Vellum is MAC software used for formatting and creating eBook files and is used by many authors and formatters to generate ePub (and other) file formats. However, Vellum allows for the creation of different types of ePub files meant for different purposes, and it is important to upload the correct version to us so that readers can properly open your book and so that it is properly formatted.

In general, as most of our readers will be sending the ePub file to their Amazon kindle for conversion to show up on their kindle devices or with their kindle reading apps, it is recommended that you upload the kindle.epub version as that will display best on those devices.  The generic.epub version may cause formatting issues when converted for display on kindle devices, such as the entire book showing up in italics.

Note that it is the responsibility of the author to ensure that they are uploading the correct version of their ePub, and all files for that matter, and should always test their book files before uploading it to us. Best way to do this is by sending your ePub to your own @kindle email address and make sure it shows up and looks good on your own device.  Just opening it in programs like Calibre (or Vellum) may not give you an accurate idea of potential issues that your files may have.

Hidden Gems DOES NOT test your files ahead of time, and so in cases where there is an issue with the book files, we often only know about it after it has been delivered to readers and someone has sent us an email saying that they can’t read it. When we do see those emails, we do our best to resolve the issue as fast as possible so that readers can continue but depending on when the emails are sent, when they are seen by us, and what the issues are, this can potentially cause significant delays or issues with your review process.

*This FAQ question was updated on August 24, 2022 after being informed by Vellum of updates to Amazon’s conversion process that has made previous issues to no longer be a problem. It is possible that Amazon or Vellum may change things that would invalidate some or all of the above. We will update the question whenever (and if) we are made aware of new information about this issue.