ARC Feedback: The Good, The "But...", and the Duplicates

By D.C. Salmon

📖 Part 1: The Pre-Meeting Jitters (and a Duplication Discovery!)

Two weeks ago, I took a deep breath and handed over the manuscript of An Irish Mystery to a trusted ARC (Advance Reader Copy) reader. Even after endless edits, it’s always a nerve-wracking moment. You want feedback, but you also kind of dread it, don’t you?

Thankfully, the first message I got was brilliant. She said:

"I loved it!"
Cue sigh of relief.

Then came the inevitable follow-up:

"But I have made a few notes..."

One note stood out right away — apparently, a conversation was duplicated. My stomach dropped. A repeated scene? How had I missed that?

She explained: the same dialogue occurred once in a restroom scene and again almost identically at a restaurant table. I opened the PDF I'd sent her... and there it was. Clear as day.

Here’s what happened:
Originally, the scene took place at a table. But I later rewrote it to happen in the restroom — it made for a more intense, suspenseful moment. I asked the publisher to swap them, and while the new version was added, the old version wasn’t deleted. The result? A duplicated exchange right in the middle of the book.

It was an easy mistake to miss. But once it’s pointed out, you can’t unsee it!

I’m writing this from the sofa, waiting to head to the next town to meet my ARC reader in person and go through her full feedback. Wish me luck...

🔍 Part 2: The Aftermath & The Importance of Fresh Eyes

Well — I’m back.

We went through An Irish Mystery page by page, and let me tell you: fresh eyes are priceless. My ARC reader picked up on so many little things that had slipped through, including:

• Continuity bloopers (dark → night → sunset all in one chapter!)

• Overuse of specific phrases (apparently I had a thing for creaky doors)

• Editorial errors that somehow made it into the book

One standout? I found one of my own internal notes to my editor printed in the book! It literally said:

"Delete this ending, it's too much."
The original paragraph was deleted… but somehow, my note got left in its place. You have to laugh, really.

Yes, there’s more editing to do — but it’s all for the best. Every fix makes the story cleaner, sharper, and more immersive. We’re still aiming for a June release, and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive.

My ARC reader, a retired book lover with decades of reading experience, told me she truly enjoyed the book — and she can’t wait for Book Two. That kind of feedback? It keeps me going.

🎉 Part 3: Surprise! An Irish Mystery is (Almost) Here!

Here’s the part I wasn’t expecting to write — but I’m thrilled to be typing it:

My book is going live TOMORROW.
(Yes — tomorrow!)

We originally aimed for a June 6th release, but thanks to a faster-than-expected KDP review process, An Irish Mystery is already approved and will be live on Amazon very shortly. That means:

• eBook

• Paperback

• Hardback
  All formats will be available within hours.

I’ll be sharing links as soon as it’s officially live — on Facebook, Instagram, X, Bluesky, and my website. If you want to be among the first to grab your copy, make sure you’re following me on your platform of choice!

🧠 Takeaway

ARC readers are invaluable. No matter how many drafts, rewrites, or editorial passes a manuscript goes through, nothing replaces the power of fresh eyes.

Was it frustrating to catch mistakes this late? A little.
But every correction brings the story closer to what it’s meant to be.
And in the end — that’s all that matters.

Now, fingers crossed for a smooth launch... and I can’t wait to hear what you think of An Irish Mystery once it’s out in the world.

Enjoyed the ride? 📖

​I balance my writing life with a full-time day job, which means covers, research, and advertising all come out of my own pocket. If you’d like to see these books reach more readers—and help me stay caffeinated while I write them—you can support my work here. Your help keeps the "Stream" flowing and the books coming.

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📖 Enjoyed this post?

An Irish Mystery is a fast-paced historical adventure about stolen treasures, hidden histories, and the cost of obsession.

Ebook, Kindle Unlimited, Paperback & hardcover

👉 Available on Amazon: An Irish Mystery

You can also find me on Instagram / Bluesky / X / Facbook, where I share writing updates and behind-the-scenes moments.

🌐 dcsalmonbooks.com