Barnes & Noble: Ai Generated Books?

 

Social media has become a toxic playground due to people calling everything ai and assuming that every self-published author out there is using ai in their writing and everything else. It’s the paranoia that is running amok. By the way, it’s perfectly okay for authors to use online tools to create videos or images for promoting their books, not saying that those images or videos are made with ai, I’m just saying that it’s no one’s business what an author uses to promote their book, just enjoy the video or image for Godsakes. Stop being uptight and angry.

 If someone dismisses this as AI-generated content, they can simply choose not to engage with it. The choice ultimately lies with the reader. Recently, I’ve noticed discussions online, particularly about Barnes & Noble, which is trending for unexpected reasons.

Many people are accusing the store of endorsing AI-generated books, leading some to call for a boycott. Personally, I don’t shop at Barnes & Noble, so I’m not entirely sure what the fuss is about. In an Indie Author group I’m part of on Facebook, whenever fellow indie or self-published authors post their book covers, there’s often a comment like, “Looks like AI to me” or “AI Slop.” It seems that the term "slop" has become a catch-all for anything that doesn’t meet certain standards.

I came across a comment on Tumblr that included the word "SLOP." The person was talking about a photo of someone genuinely sharing a moment with her dog in her backyard. It seems like people are really overusing that term. One day, we might look back and find it amusing, but for now, it’s not and it is annoying.

In Facebook Indie author groups and Threads, I’ve seen some members demanding proof that authors created their images without AI help, which is just crazy.

(This comment is referring to another author who shared their book cover image, in that group. And this is why I think people are blowing it all out of proportion. Witch Hunt)

If you’re an author facing this, my advice is to simply ignore those comments; they’re just looking to stir up online drama. Remember, if someone is questioning the authenticity of your work, they’re likely not genuinely interested in your book and are just trolling. Recognize these signs, scroll past their negativity, or delete their comments if you can, and don’t hesitate to block them. 

NOTE: I use KDP gallery images that are provided. However, three books do have covers that I created myself but I used Render, Bender and whatever online tools available. Personally, I don't have to tell anyone how I made my book covers and that's my point. No author should do that. If a person is genuinely interested in their book, they'll read it. Period.

In conclusion, bookstores like Barnes & Noble don’t care what books they sell, if the book has garnered a lot of rates/reviews, the company will buy copies and sell them in their stores to make a profit. They don’t care.

New Entry

Ask The Author: Q & A's

 

These are questions from random people who have read some of my books.

Q: In your book, The Maze from Hell, can you give me more background info on Syra and Kyle? It doesn’t appear that you wrote about their life before the Backrooms.

A: You’re right. This is their background:

Kyle, a divorcee, is five years younger than Syra, and is a father to three kids—two daughters and a son. While working the night shift at Walmart, he accidentally found himself in the Backrooms. How it happened was, during a break, he stepped into the restroom, and when he emerged, he was met with a disorienting yellow maze instead of the familiar store.

Turning around, he realized the door he exited had vanished. Navigating through level 0 like many before him, he made his way to other levels until he encountered one of the colonies and decided to stay.

Syra was a married woman with a loving family. Her children were already adults when she mysteriously vanished. The details of how she found herself in the Backrooms are hazy, as her experiences there have clouded her memories of the events leading up to her arrival. Initially, she faced the same challenges as others in that non-Euclidean dimension, but eventually, she reached the Raiders colony and met Kyle. Accepting that returning home was no longer an option, Syra and Kyle formed a bond, navigating their new reality together while learning from the people around them.

Q: Was Mr. Smith, in your book, A Time Traveler’s Companion, have other companions not mentioned in your book?

A: Yes, but they were short lived. After Melanie left but before he met Remi, he had a brief encounter with a woman from the day spa where he first took Remi. Following that, there was Ella, whom I mentioned in the book, along with a few others. However, it was Remi who truly captured his heart and became his long-term companion until her passing. Later, during his fifth incarnation, he took Ryla as a companion, however she referred to him as uncle because of their history. No intimate encounters between them. When Ryla dies, years later, he continues his journeys with new companions.

Q: You mentioned that A Time Traveler’s Companion is loosely inspired by a fanfiction you wrote. Does it follow the original story?

A: Well, it’s a bit of both. While some elements from the fanfiction remain, many aspects have been altered. Given that it’s a Doctor Who fanfic, I made several changes during the writing process, which unexpectedly led to the novel exceeding 500 pages. I believe the story stands apart from the fanfiction, and I appreciate you taking the time to read my book.

 

Q: In your book Flare, you mentioned that Cher knows Jane’s parents. Can you elaborate?

A: They were quite close, as Cher often assisted the Hunters, the organization to which Jane’s parents belonged. Their friendship deepened over the years, and Cher was present when Jane was born. However, after Jane’s parents passed away, Cher couldn’t take her in due to her nature as an energy vampire.

Cher is an enigmatic individual and remains so throughout the Phoenix Files book series. She will appear in one of the volumes from the series, assisting Jane on one of the assignments.

Thank you for visiting this blog and if you have any questions regarding my books, please feel free to ask.

Websites

CG Heandez

Cecile Garcia

KO-Fi

NEW ENTRY

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.

BOWKER

WEBSITE

YOUTUBE CHANNEL

Unpopular Opinion

End of the Year Updates: 2025

 

This past year has been incredibly challenging for my family and me, especially after losing my husband in September. May he rest in peace. Despite the difficulties, I’ve managed to make some strides with my writing, particularly with my books. This year, I released three books: two are low-content titles, and one is an eBook featuring a short story I originally shared on Wattpad and AO3. For the eBook, I went with my pseudonym, CG Heandez, so if you're interested in checking it out, make sure to search for it under that name. 

I recently discovered that a book sharing the same title as one of my own (Chandra’s Quest) is available at Walmart and Target. I was flabbergasted, as I had assumed that major retailers typically avoid stocking books with few or no ratings/reviews. I found out that the author used a certain website to push her book out there and I’ll be doing the same for one of my other books that I have not yet published into a paperback book yet. It’s worth mentioning that while both books (Chandra's Quest) share the same title, their content is quite different.

My Chandra’s Quest has been around for 23 years, its first edition published in 2003. The second edition published in 2013, which brought together all four books of the series into a single volume. This comprehensive edition spans 567 pages, eBook & paperback version.

Lastly, I would like to acknowledge that "Lost in the Backrooms: The Phoenix Files vol. 1" has achieved the highest number of downloads this year and last. This outcome has taken me by surprise, yet I am pleased with the success it has garnered. Though it may not have as many rates/reviews as I'd hope but I'm still pleased with what it has. Next, The Secret Diary of a Gypsy Heart is now available in paperback, and I've made some updates to it as well. 

Which of my books do I want to see at major retail stores? 

Chandra’s Quest and A Time Traveler’s Companion, both titles have a page count that exceeds over 400. However, I believe that there's no way I can make Chandra's Quest available on IngramSpark, but I will publish A Time Traveler's Companion as a paperback there.

*Currently I'm in the process of editing A Time Traveler’s Companion, giving it the last look over before releasing it as an eBook on Amazon. Page count for this book is 564. 

 Books under my pseudonym Cecile Garcia

Books currently available under the pseudonym CG Heandez

Have a Happy New Year!

CG Heandez

Social Media Indie Author Groups

 

I recently decided to leave a few self-promotion groups for indie authors on Facebook due to the lack of approval for my recent posts. While I noticed other authors successfully promoting their work, my submissions remained unapproved for several weeks, prompting my departure from those groups. I chose to stay with the groups that did approve my posts, but I find it perplexing why my contributions were overlooked. As an indie author, self-promotion is crucial, and social media offers valuable opportunities. However, it feels misleading when groups claim to support self-promotion for indie authors yet exclude certain posts. I wanted to share my experience to inform fellow authors about this issue. If you've had similar problems, please comment in the comment box below. thank you.

WEBSITE

LINKTREE

Fanfiction

Ai Online Drama

It's Not About AI!

 

As an indie author, I'm growing increasingly frustrated with the constant accusations that writers are relying on AI simply because their work is polished and articulate. It's disheartening to see talent dismissed in this way, as if good writing can only come from technology rather than genuine creativity and effort. 

I believe that those making accusations against self-published authors are often just trolls or bots looking to cause strife. So, it's not about AI, it's about being insulting and cruel to the Indie Author community. The majority of them work hard on their books. Indie authors are minding their own business, doing their own thing. Are you? 

MY TikTok

CG HEANDEZ

CECILE GARCIA

My Author's Q & A's

 

(Once every other month I will post Q & A's that readers have asked me)

Q- Will you be posting new short videos or excerpts on Path Less Taken from the Phoenix Files? I’ve seen that you haven’t posted anything about that book, and I thought that maybe you decided to abandon the project. J. Peters

A-I appreciate your interest in my work! Currently, I'm focused on completing "A Time Traveler's Companion," which is nearly 500 pages long. Once I wrap that up, I plan to finish "Path Less Taken" and will share some short videos and excerpts soon after. 

Q- When will you publish the recent version of Chandra’s Quest on AppleBooks? You mentioned that you combined all four books into one. I would love to read it. Mary Fuentes

A-Regarding "Chandra's Quest," I do intend to release the new version on Amazon and Apple Books, but as mentioned in a previous blog post, it won't be available on GooglePlay and AppleBooks until July. An audiobook is currently being made.

Q- Do you use AI generated images for your short videos? Jessica P

A-Some images in my promotional videos, are AI-generated, but I use them primarily to depict the characters visually for the readers’ entertainment.

Q- I really enjoyed Flare and I would like to know if it is available as an audiobook. ldyVamp

A-I'm glad to hear you enjoyed "Flare” there is indeed an audiobook available on GooglePlay, so feel free to check it out!

Q-I enjoyed reading the book about the Backrooms from the Phoenix Files, will you be writing another one related to the Backrooms? Anonymous

A-There will be another installment in the Phoenix Files series that revisits the Backrooms, specifically in volume 4. It will be available in the future.

(I love receiving questions from readers through social media, and I promise to feature them on my blog in the coming months!)

West Pacifica

Images of The Main Character from A Time Traveler's Companion

 

Updates on images related to character in A Time Traveler's Companion.

This post is related to a book I am currently working on and I have updated the images of the main character, Remi. I don't' always share anything related to this book on this blog, I prefer to share excerpts on my other blog under my pen name CG Heandez.

Remi (18) & Mr. Smith's first incarnation

Remi (20) & Mr. Smith's second incarnation

Remi (28) & Mr. Smith's 3rd incarnation

Remi (45) & Mr. Smith's 4th incarnation

The four incarnations of Mr. Smith

Please do visit my other blog, I share excerpts from this book and others written under CG Heandez. Link below.

CG Heandez blog

Where Does Remi Live

What Can Be Copyrighted

 

I don’t know how many times I must say this, you can copyright almost anything CREATIVE. But keep in mind that copyright doesn't cover ideas, facts, or methods. It only protects how those ideas or facts are EXPRESSED. For instance, you can't copyright the idea of a 'dinosaur,' but you can copyright a drawing or a story you created about one. If an author uses an AI editor to help polish their writing, their books are still eligible for copyright because it's their original story, even if AI played a small role in editing. For those who know, Word-Doc has Co-Pilot a built in AI editor for writers, which might surprise some, but it's true. It comes with a subscription of 365 Word.

I have my own thoughts on AI and copyright. Honestly, I’m not too concerned about what other writers choose to do. You can absolutely copyright your work, even if AI played a small role in the editing process. Ultimately, the story is still the writer's creation. I'm currently working on a Time Traveler’s Companion, and I use Co-Pilot for some of the editing, but since it’s primarily my own writing, it’s taking me a while to finish the novel. I started the book in 2023. Yes, you can copyright almost anything creative. However, names are not copyrighted, you cannot copyright your own name unless it's a very unique name. Please do comment if you wish but keep it civil, I look over comments before approval.

My Website

Other Pen name

CG Heandez Website

Boycotting Kindle Unlimited

 

Let's talk about this K. U. boycott for a second. I understand the political motivations behind it, I really do. But here's the harsh truth that a lot of people seem to be missing: you're not sticking it to Bezos or Kindle Unlimited. The ones who are actually getting hurt by the boycott are the independent, self-published authors who rely on KU for income and exposure. 

If you're against supporting Amazon, that's fine! There are other options. 

Check out Google Play or Apple Books for eBooks, and Google Play also offers audiobooks. Just please, think about the consequences before canceling out K. U., and thinking you're making some grand statement. You're not. You're just making it tougher for the hardworking indie authors to make a living and sell their books that frankly deserve more exposure. 

KDP Select Program: Should You Join or Not

Updates on Books I Am Writing

 

I just want to give my readers an update on my progress of the books I am currently writing. 

Diary of a Time Traveler’s Companion: so far, I’m at 207 pages in; this book will be a full-length novel. It will be published under another pen name. It is based on a fanfic I’ve been writing. There are some changes in the book that sets it apart from the Fanfic. For those who know about my Fanfiction, kudos to you! You’ll enjoy the book as well. 

 

Path Less Taken: I am working on this book, I just haven’t gotten as far as I would like but it's possible that the completion date will be around the same time the Time Traveler’s book will be completed. I alternate between books when working on them.

*Pictures of the characters from both of my books are posted on my Facebook author page. 

Note: the character Jack Harlin is similar to the Jack character in Doctor Who but there are slight differences. And as you probably have figured out the woman with the curly blonde hair represents River but not the same personality. Both Jack and Melanie are bisexual.

Jack & Melanie

For those who follow me on TikTok, some of my videos have been muted, but you can find them on my YouTube channel or on my Facebook Reels list. Follow links below. 

TIKTOK

YouTube

CECILE GARCIA

CG HEANDEZ

What Is This?

 

Recently I received an email from KDP regarding some kind of alert for content review. Naturally I was perplexed by this. Here is what it said:

 

Hello, 

 

We are reaching out to you because we detected accounts attempting to manipulate Kindle services by simulating reading or borrowing activity on your titles.

 

You do not need to take any action, however, we will block the activities of these malicious accounts and their effects on payments. This means that you will still receive royalties associated with legitimate reading activities, but you will not receive royalties associated with activities related to these accounts. 

Please note that this notice does not represent a change to your account status but is sent to make you aware of how our security countermeasures will affect your previously reporting page count and your royalty payments. 

 

We understand you might have questions regarding the nature of how we detect these activities; however, please be aware that we cannot provide details that might compromise the integrity of our security systems.  

 

If you have any other questions, please reply to this email.  

No, I did not reply to it but went directly to KDP Community forum. I would rather not click on the link they provided because I did not want to click on something malicious. If this email is not directed to me personally, and it was sent out as a newsletter to all Indie authors then that's fine but recently I received several downloads of my books which surprised me but I am thrilled about it and I don't see a problem with it, people can download any of my books if they wish. I even got several global rates on all of them, thank you and I received an actual review on my book, In the Company of Elves, however, I was curious about the email I  received from KDP so I went ahead and logged into the KDP community forum. I asked about the email and why I would be receiving it and this is what several users said:

 “The notice has nothing to do with reviews and all to do with vandals manipulating sales numbers. I had it happen to my account several years back and it takes a while for them to find and disable the culprits, but they will do so. They are trying to reassure you will get paid for all legitimate sales but not for those fake sales being stuffed into the system. Think of it as cyber graffiti. Nothing to do but stay aware and wait it out.”

User 2: 

"Amazon is looking out for itself, not publishers. After all, you will not receive any royalties from page-reads they deem questionable. Be glad you still have an account. Back in the heyday of click-farms, hundreds of innocent titles were used to camouflage the real beneficiaries of click-farming. A great many indie bystanders found themselves jettisoned along with the offending parties, sometimes instead of. Click-farming isn't what it used to be (too many checks, balances and limitations to bring in the $500,000/month they used to get), but the practice has not gone away, no more so than has review or ranking manipulation. Even leaving out those who might get caught up with the actual scammers (like dolphins in a tuna net), KDP deletes 300-500 publishing accounts annually for a variety of reasons. I am sure a goodly percentage of those terminations are undeserved. It is always a mistake to assume KDP is looking out for us, is our friend or colleague/partner, or that they will listen to our protestations of innocence once a determination has been made."

I don't know what he or she is talking about, I've never heard of click-farming before. As far as I'm concerned, any VERIFIED buyer, is a verified buyer. Verified reviews or global rating is genuine and I should receive royalties from those sales, period! 

3 user:

"Well, the scammers aren't, AFAIK, "targeting" you. They manipulate YOUR sales, which means YOU get the money, not them. There's no realistic way for scammers to download KU, Kindle Unlimited book and speed read through them and THEY get the money. You get hurt by it, yes, because Amazon alerts to it and then starts to monitor your downloads and all that. It's bizarre. Not as bizarre as the sideways-book pirates, which is odd but odder."

This person is totally wrong, you can read through a book in two weeks or less if that book is under 100 pages. If it’s a novelette. Some of my books are novelettes. The only books that I have that are more than 100 pages are the Chandra’s Quest Trilogy set and In the Company of Elves.

So, I’m not sure where I stand with receiving royalties from KDP because ever since I had received the email, I haven’t heard anything else from them.

For those who want to know, my account on Amazon KDP is still up and running, it will not be deleted because I am not guilty of any kind of supposed scam. I’ll still have it next month, 6 months from now and for as long as I’m alive. Period!

Please do feel free to visit my author's page and download or buy any one of my books. Read, rate and review. Thank you.

I will make a vlog video about this soon. Please follow links below.

Amazon

 Facebook page

Author's Website

 

What Genre Do I Prefer to Write

What Genre Do I Prefer to Write

Fantasy, Paranormal/Supernatural and general fiction, anything else but Sci-fi. Yes, I find Sci-fi hard to write. My first book Chandra’s Quest is science fiction, in fact the whole trilogy is but I added a bit of fantasy and mysticism to it. It has taken me longer to finish the trilogy than expected but finish it, I will. 

20 years ago, I was inspired and motivated to write this trilogy however as the years moved on, I found myself lacking the motivation I once had. 

Fast forward to now, I struggle completing book 4 but I will get it done nevertheless and move on to my next projects.

 I have a Supernatural/paranormal book in the works, easy to write since I get my inspiration by reading Reddit stories or creepy pastas, etcetera. The web is full of them. The foundation is there, all I have to do is fill in my take on whatever moves me. 

I will not reveal the title of the book, I prefer to keep it surreptitious. 

Bottom line is, I am still working on and wrapping up Book 4 of Chandra’s Quest, once that’s done and published I will dive into my other projects. 

For those who have read Chandra’s Quest, and await the final installment,  be patient, it will be published this year as an eBook first.

 By the way, if you have read any of my books, please do rate or review them. I appreciate it. Thank you. 

Website 

Chandra's Quest: The Birth of a Trilogy

Chandra's Quest was one of my first full length novels that I wrote back in the mid to late 90's and self-published it in the early 2000's. It is part of a trilogy.

              First copy

The story was originally adult scifi but when I revised it, I made some changes. I republish it in 2013 through Kindle Direct Publishing, a very different self-publishing company than the previous one I used before. 

 I am pleased with both versions of Chandra's Quest, however I want to let everyone know that when you visit Amazon and find the book, I encourage you to download or buy the paperback of the revised version (2013). The older version is no longer available by the third party seller that was selling it. Even though it is unavailable, the seller still has it listed. Anyways, this entry is to inform interested readers to buy the current book and enjoy it. 

Please Read, Rate & Review. TY. 

Author's Website