AI + Podcasts + Posters + Lyme's disease
How the !??! did I get Lyme's disease here?
Hello from Brooklyn!
It's been a crazy busy month here in the newly sweltering Kings County. To summarize everything, I thought I’d add some (rare) order to this email and take it one subject at a time! Okay here we go:
MONEY: I'm sure a lot of you are experiencing the current rapid cost-of-living increases. We have, and they are dramatically increasing our household expenses, and combined with an architectural market getting ready for a recession, this has resulted in a severe hit to our income. That means I'm having to bring in more illustration work, which inevitably impacts how much time I have to write. I had thought John Risk book 1 would be out this year, but I’m starting to think that’s a fever dream … which leads me to health:
HEALTH: I live in Brooklyn, one of the world’s most urban areas, and yet somehow (really no idea at all) I got a deer tick bite and then Lyme’s disease. If you haven’t had it, it feels like having the worst hangover you’ve ever had for 2 weeks straight. I’m approaching the end of it (I think) but it’s knocked me out for a good week at least, further impacting writing, but...
BOOKS: That being said, I'm now 50,000 words into the first John Risk book (that's about the length of the paradise factory for reference) and I've also written two tangential sci-fi short stories for two different upcoming anthologies. Story 1 contains excerpts from a gentleman's journal describing the world's first AI being developed (and no it's not Charles Takamatsu!). Story 2 follows a young hacker taking on a job in San Francisco only to find they want her to steal someone's mind. Both of these exist in the Cortex / Alice Yu world, and directly impact John Risk’s mission in Brazil. When they get released I'll let you know. I think you'll love them!
POSTERS: I am continuing to develop my website, so please keep checking in there (https://jimkeen.com). What's new this month is an artwork store! Yep, that's right, you can now buy exclusive NY2055 illustrations, book covers, and other designs in either poster or framed format. I have them in my office and they look fantastic!
You check them out here!
Just some of the awesome artwork available ...
PODCASTS: I was a guest on the ‘Hosts In The Shell’ podcast discussing the movie ‘RoboCop’, how it influenced my books and my love of all things robotic. Get it here! (or add it to your pod player..)
Click to hear my weird hybrid Yank / Brit accent in all its glory!
And one final link from the singularity corner:
Artificial intelligence is here, now!
So says Blake Lemoine, a Google engineer who thinks the company’s AI has come to life
No it’s not!
It's all a load of nonsense says Gary Marcus!
OK, that's enough for this month, got to rush. Stay safe and avoid those darn ticks if you can!
Jim
