Artificial Intelligence: the Good, Bad, & Ugly by Susan Calder

                                          For book and author information, go to Amazon

         A Killer Whisky is Book # 12 of BWL"S Canadian Historical Mystery Series

Every day I receive an email from a stranger wanting to feature one of my novels in their book club or promote the book in another way. I almost fell for the first email. It was well-written, contained specific details about my story, and analyzed it better than I could have done myself. I was sure the sender had read the book until later that day a similar email arrived from another stranger. Two new fans who loved my novel and wanted to help it get the recognition it deserved? This seemed too good to be true.   

Within days, I saw a Facebook post by an author who had received one of these effusive emails. This convinced me they were scams created by Artificial Intelligence. Not that I understood AI, but the emails were something beyond my previous experience. I deleted them both. 

From then on, I pressed "delete" without reading these kinds of emails. Quick deletion was possible because the first line of messages appears in my inbox and clues me in to the rest. So, this daily process wasn't too time consuming. Then variants appeared. Authors I didn't know wanted to connect with me as a fellow writer. A few were famous, like "Margret Atwood." Fortunately, I knew the real Atwood spells her first name "Margaret." 

The most recent variant came from "Kaela" who said she'd tried to post a review of my novel A Killer Whisky on Amazon but her review was rejected, so she asked for my Goodreads link to post a review there. Her story was plausible as I know many people who've been unable to post Amazon reviews, but why would she need my Goodreads link? While I was suspicious, I wrote back advising her to search for me on Goodreads. Meanwhile, a second person (I'll call him Jake) emailed me with the same review issues.  

"Kaela" replied with an attachment of the Goodreads review she'd posted. I went directly to the Goodreads site and her review was there! Was this really legitimate? I sent "Jake" my same reply, suggesting he search for me on Goodreads. I also thanked "Kaela" for her review. Then -- big mistake -- I decided to copy her rave review for my records and clicked on her attachment. Seconds later, alarms shrilled on my computer. A voice blared "Your IP address is stolen!" My computer mouse didn't work. I think the voice told me NOT to shut down my computer, but this is exactly what you should do in that situation. It worked. When I turned my computer back on, all was normal with no apparent damage done.   

"Jake" had now replied. I was curious to see what he'd said and assumed my computer would be safe if I didn't open any attachments or click on links. I opened his email and the alarm instantly blared because he had embedded his review in the email message. Curse you "Jake" for fooling me a second time. 

"Kaela" replied to my thank-you note with a message that began, "Susan, you're very welcome! It truly was my pleasure to read and review ..." I was too afraid to open her email for fear of crashing my computer, but I pinned the email to the top of my inbox in case I had the nerve (or foolishness) to see what she had said.  

Writers who've responded to these scam emails say that, once they rope you in, they ask for money to fund the project they'll set up for your awesome book. Some direct you to websites that look legit but turn out to be phony. The individual amounts requested aren't enormous, but if a percentage of the targeted authors sends money, presumably the accumulated amount is worth the scammer's effort. 

Like all scams, they appeal to the target's weakness. In this case, it's every writers' longing for their hard-earned work to reach and be appreciated by readers.         

Sadder still, these scam emails have made me suspicious of every unexpected email related to my writing. In the past, I've enjoyed engaging with readers this way, and some were strangers with genuine interest. I can't even fully trust emails of this type from people I know because email addresses can be stolen. Along the way, I'll probably delete an opportunity that is actually real. 

So far, this post has been all about the Bad & Ugly of Artificial Intelligence, but the Good exists. For the past 13 years, I've exchanged letters with a relative in the Czech Republic. Neither of us speaks the other's language. I compose my letters in English, plug them into Google Translate, and send her the Czech translation. I've suggested she do the same, but she continues to handwrite me letters in Czech. I tried typing them on Google translate, but it doesn't work because every second Czech word has an accent. Over the years, I've scrambled to find people to translate her letters, but now, thanks to AI, I photographed her last letter, uploaded it to ChatGPT, and got a good translation. 

I'm sure Artificial Intelligence has hundreds of other useful applications, and I can see a great potential for medical diagnoses and treatment programs. Every innovation comes with the good, bad, & ugly.

Today, in the name of research for this blog post, I opened "Kaela's" latest email on my old computer. No alarms went off. My computer didn't freeze. "Kaela's" friendly message continued with an offer to introduce me to Book Cafe to promote my novel that touched her deeply. She signed off with a casual, "Would you like more details?"

I deleted her but almost feel we had a relationship. Creepy, but maybe in the future we'll all have AI friends. Is this a huge leap from Facebook and other online friendships?  

I also checked my novel's reviews on the Goodreads site. "Kaela's" rave review is gone. Drat!

March and Mother Nature’s Shenanigans – Barbara Wackerle Baker

 

 

https://www.amazon.ca/stores/author/B0BMTM18PW 

What a winter we’ve had in Alberta. For the first half of February grasshoppers and lady bugs sunned themselves in Calgary. Mom’s self-seeding snapdragons popped out of the south facing garden and stretched to three inches tall. And a wayward sparrow diligently set his house in order for the mating season. Can you believe it, I almost put my ski gear away? What was I thinking?

     

Then it got cold. Really cold. And the snow started. Day after day. Happy snowflakes fell. I was totally okay with snow shovel bonding and the ski hills rejoiced. Luckily I hadn't put my gear away. 

  

The sparrow flew the coop for two weeks. He/she came back for three days, gave me hell every time I came out the back door and then bham, we got hit with another blast of winter. More snow. And cold. Another reminder that Mother Nature is in charge and only she will decide when winter is officially over. The weather-challenged sparrow disappeared again. I’m thinking his/her internal barometer might need a tune up of sorts. 

It was wonderful to have March come in like a lamb. The skies cleared. I had a couple days of the best spring skiing while pussy willow fuzz started to poke out on the tips of willow branches. 

But then Mother Nature had another hissy fit. Winds - blow your full garbage dumpster down the back alley winds. Heavy wet snow fell. And the temperature dropped. Walking like a penguin down the sidewalks became trendy again.

    

Real spring starts on March 20^th. Since we’ve already experienced so many false springs, it'll still be a crap shoot and we’ll have to wait and see what she pulls out of her bag of tricks. Besides, it’s not like we have any choice - Mother Nature always gets her way.

Here are some quirky March factoids:

Did you know March is the only month that shares the same ending weekday as June … every single year? I know you doubt me. Go ahead, check it out.

In Boston, on March 10^th, 1876, Alexander Graham Bell made the first successful phone call to his assistant. One ringy dingy, two ringy dingy. When Thomas Watson answered, Mr. Bell said, “Mr. Watson, come here. I want to see you.” Watson was in the next room. Wouldn’t both of them be amazed at today’s phone technology? 

 

Don’t forget tomorrow, March 11^th, is International Fanny Pack Day. And March 16^th is Lips Appreciation Day – a day to celebrate your pout. Who makes these up?

March 17^th brings in everything green with St. Patrick’s Day. But did you know Saint Patrick was British not Irish? He was kidnapped by pirates as a teenager and sold into slavery in Ireland. And the original colour to celebrate the day was blue. The things I learn going down the rabbit hole of research.

March 20^th is Extraterrestrial Abduction Day and March 21^st celebrates National Goof Off Day. If you get abducted on the 20^th, I’m sorry. I will participate on National Goof Off Day for you. Just send me a text or beacon or ...

In a few weeks I lose my 6 7 status and will celebrate another lap around the sun. I look forward to new adventures and travels, and more work on Jillian's next story.

 

My blog from February about The Swear Jar made it into The Globe and Mail / Life Section / First Person. FYI – funds in the swear jar are sufficient for a short road trip. 

 

Have a fun and fabulous March wherever you are. And here's hoping Mother Nature keeps her shenanigans to a dull roar. 

https://www.bookswelove.com/shop/p/jillian-of-banff-xo

Barbara Baker Author Page Facebook 

Walks with my Father by Naguib Kerba

https://www.bookswelove.com/shop/p/ordinary-people-extraordinary-lives

CLICK THE LINK BELOW TO READ WALKS WITH MY FATHER BY NAGUIB KERBA

https://www.nkerba.com/blog/customs-cameras-and-comic-relief-part-two

Wide of the Mark - Interesting Tidbits by J. S. Marlo

  

Wide of the Mark

(Click here to buy on Amazon)

   

 

  

J. S. Marlo's Books on Amazon 

Wide of the Mark - Indomitable Spirit Book 1 is now available in print and ebook. Please visit my website (see below) for list of retailers.

    Assisting with the capture of a military doctor who kept a dead woman in his house is a thorn in Colonel Amelia Matheson’s side compared to the devastating news of her daughter Hope’s disappearance.

     On the hunt for the perpetrators who kidnapped her deaf daughter from the groomed trails during a solo biathlon training session, Amelia enlists the help of Morgan Anchor, a local sheriff who once sold her out. To find Hope, Amelia and Morgan must untangle a web of secrets, including their own, and trust each other again. 

     Held captive in a remote cabin in the mountains, Hope fights the storm of her life using her wits and her skills. Scared but unafraid, she sets out to escape and save the man that her mother sent to rescue her – a man who is not who he appears to be.

Interesting tidbits:

- Biathlon is a winter sport combining cross-country skiing and rifle shooting. It originates in Scandinavia.

- My teenage character is a deaf biathlete who doesn't suffer any other disabilities. If she were to qualify, she would compete at the regular Olympic Games. She wouldn't be eligible to compete at the Paralympics, as hearing loss isn't a recognized impairment category, but she could also compete at the Deaflympics.

- Many years ago, I had the pleasure of having a deaf editor. She was the one who encouraged me to create smart, strong, and courageous deaf characters.

Stay Warm & Happy Reading! 

Hugs!

JS

 

 

J. S. Marlo's Website

On the Loss of a Muse by Eileen O'Finlan

 

                              

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On Friday, January 16, 2026, my muse passed away. She was 17 years old, calico, and very fluffy. Her name was Autumn Amelia. She was a gorgeous Maine Coon mix. As anyone who knows cats well can attest, they are excellent at hiding illness and pain. I knew she was slowing down. That wasn't surprising. She'd been considered a "senior cat" by the vet for several years. She'd also been on medication for hyperthyroidism for several years, too. However, it did take me by surprise to find out at her December vet appointment that her liver and white blood cell counts were way off. The vet thought it might a side effect from her thyroid medication and suggested taking her off it for a month and rechecking her bloodwork. If her liver and white cell counts were headed back to normal, we'd know that  was the cause.

A few days before her next appointment, I could tell she was very sick, so I called the vet. They had me bring her in that afternoon. A recheck of her bloodwork showed that not only had her liver and white cell count not improved, but they had dramatically worsened. The vet was certain she had liver cancer and, given how quickly things had gone downhill along with her current condition, felt that she probably only had a few days left. Not wanting her to suffer any longer, I asked the vet to euthanize her. I held her in my arms, told her how much I loved her and what a special cat she'd been. I reminded her that she would live on in the Cat Tales books, and I asked her to send me the next kitties that needed a loving forever home. She left this world peacefully in my arms, soaked with my tears.

Autumn Amelia used to live with me along with a beautiful Russian Blue cat named Smokey. They were the inspiration for All the Furs and Feathers, a novel I wrote while home from work for a month recovering from a major surgery. Smokey passed away just as that book was being completed. My mom, who had been living with me, went into a nursing home due to advancing dementia one month later. She would pass away within three years.

Autumn and I were on our own ever since. We shared a home and a life. She was a great source of love, affection, amusement, and inspiration. She was always with me while I was writing, laying next to (or on top of) my keyboard. I called her my muse for that's what she was. My beautiful, magical muse. She celebrated with me when the second Cat Tales book, All in the Furry Family, was released. I bought cat "wine" for her and we toasted the unboxing of the new books when they arrived. 

She was a regular fixture at the writing group that meets at my house every Wednesday evening. They will all miss her, too.

Autumn and Smokey are the main characters in the Cat Tales series books. Their characters are based on their personalities. Many of their antics in the books were true to life including Smokey's zoomies before a storm and Autumn's penchant for stealing food. Autumn really did take apart my humidifier and eat the charcoal filter when she was a kitten and she really did have a pirate ship that she adored just like in the books.

The Cat Tales series will continue. I have the basic idea for the next book in my head now. Smokey and Autumn Amelia will return with all their furry and feathered friends. 

Autumn Amelia and Smokey

And in the next book, they will have two new friends because Autumn and Smokey completed their assignment very quickly and sent me two new kitties to help heal my broken heart. Zachary and Josette are brother and sister orange cats who are now living with me. I have had one cat or another since I was six years old and simply could not stand being without one. They came from a local shelter and now have a forever home where they will be loved and pampered for the rest of their lives. They will also become characters. I need to finish the paranormal book I'm writing now before I can start on the next Cat Tales book, but that will give me plenty of time to get to know Zach and Josette so that their personalities can shine through in the next story.

Rest in peace my precious Autumn Amelia. Thank you for your wonderful inspiration and for sending me these two new babies to love.

   

                            Zach                                                                            Josette