FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q. Where do you ship to?
We mail books all over the world, to any country reachable by postal services. That means just about everywhere. While most of our overseas orders come from the US, UK and Australia, we have delivered books to addresses on six continents.
Q. Do you charge for shipping?
Within Hong Kong, Macao and other parts of China, registered delivery is free of charge.
For other countries, our checkout page gives you the choice of different postal methods offered by Hongkong Post. “e-Express” is usually the most cost-effective method. For more information see this page.
Q. How long does delivery take?
Books sent by e-Express or airmail usually take 6-12 working days to reach customers in North America, Britain, Europe and Australia. It’s a bit quicker to most countries in Asia.
Q. How can I buy a book from the site?
Our secure online shopping cart accepts credit cards, Paypal and digital wallets like Alipay, and provides details for bank transfers or FPS. If you would rather pay by cheque (in HKD only), that’s welcome: please choose that option and put your order through online to get an order number, and then send us a cheque by snail mail.
Q. Can I come to your office to buy books?
No, we don’t have a shop. But our books are stocked by most local bookstores, and you can find us exhibiting at various fairs and events year-round. Check our blog, Facebook page or email newsletter for updates.
Q. How can I get in touch with a Blacksmith Books author?
Our authors love feedback. If you wish to contact them, please write to us and we will forward all correspondence to the author in question.
Q. I am a journalist and wish to interview one of your authors for a story.
Please contact us and we will put you in touch. Also take a look at each book’s individual page, which displays clippings of previous author interviews and feature stories.
Q. Will you publish my work?
The number of titles we publish each year is limited, between 10 and 12, and we only publish in our local niche. But we welcome submissions from new authors, by post or email. Please see our submission guidelines for full details. (Important note: if you are Michael Palin or Malala Yousafzai, you can just drop in and hand us your manuscript).
Also, read our article about how to get published.
Q. How can I order your books on trade terms?
Please contact us to get a catalogue and find out if we have distributors in your area.
Q. Can I use material from one of your titles in my publication?
Short excerpts may be quoted for legitimate ‘fair use’ or review purposes. For licensing and foreign rights, please contact us.
Q. Is there a discount for bulk sales, and are you able to create customized editions?
We welcome the opportunity to create special editions of our books for corporate customers. Equally, there are discounts for bulk orders. Please contact us with your requirements.