$2m crime novel deal collapses amid questions over AI use
theguardian.com – Sunday August 2, 2026
Agents withdraw Jerry Falade’s hotly anticipated debut after saying they can no longer authenticate ‘how the manuscript evolved’
A high-profile publishing deal for a debut crime novel has collapsed after doubts emerged over whether artificial intelligence played a role in writing it.
The hotly anticipated manuscript Call Me, I’ll Hide the Body, by Jerry Falade, was withdrawn from sale by its agent despite reportedly receiving an offer for more than $2m (£1.5m) from Minotaur, owned by Macmillan US, as part of a 14-way auction. The plan was to publish it in 2028.
An email sent to publishers by Falade’s agents and seen by the Guardian said: “Jerry Falade produced an incredible manuscript that dazzled us and the top publishing professionals around the world. Unfortunately, we are no longer able to authenticate how the manuscript fully evolved from origin to completion.”
It continued: “During the submission process we vetted the manuscript with Jerry for AI and felt trusting in his reassurance that it was written without utilising AI as a resource in the writing or editorial process. We can no longer substantiate that, and we are withdrawing the book.”
Nero New Writers Prize launched
irishtimes.com – Friday July 31, 2026
The search for the best unpublished writers in Ireland and Britain has begun with the launch of the 2026 Nero New Writers Prize in association with Brunel University of London.
Started in 2025 to celebrate the best unpublished writers, the prize aims to discover the writing stars of the future and support their development. Entrants are asked to submit a previously unpublished short story (a piece of fiction or narrative non-fiction) of up to 5,000 words. It can be written for children or for adult audiences and should be a self-contained piece of work.
The winner of the Nero New Writers Prize will receive a cash prize of £3,000, alongside a scholarship to study for an MA in Creative Writing at Brunel, an introductory meeting with a literary agent and more great prizes.
The prize will be judged by Paul Murray, bestselling author and winner of the 2023 Nero Gold Prize, Irish Times literary critic and novelist, Helen Cullen, and Booker Prize winner Bernardine Evaristo. A new award dedicated solely to Brunel students has also been announced.
Submissions are now open and will close on September 11th. For full details and an entry form visit nerobookawards.com.
50 Word Fiction competition: write a story about sailing
scottishbooktrust.com – Wednesday July 29, 2026
Closing date: Tuesday 25 August 2026 at 11.55pm
Each month, we'll provide a prompt to get you started, but where the story goes from there is entirely up to you.
The 50 Word Fiction competition includes four categories: adult writers, all-age Gaelic writers, young writers aged 5–11 and young writers aged 12–18. The entries will be judged by a panel and the four winning stories will be published on our website roughly two weeks after the closing date.
A prize will be awarded to a writer in each category, should they be located in the UK, and we're very happy to offer a certificate (printed or digital, depending on your preference) as well as the below:
Feeling excluded in the literary world, Jews are launching their own publishing houses
jta.org – Tuesday July 28, 2026
Meg Keene, an activist whose own novel failed to sell, is helming an eponymous imprint at Wicked Son Books.
An unpublished novel has paved the way for the birth of a new Jewish fiction imprint, in the leading edge of a flurry of initiatives to combat antisemitism in the publishing industry by taking hold of the means of production.
Meg Keene had an enthusiastic agent with a long track record of sales when she submitted her novel, a romance with Israeli characters, to publishers in 2024. But she said heard over and over that her book seemed too Jewish to publish at a time when the war in Gaza had turned anything that could be perceived as pro-Israel radioactive. As has happened to an untold number of Jewish authors in recent years, her book did not sell.
Now, Keene is the eponymous tastemaker at the helm of a new imprint within Wicked Son Press, a 5-year-old publisher that has released mostly nonfiction that leans right.
Open Book ceasing operations at end of August
quillandquire.com – Tuesday July 28, 2026
Open Book has announced it will cease operations as of August 31.
The online publication, run by the Open Book Foundation, celebrated the Ontario literary scene, with a special focus on books and events from the province’s independent publishers. In a note to readers on July 20, the Open Book team announced that due to “successive reductions in grant funding” it would be unable to continue operating.
“This is not an announcement we ever wanted to make. We feel so privileged to have served Ontario’s literary community by connecting readers with incredible books, amplifying authors’ voices, and showcasing the work of independent publishers across the province,” the notice reads. “We are deeply grateful for the years of public funding and community support that made this work possible. Over the years, investment from our funders allowed Open Book to grow into a trusted resource for readers, educators, librarians, booksellers, and the publishing industry.”
Free International Writing Competition – Six Word Wonder 2026
firstwriter.com – Monday July 27, 2026
Entries are now open for "Six Word Wonder 2026", an annual international writing competition celebrating the art of telling a complete story in exactly six words.
First launched in 2022, the competition is free to enter and open worldwide to anyone aged 16 or over. Writers may submit up to five original six-word stories, memoirs, poems or jokes.
New S&S UK Imprint Targets Self-Published Authors
publishersweekly.com – Saturday July 25, 2026
Simon & Schuster UK and International has launched Simon Stream, a digital-focused fiction imprint aimed at self-published authors who want to make the switch to traditional publishing. The imprint will be headed up by S&S UK publishing director Victoria Pepe.
Simon Stream will publish globally in paperback, e-book, and audiobook formats, per its website, beginning with the first installment in a new five-book “cozy crime” series by Jack Gatland, set for this fall.
The imprint hosts an open submissions portal, and is currently accepting crime, thriller, romance, historical fiction, and fantasy manuscripts of 70-100k words.
Pepe said in the announcement that Simon Stream aims to offer authors “the best parts of both [self- and traditional] publishing models,” specifically with an eye to royalty rates. Simon Stream offers 50% net royalties on e-book sales, while a typical e-book royalty rate for traditional publishers hovers around 25%. Many hybrid publishing offers also start at a 50% royalty rate.
Free Six-Week Creative Writing Course with Bestselling Author Lucy O’Callaghan at Clare Museum
clarecoco.ie – Friday July 24, 2026
Bestselling author Lucy O'Callaghan is to host a free six-week creative writing course that celebrates the power of heritage, memory and storytelling at the Clare County Council-managed Clare Museum.
Beginning during Heritage Week, on Thursday, August 20, this series of workshops will start with an exploration of the museum's collections, using the objects, stories and history they hold as a springboard for your own writing.
Heritage is more than the past - it's the memories we treasure, the traditions we inherit, the places we call home, and the stories that shape who we are.
Lucy O'Callaghan is a self-confessed people watcher; stories that happen to real people have always fascinated her and this motivated her to write contemporary women’s fiction. Her writing has been described as pacy, human, moving, and very real. Her debut novel, ‘The Lies Beneath’, was published in April 2024 and was an instant Irish Times Bestseller.
Writing 4 Novels in 10 Months with AI
oreilly.com – Thursday July 23, 2026
Using AI as a writers’ room without having it generate a word
What you’ll learn and how you can apply it
- Set up an AI-assisted research and visual-reference process before drafting begins
- Use AI as an interrogable continuity reference across a long manuscript or series
- Run AI-assisted brainstorming and chapter outlining without ceding structural decisions
- Deploy AI in four distinct editorial roles (developmental editor, writers’ room, copy editor, proofreader) at different stages of revision
- Build an AI-assisted research and continuity pipeline for a long-form creative project, from initial world-building through final proofread
AI’s taken my job
spectator.com – Wednesday July 22, 2026
This week I was replaced by AI. I saw it coming, but it didn’t make the news any easier to deal with. To be honest, it terrifies me for the future of our species. If that sounds a bit over the top, hear me out.
I am a writer. Not only that, I am a commercially successful one. Although you probably haven’t heard of me, I’ve published more than 300 short stories in women’s magazines over the past 15 years. From ghost stories in Woman’s Weekly to tales of romance in Take a Break Fiction Feast, I write them all. Sorry – wrote.
‘Dear Geoff,’ the email said. ‘Going forward, our in-house team will be using AI tools to compile future editions, but we thank you for your many contributions to the magazine over the years. Kind regards, Rebecca.’ Or to put it more bluntly: ‘We’ve replaced you with a robot.’
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