General Inquiries FAQ
General Inquiries
1. Do you use AI in your work?
Short answer: I will never knowingly use generative AI for any purpose, full stop.
Longer answer: “AI” is a broad umbrella which can encompass assistive AI (spellcheck, social media algorithms, Siri/Alexa, etc.), and generative AI (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Copilot, etc.), and everything in between. While I may use some assistive AI tools such as spellcheck, which are trained on limited, closed datasets to perform specific functions, I will never knowingly engage with generative AI for any purpose, including but not limited to writing, editing, research, brainstorming, cover design, website design/content, or social media posts.
Generative AI champions mediocrity, propels misinformation, devalues creativity, dulls critical thinking, devours the resources of marginalized communities, and is trained on illegal data including stolen art and violent and dehumanizing imagery, including the sexual assault of children. While I understand that some individuals may be required to use it as a condition of their employment, and do not judge those to whom that applies, I personally see no ethical use for it in any context, and would urge anyone using it discretionally to reconsider that choice.
For more reading on this topic, I recommend:
Karen Hao’s EMPIRE OF AI
This presentation from Amnesty International
This study on the impact of using AI for personal advice
This essay on using AI in an academic setting
The AI Resist List of action items for folks opposed to generative AI
2. How can I get signed copies of your books?
For signed preorders of Dread Chaser, please order from Parnassus Books or Bound Booksellers.
For more information on signed copies of my books and/or signed bookplates, please visit this page.
3. Will you visit my book club?
Yes! I love meeting with book clubs who have chosen to read one of my books. It’s so fun to talk with readers and answer their questions about all the stuff that doesn’t typically come up at events due to spoilers. And I always bring my signing pens to in-person events, so I’ll be happy to sign books for anyone in the club who brings their copy!
If your book club would like to read one of my books, please shoot me an email via my Contact page and we will figure out the best way for me to visit with your club. If you live in the Nashville area, I will try my best to come in person; otherwise, I’m happy to join via Zoom.
4. What format/retailer benefits you the most as the author?
I’m so pleasantly surprised by how many folks have asked specifically where they should buy my books, and in what format, so that I get the most personal benefit from the sale. However, I’ll make this real easy for you—it doesn’t matter.
Yes, I get a higher royalty rate for some formats than others (hardcover gives me the most profit per sale; the rest are about even), but it seriously does not make THAT much of a difference. Just buy the format you enjoy reading the most! The thing that benefits me the most as an author is if you read it and enjoy it (and leave a review, if possible).
Same thing goes for the retailer—my royalty rates are fixed by my publisher according to the format of the book, not where people buy it. I also get the same royalty even if the retailer sells the book at a discount, since the royalty is calculated on the list price of the book. So wherever you tend to buy your books sounds like the perfect place to me.
5. Is there any way to support your books without spending money?
Yes! A huge way you can support my books is by requesting them from your local library. Library sales are a big part of a book’s success, and librarians want to stock the books their local readers are interested in. And the best part is, it is totally free!
You can also check the book out from the library (or put it on hold if it’s already checked out). This shows that there is demand for the book, and may encourage the library to purchase more copies.
Another way to support the book is to leave an honest review wherever books are sold. The more reviews a book has, the more likely it is to show up in searches, enabling more readers to find it. This includes Amazon and Goodreads, of course, but don’t forget Barnes & Noble, Target, BookBub, and Storygraph!
For more suggestions on how to support an author beyond buying their book, check out this fantastic post by author Damyanti Biswas: How Do You Support an Author Without Breaking the Bank?
6. Will you blurb my book?
I’m so honored that you thought of me! All blurb requests must go through my agent, Holly Root.