Monday, March 25, 2024

New tech novel looks at the real impacts of AI

By Max Bowen

In her new book, “The Deepfake” (Out on April 2 through She Writes Press) Author Joan Cohen takes a look at the possible consequences of artificial intelligence (AI), not in some distant future, but here and now.

In the book, Sylvie, who works for an AI company, uncovers her colleagues’ illegal activities. Torn about what to do, she confides in her personal trainer, who’s dismayed not only by the choices she faces but also by her advocacy of AI, a technology he considers dangerous.

In this book, Joan talks about what inspired the book, gives insight to her main character, and shares her take on this technology.


What inspired you to write a book centered on AI?
So many people don’t understand what AI is or don’t believe they need to worry about it yet. They associate the risks with the distant future when robots might take over. AI is already in our lives. When a fictional character uses a GPS or talks to Siri, that person is using AI. So, the question is, why isn’t AI part of every novel and not just speculative fiction or nonfiction? “The Deepfake” is a story about its characters, but for them, AI moves from a topic of debate to an influence on outcomes.

Who is Sylvie and what is her stance on the technology?
Sylvie is a young woman working in sales for a software company that sells businesses AI-powered solutions. To Sylvie, AI is a wonderfully promising technology. As the story unwinds, she finds herself defending AI to a man she falls in love with. He takes the opposite view and sees AI as dangerous. Events unfold that give both of them reason to reconsider their views.

What is the big secret Sylvie discovers and what’s the risk that it poses?
There is more than one secret in “The Deepfake.” I don’t want to provide spoilers to potential readers, but Sylvie learns AI can be a tool that alters our perception of reality in both our personal and professional lives.

Does the book take a page from recent AI-related news?
Recent AI-related news has been both enlightening and a thorn in my side. The technology and the news about it changed so fast, I had to keep going back in my manuscript as I was writing it to change aspects of the story that were obsolete.

What would you say are the pros and cons of AI becoming more prevalent in our lives?
This question invites a PhD-sized thesis for an answer. I can best respond with an example. There has been plenty of publicity around the failures of self-driving cars. I keep wondering how the AI software in those cars decides the correct course of action in a potential accident. Is it better to let the driver die to save pedestrians who are children? That would be for the greater good, but would I buy such a car?

What values inform AI’s choices: an eye for an eye? Turn the other cheek? Die for a cause, or live to fight another day? We all have different values (and religions), but what are the values of the software engineer who develops the AI software intended for a specific application? What will the software decide after it has digested all our religious and philosophical literature? It teaches itself. AI will bring fabulous advances into our lives but not without terrible risks.


Saturday, March 23, 2024

The RealGMat talks YouTube careers and musical adventures

I’m not gonna lie—I’ve been looking forward to this all week.

In this episode, YouTuber The RealGMat joins us to talk about his many years on the platform and how it all got started. With over 30,000 subscribers, GMat goes into the community that he’s built and the interactions he has via his videos and Twitch streams. He talks about some of the different videos he’s done and his first videos.

Along with his own channel, he’s worked with companies like Gameology and Watch Mojo and shares the various memories made along the way.

Last December, seeking a new creative outlet, GMat released the EP “Little Fish” under the name Brotherband. He goes into the creative process, including the stories behind the songs, working with Charlie McCosh and Jesse Kluytmans, and how it felt sharing it with the world.

Closing out the episode, we’ve got “Half Star Bay,” from the “Little Fish” EP.


Saturday, March 16, 2024

Citywide Bytes-Nick Roberts sinks his teeth into “Mean Spirited”

They say you should never judge a book by its cover, but in the case of Nick Roberts’ new release, “Mean Spirited,” it’s that wonderfully terrifying art that captures the feel of this new horror story. The book is released through Crystal Lake Entertainment.

Released just a day before this recording, the story centers on how an alcoholic teacher and father’s world spirals out of control when a former student is killed and he is left with her dog and the dark presence that follows it.

Nick and Max talk about the creation of Matt Matheny and why Nick went this type of character, as well as how he handles the challenges that await. His ex-wife, Lucy, also plays a role and we look at how the two work together to unravel what is going on. 

We discuss the dog, Conehead, and get a glimpse into the darkness that follows him. Nick also talks about the amazing cover art and the different aspects of the book that it captures.


The Pastor of Horror returns with a found footage nightmare

Ezekiel Kincaid, known as “The Pastor of Horror” and “The Paranormal Pastor” returns to the show to talk about his new book. “The Tetromet Tapes,” a part of his ongoing Tetromet Universe.

Set in 1990 in a small town in Louisiana, the book adapts the found footage movie style as a literary device. Five 12-year-old boys find some VHS tapes in the trash can of their neighbor, Edgar Craddock. The sickening footage leads the five friends down a rabbit hole of shadows and darkness, seeking to discover the truth around an ancient cult, a haunted road, and Edgar Craddock.

Ezekiel and Max dive into just what is on the tapes and where the footage leads the boys. He talks about Edgar Craddock, a character which plays a wider role in the Tetromet Universe. We also learn about the five boys, who reflect Ezekiel’s childhood friends, and how their different personas drive the story.

The book is currently out on Amazon and Godless, an e-book publisher launched three years ago and Ezekiel shares how he came to work with them. And of course, no horror conversation is complete without talking about the book’s epic cover.


Saturday, March 9, 2024

Citywide Bytes—Jack Flint of The Sea Gods talks debut singles and band meetings

The Sea Gods have gotten off to a great start with their debut singles, “Are You Here Now” and “Tell Me,” and they’ve got a lot more in the works. 

In this recording of our March 9 Citywide Bytes episode, band founder Jack Flint tells us how he, Marty Taylor and Carl Donoghue met and what led to the band’s founding. Each band member brings a lot of experience with other projects, and we go into how the past work may influence the current.

Jack and I talk about the stories behind the two singles. “Are You Here Now” has a message of living in the moment, not regretting the past or fretting the future. 

“Tell Me” came from a very challenging part of Jack’s life and we talk about how the hard times inspire the best music.

Closing out this episode is “Are You Here Now.”



It’s an unlikely love story with Maria Guglielmo’s new book

Author Maria Guglielmo was last on the show some years back for her debut book, “Summoned,” and since then, she’s been up to quite a bit, including debuting her new “Riftworld” series with “Witch City Rift” and “Rifted Hearts,” which drops on March 19.

Curtis and I talk with Maria about this new series and what went into building the world behind it. We do a deep dive into her main character, Remi Gatti, a con man who seems to find himself in over his head in both stories. 

We look at his power to manipulate sexual desire and the role this plays in the story, as well as the mystical realm that extends into Boston and Salem.

There’s a mysterious figure called The Matchmaker in both books and we talk about just who this person is and how they’re influencing the tale.


Tuesday, March 5, 2024

New SAT strategy books centers on the test’s switch to digital

By Max Bowen


Looking back on my own experience with the SAT, I recall a grueling several hours with a paper-and-pencil exam. These days, things are finally changing with the launch of a Digital SAT and Dr. Shaan Patel’s new book, “Prep Expert Digital SAT Playbook: Winning Strategies to Achieve Your Dream Score” (Scribe Media, March 9).

In this interview, Patel talks about his own experience with the SAT (it was much better than mine) and how he views the transition to a digital format. He goes into how his book can help and his goal to assist students in getting $1 billion in merit-based scholarships.


What do you see as the impacts of the SAT going digital?
I see it as an amazing leap forward in the world of standardized testing. The SAT has been a paper-based exam for almost 100 years. However, almost all work in the real world is now done digitally. The SAT is finally catching up. I also think it will be advantageous for students who struggled with the standardized tests in the past. The Digital SAT is a shorter exam (two hours instead of three hours), you have more time per question, you can use a calculator on all math questions (unlike previously), and the reading passages are about 70% shorter. A major win for students!

What was your own SAT experience and how did you raise your score from average to perfect?
I was a good student in high school who got As and Bs. However, I was not a good standardized test-taker. I had a lot of test anxiety, I didn’t know the first thing about how to prepare, and on my first SAT I only scored slightly above average. I then spent hundreds of hours self-studying for the SAT in 10th and 11th grade. I unlocked many strategies that simplified the test and increased my accuracy on questions. Eventually, I achieved a perfect score on the SAT — a feat only achieved by 0.02% of all students. My perfect SAT score opened the doors to top universities, full scholarships, and prestigious awards. It completely changed the trajectory of my life!

I read about your $1 billion mission. How will you see this through?
My favorite part about Prep Expert is helping students win merit-based scholarships through their test scores. Over the past decades, we have helped students win over $100 million in scholarships! Over the next decade, I want to help students win over $1 billion in college scholarships. This will be tracked through our website where we ask students to enter any merit-based scholarships they received after improving their test scores using our books and courses. Although $1 billion sounds like a lot, when the average full-tuition college scholarship is worth $150,000, I think we can get there pretty quickly!

Tell me about your book and what it can offer that sets it apart from other SAT-related books?
I am so excited about the release of my new book: Prep Expert Digital SAT Playbook. I have spent over 1,000 hours putting together this new book for students to ace the new Digital SAT. It specifically offers perfect-score strategies to ace the test for every section of the Digital SAT including Math, Reading, and Writing. Students will learn elite methods such as how to solve the toughest questions, read passages faster, and solve algebra questions without doing any algebra.

What, in your opinion, is the role of the SAT in helping prospective college students?
I do not think the SAT in and of itself is a good measure of intelligence or future success in college or career. However, I think there are two major benefits that students can gain from studying for the SAT in high school. First, students gain direct access to top universities, networks and scholarships that they would not have had access to without a high SAT score. Second, the larger benefit students get from studying for the SAT in high school is developing the attributes of self-control, hard work, and grit in their teenage years. If students can tune out the distractions of high school and social media, and buckle down to study for the SAT, they will develop habits that will lead to more success in college, graduate school, and their future careers.