I Am Already Over AI

 JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: It started out innocently enough, wit a few articles about this new "Artificial Intelligence" thing and a few more articles wherein pundits predicted we'd all be living in the Terminator Universe soon, crushed under the chrome-plated jackboot of our robot overlords. 

 

But it turns out AI is far, far more annoying than killer machines.

 

Everywhere I turn, another company is eager to thrust it's AI chatbot/ tools/ research aids upon me. It started when I realized every time I logged in to my health insurance website, this annoying little seal pops up and asks me what I'm doing on every. Single. Page. And you can't get rid of it! The first thing everyone did back in the day was toss Microsoft's Clippy in the trash, what makes you think we want another version?

 

Then, of course, I had Google decide, in its infinite wisdom, that I needed "AI summaries" of every search I made. I cannot convey to you how deeply irritating I find this. It's like being forced to watch someone acting out their kink in public. My friend, I know there are people who like licking boots, but I don't need to clap eyes on it. And I know there are people who want instant information from untrustworthy, error-prone Large Language Models, but I want to click on websites and judge the information myself.

 

Recently, my professorial Zoom account "upgraded," and I was confronted with a slightly changed dashboard (vexing, but not worth more than an eyeroll) and a new title: I was no longer using Zoom, but Zoom Workplace. What the heck is Zoom Workplace, you ask? According to the company, it "brings communication, employee engagement, spaces, and productivity solutions together on a single platform with Zoom AI Companion capabilities woven throughout."

 

 

Really Zoom? I know I'm getting old, but do I look like I need a companion? I'm using your product to lecture college students, they're engaged because I can flunk them, not because I'm using AI to do God-knows what.

The newest unpleasant surprise came when I logged into Freepik, an otherwise great site for finding license-free pictures. You search using various terms, they show you many, many pictures meeting your needs, and you download one or more. Fast, easy, user-friendly.

 

This time, when I selected a photo for downloading, a new screen popped up. Did I want to use AI to edit the picture? "Hmm," I thought. Or maybe said. I talk out loud a lot when I'm alone with the dogs. "I wonder if I could crop this guy out of an otherwise good image?"

 

Reader, I could not. The pinnacle of computing, the application that uses as much electricity as a small country and consumes an average of 550,000 gallons of water per day, per data center? Could stretch the photo side-to-side or up-and-down. And if you're thinking, as I did, "Hey, I can do that with MS Paint, a program first released in 1985," well, I guess you're not looking forward to the future. Or something.

 

I'm starting to feel like a diner in a restaurant that's bought way, way too much spinach and eggs. No matter what I ask for, the waiter keeps offering quiche. It doesn't seem as if these "improvements" have anything to do with, you know, what customers and users actually need.

 

Instead, I'm getting the sense that various CEOs, dazzled by the bullshit sales pitches, spent lots 'o money buying tickets on the AI train. In this metaphor, dear readers, we are tied to the tracks as the locomotive chugs toward us.

 

 

 

So, how do you feel about the plethora of AI assistants showing up online? Are you a fan? Or do you, like me, just want to scream, "Save me, Dudley Do-Right! Save me!"

Rhys shares Pub Day for We Three Queens.

 RHYS BOWEN:  The problem with writing three books a year is that there always seems to be a new publication day to think about.  Today I'm flying to Phoenix to do an event at the Poisoned Pen in Scottdale then on to Houston to Murder by the Book. These are two of my favorite stores and ones that have been so supportive to me over the years.  

When I started writing mysteries, back in the stone age, there were hundreds of independent bookstores across the country, a good many of them were mystery bookstores. For my first mystery novel I visited every mystery bookstore in the Bay Area. There were several including my beloved M is for Mystery in San Mateo. Every time a new book came out I had plenty of places to sign.  

I should point out that when my first book was published it had a print run of 2500, hardcover copies. This means that not a lot of people are going to know about me. So I reckoned I had to attract readers one at a time. I spoke to any bookclub or book group that wanted me. I visited every bookstore that would have me.  John retired about that time (1997) and we drove across the country 3 times, using a different route and visiting every bookstore along the way. I met lovely people and was asked back to do events at many of them. One great experience was the Savoy bookstore in Wichita KS. I met them years ago when nobody had heard of me.  Probably signed ten copies. On my last real big booktour right before Covid I did an event there and there were over 100 people. Everyone crammed in and standing at the back. What a thrill!

                          

My first event at Aunt Agatha's in Ann Arbor consisted of me, Robin Agnew the owner and a Welsh woman. My last event they rented an outside venue. One time they made lovely wedding invitations for Four Weddings and a Funeral. I was even invited to do an event on Mackinaw Island where Robin's family owns the iconic hotel. I'm so sad that they closed. Many fond memories.

As I write this piece I realize there are too many stores to mention them all. McIntyres in North Carolina with their belted cows. They were a favorite. And the annual mystery festival at MysteryLovers in Oakmont PA. The first time I did that I saw this long line waiting to get a book signed by me. I thought I had died and turned into Sue Grafton! I still see Kathy Harig and her Mystery Loves Company as she is the bookseller at Malice. I once did a lovely event on an old steam train in Madison WI through the bookstore there. I say lovely event but it was hard to talk with no mike and the carriage rocking side to side.

                                         

So many of these stores are gone now, and booktours have shrunk since Covid. It's so easy and convenient to do events via Zoom. The one I am doing today at the Poisoned Pen (one of the stores that still flourishes and in fact has become more successful thanks to Zoom) it also broadcasts live on Facebook and on Youtube. I find myself speaking to an audience of 2000 instead of maybe 50 or 60. 

It's funny but when I started to write this piece I didn't intend it to be a stroll down memory lane about bookstores, but we are coming up to Small Business Saturday and if everyone can buy a book at a local bookstore we can keep them in business! Not necessarily mine but I'd love to tell you about it briefly:

   WE THREE QUEENS is Royal Spyness book number 18! Georgie has survived for a long time, hasn't she? not only survived but flourished. Now she lives in a grand house and enjoys a peaceful life... until her husband Darcy is asked to do the new king a favor. He wants to marry Mrs. Simpson. Can Darcy and Georgie hide her out with them until the news breaks? Golly, as Georgie would say. This in inconvenience and stress enough but then Sir Hubert, the house owner, announces that a movie will be shot at the house. The story of Henry VIII and two of his queens.  So now there is chaos, difficult people all around, a kidnapping and a murder. Will Georgie ever get a quiet life? And who is the third queen? I'll leave you to find out.

And just let me say that this is a perfect escape read for trying times. What are your favorite escape reads? I'll sign a hardcover copy for one of today's commenters. And see some of you at the Poisoned Pen or online tonight, right?

Driven to Distraction

JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING:  Reds, I need some advice. Like many of you, I’ve been mightily distracted by the events of the past several weeks. I have late-in-life diagnosed ADD, and even in the best of times I’m prone to whipping my head around at every shiny new thing that pops up in my inbox or appears on my phone. This is, as they say, no bueno, because I’ve got edits due, I’m behind on grading for my college classes, and the dust is piling up in gentle drifts in my house.

 

So I need suggestions on how to tune out the rest of the world! When I’m in the groove, I actually hyper-focus, and I can get SO much done (or read. Honestly, it’s usually when I’m reading.) Help me out, here - what’s worked for you to screen out distractions and get ‘er done?

 

LUCY BURDETTE: Honestly, this hasn’t been the best focused time for me either, Julia. But I will try. I’ve turned off a lot of my news, especially alerts. I do not need to know about every cabinet appointment and so on–this gives me heartburn and a serious sleep disorder, and most important of all, THERE’S NOTHING I CAN DO ABOUT IT RIGHT NOW. 

 

What I can do is write, do my job as president of the Key West library, maybe cook. Reading has been harder these days. For work, I keep a list with boxes to check next to each task. I’m about to set up a giant list/spreadsheet like the one Hank posted the other day. This will have word counts per day on it and that’s helped in the past. I know my best writing time is morning, so I try to tackle the writing first. Otherwise I’ll get to the end of the day without one single word written. 

 

BTW, if any of you Reds want to set up a private accountability group with check-ins after Thanksgiving, I’d be in:).

 

JENN McKINLAY: I am recalibrating as we speak by attending RAMM - Romance Author Mastermind - hosted by the indefatigable Skye Warren. It’s been three full days of intensive business talks about writing (this conference is more focused on biz than craft) and I have learned so much. I think reconnecting to the writing community is key, as surrounding yourself with similarly motivated people keeps you on task. Sort of like when you perform with a person who is more talented than you–in any capacity such as theater or sport–it automatically lifts your own performance. 

 

I am a big believer in setting limits. On all of my apps, I have time limits set. So, if I’m on the socials too long, I get kicked out or-more gently-a question pops asking me if this is a good use of my time. LOL. 

 

The flipside to my limits is setting goals-large and small-so I’m back to writing sprints (happy to do those with you, Lucy!) where I set a timer and for 25 minutes I do nothing but write, take a break and repeat. The pages add up pretty quickly!

 

RHYS BOWEN:  I think we are all finding it hard to focus at the moment, Julia. I’ve been dealing with John’s medical problems as well as all the national news. Actually I’ve withdrawn from any news at the moment. No TV news, no NYT except for Wordle. I’m trying to wean myself off Facebook as I can be sucked into watching too many cute dogs with buttons or travel bits. So one Facebook a day from now on! And I hardly ever do Instagram.  But having almost daily chats with my Jungle Red sisters means a lot to me.

 

I too am writing in short bursts and I’ve given myself permission to be late if necessary (something I have never done in my life). The world won’t fall apart, Penguin books will not stop publishing, if I turn in the next Royal Spyness a month late. I have to come up with the proposal for the next bit standalone pretty soon.  No idea. At least I have several ideas flying around but none that has landed on my shoulder yet. These days I want to write something because it gives me great joy to write it, not because it is commercial.

 

I have found that nature is a great healer and centerer. I go sit on the beach near me or even look out from my balcony for ten minutes. And I’ve been crafting. When you are making a gnome you have to concentrate and there is no place for wild outside thoughts.

 

HALLIE EPHRON: I’m not even chasing any deadlines but I feel the same… overwhelmed. And while I agree nature is a great healer and centerer, as Rhys says, it doesn’t get the writing and myriad chores done. For me it’s my *reward* for doing the have-to’s. And it is SO gorgeous here in the fall.

 

That, and I swear by lists, too. These days I need to carry my list (and a pencil) around with me or I’ll have forgotten what I want to add by the time I remember where I left the list. Honestly, if I could have back the time I spend every day LOOKING for [fill in the blank - phone, glasses, to-do list ….] I could probably nail every single item on my list.

 

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN:  Yes, like Jenn’s app, I ask myself if this is a good use of my time. I’m like a little kid about it–I make deals with myself. I can do Connections and Wordle, and then I set my writing timer for 34 minutes and promise myself that I will do nothing else until 34 minutes is up. Because for me, it’s all about the focus.

And I tell myself–if I can’t even keep a promise to myself, what does that say about my determination? 

And the 34 minutes fly by, and I do it again. Because yes, it’s all about getting focus.

I also keep track of my words per day, and I do it, and when I am behind, I say–that’s okay, it’s fine, I know how much I have to write to catch up. It’ll all work, it ALWAYS does, and worrying is not a good use of my time.

DEBORAH CROMBIE: Thanks for broaching this topic today, Julia, because I desperately need these suggestions, too. I have been so distracted, although I’ve tried to stop reading any news other than the headlines as they whiz by. I figure the best thing I can do for the world is to write a good book, and it’s certainly the best thing for me.

But life seems to continually get in the way!!! I’ve got to get back to setting a schedule and doing sprints like Jenn and Hank–in fact, I’m going to copy Hank’s big spreadsheet! Me putting my word count in my planner at the end of the day is just not doing the trick–there are way too many blank days. You know I’m a big fan of Ben Aaronovitch? He tries to hold himself accountable by posting his word count on socials (was on Twitter, now on bksy, I think.) Not sure I’m willing to go that far but I’m inspired by it!

 

JULIA: Okay, dear readers, now it's your turn. What are your tricks and techniques for taming the distraction monster?

 

All images courtesy of Freepik