📐 From Worcestershire Cabins to B-Format Paperbacks: My End-of-Year Publishing Roadmap
By D.C. Salmon ⏱️ Reading Time: 6 minutes
- In this post: Taking a well-earned break after a hectic summer, why I am finally re-formatting Books 1 and 2 to standard British B-format paperbacks, exploring direct sales with local Peterborough printer Bookvault, and an honest author's take on the future of audiobooks.
I thought this week I would take a step back from the plotting desk and give you a frank update on where things stand with my publishing goals for the remainder of the year.
The headline goal is simple: Book 3 (An Atlantic Shadow) is targeted for a December release.
I only hope I'm not being overly optimistic! Before that manuscript can see the light of day, it has to complete the full gauntlet with my trusted proofreaders. There are always tweaks and snags to iron out, though I am keeping my fingers crossed for minor polish rather than wholesale chapter rewrites.
Before An Atlantic Shadow launches, however, there is a lingering problem I have to put right with Books 1 and 2.
📖 The Paperback Problem: Why 6×9 White Paper Had to Go
If you have held a paperback copy of An Irish Mystery or An American Treasure, you might have noticed something subtly off. Both books were printed in a 6×9 inch trim on crisp white paper.
In the UK, 6×9 is the standard dimensions for a hardback—not a paperback. Traditional British fiction paperbacks sit on bookshelves in B-format (5.06 × 7.81 inches / 129 × 198 mm), printed on warmer, reader-friendly cream stock.
Why were mine produced in 6×9 white? It all traces back to my early days with the vanity-style publishing firm I used when I first started out. Back then, I was green, naive, and had done very little industry research. A publisher approached me, said they loved the premise, and I simply handed them the reins. They set the trim size, chose the stark white paper, typeset the pages, and designed the original cover.
It was only when the books landed on Amazon and I began learning the ropes of indie publishing—marketing, advertising, branding, and this very blog—that I realised just how many missteps had been made. I have since replaced those early covers with Peter's work over at Bespoke Book Covers, but the awkward physical trim size has nagged at me ever since.
Until now.
🌲 A Cabin in Worcestershire & The Atticus Overhaul
This week, my wife, Bear the dog, and I are away at a peaceful wooden hut nestled beside a lake in the Worcestershire countryside, complete with a hot tub to unwind. Sunday marked our 24th wedding anniversary.
My main assignment this week is taking the plunge with Atticus, the dedicated book formatting software I recently invested in.
My plan over the coming days:
- Re-typeset Books 1 and 2 entirely inside Atticus into true UK B-format with classic cream paper.
- Coordinate with Peter at Bespoke Book Covers to resize the paperback cover wraps to fit the new spine width and dimensions.
- Re-upload the revised paperbacks to Amazon and retire the old 6×9 editions (keeping the 6×9 trim exclusively for the hardbacks, where it genuinely belongs).
- Typeset Book 3 (An Atlantic Shadow) using the exact same template so the entire trilogy looks uniform on a shelf.
📦 Cutting Out the Middleman: Selling Direct via Bookvault
Once the files are standardised, I am looking seriously at selling physical copies directly to readers.
Amazon will always remain a core hub, but relying on a single platform has its downsides. I have been approached several times by TikTok Shop, and while that is an intriguing route, the most exciting option sits right on my doorstep in Peterborough.
Many years ago during my joinery apprenticeship, I recall doing bespoke woodwork at the home of a local business owner, and later carrying out jobs at his printing offices. That very firm is Bookvault, operating their reader storefront as The Great British Book Shop.
They are a major commercial book printer based right here in Peterborough. Not only can they print high-quality paperbacks at competitive unit costs, but pairing Bookvault's automated fulfilment with a straightforward web store like Payhip would allow me to sell signed editions directly to readers straight from my home city. Watch this space!
🎧 The Audiobook Dilemma (and the Elephant in the Room)
The final ambition on my list is bringing Cedric and Daniela into audio. The stumbling block, as with many independent authors, is the sheer cost. A top-tier voice narrator can run upwards of thousands of pounds per title—money that working-class indie writers simply don't have lying around.
That leaves the topic everyone in publishing is tip-toeing around: AI voice narration.
Right now, an absolute witch-hunt exists within certain pockets of the creative community. The mere mention of digital tools can bring instant condemnation, often from people guessing with zero proof. I have spoken before about the flaws of crude "AI detectors" and how technology in creative trades is initially resisted. When typewriters first entered the scene, traditionalists viewed them as a lazy insult to handwritten manuscripts.
My stance remains clear: technology should never write your stories, outline your plots, or replace your creative soul. That is non-negotiable.
Yet platforms like ProWritingAid use language models, and authors praise them daily. Services like Spoken now produce high-grade voice narration for a fraction of studio costs. As an experiment, I played a sample passage generated by Spoken to several people. Every single listener was taken aback by how fluid, nuanced, and human it sounded—admitting they would happily listen to it on their daily commute.
Most everyday readers outside the online writing bubble do not care about the tech wars. They just want a cracking story to escape into on their way to work. Condemning someone for using accessible production tools is like protesting the use of modern plastics while typing on a smartphone, checking a digital watch, wearing synthetic coats, and driving home in a modern car.
For an independent author without deep pockets, assisted narration may eventually be the only realistic way to deliver audio editions to people who prefer listening over reading. I'm keeping my ear to the ground before making any final calls, but accessibility has to count for something.
🎯 Eyes on December
For now, the philosophical debates can wait. The task before me in this quiet Worcestershire lodge is getting my hands dirty with Atticus, sorting out the proper B-format layout for Books 1 and 2, and clearing the runway for An Atlantic Shadow.
Fingers crossed, Cedric and Daniela's third adventure will be in your hands just in time for Christmas!
💬 Over to You!
When you buy physical books, do you notice the trim size and paper colour, or do you dive straight into the text? And are you a traditional paperback reader or an audiobook listener? Let me know in the comments below!
📚 What I’m Reading...
Evil in High Places by Rory Clements
A quick update on my reading front: thanks to this peaceful week away in the Worcestershire countryside, I have officially turned the final page and finished Evil in High Places!
I thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish. Watching the multiple, tangled plotlines gradually converge against the tense backdrop of 1936 Berlin was brilliant, and Rory Clements pulled every thread together for a fantastic resolution. If you have any interest in historical fiction or atmospheric mysteries set in pre-war Nazi Germany, you won't be disappointed with this one.
As I mentioned recently, I’ve already bought the next book in hardback after spotting it in Tesco for a bargain £9.50. I actually discovered that Evil in High Places is the second instalment in the series (following Munich Wolf), which means my Tesco bargain is Book 3, Invitation from a Dictator.
Needless to say, that one is sitting right at the top of the pile ready to go!
👉 View Evil in High Places on Amazon
💌 Want More?
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📚 The Newman Adventures
An Irish Mystery A fast-paced historical adventure about stolen treasures, hidden histories, and the cost of obsession. The story that started it all.
An American Treasure The journey continues! Cedric Newman returns in a high-stakes hunt for the lost riches of Mosby's Rangers. Action, mystery, and a new enemy await.
Available in Ebook, Kindle Unlimited, Paperback & Hardcover
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