Author Update: Publishing News, Analysis, and Advice
Here’s what you can expect from Author Update:
- Publishing News Stay in the loop on what’s happening in the industry.
- Advice That Matters - Learn how to make your book irresistible to readers.
- Zeitgeist Analysis - Get insights on changing reader preferences.
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Stay Informed with Every Episode
Meet Your Hosts
Thomas Umstattd Jr.
Author Media CEO
The founder of Author Media and the host of the Novel Marketing Podcast, the longest running book marketing podcast in the world. Thomas has worked in the publishing industry since 2007.
Jonathan Shuerger
A Marine Corps veteran and author with a passion for telling stories and making people laugh. He lives in Tucson, AZ, with his wife and daughters, who moonlight as domestic terrorists in their free time.
Latest Episodes
The Indie Whale Reader: How to Reach Readers Who Devour 100 Books a Year
Traditional publishing posts a December surge in the latest AAP StatShot, even as the broader market stays flat. We unpack new 2026 reader data, major AI-driven layoffs at Block, Spotify’s audiobook charts, Julia Quinn’s Kickstarter success, podcast growth, and key AI updates from Google and Cloudflare.
Indies Win! Harlequin to Close Historical Romance Line
Supreme Court tariffs ruling, Harlequin exits historical romance, BookFunnel adds digital signings, and major AI shifts from ElevenLabs, Perplexity Pro, and Google’s new Web MCP reshaping audiobook production and SEO.
Substack Breach: Author Information Compromised
TikTok is back, but its algorithm retrain may disrupt BookTok, the author-targeted data breach, Amazon’s new DRM download option, soaring Bible sales, ChatGPT ads, Sanderson’s “we are the art” speech, and what the Super Bowl halftime shows reveal about today’s book buyers.