So the other day the Chicago Sun Times published a “summer reading guide.” I first saw this on Carmen Maria Machado’s Instagram, and then the Atlantic wrote up on how two newspapers recently printed A.I. slop. It’s not just that the CST and Philadelphia Inquirer went to print with artificial intelligence listacles that has me questioning very my decisions to be a writer; it’s that the editors didn’t even check to make sure of some of the books on this “reading guide” were real??? It feels like a silly thing to fact check, doesn’t it? I know Isabel Allende is a living legend and still prolific, but that title just sounds wrong?? She also has a real new book out, My Name is Emilia del Valle so why not include that one???

Snopes reported that the Chicago Sun Time staff didn’t use A.I. Another writer for another company did. They said, “A freelance writer for King Features, a company owned by media conglomerate Hearst, produced the content for distribution in various media outlets including the Sun-Times.”

I’m not in journalism anymore, though I did do some listacles for Buzzfeed, B&N Teen Blog, SyFy FanGrrls, Tor.com (Reactor), and more. That’s how I paid my bills in between delayed publisher payments, plus, it was great being able to keep on top of the hundreds of new books out each season. Publicists would literally follow you into a bathroom stall at the airport in Schenectady to make sure you got the latest book on their list.

Fine. That’s an exaggeration, but it was years after I stopped writing for outlets before the emails from publicists ceased. Galleys and ARCS (print or ebooks) are the standard minimum for a lot of publishers, so I don’t understand why this writer couldn’t have just picked from those books. I haven’t dug further to find out if he was overwhelmed like the rest of us and panicked like a college kid the night before a midterm is due, or if these companies simply don’t care. I am pretty miffed.

You l*** b**** want to use A.I. to write articles? Whatever. I’m not fighting with people over whether or not it’s stealing our books [it is], or that techbros are little whiny bitches ruining the planet because they were ugly in high school.

What I care about is this: Writers are constant told that our work is both powerful and worthless at the same time. Words change lives. Books change lives. I have to still believe that. If books didn’t matter, bored, repressed, unhinged housewives in Florida and Texas and Suffolk County wouldn’t be trying to ban books. If words didn’t matter the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey K K K circus that is the White House wouldn’t be acting like something out of the Pinochet regime every time a celebrity cries about forced deportations and disappearances.

Powerful, but worthless.

I mean they didn’t even bother to check if the book listed by TAYLOR JENKINS REID was the highly anticipated The Atmosphere or some random summary which actually does sound like something she’d write, so Taylor, write it. This author recently reported a 40 million dollar deal for five novels. RESPECT. [If you let Daisy Jones & the Six go, you SHOULD pay that much to win her back.] I’ve never even allowed myself to dream about that kind of money for my work. And yet, they “article” reads “The Collector’s Piece by Taylor Jenkins Reid - Reid continues her exploration of fame with this story of a reclusive art collector and the journalist determined to uncover the truth behind his most controversial acquisition. Expect the same compelling character development that made Daisy Jones & the Six a hit.”

So last night, I poured myself an American sized glass of wine and was like, “that sounds like a real book. I, too, could be fooled by the writing prompts of their A.I. software, which seems to be smoking the same shit I am.”

I started to realize—wait a minute, I’ve been having a pretty shitty year where I question every single decision I’ve made in life and things feel pretty bleak, my cousin was recently murdered and I couldn’t fly home to be with my family, and I have all this guilt about immigration, and I hate how publishing treats authors, and this administration and the people making money off them is disgusting, and I’m on deadline for a book that has frustrated me for professional reasons for 2 years, and I’ve had nothing but rejections professionally and academically, but sure I’ll make time to blurb this book or contribute to your fundraiser, but first, I have an idea for a newsletter.

I really am fine, thank you for listening.

Oh, I also won an award recently, and I’m alive so I should be grateful for that. But that’s for another newsletter.

So in conclusion, I had to shared some of the books that should be on your radar this summer, even if the CHICAGO SUN TIMES (ACTUALLY KINGS FEATURES FOR HERST) A.I. DOESN’T THINK SO.

Here is my summer reading guide. None of these books are made up.* OR ARE THEY?!

The Mercy Makers by Tessa Gratton - FORBIDDEN MAGIC???? FORBIDDEN LOVE?!?!?! It is the kind of beautiful, sexy, total Tessa Gratton epic fantasy I’ve come to expect. Also there’s a phallus in the cover that makes me giggle. Tessa could write a grocery list, and I have, in fact, read it as well. Out 6.17.25!

Star Wars: The Acolyte: The Crystal Crown (Set in the Era of the High Republic) by Tessa Gratton - I am still pretty pissed off that The Acolyte was cancelled so unceremoniously. Remember the time we went to our first hollywood premiere? Anway, The High Republic RULES and we should all have these books on our list, including the upcoming adult Vernestra novel by Justina Ireland which came out a few weeks ago! Wayseeker. The Crystal Crown is out 7.29.25.

Love Spells Trouble by Nia Davenport - A reluctant witch gets caught up in a fake dating scheme! I love Nia’s harder adult SFF, so I can’t wait for her charming YA contemporary fantasy. Out 7.8.25!

Along Came Amor by Alexis Daria - This is the final book in the Primas of Power trilogy and bro. It is Alexis’s hottest book yet. I was also there while she was writing it in our writer sessions, so I’ve seen the work she’s put in this and it is well worth the wait. Out THIS MONTH May 28! Get preorder goodies and also come see us at the Ripped Bodice (Brooklyn).

When Javi Dumped Mari by Mia Sosa - THIS is the “friends to lovers” I’ve been waiting for. It’s dual timelines and has some of Mia’s classic banter and humor. I loved this book. Out 6.24.25 (two days before my birthday!)

Can’t Get Enough by Kennedy Ryan - I remember listening to Kennedy read from this book at a Spotify valentines event in her honor, and it was honestly captivating. Also a tech mogul hero that I actually loved listening to! Out nowwwww.

Now, I might have hallucinated these, but something for your imaginary TBR!

Written by a distant cousin’s friend’s paper supply salesman who always wanted to write a novel, if one day his busy schedule would allow, Michael Scott Fitzgerald always wondered what happened after Gatsby was killed. (Spoiler alert.) Gatsby haunts Daisy and whatever her husband’s name was, it wasn’t in the Spark Notes I briefly looked at last night, and their descendants in a Long Island submerged beneath the murky waters of the sound in the year 2069.

The definitely true story, written under my 5th pseudonym, about the harrowing journey I had in Napa Valley, where I left my charger in a hotel and then—had to pay Stupid Tax (TM) at the airport to replace it. I’m still waiting for a publisher to pick up the hardcover only rights.

This needs no summary or explanation. I heard it was a #1 NYT bestseller.

A confession from a group of overworked, underpaid publishing assistants as they prove to everyone that the industry isn’t just coffee trucks and flower pop up stands afforded to the top billing money makers. It’s also a lot of teaching your bosses what “dead ass” means and how it’s really New York slang. Featuring a “pretty much common knowledge” anecdote about a sff author who can’t keep his geriatric dick in his pants, and also how HarpeRandomBooks CEO thinks EVERYTHING IS FINE, JUST FINE!

But wait! I have a few other books, I’m 99.99999% positive are real and available for you.

These Summer Storms by Sarah MacLean - A wealthy Rhode Island family gets a reckoning in MacLean’s debut contemporary adult novel. Lots of friends have told me this is impossible to put down, and though it’s not Sarah’s signature historical romance, she knows how to make a book hot. Also, Sarah was one of the first romance authors to encourage me back in 2014 when I published my first romance novel, and I am glad that we get to fuck around with genre all these years later.

Space Broom! by A.G. Rodriguez - I got this one a little while ago, but got slammed with deadlines before I could finish. I love a comedic romp through space! It’s out NOW so you don’t have to wait for summer to be here.

The Romance Rivalry by Susan Lee - This book hit the USA Today Bestsellers list today and I couldn’t be happier for a fellow author. Susan has had some publishing hurdles, including her publishing team insinuating she was inflating her own event sales numbers. I mean. Come on guys. Even if she wasn’t a friend, I’d support it just to spite the publishing. Out now!

IN SUMMARY, I’m sad about the state of the industry, but books—real books written by real people—are a little light at the end of the tunnel.

I’m going back into the DEADLINE HOVEL/CAVE to finish up my ANGEL BOOK edits.

Thank you for reading my meltdown. Regular May edit coming soon. Your support means so much to me. I hope my little satirical rant gave you a little giggle. Though I am really looking forward to Confessions of a Publishing Assistant. ;)

BTW, I’m still working on Monster House, my substack serial. It’s a novella. You can read a sample over here and subscribe for the whole monster enchilada. It’s me trying to have some fun with a story and play around with an idea I’ve had for a few years. I will get back to uploading as soon as I survive this deadline!