What Deanna Read #109: August 2025

August was a slightly better reading month but I think I can attribute it to a few rereads of favorite books, some duds which I skimmed very fast (we will not talk about those), and a few books that were on the shorter side. It was a very safe reading month. I did try to be slightly adventurous, but alas, that was not to be. I do explain below.

Work continues to be insane and I can only say that it went by in a blur. Somewhere in there, I got a new client and I'm thrilled to be working with her. I think we are in for some fun and exciting stuff.

In other news, if you haven't seen it, I've set up my very own Advance Readers team. For those of you who are in the know, that's an ARC (which stands for Advance Reader's Copy of an unpublished, but soon-to-be released book) team for anyone who is looking for some gems to read before release and for authors, it's a way to put your books in front of a new audience. Readers can join here. And I invite authors to check out submitting your books to review consideration.

Here's what I read in the last month.

Your next ARCs from Deanna's World are here | Romantic Suspense, Dark Fantasy Romance, Why Choose, Thriller

Hello, team!

Are you ready for another batch of awesome books for you to read and review?

Kicking things off, you'll find a special offering from one of our fantastic Deanna's World authors! This book is the prequel to the Cliffside world, which will be a familiar setting for those who read For Sale Baby Shoes Never Worn. Don't worry if you haven't read it, though—this prequel is the perfect introduction and stands completely on its own. Alongside it, I've curated three other wonderful books that I'm so excited for you all to discover.

If you are an author and would like to submit your book for review consideration, click here.

Your Book's Copyright Registration Could Unlock a Payout from the $1.5B Anthropic AI Settlement

A landmark copyright case has resulted in a historic settlement for authors. Here’s what you need to know to determine if you might have a claim.

In the ever-present storm of news about Artificial Intelligence, one story has just broken through that should have every single author sitting up and paying attention. AI company Anthropic, the creator of the model named Claude, has reached a landmark settlement agreement. And the number is staggering: $1.5 billion.

Your First ARCs from Deanna's World Are Here | Romance, Romantasy, Suspense

Hello, team!

The day is finally here! I'm so happy to share the very first official ARC opportunities with the Deanna's World Advance Readers Team. We have some wonderful books ready for you.

As you look through the list, you'll see two from our amazing Deanna's World author clients, along with two other compelling books that I discovered and couldn't wait to share with you all.

Welcome to the Deanna's World Advance Readers Team | Read It Here First

Hello, and a very warm welcome to the official home of the Deanna's World Advance Readers Team. I am so thrilled you’ve decided to join us. You are now officially part of the inner circle that helps bring new stories to life, and I couldn't be happier to have you.

This page is your reference point for everything you need to know about being on the team.

What Deanna Read #108: July 2025

I am starting to prep this post for my July reads early in the month of August. You never know what life is going to throw at me, the month is young, so fingers crossed it's a boring month. When they say "may you live in interesting times," it's really a curse. Don't fall for it. My life has been very interesting of late. Zero stars. Do not recommend.

I'm gonna be honest and confess that I don't know how much I read. July was a big catch up month for me because not much got done in June. A two week vacation, plus germs from Hubby for ten days equals me falling behind on a lot. I think I did some reading, but I won't know until I get stuck into looking at my read books list. I'm sure there were a couple of audiobooks in there too. I think. Don't quote me on it.

Here's what I read in the last month.

Join the Deanna's World Advance Readers (ARC) Team & Support Authors | Read Books Before They're Released

Hello everyone,

For years, I’ve had the incredible privilege of being a partner in the creative process for hundreds of books. I get to see stories evolve from a flicker of an idea into a fully-realized world. It’s a part of my job that I cherish, and it’s a journey I’ve largely taken behind the scenes with my author clients. Today, I’m so excited to open that door a little wider and invite you to become an even more integral part of bringing these books to life.

The Great Proofing Wars | Love, Honor, and a Red Pen

I’ve always believed that for every professional project, there are two games being played at once. There’s the official game—the one with deadlines, edits, and clients—and then there’s the real game. The one that happens behind the scenes, fueled by inside jokes, questionable negotiations, and the loving, chaotic support of a spouse who knows exactly which buttons to push. In my house, that spouse is Hubby.

What Deanna Read #107: May & June 2025

I need to apologise for the delay putting my reading for the last two months together. I had originally started putting this together in June when I was away on holidays and had a moment of free time. But then my computer decided to shutdown unexpectedly and I lost the post that I had prepped to about 80% and I kinda lost the will to live... or rather, lost the will to redo it. Then one thing led to another, end of holidays, Hubby gave me the flu towards the end of our holidays and that knocked me out for another ten or so days and that was the end of June.

So, here we are, almost the end of July. I'm currently away at a friend's beach house and we're hanging out, drinking wine, eating charcuterie, and chilling. We're just chilling and I'm sitting at the kitchen counter putting this together, drinking tea and watching the wind blow through the trees.

Here's what I read in the last two months.

Choose Your Game | Why I’m Abandoning the Social Media Hamster Wheel

There’s a feeling many of us in the creative and professional worlds know all too well. It’s the low-grade hum of anxiety that starts on a Sunday night, the feeling that you’re already behind on a week that hasn’t even begun. It’s the pressure to feed the beast—the insatiable, ever-changing social media algorithm. It’s the content hamster wheel, and for years, I was running on it just as fast as everyone else.

Notes from Deanna's desk #1: Juggling Deadlines and Daydreams

There are two women living inside my head.

One is a productivity machine. She’s an editor and publishing partner who thrives on deadlines, project plans, and the satisfaction of moving a book from a manuscript to a published reality. She loves her work, and she’s good at it. The other woman? She just wants to curl up with a good book, a warm cup of tea, and shut the world out for a little while. She craves slowness, quiet, and the comfort of a familiar story.

A Warm Hug in a Book | Sweet City Hearts & Kisses by Emma Hartlight

Every so often, after working on hundreds of books, you get to be part of a project that feels less like a job and more like coming home. It’s a rare and wonderful feeling, like watching a close friend achieve a lifelong dream. That’s exactly how I feel about Sweet City Hearts & Kisses, the debut collection from a truly special new author, Emma Hartlight. I admit I might be a little biased here, but oh well…

Drastic Stand, National Pain, or Author's Freedom? Unpacking the Sophie Lark KSD Book Destruction

It’s not every day a book publishing story makes you stop. Makes you really think. But a couple of days ago, news crossed my feed that did just that. A Ukrainian publishing house, KSD, made a dramatic decision. They wouldn't just stop selling books by romance author Sophie Lark. They would destroy a massive print run – some 30,000 copies, it seems – of her novel, "Brutal Prince."

Human vs. AI Narration for Romance Authors. Making the Right Audiobook Choice

We kicked off this series by diving into the exciting world of audiobooks – a world that's booming, especially for us romance authors and readers. We also introduced the new kid on the block, AI narration, and the siren song of "free" audio offered by platforms like KDP Virtual Voice. But the question that lingered, the one that's probably been buzzing in your mind, is all about quality. Can a computer really capture the passion, the heartbreak, the sheer feeling of a romance novel?

What Deanna Read #106: April 2025

How did no one notice that I forgot to update one of the book cover images a couple of months ago and didn't tell me? I only noticed cos I was in the process of migrating the newsletter over to Substack. You guys! It was a WHOLE PROCESS, but at least it's done. It also means you might get a few duplicate emails in the coming weeks. Apologies for that.

On the reading front, I do not know how I did. I guess I'll figure it out when I tally everything up, but it was a very audiobook heavy month. The brain was not braining.

Here's what I read in the last month.

Unlock More with Deanna's World. Our Newsletter is Moving to Substack

Hello everyone, and thanks for being such a valued part of our community here at Deanna’s World. I’m dropping in with a little bit of housekeeping news today – something I’m actually quite excited about and wanted to share with you all straight away. Our newsletter, your regular dose of author support insights and romance read discussions, is getting a new home!

Boycotting Amazon? Skipping Kindle? Reader Power, Author Livelihoods, and Who Really Pays

I’ve been seeing quite a few conversations online recently, like the one mentioning how easy it can be to remove American products or companies from daily life – switching from an American fast food chain (like Maccas!) to a local spot, or swapping a Kindle for a Kobo. And honestly? My first reaction was… well, let's just say it involved a fair bit of steam coming out of my ears. I actually typed out a whole rant – angry, frustrated, probably a bit self-righteous – ready to hit 'post' on social media.

The Audiobook Boom and the Rise of Digital Voices. Should Romance Authors Pay Attention?

Get ready to dive into the world of audiobooks! This is the first in a series of seven articles (plus a bonus!) where we'll explore everything you need to know about the booming audiobook market, the rise of AI narration, and what it all means for romance authors. We'll cover topics from comparing human and AI narration, to cost breakdowns, using KDP Virtual Voice, protecting your brand, exploring hybrid approaches, and looking at the future of the industry. This series was sparked by a conversation with one of my author clients who, while busy with a new release, was invited to KDP's Virtual Voice program. We agreed to explore it "after the release," but my curiosity took over, and I knew I had to investigate.

What Deanna Read #105: March 2025

Well, March was a dismal month of reading. Some audiobooks which seems like the only way my brain could cope with reading because I was actually pretty burned out from a string of very intense book edits for a re-release. As I'm typing this, the proofs for the last book in the series are due back in a couple of days. I just need to apply those, and then it's just a matter of the book being uploaded and the series is complete (again!). It's actually very exciting.

Hope your reading for March has been a lot better than mine.

Here's what I read in the last month.

Red Havoc Rogue

Sealed With A Kiss

At Grave's End (full cast dramatized version) 🎧Graphic Audio 📘Kindle eBook

Little Sunshine

Beyond Taboo, Reader Outrage, and the Child Abuse Allegations | Daddy's Little Toy by Tori Woods

Here's a small news update on this case as of April 16, 2025. A point to take into consideration - this is a legal case, so it's expected that there may not be many updates and things would take time to come to a conclusion.

Sometimes, something catches my attention and I feel compelled to write about it...

Grab a cup of coffee and settle in – we're diving deep into the Daddy's Little Toy controversy, exploring the legal fallout, reader outrage, and future of erotic daddy romance. TL;DR: Author explores taboo child abuse themes, faces legal action and arrest, serving as a cautionary tale for the publishing industry.

Fiction pushes boundaries. That's what it does. It explores the messy, the uncomfortable, even the terrifying parts of being human. It challenges us. It provokes us. It makes us think. But sometimes, it breaks. And when that happens, we have to ask: where's the damn line? How far is too far when we're talking about real-world harm, not just fictional discomfort?

300 Books and a Bloody Mary… How Did That Happen? Celebrating My 300th Book Project

Guess who’s out of the deadline cave for now? Well, out long enough to take a breather and write this much delayed article and to have a little celebration. Book #302 and its detailed lined edits have just whooshed off to the author for revisions. I’ve got the headspace to celebrate instead of deciding between intentional sentence fragments vs avoiding sentence fragments, and stylistic choices vs grammatical necessity for word choices and sentence structure. Y’all… it’s been A LOT.

Second Chances. Celebrating Julie Rowe's Lethal Game Re-release and My 301st Book Project

In the publishing industry, we often talk about the "long game" – the dedication, perseverance, and sheer grit it takes to build a sustainable career in this industry. We focus on the next book, the next chapter, the next sentence. But every so often, it's important to pause, look back, and appreciate how far we've come. And that's precisely what I'm doing today, as I celebrate not only the release of Julie Rowe's fantastic Lethal Game, but also my 301st book project.

So Many Books, So Little Time. Everything You Need to Know About Kindle Unlimited

"Is Kindle Unlimited really worth it?" I see this question pop up in every book group I'm in, at least once a week. And honestly, it's a totally valid question! Even though Kindle Unlimited (KU) has been around since, get this, July 2014, there's still so much confusion surrounding it. I remember when I first signed up – I downloaded the Kindle app, clicked "subscribe," and thought, "Unlimited books! Awesome!" I didn't even glance at the terms and conditions (don't judge, we've all been there, right?).

What Deanna Read #104: February 2025

You guys!!! I am SO TIRED. My day job is kicking my butt, so it's a good thing that I love it. I honestly don't know if I read much in February because I was away for a few days and didn't get much reading done, then there was a lot of work reading and when I'm doing a lot of work reading the brain doesn't cope well with fun reading. I'm currently about to start the 4th? 5th? read through of the book I'm editing. Oof!

Here's what I read in the last month.

One Dark Spark

Elusive Enforcer

The Coldest Case 🎧Audiobook

False Hope

Marking Major Milestones | Steve Shipley's "False Hope" Release and My 299th Book Project

Happy Book Birthday to "False Hope"! Today marks the release of Steve Shipley's latest Blake Willis Thriller, and I couldn't be more excited to celebrate this launch. Not only is this Steve's third book in the series, but it also represents my 299th book project, this one as an editor, bringing me one step closer to a significant milestone in my publishing journey.

What Deanna Read #103: January 2025

I'm in catch up mode here, so you guys are getting two "What Deanna Read" posts in one sitting. Yay!! Right?? The funny this is - I made a mistake when I was prepping December 2024's reads and actually did January 2025 first. Then I went, oh crap, I made a mistake. And then I ran out of steam and that was the end of that.

So here I am, the end of February, exhausted, sleep deprived, and trying very hard to catch it. It's also almost one in the morning (as in VERY LATE AT NIGHT) so I could be slightly delirious as well. Onwards...

Here's what I read in the last month.

Thawed Gladiator: Varro

A Curse in Darkness

The Serpent and the Wings of Night 🎧

Shadows of the Bottle

What Deanna Read #102: December 2024

You guys!!! It's February. Okay, it's only February 1st, but I'm late on last month's What Deanna Read which was for December 2024. Oof! Time is flying by. I don't have an excuse. Work has been crazy busy. I had this plan to have a holiday from about December 18th through to mid-January, but that lasted about 4 days before things got crazy and has stayed crazy.

Update: It's OBVIOUSLY not February 1st anymore. It's actually closer to the end of the month. You know what happened? I started putting this together and then I realised that I was accidentally putting my January 2025 reads instead of my December 2024 reads, and it was about 3am and I ran out of steam. I kinda just konked out and then work got bonkers. And if you're wondering why and haven't seen, this was the reason. It's actually been an exciting time.

Here's what I read in December 2024. Better late than never, right? Really, really late. Soz!

A Guardian For Christmas

Snowed In With The Bosses

Catnapped: A Pawsitively Purrfect Christmas

A Cold Dark Promise 🎧

Supporting 300 Author Dreams | From Project Manager to Publishing Partner

A friend recently asked me about my career trajectory, wondering how I went from implementing multi-million dollar IT systems to working in publishing as an author services provider. When I went to point her to my LinkedIn profile, I realized it was terribly out of date. As I sat there updating it, something struck me – I've been part of bringing nearly 300 books to life. That number stopped me in my tracks. How did I get here? Let me tell you.

So You Love Reading? A Book Lover's Path to Editing

I get this question at least once a week: "I love reading, and I spot errors in books all the time. How can I become an editor?" Every time I see this message in my inbox or social media, I smile because I understand exactly where they're coming from. Reading is more than just a hobby for these people – it's a passion that makes them want to dive deeper into the world of books and publishing.