James is recording from the Irish Publishing Show on St Patrick's Day, James and Cissy reflect on the changing state of indie publishing, the growing pressure of AI-driven discoverability, and the realities of building a sustainable author career in a more mature market. They revisit the ongoing debate around low-quality AI-generated books on Amazon, discuss why AI detection tools are unlikely to solve the problem, and explore how authors are adapting across indie, hybrid, and traditional paths. The episode also takes a more personal turn, with a thoughtful conversation about reading habits, the books that turn children into lifelong readers, and how authors can use AI in practical, reader-focused ways, including personalised book recommendation quizzes.

Key Talking Points

James shares insights from the Irish Publishing Show and London Book Fair, including how the indie publishing space feels more mature and less boom-driven than in previous years.
A deeper look at the AI discoverability problem on Amazon, especially the impact of low-quality AI-generated books flooding categories and search results.
Why Amazon is unlikely to separate or reliably detect AI-written books, and what that means for indie authors going forward.
A discussion about how readers are made, including the books that first hooked James and Cissy, and why "reading is reading" at every age and level.
Cissy explains how she's using Claude and AI tools to build practical reader experiences, including a quiz that helps visitors find the right entry-point book from her catalogue.

Links & Resources Mentioned

ProWritingAid (Sponsor – code IWC15 for 15% off annual subscriptions): https://prowritingaid.com
AI Translations Course: https://learnselfpublishing.com/aitranslations
Mecca Romance (reader quiz mentioned): https://meccaromance.com

SPS-439: How Readers Are Made with James Blatch & Cissy Mecca