Tag Archives: writing

Don, Lauren, Online, Sarah, WOWI Session

AI Okay? V Oh No!

September 21, 2023 BiscottiDon 1 Comment

As you have surely heard by now, there are a few changes coming up with Writing On Whidbey Island. One chapter has come to a close, and a new chapter is beginning … with a little time off in between. Tom Trimbath has moved on from WOWI, giving the show (the joy and all of the responsibility that comes with it) to me, and the “show must go on!” While re-debut of WOWI is planned for Fall 2023 … an interim podcast session was recorded in June where the question was asked, “Is AI-OK?”

Tom and I recorded our last WOWI session together on 15April2023. Following the show, we discussed some ideas for the show going forward. We had discussed several ideas over the past 3+ years while producing and hosting the show together. These ideas are in the works – and Tom gave me a few new ones. Soon after I recruited three former guests – some of my favourites – Sarah, Lauren, and Daniel. Really to say, I prayed to The Podcasting Gods and got lucky! Sarah, Lauren, and I got to talking about things to come … and it became clear that we should get together for an in-between podcast session.

We wanted to discuss a current and rather hot topic – the use of Artificial Intelligence software in the creative arts. What is it and what can it do? Where is the technology at and were is it going? What are its strengths and weaknesses? How are artists using it? Most importantly … what are the moral aspects within the industry?

Coupeville WA Washington Library — The Coupeville Library

We met at the Coupeville Library. This was Sarah and Lauren’s first time on the host side of the mic – this AI topic proved to be spirited and incredibly fun. What was planned to be a 40 minute session turned out to be 73. Meeting with these two not only made for a magnificent session, it helped affirm that I was right in seeking them as new WOWI hosts and that the show’s future looks bright!

I even learned a new-to-me AI-related term with this recording session – Uncanny Valley!

So where is this recording?

Spring and summer is a doubly busy time for me. It’s the busy time in the bagpiping world, and I do seasonal work as a SCUBA diver. Taking on the whole of WOWI came at an awkward time. Historically, Tom did the heavy lifting during this season – so this constituted the show taking a break. The plan has been – and still is – for the show to re-launch this Fall. And this “Is AI-OK?” session launches … NOW!

~ Don

Writing On Whidbey Island (WOWI) Episode 46
AI Okay? V Oh No!

The new movie “The Creator” is intended to open on 29September2023 — an AI system has taken over the earth … oh yeah, it’s on people’s minds!

Elle Cordova – The Day The Robots Rise — a fun little parody song … or a warning

“AI Has Reached A Tipping Point, The World Is About To Change Forever, And My Head Hurts”

When AI writes an obituary, it gets the job done! Well …. sort of.

Announcement, Lauren, Sarah, Upcoming WOWI Session

Praying to The Podcast Gods – Initial Results

June 12, 2023 BiscottiDon 1 Comment

star wars unlimited power sith jedi — This is the picture taken when Tom gave his 1/2 of the show to me … ghesh … I really need to moisturize!

RECENTLY ON WOWI
Tom has departed from WOWI because he’s a busy guy …
The podcast has become mine, and I intend to continue the show after a brief hiatus (because I too am a busy guy) …
and …

I prayed to The Podcast Gods
and they have shared their grace!

three podcast broadcast gods — If anyone ever learns about The Podcast Trinity, it will probably be a discussion presented as a downloadable audio file

After Tom took his leave, I thought about who might make good new co-hosts. Long story short, 3 of my favourite former WOWI guests have gotten on board with the show. Just in the past 2 months, there’s excitement in our emails — and I’m thrilled about what’s to come! As we spoke, it seemed that we should meet face-to-face and record a ‘trial podcast session’ — also since a hot topic in the writing scene came up between us.

So …

!!!SURPRISE!!!

Lauren Flake, Sarah McCarthy , and I met this past Saturday at the Coupeville Library. First, I talked about where WOWI is at and what’s to come. Then, after introducing each of them, we dove head-long into our topic — the use of Artificial Intelligence in writing and the creative process … is it good, bad, or outright evil!!!

If you are not already familiar, Lauren is a writers group founder and fantasy novelist. Sarah has authored several physics and fantasy books. And long-time listeners of course know me as a WOWI podcast founder, along with being a recipe and music history book author.

Interestingly, I went into this session understanding that we each had different levels of understanding as to where this technology is currently at in development. I though I had a decent level of awareness — and I am comfortable in admitting that I knew considerably less than I thought. Similarly, I knew that we had 3 different positions about the acceptability of A.I. in commercial arts — making the prospects for this conversation nothing short of dynamic. In the process of the discussion, and upon learning where my perspective falls within the spectrum of opinion, I am potentially more in support of A.I.’s use than I thought!

Our conversation about authors’ use of A.I. ranged from ‘Is this legitimate creativity?’, to ‘Who holds what amount of the copyright?’, dipped into ‘How will this put people out of jobs?’, and even into ‘Where is this at now and what possibly could the future hold?’ It was a charged conversation, also full of laughter — it was the sort of thing I had hoped for in working with WOWI’s new co-hosts. YES — I prayed to The Podcast Gods, and the initial results look … GOOD!

And there were no fist-fights!

This first meeting with Lauren and Sarah was nothing short of GREAT! Hands down, it has me thoroughly excited for WOWI going forward. When Writing On Whidbey Island gets back into full swing around Fall 2023, I will be pleased to reintroduce poet Daniel Edward Moore as the 3rd new WOWI co-host (he’s also a busy guy).

As for our conversation on A.I. — the podcast should be posted in the coming week. As for now and the until-Fall WOWI-hiatus … maybe there will be other ‘surprise’ podcast sessions — so keep your eyes & ears here!

~ Don

PS — Thank you to Sarah for producing the preceding images using A.I. along with the “podcast gods” prompt. Here are the others she and it created…

Friends don’t let friends
let A.I. write obituaries …

Following the recording session, the three of us continued to talk. Among other Artificial Intelligence produced graphics, Lauren shared with us this A.I. generated obituary. Look closely at the photo and writing, and you will see where AI seems to presently imitate what we do but doesn’t yet seem to quite get things right.

Announcement, Don, Tom, WOWI Session

Tom’s Farewell to WOWI

April 24, 2023 BiscottiDon

Nearly four years ago, Tom and I took action on a somewhat thought out semi-crazy idea. We met at a park in Coupeville, WA, and hiked down a winding dirt path to the beach below. We sat down on some rocks, and I fired up my recording unit. What followed — in addition to the sounds of waves, seagulls, and local jets — was our first two Writing On Whidbey Island podcast episodes.
(Episodes One & Two)

Tom Don bagpipe presentation Scotland speaking — Playing Scottish smallpipes before Tom presented his book “Walking, Thinking, Drinking Across Scotland”.

Our recording sessions have taken us all over our beloved island, and we’ve had the pleasure of spending time with several magnificent people from our local writing community. During this time our show has grown in meaning and listeners — even gaining recognition beyond the greater literary community here on the island.

A little over a week ago, Tom and I met at the Coupeville Library for a special show — moreover, one that was bittersweet for me. For personal reasons, Tom announced his departure from Writing On Whidbey Island — chiefly, it’s because he’s a busy guy!

It was great to spend time with Tom, discussing our earlier episodes, what the show has developed into and contributed to the community, and getting to talk about the future of Writing On Whidbey Island. I couldn’t have started this podcast without Tom, and as a founding member of WOWI he has set the show on its unique path. With any luck, Tom will rejoin the show as a future guest with one of his next book releases.

Tom, my friend, Thank You and Good Journeys!

~ Don

Writing on Whidbey Island (WOWI) episode 45 – Tom Trimbath, – Author, WOWI co-founder emeritus

https://trimbathcreative.files.wordpress.com/2023/04/2023-04-15-toms-farewell-to-wowi.mp3

Just Tom And Don And A Bit Of Randomness

December 7, 2022 Tom Trimbath

Well, that didn’t go as planned; but it may have come out better. Don and I decided to book ourselves for the last interview of the year. Gaps in our schedules coincided, Coupeville Library was nice enough to let us use their meeting room, and the two of us sat down to talk about Don’s books and projects, and my books and projects. We did that, but the conversation drifted over to what life is like for authors in the shopping and selling season.

Bake cookies author food recipe — See Don

We also talked about the value of talking to other members of our writing community. Writing does not have to be a solo venture. Fellow writers can provide insights into how readers perceive a book. The author may have one intent, but readers may find something else that is not obvious to someone who wrote, edited, and repeatedly read the book before it was published. Bicycling books may appeal to RV owners. Travel books may appeal to people from countries that weren’t visited or even mentioned.

This podcast has become an unplanned, informal, yet possibly useful resource built from the contributions and interviews of dozens of members of Whidbey Island’s writing community. Book store owners can bring some reality to expectations. Librarians can point to overlooked resources for research or even funding. Writers from your genre undoubtedly have encountered surprises, the good ones the bad ones and the weird ones. Successful and failed campaigns are useful as long as we learn from them. And, of course, writers can support writers simply by listening to frustrations or understanding otherwise obscure celebrations. (You finally found the right font!)

Thanks to everyone who participates by listening, being interviewed, and sharing.

I hope you enjoy the podcast, and I hope your sales treat you well.

Writing on Whidbey Island (WOWI) episode 42 – Don And Tom And Marketing

Some self-promotion which should have no shame involved (because each completed work is a celebration):

Don Scoby

Websites
Whidbey Island Baking Company
BagpiperDon.com

Books

The Patriotic Piper Just the military & patriotic Highland bagpipe sheet music Scot-Irish recipe and history book you were looking for — it’s also a FUNdraiser item for his veterans’ Post!
Make Your Own Darn Good Cookies Don’s debut book — featuring 50+ proven recipes, including beverages and comfort food.
Let’s Bake Cookie Squares and Biscotti! Would you like a FREE sample recipe e-book? … did I mention it’s FREE?

Tom Trimbath

Website – TrimbathCreative.net
Email – tetrimbath@gmail.com
Narratives – Amazon Author page

Books

Just Keep Pedaling, a bicycle ride across America (one man’s failed attempt to lose weight, really)
Twelve Months at Barclay Lake – from the wet side of Washington’s Cascades (party party)
Twelve Months at Lake Valhalla – from the cold crest of the Cascades (frozen more than thawed)
Twelve Months at Merritt Lake – from the dry side of the Cascades (with more than a whiff of smoke)
Dream. Invest. Live. – personal finance for frugal folks (by request)
Walking Thinking Drinking Across Scotland – but could’ve used more drinking
Kettle Pot Cup – a light-hearted look at the way we really drink tea
Firewatcher – book one of the Exodus/Genesis sci-fi series

Photo essays – Blurb https://www.blurb.com/user/tetrimbath

Twelve Months at Cultus Bay
Twelve Months at Deception Pass
Twelve Months at Admiralty Head
Twelve Months at Penn Cove
Twelve Months at Double Bluff
Twelve Months at Maxwelton Beach
Twelve Months at Possession Beach
Twelve Months at Possession Preserve
Twelve Months at Dugualla Bay

Don, Guest Interview, In-Person, Lauren, Tom, WOWI Session

Lauren Flake – Laughing Into Her Lapel – Fantasy novelist and writers group founder

November 25, 2022 Tom Trimbath

Laugh into your lapel. Laugh into your lapel as if you were covering a cough or a sneeze, but laugh into your lapel because you don’t want to be embarrassed by laughing so hard, or at least she did. Our interview with Lauren Flake was fun; but maybe we were laughing as we tried to keep warm as the room heated up. Lauren was nice enough to meet us at South Whidbey Commons on a chilly Saturday morning to talk about her work developing a fantasy novel, as well as her efforts to start a writers group. Digressions and detours occurred.

Lauren may be at the resurgence of writers groups on the island. This blog/podcast has somehow been seen as a possible source of news about writers groups. Thanks, but that’s probably more from a lack of options rather than from any obvious expertise. Coincidentally, the previous two days also included renewed interest in writers groups, so naturally we took the hint and talked about what could happen, what might already be happening, and some of what has already happened. Without a writers association writers groups lost a repository or at least a directory of various groups. Maybe something could be coordinated with Sno-Isle (or maybe leveraging the Foundation Grants to Individuals (GTI) database) or Whidbey Island Arts Council (and joining WIAC does Not require an invitation.) Maybe all it takes is someone like Lauren. Listen in to hear about her approach using Facebook.

Naturally her main goal is to develop, finish, and publish her fantasy novel; which could also become a series. She talked about world building, inspirations, and progress. Books don’t have to be developed as a solid block of work with no preliminaries. She’s using short stories to explore her world and the characters within it. There are advantages to taking small bites.

Her work in progress is one motivation for finding or, if necessary, creating the right writers group because a writer develops their writing as they write; but that kind of development does not have to be done in isolation.

So where does the laughing into lapels happen? For that you’ll have to listen to the podcast.

Writing on Whidbey Island (WOWI) episode 41 – Lauren Flake – fantasy novelist and writers group founder

Contact:
Lauren Flake on Facebook
Lauren Flake on Instagram
or via laureneflake@yahoo.com

Blog Post, Don, In-Person, Tom, Workshop

Getting Ready For Our October 15 Self-Publishing Workshop

October 6, 2022 Tom Trimbath 1 Comment

Our workshop about self publishing is coming soon. October 15th we’ll be conducting an all-day (9AM-9PM) workshop: From Inspiration To Publication. In one day we’ll discuss topics from writing to editing to formatting to publishing to selling your book.

The previous time we made the presentation was at the local library (thank you, Sno-Isle Libraries and the Friends of Langley Library); and we covered as much as we could in under a couple of hours. It was a bit of a rush. (#massiveunderstatement) This time we’ll give each topic more time. We’re also hosting it in downtown Coupeville, at the Rec Hall, so the setting is sweet, again.

But what should you bring?

The good news is that you don’t need to bring much, but you can also bring a lot. Whatever way you prefer to take notes, laptop or paper, bring it. (Sorry, no recordings for privacy concerns.) You may just have an idea or you have a completed manuscript; either way there’s enough to get started with. Don’t be surprised if we ask you to describe your project in three sentences. Aside from that, Coupeville has the rest like plenty of restaurants. Park at the building. Pay that day. (check, cash, PayPal) Take breaks if you need to.

We’ll have wi-fi and presentations, of course, but we’ll also bring publishing and merchandising examples. The very nature of the presentation means we’ll also have the props and support ideas that we use when we present our books at readings and signings.

Don’t worry about signing up. We appreciate knowing how many people to expect, but this is an island thing. There’s no need to be formal.

We’ll start at 9AM, but should have the doors open before then. We’ll close at 9PM, but there will be breaks throughout the day. We have a schedule but will be flexible because we’ll try to emphasize what you want to work on.

There’s always more to say, but it may be best to hear your questions directly from you. (Contact us)

Looking forward to it!

Announcement, Don, Tom, WOWI Session

WOWI – 3 Years Running!

September 20, 2022 BiscottiDon

Happy Birthday cake three years old — Click the cake to help us blow out the candles …

Wait — WHAT — WOWI is 3 years old?!? Yeah — that’s right — 3 years ago Tom and I sat down and recorded our first Writing On Whidbey Island episode! I remember it fondly … a beach in Coupeville … with waves, and seagulls, and jets. This past Wednesday, Tom and I sat down — this time at a picnic table (we’re moving up!) — meeting for our 3 year anniversary show … with seagulls and near the water of Oak Harbor … with the potential for overhead jets … so, actually, not much has changed.

Oak Harbor’s newly remodeled Windjammer Park served as our backdrop. Our audience was a flock seagulls, while our special effects were ash and smoke that smelled like charming pipe-tobacco emanating from the southern Washington forest fire.

Tom and I discussed how the show has grown over 3 years, where it’s going, what we each have been up to in writing lately (*See Links Below*), and our upcoming From Inspiration To Publication workshop . This 1-day workshop will be co-presented in Coupeville WA October 15th 2022 by Tom and myself — See You There!

Tom has two new books recently published! Check out …

Blog Post, Upcoming WOWI Session

Amy Gulick with Salmon In The Trees

August 7, 2022 Tom Trimbath

Amy Gulick outdoor nature photographer author Alaska salmon trees What do you know about the natural cycle of salmon? What do you know about finding funding for storytelling? Amy Gulick is an islander who has stories to tell about salmon and about how she approached her mix of advocacy, community, and funding.

Amy had won enough awards for her photography and writing that the list would probably be longer than this post. She’s a writer, yes. She’s a photographer, obviously. But she identifies as a storyteller who has been telling stories in words and images since she was a child. Children tell stories. It isn’t until we’re adults that we apply labels like writer or photographer.

Her two main books are “Salmon in the Trees” and “The Salmon Way“. Not a surprise, she knows a lot about salmon, but has also witnessed how salmon return to their spawning grounds, but also their carcasses return nutrients to the plants and animals along those streams. She’s also witnessed the impact salmon have on communities, families, people.

Storytelling is an art. Storytelling for advocacy is a finer example of it because there are consequences to the story. Advocates advocate, so the telling of a story can hopefully encourage action directly, or at least awareness that can indirectly lead to action.

Her process may be useful, too, because there are many reasons and many topics for advocacy. Got something you want to advocate for? Listen in, and at hear from someone who can tell stories so well that it makes for an engaging interview.

In the words of co-host Don Scoby, learn how to; “Tell Your Own Damn Stories”.

Writing on Whidbey Island (WOWI) episode 38 – Amy Gulick- storyteller in words and images

Links

Don, Guest Interview, In-Person, Sarah, Tom, WOWI Session

Sarah McCarthy-Allen Mixing Fantasy And Physics

July 27, 2022 Tom Trimbath

Take one genre; there will be enough to talk about. Take a second genre and the same thing is true. Take two genres that are opposing, like fiction and non-fiction, then sometimes keep them separate and sometimes overlap them and the matrix of possibilities becomes multi-dimensional. So goes, or went, our conversation with Sarah McCarthy and Sarah Allen as we talked about her career steering through fiction titles and non-fiction titles, respectively. At least she kept the same first name for both.

Sarah has a degree in physics (impressive), has studied cognitive psychology (which would seem to help with characters), and now tutors physics students. And then on the fictional side of life; “Fantasy novels are basically goal-oriented extended camping trips and magic is just alternate-reality physics, so this worked out well”

Good luck guessing which is what with titles like, Newton’s Laws: A Fairy Tale (approachable non-fiction) and The Eidolons of Myrefall (fiction for sure.) And in both cases, check out her cover designs.

She not only is working in more than one genre, but also has a tendency to work in, or on, series as a soloist and in collaborations.

Successful authors frequently are required to make the leap from introvert as a writer to extrovert as a business person. Sarah has managed to not so much leap as stretch from her introverted base to successfully conduct marketing and sales campaigns by using a few online tools very well. Her efficiency may also explain her productivity because a quick count of her titles suggests a publication rate of about one book per year, with hints that she may be able to do more.

And she’s not stopping. There are other series to write, and with each series it sounds like she is tutoring herself in how to become a career author.

Listen in. By the way, this podcast was recorded in a park with kids running around, parents on smartphones, and a gracious groundskeeper who saw our recording rig then steered away until we were done. Whidbey Island, a place where even landscapers support writers and authors.

Writing on Whidbey Island (WOWI) episode 37 – Sarah McCarthy/Allen – author of non-fiction and fiction, tutor of science

Writing On Whidbey Island

Tag Archives: writing