News: Amazon Rips Up Rare Books to Train AI; Kobo Returns to Best Buy Blurb episode artwork

EPISODE · Aug 28, 2026 · 10 MIN

News: Amazon Rips Up Rare Books to Train AI; Kobo Returns to Best Buy Blurb

from Self-Publishing with ALLi · host Alliance of Independent Authors

On this week's Self-Publishing News podcast, ALLi News Editor Dan Holloway — battling a summer sore throat — rounds up a busy week for indie authors: the rise of "Summerween," BookTok's new blend of sunny settings and Gothic dread; Kobo's return to big box retail through Best Buy; and the report that Amazon has been ripping up and shredding books, including rare out-of-print titles, to train its AI. He also digs into KDP trend data showing dystopian fiction bouncing back and self-published titles claiming 38 percent of the US top 100, and closes with Ingram's new Covered platform, which puts digital advance copies in front of 50,000 booksellers and librarians. Sponsor Self-Publishing News is proudly sponsored by PublishMe—helping indie authors succeed globally with expert translation, tailored marketing, and publishing support. From first draft to international launch, PublishMe ensures your book reaches readers everywhere. Visit publishme.me. Find more author advice, tips, and tools at our Self-publishing Author Advice Center, with a huge archive of nearly 2,000 blog posts and a handy search box to find key info on the topic you need. About the Host Dan Holloway is a novelist, poet, and spoken word artist. He is the MC of the performance arts show The New Libertines, He competed at the National Poetry Slam final at the Royal Albert Hall. His latest collection, The Transparency of Sutures, is  available on Kindle.

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Aug 28, 2026

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News: Amazon Rips Up Rare Books to Train AI; Kobo Returns to Best Buy Blurb

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