iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Bona Books 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🤘🏼 @bonabooks.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

Veeeeeeeeeery important conversations happening right now. Bona Books Managing Editor @chrismccartney.bsky.social will be taking part in this discussion.

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Bona Books 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🤘🏼 @bonabooks.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

Hi all, our lovely editor Rob is in danger of getting kicked out of the UK if he doesn't raise enough money for immigration fees by 27 Oct, so he's set up a GoFundMe. We very much want him here, making queer books, so if you're able to donate or simply share his campaign, we'd be so grateful!

gofundme.com

Donate to Help Me Stay in the UK For Good (After 10 Years Living Here), organized by Robert Berg

Who I Am My name is Robert Berg and I’m raising funds to hel… Robert Berg needs your support for Help Me Stay in the UK For Good (After 10 Years Living Here)

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Bona Books 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🤘🏼 @bonabooks.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

"Wtf?" is a pretty solid response to that story 😅 Delighted you're enjoying!

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Galdracori @galdracori.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

I'm a simple queer. I see queer trans inclusive publisher being honest about what happened to them, I buy. The first story was a DOOZY. I live-updated my partner as I was reading it and he kept saying "what the fuck". Just a warning: It has a tw list and twinks were harmed. It's pretty great.

Cuddled up cat is leaning towards a book stand on which the book "I want that twink obliterated" by bona books is placed.

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Bona Books 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🤘🏼 @bonabooks.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

In just over a week, Rob is already 59% of the way towards his goal! Incredible stuff. Please keep donating/sharing, friends! 😍

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Bona Books 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🤘🏼 @bonabooks.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

gofundme.com

Donate to Help Me Stay in the UK For Good (After 10 Years Living Here), organized by Robert Berg

Who I Am My name is Robert Berg and I’m raising funds to hel… Robert Berg needs your support for Help Me Stay in the UK For Good (After 10 Years Living Here)

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Tru Skies @trudieskies.readindiefantasy.com · 06/08/2026

10. Feels like your favorite cartoon on Saturday morning. It's the cover that does it for me 😂 But I Want That Twink Obliterated! by @bonabooks.bsky.social!

A photo of the book cover to I Want that Twink Obliterated by Bona Books.

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Bona Books 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🤘🏼 @bonabooks.bsky.social · 17/07/2026

For sure. And we're pretty much at the start of this response, GenAI is in its infancy. This is why we thought the sensible thing to do was to publish the report and prompt public discussion. If someone offers better solutions, we'll take them in a heartbeat.

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Bona Books 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🤘🏼 @bonabooks.bsky.social · 17/07/2026

The question for us is how to protect open submissions as a mechanism at all costs, to maintain that entry point for new writers, whilst not sullying it with AI work. Editors needs to do much better, but we don't think editorial judgement alone is going to cut it. It's a challenge and a half.

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Bona Books 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🤘🏼 @bonabooks.bsky.social · 17/07/2026

We'd entirely agree. Every line of our report is based on how these questions are difficult and require a nuanced, holistic evaluation of information. There isn't a gotcha or definitive test. A publisher can consider asking for evidence, amongst many, many, other things, in specific circumstances.

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Bona Books 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🤘🏼 @bonabooks.bsky.social · 17/07/2026

We're absolutely not advocating investigating, or demanding drafts, for every open sub! The burden here needs to be on editors, NOT authors (as we say in the report). But evidence *could* be a proportional request in specific circumstances. (We think. But the conversation here is essential.)

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Bona Books 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🤘🏼 @bonabooks.bsky.social · 17/07/2026

If it helps, I think we totally agree? We were deciding whether to withdraw publication for stories we'd already announced. That demanded a proper process. We had to ensure we weren't unfairly taking opportunities away from marginalised authors based on an editorial hunch.

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Bona Books 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🤘🏼 @bonabooks.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

Not that an absence of evidence is suspicious in and of itself. And the first step in all this is for editors to work (and be resourced) to get much, much better, so situations where accepted stories have to be 'investigated' are as rare as humanly possible.

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Bona Books 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🤘🏼 @bonabooks.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

💯 The talk to the author part is what we found most significant. Very happy to have a discussion about evidence, but it's more just that, if an author happens to have three time stamped drafts and an email with feedback from a beta reader... That shuts down all concerns in about 30 seconds.

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Bona Books 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🤘🏼 @bonabooks.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

To be clear, we scrupulously conducted all of this in private until we were absolutely certain that the author was a fraud, and then only talked publicly about those specific case with detailed receipts - for his exact reason. So yes, we agree with you!

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Bona Books 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🤘🏼 @bonabooks.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

Our main point is that when there are serious concerns, you want to make a nuanced evaluation in the round with as much info as you have available. That can include evidence, but doesn't have to. And long before that stage, we're saying editors need better AI training (so the issue doesn't arise).

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Bona Books 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🤘🏼 @bonabooks.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

If its helpful: we were deciding whether or not to *withdraw publication* for two stories we'd already announced. That's a serious step and one not to take without a proper process. We're absolutely not advocating this for all subs. Editors can always reject stories that don't meet their standards.

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Bona Books 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🤘🏼 @bonabooks.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

Absolutely. It feels almost unwinnable at points. We removed cover letters from our process because they seemed like an unnecessary barrier to entry... and now other editors are telling us that AI cover letters are a really good tell. Soo... barriers to entry good actually? 🤷 *screams into the void*

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Bona Books 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🤘🏼 @bonabooks.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

Thank you, that means a lot. And exactly, we need to find a way through this that maintains our absolute commitment to helping to platform new queer writers.

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Jenny with a Green Ribbon Around Her Neck @readingtheend.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

man it sucks to see people blaming small SFF magazines and their volunteer staff for getting got by AI submissions. this is like those smug jerks who think they're too clever to get taken in by phone scams. I get it, man. I'd like to be unfoolable also. but unfortunately none of us are.

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K.A. Doore @kadoore.com · 15/07/2026

I guarantee that everyone has read something generated by AI without clocking it at this point. Blaming a small press for being transparent about being fooled is wild.

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Paula Weiman @tinyfairyhunter.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

I found this report really interesting. Most of it supports what I've been saying in conversations with authors worried about how to respond to potential accusations of AI use in their work, as well as editors who ask how I screen for AI-generated material: it becomes clear through revisions. 🧵/

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Bona Books 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🤘🏼 @bonabooks.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

So there may be plenty of naive and stupid in there (and that's totally on us), but we'd push back against "didn't read them".

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Bona Books 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🤘🏼 @bonabooks.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

We'd say we chose two subs that slotted well into the anthology in terms of concept and tone, on the understanding we'd deal with certain weaknesses through editorial. Our lack of experience meant we mistook hallmarks of AI authorship for signs of author inexperience.

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Devin Martin @quietandscreaming.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

This is a good, tough thread. A couple of things I want to comment on, as an editor: Chacha/Ogechi/Collins/etc. has FOR SURE generated and submitted way more than they've gotten away with publishing. At least 8 to PodCastle alone. 80% of the scam is using multiple IDs to run a numbers game 1/5

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Bona Books 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🤘🏼 @bonabooks.bsky.social · 08/07/2026

This is one of our top concerns in the report and its recommendations - it lobs massive barriers between the new and/or marginalised author and a pro-published career. We will do more work on identifying and combatting these impacts (watch this space! 👀). But yes, this is pure hell, basically.

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Bona Books 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🤘🏼 @bonabooks.bsky.social · 08/07/2026

I don’t think this was deliberate but will take the credit anyway! 💀

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Karen Lord @drkarenlord.bsky.social · 08/07/2026

Wrt my last repost, this validates everything I’m trying to teach in the Clarion West Novel Writing Workshop. AI can’t do what we do.

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Juliet E McKenna @julietemckenna.bsky.social · 08/07/2026

Whichever version you opt for, this is essential reading, for publishers, authors and readers.

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Bona Books 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🤘🏼 @bonabooks.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

Well, another Wrath Month has rolled around and we still don’t have a book. About that… 💙📚 #BookSky #SmallPress #Publishing #QueerBooks #AI (1/20)

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Bona Books 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🤘🏼 @bonabooks.bsky.social · 08/07/2026

We have 100% confidence that all of our remaining and forthcoming stories are certifiably human-authored by our righteous contributors. And a cracking bunch of reprobates they are too 🤘🏼😛🧱

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Lee 🐰 @lyamkk.bsky.social · 08/07/2026

This was a very tight rope to walk - we tried our utmost to make the advice practical and relevant, while not just handing our arms over to the other side. @chrismccartney.bsky.social can say more on how the limitations of LLMs mean our report is likely not much use to a present-day AI scammer. 🏋️‍♂️

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Bona Books 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🤘🏼 @bonabooks.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

If you copy and paste that urls written in the footnotes they should still work! Typsetter is on the case and we’ll have a fixed version up and running in the morning.

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Bona Books 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🤘🏼 @bonabooks.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

Hello! 👋🏼 There is a section in our report on the author’s (wider) profile that you might find useful - in terms of now prose/editorial indicators But they are just that, only indicators as part of a broader assessment Page 16: www.bona-books.com/news/the-mac...

bona-books.com

The Machines Are Coming For Your Masthead — AI Report — Bona Books

🤖📚 *Small Press Publishing in the Age of AI* Bona Books' research reveals the hidden risks of Generative AI in the slush pile. This report exposes how AI fraudsters infiltrate small presses and prov...

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