What’s the difference between Young Adult and New Adult fiction? We explore the life stages, voice, and themes that define each genre, plus publishing news on AI copyright, contracts, and book bans.

Overthinking Couch Topics:

1. What defines Young Adult fiction
2. What defines New Adult fiction
3. The key differences between identity formation and life-building
4. How voice changes between YA and NA
5. Why authenticity matters in both genres
6. Why New Adult remains complicated from a publishing perspective
7. Common mistakes writers make when writing either category

• Supreme Court Denies Certiorari in Thaler v. Perlmutter: AI Cannot Be an Author Under the Copyright Act | Baker Donelson
• AI-generated art can’t be copyrighted after Supreme Court declines to review the rule | The Verge
• U.S. Supreme Court Rejects Bid to Grant Copyright to A.I.-Generated Artwork
• This book written by 10,000 authors is 'empty'
• Supreme Court Declines Dispute Over Copyrights for AI-Generated Materila
• Unbanned Book Network — We Need Diverse Books
• The Rising Tide of Book Bans in American Schools – UAB Institute for Human Rights Blog

Music licensed from Storyblocks.

Romantic suspense blends love and danger. Learn how to balance emotional tension with high-stakes conflict, build trust between characters under pressure, and deliver satisfying dual resolutions that keep readers turning pages.

Overthinking Couch Topics:

1. The latest publishing news
2. What defines the romantic suspense genre
3. What readers expect from romantic suspense novels
4. Common pitfalls writers should avoid when blending romance and thriller elements

• Self-Publishing Facts - The Alliance Independent Authors
• Susan Choi and Katie Kitamura among authors longlisted for Women’s prize for fiction | Women's prize for fiction | The Guardian
• ‘These books are pushing boundaries’: winners of £30,000 Inclusive Books for Children awards announced | Books | The Guardian
• UK media groups unite to tackle AI scraping
• Condé Nast’s CEO says AI is a “death blow”

Music licensed from Storyblocks.

In this business-focused episode, America’s Editor breaks down the major industry shifts that are changing how books are discovered, distributed, and monetized. You’ll learn what recent developments mean for working authors.

Overthinking Couch Topics:

1. How today's authors keep their audience
2. Changes in book-selling platform access
3. Discoverability vs Visibility
4. The future of author rights
5. AI training and creator compensation
6. The shift toward digital-first library acquisition

• Apple automatically downloads U2's Songs of Innocence into Your iTunes.
• Authors Guild Raises Concerns About Kindle’s New “Ask This Book” AI Feature - The Authors Guild
• Banned Books: Analysis of Censorship on Amazon.com - The Citizen Lab
• The AI Clarity Report on Medium
• Anthropic Says Chinese AI Companies Improved Models By 'Illicitly' Copying Its Capabilities
• More Writing Tips
• Anthropic to pay authors $1.5bn to settle lawsuit over using pirated books to train AI - Music Business Worldwide
• Penguin Random House Simon & Schuster merger | New York Times

Music licensed from Storyblocks.