Day 30: We Have Liftoff!
There's a real thrill in seeing an idea take shape, in transforming a vague concept into something tangible. And that's exactly how I feel right now. After weeks of planning, researching, writing, and (let's be honest) a healthy dose of wrestling with technology, I'm incredibly excited to announce that the first core services of The Book Whisperer are live on the website!
Curated Collections
The heart of The Book Whisperer is the idea of curated book collections – hand-picked selections of books designed to inspire, to challenge, and to transport you to new worlds. It's about more than just recommending individual titles; it's about creating literary experiences.
The Curated Collections section of the website is now live, and I've launched with three initial collections:
Magical Realism: A journey into worlds where the fantastical blends seamlessly with the everyday.
Creative Fuel: A collection of books to ignite your imagination and unlock your creative potential.
Hardboiled: A collection which revisitng the raw, unflinching, and unforgettable world of hardboiled crime fiction.
The process of creating these collections has been a real pleasure for me - as I’ve revisited books I’ve read and uncovered many that I wish I had. It started with brainstorming broad themes (with, as always, a lot of help from Gemini). Then came the deep research – scouring "best of" lists, reading reviews, and, most importantly, drawing on my own personal reading experiences. The final selections are books that I've either loved myself or that I'm incredibly excited to read. I see this as a real strength of my model - all the books are ones that I would happily read and they’re now pre-vetted.
Each collection features ten carefully chosen titles. To add a little extra value, I've included links to individual product summaries where you can see more about the books, and an introductory essay exploring the overall theme of the collection. Writing these essays was surprisingly challenging – it's about capturing the essence of an entire genre or concept in a concise and engaging way. Gemini provided essential assistance with researching and structuring the essays, but the final editorial decisions are mine.
The Digital Whisperer: Your AI Book Guide (Now in Testing)
The other major milestone is the launch of The Digital Whisperer – an AI-powered chatbot designed to provide personalised book recommendations. This is something I'm particularly proud of, as it represents a unique blend of technology and my passion for literature.
I built The Digital Whisperer using the Orimon.com Chatbot Creator platform. It was a surprisingly intuitive process, even for someone with limited technical experience. I've trained the chatbot on the content of my curated collections (and a growing database of book knowledge), and I've crafted its "persona" to be knowledgeable, friendly, and a little bit whimsical – reflecting the overall spirit of The Book Whisperer. I took advice from Gemini on this too.
The Digital Whisperer is still in its testing phase, so I'd love for you to try it out and let me know what you think. Your feedback will be invaluable as I continue to refine and improve its capabilities.
Day 30 Milestone: A Minimum Viable Business
With the website live, the curated collections launched, and The Digital Whisperer ready for testing, I've officially reached a major milestone in my 60-day challenge: I have a Minimum Viable Business. It's a small start, and there's still a lot to do, but it's a functioning online business with the potential to generate income (through affiliate links). No sales yet, but it's early days!
This is a moment to pause and reflect. It's been a whirlwind of activity, a steep learning curve, and a testament to the power of taking action, even when you don't have all the answers. I'm starting to feel like I'm truly becoming The Book Whisperer.
Beyond the Business: A Touch of Magic
And finally, I'm pleased to share that I've also published my first blog post in the "A Uniquely Portable Magic" series. The title is, I believe, from Stephen King and it sums up beautifully how I feel about books. This area of the website is a space dedicated to the pure joy of reading and the power of books.. You can find it here.
This entire project is about more than just building a business; it's about sharing my love of literature and connecting with others who feel the same way. I'd love to hear from you! What do you think of the curated collections? Have you tried The Digital Whisperer? What are your thoughts on using AI in a creative business? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
