Typically, the process takes between 6 and 12 months, though it may be shorter if your manuscript is already complete and edited. However, for books with complex layouts—such as children’s books, coffee table editions, or unedited manuscripts—the timeline can extend beyond a year before the book becomes available.

Publishing costs can range from several hundred dollars for those who choose a fully do-it-yourself approach to several thousand dollars when professional services such as editing and design are required. On average, professional publishing with many hybrid publishers typically falls between $2,500 and $10,000, depending on factors such as the book's type, length, and complexity. At Mermaid Cove, we are committed to keeping expenses reasonable for our authors. If you are interested in learning more about publishing your book with Mermaid Cove Publishing or would like to receive a tailored publishing proposal, please contact us.

Author royalties are calculated in several ways. For books sold via distributors, the royalty is determined by subtracting both printing costs and the wholesale discount (sales fee) from the retail price listed on the cover; the resulting amount forms the basis for compensation. The wholesale discount or sales fee represents the percentage reduction established by the publisher for third-party online retailers and bookstores. When a book is sold through these channels, printing costs and wholesale discounts are deducted, with the remainder constituting the royalty or compensation. For instance, if a 250-page paperback novel retails for $12.99, has a print cost of $6.81, and offers a 40% wholesale discount, the resulting compensation per book is $0.98. The author’s royalty is calculated from this compensation. Sales made at a discounted price by retailers do not impact on the royalty received by the author, nor does the shipping cost from seller to buyer.

When a book is sold directly through the publisher’s website, royalties are calculated on the result of the retail price minus the printing cost. This approach also applies to books sold by the publisher at events like book fairs and festivals. For sales made straight to independent bookstores, royalties depend on the discount offered to the store. Typically, there is a 60/40 discount split between the publisher (or author) and the bookstore. After deducting both the discount and printing costs, the remaining amount is used to calculate the author’s royalty.  

ISBN stands for International Standard Book Number, meaning it’s an internationally recognized identification number. It’s similar to product numbers you find on other products you buy. The ISBN is a number in the barcode on the back cover of every book, assigned to books on an individual basis. This number registers and identifies a book worldwide and associates the publisher, and other essential information, to one book alone, because every single ISBN is unique. Each format of a book (paperback, hardback, eBook) needs its own unique ISBN. ISBNs are how libraries, bookstores, and distributors identify, keep track of, and properly catalog important information about your book.
The ISBN also identifies the publisher of the book. Mermaid Cove provides ISBN’s for the books we publish.

Print-on-demand technology allows you to print books when you sell them.  There is no need to purchase large quantities of books.  The printing cost for each book is the same no matter how many you order.  POD gives you the ability to choose from many size and trims for your book.

Upon publication, authors can order copies of their books from Mermaid Cove.  You pay the print cost, shipping cost (if applicable), and small processing fee. You can order your copies before or after the book as been published and use them for your own personal use as advanced reader copies or for book signings and direct distribution.

Mermaid Cove uses IngramSpark for most of our POD books.  IngramSpark makes titles available to 40,000+ retailers, libraries, schools, and e-commerce companies including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Indigo, Foyles, Waterstones, and more across the globe. When someone orders a book through one of these online retailers, or when a bookstore orders a book, the book is printed and shipped.

Maybe. Most self-published and hybrid published books won’t be available in physical large chain bookstores unless you have a plan to promote your book to each store. There are many other factors involved including your wholesale discount rate and whether your book is returnable or not. Mermaid Cove will help you get your book in local independent bookstores. Many local bookstores have local author sections and will host book signings.

Mermaid Cove can help you design and publish almost any fiction, non-fiction or illustrated picture books. Please keep in mind, as a hybrid publisher, we reserve the right to decline work on books whose content we find unacceptable and that may not fit with our mission.
There are many size options for both paperback and hardcover books with choice of black and white or color interior. 

Professional editing is crucial when preparing a book. The value that book editors bring to your work emanates to you in readers’ and booksellers’ minds. Your book must be free of errors and aesthetically in tune with other books on the market to be competitive. And editing must be done before layout. Our packages offer basic copy editing, but if the manuscript needs developmental editing the author may be responsible for a portion of the cost.

Book layout design involves strategically arranging and styling manuscript text on each page to ensure optimal presentation. This process includes a range of technical decisions and typically requires specialized software such as InDesign. For books that feature graphics and illustrations, image editing tools like Photoshop are essential for proper formatting. Attention is given to typography, font selection, and visual aesthetics to achieve a polished final product.