Frequently Asked Questions

Absolutely and we'd love for you to! Every reader is welcome to submit a recommendation, even if licensing isn't guaranteed. Our team lovingly reviews each submission and if a title isn't able to move forward, please don't let that discourage you from sharing it - we're always glad to hear what stories you're excited about.

There's no strict cutoff, but we do keep a few practical considerations in mind with longer series, since lengthier runs tend to suit a digital-first release a little better.

For novels and manga, we generally look at:

• Up to 4 volumes - our highest preference
• Up to 10 volumes - a strong second preference
• Above 10 volumes - considered case-by-case
• 20+ volumes - can be a bit more challenging, unless structured differently (such as an omnibus format)

For manhwa and manhua, our general guide is:

• Up to 8 volumes - a standard length for us
• Up to 12 volumes - our second preference
• Beyond that - considered case-by-case

Whether a series is completed or still ongoing doesn't automatically affect our consideration - we take the time to look closely at each title on its own merits before making a decision.

Yes, you're welcome to! Digital and print rights are often licensed separately, especially for webcomics, so it's quite common for one publisher to hold digital rights while another secures print rights. We're happy to pursue a license, even for works with an existing English digital release, in order to bring readers a physical edition.

Yes! Since digital and print rights are typically licensed separately, another publisher holding the English digital rights to a series doesn't stand in the way of a physical release. We're able to pursue print rights directly with the original source, entirely independent of that existing digital license.

There is, yes - generally, recommendations received after March move into our next negotiation window (around October), with releases typically planned for the following year. So the earlier in the year you share a recommendation with us, the more lead time it has to be considered for the current cycle.

Of course - please feel free to recommend a title again in a future cycle if it wasn't licensed the first time around. Things like rights availability and licensing conditions can change over time, so we're always glad to take another look.

Right now, our catalogue is lovingly focused on manga, manhwa, manhua and novels, so non-fiction and craft-related titles aren't something we're pursuing at the moment. That said, we do understand the appeal and it's something we'd be happy to revisit down the line.

Great question! Our novels and manhwa are released in B5, while our manga titles are released in A5.

This simply reflects the format conventions typically used for each respective medium in English-language publishing, rather than any inconsistency on our end. We've also experimented with trim sizes for some manhwa releases based on your feedback, always aiming for a size that feels comfortable to read and lovely to collect.

They will! Final volume counts can shift a little as a series concludes (sometimes ending up with one more or fewer volumes than expected), but we're happy to share current projected estimates for ongoing titles and these are generally reliable, even if subject to slight adjustment along the way.

Korean publishers generally ask that we preserve the original name order (family name first, given name second) in our English editions, to stay true to the source material and any deviation typically needs clear justification. Please rest assured this is something we handle carefully and thoughtfully during localization.

You'll find credits listed on our website under each title's page. As titles complete our print-layout process, we're rolling out individual volume credit listings across the catalogue as well, in addition to the overall series credits, so every contributor gets the recognition they deserve.

Generally, no - we keep translation and editing with different individuals to maintain quality, with additional review from our beta readers and localization staff. In a few isolated cases during our earlier days, a single, highly experienced multilingual contributor was involved in multiple steps, but that's no longer our standard. As our team has grown, we've made sure responsibilities are now more clearly separated across our language and production teams.

We do, wherever possible! For series that already have an existing English-published predecessor (such as a continuing manhwa adaptation of a previously released novel), we request a terminology guide from the source publisher, so we can keep character names, locations and key terms consistent for you across formats.

No and we're proud to say so. We don't use AI in any part of our translation, localization, lettering, editing, or design process. All of our core production work is done in-house, by hand, by dedicated human teams for each language and department, without third-party tools or outsourcing.

Same here - our promotional content, like trailers and social media materials, is also handled entirely by our in-house team, including script writing, scene selection and motion graphics, all without any AI involvement.

If more readers apply for a round than we have spots for, please don't worry - additional applicants are automatically carried forward to future beta-reading opportunities rather than being dropped. Going forward, we reserve roughly 50% of spots in future rounds for applicants from that earlier pool, while keeping the rest open to new applicants, so we can give as many readers as possible a chance over time.

Not at all - there's no need to reapply. If you've already let us know you're interested, you'll automatically be considered for future rounds without needing to resubmit anything.

We like to keep it casual and community-driven, rather than a formal, professional process. You don't need polished or formal language in your application - genuine interest in the story and a willingness to share thoughtful feedback is truly what matters most to us.

Our ambassadors typically receive lovely things like their own promo/discount code, early access to copies and PR packages. We take the time to discuss onboarding details (schedule, platform, comfort level with sponsored content) individually with each creator during a personal onboarding call, so the experience feels tailored to you rather than one-size-fits-all.

Our baseline expectations usually include an unboxing video, a photoshoot or post featuring a release, a reel/video-format post and a review or impressions post. Beyond that, we're happy to keep things flexible - some ambassadors love getting more involved behind the scenes (recommending titles, giving feedback, helping brainstorm future activities), while others prefer to participate more casually and both are wonderful with us.

Yes, there are plenty of optional opportunities, including virtual livestreams, fan meet-style activities, convention or panel appearances, offline events and collaborations and community-centered projects. We love letting ambassadors shape how involved they'd like to be, based on their own interests and availability.

We've partnered with a wonderful range of retailers to make our titles widely available to you internationally, including Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Indigo, Pen & Sword UK, Waterstones, Dymocks, Booktopia, Mighty Ape, QBD and Buscalibre.

Yes, some of our partner retailers, such as Pen & Sword UK and Waterstones, ship to a range of European countries. Coverage can vary by retailer and region, so we'd gently recommend checking each store's own shipping policy for the most current details before placing your order.

We usually ship giveaway copies close to a title's official launch date, subject to inventory availability at that time. Shipping timing may vary slightly by territory, especially when there are distributor transitions in certain regions, but we do our best to keep things moving smoothly for you.

This can depend on the specific book and our current available inventory at the time of the giveaway, so we're not always able to guarantee it matches the standard limited edition contents - but we always try to make it as special as we can.

This lovely perk applies when you've created an account on our website with your birthday entered and your order is placed through the website during the relevant period. If you happen to miss the announcement in our newsletter, not to worry - the same perk is generally re-shared in a future newsletter, or you're welcome to request it directly by emailing hello@thecrossedhearts.com and our team will be happy to apply the discount manually and issue an invoice for your order.

Unfortunately, no - our limited editions are intentionally limited. Once a print run sells out, the title typically isn't reprinted or restocked in that same special edition. High demand during the pre-order window may occasionally allow a slight increase to the original allocation, but once that window closes, no further units are produced. We appreciate your understanding!

There isn't a strict age gate for our general community, since our lovely readers span a wide range of ages. That said, we intentionally keep the general server tone closer to a PG-13 standard. For titles or discussions that lean into more mature (R18) content, we've set up a separate dedicated space, so those conversations can happen comfortably without affecting the general atmosphere.

We aim to strike a thoughtful balance - avoiding open, untagged spoilers or trigger warnings in general channels, while still making sure readers who want that information (like content warnings) can easily find it. We do this through hidden/spoiler tags in Discord, content warnings listed in title descriptions on our website and similar accessible-but-not-intrusive methods, because we care about your reading experience.

Studio Hearts is our in-house creative division, lovingly focused on developing original projects (including manga, manhwa and novel concepts) rather than licensed titles. We currently have several in-house projects in development and we're excited to be sharing character concepts with our community ahead of full serialization.

Yes and we can't wait! We have plans to expand our presence at major conventions (including Anime NYC) and to host panels going forward, all while continuing to grow the licensing and publishing side of our business.