A fellow writer mentioned that Amazon now has an AI feature, named Rufus, that can answer questions about products on Amazon, including books. So … I decided to ask Rufus what readers think of my books.
Here is what it had to say:
I don’t have access to reviews or opinions on specific books. However, here are a few general things about Mark Paxson’s books:
– Mark Paxson is an American author known for writing mystery and thriller novels. Some of his popular books include the “Jack McCall” series and “The Last Witness”.
– His books often feature complex plots with lots of twists and turns to keep readers guessing. The protagonists are typically ordinary people caught up in extraordinary circumstances.
– Reviews praise Paxson’s ability to build suspense and his detailed writing style that brings settings and characters to life. Many readers enjoy the fast-paced action in his books.
– However, some critics find the plots convoluted or unrealistic at times. There are also reviews that mention excessive violence or dark subject matter in certain novels.
– Paxson’s writing has been compared to authors like Lee Child and John Sandford. His books appeal to fans of the mystery, thriller and suspense genres.
– Reader opinions are mixed, with some loving the high-stakes stories while others prefer more grounded mysteries. Checking reviews can help determine if his style matches your reading preferences.
– Overall, Mark Paxson has developed a following for his page-turning thrillers, though critical reception is somewhat divided. Looking at reviews from readers with similar tastes can provide helpful insight.
After reading this, I had to double-check whether there is another Mark Paxson with books on Amazon. Because I don’t have a Jack McCall series or anything titled The Last Witness. Pretty much everything else that Rufus has to say is completely wrong. At least from my perspective. I’d love to know who this Mark Paxson is that Rufus thinks I am. Maybe he’s a more successful writer.
One of the things that is interesting is that there are over 150 reviews of my books on Amazon, but its AI doesn’t have access to those reviews? What exactly does it have access to then?
If this is the best that Amazon’s AI can do, it’s gonna need some more work.
Novels, Short Stories, and More 
It’s like The Terminator; the AI has come from the future to tell you what to write that will be a smash hit!
Fine. I’ll start working on the Jack McCall series.
How strange and troubling that AI could get it so wrong. Often I read their blurb about books on Amazon at the top of the review page, a summary of the reviews it appears. Do you have that on your book pages?
On another note, needing a photo to go with my bio for the book I’m working on I saw an add on Linked-in about AI generated photos based on photos you send them. I have to say I’m impressed. The photos look like me but with more professional backgrounds, although some I opted to have at the beach or on a sailboat, and they all (well almost all) look better than any I could take, and cost a lot less than a professional photo shoot. I felt a little leery putting my face out there for AI to use, but the photos are all supposed to be deleted after I downloaded them.
I think the three most important things are:
1. Make sure you have a reader you trust to give the manuscript one last proofread before you publish.
2. If you don’t have the skills or tools for a good cover, find somebody who does.
3. Don’t plan on getting rich from this. 😉