PHOTO CREDIT: Nigerian author Jerry Falade / Photo courtesy of Pulse Nigeria
Nigerian Author Jerry Falade Loses $2M Book Deal Amid AI Writing Allegations
Nigerian author Jerry Falade has lost a major publishing deal reportedly worth over $2 million after questions were raised about whether Artificial Intelligence was used to write his debut crime novel, Call Me, I’ll Hide the Body.
The novel, which was slated for publication in 2028 by Macmillan U.S.’s Minotaur imprint after attracting bids from 14 publishing houses, has now been withdrawn from publication.
According to an email sent to publishers by his former agents, the decision was made because they could no longer verify the manuscript’s creation process.
“Jerry Falade produced an incredible manuscript that dazzled us and the top publishing professionals around the world. Unfortunately, we are no longer able to authenticate how the manuscript fully evolved from origin to completion,” the agents stated.
The agency said they had previously confronted Falade about AI allegations during the submission process and accepted his denial that no AI was used for writing or editing. They later said they could no longer substantiate that claim.
Marc Gerald of Europa Content, who led the U.S. bidding process, said an editor had flagged potential AI use early on, but the agency did not run AI-detection tests at the time because Falade’s explanation was deemed “clear and credible.”
Europa officially ended its relationship with Falade on July 29.
“We feel terrible for putting this into the universe and the firestorm it has caused. The book itself is genius, however it came to be drafted, it’s amazing,” Gerald said.
The UK auction, managed by Sandy Hodgman of Hodgman Literary, which had reportedly attracted several six-figure bids, has also been pulled.
Falade has denied using AI and says the accusations highlight a double standard in publishing.
“There seems to be a troubling assumption that when a Black writer produces work that attracts significant attention, the work could not possibly be their own,” he said, noting that white authors have admitted to using AI without facing similar backlash.
He added: “Within six hours, I had been dropped by my agency, deals were paused, and press releases were being issued.” He also pointed out that AI detectors are known for false positives and that his manuscript had been reviewed by professionals across multiple houses without issue.
His case follows similar controversies this year involving two other Black authors, Mia Ballard and HM Wolfe, who also lost publishing deals over AI-related claims.
SOURCE: Original story by Pulse Nigeria –