Case Study
Under The Mango Tree — Soli Osman
Under The Mango Tree is a cross-continental memoir about courage, resilience, and
belonging—moving from life “under the mango tree” on the banks of the Zambezi River to
the grey streets of London in the 1970s, against the backdrop of changing nations and
migration.
The author, Soli Osman, is presented as a lawyer and advocate for justice, born into a
Gujarati Sunni Memon family in Mozambique and educated in southern Africa and Britain;
the memoir foregrounds his mother Zebee’s resilience and the family’s search for belonging
across continents.
The Challenge
Memoir is uniquely hard to publish well: the voice has to stay human and intimate, while
the finished product must meet professional standards across paperback + Kindle—and the
supporting online presence needs to be credible enough for readers, reviewers, and media.
For this title, the goal was to deliver a complete, start-to-finish publishing journey: refine the manuscript, create a market-ready design package, launch cleanly on Amazon (print-on- demand + Kindle), and build a website that frames the story clearly and helps readers take action (buy, enquire, join updates).
What we delivered (end-to-end)
A full production and launch package aligned with the way Dave Palmer Consulting works best: one joined-up workflow, one accountable point of contact, and decisions made with the author—not for the author.
Editing
(voice-preserving clarity + flow)
Proofreading
(final “professional eyes” pass)
Interior formatting for print + Kindle
Bespoke cover design
(print wrap + Kindle-ready front)
Amazon KDP upload for paperback print-on demand + Kindle,
(files, settings, checks, troubleshooting)
Website Build
(author platform + discoverability)
Print Support
alongside POD
Our process
(how it worked, step-by-step)
1) Discovery → a clear roadmap
Every project starts with a real conversation: we learn the manuscript’s stage, the author’s goals, and the best path to publication—then advise plainly and map the next steps.
That “no confusion later” planning is especially important for memoirs that are both personal and historically grounded.
2) Editorial eork that protects voice
We focused on sharpening readability, pacing, and consistency without sanding down the warmth and honesty that makes the story land—especially around themes of migration, identity, and family legacy.
Proofreading followed as the final quality-control gate before layout and publication.
3) Formatting built for two different reading experiences (print + Kindle)
We produced clean, professional interiors optimised separately for:
- Paperback print (typeset for readability and production)
- Kindle (reflow-friendly layout and correct structure for devices)
This avoids the common self-publishing pitfall where a print layout is forced into an ebook and the reading experience suffers.
4) Cover design made for shelves and thumbnails
Our cover workflow is deliberately collaborative: design with the author, multiple proof rounds, and delivery of final files for both print and digital use.
The result is a cover that looks credible in-hand and performs online where most buying decisions are made.
5) Amazon launch (POD + Kindle) with fewer delays
Publishing to Amazon isn’t “just upload and go”—it’s precise. We prepare the right files, configure the listing correctly, and ensure the book displays properly across formats so launch doesn’t stall at the final hurdle.
6) Website build to support the book long-term
Because discoverability doesn’t end on launch day, we built a dedicated website presence with clear positioning and proof points (including testimonials and a newsletter sign-up for updates and events).
This supports ongoing sales, speaking/media opportunities, and reader trust.
For The Cabochon, the site positions the story clearly (hook + synopsis + author profile) and gives readers immediate routes to purchase and contact.
Result:
A professionally packaged memoir—positioned as “deeply personal and historically revealing”—launched across paperback and Kindle, with a supporting website that captures interest, builds credibility, and gives readers clear next actions (buy, enquire, subscribe).
Why this is “Dave Palmer Consulting” work
This project is a good example of our core promises in action:
- One guided process from start to finish (not fragmented freelancers)
- Honest guidance and total author control—built specifically so indie authors don’t lose control to opaque “hybrid” models
- Professional standards across editorial, design, and production
Let’s Create Something Beautiful
We’d love to design a cover that does your story justice.
We’ll include pricing and timelines with no obligation
to proceed.
