What the heck is A.I. (artificial intelligence) and where does it fit in your life?
The New York Times, Sunday, June 7th, 2026 carried an
interesting article on A.I. It was called ‘Pitching Comfort Over Technology.’
The article begins with: ‘Artificial Intelligence is going to cure cancer,
solve life’s mysteries and liberate humankind from drudgery. But maybe, when
all is said and done, it will give you just the right pasta recipe to impress
someone you have a crush on.’
In other words, don’t hold your breath for AI to do all the thinking for you from now on. It’s a tool like a tooth brush, an automobile, and a snow blower - to be used when needed. The key here is to engage your brain before you let bites, bytes, code and lithium do all the thinking for you.
Aristotle defined intelligence ‘not merely as the accumulation of
facts, but as the capacity to apply knowledge practically and cultivate both
the mind and the soul. His core philosophies on intelligence focused on
open-mindedness, the integration of emotion with intellect, and the pursuit of
wisdom.’
If the key to art is authenticity, then how does one stay true to his
or her own vision but still avail themselves to the wealth of information
available through AI? I’m still trying to figure that out. So is Vida, my
editor.
Thus far, our shared experience of marketing books has been a series to toe-dips into the ocean of AI material available for the average cyber explorer. While I don’t lack for a plethora of great ideas, imagined outcomes, and rehashed verbiage, I still have no clue where to begin this process of discovery.
After a lot of soul-searching with Vida, we decided to explore AI with the simple goal of seeing what it could do to help market two of my suspense mystery novels. The world of mystery novels is huge but chopped up into a plethora of different categories. We hoped AI could help us further categorize novels. While my novels aren’t ‘cozies,’ neither are they filled with gratuitous sex or excessive violence. Putting the novels into a certain mystery category can certainly help find the right readers for both.
Interestingly enough, ChatGPT provided the first step in that process.
A while ago, Vida fed both novels into ChatGPT and it came back with a
wonderful, concise, and thorough description of both novels beginning with
‘Follow the Cobbler.’
Story Breakdown as written by ChatGPT:
When linguist and adventurer Brian teams up with brilliant
archaeologist Katherine, a simple research trip becomes a globe-spanning
quest through history, myth, and danger. What begins in the quiet archives of
Minnesota soon propels them to the jungles of Cambodia, the ruins of Machu
Picchu, the ancient streets of Rome, and the sacred hills of Bethlehem—all in
pursuit of one impossible figure: the Cobbler, a man said to have lived
through centuries, shaping the course of civilization itself.
Shadowing their every move is LeFay, a ruthless druid chieftain
determined to uncover the Cobbler’s secret for his own dark order. As assassins
close in and clues intertwine—from lost poems and relics to ancient Hebrew
stones and Roman sandals—Brian and Katherine must decipher the truth behind a
legend that blurs the line between science and the supernatural.
Their journey uncovers not only the origins of faith and alchemy but
also a revelation that could alter humanity’s understanding of life, death, and
rebirth.
Follow the Cobbler is a thrilling fusion of history, mysticism,
and adventure—part Da Vinci Code, part Indiana Jones, and
entirely original—a race across continents and centuries in search of a truth
the world was never meant to know.
Story Summary by ChatGPT:
When a Minnesota researcher uncovers a mysterious flash drive, he and a
brilliant archaeologist are thrust into a centuries-old mystery linking ancient
Druids, lost civilizations, and a legendary immortal known only as the
Cobbler. From Saint Paul to Machu Picchu, Rome, and Angkor Wat, they race
to decode clues before a global cult can unleash a secret that could rewrite
human history. Follow the Cobbler blends history, faith, and adventure
in a thrilling journey where the past refuses to stay buried.
My next novel described by ChatGPT was ‘Playground for the Devil.’
Story Breakdown by ChatGPT:
In the shadowy world of SCL Publishing, ambition can be deadly.
When Bradley Fitzgerald—a war-hardened veteran turned struggling
writer—lands a dream job at a prestigious California publishing house, he
expects long hours and tough edits. What he doesn’t expect is seduction,
corruption, and murder. Beneath SCL’s glittering literary façade lies a
sinister network of greed, blackmail, and buried secrets that reach from the
boardroom to the mist-shrouded cliffs of Big Sur.
Drawn into the orbit of Laci—brilliant, mysterious, and hiding her own
dangerous truths—Brad finds himself chasing more than fame. Together they
uncover a conspiracy tied to a legendary lost manuscript of Henry Miller, a
secret worth millions and worth killing for. From San Francisco’s art scene to
the wild canyons along Highway 1, their pursuit becomes a fight for survival
against men who would turn the world of literature into a playground for the
devil.
Smart, sensual, and steeped in California noir, Playground for the
Devil is a taut literary thriller about deception, desire, and the darkness
that hides beneath creative genius.
Story Summary by ChatGPT:
A rising writer joins a San Francisco publishing house—only to uncover
a web of corruption, seduction, and murder hidden behind its glittering façade.
As he and a mysterious woman dig deeper, their search for a legendary lost
manuscript leads them into a deadly conspiracy stretching from the city’s art
scene to the haunted cliffs of Big Sur. Playground for the Devil is a
gripping literary thriller where ambition and desire collide in the shadow of
genius.
So, we had our description of my two novels. Now, where to place them? We needed research to begin the process. With her immense knowledge of computer programming, Vida was able to study the plethora of new AI programs, in place or on the horizon, and discern which programs might best fit our needs. My caveat was simple enough. I wasn’t shy about spending ‘real money’ on the experiment but I wanted to hedge my bets that the outcome would be somewhat beneficial to the cause; that is, selling more of my books.
After breaking down the various features and benefits of a multitude of
AI programs, Vida designed a plan of attack. The goal was to use AI to research
the marketplace, identify my own products by their most salient qualities and
then plan a coordinated marketing approach to place them in the hands of
readers.
SparkToro
Research
Use AI
to help me identify the various markets most likely to respond to my marketing
message/s
Who are my readers / How to best identify their
characteristics.
What other web sites are available besides: Facebook,
Reading Groups, etc.
What are some other optional places where these buyers
might be reached
What about specific mailing lists of suspense readers
ChatGPT
Brainstorming
What is the best marketing approach/s to use.
For example: Mini web site like I have for ‘Debris’ and ‘Agnes.’
One page ad
A teaser
Two versions: Kindle & Print
Can AI identify the specific parts of a suspense novel
that these audiences are looking for What
are some cheap or inexpensive AI tool to use for this research
RankScore & Rytr
More market research
I want to see how these
AI programs can do more intense market research to best identify web sites to
approach
Brevo & Shortwave
Need for a customer
platform?
Do I care about e-mail marketing?
I don’t think I want an AI customer platform (correct,
no CRM needed)
Soro / Vibie / Realize
Paid Advertising
Do I want
to use advertising in my marketing plan?
What kind
of paid advertising is most effective for my two novels
It’s too early to tell where or how far this new AI-driven marketing approach is all going to go. It’ll probably be a series of starts, stops, stumbles, dead-ends, closed loops, and tiny bits of treasured research neither Vida nor I would ever have gleaned on our own.
The secret will be to take those nuggets of information and use them in
a direct instead of the old familiar circuitous route to connect with readers
who might find my novels of interest.
