FAQ
Authors, scroll down for Submissions FAQ
GENERAL FAQ
Q: When can I get the MMG Sidekick app for iPad?
A: Version 1.0 of the MMG Sidekick app is available right now! Click here!
Q: When the MMG Sidekick app is released on the iPad, can I start reading my favorite Medallion books?
A: Yes. In addition to enabling you to import your current EPUB library (non-DRM material only), the MMG Sidekick app for iPad will have a complete storefront of Medallion books for instant purchase and download to your device. Through Apple’s in-app purchasing technology, all downloaded content will be available on all your devices with the MMG Sidekick app installed using the same iTunes account.
Q: When will the first TREEbook™-compatible book be available?
A: In late 2013 we’ll release the first TREEbook™ novel, The Julian Year, by Gregory Lamberson, award-winning horror author (The Jake Helman Files, The Frenzy Cycle) and filmmaker (Slime City, Slime City Massacre). In The Julian Year, Julian Weizak, an obituary writer in New York, celebrates his birthday alone in a bar on New Year’s Eve. At the stroke of midnight, scores of homicides break out on the East Coast.
Julian discovers twenty thousand murders are committed that night in New York alone, with the epidemic spreading across the country and the world time zone by time zone. At midnight each day thereafter, millions of people become homicidal maniacs, contributing to the biggest killing spree in history. It looks as if the chaos can lead to only one end: the extinction of humankind.
Q: I am a publisher. Can I license your TREEbook™ technology?
A: Yes. Please contact us here for all licensing inquiries.
Q: I develop e-book reading devices (software/hardware). Can I license your TREEbook™ technology?
A: Yes. Please contact us here for all licensing inquiries.
SUBMISSIONS FAQ
Q: Which publishers are currently accepting TREEbook™ submissions?
A: Since the TREEbook™ is a product exclusive to Medallion Press, we are the only publisher accepting TREEbook™ submissions. However, we hope to offer other publishers the ability to create TREEbooks™ when we release the TREEbook™ suite (release TBD).
Q: How do I submit my manuscript for consideration for TREEbook™ publication?
A: Medallion Press is accepting manuscript submissions for works with multiple story branches. Please see our submission guidelines here.
Q. May I query by e-mail or mail?
A. No. Please use the online submission form. There are some known issues when those overseas have attempted to use our online submission form. If you’re having trouble submitting via our online submission form you are welcome to email your submission, along with details of the problem you’re having with the online submission form, to submissions(at)medallionmediagroup.com.
Q: How different is it to write a TREEbook™ than to write a regular book?
A: In terms of all of the basics of writing: outlining, character development, plot points, drama, etc., it’s no different writing a TREEbook™ than writing a regular book. In fact, a TREEbook™ allows authors the ability to explore greater possibilities with the story and to expand the story of all the characters. Medallion Press will make this process easy when they release the authoring tools, part of the TREEbook™ suite in the fall of 2012, which will assist writers and editors with writing and tracking TREEbook™ branches.
We are working diligently toward releasing public versions of our authoring tools so that the writing and publishing community can take advantage of publishing in the TREEbook™ format. Look for these tools at some time after the release of the MMG Sidekick app for iPad.
READERS’ FAQ
Q: The TREEbook™ seems radically different from the types of books I’m used to reading. Is it?
A: Yes and no. The act of reading doesn’t change with a TREEbook™, so in that way it’s no different from reading a regular book. With a classic reading experience, you have no idea where the story will take you or how it will end. A TREEbook™ acts the same way. In fact, if the story branches while you’re reading a TREEbook™, you’ll likely have no idea that it branched, because the branching occurs seamlessly. So by the time you get to the end of a TREEbook™, the story you read is the story. It’s only after your first read that you’ll discover other branches of the story you can still experience.
Reading a TREEbook™ and sharing it with friends is an exciting and engaging event.
Q: How will I know which branches I’ve read?
A: After you’ve finished your first read of a TREEbook™, a tree diagram will be revealed to you, tracing the story path you read. You’ll also see where all the other branches of the story are.
Q: Can I go back and read the other branches?
A: Absolutely. After the tree diagram is revealed to you at the end of your first read, you’ll be able to see where your story branched off and have the option to enjoy new reading experiences from there.
Q: Does a TREEbook™ still have a beginning, middle, and end, or will I get stuck somewhere in the middle of a story with no way to get out except to start the book over again?
A: Like any book, a TREEbook™ will have a satisfying beginning, middle, and end. However, the way you read will determine which satisfying story you yourself encounter of the many possible ones the author has designed.
Q: Does a TREEbook™ story really change every single time I read it?
A: No. A TREEbook™ doesn’t change the story every single time you read it. There are certain points within the story where the author has decided to provide the possibility of story branches to enhance your reading experience. But these branches don’t occur every single time you start or stop reading.
Q: Why am I being timed while reading a TREEbook™?
A: This is not a test. You’re not being timed to determine whether you pass or fail. The TREEbook™ times your reading pace and tracks your reading habits to add intrigue to each reading experience. Story branches are passively activated based on how each person reads. It’s not about how fast or slow you read; it’s about how you read, so there’s no need to feel rushed.
Q: Do I have to have time triggers and branches enabled, or can I shut them off if I want a regular reading experience?
A: The TREEbook™ functionality is optional. You can turn it on or off as you wish. However, we recommend leaving it on and enjoying the organic reading experience only a TREEbook™ can offer.
Q: If I am a slow reader, will I get all negative outcomes, endings, or plot twists when my story branches compared to someone who is a faster reader?
A: Absolutely not. It’s not about how fast or slow you read; it’s about how you read. The TREEbook™ story branches based on how the author wants the reader to experience the characters, plot twists, and endings. Your average reading pace is calculated so that the TREEbook™ knows when to branch, but it is all up to the author when and what the outcomes of those branches are.
Q: What are notifications?
A: Notifications are messages sent to your tablet or mobile device. These notifications alert TREEbook™ readers of specific changes or actions taking place within a TREEbook™. They can also simply wish the reader a happy birthday or provide links to blog posts or videos that enhance that moment in the book. These notifications are a fun element of this brand-new reading experience.
Q: How many notifications will the TREEbook™ send me?
A: You’ll have the ability to turn notifications on or off. If you choose to activate them, you will receive an occasional notification from the TREEbook™. It’s possible to enjoy a TREEbook™ with no notifications at all if you don’t want them.
We hope this helps explain our TREEbook™ technology. If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
