Casover Author & Publishing Weekly: 10-16 August 2026
This week’s self-publishing news UK briefing is less about headline-grabbing launches and more about practical publishing decisions: getting paid properly, protecting your work, understanding where publishers are investing and paying attention to how readers continue to discover books after launch.
There is also a useful reminder that independent authors need to watch the wider publishing industry without automatically copying it. Some developments require action. Others simply tell us something about where the market may be heading.
Here are the stories worth knowing about this week.
1. Amazon KDP’s EUR cheque payment change is now taking effect
Amazon announced in June that its banking partner would stop supporting royalty payments by cheque in euros from August 2026. The change therefore becomes operationally relevant now for KDP publishers who still receive EUR royalties by cheque.
KDP recommends electronic funds transfer where available. Its current guidance says EFT is generally faster than cheque payment and, where it is available in the sale currency, royalties can be paid directly in that currency without conversion.
What this means for authors: If you still receive any KDP royalties in euros by cheque, check the Getting Paid section of your KDP account and make sure your banking details and payment method are current. Even if you already use electronic payments, this is a sensible reminder to check that your publishing accounts remain under your control and use up-to-date financial information.
That principle is also central to Casover’s Managed Publishing approach, where the author retains control of the accounts, files, platform, readership and royalties.
Source: Amazon KDP Community | Source: Amazon KDP Help
2. HarperCollins launches a dedicated crime and thriller imprint
HarperCollins’ digital-first One More Chapter division launched Cliffhanger, a new imprint dedicated to crime and thriller publishing, on 11 August. The list will include existing authors alongside new acquisitions.
A new imprint by itself does not tell independent authors what will sell next, nor does it mean there is suddenly an open route to publication. It does, however, show a major publisher choosing to create a distinct brand around a clearly defined commercial readership.
What this means for authors: Genre positioning matters. A crime novel is not simply a crime novel to the reader browsing a crowded market. Psychological thrillers, cosy crime, police procedurals and historical mysteries attract overlapping but different expectations.
Independent authors have control over their covers, metadata, descriptions, categories and advertising, so those elements should make the book’s particular promise clear quickly. If you are weighing independent publishing against a publisher-led route, Casover’s Choosing Your Publishing Route looks at the trade-offs in control, reach and distribution.
3. Commonwealth Short Story Prize delays 2027 submissions while it reviews its processes
The Commonwealth Foundation is delaying the opening of submissions for its 2027 Short Story Prize while it reviews its procedures following controversy over alleged AI use in the 2026 competition. The Bookseller reported the decision on 12 August.
There is an important distinction here. The Foundation’s earlier investigation concluded that it was satisfied AI had not been used to write the winning stories. Its review included discussions with writers and examination of working drafts, time-stamped documents and notes. The Foundation also said AI detection tools could not provide conclusive evidence on their own.
What this means for authors: Literary competitions are likely to keep refining their rules around originality, AI and disclosure. Authors entering prizes should read the current rules rather than assume last year’s requirements still apply.
Keeping drafts, notes and version history is sensible creative housekeeping regardless of AI. It can also provide a much more meaningful record of how a work developed than relying on automated detection software.
Source: The Bookseller | Source: Commonwealth Foundation
4. Sourcebooks increases its investment in romance and author brand development
Sourcebooks announced what it described as a significant expansion of investment in its romance division on 13 August, including new editorial appointments, marketing roles and a newly created author brand development position. The publisher says it wants to make greater use of reader and community data while building fandom around its authors.
There is an interesting connection with independent publishing. Sourcebooks’ Bloom Books imprint has previously built part of its success by signing self-published authors who had already developed established fanbases, including Elle Kennedy, Lucy Score and Ana Huang.
What this means for authors: The lesson is not that every independent romance author should try to attract a traditional publisher. It is that reader relationships have commercial value.
A mailing list, community or recognisable author brand gives you something more durable than a temporary spike in social media reach. That matters whether you intend to remain independent, pursue a traditional deal later or simply make the next book easier to launch than the first.
5. Print-on-demand technology is being used for book piracy
Publishers Weekly reported on 10 August that Penguin Random House India, Simon & Schuster India, Hay House and investigators had helped facilitate a police raid on two sites in Delhi involved in producing and storing pirated books. One contained a complete print-on-demand production line and the other held more than 1,600 pirated copies.
The raid was reportedly the third such operation and the first involving a print-on-demand facility. The case is in India, but Publishers Weekly notes that print piracy is an international issue and that POD technology is increasingly being used by counterfeiters.
What this means for authors: Piracy is not only somebody copying an ebook file. Physical books can also be reproduced, sold and presented as legitimate editions.
Independent authors should keep secure copies of their original manuscripts, covers, production files, ISBN information and publication records. If you find an unfamiliar edition or suspiciously cheap copy of your book online, document the listing before reporting it to the relevant retailer or platform.
6. Massachusetts passes a new Freedom to Read law
Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey signed the state’s Freedom to Read legislation on 10 August. The law introduces formal procedures for challenging books in school libraries and requires decisions about library materials to be based on professional criteria rather than personal, political or doctrinal views. It also provides protections for school employees selecting materials in good faith.
This is an American law and has no direct effect on UK authors or UK libraries. It matters internationally, however, because access to school and library markets can affect which books reach readers, particularly children’s, young adult and educational titles.
What this means for authors: Distribution is not just about making a book technically available. Institutional purchasing, library policies and local regulation can all affect discoverability and access.
UK authors selling significantly into the US school or library market should therefore treat developments around book challenges and freedom to read as a commercial as well as a cultural issue.
7. A seven-week run at the top offers a useful lesson about the long game
Virginia Evans’ The Correspondent reached seven consecutive weeks at the top of the UK’s Independent Bookshop Top 20, according to NielsenIQ BookScan data reported by The Bookseller on 12 August. The run equalled a record for that chart.
The book is traditionally published, so this is not a self-publishing success story. What makes it interesting to independent authors is the shape of the success. Not every worthwhile sales story happens during publication week.
What this means for authors: A book launch matters, but it is not the entire life of a book.
Reviews, word of mouth, bookseller relationships, reader recommendations, events, mailing lists and continued promotion can all give a title opportunities after the initial launch campaign has finished. Authors should therefore build marketing plans that extend beyond the first few days of publication.
Worth Knowing: Book awards that accept independent authors
IngramSpark updated its 2026-2027 list of writing contests and book awards on 14 August. The guide specifically identifies competitions open to independently published authors and includes approaching deadlines as well as opportunities later in 2026 and 2027.
There are some immediate dates in the list, including awards closing on 20 August, but there is no reason to enter a competition simply because your book qualifies.
Check the entry fee, eligibility, reputation, rights terms, judging process and what a win or shortlist would realistically give you. For the right book, a credible award can provide useful third-party validation and marketing material. For the wrong one, it is simply another publishing expense.
Community Question
Are you putting more effort into launching your book, or into building the audience that will still be there six months later?
This week’s stories about romance publishing and sustained independent-bookshop sales both point towards the same underlying issue. Publishing the book is one event. Building readership is an ongoing job.
Which part are you finding harder?
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