☀️It Dawned on Me… (#7)
Supporting authors & small booksellers; an experiment in AI (and some thoughts on it); new desktop wallpaper & phone lock screen; currently reading, watching, listening
Local Author Events 📚
Since joining the Atlanta Writers Club this summer, I’ve become aware of the outrageous amount of literary events in my area I didn’t know existed. In newsletter #5, I posted a photo from a local book tour event for Lisa See’s new release Lady Tan’s Circle of Women (FYI: the hardback costs 1/2 as much as the paperback on Amazon right now 🤷♀️😍), but in the past two weeks I’ve attended multiple book talks and acquired a stack of new signed copies. It feels good to support authors and small booksellers. I realize now I’ve overthought price when selling and signing books because no one has displayed prices and I haven’t questioned any of them.
You bet I snagged some pics! Starting at the top left and moving clockwise: William Kent Krueger, Mary Kay Andrews, Kristin Harmel, Kim Conrey.
{FYI: I earn a small commission if you purchase through my Amazon affiliate links. This doesn’t affect your price. Find my Amazon Influencer page here.}
Thoughts on AI 🤖
I’ve never even opened ChatGPT (because a bot will jump out and hijack my computer, right? 😂), but the Grammarly extension in my web browser obviously runs on AI. I’m using an editing program with AI while working on my book, but I no longer write inside that program—it’s too distracting. I just open the file in it later and take a look at the suggestions.
One thing I can tell you: AI will not replace writers. Many suggestions appear logical to the AI, but they don’t ring true to the human ear.
I opened Photoshop last week and it had updated to the 2024 version, complete with added AI capabilities. I decided to test out the ability to replace objects in a photo with my suggestions and filmed it.
Yesterday I decided to play around some more in Photoshop. This picture resulted from creating a blank canvas and asking Photoshop to generate an “impressionist floral.” (It creates three suggestions at a time, but you can choose to generate more. This came from the third batch.)
Next, I decided to experiment with creating a phone lock screen and desktop wallpaper. I’ve created these for years from my photos, but I made these from a blank canvas and the prompt “fall landscape.” I cleaned it up: a yellow line down the middle of the road looked like it had been painted by a drunk.
I don’t plan to use AI to generate wallpapers and lock screens now, but I’m offering these this month, wishing I were driving down that imaginary road munching a caramel apple.
Currently Reading & Watching 📖
William Kent Krueger’s Ordinary Grace blew me away; such gorgeous writing. I picked up his new book The River We Remember, as well as This Tender Land this weekend. I heard Mr. Krueger (he says to call him Kent) twice last weekend, once at a book tour event and once at a writing workshop.
I really enjoyed The Diamond Eye, based on the true story of a female Soviet sniper in WWII. The hardback is currently cheaper than the paperback, plus there’s a $2.99 coupon you can clip on Amazon.
In the Likely Event is a military romance set during the American withdrawal from Afghanistan. I got it for free through Amazon’s First Reads program, and it’s currently available on Kindle Unlimited.
Mostly we’re watching the Braves (two games in person last week & I’m going to a postseason workout at the stadium today!), but also season three of Only Murders in the Building.
Surprise pic! (Sorry/not sorry you’re eating!)
First game for two grandkids, who loved the fireworks (we set or tied at least three records during Saturday night’s game, so there were plenty of them!).
What are YOU currently reading, watching, or listening to? I’d love to know (leave a comment or hit reply!). If you enjoy these newsletters, share with a friend!
