That got me thinking about the recent debates about AI, particularly how it pertains to the publishing world. Because with new technology, it is possible for anyone to write a book. I have a lot of thoughts on this—thoughts that I have mostly kept to myself (though they might have seeped into the story in Mech and Magic), but I’ve been toying with the idea of adding an AI policy statement to my website, so that readers will know where I stand on the issue. (Spoiler alert: I don’t use generative AI in any of my books—not for writing, interior art or cover art. I don’t even use editing software, because I feel like my own voice gets lost with those.)
I’m not going to go into my views on AI this week. It’s a long post and frankly, edits have left me too exhausted. I don’t have the spoons to deal with the complexity of the subject today. Plus, I’d like to run a little informal poll first to gauge reader expectations and feelings about AI. My gut feeling is that readers don’t care as much about AI as all the online noise makes out, but I’d be happy to be proven wrong. I may also regret opening this can o’ worms.
But here’s the mini AI poll. Would you read a book written by generative AI? Note that the term “generative AI” means AI that creates text from a prompt. It does not mean books that are edited using AI software, such as Grammerly or ProWritingAid.
Visit the POLL PAGE to register your vote.
In the next newsletter, I’ll post the result along with my more formal thoughts on the subject.
That’s it for now. Despite my whining, the edits for Hallow Crossing are coming along nicely. There will be sketches inside this book like in Black Annis Year, and yes that art will be human generated. The very talented artist, Anthony Smith, is already at work creating them.
Hallow Crossing, Book 2 of The Fair Folk of Mullarkey, cozy fantasy series, comes out on May 7. Pre-order now on The Fair Folk of Mullarkey Page.
PUBLISHING NEWS
The audiobooks for Dragons Don’t Eat Meat and Grimalkins Don’t Purr are currently on sale for 50% off at Audiobooks.com. Not sure why they chose those two books, but if you’re missing some of the Valkyrie Bestiary audiobooks, this is a good time to pick them up.
The audiobook for Mech and Magic is coming to Audible on April 21! Pre-orders are now available.
A Knack for Metal and Bone continues to be on sale for $1.49 at the Amazon Australia store.
Yearn Update: If you read previous emails, you’ll know that I am a founding author at a new reading platform called Yearn, that offers fantasy romance ebooks and audiobooks all in one spot. The app is now available for iOS and the Android app will be coming on April 10. Please enjoy this ONE-TIME exclusive code for 50% off your first month if you sign up right now!
50% off code (don’t forget this!): MCDOUGALL50
iOS app download: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/yearn-media/id6755015119
Android waitlist: https://tally.so/r/1AlOQ4 (once Android launches in a few weeks, you’ll receive 50% off your first month!)
BOOK FAIRS
In the last newsletter, the link to the novella fair was bad. Sorry about that. If you’re interested in short novels, the link is working in this one. Apart from that, there are some great freebies on this week’s curated books lists. The Kobo Plus sale is one of my favorites. I love my Kobo Plus subscription that allows me to download ebooks and audiobooks for free from Kobo. It’s a great selection of books that include my Hidden Coven and Fair Folk of Mullarkey series. Click on the banners below to find the deals.
SPOTLIGHT BOOK
Emergency Shadows: A Shifter Urban Fantasy Novel (Dragons of the Underworld Book 4)
by Elena Sobol
Hell is leaking, and it’s my mess to clean up.
After three pantheons fall to corruption, one thing becomes clear: the enemy isn’t trying to spread chaos — they’re trying to wound the World Tree itself.
The Valkyries have their own brutal solution to containing Hell’s spillover, and it’s killing the half-demon residents of Nevada. To stop them before Reno runs bloody, I’ll have to brave the Purgatory Library, where the books never burn, knowledge is hungry, and every answer threatens to devour the one asking the question.
With my demon best friend in tow, reapers staring daggers at my back, and shadows stalking hallways not meant for mortal feet, I must piece together a puzzle older than the Spiral itself.
Time is running out. Not just for me, but for Reno — and for everyone I love.
