Ignore All Previous Instructions - Paperback

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by Ada Hoffmann (Author)

A script supervisor for an AI media conglomerate is caught between her intense need for an orderly life and her deeper, darker queer desires. From the creator of the Outside trilogy, a heartfelt interplanetary epic of identity, longing, and a space pirate who smuggles inappropriate stories.

"[A] deliciously queer, timely ode to human creativity in an ever-more-algorithmic world. Its subtle philosophical depth, keen observations, and lyrical poignancy will wow you, even as its neurodivergent hero steals your heart."
--Maria Dong, author of Liar, Dreamer, Thief and Aviary

Kelli Reynolds loves creating stories more than anything in the world. But on Callisto, a generative AI company called Inspiration owns everything, including all the media, and only Inspiration determines which stories can be told.

Kelli has a rare and coveted job where her autism is to her advantage: She precisely edits AI output into "appropriate" stories for Inspiration's massive TV audience. Her proudest creation is the pirate Orlando--a dashing do-gooder based on stories she used to tell friends.

Reenter Kelli's ex-boyfriend Rowan, the person Kelli based Orlando on. Back when they were teenagers, their relationship was a secret. Kelli had thought that Rowan, a trans man, was her schoolmate Am, a girl.

Rowan is tangled up in the black market after he needed to get money for gender affirming surgery. He needs Kelli's help with something . . . illegal. So, now Kelli has to decide: Will she risk the safe, tidy story of her life now for the world she once wished for? What would Orlando do?

Passionate, dangerous, and tender, Ignore All Previous Instructions is a sweeping, poignant novel about censorship, forbidden love, and growing up.

Author Biography

Ada Hoffmann is the author of the Outside space opera trilogy, three short story collections, the Autistic Book Party interview series, and dozens of speculative short stories and poems. They have been a finalist for the Philip K. Dick, Compton Crook, and WSFA Awards, and are a five-time Rhysling Award nominee. Hoffman is queer and genderfluid. They were diagnosed with autism at the age of thirteen. As an adjunct professor of computer science at a major Canadian university, Hoffman researches the social effects of generative AI on professional fiction writers. They are also a former semi-professional soprano, tabletop gaming enthusiast, and LARPer. Hoffman lives in eastern Ontario with a curious black cat.

Number of Pages: 320

Dimensions: 0.96 x 9.01 x 6.03 IN

Publication Date: May 12, 2026