Yup, just when you think the hardback puns couldn’t get any worse.

So this arrived in the post a few days ago, which rather feels like the final milestone on my first self-publishing journey. This is the third format the novel is now out in – the first two being eBook and paperback – and almost certainly the final one.

(The only other format I could put it out in is as an audiobook – something that’s doable enough thanks to Amazon and Audible – but isn’t something, frankly, I feel a blinding urge to do. I hate my own speaking voice at the best of times, let alone hearing it played back at me, so if I did it at all I’d almost certainly hire a voice actor to do the recording. Which again is doable, as I know quite a few actors, but money is a thing, and it’s not something that’s a priority for me).

The format is all about accessibility, after all. Plenty of people only read paperbacks, or eBooks, or hardcovers, so having it available in each opens you up to the most possible readers. (And yes, I know you can make the same case for audiobooks, but I’ve nailed three of the four main formats, and frankly, I’m tired).

Which, I suppose, really does bring Book I’s publishing journey to a close. I feel like it’s had a couple of endings already, to be honest – like when the proof copy arrived, all those months before publication. Or when the eBook first went live on the Kindle marketplace. Or when my actual paperback copy arrived, or when the later ones came after I’d gone back into Bookshelf and corrected the errata and formatting cockups.

But with this glorious hardcover tome (which, thankfully, doesn’t appear to have any mistakes whatsoever), this really does feel like the end.

A week or so ago I finished Aquilifer, the 6000 word ‘after-credits’ scene that I’m planning to release as a standalone story in eBook format. That won’t come out anytime soon, though. Christmastime at the earliest. Or maybe early next year.

As I’ve said before, I’m starting to plough into the reading for Book II, as I feel like I’ve had enough time between finishing Book I. Said reading hasn’t been massively successful, partly through a slight dip in motivation, partly from a vast resurgence of Real Life™ that’s taken all of us unawares over the last couple of months.

I’m going to try and press on regardless, and hopefully the last act of 2021 will be a little happier.

But still, all in all. Not a bad way to finish September.

Link to buy it here, in case anyone needs reminding at this stage.

Cheers all x