ordering facility allows me to accept payments from around the world. Please note that you MUST use the PayPal option for overseas orders as I cannot accept non-UK cheques. UK buyers can of course also pay by cheque or postal order if they prefer. Please ask if you would want to pay by cheque/PO and I will provide you with the details of where to send the cheque and who to make it payable to.

Question : How long does it take for my order to arrive?
Answer : It depends on where you live and which payment method you select. If you use PayPal then that will speed things up, but cheques will need several days to clear before I send any goods. All orders are dispatched from the UK so if you are overseas then please allow adequate time for airmail postage.

Question : Can I buy signed copies of any of the SD books?
Answer : The standard paperbacks are unsigned by default but I will do my best to keep a stock of signed bookplates for certain books, or a limited about of flat-signed copies may be available on some titles. Please ask if you are interested in signed copies and I will let you know if I currently have any in stock.

Question : Can I pre-order any of the future book titles?
Answer : Not at the moment I'm afraid, but I hope to offer this facility later on.

Question : Do you offer any discount deals?
Answer : Not to the general public, no. But if you are in the book trade (shop, dealer, supplier, library, etc) and wish to purchase batches of books then please contact me with your requirements and I can offer you a maximum of 35% trade discount.

Question : Why are your books so expensive compared with other publishers?
Answer : Please be aware that I am only a Small Press and as such I cannot afford to order huge print runs to get the very low unit prices like the mainstream publishers. In order to keep this venture financially viable for everyone involved then I have to work on low print runs which are much more expensive per unit. Hence this is reflected in the final cover price. But I always do my best to keep costs as low as possible and offer customers the best value I can.

Question : Why is the postage so expensive?
Answer : Royal Mail's postal charges have been increasing over the past few years, so it keeps getting more expensive to send the books out I'm afraid. I have no control over this and there's no way I can afford to give free postage on these items as it costs more than the entire profit margin on each sale! However, if you want to order several items at once then please contact me first and I'll see if I can arrange a cheaper postal rate as a larger parcel item, instead of sending out each item individually.

Question : How do I get my work published in the eZine?
Answer : Please read the submission info on the eZine page, then drop me an e-mail with your ideas.

Question : How much do eZine contributors get paid?
Answer : Nothing! The eZine project is a completely FREE venture and as such relies on the generosity of the authors and artists who are kind enough to donate their work at no cost. But it serves as good exposure for everyone involved.

Question : I've written a book, will you publish it?
Answer : First of all please be aware that I receive a LOT of book submissions but can only publish a very small amount of titles each year. I welcome hearing new offers but don't be disappointed if I am unable to take them on for any reason. Please download and read the BookSubmissions.pdf file carefully before getting in touch, thanks.

Question : How much do authors get paid for their books?
Answer : Screaming Dreams is a small press and doesn't yet have enough funds to pay advance fees. But authors will receive 50% of the profit margin (NOT the cover price) from each book sale, payable on a quarterly basis.

Question : Are you a full-time professional artist?
Answer : No, I enjoy creating the fantasy and sci-fi artwork mainly as a hobby at the moment. But I do take on illustration jobs sometimes in a freelance capacity. My day-job is running my own craft workshop.

Question : Can I use any images from this website for my homepage or other projects?
Answer : All the artwork on this site is Copyright © of Steve Upham or contributing artists and must NOT be re-used without prior written permission. Please contact the Copyright holder for more info and licence terms.

Question : Do you grant publishing rights for the images in the Artwork section?
Answer : Yes, if you would like to license any of my illustrations for books, magazines, calendars, postcards, mousemats, t-shirts, CD's, DVD's, or any other format then please contact me me with your exact requirements and I will help in any way possible. Prices and terms depend on usage.

Question : Do you take on commissioned work?
Answer : It depends on the type of job and if I can fit into my busy schedule. If you are looking for a custom illustration for a book or magazine then I will certainly be interested, so feel free to get in touch.

Question : Will you do me some artwork for free?
Answer : No. Sorry but I simply do not have time anymore to create work for nothing!

Question : Is there a monthly newsletter for this site that I can subscribe to?
Answer : Yes, you can sign-up at the following address : groups.yahoo.com/group/screamingdreamsnews/join