#StepsToTomorrow #WhatsTrending
The literary community on Book Threads is in an uproar following the reveal of author Paul Smith’s upcoming young adult novel, Steps to Tomorrow.
While the book is marketed as an empowering story about its main character, Zola, navigating bodily autonomy, the AI-generated cover art posted by Smith features a female chimp with physical traits that critics point out directly mirror offensive caricatures of Black American women.
Instead of issuing an apology, Smith has heavily doubled down on his defense, citing his personal background as a former ICU nurse living with PTSD and accusing his critics of attacking a disabled author, leading many community insiders to suspect the entire controversy may be a calculated rage-bait marketing stunt.