New at New Forest
- October 2026
We are phasing-out our “Cheating Husband Stories” series. Initially, those books were popular. However, their popularity attracted the attention of others, and AI competitors soon flooded Amazon.
New Forest Books, with real book covers and stories written by real people, are – at least temporarily – getting lost in that surge.
We are publishing a single “best of” compilation of the six most popular “Cheating Husband” stories in that series, and – for now – are no longer accepting submissions to the series.
- September 2026
While we’ve enjoyed the ease of publishing through Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), the flood of AI-generated books and book covers has made it increasingly difficult to stand out in the crowd.
Initially, when we saw Amazon insist on being told if AI was used in the writing and publishing process, we thought they’d indicate that use in the book descriptions. However, that has not happened. In fact, following in the “Amazon Basics” tradition, we now believe it’s just a matter of time before Amazon adds its own AI-generated books, competing with ours.
Looking ahead to what seems imminent, we’re phasing-out our participation in Kindle Unlimited, and studying other options for our authors’ books. (In the industry, this is called “going wide.”)
August 2026
We’re pausing for a summer break in lovely coastal Maine. See you in September!
Featured Book
After over 10 years in print, Aisling D’Art‘s small coloring book, Coloring, Hippie Style, has – once again – surged in popularity.
Here’s its description.
Relax. Find yourself in a gentler time, when peace and love guided the planet… and inspired the hippie movement.
This small coloring book (5 1/4″ x 8″) will take you back to the 1960s, when art was inspired by the Beatles’ music, posters by Peter Max, and all things Woodstock.
You can download a free sample coloring page at this link.
Staff Changes
As of 2026, Shannon Bowen’s earliest nonfiction books about child abuse remain popular.
Sadly, that’s a topic that needs steady monitoring.
Though Shannon wrote them only to get the attention of New Hampshire (USA) government offices, to fix a broken child protection system, her related stories have resonated with readers worldwide.
We applaud her courage and innovative efforts, and hope that no child has to endure what Shannon’s young neighbor did.
If you’re interested in a raw, unedited, and heartbreaking story, read the first book in Shannon’s original series, Momma, Don’t Hit Me!
Links We Love
New fiction authors are encouraged to read Save the Cat! Writes A Novel, by Jessica Brody. You can learn more at her website, JessicaBrody.com.
Also, we recommend how-to books related to “tropes” in authors’ respective niches. They can save you considerable time.
We also love these articles: How to Start Writing Again, by Mike Shreeve, and Scene Layering with an Example, by Rebecca Zanetti.
You may also enjoy this advice. Our authors have found it useful.
Book Names and Trademarks
Recently, some authors have worried about efforts to trademark coloring books’ descriptive phrases.
Though we cannot give legal advice, our authors aren’t concerned about their coloring books’ titles.
First, we believe that trademarks cannot be enforced retroactively. That is, no one can trademark “bold and easy” and then try to take down existing coloring books using that phrase.
Also, per Justia, “Marks that are merely descriptive generally are not protected or accorded trademark rights.”
So, since our author Aisling D’Art created the first “bold and easy” coloring book and clearly stated that the phrase is descriptive, (the lines are “bold” and make it “easy” to color the pages), we doubt that any related trademarks can be registered.
Likewise, we raise an eyebrow if anyone tries to trademark adjectives like “cute” or “cozy.”
For further clarification, we recommend consulting an attorney.
Our AI Policies
For basic tasks, including general plotting, early story outlines, and the very simplest of editing, AI might be useful. We’re especially impressed with GenreFlow.com. (Note: They did not ask us to promote them, nor do we receive anything in return.)
However, we recommend them only for assistance with story outlines, not actual writing. We maintain that AI’s work may technically excel, but in terms of actual writing, AI text lacks the depth and authenticity that readers want.
Worse, in some cases, AI can make errors. It may also rely upon text that’s copyrighted, putting authors and publishers at risk of lawsuits.
A good book should resonate with its intended audience and retain the author’s unique, original voice.
At New Forest Books, our books are written by real people, not AI. No exceptions.