Tag: crime

Posted in inspiration, News, Thoughts, writing inspiration

AI & Cybersecurity

Posted on by Sherri

I have been doing a lot of research on cybersecurity lately for my new book. Researching all the possible weak points a person has in their lives where a cyber attack might take place. From our personal computers with our banking and medical information to our vehicles and even our smart houses. We depend on computers for so much of our daily lives that if someone wanted to disturb us or worse, kill us, they have all the information right at their fingertips.

Most of us grumble over two part security to get into our emails and onto an app but if you’ve ever had a breech in security, you understand more the importance of these methods. Most of us experience minor discomfort when something happens. Our credit card company calls and informs us there has been an illegal purchase on our card and we respond. They handle the problem. We might have to do without the use of the card for a few days while they send us a new one. Then there’s the trouble of setting our payments if we had any auto payments or had the card attached to any bills. But what if the goal was to discredit you or kill you?

All over the internet, especially in my writers’ groups they’ve been talking about AI, artificial intelligence. I’m sure you’ve heard of some of the latest apps that have come out where you can make a picture by feeding the app a few words and asking it to do it in a certain style. There is also AI used for audio. I have several audiobooks done by Google Play. The recent controversy has been with the human narrators for audiobooks versus Apple’s AI generated narrations. Using other people’s work, voice, style to train artificial intelligence to do the work in the style of someone famous. What is to stop someone from using AI to write a book in the style of Steven King, having an AI generated narrator to record it in the voice of Morgan Freeman, and design a video trailer like that of George Lucas. Most reputable authors and artists wouldn’t think of plagiarizing something from another artist but then there are those who are not as concerned about right and wrong or who gets hurts by twisting the rules. AI for most of us is a great tool. For me, it was an affordable way to get my books into audio. Something I can’t as yet afford to do with a human narrator. It’s on my list of things to do when money allows.

But as I’ve been researching cyberattacks and hearing about AI my brain combined the two. Already were seeing how AI can be used to make it look like someone has been somewhere they haven’t…this would be great for an alibi. How would you prove they weren’t really there? Or could they be two places at once? AI could make it look like they were. AI can manipulate photos, video, voice recordings, writing, and what else? How could a criminal use this information to rob a bank? Steal someone’s identity? Frame someone for murder? What other ways do you think AI can be used for good or evil? I’d love to hear your ideas. How do you feel about using AI to create book covers, books, blurbs, movies, etc.

Posted in backstory, my books, Thoughts

Criminals and Monsters

Posted on by Sherri

Not all Criminals are Monsters

In my Leeward Files novels, I have truly horrendous monsters: murderers, pedophiles, rapists, sex and drug traffickers, and extreme racists, but not all bad guys are truly monstrous. Sometimes, a good guy can be pushed into doing bad things, other times, a good person will do bad in the hope of something good coming from it. The old adage, “The end justifies the means.” In fiction, as in real life, we know that someone committing a crime, even for the “right” reason, is still guilty. Murdering the men who raped your daughter or wife might be justified but it’s still against the law.

What would cause you to commit murder? We are often quick to say I would kill for this or I would never kill for any reason, but I don’t believe we truly know what we are capable of until we are faced with it.

As I am finishing up the Leeward Files series and moving into the next series, The Heroes of Leeward, I am delving into why Todd, Devin and Phil were so evil. It has been documented that too often, children of abuse become abusers. These men were emotionally tortured and sexually molested as children. Todd went from a sadistic little boy to a serial rapist and murderer. Devin is more of a manipulator. He preys on those he sees as weaker but runs from confrontation. Phil believes he is a hero and wants to rid the world of the monsters, but he doesn’t have the honor and guidance to aid him. He believes the ends justifies the means, and it is more important to stop the bad guys that preserve the good.

Not all criminals are monsters, some are coerced into a life of crime, like Dana’s cousin in White Gold. Family is everything but what if you come from a family of monsters, does that make you a monster too? After his father dies, Robbie JR is raised by his angry, racist grandfather who blames him,( sins of the fathers and so on), for the disappearance of his rebellious daughter and her biracial daughter. The grandfather feels it is his duty to rid the world of the abomination who shares blood with him. His sadism and anger drive him to attempt murder.

In the real world we see crimes committed in the name of religion and morality. People too often hate and fear what they do not know, they lash out and try to conform it, or erase it. Centuries of wars fought in the name of religion or country has seen whole tribes wiped out. We may have evolved in some aspects but we have devolved in others. People still hate, are still consumed by vice and greed, no matter how much we preach love and compassion, there will always be those who refuse to live in peace. But thankfully there are those who overcome prejudices, fight the battle for equality, heroes who keep the world safe, and give us hope for the future. I believe in hope and happy endings. Wishing you all your own happy ever after.