Anthropic, AI, and more . . .

cj Sez: I really like this graphic for a proposed twenty-day reading schedule for a children’s book. I’m reproducing it here with permission from Author Chris Grabenstein and also giving credit to Read to Them (they did the actual schedule) and St Patrick Catholic School, Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada, for the art.

  Maybe a children’s author or a library, public or school, might consider adopting/adapting a similar schedule to pique youngsters’ reading interests. Hmmm?

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Here’s a follow-up on the publishing problem for the print copy of my latest novel, A Time to Die. 

 

  Seems that some AI bot scraped the internet, picked up my cover and ISBN, either through my ordering proof copies to approve or through my registering the ISBN, and then sent the data to a company in Australia who advertised it, cover picture and all, on their online sales site as "available for preorder." 

 

  When I reviewed the KDP proof I had ordered, I realized I needed to submit a revised manuscript, and then I could approve it for publication. When KDP’s bot was verifying my approval to publish, it misinterpreted the "available for preorder” as my print book had been already published by some other company. I tried a phone call to the Aussie company with no response. No amount of texting telling they needed to take down the ad, that they were advertising a pirated and as-yet unapproved, unpublished book could get past the Aussie’s AI responses. 

 

  I ended up having to abandon the original ISBN and attaching a new one to the manuscript before KDP would accept it for publishing...which they did.

 

  The “real” print version of "A Time to Die" is now available for preorder as is the ebook.

(Side note: I made a promise to myself for my son Mark that I'd finish the book he kept looking to read, and now the novel will finally launch on May 5, almost four years after he died. When my author copies arrive, I will do some crying and praying, grateful I was able to get it done.)

 

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Anthropic News

  Any authors remember the suit filed by Simon & Schuster against Anthropic for pirating their authors’ books for AI training? I had forgotten about it until a few days ago when a fellow S&S author reminded me to check to see if any of my books were in the Anthropic Copyright Settlement. Yep, I found one. The last day to file a claim was March 31, and I filed my form March 18, claiming sole ownership because I had gotten my rights back.

 

  On March 25, I got an email that my claim had been received. Still wondering what that means.

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Top-of-the-mind topic for readers and writers:

   “If you primarily learn about generative AI and large language models from social media, or from the opinions of average people, then it’s likely you are misinformed about it,” says publishing guru Jane Friedman. She also says, “Even agents and editors get basic things wrong about the law surrounding AI.” You can read the rest of her article here: https://janefriedman.com/ai-and-publishing-faq-for-writers/ 

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 That’s it for today’s post. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same.

cj  Sez: Raising prayers for a Blessed and Happy Easter and Passover. 

  Just a reminder: Lyrical Pens blog for readers and writers is now a monthly issue, kind of like a newsletter. I’ll be aiming for the first of the month, whatever day that is, so watch for it please. That said, thank you for stopping by Lyrical Pens today. I really do appreciate each and every one of my visitors. Drop me a comment or question, and we’ll talk.

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