Welp. Readying a book for a paperback edition is as time and energy intensive as I thought it would be. I finally did it, though. Stars Die is now available in paperback! Paperback editions of Hexes Fly and Rogues Lie are underway.
After researching my options I chose the easiest path to getting my books into paperback, which turns out to be remaining in Amazon’s scary embrace. So, I have Amazon-supplied ISBNs and the process of Amazon linking the digital editions to the paperback editions ought to go smoothly. Ought.
I thought I’d pull back the curtain a little on what went on behind the scenes over the last couple of months. (I’ll spare you my muttering, squinting, and violent stabs at the keyboard and screen). Basically, I wanted to share the pricing screen with you.
The books in my current series, Caldryn Parliament, average around 90,000 words and I’ve priced the digital editions at $4.99 (all pricing in US dollars). When someone buys a digital copy, Amazon takes 30% of the list price, leaving me with roughly $3.50 per book. If the book is borrowed in Kindle Unlimited I get about $2 when it’s read from cover to cover. (If my math is right. I’m having doubts. But it’s close enough).
It might seem that I earn less from Kindle Unlimited borrowed copies, but that’s not true. People borrow far more readily than they buy (and I understand because that’s me as a reader, too), so volume more than makes up for the lower price. Kindle Unlimited is crucial to my survival as an indie author. Please, please keep borrowing and reading my books in Kindle Unlimited!
Now, to the paperback edition.
Remember, getting the formating right was a pain in the beep. And for all that effort, and by raising the price to $12.99 (slightly above Amazon’s minimum of $9.99 retail price), I get a whopping $3.06. Yup, that’s less than when someone buys the digital version. And if they buy from outside Amazon, via Expanded Distribution, I get … $0.46.
So, yes, I want paperback editions available in the interests of accessibility (which is the same reason I compromised and used Amazon’s virtual voice to provide text-to-speech editions since I can’t afford (money, time, energy) to produce professional audiobooks right now). However, financially, I’m better off writing the next book. It’s certainly far more enjoyable!
Okay. I’ll let the curtain fall back and hide the reality of publishing once more.
I love being an indie author. I’m incredibly grateful to be living this life. But it does include hard choices.
For now, I intend to release paperback editions of all eight Caldryn Parliament novels, probably a month or three after the digital editions. However, until I have a lot bigger breathing space, I won’t be bringing my backlist into paperback.
Do you remember the idea of the Great Reset that swirled around in 2020? The World Economic Forum presented it, and a ton of conspiracy theories spawned.
I’m riffing off its name to claim another shift in the zeitgeist: the Great Retreat.
Everywhere I look I see people stepping back, hunkering down, and retiring. The causes are varied: anxiety, exhaustion, confusion, and even coercion.
Health crises, cost of living pressures, job insecurity, and a broader sense of uncertainty, nationally and internationally, politically and economically, are all contributing.
People are retreating from substantive engagement in public social media as governments (and contracted private companies) are mining social media as part of a broader surveillance agenda. What they’ll do with that data is open to conjecture.
People are retreating, often unwillingly and out of frustration, from engagement with government welfare programs. Dealing with bureaucracy (including private corporate sector bureaucracy) is increasingly frustrating. Some of this frustration is caused by legacy systems. Software is decades old and layered with inefficiencies. Regulations pile up. But it could be that there isn’t enough pie to go around and the more people who drop out, the longer the system can stagger on. In other words, pushing us into retreat could be a feature and not a bug.
People are retreating from public life as attacks against them increase. And I mean all people, not just celebrities. The use of AI to generate repulsive images is a new weapon of online violence.
The challenge is to determine where you draw the line. What will you surrender, where will you compromise, and when will you fight?
We don’t have the luxury of reserves anymore. Think of the human body. In good times, it adds a little fat. You grow comfortably pudgy. In hard times, the body draws on that reserve of energy. For many people, those reserves are gone. We drew on them hard in 2025, and now, we have to choose where we put our remaining energy.
I have a note on my computer. It says, “don’t step back”. I can’t resist everything. I can’t fight for all the social causes I support. But the core of my identity is where I can’t step back.
I’m an author. I write stories of hope. That is what I won’t compromise on.
Everything else, including supping with a long spoon with the devil that is Amazon, is negotiable.
Speaking of Amazon. I am still trying to decide what to do regarding audio editions of the Caldryn Parliament series. If Amazon allowed Australians to access ACX (which supports voice actors and authors working together) I’d be all over it. But it doesn’t, despite years of promising that it was “coming soon”. For the moment, in the interests of accessibility, I’ve allowed Amazon to shove my books down the Virtual Voice path. As I discussed in an earlier post, I don’t consider these text-to-speech products audiobooks, but they do read the text aloud. As a stopgap they’re better than nothing, and since 2026 shows signs of being every bit as overwhelming as 2025, a stopgap is necessary while I take a breath. So, if you’re looking for audio editions of the Caldryn Parliament series they’re in Audible and clearly labelled as AI (i.e. Virtual Voice narration).
I am working on paperback editions of Caldryn Parliament. A proof copy of Stars Die is in the works and should arrive in early February. If it looks good, I’ll click publish and move onto Hexes Fly and Rogues Lie. I’ve enabled “expanded distribution” for these paperbacks, which means that if any other distributors choose to pick them up (something I can’t influence) then you’ll be able to buy them outside of Amazon (which still takes a massive cut of the sale price via production costs).
Finally with good news, my books are now available in all major digital library services. So, if you can convince your local library to buy a copy, they’re available for everyone. I am thrilled!
2026 is the year where I finally increase my books’ availability and discoverability. There are a lot of things happening and even more thinking, testing, and questioning behind the scenes. Not everything I try will work, and hence, some things will change and change again.
First up, and unchanging, my focus remains on writing new books. This is what I enjoy and it is what, by far, brings in the most income. New books are what allow me to write full-time.
My new books will release first on Amazon in Kindle Unlimited. I’ve spent a decade building my readership there, and I am a Kindle Unlimited reader myself. Kindle Unlimited is core to my author existence.
Which isn’t to say that I’m a huge fan of Amazon.
Cory Doctorow is credited with coining the term “enshittification”. My understanding of the concept is simple. A company identifies a business-to-customer relationship and inserts itself in the middle. For the purposes of this discussion we’re talking author-to-reader, where author includes the publisher. The company inserts itself by offering an easier experience. Everyone is happy. Then the company begins exerting pressure. As alternative arrangements become less and less viable, the company siphons a bigger share of profit from the relationship. The business and customer may be unhappy, but their other options are worse. For many businesses, the other option is failing to cover costs. Yikes.
So, yeah. Amazon pretty much defines how books get to readers.
We have independent bookstores. Authors can sell direct to their readers. Libraries are gold.
But I have looked and looked and looked, and for a small indie author like me, there is no comparable income stream or access to new readers.
And to be brutally honest, I’m exhausted. The energy to build an author platform elsewhere is literally non-existent for me. I salute the authors who are challenging Amazon. I am so grateful for the bookstores, librarians, and reviewers supporting them. But I lack the energy for the fight.
Which leaves me in the nasty position of dependency on Amazon and having to adjust to its whims. It gets to dictate terms, and the best I can do is try to soften the impact for my readers.
A few months ago, Amazon changed the exclusivity clause for Kindle Unlimited so that digital books available in Kindle Unlimited can now also be shared with digital library services like Overdrive and Libby. I am using Draft2Digital to get my books into libraries. Most have been uploaded (it’s been a long process).
If you use your library’s subscription to Libby or a similar digital book service then you can request any of my books. Your library can also say no, but fingers crossed! I am quietly excited by this opportunity to get my books to people on tight book budgets or those who choose to avoid Amazon.
I’m also looking at paperbacks. I know! I have been promising paperbacks for years. This time it is happening.
Draft2Digital has a paperback creation service. My focus is on getting my current series, Caldryn Parliament, into print. Depending on how that goes, and other demands on my time and energy, I’ll work through my backlist.
Audiobooks are the other long-term promise I’d like to honour this year.
Podium Entertainment has been brilliant to work with and I’m delighted with the quality of my audio editions with them. However, with Caldryn Parliament I’m looking at an eight book series and Podium is unable to make that commitment upfront. Eight books is huge. I understand their reservations. However, I also want a consistent experience in audio, so I’m looking at other options.
One of the lesser discussed benefits of negotiating is the reality check it provides. If Podium sees a risk in my eight-book long commitment, I also need to consider it.
I have considered it and I’m going ahead!
Caldryn Parliament forever!
However, audio-publishers’ lack of interest in other series in my backlist is something I’m taking far more seriously. It means they’re not viable as audiobooks. Certainly not with my limited resources (time, energy, and money).
And this is where Amazon pounces and increases its enshittification (pardon my French).
On the one hand Amazon gives (i.e. allowing my ebooks into digital library services), and with the other hand it takes away. Let me introduce you to the recently initiated Amazon Virtual Voice.
To make it easier for Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) authors to quickly and easily produce an audiobook version of their eBook, we launched audiobooks with virtual voice in beta to the U.S. marketplace. KDP authors in the beta can create audiobooks with virtual voice (computer-generated narration) in addition to the audiobook creation options available through ACX.
With virtual voice, authors can create an audiobook in minutes by:
Selecting an eligible KDP eBook from their Bookshelf.
Choosing from 80 voices—including American English, Latin American Spanish, Castilian Spanish, Australian English, British English, French, and Italian. Authors can also set a different voice for each chapter.
Setting a list price between $3.99 and $14.99.
Previewing and editing the narration before publishing.
What does all that mean?
If you ask me, it does NOT mean audiobooks. This is Amazon’s text-to-speech program slightly improved and repackaged. I can’t find the guide, but there is a way to listen to kindle books that you download to your phone. Virtual Voice is basically that, but with Amazon pushing the author into doing the tech bit of turning on text-to-speech and checking it for errors.
Sadly, it’s the best option (in terms of my limited resources and low reader demand) for my backlist. So, I’ve been slowly adding the Virtual Voice feature to those books in my backlist that don’t have audiobooks and pricing them as low as Amazon will let me. This makes my backlist more accessible, but on enshittified terms. Sorry.
Attempting to win back author and reader approval, Amazon recently announced a change to its Digital Rights Management (DRM) terms. This is from the email it sent authors:
Starting January 20, 2026, Amazon will make it easier for readers to enjoy content they have purchased from the Kindle store across a wider range of devices and applications by allowing new titles published without Digital Rights Management (DRM) to be downloaded in EPUB and PDF format.
I like this. I’ve always been happy for readers to buy my kindle books and convert them (generally via Calibre) into epub or other formats to save and read on other devices. It’s why my ebooks are DRM-free.
In short, there are a lot of changes ahead. As I get some breathing space later in the year I might also look at swapping out some of my older series from Kindle Unlimited to other platforms. But I’ll warn you if I do!
Apart from making my books available beyond Amazon, the reason for testing the waters with other booksellers is discoverability.
Amid all the other challenges that AI has introduced, its impact on search is such that discoverability is even harder. My books have to be mentioned (preferably positively!) in a lot of places for AI search to report them to new readers. This is why you’ll see authors asking readers to do things like add their books to Goodreads or similar sites. We need AI to judge our books as sought after. It’s a self-reinforcing spiral.
It’s not actually new. Algorithms, especially in Amazon, have never been neutral. They either reward or punish books, moving them up the rankings or hiding them. Interest is rewarded. Read-through is gold. Reviews are superstars. Miss any of these factors and your book bombs.
If you’ve read through to the end of this mind-spew of some of the things worrying me and the path I’m trying through the publishing swamps of 2026, you are a legend. It’s a lot. And I haven’t even mentioned some of the alternatives to Amazon that I’m keeping an eye on (such as Yearn Media).
I need to go write, which is the part of indie publishing that makes the rest of this mess worthwhile—well, that and your enjoyment of my books!
The release of Rogues Lie went so much better than I expected. I did so many things wrong. For a start, life meant that I had to push back the release a month from when I originally set the pre-order. So, release day went from Halloween to Thanksgiving, and worse, to the weekend of the Black Friday sales. The wisdom of the book marketing world suggested I pretty much couldn’t have chosen a worse release date.
And yet…
You guys made it work!
Thank you.
When I woke up in the morning of what would have been New York’s evening of the release day (sorry for the time zone confusion, but I’m in Western Australia and that means I live in most of your futures) and saw that Rogues Lie had cracked the top 300 in the US Kindle Store, I nearly cried. As for your kind comments, messages, and reviews … pass the tissue box!
Thank you. I cannot say it enough times. Thank you.
When I first had the idea for Caldryn Parliament I WANTED to write it. The idea of mixing science fiction, fantasy, and mystery genres with a dash of romance was irresistible. I also longed to have a protagonist who stalked the halls of power. I wanted to show real people in a world of complicated alliances and potential tragedy (not tragedy in terms of deaths, but in terms of having to juggle competing interests. For one group to flourish, must another suffer?).
I mean, what would I even call this mixed bag of genres? It’s not quite cozy fantasy or mystery. It’s not romantasy (oh the envy I feel for authors who can use that tag and Amazon’s algorithms reward them with discoverability). I’m still searching for the right descriptor.
But I took the leap. I even built a website (yes, it’s basic. So are my tech skills).
And then, politically, the world went mad and I was committed to releasing a new series set in a parliament at a time when people were side-eyeing politicians or dreaming of rotten-tomatoing them.
The successful launch of Rogues Lie feels like I can finally breathe after holding my breath for much of the year.
Fate willing, there will be eight books in this series. Next up is Ghosts Cry. I’m hoping to release it in March 2026, but I learned my lesson this year! I’ve set the pre-order for June to give myself wriggle room if everything goes sideways. I’ll bring the release day forward if life permits.
Rogues Lie is out today! This is the third book in my Caldryn Parliament series and secrets are stirring, rumors swirling, and Giddy is…well, Giddy has dramatic plans!
Blurb: A whisper campaign threatens Vanda Kavanagh’s hard-won position as Warden of Caldryn Parliament, but are the malicious rumors a personal attack or do they mask an uglier plot?
As Vanda investigates, long-hidden truths are revealed leading her to question everything she believed about herself.
In a city steeped in magic and political intrigue who can Vanda trust?
Note: If you’re new to this series, please start with Book 1, Stars Die. Reading out of order will mean spoilers for earlier mysteries, plus everything really does build on what came before. This is a world with a lot of secrets and some truly ambitious goals. Enjoy the journey!
Welcome back to Caldryn Parliament! The Spring Ball is fast approaching. It marks the beginning of Spring Term. Vanda has big plans for the Warden’s office (to her keepers’ dismay) and some personal issues to address. Giddy is…well, Giddy is keeping secrets, but they’re for the next book, Rogues Lie, so I won’t mention them. I’ll just leave you in suspense because I am evil! There is danger, intrigue, and deep questions of identity ahead. The hexes are flying!
I hope you’re enjoy this slow development of an alternate universe. When the idea for Caldryn Parliament came to me it was partly because I wanted to capture the confident optimism of Golden Age mysteries, but also because I love peek-behind-the-scenes settings and parliaments are fascinating. Plus, the fantasy scene is ready to move beyond magic school and magic college settings to magical workplaces and the exploration of complicated issues.
In Hexes Fly the emphasis remains on the magic aspect of the Realm. The science fiction component will grow. Writing this series is an exercise in self-restraint. I have so many ideas, but they have to be introduced in their own time. Flowers have to be seeded far enough apart that they can all bloom.
A lot is happening in the Realm. We’re only just getting started.
Hexes Fly is out in just over a week – Saturday July 26. Until then I thought you might enjoy an excerpt. Rather than have the excerpt lost in the shuffle of blog posts and newsletters, it’s available on the Hexes Fly book page here on my website. Forever!
In other news, I’ve been suffering author envy. This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me by Ilona Andrews has yet another great cover from Tor. I often sigh over Tor covers, both as an author and as a reader. This cover makes me wonder if a new style of fantasy cover is coming. I don’t think I’ve seen an author’s name in a circle before. The entire cover is a really interesting stylistic choice.
Still talking Ilona Andrews’ news (and no, I don’t know them, I just enjoy their books) I’m looking forward to the release of their current serialized story (available on their website) as a book, The Inheritance. May it be soon!
I’ve attacked my Goodreads account after leaving it inactive for years. I haven’t gotten around to updating covers for my books yet, but I have deleted all my reviews. I know. Gasp!
I may change my mind, but at the moment my plan is to use my Goodreads account as a kind of “if you like my books then you’ll probably like books by these authors, too”. So, I’ll be gradually adding a book from each author I think readers of my books would enjoy. It’s the simplest way I can think of to do that kind of thing, and once set up, should be easy to maintain as I discover new authors.
Thanks for popping in for a visit. It feels a lot like you’ve dropped in for a cup of tea, and I’ve left you to wander in the garden while I jot down an idea before it escapes. For me, this website is a nice balance between being sociable as an author and losing myself in my writing. I’m glad you could join me.
It’s been a very stressful few days. Release weeks are, but launching a new series takes it to a whole new level. Thank goodness you loved Stars Die. Thank you, thank you, thank you for your reviews. Not only do they prompt Amazon to put the book in front of more readers like you, but they encourage me to keep writing. I cannot express how much your reviews mean. Thank you.
I’ve been reading I Ran Away to Evil by Mystic Neptune. It is as warmly comforting as a hug. To everyone who recommended it as cozy fantasy – you’re the best!
The Dragon’s Gambit (Book 1, The Underkeepers) by Hankthemoose wasn’t as cozy, but it is an enjoyable progression fantasy. I like scrappy heroes who strive to grow, but also remain loyal to their friends.
What have you been reading (apart from Stars Die, of course 😉 )?
If you’re interested in the state of the publishing industry, Jane Friedman has been reporting on it for years. I’m subscribed to her paid newsletter and love seeing it arrive in my inbox. It’s always full of fascinating trends, opinions, and happenings. However, she’s also starting a free version. I’m not sure of the details, so I recommend checking out her website.
Next week I hope to share a writing-related post. I have a topic in mind that’s been bothering me. LOL I’m generous like that. If it’s bothering me, I’ll share it with you 😉
Stars Die is out today! I am so freaking happy. This is the start of what I hope will be a wonderful journey. You have so many, many surprises ahead of you ::insert evil author laughter::
To celebrate, I’m rewarding myself with a new book or four.
I’m impatiently waiting for “Folk-Spelled” a Sherlock Holmes retelling by Forthright. It sounds fabulous. I’ll add a link as soon as I notice it go live.
I’ve also pre-ordered the first book in Anne Bishop’s new series, An Isle of Wyrd. Turns of Fate looks amazing. Sadly, it’s not out till November.
“Books, glorious books…” to be sung to the tune of Oliver Twist’s “Food, glorious food!”
Happy reading!
P. S. Because it’s a release day, I’ve posted this a day later than when I hope to regularly blog – this is a note from the agitated admin part of my soul.
Caldryn Parliament is the secret project I’ve been working on for so long. Have a look around. Explore! I’ve built this website while thinking about the Realm—how it works, the people in it, and the mysteries to be revealed.
Stars Die is book 1. The ebook edition releases February 27 and is available for pre-order.
In 2025 my goal is to release the first three books in this magic parliament mystery series as ebooks. They will be available in Kindle Unlimited.
Audio and paperback editions are planned, but not my priority.
If 2024 taught me anything, it’s that I can’t do everything I want all at once. Audiobooks and paperbacks will happen after I’m happy with the first three ebooks (or if I manage to clone myself or learn to function without sleep).
One of the tasks I’m adding to my ever-growing to-do list is keeping this website up-to-date.
The idea for caldryn.com is for it to be a place where I can share ideas relating to the series. Some of the ideas will make it into books and short stories. Others will just live here.
I’m also going to use the blog as a place where we can chat. I know this plain blog set up is old-fashioned, but it works and I think I can manage it without being overwhelmed. So, we’ll give it a go. I’ll be opening up discussions about the world of Caldryn Parliament, but also about other books, writing, and the publishing industry.
P.S. I’ve just noticed that this new template puts the comments section at the VERY bottom of the page, so please scroll down to join the conversation.
