Cracking the German Book Market ft. USA Today Bestseller Skye MacKinnon (EP#560)

Germany is the third-biggest book market in the world — and it’s still hungry for indie authors. This week we’re joined by USA Today bestselling romance author Skye MacKinnon, who returns to update us on everything that’s changed in German translations since her first appearance in 2023. Skye has more than 70 novels across three pen names, and Germany is now her biggest market worldwide.

She’s just released the second edition of Self-Publishing in German, and it’s more than double the length of the original — because there was that much to update. From the collapse of IngramSpark distribution in Germany to Tolino’s new audiobook feature, from why print books still matter to how gorgeously the Germans do special editions, Skye walks us through what indie authors need to know in 2026.

IN THIS EPISODE WE COVER:

What’s changed in the German market since 2023 (spoiler: a lot)

Why IngramSpark no longer works for German distribution — and what to use instead

The Tolino Alliance: how German booksellers built a genuine Amazon alternative

The fixed-price law every wide author needs to understand before publishing in Germany

Why print books still sell — and why German special editions are on another level

How to market in a language you don’t speak (and why you already have most of the content)

Cover trends: object covers vs man-chest, and why German romance covers look different

Genres that thrive in Germany — including one surprising winner (hint: Westerns)

The Impressum, title protection, and other legal must-knows