Well, okay, life imitating art?

[R. C.]

A headline from today: Assassinated Iranian nuclear scientist shot with remote-controlled machine gun, news agency says.

The synopsis of the Aydin Trammell: A civilian operative writes an AI app that guarantees facial recognition. The app also turns the phone in your pocket into a targeting sensor.

I wrote Aydin Trammell almost a year ago and today my fictional story came to life.

Adyin Trammell



Cheers,
R.C.

[formerly Sapphire]

So much of what was considered science fiction in the past is real life today. International space station, computers and phones on our wrists, lasers, robotic surgeries, Zoom meetings, Alexis and Echo in your living room...  Who knows where we go from here?

[R. C.]

"  Who knows where we go from here?"

According to my wife, I know. In 2014/15 I wrote about a manufactured pandemic designed to reduce over-population. If you are interested: Biomass

Aydin Trammell - Is about omnipresent AI via Social Media with a subplot about a decades long plan to create assassins.

Now the question is which of these ideas in my head is the next headline?

Cheers,
R.C.

[Post-Doctorate D]

Now the question is which of these ideas in my head is the next headline?

I think it happens to a lot of us.

I know one discussion in the past is that some writers didn't want to give people ideas.  My argument has been that just about anything we can come up with has already been done somewhere by someone.  I have, for example, tried to come up with unique ways for villains to kill their victims but I think just about everything I have come up with has been done.  I'll think, a-ha, he/she can kill this person in this manner that's never been done before and pat myself on the back for my originality.  And then I'll search online and find a real case where someone did killed someone that same way.

That said, I do have a planned trilogy that I've had on the backburner for several years now.  Part of the reason for putting it on the backburner is that some of the issues might have been touchy sixteen years ago when I started it.  Wasn't a good climate for it, I didn't think.  And now?  Well, a large part of the backstory is stuff that happened politically around this time and beyond.  Sixteen years ago, it was conjecture.  People would be like, well, sure it could happen but it probably won't.  But after this year?  It actually could.  Some of the stuff hasn't happened (yet) but given the current political climate certainly could and I'm not sure I'd want some of the ideas out there.  Sixteen years ago, I would have been fine with it because it was in the distant future and something that I thought could conceivably happen but hoped would not.  But now, even though I'm sure people have thought of it and who knows if people are plotting to do such a thing, I don't know that I want to have some of those ideas out there.  In the story, it's basically the good people doing things to the bad people but, in reality, in today's environment, there's a very good chance it might be the exact opposite.

So, still on the backburner . . .

What typically happens to me is that I start writing things and, before I finish them, a book or a movie very similar to it comes out.  Like I have another story I started sixteen years ago and, basically, the main character's backstory is a movie that came out this year.  This happens often enough I sometimes feel maybe I need to wear a tinfoil hat to keep my thoughts contained.  LOL.  Of course, it seems to be the unfinished stuff that ends up in this situation.  Doesn't seem to work for the stuff I actually finish and publish. 

[R. C.]

Now the question is which of these ideas in my head is the next headline?

I think it happens to a lot of us... Doesn't seem to work for the stuff I actually finish and publish.

Too true.

Whatever happened was out of my control. Six years ago, I wrote a story I liked. 

In today's climate, my video AD for Biomass, has made it to the "fringe" groups. So bad, so far removed from reality, are some of the posts, I delete them without comment.

There is no "good time." There is only now, and the art that flows forward.

Cheers,
R. C.

[Lynn]

I've put off my new story in one series because it has to do with a virus pandemic. Just really not in the mood to write it.

Another one has a convoluted political conspiracy in it and I put it off for a long time too, but I'm finally getting back to it. It's not really true to life, but this year was too much as it was. I didn't need fake stuff rounding it out.

Frankly, everything has a touch of something that hits too close to current events, but it's just confirmation bias at work. I see what's there because I'm looking for it.

It happens so much that it shouldn't even bother me these days, but sometimes, when the events are particularly in my face, it's a little harder to push my mood aside and just write anyway.

[Post-Doctorate D]

Another one has a convoluted political conspiracy in it and I put it off for a long time too, but I'm finally getting back to it. It's not really true to life, but this year was too much as it was. I didn't need fake stuff rounding it out.

Frankly, everything has a touch of something that hits too close to current events, but it's just confirmation bias at work.

I am hoping confirmation bias plays in my favor for my space opera.  There are political machinations going on as part of the plot but what I've attempted to do and hope I've accomplished is write it in such a way that the reader will either see the bad guy is not based on any real world politician or see their particular political villain as the bad guy.  Of course, there's the risk they'll see it as targeting their political good guy too, so I guess I can't win.

[R. C.]

... so I guess I can't win.

Everyone wins who continues to try.

"Some get spiritual, 'cause they see the light / And some, 'cause they feel the heat."  -  Ray Wylie Hubbard.

Be not afraid of a little heat.

Cheers,
R.C.

[Lynn]

I am hoping confirmation bias plays in my favor for my space opera.  There are political machinations going on as part of the plot but what I've attempted to do and hope I've accomplished is write it in such a way that the reader will either see the bad guy is not based on any real world politician or see their particular political villain as the bad guy.  Of course, there's the risk they'll see it as targeting their political good guy too, so I guess I can't win.

At least they won't think your book is bland? :D

[Jeff Tanyard]

...remote-controlled machine gun...

I've always wanted some of the robot sentry guns from Aliens.  I think they'd make great home-defense weapons.   

According to my wife, I know. In 2014/15 I wrote about a manufactured pandemic designed to reduce over-population.

In 2019, I wrote a book called Auxiliary's Revenge.  It's about an engineered bio-weapon and the efforts of the good guys to find a cure before the attempted genocide is complete.  (This all takes place within the greater context of an on-going war.)

I published the book right as this Covid stuff was cranking up.   

I think in book 5 I'll have the hero win the lottery.   

[R. C.]

...remote-controlled machine gun...

I've always wanted some of the robot sentry guns from Aliens. 

SPOILER ALERT

In Ptarmigan Lane, the first of the Aydin Trammell novellas, the finale has remote controlled machine guns. The kicker, however, is... HA! I can't give away the whole story.

In Mandarin Pith, the second of the Aydin Trammell novellas, there is a scene (not the finale) that is shockingly similar to today's news reports. Social Media, an AI APP on phones, and pre-positioned weapons.

The technology exists for joe-palooka to remotely conduct clandestine hits.

Cheers,
R.C.

[Simon Haynes]

Back in 2000 when I released Hal Spacejock (book 1) it had self-driving cars, robots doing pretty much everything (but treated like dirt), big business ruling the population, ineffective government and galactic roaming charges on your cell phone that would quickly send you broke.

I designed a future where the ordinary person was a worthless pawn, and are we rocketing towards it or what?

[Post-Doctorate D]

I think in book 5 I'll have the hero win the lottery.   

  I like that idea.  In my case, I'll have to start the book and never finish it.

[Jeff Tanyard]

I think in book 5 I'll have the hero win the lottery.   

  I like that idea.  In my case, I'll have to start the book and never finish it.

I'll also have the hero change his name to Dan and start writing a book.  And finish it.  And get a movie deal.  How 'bout that?     

[Post-Doctorate D]

I think in book 5 I'll have the hero win the lottery.   

  I like that idea.  In my case, I'll have to start the book and never finish it.

I'll also have the hero change his name to Dan and start writing a book.  And finish it.  And get a movie deal.  How 'bout that?     

Mine will be about a group of writers that met on an Internet writing forum.  But then that forum turned evil and decided it wanted to own all those writers' posts, so all those writers left and joined a forum started by another one of them.  And then, a couple years later, a group of them participated in a thread and they all decided to buy lottery tickets at different times using their preferred numbers and, over the span of five months, they each won millions of dollars in separate drawings.  And then they lived happily ever after.  Separately.  And then a comet totally didn't strike the Earth and wipe out humanity.

[LilyBLily]

I think in book 5 I'll have the hero win the lottery.   

  I like that idea.  In my case, I'll have to start the book and never finish it.

I'll also have the hero change his name to Dan and start writing a book.  And finish it.  And get a movie deal.  How 'bout that?     

Mine will be about a group of writers that met on an Internet writing forum.  But then that forum turned evil and decided it wanted to own all those writers' posts, so all those writers left and joined a forum started by another one of them.  And then, a couple years later, a group of them participated in a thread and they all decided to buy lottery tickets at different times using their preferred numbers and, over the span of five months, they each won millions of dollars in separate drawings.  And then they lived happily ever after.  Separately.  And then a comet totally didn't strike the Earth and wipe out humanity.

 

[Jeff Tanyard]

Mine will be about a group of writers that met on an Internet writing forum.  But then that forum turned evil and decided it wanted to own all those writers' posts, so all those writers left and joined a forum started by another one of them.  And then, a couple years later, a group of them participated in a thread and they all decided to buy lottery tickets at different times using their preferred numbers and, over the span of five months, they each won millions of dollars in separate drawings.  And then they lived happily ever after.  Separately.  And then a comet totally didn't strike the Earth and wipe out humanity.

I can live with that.   

[R. C.]

Mine will be about a group of writers that met on an Internet writing forum.  But then that forum turned evil and decided it wanted to own all those writers' posts, so all those writers left and joined a forum started by another one of them.  And then, a couple years later, a group of them participated in a thread and they all decided to buy lottery tickets at different times using their preferred numbers and, over the span of five months, they each won millions of dollars in separate drawings.  And then they lived happily ever after.  Separately.  And then a comet totally didn't strike the Earth and wipe out humanity.

I can live with that.   

Uh... what they said!

Cheers,
R. C.

[TimothyEllis]

Mine will be about a group of writers that met on an Internet writing forum.  But then that forum turned evil and decided it wanted to own all those writers' posts, so all those writers left and joined a forum started by another one of them.  And then, a couple years later, a group of them participated in a thread and they all decided to buy lottery tickets at different times using their preferred numbers and, over the span of five months, they each won millions of dollars in separate drawings.  And then they lived happily ever after.  Separately.  And then a comet totally didn't strike the Earth and wipe out humanity.

I prefer the version where they all got movie and tv deals, and became millionaires from the ongoing royalties of downloads, dvds, and products.

[R. C.]

Well, wouldn't ya know...

No need for WiFi or telecom: "...'smart satellite-controlled machine gun' killed top nuclear scientist."

"No terrorists were present on the ground... Martyr Fakhrizadeh was driving when a weapon, using an advanced camera, zoomed in on him,” ... “The machine gun was placed on a pick-up truck and was controlled by a satellite.”

Rueters

Cheers,
R.C.

[TimothyEllis]

No need for WiFi or telecom: "...'smart satellite-controlled machine gun' killed top nuclear scientist."

"No terrorists were present on the ground... Martyr Fakhrizadeh was driving when a weapon, using an advanced camera, zoomed in on him,” ... “The machine gun was placed on a pick-up truck and was controlled by a satellite.”

So the next step is wars fought without people, guns controlled from bunkers via the satellite system.

Then the war is won by whoever controls the satellite system.

Then the war becomes taking control and holding the satellite system.

Then the satellite system develops awareness, becomes a full AI, and controls people by threaten to shoot them.

Then Terminator.

Don't the people who develop this sort of thing watch movies and read books?

[Eric Thomson]

No need for WiFi or telecom: "...'smart satellite-controlled machine gun' killed top nuclear scientist."

"No terrorists were present on the ground... Martyr Fakhrizadeh was driving when a weapon, using an advanced camera, zoomed in on him,” ... “The machine gun was placed on a pick-up truck and was controlled by a satellite.”

So the next step is wars fought without people, guns controlled from bunkers via the satellite system.

Then the war is won by whoever controls the satellite system.

Then the war becomes taking control and holding the satellite system.

Then the satellite system develops awareness, becomes a full AI, and controls people by threaten to shoot them.

Then Terminator.

Don't the people who develop this sort of thing watch movies and read books?

Then Bolos. This always ends with Bolos.

[R. C.]

...
Then Bolos. This always ends with Bolos.

I have a couple of bolo ties. Wear them with my black Stetson and Luchese boots when I want to annoy the uppity party elites.

Oh wait... Nevermind.

Cheers,
R.C.

[Jessica]

No need for WiFi or telecom: "...'smart satellite-controlled machine gun' killed top nuclear scientist."

"No terrorists were present on the ground... Martyr Fakhrizadeh was driving when a weapon, using an advanced camera, zoomed in on him,” ... “The machine gun was placed on a pick-up truck and was controlled by a satellite.”

So the next step is wars fought without people, guns controlled from bunkers via the satellite system.

Then the war is won by whoever controls the satellite system.

Then the war becomes taking control and holding the satellite system.

At this point I’m always reminded of that one Star Trek episode where two planets fought a war like a computer game and people volunteered to kill themselves in extermination chambers. Just shows how dumb wars actually are once they‘re not fought by actual humans. (Although I think wars shouldn‘t be necessary nowadays anyway.)