Frequently asked questions

Books Mantra Publications is the children’s book brand of Clever Fox Publishing Private Limited. Books Mantra is a hybrid publisher and self-publishing platform dedicated to children’s literature: we help authors create captivating, high-quality books that spark creativity, fuel imagination and build a love of reading in young readers.

We offer children’s book illustration, writing support, content editing, publishing, marketing and distribution support. See every service in our self-publishing packages.

Yes, we would love to read it. Email your manuscript to publish@cleverfoxpublishing.com or create your free author account. Our team will review it and get in touch with you.

Print on demand (POD): books are printed as they are ordered, one copy at a time. It is ideal for authors who want to print a limited number of copies or print as orders come in.

Bulk printing: a large number of copies printed in one print run. It is more cost-effective per copy when you need many books at once, for example for retailers, events or marketing campaigns.

Offset printing: a traditional printing method where ink is transferred from a metal plate to a rubber blanket and then to paper. It is used for high-volume printing and gives high-quality, consistent results.

Books Mantra, an imprint of Clever Fox Publishing, works with a network of leading book distributors in India. Distributors charge a fee for selling books across their platforms; publishing houses typically pay 50% to 65% of the MRP for this service. Books Mantra has negotiated this fee down to only 45% for all our distributors, so authors keep more while still reaching a wide market.

The number of author copies depends on factors such as the number of pages, printing costs, the use of colour and the type of book. Authors on the DIY package do not receive complimentary copies. See the complimentary copies included in each plan on our packages page.

Yes. Because Books Mantra books are customised, some may not be eligible for Amazon Prime. Please check with your publishing consultant.

For sales in India, payments follow a 55-day cycle based on sales in a given month. For example, payment for January sales is processed on 25 March.

For international sales, payments follow a 95-day cycle. For example, payment for January sales is processed on 5 May.

Sales through physical store distributors may take up to a year to be paid.

You can see your sales in your Author Dashboard, which shows all your sales details in one place. Paperback sales in India are updated regularly, and eBook and international sales are updated monthly.

Yes. Books Mantra, an imprint of Clever Fox Publishing, lets authors buy author copies (direct sales) at a subsidised price, based on the print run and the MRP.

Your profit is the selling price minus expenses (production cost and distribution charges). Clever Fox then takes a 37% processing fee on that profit.

International sales (for example Amazon.com): selling price $9.80, production cost $2.99, distribution cost 40% of the selling price.

International expanded distribution (for example Ingram): selling price $9.80, production cost $2.99, distribution cost 60% of the selling price.

When an eBook is sold, Clever Fox Publishing collects a 15% processing fee from your eBook earnings, calculated monthly. This covers wire transfer charges, international tax deductions and exchange-rate fluctuations.

We know how important accurate sales information is. We rely on various platforms and distributors, and we make every effort to ensure the data we share is accurate. Transparency is a core value for us: we started this business to serve authors with correct data, and we keep developing technology to provide real-time royalty data.

It depends mostly on marketing. On our marketing-led plans, our experts promote your book across marketing channels, and in several countries your book will be in stores where the right marketing helps it find readers. On a DIY plan, marketing and sales are in your hands, and you can add our marketing services at any time.