Chapter 40
That night I fall into bed, phone in hand, my mind spinning in so many directions.
Could Xavier really demolish so much rainforest for his own financial gain?
People do that sort of thing all the time, right?
And why do I care so much? But that’s the thing; the resort with its petri dish environment is its own little ecosystem and I’ve come to feel protective of the people here, and by extension the island too.
But is it my place to stomp my feet and tell him not to do it?
No. Just like it wasn’t my place to get involved with Tia Amboro, and look how that backfired.
It brings into stark contrast my own issues. This role might be tenuous at best, so perhaps the smart choice would be to consider my eventual return to London. Why does the idea feel so foreign?
Island life gets under your skin. Brian was right, this really is the Hotel California, except I don’t feel trapped; I feel free.
I feel like somehow I fit in among all these oddballs.
Have I found my tribe, here on this stunning island?
Big city life was chaotic and fun but I don’t miss it like I thought I would.
Not any more. I’ve grown to love Esperé and the rhythms of the tropics, and like just maybe I’ve been accepted by people who are also a bit lost, a bit unmoored looking for family to call their own.
Now I’ve had the space to reflect, I see that monetising my Bookstagram was a misstep for me.
It took away the joy I felt reading and posting about books, with the pressure to perform and reach those dizzying numbers.
I miss the community, so maybe, one day, I’ll join Bookstagram again, but just for fun, not for financial gain.
I love hyping up books; there’s no question my heart still lies firmly there.
I want to hear all about what everyone else is reading and add those books to my out-of-control Tbr pile.
Miraculously the Wi-Fi is strong this evening. I take the plunge and open my back up account on Instagram. There aren’t too many notifications, since this account is so small. I read them and the messages, mostly offers of support from bookworm friends.
I message them back and thank them, mention that I’m doing well but missing them, my bookish pals.
Temptation creeps up. I type in Tia’s Instagram handle.
Her clearly-AI profile picture gets my attention.
It’s the same photo that Lily sent to me and makes me question what sort of person Tia really is.
To make a mockery of my claims about AI and the industry is strange, especially for a writer, when this is a serious issue that has the ability to affect their income, no two ways about it.
Sure, it might just be just her way of dealing with the accusations I levelled at her, but it seems petty and not the type of behaviour you’d expect from a bestselling author who supposedly cares about the industry.
Maybe I am the problem and need to step back and stop involving myself in matters that don’t concern me.
I scroll down the posts on her page which are all pink graphics; nothing that shows a real setting.
Not super unusual but still. There are a lot of cowboy memes, lines from Bang, Bang!
and review quotes. I open the comments section on the top post and find that Tia doesn’t interact with followers, even when they’re asking pertinent questions about ordering her book or where they can find it in their country.
Again, not super unusual for some authors, especially those with large followings.
To me it sort of defeats the purpose of using social media, if you’re not actually going to be social on it.
As I refresh the page a new post appears.
As promised, here is the big announcement! Slip on your cowboy boots, we’ve got men to… ride!
Urgh.
Hold on to your Stetsons, because releasing this Thursday is Bang, Bang 2!
Seriously?! Bang, Bang 2!
Tia has shared a photo of the cover which is the same as the original except this one features the numeral 2 made from a rope lasso. It must be another joke. Maybe it’s a holding cover until the real thing is ready… Although, if it’s releasing this Thursday, the final would have been done ages ago.
I go to call Lily when my phone rings. It’s Lily, reading my mind all the way from North London.
‘Lily! Did you see the cover?’
‘Yes! Is it satire?’
‘It must be, right? It’s like she’s parodying herself!’ I say. ‘It can’t be real. Let me check and see if it’s up. Actually you check, I don’t dare ask that of my internet connection.’
‘OK.’ A few moments later she grunts. ‘Well, I did not expect that. It’s real, the eBook is up on all digital retailers. Bang, Bang 2! – publishing on Thursday. Why wouldn’t they change the colour of the cover to differentiate the two at the very least? This is really weird.’
‘It is.’ Usually the second book in the series would have a cover that matched the style but be different enough that readers instantly pick up it’s new. ‘How long has it been since Bang, Bang! released?’
‘Ah, wait a sec.’ She counts back under her breath. ‘About eight weeks.’
‘That’s fast.’
‘Well, it is but as you know a lot of authors use a rapid release strategy.’
‘Yeah, I do.’ A rapid release strategy doesn’t necessarily mean they’ve written them that fast, it means they only publish when they’re ready and then release them all in a certain time frame so readers have access to the next instalment without a lengthy wait between books.
‘And Tia’s with a digital publisher; they can move faster, right?’
‘Yes, the paperbacks might be released at a later date, and they’d release the eBook and the audio now while all those readers have her first book firmly in mind. Or maybe they had it planned this way all along.’
‘Maybe, but the cover being exactly the same with the exception of the numeral two added? That’s just lazy. You dealt with the marketing people at her publisher when they asked to feature on your page, what were they like?’
I think back. I didn’t pay much attention to whoever was sending the emails at the time. I’d been more excited to get an advance copy of the book everyone was raving about. Now I’m wondering if I should have.
‘What’s the name of the publisher?’ Lily asks.
‘Red Ink Books.’
‘Red Ink?’
‘Yes.’
‘Oh… wait. Tia’s bio mentions she’s an indie author. That’s interesting!’
I gasp. ‘She’s self-published? But that doesn’t make any sense.
My manager from Paddington’s said Tia’s publisher called to complain about me.
Does that mean Tia reached out herself? And if so, the marketing team that emailed me, was that also Tia?
Unless she employs a marketing team, which many indies do. ’
‘The plot thickens.’
‘I’m thinking back to the statement she made about me on Instagram where she said that there was a marketing and promotional team at the helm helping the book finds its readers and so I’d just presumed she meant a more traditional publisher, but that’s not the case.’
‘Huh. It’s incredible then that she’s managed to break into the industry as a debut indie author and hit those charts.’
How? ‘It’s possible, Fifty Shades of Grey was originally self-published but even that took time to build, to reach those dizzying heights before a traditional publisher snapped it up.
Sarah J. Maas’s Throne of Glass was also self-published as a series and gained a huge following but again all of this took time to find their dedicated fan base.
And they were interesting stories, a unique take… ’
‘Maybe Tia studied the market, found the secret sauce when it comes to marketing and finding those fans.’
‘Yes, and maybe she’s a tech bro or sis with the skills to do that.’
Lily sighs. ‘Yeah, but we’re back on the slippery slope, Harper. So what if she’s self-published and paid for her marketing team? Lots of authors do that. You still have no proof she’s using AI.’
‘Yeah, you’re right. But I’m not about to go on an Instagram live with it, am I? I’d just like to know that my suspicions were correct. Why hasn’t Tia gone after me with her fancy legal team? Why not make a point if she was legitimate?’
‘Lawyers are expensive. And she made her point by getting you cancelled and fired, don’t you think?’
‘True, true.’ I mull it over. ‘It’s not illegal either, but to me, it’s immoral if an author isn’t transparent about using AI, so readers can make an informed choice when they buy books. But if I can’t prove it, then how can I make my point here?’
‘You can’t. I’m sorry to say it, Harper, but this time you really do have to let it go and see what happens. I’m as frustrated as you are, truly. I don’t believe it’s human written either but what’s stopping her from suing you if you make waves once more? It’s not worth the risk.’
I think of Michel, upset at having his island home razed. To me, this is on the same level. If we stand by and don’t do anything, don’t even voice our concerns, then we are complicit. What if the entire industry becomes worse off for it? How can it not?
‘Promise me you’ll leave it for now? Let’s just keep an eye on it from afar.’
‘I don’t think I can do that, Lily. I really don’t.’
She groans. ‘Harper.’
‘I’ll be careful.’ But how? What can I actually do? I’m tempted to ask the three Lucys for help, but that might just be my silliest idea yet. I change the subject, hoping to ease Lily’s mind. ‘How is it going with Mai? Has she settled down?’
‘Yeah, sort of. Hasn’t Krav Maga’d anyone for at least a week. She’s had some huge falling out with her friends that I’m secretly grateful for, purely for the reprieve from their late-night visits.’
‘The gamer nerds?’
‘Yup. The nocturnal gamer nerds. Not one of them has a nine-to-five job. They Twitch stream and a couple of them just mooch off their parents. Go to bed when the sun rises and sleep all day. Mai’s decided that maybe London isn’t quite what she thought it would be.
I’m encouraging her to find a job, so she can meet some other people. ’
‘Her Twitch stream income isn’t going well?
’ I’m not going to be the person who denigrates online work, because I know how lucrative it can be.
Popular Twitch streamers can earn big money and if it’s Mai’s passion, then even better.
But I agree with Lily that sometimes having a part-time gig can also help not only monetarily but socially.
London can be a lonely place when you’re just one in a crowd, so finding new friends helps.
‘She’s shut it down. Bored of it, she claims.’
‘That doesn’t sound like Mai.’
‘Honestly, I’m a bit worried about her. I’m going to give her a week or so and see if she pulls herself out of this funk or I’ll call The Mums.’
‘I’m sorry to hear that.’ It’s not nice to think Mai’s big dreams of moving to London with her favourite cousin are not panning out.
And even though she can be annoying, I have a lot of sympathy for her.
I remember being that age so well, where you’re trying to find your feet, your place in the world, and how fraught that can be.
‘Yeah. I’m hoping it’s just a phase and she’ll bounce back.’
‘I hope so. If she moves back home what will you do about the rent?’
‘I’ll find another roommate. Don’t you worry about it. Just enjoy paradise while you’re there. Get boss man to break all the rules and kiss him all you can.’
‘Kiss him? He will never break the rules? Nope.’ I sigh.
‘And now I’m not sure about him.’ I go on to tell Lily about Michel’s suspicions about Xavier buying a chunk of rainforest next to the Last Chance Resort and developing it and what it would mean for the biodiversity on the island.
‘Things have cooled, and I’ve been avoiding him. ’
She groans. ‘Oh God, you’re not going to get involved in that too, are you? I can see you holding up signs and getting signatures on petitions.’
I laugh. ‘What do you think?’
‘Yeah, sure it would be a bit sad for the island, but would that really put you off the guy?’
‘Yeah. It would. It just feels wrong once you see how unspoiled it is here. The Last Chance Resort is a boutique resort that’s beautiful because of the expansive gardens and greenery everywhere you look.
If the rainforest were to start being depleted in great chunks, it would lose that tropical island feel.
And not only that, but what about all the animals that call that patch home?
All those plants, gone. It’s just feels… wrong.’
She sighs. ‘When you paint it like that, I see what you mean. But if it’s eco-friendly…’
‘Eco-friendly is leaving it as it is.’