Ai Online Drama

 

How many of you indie/self-published authors are getting tired of people who have or will never read your books, accuse you of using ai? How many times have you read in a post about ai and its evil influences? Personally, I’ve read many and it gets tiring. In fact, I tend to scroll past them. I recently came across a discussion in a Facebook author group where someone questioned the fuss over authors using AI, suggesting that critics will always find something to complain about, regardless of the choice.

However, whenever AI is mentioned, the conversation often turns heated, with people attacking others for either supporting or opposing its use. This topic is tricky; if you view AI as nothing more than a tool or if you’re indifferent toward it, and you don’t care, you might still face backlash based on your stance alone. 

To quote what someone once said: The whole ai paranoia is out of control.

Honestly, it is. I agree but nevertheless, I believe in, live and let live. Whether an author uses ai is none of my business because it doesn’t affect me, or it shouldn’t. I have no association with that person so, yeah.

However, as I stated before, if you’re indifferent about ai in general, then others see it as an opportunity to throw shade on you and accuse you of using ai even if you didn’t. I try to scroll past any mention of ai online posts because of the drama but sometimes it can’t be helped.

 NOTE: Many authors, including myself, have been writing and self-publishing long before AI became a topic of discussion; I've been writing since the early 2000s. Recently, I shared that info in a conversation, and someone responded with, "Well, AI has been around for a while," which honestly left me speechless. It was a ridiculous response, one that I did not respond to. A bot or troll, I don’t know but that is why I try not to engage.

If the people who post these comments are not trolls or bots, then it seems that some individuals are just looking for reasons to disparage indie authors. That's my candid take on the situation. By the way, sometimes those ai apps that claim to show you if ai was used--aren’t as accurate as you think they are. If you want to comment, please do so, I’m interested in your opinion. 

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The Backrooms Creator?

 

With all the excitement surrounding Kane Pixel's upcoming Backrooms movie, it's easy to overlook the fact that he didn't actually create the Backrooms lore.

No one really owns the Backrooms. Here’s a breakdown of the copyright status of The Backrooms:

The initial 4chan post and the original image of The Backrooms are considered to be in the public domain, as they were posted anonymously and have been treated as free for anyone to use.

Most of the expanded lore and user-generated content, particularly on wikis like the Backrooms Wiki on Wikidot, is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 (CC-BY-SA). This means you can create your own stories. 

The core IDEA is free for anyone to expand upon (often under CC-BY-SA), but specific, original adaptations, like in books, media & movies are protected and copyrighted. I am not throwing shade on Kane Pixel’s creativity; I am only stating the facts when it comes to the Backrooms. Please feel free to comment if you wish. I will go see the movie since everything Backrooms fascinates me.

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Betrayal

 

As my son and I drove along Lazycreek Road in our small town, we passed Oakbridge Road, and I casually wondered if my ex-friend still lived there. Curious, he asked what had happened between us. Although I felt a bit uncomfortable sharing, I realized he was now an adult at 29, so I decided to open up. I explained that the fallout occurred 40 years ago in 1986 when I was in love with a man who didn’t feel the same way. I had confided in her about becoming intimate with my boyfriend, which was a significant moment for me as it was my first time. To me, it felt like magic, and I viewed him as my soulmate. 

My ex-friend and I had been close since middle school, and I had hoped she would keep my secret safe. Unfortunately, she shared it with her boyfriend, who later became her husband. He told her to distance herself from me, labeling me a "slut." At that time, I was in my early 20s and certainly didn’t fit that description. My ex-friend and I came from conservative families, but I was the black sheep in mine. That year, I not only lost my first true love when he broke up with me a few months later, but I also lost a friend due to ignorance and stupidity. I felt a wave of disappointment when I learned that she had moved to Menifee in the 90s. Though this entry may not relate directly to my books, it offers a glimpse into how I draw inspiration for my male characters from real men I've encountered. Comments are appreciated.

(Images used in this blog are for entertainment purposes. BTW, the earrings the woman is wearing in the photo are similar to a pair of earrings I had at the time.)

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Unpopular Opinion

 

Authors keep trying to justify that they wrote/write their own books and did not use ai, even though they weren’t ask to prove it. Just stop. If you’ve been writing for quite some time and have published several books throughout the years, you don’t have to justify yourself.

Just put your books out there, let the readers enjoy your books. Another thing: Yes, AI paranoia runs rampant but just because a publisher or indie author uses a video that may seem like ai generated to advertise an author’s book, doesn’t mean the book itself is ai generated! 

Trolls and haters will always cause online drama to deter readers away from author’s books because that’s what they do. Believing their lies will only mean you’re missing out on a potentially good novel. By the way, authors shouldn’t have to pay an influencer to promote their book. If the influencer likes your book then they should mention it in their podcast or stream, for free. Indie authors shouldn't pay someone to review their books either. Reviews/rates will come when the readers posts them. I made a short video of this blog entry, not all of what I have written here made it into the video, though. if you have your own opinion about this entry, please I encourage people to post their comments.

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CG Heandez

Leaving Reviews Help

Yes, leaving reviews and ratings is definitely beneficial to the author. Contrary to what some might say, anyone who has purchased your book or downloaded it during a promotional offer is eligible to leave feedback. While there’s a common belief that reviews from friends or family could lead to a ban, this isn’t necessarily accurate. It’s fear mongering by other authors.

Question: How would platforms like Amazon or Goodreads even determine if reviewers are related? Some claim that these sites dig through social media for connections, but is it worth the effort to invade someone’s privacy just to invalidate their reviews? Sounds ridiculous, isn't it. It makes no sense really, since millions of self-published authors publish their books every year and to waste that much time for one author is mind blowing. Consider this for a moment: if an author faces negativity from haters or a disgruntled peer, it might create some buzz, but authors, don’t let that fear hold you back. 

It’s important not to discourage anyone from sharing their ratings or reviews of your books.  A smart move for any author is to secure an ISBN number before publishing on KDP or any other platform. It costs $125, and having your own ISBN can enhance your book's visibility with major retailers, rather than relying solely on Amazon for distribution.

Apparently, Amazon primarily focuses on distributing books through its own platform, unlike IngramSparks, which reaches a wider range of retailers. While I’m not entirely sure about the specifics yet, many authors have shared that they wished for their books to be available in places like Target, Walmart, or libraries, but Amazon's distribution is limited to its own site. 

This year, I’m planning to take a different approach by not only publishing a paperback through Amazon KDP but also utilizing IngramSparks for broader distribution. You can find more information about Bowker Publishing Services in the link below. Thank you for visiting my blog and please subscribe to my channel. Not all blog entries are made into short videos but most are.

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Unpopular Opinion

Pseudonyms: Why Authors Use Them

 

Some authors choose to adopt a pseudonym to keep their identities hidden from family and friends. In my case, my family is already aware of the pen names I use, so I have nothing to hide.

 However, I came across a comment on Threads suggesting that one reason authors choose pen names is to avoid family members expecting to find personal details about themselves in their work. When a book isn’t a biography, it’s unlikely to reflect the author’s life experiences.

 I can honestly say that in some of my books, I drew inspiration from certain individuals that I once knew. Their personalities are forever engraved in the characters. As for family members, I never incorporated them into my books.

 Will the people that I did incorporate into some of my books, ever see themselves reflected in my writing? Perhaps, but if they don’t remember me or have blocked me on social media, then it’s unlikely.

Side note, at the end of each of my books, I include a section called Author’s Notes, where readers can find additional insights about the characters and other details. Thank you for visiting my blog. Consider subscribing to my channel—link below. While not every blog post is turned into a short video, the majority are.

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Updates on my Books 2026

I am sharing a link to my blog under CG Heandez where I post updates on books I've written under that pseudonym. Please visit and comment on any entry you wish. Thank you. 

CG Heandez

Cecile Garcia

Leaving Reviews Help

Pseudonyms:Why Authors Use Them