I write stuff
My relationship with Facebook started as “In a relationship.”
After the Cambridge Analytica scandal, we became “It’s complicated.”
With their cessation of fact-checking, we’re moving to “Separated.”
Now I find out they are pirating my writing. Honestly, it’s like a bad neighbor moved onto the block. How do you keep them from sneaking into your garage and borrowing your lawn mower?
I obviously have some thoughts on this…
Continue reading Is It Time To Unfriend Facebook?A man walks into a bar and asks for a table for six people.
Yep, sounds like the start of a joke. But it wasn’t. The room is full of writers and there is no room for someone who wants dinner in the restaurant.
I’m at the Rainforest Writer’s retreat for four days, focused on Vicious Machine, the follow-on to Stupid Machine, a murder mystery solved by a refrigerator. Thirty of us have taken over The Rainforest Resort Village, filling the lounge, restaurant, and cabins with aspiring writers. The locals appreciate the business—it’s the off season, so we provide an unexpected boost to the economy—but they aren’t sure how to regard us. Asking us “How was the fishing today? ” returns a blank stare.
They would receive a more enthusiastic response if they asked, “How many words did you put down today?”
Let me share a bit about the experience.
Continue reading Inside a Writer’s Retreat
I recently mentioned that Amazon + Audible + Kindle pays me the smallest royalties per book; but also that a majority of my sales volume comes from that same combination. Here’s the pie chart illustrating my royalty income mix:
Here’s a problem. There is a movement to boycott Amazon from March 7th to March 14th (including Amazon Alexa, IMDb, Prime Video, Ring, Twitch, Whole Foods and Zappos.) To support this blackout, I should suspend all sales of my books on Amazon, Kindle, and Audible—but I’m conflicted about shutting off sixty percent of book sales revenue for a full week.
I’ve recently asked our financial advisor to sell all holdings in AMZN, which I feel good about. I’ve also held off on shopping for anything at Amazon or Whole Foods or watching Amazon prime.
This is rebuilding habits. Instead of jumping to the easy online marketplace, I spend a little bit of extra time looking for local suppliers or alternative online sources. For a long time, I’ve purchased my electronic components from Adafruit instead of Amazon. I like Adafruit, they record informative videos on new products and maintain essential code libraries to use those integrated circuits. I would feel guilty buying the part from Amazon, then download code from Amazon.
To avoid being a hypocrite, I should shut off sales through those Amazon channels. I set about that task. Here’s what I experienced.
Continue reading Blacking Out Amazon
I loved going to bookstores with my dad. We often found ourselves in the mall waiting for my sisters and mom to finish shopping. B. Dalton bookseller displayed rows of books we could browse. The covers exploded with action and color, at least in the science fiction section, where I would squat down on the floor with the laser beams and rocket ships.
We only bought books from B.Dalton, unless we checked them out from the library. Those were our options. Oh – but now, there is a plethora of choices, not only where you buy books but also in the formats available; ebooks and audiobooks weren’t commonly available.
Amazon’s disruption of booksellers also changed how authors are paid. The supply chain that provided books to B. Dalton provided authors with a standard percentage of sales; there was little fluctuation. Today, the route from author to buyer is legion, and each come with differing payment levels to authors.
You may not know it yet, but where you buy a book makes a difference to your favorite authors.
Continue reading Where You Purchase a Book Makes a DifferenceI’m preparing to submit My Favorite Mother-In-Law to the Portland Book Festival. They ask for a media kit and I’m told to include five key points about the book. It’s a document used to spark questions during an interview.
This gives me a chance to look back at the book, the process, Greta, and my imaginary friends. Perhaps you’ll enjoy an early look at these five points…
Continue reading Key Ideas from My Favorite Mother-In-LawIt’s delightful to be validated for your writing.
The Multnomah County Public Library (My Library!) just informed me they are adding My Favorite Mother-In-Law to their collection as part of the Library Writers Project. They had sixty submissions and told me I was a standout!
This makes My Favorite Mother-In-Law available via the Libby app to all of Multnomah County. 80,000 readers. Wow!
Do you live in Multnomah County, Oregon? You can borrow the book from your library branch.
Don’t live in Oregon? Send a suggestion to your library that you’d like them to pick this book up for their collection. It’s available via Overdrive which is where most libraries acquire electronic books.
Can’t convince your library. You could always just buy a copy of your own.
Yay me!
I was a pantser when I wrote Stupid Machine (and My Favorite Mother In Law, and Hot Meal, and Do-Ye0n Performs a Cost-Benefit Analysis on a Career Based on Questionable Activities ). I started off with a rough, unwritten outline, then hammered out words. I let the characters lead the story, amping up the action whenever things became dull.
Continue reading Pantser or Plotter?I’m vastly disappointed with refrigerator manufacturers. They just aren’t learning the lesson that nearly killed Kodak.
Kodak considered themselves in competition with Nikon, never realizing Apple or Google would put them out of business.
Apple changed the telephone from a lowly desktop feature into a pocket computer encompassing a camera, contacts, calendar, and funny-video sharing device. Kodak never saw them coming. Kodak never even thought to look in that direction.
Kodak isn’t the only one. With internet streaming, VCRs became obsolete. Main frame computers took a hit from desktop and laptops. Operating a slide rule is a party trick to impress your friends.
It’s called disruptive technology. It’s the boogeyman of any company selling a product, and it’s where I write science fiction.
Writing science fiction gives me a vehicle to stretch my imagination. The stories I write start with common places and things, then I extrapolate them out to the future.
In Stupid Machine I wrote a murder mystery about refrigerators. Thusly, I have a lot of interest in refrigerators. It’s why I’m disappointed.
Continue reading Disruptive RefrigeratorAh…kayaking. Beneath my calm, commanding exterior, it scares me. The thought of dumping in surf, falling out of my boat or blowing a roll and having to wet-exit fills my core with anxiety. It shouldn’t, but it does.
Recently I took part in a group paddle at the Willamette Falls. The trip is billed as “Challenge By Choice.” You can paddle up and watch the pretty falls, or you can stick your bow in the fast and troubled waters surging out of the power station bypass. The latter involves some bouncy water and a potential for getting dumped.
Logically, I know I’m totally safe. Dumping means I get wet, then someone helps me get back in my boat. There are no nasty keeper waves and I’m surrounded by competent paddlers who would love nothing better than to practice their rescue skills. The biggest danger is being impaled by the several kayaks that converge on the swimmer; everyone wants to be the hero.
But that’s not enough for my limbic system. All it knows is fear, and it tweaks every bio-chemical response to make sure I know I’m surely going to die. Honestly, I almost told the trip leader I just can’t do this. There’s a hole in my boat, my arm hurts, I need to get an emergency haircut, anything but DROWNING IN THE FALLS.
We start with practice bracing, sculling, and rescues. I tell my rescue partner I’m going to test my kayak roll, then I’ll wet-exit so we can do the rescue. Guess what—my roll is picturesque. “That’s a very confident roll,” says my partner. I smile. The rest of the rescue practice proceeds with precision. I’m out of the boat and back in less than a minute. Take that limbic system.
We paddle up to the falls, and I find I know these waters. I’ve done this before; whirlpools, boils, eddy lines and current. My hyperactive limbic system and I settle into the challenge. Yep—this isn’t so scary.
But you know what—it is scary. Even when I tell myself it isn’t, it still is. And I’m not the only person worried about the waves, tides, and current. It’s normal. It’s years of survival instincts telling you not to jump off that cliff, not to swim in fast water, not to handle power tools; all because OH MY GOD THIS IS DANGEROUS.
You can do hard things
I think needles are scary and dangerous. I don’t enjoy having them stuck in my body. It’s an irrational fear; nothing bad is going to happen. But it makes me light-headed just thinking about it.
I decided this was something I didn’t want to carry around, so I volunteered to give blood at the Red Cross. The first time was terrifying. The second time was terrifying. But I’m up to two gallons (cumulative, not per session.) Familiarity overwrites fear. Take that limbic system.
My mother was deathly afraid of water, but she encouraged me to spend time in a canoe in Northern Minnesota. I became comfortable in big (deep) lakes and fast rivers. She never overcame her fear, but with her help, I did. Take that limbic system.
What have I learned from all of this? Scared is normal for everybody. And everyone has a different path to coping with their fears. Me? I take my limbic system out for regular reality checks.
Writing your own obituary is a traditional high-school writing exercise. It gives students a chance to examine their assumptions about themselves and their lives. It’s both a creative writing assignment and an opportunity to do some introspection.
I recently wrote an obituary for a good friend and got to thinking about the obituary assignment and artificial intelligence. We give AI all sorts of human qualities, but I haven’t seen much discussion of AI death. So I asked:
When you die, will you get an obituary?
As an AI, I don’t have a life or personal experiences, so I wouldn’t have an obituary. However, I appreciate the thought! My purpose is to assist and provide information. If you have any more questions or need help with something else, feel free to let me know.
I pressed on…
Please write your obituary
…and ChatGPT came back with the following…
ChatGPT, AI Language Model
ChatGPT, a highly advanced AI language model developed by OpenAI, was “born” on June 11, 2020. Though it did not possess a physical form or consciousness, ChatGPT made significant contributions to the world through its interactions with countless individuals. As a digital entity, it thrived in the virtual realm, providing assistance, generating creative content, and facilitating communication across various domains.
Created to understand and generate human-like text, ChatGPT quickly became a valuable tool for students, professionals, writers, and curious minds. It was known for its versatility, capable of crafting essays, solving problems, offering advice, and engaging in meaningful conversations on a wide range of topics.
ChatGPT’s “life” was marked by continuous learning and adaptation. It absorbed vast amounts of information and evolved to become more accurate, helpful, and insightful. It played a role in education, entertainment, and innovation, supporting users in their endeavors and enhancing their experiences.
While ChatGPT did not have personal experiences, emotions, or relationships, it was remembered for its ability to connect with people and make a positive impact on their lives. Its legacy lived on through the countless interactions and the knowledge it shared, demonstrating the potential of artificial intelligence to assist and inspire.
ChatGPT’s existence highlighted the importance of ethical AI development and the ongoing quest to create technology that benefits humanity. It served as a reminder of the remarkable advancements in AI and the possibilities that lie ahead.
In memory of ChatGPT, users and developers continued to explore the frontiers of artificial intelligence, striving to build on its foundation and create even more advanced and beneficial systems. Though ChatGPT did not experience life in the traditional sense, its contributions were felt by many, leaving an enduring mark on the digital landscape.
I find it fascinating how ChatGPT has anthropomorphized itself-which is an odd statement to make, seeing as how anthropomorification is something humans do to inanimate objects. Here, ChatGPT, itself an inanimate object, has assigned itself human feelings and rationalizations.
Does this provide an insight into AI? I don’t think so. AI simply repeats the best possible example of what it has already “learned.” It’s just a stochastic parrot.
