Mystery Deb

Those Pesky AI Rules, Yikes!

June has been a lovely month so far, and a busy one for our family with two birthday celebrations, Father’s Day, and a local writers’ festival coming up. Surgery recovery is almost complete, and my arm mobility is pretty much back to normal. The weather’s been great lately and, as you can see, more flowers have been blooming in our garden.

Writing Info

Those who’ve been following me know that I’ve been writing about the impact of AI on our lives. Much of my research is to prepare for a workshop I’m giving in a few days. It seems I’ve fallen down a rabbit hole of information, which is almost impossible to keep up with, but if I can help others learn at least one useful thing, then it’ll be worthwhile.

Elise Abram on Substack, wrote a piece about the terms and conditions of AI platforms. She doesn’t cover all the platforms, but what she did learn is quite insightful. For instance, the friendlist terms and conditions are from Chat GPT (Open AI). They state that they cannot claim your work as its own or any work you’ve created with their help. You can also opt out of allowing them to use your work as a training model. Yay!

You might be wondering why an author would give AI their content in the first place. Well, it appears that some writers are using AI as their editors, not just for chapters, but for their entire manuscripts. Others might seek help with character development. After brainstorming with ‘super helpful’ AI, it’s possible to come up some amazing characters. Although Chat GPT won’t lay claim to your work, things become more sketchy with Google’s Gemini.

Elise’s research showed that you do retain ownership of your work, until it goes public. Wait! What? Apparently, this platform states that they reserve the right to modify and/or translate your content, or even create derivative works based on said content. Happily, you can opt out of allowing Gemini to use your content. Whether that is enough to protect your work, in my view, is questionable.

Finally, how many of you have used Microsoft Copilot for basic editing? Again, while they won’t claim ownership of your content, they do claim that they can copy, transmit, edit, translate and reformat it. They don’t have to ask your permission, pay you, or even tell you that your material’s been used. Yikes!

I did some research of my own, first with Perplexity. Needless to say, their terms and conditions go on for pages, but here’s an excerpt you might find interesting:

“By using the Service and uploading Your Content, you grant us a license to access, use, host, cache, store, reproduce, transmit, display, publish, distribute, and modify Your Content to operate, improve, promote and provide the Services, including to reproduce, transmit, display, publish and distribute Output based on your Input. You agree that these rights and licenses are royalty free, transferable, sub-licensable, worldwide and irrevocable (for so long as Your Content is stored with us.”

Going back to the question of creating characters, does this mean that Perplexity has the right to use your characters for its own purpose? You can read the whole thing HERE

Here’s an excerpt from Claude’s (Anthropic’s) terms and conditions. Oddly, AI helped me simplify all this without my asking.

“Free and Pro consumer tier users have the “Help improve Claude” feature enabled by default, meaning de-identified interactions may be stored for up to 5 years. You can opt out in your privacy settings, though this doesn’t apply to “Incognito” chats. Commercial users (Team, Enterprise, and API) are strictly exempt from model training. You generally own the output generated by Claude, provided you follow the usage rules. However, because AI outputs are not human-created, they cannot be copyrighted in the same manner. ‘Generally own’? Hmm. I was also given a link to a more complete list of the privacy rules HERE.

The big takeaway from all this is that it is crucial to read the terms and conditions before sending and/or creating content using any AI, even if it’s just ad copy. Also, keep in mind that it’s highly possible that terms and conditions could easily change over time, and be even more unfavourable for authors. So, please be vigilant!

Promotional Stuff

This month, I’m offering a $.99 sale for my third Casey Holland mystery, Beneath the Bleak New Moon. This book was inspired by true-life events several years ago in Vancouver, where street racers wound up killing a pedestrian. Since that time, others have died from illegal street-racing, and I explore the issue in this novel. Here’s a short blurb:

The unthinkable happens when transit security officer Casey Holland watches a racing vehicle strike a woman in an intersection. Casey tries to save the woman’s life but fails. A second hit-and-run soon afterward causes public outrage. Witnesses insist that the victims were deliberately run down. Young journalist, Danielle Carpenter, is determined to identify the racers and asks for Casey’s help. But Danielle is reckless and on a personal vendetta. When she goes missing and a suspected racer is murdered, Casey is compelled to find answers.

Available on Amazon Kobo Apple Barnes & Noble Google Play

What I’ve Been Reading

Two of my favourite reads over recent weeks are both fantasies.

Successors by Felicia Jedlicka is filled with atmosphere and a really interesting premise. Captured and thrown into slavery, 23-year-old Cori fears that her miserable existence is about to get even worse when she’s bought by a large, surly man named Donato. Donato also purchases a teenager named Ethan. Both are taken to a remote place in Russia that is actually a large, secretive prison that holds all sorts of dangerous creatures. Cori is assigned housekeeping duties in the home and later the prison, but otherwise is treated reasonably well. Her curiosity leads her to a werewolf named Vince who changes her life. The characters are great and we’re introduced into all sorts of interesting creatures in this highly entertaining read.

The Astral Library by Kate Quinn. This book is a bibliophile’s dream. Twenty-six-year-old Alix Watson is having a tough week. She’s fired from one of her dead-end jobs and is kicked out by her roommate, leaving her homeless. Having no real friends to turn to, Alix heads for the Boston Public Library. Books have always been a source of refuge, especially after her mother abandoned her at age eight. During this latest venture into the BPL, Alix finds herself in an unusual room, where a librarian she’s never met before, tells her that this is the Astral Library. The place is magical, but is not without its problems as Alix soon discovers. When those problems threaten the librarian and the library itself, Alix has major decisions to make. Aside from the beautiful prose and obvious knowledge of books, the author has a subtle message about the importance of libraries and the threat they’re under in these tumultuous times.

That’s it for now. We’ll talk again soon!

What I’ve Been Up To This Month

I love May, and this one has been especially fun. After living a Covid-like existence for several months, I’m socializing again. Mother’s Day celebrations with the family, plus time with the granddaughters over the Victoria Day long weekend were just the beginning. I attended two writing-related events plus three non-writing events, and then enjoyed two dinners out. One was to celebrate being cancer-free. The other was my wedding anniversary. So, I shouldn’t be surprised that I’ve managed to pick up a cold. There seems to be more viruses than usual in Metro Vancouver these days, but this one is minor, so no complaints. The weather has been gorgeous, and I’ve enjoyed all the blooming flowers while wandering through the neighbourhood.

Here’s a photo of the Chinese Wisteria growing on our front patio.

Adjusting to a Cancer-Free Life

My most recent physiotherapy appointment showed great improvement in arm movement, but there is still work to be done. The physiotherapist added more exercises to the regime and I’m wearing a compression sleeve to prevent lymphedema.

Since my last post, I’ve come to realize that this eight-month-long journey is not easily summarized, especially since it’s not quite over. Aside from the ongoing neuropathy in my feet, the scars on my body, and tastebuds that aren’t quite fully restored, there will be follow-up tests accompanied by that little voice in the back of my mind that whispers, ‘What if it comes back?’. I’m sure that every cancer survivor lives with this question, and I’m not losing sleep over it right now.

I will say this: I don’t think of myself as a warrior or a hero. I’m simply someone who experienced months of appointments, treatments, and protocols that resulted in a few surprises and setbacks, but I got through it, as many others have.

I am lucky. I didn’t have to worry about raising kids or being employed. Due to years of hard work and diligent saving, I don’t have financial concerns, and thanks to our healthcare system in Canada, those expensive chemo and immunotherapy drugs are paid for. I have a husband who’s been super-supportive every step of the way. And I’ve been cured.

I’ve also come to know two things: One is that I view aging as a privilege. Sure, life as a senior has challenges, but to get up every day and find something to appreciate and enjoy is worth it.

The second is to never underestimate the importance of mammograms. Don’t put it off. Because of my sister’s breast cancer over thirty years ago, I had annual mammogram screening for over three decades. Due to dense breast tissue, at least six of those regular screening tests resulted in further diagnostic testing and ultrasounds. Two of those resulted in biopsies, one in 2015 and the other last August. I became pretty blasé about it and did wonder if it would hurt to skip the test one year. The answer is yes. Skipping the annual screening last June could have killed me. Triple negative cancers grow fast, so don’t postpone your mammogram, okay? The procedure takes less than ten minutes.

My Writing Life (and maybe yours)

I’ve spent the last month re-reading two of the three manuscripts in my trilogy, and am now tackling the third. I’m happy with the story and the structure. Multiple viewpoints and present tense is a different style than my mysteries, but this whole endeavour is about creative exploration and trying new things. I’ll be hiring a copy editor over the coming months to sort through what I’ve missed, and then go from there. I’ve come up with tentative titles for books one and two. Now, there’s book three to ponder. I am not going to use AI to help create one. I’m more than capable of doing this myself, and have done so for years. Speaking of AI…

Based on various readings over the past few weeks, it seems that the whole AI topic is confusing for many writers. Some publishers and agents are stating what they define as acceptable or unacceptable AI-generated manuscripts for submission. On occasion, though, the wording is ambiguous. I’ve also seen that some publishers will not accept a book cover that is AI-generated while others don’t mention covers specifically, or the blurbs on those covers. Given that some authors use Canva to create their covers, and Canva itself is heavily AI-generated, are they breaking the rules by creating covers this way? What about an image we purchase for our covers, but send to a professional jacket designer to work with? If the image is AI-generated, but the cover design itself is created by a human being, are we still breaking the rules? Confusing, isn’t it?

As far as content goes, I’ve found a little more clarity. Many editors, agents, and publishers make a distinction between AI-written and AI-assisted work, as does Amazon’s KDP, by the way. KDP accepts AI-assisted work. By that I mean, any content which is edited using tools such as ProWritingAid or Grammarly, for example, is not considered AI-written, but AI-assisted. Although if you allowed your book to be almost completely rewritten with AI, then there’s a problem, as the author who lost her contract discovered (mentioned in my April 6 post). Last I heard, IngramSpark does not accept AI-generated content, but does not specify if that includes AI-assisted material. So, what’s an author to do? It’s enough to make your head spin, isn’t it? If you are submitting your work somewhere and the guidelines aren’t clear, my advice is to ask first.

Promotional Stuff

Until the end of this month, I’m offering the second installment in my Casey Holland mystery series, Deadly Accusations, on sale for $.99. Here’s a quick blurb:

A coworker’s murder triggers accusations and suspicion among security officer Casey Holland’s workmates. Her job turns into a nightmare when the company’s president pressures her to find answers. Shunned and threatened at work, Casey must also deal with traumatic, life-changing events at home and the horrific realization that one of her friends could be a killer.

Available at: Amazon Kobo Apple Barnes & Noble Google Play

This post has been long enough, so I’ll end it there, and we’ll talk again in June. Meanwhile, enjoy these lovely flowers from our garden. The blue ones are a species of lilac that the bees love.

Heath Update and More News From Our Crazy Writing World

Hi everyone, are you enjoying spring as much as I am? We’ve been experiencing gorgeous sunny weather, for the most part, here in Vancouver’s Lower Mainland. For me, that means more walking. My spouse cleaned our sundeck and the flowers in our garden are blooming, as you’ll see below. Of course, there’s a price to pay for a mild winter and sunny spring. Our area will already be on a water advisory shortage as of May 1, which means no lawn watering because the snowpack in our area is not nearly what it should be.

Cancer Update

I’m delighted and relieved to report that I am now officially cancer free. My oncologist, surgeon, and radiation oncologist all agree that no further treatment is required. I’m pretty happy that radiation won’t be necessary. Of course, there will be follow-up appointments, including my annual mammogram, which started this whole process last June. But there’s no point in wasting energy worrying about test results that haven’t happened yet. Other than my hypothyroid issue, my bloodwork numbers are back to normal. This means that I can feel comfortable socializing again.

Recovery from the surgery in late March is ongoing, but my arm movement has improved a great deal after the drains were removed and I started at-home physio exercises. I also saw a physiotherapist last week, who gave me more exercises. Not comfortable, but necessary. I’ll be seeing her again in a month. Because six lymph nodes were removed, I’m apparently at slightly higher risk for lymphedema, which could result in painful swelling and redness in my arm. She gave me a prescription for a compression sleeve. As to how I feel about all this, well, I’ll summarize that, if I can, in my next blog. Still processing, and I need a minute…

My Writing Life (and maybe yours)

I finished the first draft of the third book in my urban fantasy trilogy. I’ve now started rereading book one and will read all three books through for continuity. As I suspected, a read-through also means editing clunky paragraphs or transitions that don’t work. Still, I’m averaging 30 pages a day. I’m trying to look at things from a reader’s perspective, which is to read several chapters straight through and be mindful of pacing and repetition. A little repetition is fine, especially in a 98,000-word book, but it can go overboard, as I’ve seen in many novels.

Last time, I mentioned a couple of AI controversies surrounding the cancellation of an author’s contract when she was accused of using AI to write significant parts of her book. There was also the Em dash controversy. Since then, I’ve found other things impacting authors in this crazy new world.

One of the more disturbing bits is that some folks are generating hundreds of AI novels over just a few days and selling them on various platforms. This is why Draft2Digital, where I list my books, will start charging $20 for anyone opening a new account, according to an email I received awhile back. The idea is to discourage cheaters from joining. Given the millions of books on the market, AI books aren’t making much money either, but I suppose it depends on the category. I’m less happy with D2D’s decision to charge authors who make less than $100 a year, a $12 annual fee, although I do understand. I wonder how long will it be before Amazon follows suit?

Traditionally published authors aren’t having an easy time of it either. A recent article in the Author’s Guild reports that publishers are uploading manuscripts and authors’ personal information into AI systems to create summaries, assessments, and marketing copy without the author’s knowledge or permission. You can read more about that HERE

On another note, mystery novelist John Degen is apparently the first Canadian who will have his mystery novel labelled “Human Authored” when it’s released this fall. The book was originally published in the UK. According to a CBC article, the certification was developed by the Society of Authors, a U.K. trade union. If you wish to declare that your book was written without any assistance from artificial intelligence, this is one way to do it. Although, what’s to stop cheaters from slapping something like that on their book covers as well? You can read more HERE

There’s much more happening which I’ll cover it next time. I don’t want your head to explode.

Promotional Stuff

For the next two weeks, I’m placing my first Casey Holland mystery, The Opposite of Dark on sale for $.99. This is where it all began and offers key background info about Casey’s past. The novel is also available for free if you sign up for my newsletter. Here’s a quick blurb:

When the cops tell Casey her father was murdered the previous night, Casey doesn’t believe them. After all, she buried her dad three years earlier…or did she? The quest for answers takes her to England, Paris, and Amsterdam, where an increasingly dangerous game endangers the people she loves.—”A fast-moving action-packed thriller with many twists, secrets & lies.”—Nightreader.

The book is available at: Amazon, Kobo, Apple, Barnes & Noble, Google Play, Smashwords

That’s it for now. Until next time, enjoy another garden photo, although I have no idea what they are.

What I’ve Been Up To and a Health Update

Hi everyone, and Happy Easter weekend to those who celebrate. We’re enjoying a quiet holiday weekend, although not everyone here in Canada gets today (Monday) off from work. Yesterday, we enjoyed a lovely family dinner at my daughter’s and son-in-law’s house. The granddaughters were delighted to take part in an Easter Egg hunt earlier that morning.

Now that the weather’s warming up, I’ve been walking outdoors more often, which is important for recovery and my overall well-being. The temperatures have been warm and sunny lately, which has been wonderful. And the cherry blossoms are everywhere!

Cancer Update

My sixteenth and final chemo/immunotherapy treatment took place on February 24^th, and yes, I rang the bells! My hair has started to grow back and my tastebuds are pretty much back to normal. There’s still a bit of neuropathy in my feet and discolouration on my toes and fingernails, but no pain. My eyelashes and eyebrows are sparse, so I’m hoping they’ll grow back as my eyes water a lot.

Surgery was on March 26, and I’ve been living with an elastic corset around my bandaged chest since then. I have tubes running out of two incision point, which are attached to clear plastic bulbs pinned to the bottom of the corset. They need to be emptied twice daily and can’t be removed by a nurse until I have less than 24 ml of accumulated fluid daily. It’s not a problem for one incision, but the other one is still draining too much fluid. I have a couple of follow-up appointments this month to discuss next steps, so stay tuned to see what happens next in this healthcare adventure.

My Writing Life (including all of ours)

My recovery has given me some extra writing time. As many of you know, aside from walking, writing helps me recover from difficult events. Over 100,000 words have now been written in this first draft of the third book in the urban fantasy trilogy. It will be pared down with future edits. I’m working on the last chapter right now, and will celebrate once it’s done. Now, onto other matters…

I’m sure some of you have read about Hatchett cancelling the contract of Mia Ballard’s Shy Girl, claiming that more than half of it was written by AI. Ballard is apparently now suing, indicating that she can prove her work wasn’t AI-generated.

A number of blogs and articles have been written about AI books. One of them was Anne R. Allen’s post and, in particular, the use of the em dash in fiction. It seems that readers have been accusing authors of using AI to write books, partly based on the use of em dashes and other punctuation ‘quirks’ in their stories. The other major complaint is that all the voices sound the same. Some of the accused authors are disputing these claims on social media, fearing that their books (and maybe careers) could wind up dead in the water. Since I haven’t searched out these titles, I have no idea if the accusations are true or not.

The point is that negative comments, AI or otherwise, can happen to any author who’s releasing a new book. It also speaks to the growing AI backlash I’m seeing these days. I suppose it’s to be expected when something new and seemingly uncontrollable invades our lives, but it’s another obstacle for authors to face in already challenging times. All I can say is, who knew the em dash would draw so much attention? You can find Anne Allen’s insightful blog HERE.

Promotional stuff

This month I’m reducing the price of my final Casey Holland mystery, A Gold Satin Murder to $.99. This novella offers a more humorous and quirkier side to Casey’s life as a transit security cop. If you’re looking for quick escapism that just might make you smile, then maybe it’s worth a try? Here’s a short blurb:

Security cop Casey Holland does not want to help prove the innocence of a murder suspect and male stripper named Eduardo…until she learns that his relationship with her good friend, Lily, could destroy Lily’s life. So, while Eduardo’s busy peeling off his clothes, Casey’s peeling back secrets that reveal way more than she bargained for. **Please note that there is no explicit sexual content in this novella.

The book is available at Amazon, Kobo, Apple, Barnes & Noble, Google Play

What I’ve Been Reading

The Lost and Found Bookshop by Susan Wiggs

This isn’t normally the type of book I read, but I heard many good things about it, and I’m so glad I gave it a try. This is a compelling story about broken hearts, family, love, and forgiveness. Set in a San Francisco bookstore, I loved how the story incorporated historical elements of the 1906 earthquake, and that the romance between the main characters wasn’t overdone. I enjoyed the story so much that I wish it had been longer, and I rarely say that about novels.

Modern Divination by Isabel Agajanian

This unique, urban fantasy also includes a murder and the hint of romance. It’s more literary than many others in this genre. The inner monologue and narrative descriptions pay careful attention to language and result in a slower-paced read. It’s a thoughtful story about a young woman who’s forced to come to terms with her identity and her strengths and weaknesses. Very thought-provoking.

Puki Horpocket Presents Roy by Zachry Wheeler

On a much lighter note, is this funny and entertaining science fiction story about a working-class guy who’s disappeared on a giant space station for reasons no one understands. Journalist Puki Horpocket is trying to find out what happened to Roy and why by interviewing an odd cast of characters. This author reminds me of the late, great Douglas Adams whose Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is one of my all-time favourites.

There are several other books I could recommend, but this blog is long enough, so I’ll be back toward the end of this month, and let you know how those appointments turned out.

News, Views, and Upcoming Surgery

Goodness, it’s been a month since my last blog post, and spring is almost here. Yay! In late February, our area enjoyed a series of sunny, mild days, allowing the crocuses and camelia buds to appear. Shortly after that, the temperature plunged and our first snow of winter fell in Metro Vancouver. Because I live just south of Vancouver at sea level, we didn’t get snow. Just a lot of rain and wind, which was wintry enough.

Cancer Update

My final chemo/immunotherapy treatment was on February 24^th, and I’m feeling pretty good. My tastebuds are still a little off, but they’ll return. One side effect is the need for a stronger dosage of hypothyroid medication. Until now, I had been on the same low dosage for thirty years. I don’t know if this is permanent or temporary, but time will tell.

I’ll be having surgery to remove lymph nodes and my left breast on March 26. On the upside, I’ll be in and out of surgery the same day. The procedure sounds traumatic, but my sister underwent this procedure thirty-two years ago, and again two years ago, so this is nothing new in our family. I’ll be doing a lot of exercises to restore arm movement, plus a bit of physiotherapy.

My Writing Life

Slow and steady is the name of the game these days. I write every day, but there are only two or three days a week when I manage to write more than 1,000 words a day. I spend a fair bit of time thinking about this urban fantasy trilogy and have realized that more changes are needed in the first book, so my list of things to incorporate grows longer. I haven’t come up with titles for books two and three yet, but there’s plenty of time.

As for big picture thinking beyond the trilogy, I don’t know. What I do know, based on past experience, is that major decisions about writing, or any other life changes, shouldn’t be made when one is going through major challenges. Yes, sometimes those decisions prove to be the right ones, but it’s better to wait until the challenge is over before acting on any decision. Meanwhile, I try to stay focused on more immediate goals.

Promotional stuff

This month, I’m offering a $.99 sale for Casey Holland mystery #6, The Blade Man. Please note that these books can be read in any order. Below is a short blurb:

Who is the Blade Man and why has this mysterious loner been attacking Mainland Public Transport bus drivers? And who is trying to burn MPT down? The company’s president orders security officer Casey Holland to launch an internal investigation or face termination. Convinced she’s being set up to fail and with her wedding only weeks away, Casey desperately needs answers. Forced to take deeper risks, how far can Casey go before someone dies?

This book was inspired by the growing number of assaults on bus drivers in our area. I interviewed one driver who’d been assaulted three times and subsequently left the job.

The book is available at: Amazon, Kobo, Apple, Barnes & Noble, Google Play

What I’ve Been Watching

A couple of these I mentioned in my newsletter, but they’re worth repeating. Did any of you watch The Copenhagen Test starring Simu Liu? It was an excellent spy thriller with a unique twist. Alexander Hale is a first-generation Chinese American who discovers that someone’s implanted tech in his brain that allows the villain to see and hear everything he does. Not an enviable position, given that he works for a secretive government agency. I’m hoping there’ll be a second season. It’s quite compelling.

I’m also enjoying the fourth season of Dark Winds, which is a superb police procedural/thriller based on the excellent crime novels by Tony Hillerman. This season, Navajo Tribal Police officers Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee are searching for a sixteen-year-old runaway who is inadvertently leading them into a deep and complex situation. Chee and Leaphorn find themselves following her to Los Angeles, where both are facing personal struggles. If you haven’t seen this series, give it a try.

Last but not least is The Night Manager starring Hugh Laurie & Tom Hiddleston. This crime drama is based on John le Carré’s novel of the same name. If you like his books, you’ll love this story. Season two opens ten years later and is a sequel to season one’s events. So, watch season one first. The acting is amazing and by the end of season two, you’ll be on the edge of your seat.

That’s it for now. I’ll be back in April, after surgery, when spring’s renewal, and mine, will be in full bloom.

Unsettling News for Writers, and Another Trip to the ER

Happy Lunar New Year, or Gung Hay Fat Choy as my Cantonese-speaking spouse says (the phrase is quite different in Mandarin). As of yesterday, we are now officially in the year of the Fire Horse. One of the rituals we follow is to thoroughly clean our house. My spouse vacuumed the carpets and washed the rest of the floors while I stuck to lighter tasks. This weekend, we’re having the family over for dim sum and will hand out little red packets of lucky money to the younger generations. Celebrations in some countries go on for five weeks, but that’s a little over the top for me.

Cancer Update

I ended up in the ER again last week, but this time only from about 2:30 a.m. until 6:a.m, and everything turned out fine. As I’ve mentioned before, I self-inject a drug to boost my white blood cell count once a day for seven days after every chemo treatment. On day seven, I started to feel a tightness in my chest several hours after the injection. At first, I thought it was acid reflux until my chest began to hurt when I moved around. I also had lower back pain, but had been warned that joint pain is a common side effect from this drug.

Long story short, the pain worsened to the point where my chest was throbbing and I was experiencing shortness of breath. I began to worry that this was more than a side effect. After bloodwork, an EKG, chest x-ray, and vitals were checked, it turned out that my heart is fine and that the pain likely came from the joints in my sternum. After taking a couple of Tylenol, the pain gradually subsided. 24 hours later it was finally gone. Needless to say, I’m thrilled that my last chemo/immunotherapy treatment is on Tuesday. I’ll be having a chat with the oncology doctor tomorrow about reducing the dosage or stopping it altogether.

My Writing Life

Work on the third installment in my urban fantasy trilogy continues, slowly but surely. I’m up to 83,000 words and writing the last chapters. Although I’m taking my time, I’ll be happy when it’s done.

Aside from the scams I’ve mentioned in a previous blog, I’ve noticed two disheartening trends in the writing world lately. It seems that a growing number of writers are so upset and distracted by tumultuous global events that they’ve stopped writing. Some have decided to move onto other things while others are simply taking a break until they can focus again. Everyone has to decide what’s best for them. Negative external events certainly impact us in different ways. If/when I stop writing, I hope it will be because the timing feels right and not because of what’s going on in the world.

This morning, I also came across an interesting Substack blog from BadReadHead Media called “Why We Can’t Focus Anymore: The Hidden Cost of our Attention Economy”. It’s well worth reading and you can find the link HERE.

I can’t exactly recall the source of this bit of news, and I apologize for that. I think I heard it briefly mentioned in one of Joanna Penn’s recent podcasts, but don’t quote me on that. What did stick with me is reference to an author who’s published a large number of books (I don’t know the genre and assume she’s self-publishing) but the author is also now using AI to write books for her. She puts in all the info she needs for AI to adopt her style, and from that she allegedly produces a book in an hour. Even if that is an exaggeration, it’s far faster than what the rest of us are doing. Not only is her output amplifying, but she’s teaching other writers how to do it.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this one. Using AI for research or marketing purposes is one thing, but to write your books for you? Is this our future? A number of publishers and magazine editors won’t accept AI generated material at least for now, but will that change over time?

By the way, I find Joanna Penn’s podcasts quite interesting. She provides updates regarding different aspects of the publishing world. She also shares a little of what’s happening in her writing life, and then interviews writers on all kinds of interesting topics. You find the link HERE:

Promotional stuff

On the promotion front, this month I’m offering a $.99 discount on the fifth installment of my Casey Holland series, Knock Knock until Feb. 28. Please note that these books can be read in any order. This novel was inspired by a series of local news stories several years ago about home invasions targeting senior citizens. The topic troubled me a great deal, and further research revealed just how common this was in cities everywhere. Here’s the book blurb:

When a home invasion kills senior Elsie Englehart, security officer Casey Holland is devastated. Part of her latest assignment is to watch over elderly bus riders in an area frequently targeted by a group of thugs. Determined to keep others safe, Casey escorts an elderly man to his home, only to come under attack by an armed intruder. Hospitalized and angry, Casey struggles to regain control of her life, despite interference from family and colleagues, and the postponement of her wedding. Yet another home invasion compels Casey to take action, but at what cost to her health and her relationships?

Platform links: Amazon, Kobo, Apple, Barnes & Noble, Google Play

I think this blog is long enough, so I’ll stop there and catch up with you next month, after my final chemo/immunotherapy treatment!

Health Update and A New Scam Scaring Authors

After my Jan. 7 blog, the rest of the month passed without any major health incidents. Except for scheduled medical appointments, it’s been a quiet, self-isolating month. My bald head has made the cold feel even colder these days, so I keep a toque on most days now. I always long for sunnier climates at this time of year. Maybe next January we’ll finally get back to Mexico after what will have been eight long years. We’re certainly thinking about it. Meanwhile, my sister was on a walk through the west end of Vancouver last week, and found these daffodils. What!?

Cancer Update

After my chemo/immunotherapy treatment on January 13, my energy again plummeted while the nausea rose, which was to be expected. After some training from the nurse, I learned to inject myself with a drug that boosts my white blood cell count. I’ll be doing this for one week after each of the remaining treatments. It’s cringeworthy, I know, but it’s turned out to be quick and painless. Happily, I have only two treatments left.

I also met with the surgeon and learned that my surgery date is March 24. On another high note, I’ll be able to go home on the same day. Once recovery is underway, physiotherapy will be required to restore arm movement, but that’s not a big deal. The really interesting news came from a meeting with the radiation oncologist. She advised that breast cancer treatment was usually a package deal: chemo, surgery, and radiation. However, new studies have shown that there is no greater risk of returning cancer for many patients after they’ve completed chemo and surgery. In other words, radiation therapy might not be necessary at all. This will depend, however, on the pathology report after surgery. I’ll be meeting again with the radiation oncologist the third week of April to decide if the treatment is necessary. I sure hope it isn’t, but you do what you have to do.

My Writing Life (Helpful Info and a Question For You)

I read about a new disturbing scam that writers, especially new authors, should be aware of. This came from Anne R. Allen’s terrific blog, where she reports that scammers are using Amazon to scare the heck out of authors. They pretend to be Amazon and inform authors that because they have fewer than ten reviews, they will need to hire a ‘Certified Visibility Specialist’ to keep the book from being thrown into obscurity. Anne provides many more details with links to other blogs with further information. You can find Anne’s blog HERE

I follow a number of writers on Substack, including Orna Ross, who is the founder of ALLi, The Alliance of Independent Authors. Orna recently moved her email list to Substack because she felt it would attract more subscribers and allow her to engage with them in different ways. She wrote that she could do many more things that weren’t available on her previous email list provider.

So, I have a question for those of you who use Substack. Does it gain you more subscribers or expand your presence? Would you recommend Substack? I’m not considering leaving WordPress at this point, but the reality is that change is frequent and sometimes sudden. So, it’s not a bad idea to consider other options. You can find Orna’s Substack blog HERE

Promotional stuff

My $.99 sale for Casey Holland mystery #1, The Opposite of Dark, ends on January 31^st. Here’s a quick blurb:

Platform links: Amazon, Kobo, Apple, Barnes & Noble, Google Play

I’ve also been running a $.99 sale on the 4^th book, The Deep End, which also ends on Jan. 31^st. Here’s the blurb:

Transit officer Casey Holland’s first volunteer shift at a youth detention center turns deadly when its director dies from heart failure. But all is not as it seems. There are rumors that his death was no accident. As more people die, the center is about to implode, but who is an ally and who is an enemy? Casey must find the answers before the killer stops her from learning the truth.

Platform links: Amazon, Kobo, Apple, Barnes & Noble, Google Play

Until next time, take care, everyone.

Happy 2026, and My Adventure in the ER

Happy New Year, everyone, and a big welcome to new subscribers. I hope you’ll find something worthwhile in this blog. So, how is everyone’s year going so far? My thirteenth chemo treatment (this one with new drugs) took place on December 23, and I had enough energy to enjoy Christmas with the family. The granddaughters had a wonderful time. It was the first year that little Abby understood what was happening, although probably not why, which will come later. As you can see, they love their new scooters.

I was reading someone’s blog before Christmas and this person described in one word what they hoped for 2026. I don’t usually spend a lot of time thinking about a specific word to describe a year, but this time, it was obvious: Recovery. Maybe it applies to others as well?

In a broader context, the word will mean different things to people this year. After all, many were blindsided by unwelcome events in 2025, but I hope you’re finding a way to recover from whatever you’ve been through, and are being kind to yourself, or even treating yourself in some small or large way.

Cancer Update (crisis averted):

After Christmas, my energy plummeted. Exercising time became shorter and I did fewer tasks. The goal, as always, is to keep moving because it’s good for cancer patients. But finding the right balance can be challenging. Happily, I haven’t had many nausea issues, however, I have developed some numbness in my feet. It’s not painful, and I do a lot of flexing and pointing and walking, and am treated to massages by my spouse. My tastebuds, which were doing better, have gone wonky again. Some foods are really off for me, but others are okay.

The truly unwelcome aspect of this second phase of chemo treatment is that these new drugs diminish white blood cells, which places me at a much higher risk for infection. My doctor warned me that if my temperature goes beyond 38 degrees C (100 degrees F) then I’m to go to Emergency right away. On Sunday the 4^th, that’s what happened.

My local hospital is only six blocks from my house. We got there after seven, and the waiting room was surprisingly quiet. Because I’m a cancer patient, I was seen right away and tests carried out. Once that was done, I was moved to an isolated room. The doctor warned me that I might have to stay for several days, which made me nearly drop through the floor, since I’d been feeling fine.

I wound up spending two nights in isolation. The first night was dreadful as the sounds of crying kids and vomiting adults at 2:30 in the morning was an eye-opener to the suffering others were enduring. The flu is no joke, and that little hospital was maxed out. To fill the time, I read, listened to podcasts, and slept. On day two, I was moved to a different room, which was off the main corridor and, happily, things were much quieter in this part of ER.

In the end, the test results were all negative, and I discharged yesterday. I’ve been given drugs to boost my white blood cell count, and will meet with my oncology doctor tomorrow. I’m told that the second week after treatment is when the blood cells are at their lowest. I’ve just entered week three, so I’m hoping that some serious rebuilding is underway, because I start this all again on January 13^th.

My Writing Life (and in this case, everyone’s)

Much has been written about the Nigerian scammers who’ve created thousands of AI-generated emails per minute and sent them to authors, both self-published and traditionally published. The emails gush over our books, quoting key characters’ names, plots, etc. They claim to be book reviewers, or book club organizers, or librarians, etc. Those messages and emails are designed to make us think they’re actually interested in our work. All they’re interested in is taking our money. Here’s an example of my recent encounter:

I was contacted by a woman named Lois Nettleton on Instagram, whose profile indicated that she loves to read. She had several friends, so I friended her back without giving it much thought. A day or two later, she messaged me, asking me about my books. Although I had my suspicions, I decided to play along to see where this would go. From there, her spiel went on to assure me that no money is involved. She’d just like to showcase one of my books. I told her about my health situation, explaining that I wasn’t interested right now. She said she understood, told me to take my time, and wished me well. Two days later, I got a message from her…‘Can I send you the material now’? I didn’t respond, and then an hour or so later ‘Now?’ and then shortly after that, ‘Why aren’t you answering my messages?’ I dug deeper into her profile, which wasn’t hard, and discovered that fake-Lois’s location is Nigeria.

I blocked her right away and deleted our conversation. A few hours later, someone on Amazon ordered 4 of my books, and then immediately returned them. A coincidence? Maybe. Maybe not. IG is the worst offender, however, I’m not on TikTok or LinkedIn, so I’m not sure. To help you steer clear of these increasingly slick and human-sounding messages, here’s what you do on Instagram and Threads.

Go to the individual’s profile

Tap on the 3 dots in the upper right-hand corner, then go to ‘About this account’. It will tell you where the account user is based most of the time, but not all the time. I have friends with legitimate accounts who don’t state their location, so keep this in mind. However, if the profile is new and has almost no posts, and few friends, be cautious!

After my encounter with fake Lois, I received a friend request from Nathan.becktt0 who says he’s a ‘Conservative man and a proud Irish’. His account based in Nigeria. Instant block.

On a happier note, I’ve been steadily working on my urban fantasy, a little each morning, and I’ve reached 70,000 words. The downside is that I’ve been kept awake some nights, usually from 2-4 a.m., plotting the next chapter. I haven’t written much since Saturday, but that’s just fine. I’ll get back to it a little later.

Promotional stuff

For new subscribers and those who aren’t familiar with my mysteries, I’m offering the first book in the series for $.99 right now. This is where it all began for Casey Holland, and it’s been quite a ride. Here’s a quick blurb:

Here are the platform links: Amazon, Kobo, Apple, Barnes & Noble, Google Play

I think that’s it for now. I’ll post with updates later this month. Take care everyone!

Christmas Prep and a New Phase of Chemo Treatment

Since my last post, time has gotten away from me a bit. The doctors have encouraged me to maintain my normal activities, so I have been, albeit with longer rest periods. Christmas preps are underway and I’ve had plenty of help. My family came over on Nov. 30 to help put up and decorate the tree. My granddaughters had a great time choosing ornaments to hang. Here’s the final result. I didn’t use the ropes of silver stars and white snowflakes that are usually wrapped around the tree. Sometimes less is more.

Cancer Update (Phase 1 ends: Phase 2 begins):

I’ve just ended 12 weeks of weekly chemotherapy treatments, which means I’ll no longer be taking the two cancer drugs, one of which caused an intense allergic reaction. Nor do I have to take the steroids that have messed with my sleeping habits after treatment. Two new drugs will be administered with the start of this new phase on Dec. 23. There will be only four sessions, and they’ll be three weeks apart as my white blood count will need time to rebuild. I’m told to expect nausea and extreme fatigue for the first week. My family and I planned for this weeks ago, so they’ll be doing all the cooking on the 25^th. My job will be to get out of bed and get dressed, which might be all I can do for those first couple of days after treatment, according to the doctor. This is the time when I’ll be most at risk for infection, so I’m definitely staying away from malls and social gatherings.

Fun fact: One of the doctors told me that a one-centimetre tumour can contain one billion tiny microscopic cancer cells. My tumour was three times that size. After an examination earlier today, the doctor reports that it’s now only two centimetres and very soft, which makes her happy. The drugs are doing their job. In my mind, there’s no question that daily exercise, healing meditations, and healthy eating habits are contributing factors.

My Writing Life (or maybe everyone’s, in this case)

Every so often, I listen to podcasts or attend webinars that discuss the state of publishing and bookselling. I’m always interested to hear what others think, and what they foresee for the future. To that end, I attended a webinar sponsored by the Authors Guild on the topic, ‘Making Sense of 21^st Century Publishing’. The guest speaker, Michael Castleman, has been writing for a long time and admitted that after 19 traditionally published, nonfiction books, his income has been cut in half in recent years, which he attributes to the changing publishing environment.

He stated that approximately 2.5 million books are now published every year. This is a significant jump from a decade ago. He also said that about 80% of the books published don’t sell a hundred copies. He didn’t specify whether this was over the book’s first year or over the span of several years. He also said that only 6% of authors sell over 1,000 copies, but honestly, this is nothing new. Similar stats have been around for quite a while.

The problem, Castleman says, is that the number of readers hasn’t grown at anywhere near the same rate for at least twenty years. Therefore, everyone, including large publishing houses, are increasingly challenged with finding readers. Castleman notes that the publishers have struggled forever to make publishing a profitable business. Given the uncertain economic climate and the growing number of AI-generated books, publishers are more risk-averse than ever about taking on new books and new authors. According to Castleman, this is placing literary agents in a crisis mode as they struggle to find representation for their clients. He said that many are leaving the business, although I’m not sure what he means by many.

Those of us who’ve been writing and publishing for a while won’t be surprised by any of this. Nor do we have illusions about our sales numbers. The simple fact is that this is a labour of love. We love to tell stories and share them with whoever might be interested. If we make a little money along the way, great!

I’ve met many new authors over the years who don’t realize how challenging it can be to market, distribute, and sell a book. Some of them would rather not do any marketing at all, and I understand that. While it’s not a bad idea to note changes in the publishing industry, it’s equally important to keep things in perspective with respect to our own goals. In other words, don’t worry about stats and how others are doing. Think about what works best for you. Maybe start with just one marketing idea, and then begin to create your own numbers. Half the battle is just showing up and trying, right? And on that note…

Promotional stuff

My last promotion of 2025 is a $.99 sale for Casey Holland mystery #3, Beneath the Bleak New Moon. While I was researching street racing for this book, about fifteen years ago now, I was astonished to learn that legal and illegal street racing was a billion-dollar industry back then. How knows what it is now? The story was inspired by a true event in Vancouver that happened a couple of decades ago, when a woman was struck and killed during a street race. Sadly, it’s happened several times since, and all over North America. Here’s a short blurb:

What happens when a street race on a busy Vancouver thoroughfare kills a pedestrian? And what happens when it occurs again, deliberately? Public outrage, a missing investigative reporter, and upheaval in Casey Holland’s personal life creates a wild ride to the heart-stopping end.

Here are the platform links: Amazon, Kobo, Apple, Barnes & Noble, Google Play.

Also, for those of you who use Smashwords, most of my books are on sale for the rest of this month through this platform. Which you can find HERE.

That’s it for now. I wish all of you a joyous and peaceful holiday!

Surprises, Good and Bad

All things considered, life is good. Since my last post, I’ve had another immunotherapy treatment plus two more chemo treatments which puts the total to eight. I have four more to go before we proceed to the next steps. I’m so grateful for all the kind comments I’ve received since announcing my diagnosis. While I’m a little bit weaker, definitely more tired, my hair is almost gone, and I’ve lost a few pounds, I’m staying as strong and active as I can. My realtor, whom I’ve known for 25 years, sent me the beautiful bouquet below, along with some other goodies.

My son has been making me his own delicious chicken soup.

One day, when I’m cancer free, I’ll pay it forward in my own way.

Cancer Update (scary side effects):

These days, I’ve gone off certain foods, especially meat, although I still eat it in small quantities. Everything tastes quite salty lately. My cold is gone, thanks to a humidifier, which made a huge difference, and the coughing is finally subsiding.

On Nov. 11, I experienced an intense allergic reaction to the drug carboplatin. It was the last drug of the day and the pouch was almost finished when my hands suddenly became hot pink and itchy, and my face became flushed. I began coughing uncontrollably. I then began to feel dizzy and nauseous. Shortly after that, I developed shortness of breath. I thought I was going to be sick, but managed not to throw up.

My nurse called a code and more nurses came rushing over. She then contacted the doctor on call, who told her to administer Benadryl right away. Within a couple of minutes, the shortness of breath and nausea started to ease. After about fifteen minutes, I felt better, but they had me stay another half hour to ensure the side effects didn’t return, which they didn’t. The nurse recommended that I take another Benadryl that night. By the time I got home that day, I was exhausted.

My oncologist called the next day and recommended corticosteroids to prevent another adverse reaction. I have to take them 12 and 6 hours before treatment each Tuesday now. Last Monday, it meant setting my alarm for 4:15 a.m. for the second dose as treatment time was 10:15 a.m. Needless to say, my nurse was watching me carefully for signs of an adverse reaction. All went well, except for some extra coughing, which appears to be a side effect that’s hard to shake. Today, though, the coughing is almost gone, thankfully!

My Writing Life

Oh my, where would I be without my many notes? It’s a habit I started while writing my very first book Taxed to Death, back in the 80s. I was working full-time, then got married and had a baby. I knew that writing wouldn’t be a daily event and it’d probably take a long time to finish a first draft, so I created a Word document and made notes so I wouldn’t forget key ideas. At that time, I didn’t realize how many drafts would be needed to get the book into a publishable state! With each draft, I typed up new notes in a new document, specifying both large and small changes. It served me well and still does.

I plug along a little each day on this third installment in the urban fantasy trilogy. Late at night, when I’m having trouble sleeping, I think about character arcs and how best to move the story forward. If it’s a lot, I get up and make notes. If it’s not, a couple of words will jog my memory in the morning.

In the spring of 2026, I plan to read all three books through, back to back. I’ve already started notes for each one. Some are small, like name changes that apply to all three books. Other things pop out at me that require more explanation or description. I’m sure that many of you writers make copious amounts of notes!

Promotional stuff

The $.99 sale for my second Casey Holland mystery, Deadly Accusations, ends on Dec. 2. This story has Casey dealing with the aftermath of life-changing events that occurred in book one. Here’s a short blurb:

Here are the platform links: Amazon, Kobo, Apple, Barnes & Noble, Google Play

What I’ve Been Reading

You Can Conquer Cancer: A New Way of Living by Ian Gawler

This book is written by a veterinarian who had the same type of cancer as our Canadian hero, Terry Fox. He too had his leg amputated in his twenties, suffered setbacks, but fifty years later is still going strong. He’s a big advocate of meditation, nutrition and integrative medicine, which involves many forms of treatment. If you know of someone who’s going through cancer, they might find this book helpful.

And on the fantasy front is The Nature of Witches by Rachel Griffen.

This is a unique, original take on what it means to be a witch and practice magic. The main character Clara has a rare gift that’s accidentally killed the people she’s closest to. There’s a strong, environmental component that revolves around the four seasons and our rapidly deteriorating planet, which also gives this interesting book a relevant spin.

What I’ve Been Watching

We found Ballard on Prime TV. It’s a gritty police procedural about a detective who’s been demoted and relegated to working on cold cases in the basement of the building. She has her detractors and supporters, and a lot of baggage. This series is a spinoff from Michael Connelly’s Bosch series, so fans of that series will enjoy this one. I’m a fan of the star, Maggie Q, who starred in one of the versions of Nikita, another excellent series. It’s a compelling show.

I think that’s it for now. Until next time, stay healthy, everyone. And to my American friends, Happy Thanksgiving!