Ask This Book

News Podcast: Amazon’s ‘Ask This Book’ Feature Sparks Debate as 2025 Wraps Up

On this episode of the Self-Publishing with ALLi podcast, Dan Holloway closes out 2025 by examining Amazon’s new “Ask This Book” AI feature for Kindle and the backlash over its always-on use with no author opt-out. He reflects on a year shaped by AI controversies, including the Anthropic class action, contrasts Amazon’s approach with Spotify’s push for greater transparency, and looks at wider industry shifts, from romance’s continued dominance to the rise of Bookshop.org as a meaningful alternative for both print and e-book sales.
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Producing Affordable Audiobooks

Audio Interview: Producing Affordable Audiobooks with AI Assistance — Anna Featherstone and Phil Marshall

In this episode of the ALLi Self-Publishing Advice Podcast, Anna Featherstone speaks with Phil Marshall, co-founder of Spoken, about the fast-changing world of audiobook production and how authors can now record audiobooks more affordably with AI assistance. They discuss using AI versions of an author’s own voice, as well as creating multi-voice audiobooks. Spoken is a newer ALLi partner member whose platform is designed specifically for authors, offering natural-sounding narration through custom-generated voices and licensed voice clones from human narrators. The conversation explores practical ways authors can bring both new titles and backlist books to life in audio without prohibitive costs.
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Inspirational Indie Author Interview: Joe Walters

Inspirational Indie Author Interview: Joe Walters Shows Indie Authors How to Use Reviews to Reach More Readers

My ALLi author guest this episode is Joe Walters. He’s the founder and editor-in-chief of Independent Book Review, a platform devoted entirely to indie and self-published books. He’s spent years working in book marketing for small presses. He recently published The Truth About Book Reviews, a practical guide for indie authors on making sense of reviews and using them well. 
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Ask This Book

News Summary: Amazon’s ‘Ask This Book’ Feature Sparks Author Backlash over AI Use

Call it the Triple Crown, Trifecta, or any other phrase associated with things coming in threes, but the week ends with the third big story from Amazon in a single week. And it’s also about a new feature. This time that feature is “Ask This Book.” For the moment it’s only available in the US, but there will clearly be momentum toward rolling it out more widely.
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Amazon Changes Kindle Download Options

News Podcast: Amazon Changes Kindle Download Options and Audible Taps TikTok Book Trends

On this episode of the Self-Publishing with ALLi podcast, Dan Holloway breaks down two major Amazon stories, including a controversial change to Kindle’s DRM policy that will allow DRM-free books to be downloaded as EPUB and PDF files, raising fresh concerns about piracy. He also looks at Audible’s new partnership with TikTok to surface trending BookTok titles inside the Audible app, and examines Australia’s new ban on social media use for under-sixteens and what it could mean for book discovery, especially in YA and New Adult markets.
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How AI Can Help

Reaching More Readers: Being More Human and How AI Can Help, with Orna Ross

“Be more human,” we are told, if we want to thrive as indie authors in the age of AI, continue to sell our books, and remain relevant to readers. But what does that mean in practical terms? In this session, based on ALLi’s Reach More Readers guidebook, Orna Ross surveys how machine and human intelligences are becoming more integrated. She explores ways to strengthen and augment humanity in book marketing, offers tips on using AI assistance across three marketing models, and explains how to let go of what no longer serves your purpose as a writer and publisher while optimizing what does.
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ALLi Member Milestones December 2025

Award Wins, Audiobook Completion, a Special Edition Launch, and More: ALLi Member Milestones December 2025

This regular post from the Alliance of Independent Authors celebrates ALLi member successes to inspire our indie author community. Our ALLi Member Milestones, December 2025, celebrate the successes of author members William Brinkman, John C. A. Manley, Kevin Hwang, Ann Fairway, Brian Thompson, and Jennilynn Wyer. Congratulations to all those featured in this month’s roundup and to everyone in our community who has hit a milestone!
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