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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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…
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."
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?
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!
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.
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.
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?
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.
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.
"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?).
