📚 Plot Twists & Paychecks
The Hot Takes & Headlines Every Author Needs — January 7, 2026
New year, new publishing realities. This week’s headlines sit right at the intersection of AI, copyright, global regulation, and author leverage — exactly where authors need to be paying attention in 2026.
🤖 Amazon & ElevenLabs Roll Out Interactive AI Book Features
What happened?
Amazon and ElevenLabs have launched new interactive AI features, including “Ask This Book” on Kindle and AI-powered audiobook voice interactions. Readers can now query content, summaries, and themes directly inside books.
The Authors Guild has raised concerns that this type of interactive use may exceed existing licensing agreements. I agree.
Why it matters:
This shifts books from static products to interactive data sources — without clear compensation models for authors. Additionally, it fundamentally changes the way we read books. Keep a close eye on this.
Coach’s move:
Audit your contracts for AI, derivative, and interactive-use clauses. If your contracts are silent, assume platforms will interpret that silence in their favor.
⚖️ Authors File New Lawsuits Against Major AI Companies
What happened?
On December 23, 2025, six authors filed new copyright infringement lawsuits against Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, Meta, xAI, and Perplexity AI, alleging their books were used without permission to train AI models.
Unlike earlier settlements, these are individual lawsuits, not class actions.
Why it matters:
This marks a shift from negotiation to direct legal enforcement — and copyright registration status may determine who has standing.
Coach’s move:
Register your copyrights. Not “eventually.” Now. These cases reinforce that authors without registered copyrights risk being left out entirely.
🌍 EU Exempts Printed Books from Deforestation Regulations
What happened?
The European Parliament voted to exclude printed books and newspapers from compliance under the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), which would have required extensive proof of paper sourcing.
Why it matters:
This removes a potential compliance nightmare for authors and publishers selling print books into the EU and preserves international print distribution pipelines.
Coach’s move:
If you sell print internationally, keep tracking regulatory changes — but this one is a rare win for publishers.
Source:
https://www.bookbrowse.com/news/
🕵️ Patricia Cornwell Announces 2026 Memoir True Crime
What happened?
Bestselling author Patricia Cornwell announced a memoir, True Crime, releasing May 5, 2026. The book will explore her career, controversies, and personal story, with a major media rollout already underway.
Why it matters:
Author memoirs tied to strong genre brands often reignite backlist sales, podcast appearances, and cross-media opportunities.
Coach’s move:
If you have a strong personal narrative behind your work, consider how memoir, essays, or writing a self-help book could extend your author brand.
Source:
https://people.com/patricia-cornwell-announces-memoir-true-crime-see-the-cover-exclusive-11880230
🏁 Final Thoughts from Your Book Coach
2026 is shaping up to be a rights-first year. Authors who understand contracts, protect their IP, and stay alert to platform shifts will have far more control — and far fewer surprises.
This article is part of the weekly Plot Twists & Paychecks publishing news series.
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