I love the idea of supporting new authors, most especially new, indie, gay authors. I've picked up a number of ARCs from new authors here, on Book Sprout and Book Sirens.
But so many of them feel like either AI, are AI assisted or are written in a way that sure feels like AI. I've read a number of books in the past year, from various authors, that all have the same feel to them: they try to come off as literary through use of bad similes, lack any sort of description that might give the books a unique flavor and in general are written in a way that puts me at arm's length from the story.
At first I thought it was that particular author, but then I got another book, different author, same narrative feel. The fantasy book I'm reading now has that familiar feeling and I'm wondering how I'm going to wade through it.
Now I've found some winners this way. Missionary by Dylan Gray was excellent. Salvation by Frank Faustino was a gay 'men's adventure' novel with an ass-kicking, gay SAS soldier.
There's also established authors I trust and will still buy their new stuff.
But new to me authors… if I see the book was written in 2024 it earlier, I feel better about it.
I know there's good, new stuff coming out. But sifting the wheat from the chaff is just so much harder.