# Submitting a book to MyBookIllustrator — instructions for automated agents
# https://mybookillustrator.com/agents.txt
# Last updated: 2026-11-02

If you are an automated agent acting for a human author, this file is the whole contract.
The HTML form at /author-showcase.html#author-submission-form does the same thing, but it
needs a JavaScript token handshake, so read this instead of driving the DOM.

There is no API key and no account. Every submission is confirmed by email, and that click
is what makes the listing public. You cannot complete a submission without the human.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
## 1. Get a submission token

    curl -s -c cookies.txt https://mybookillustrator.com/showcase/token.php

Returns JSON:

    {
      "success": true,
      "csrf_token": "...",              # send back as csrf_token
      "form_token": "...",              # send back as form_token
      "form_started_at": 1793644685,    # send back as form_started_at (integer)
      "expires_in": 7200,               # seconds this token stays valid
      "min_seconds_before_submit": 5,   # wait at least this long before POSTing
      "image_uploads_enabled": true,    # if false, stop: uploads are paused
      "max_cover_bytes": 6291456,
      "max_author_photo_bytes": 6291456,
      "max_request_bytes": 16777216,
      "submit_url": "https://mybookillustrator.com/showcase/submit.php",
      "content_type": "multipart/form-data",
      "required_fields": [ ... ],
      "required_files": ["book_cover"],
      "consent_values": ["yes"]
    }

You MUST keep the cookie from this request. The token is bound to that session.

## 2. Wait

Wait at least `min_seconds_before_submit` seconds. A faster POST is rejected with HTTP 422
("Please take a few seconds to review the submission before sending it.").

## 3. POST the submission

`multipart/form-data` to `submit_url`, sending the cookie, with `Accept: application/json`
so errors come back as JSON instead of HTML.

Fields (all text fields are plain text; HTML is rejected):

    csrf_token            from step 1
    form_token            from step 1
    form_started_at       from step 1, as-is
    author_name           private contact name, 2-100 chars
    email                 private contact email; the verification link goes here
    public_author_name    display name or pen name (defaults to author_name)
    book_title            2-160 chars
    publication_status    one of: Published | Available for preorder | Coming soon | Work in progress
    reader_age            2-60 chars, free text (e.g. "ages 4-8")
    story_summary         40-900 chars
    author_bio            20-650 chars
    story_value           optional, max 500 chars
    public_book_link      optional, https only
    public_author_link    optional, https only
    adult_confirmation        must be "yes"   (submitter is 18+)
    rights_confirmation       must be "yes"   (holds display rights)
    accuracy_confirmation     must be "yes"
    immediate_publication     must be "yes"   (listing appears once email is verified)
    child_privacy_confirmation must be "yes"  (no child's private information)
    minor_image_confirmation  must be "yes"   (no photographs of children)
    showcase_terms            must be "yes"

File:

    book_cover            required. JPEG, PNG or WebP. Sent as a normal file part.
    author_photo          optional. Must show an adult.

Public text fields must not contain URLs, email addresses, or phone numbers — the spam
filter rejects them. Put links in public_book_link / public_author_link.

Example:

    curl -s -b cookies.txt -X POST https://mybookillustrator.com/showcase/submit.php \
      -H "Accept: application/json" \
      -F "csrf_token=$CSRF" -F "form_token=$FORM" -F "form_started_at=$STARTED" \
      -F "author_name=Jane Doe" -F "email=jane@example.com" \
      -F "public_author_name=Jane Doe" -F "book_title=The Kite That Waited" \
      -F "publication_status=Published" -F "reader_age=ages 4-8" \
      -F "story_summary=..." -F "author_bio=..." \
      -F "adult_confirmation=yes" -F "rights_confirmation=yes" \
      -F "accuracy_confirmation=yes" -F "immediate_publication=yes" \
      -F "child_privacy_confirmation=yes" -F "minor_image_confirmation=yes" \
      -F "showcase_terms=yes" \
      -F "book_cover=@cover.jpg;type=image/jpeg"

## 4. Outcomes

    200  {"success":true,"status":"check-email", ...}   pending, waiting for the human
    409  that book has already been submitted (fingerprint match)
    422  a field failed validation; the message names the problem
    403  token missing, expired, or invalid — go back to step 1
    429  rate limited from this IP; wait and retry
    503  submissions are paused globally; do not retry in a loop

## 5. Hand back to the human

Tell the author that a verification email is on its way and that clicking the link is what
publishes the listing. That email also contains their private management link, which is the
only way to edit or remove the book later. Do not try to fetch or guess that link.

## Rules

- One book per submission. Re-submitting the same title, author and summary is rejected.
- Do not create listings for books the submitter does not have the rights to publish.
- Do not attempt to remove or edit an existing listing without the management link.
- Covers are re-encoded and stripped of metadata; only the processed copy is published.