Book printing woes

[InMySpareTime]

I recently published a paperback (a children's stocking filler book). The printer I paid (upfront - yeah, I should know better) said it would take 7-10 working days. It has so far been 17 working days and they haven't even dispatched them yet. I have taken preorders from people wanting them for Christmas, but unless they post them in the next day or two, I won't get them posted out in time.
Does anyone know a decent printers that won't cost the earth but will actually print as promised?

Hi,
Don't know how many pages but I did somethign similar one year and printed them off as photobooks from foto.com or somewhere similar. I just scanned each page of the book like a photo and set them in sequence. Worked out well but I only made about 5 copies. Think it might have been about 10euro/photobook.
Not sure if that's any good to you
good luck with it

Thanks, but it's largely text, with a few B&W line drawing illustrations, and it only retails at £4.99, so that route would not be economic.

go kindle - can put it on amazon as a kindle book

It's already on Smashwords, I want a paperback version. It's a bit late for this print run, but I have 3 more titles in production, and other authors are writing a further 10 or so titles for the current series which will be 100 titles eventually. I don't want to be stuck with an unreliable printer for future runs, I could do with a company that can turn around simple A6 size books in a week or so, rather than a month or so.

Just chased up my book delivery.
Got an unconcerned "oh, yeah, it didn't go..."
So they haven't even posted the promised 1/4 of my order (the compromise I agreed so I'd have some hope of at least fulfilling preorders).
My "happy place" seems so far away, if I have to call them again I might just go "Hulk". They don't want to see me when I'm angry.
Day 19 of the promised "7-10 day turnaround" and counting...

The books arrived!
They said they'd send 30 here and 20 to London, instead they sent none to London and 202 here.
Ah well, I now have 2 more books I can sell.

I've used blissetts www.blissetts.com/services/design-print/book-printing and also stroud print www.stroudprint.co.uk/ for short runs of the King of Puddings www.spiderbooks.co.uk/shop/4558087444 and others. Both reliable, helpful companies.

Thanks, I'll let my publisher know those.