Thanks and AI Policy

Spence-Johnson Publishing is a self-publishing press ran by people classed as disabled and unable to work, and operate correspondingly on a shoe-string budget. However, we endeavor to bring you the highest quality products possible within our means. Thank you for your support and happy reading!

Thanks

To my wizard: Daniel KD, the digital illustrator who worked miracles with what I gave him, and elevated my front cover to something exceptional. Thank you. You can find him on Adobe’s portfolio platform Behanced and on Fiverr.

To my guardian of grammar: my editor, Anne-Marie Rutella. I learned so much about MS track changes, grammar and the Chicago Manual of Style from you. Thank you for working so diligently, and your enthusiasm for my novel! You can find her on Reedsy.

To my defender of culture: my Muslim friend who offered their services as a sensitivity reader. They know who they are. Thank you for allowing me to ask many cultural questions, sharing your experiences, and translating for me.

To my cheerleaders: my family, my alpha and beta readers, who I also bounced cover designs off. Your enthusiasm to read and reread my work, as well as your financial support, made me believe I could do it. Thank you.

And to my provider, Mr Spence, who was there every step of the way: as a supporter, a believer in my abilities, to make me food, and help me manage my fatigue. Your support has been unwavering and this book wouldn’t exist without you.

Adara Spence x

AI Policy

UPDATED (22/01/2025)

No AI was used to write the plot or prose of Drawing Red beyond a basic grammar and spellcheck. For the plot and prose Adara worked with alpha readers, beta readers and hired an editor.

AI was used as a tool to help design the art for the illustrated front cover, which was then almost completely reworked by the incredible digital illustrator Daniel KD. Latest AI or human checks saw it register as 88% human. All of the text, spine and back cover of this version was created using copyright free stock images.

No AI was used in the design of the hardback cover.

An AI audiobook of Drawing Red is in production. Spence-Johnson Publishing believes this format is important for accessibility reasons and the disabled community should not come second due to financial constraints involved in production. Should enough funds be raised to hire a human narrator, such a production will be commissioned. Spence-Johnson Publishing is open to traditional publishing offers for audio production rights.

Spence-Johnson Publishing prioritize, and are willing to pay for, the use of ethically trained AI and stock images, where artists give consent and receive payment for their works to be used. We uphold this to the best of our knowledge. If evidence comes to light that the datasets used to train the AI engines Spence-Johnson Publishing have used directly copied, pasted, or downloaded sources as opposed to having only taking notes about the digital objects they are learning from, we will review our use of using that AI model. That is not the typical way to collect a dataset for AI, and constitutes theft.