Contact us by email, or call us toll free at
1-877-898-1440.
We only personalize classic novels that are available in the public domain. We choose our favorites from beloved authors -- especially books filled with adventure, thrills, romance, and excitement! Just like you, we grew up reading and loving these novels, and always dreamed of stepping inside the fictional worlds, joining famous characters like Long John Silver, the Mad Hatter, Mr. Darcy, and even Dracula. Now Classic Book By You can offer everyone the chance to Live the Fantasy®... just as we always wanted!
The process begins by selecting a novel and going through the text carefully to choose the customizable characters. We start with the protagonist--usually the 'hero' or 'heroine' of the tale--and then we find the companions among the cast of characters who can also be customized.
Our books are professionally bound and available in both paperback and hardcover editions. We use a 'perfect binding' process, which means each book looks and feels just like a classic paperback or hardcover novel—except infinitely better, because it's personalized!
The covers are printed in dazzling full-color, with several options available for customization. You can even upload a photo and have it appear on the back cover, along with personalized text previewing the book. (We use the names you provide to personalize the back cover text when the photo cover option is selected.)
Our books are the same size as standard paperbacks and hardcovers: paperbacks are 4 1/4" x 7" (11cm x 18 cm) and hardcovers are 5 3/4" x 8 5/8" (14.5cm x 21.90cm).
With either version, you have the option to add a custom photo to the back cover! Click here for photo pricing & details.
Our personalized editions adhere as closely as possible to the original tales, other than changing the personalized character names and adding some other customized features (such as describing the characters' eye and hair colors).
In a few cases we might need to do some other editing to suit the personalized genre. To learn about any notable changes to each book, view the "What do we personalize?" section on each book description page. (Currently, only Peter Pan, Robin Hood and Treasure Island have any significant changes.)
Such edits are very rare, however; we treasure these classic novels too much to harm them--we wouldn't dare rewrite Dickens, Twain, Austen or Shakespeare!
Nor do we update or modernize the stories. It's true that many of the novels were written centuries ago, and so certain character types or descriptions may seem old-fashioned and even downright odd to our modern sensibilities. But finding ourselves living in an unusual time period or setting is part of the charm.
No, the books' titles remain true to their original titles (e.g. Alice in Wonderland). However, we do personalized the side of the paperback cover with whichever name you choose to feature. For example, the side will read: "Starring: Angela Jones." View a large version of a paperback cover.
We provide defaults for many of the selections in our books, but it is always better if you personalize as many of the characteristics as possible. If you are unsure about a characteristic, don't worry: remember, it's a fantasy, and you can put something outlandish or humorous! You can even use a celebrity or fictional person's name if you want. Have fun!
See the chart below for a current delivery schedule outlining the various shipping options. Please note that the delivery dates are different for paperback and hardcover editions. You will also find this chart on the order form, where you'll be asked to select a shipping option. We print our books in print runs that occur multiple times a week and daily during peak seasons such as Christmas and Valentine's. Depending on the timing of our next print run and the delivery option you select, you could receive your book in two to ten days. Our latest release is Jane Austen's timeless classic Emma.
| ESTIMATED DELIVERY DATES: | ||
|---|---|---|
| SHIPPING OPTION | PAPERBACK | HARDCOVER * |
| 1st Class Mail ($4.95) | Thursday, May 31 | Wednesday, June 06 |
| Priority Post ($9.95) | Tuesday, May 29 | Friday, June 01 |
| Courier Express** ($19.95) | Friday, May 25 | Wednesday, May 30 |
| Overseas Air Mail ($13.95) | Monday, June 04 | Friday, June 08 |
| Overseas Courier*** ($34.95) | Friday, May 25 | Thursday, May 31 |
| * Orders containing
both paperbacks and hardcovers will be shipped together. ** Courier shipments within North America by Federal Express or UPS. *** Courier to overseas locations by Federal Express. |
||
Need to present a gift immediately, as in today? Don't worry, print a personalized Gift Announcement! It's a terrific way to say your gift is on its way. It can be printed immediately from our website now! Click here to find out more about our personalized Gift Announcement. It's almost as good as the real thing!
If you're worried about the delivery time of your novel, email us at publish@bookbyyou.com or call 1-877-898-1440 and let us know - we will do our best to expedite the delivery.
How much does a personalized book cost? What about multiple books? Do you ship to the UK and Europe?
The cost for each book within the continental United States and Canada is $29.95 for paperbacks and $49.95 for hardcovers, plus shipping. We also offer Priority Post and Courier Express shipping options.
We ship worldwide and have many overseas customers, including the UK and Europe. Books shipped outside North America are billed in US dollars and charged an additional $9 shipping and handling. International courier shipping options are also available to many countries for an additional $30. For overseas/international orders, click for a currency calculator.
For orders to a single address, only one fee is charged no matter how many books are shipped. This also applies to expedited shipping options.
We can process your order online and accept VISA, MasterCard and American Express. Our server uses SSL (Secure Socket Level) encryption. SSL ensures that the transmission of your transaction is safe and secure. By far, the majority (98%) of our orders are placed online.
If you don't wish to order online, you can order through our toll-free order desk at 1-877-898-1440 or you can print and mail the completed Character Questionnaire along with a check or money order. Alternatively, you can print and fax the Character Questionnaire. (Don't forget to include your credit card information on the form.) Our mailing address and fax information is included on the Order Page and on the Character Questionnaire page.
A personalized Gift Announcement is a certificate that is created and personalized by you and can be printed from our website immediately and given to the recipient of the novel. You add your recipient's name to the Gift Announcement to create a touching message that shows the recipient that you've taken the time and care to find a creative and fun gift. The gift announcement can be created after you've placed your order, and is part of the order confirmation page provided after completing the character questionnaire. Click here to find out more, and see a personalized sample of a Gift Announcement. Remember, it's never too late to share a unique gift!
While filling in the character questionnaire for your book order, select the option to include a photo to customize the back cover. After clicking the "submit" button, you'll be taken to a page where you can select and upload a photograph of the hero and/or heroine you've chosen for your personalized novel. (Before you do, be sure to follow the important guidelines and technical requirements!)
An additional fee of only $14.95 will be added to your final total; no extra processing time is required. Best of all, when the book arrives your customized novel's back cover will beautifully display the image of the real star of the adventure—whether it's you, your loved one or a friend!
No, but all of our books arrive tucked in a highly attractive gold Mylar envelope, which looks terrific on its own or decorated with a bow or ribbon.
To order a bear with your personalized novel, simply complete your book questionnaire/order form and go to your shopping cart, where you'll have the opportunity to add a teddy bear to your order. Please note that each bear is $14.95 —and there's only an additional $7.00 shipping/handling fee, no matter what method of delivery you select!
These high-quality, plush 12" teddy bears have soft fur, detailed paws, and a beanbag-like filling in the feet and bottom that enables them to sit up and hold the personalized novel tucked in their cute fuzzy arms, an adorable pose that's perfect for both presentation and display. Our teddy bears come in two different colors: golden honey tan and a rich, amber brown. (Can't decide or have no preference? We'll be happy to pick for you.) Both are dressed with a beautiful red bow.
Select 'Gift Certificate' from the Titles dropdown on our menu. You will be able to choose one of our gift certificates (classic, romance, mystery, teen or kids novel) for your recipient to personalize themselves. You can also select options that allow them to add their own personalized cover photo, a teddy bear, or even upgraded shipping with their gift certificate. Click here for more details about Gift Certificates.
Select a title to personalize and create after reviewing our selections. Complete the character questionnaire and, with your Gift Certificate redemption code handy, follow our checkout process. During checkout, you will be prompted to enter this code on the shipping page when you see this image:
Enter your code at this point and complete the order checkout. Click here for more details about Gift Certificate redemption.
Yes! At the bottom of the Character Questionnaire, we provide a place to specify the address to which you want the book shipped. We can also ship to overseas countries for an additional $9 shipping & handling.
It's easy! Just visit our Order Status page and log in, using your last name and order ID number. (This is the six-digit number sent to you in the confirmation email after you made your purchase.) Once logged in to our secure page, you'll find printing, delivery and tracking information for your order. (Please note: tracking numbers are only available for orders placed using our Courier Express delivery option.)
Yes. If you have a website that fits with any of the Book By You® book formats (classic, mystery, romance, teen & kids), we can provide additional new revenues through your website through our comprehensive affiliate program. Click here for more information about our affiliate program. If you are already an affiliate, click here to login to your account.
