Shooting The Shit About Cancelled Auctions and AI Inevitability

Carly and CeCe are back to unpack another messy week in publishing, from a headline-making cancelled book auction and growing concerns over AI accusations to the urgent need for clearer industry guidelines around AI use. They dig into who should be responsible for setting those rules, why authors deserve more transparency, and the risks of relying on AI detection tools. Plus, they discuss alternative publishing models, the rise of no-advance deals, and the increasingly sophisticated scams targeting authors.

As mentioned on the podcast (please copy and paste the URL into your browser):

https://nypost.com/2026/08/04/media/author-who-lost-2m-book-deal-over-ai-concerns-claims-allegations-are-racially-motivated/

https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/publisher-news/article/100983-after-the-cancellation-of-call-me-i-ll-hide-the-body-what-comes-next.html

https://www.thebookseller.com/news/it-was-inevitable-agents-react-to-major-book-deal-that-collapsed-over-suspected-ai-use

https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/publisher-news/article/100985-rbmedia-acquires-u-k-indie-boldwood-books.html

https://authornews.penguinrandomhouse.com/spotting-and-blocking-fraudulent-author-opportunities/?ref=PRH07B05BFDA8A1&linkid=PRH07B05BFDA8A1&cdi=321A47AFB9BF4547E0534FD66B0AE227&template_id=40775&aid=randohouseinc30392-20&link_location=5_20

Note: CeCe Lyra is a literary agent at Wendy Sherman Associates. If you’d like to query CeCe, please refer to the submission guidelines at www.wsherman.com. Carly Watters is a literary agent at P.S. Literary Agency, but her work on this podcast is not affiliated with the agency, and the views expressed by Carly on this podcast are solely that of her as a podcast co-host ​and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of P.S. Literary Agency.

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