22. June 2026

Drama, Opinions, and New Beginnings

What a week.

Sometimes I wonder if the book world needs villains because, honestly, we create enough drama on our own.

The biggest topic dominating everyone’s conversations was the end of the SBBB event this week. What should have been a celebration of books and readers instead became overshadowed by controversy after one of the organisers posted something that many people found offensive. From everything I have seen, there was no malicious intent behind it, but intentions and impact are not always the same thing. The situation escalated quickly, emotions ran high, and the event ended with far more discussion about social media than about literature.

As if that weren’t enough, I found myself unexpectedly pulled into my own little storm.

I gave my honest opinion about a book cover redesign. I simply preferred some of the visual elements from the previous version while appreciating certain aspects of the new one. It was never meant as an attack on the artist or their work. Somehow, though, the conversation turned into an accusation that I preferred AI-generated covers over the commissioned artwork.

Let me be absolutely clear: I do not support AI-generated covers or AI-generated book content. I believe books deserve human creativity, and artists deserve recognition and fair compensation for their work. My comments were about design choices and composition, not about replacing artists with algorithms.

The experience was a reminder that opinions on art are deeply personal, and in the age of social media, even a simple observation can become a debate before you’ve had your morning coffee.

Thankfully, not everything this week has been wrapped in controversy.

I have some wonderful news that fills me with excitement and gratitude. After more than sixteen years, my book is about to be printed in Brazil again. I am in the process of signing with the Brazilian publisher Um Livro, and I honestly couldn’t be happier.

It feels like a full-circle moment. Seeing my work return to Brazilian readers after so long is emotional in ways I didn’t expect, but moments like this remind me why I keep writing.

Thanks to Aoife, that helped me to format the Portuguese book and the Special Edition as well that will be available there.

So, despite the misunderstandings, the debates, and the online chaos, this week ends on a hopeful note.

Because at the end of the day, stories continue, books find readers, and new chapters begin.

And this one is a chapter I’m incredibly excited to write.