inspiration

Evil

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Evil is a theme in my novels, but it is viewed in a supernatural way, not so much as a real condition, such as in a crime novel. Unless you are a victim of evil personified, most people think of it as something remote; it exists, might be supernatural or not, depending on your spiritual beliefs, and it manifests through human behavior. Since I can remember, I have always considered the supernatural side of evil to be real, but also, I was raised by a religious and devoted catholic grandmother, one who would tell me stories of old, ingrained in an ancient culture, stories of witches and demons, and supernatural beings that happened in the past. Lore or not? It doesn’t matter, but it did permeate into my novels. It probably shaped my views and interest in the topic, but also, fueled my curiosity; so much, that once, I dared asked a priest if he believed that evil was real. He answered something generic, that evil was in this world … I interrupted him and rephrased the question: “Do you believe that the Devil is real, that demons exist?” He looked at me a bit surprised, but calmly he said, “Yes, it is real.” I asked, “Why doesn’t the church tell people the truth?” His answer resonates in my memory until this day. He said, “Because most people would not be able to handle the truth.” I understood and I did not keep pressing him on the topic. I never asked again, but I always remember the answer.

More than three decades have gone by, which takes me back to my novels and the theme of good vs. evil in the supernatural sense. The current novel I was writing (and I say was writing because I stepped away from it for a while) does not follow the same lines, as far as this theme goes, although it has a bit of a supernatural flair mixed in more with the human condition. I asked myself the other day, did I step away from my “niche,” did I abandon my personal quest? Is this why the current novel seems so challenging or is there something more to it? I am not forcing the writing of this novel, but I know one hundred percent that I have to write the story, however the flow of it is very different, but I know that I am the one causing it. There are a few stories that are waiting to be written, all of them calling me at once, however, I know that until I conquer this one, in mind and soul, I will not be able to tend to the next one. Now, it is personal.

The Last Thread

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One Day at a Time

When life does not seem to go as expected and might feel as if we are being tested beyond our strength, it may seem as if we are hanging from the last thread. The thread seems to unravel more and more with every feeling, emotion, and physical/mental response we experience during times of turmoil, sadness, and desperation. Sometimes, the intensity of what we are experiencing is so difficult to endure that exhausted as we feel, we might as well let go of that last thread. Some people do. Others see a little bit of hope on that last bit of strength and hold on for dear life, praying for better days or a miracle, and somehow, it happens. As long as you don’t let go, it happens. You are made stronger as you hold on tight; you are renewed as you pray every single day, and sometimes, even every single moment of the day. Somehow, you are lifted up, changed, renewed and refreshed, and you see the light around you. Where there was darkness, now there is light, and you can begin to see it.

Because that act of faith, of holding on, of praying, you were lifted up and made anew. Something changed. You experienced the love of God, a miracle. Holding on tight to the last Thread? Don’t let go; pray. You are being sustained by the love of God, who heard you pray, and your miracle is about to happen.

The Last Analog Space

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A couple of weeks ago I watched an interview about AI and its ramifications so far, and possible impact in a very near future. Because artificial intelligence is developing and learning at a very accelerated pace, the person being interviewed believed that there is a small window of opportunity now for humanity to “take control” of AI before it basically controls us and everything around us, our entire world/existence. He said that in a very short time we would not be able to clearly distinguish between AI and reality, so we should not miss the small window of opportunity right now to understand it better and take charge of it.

All this sounded very science fiction to me, but also, a very real possibility. It made me think about the world, our humanity, and role in it, as well as our “sacred space” in this world; we each have one. If this were to happen in a not-so-distant future, where would the last analog space be? As long as we remain human and we treasure our humanity, that last analog space would be within us; it will be inside us, the essence that makes us who we are, our soul. It is up to us to care and cherish that sacred space, where the divine meets us.

Because Sometimes, Change is Good

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Where did the year go? For me, it was truly a whirlwind that swept me in many directions, expected and unexpected, some good, some not so good; however here I am, thankful for it all, and looking forward to next year experiences, whatever they might be. It is life; it means I am alive and open to God’s plan for my life. This is my last post for the year, and I was not sure of what to write to end the year. I did not want it to be another holiday post, so here I am, winging it. Just think of it as a conversation from the heart.

Sometimes, we let ourselves be influenced by others, whether that be media, friends, family, acquaintances, influencers, groups, religion, politics … You name it. Everyone has anything to say about how we should live and plan our existence, but when we think about it, nobody really has the answers. Life is given to us to experience and fulfill it, one day, moment, second at a time. When you think about it, it is beautiful. We were presented with this gift that we did not ask for, and we have the freedom to live it. Whatever things are thrown in the package, it is all ours to make something of it. We are all one big conglomerate in the human race; we all want to live a happy and peaceful, joyful life. We are more similar than not. Hate is a disease, it is sickness. Love is a cure. We decide. We might be influenced, negatively or positively, but we decide. We decide how to act, react, and what to let into our life, what we give our attention to, and how we live day by day. In the end, we only have this day, and sometimes, not even a full one; our seconds are in the hand of our Creator, but so are our blessings. Does it really matter if someone else has more than you? or if you did not meet your goals this year? Does it? When I think about it, and in the big scheme of the journey, it truly does not. I don’t know how long my journey is, no one does, so why not choose love over sickness, inner peace over discontent, gladness over bitterness, and hope, especially hope. The journey is meaningless without hope, and faith.

I hope that you embrace the holiday season and next year with hope, faith, and at peace with yourself, the rest will come when it needs to come. When God made you, he knew who he made, but also, your journey. Your journey is not meant to be stationary; it is meant to be full of change, and change brings growth, knowledge, and understanding, and with understanding comes kindness, and with kindness, love. In that sense, change is good.

I wish you and yours a joyous holiday season and may next year be filled with the kind of blessings that only come from above, the best kind, in my opinion. Merry Christmas! God bless you all.

Love and Light,

Inkspeare

For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6 NKJ)

Till’ the Cows Come Home

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Contrast is revelation.

We can pray till’ the cows come home, but …

1 Corinthians 13:1-8 (NIV)

“If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind, it does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.”

Jesus taught us to love.

He blessed the children. He fed the hungry. He healed the sick. He spoke peace not war. He forgave his enemies. He forgave sins. He loved all, including the outcasts. He liberated the oppressed. He gave his life for all, the greatest act of love. What is not of Love, is not of God.

Contrast is revelation.

Will Writers Write?

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Will writers even bother to write if competing with a large number of AI generated stories? That is a question that only time will answer. There have been incidents where many AI generated books have made it to best seller lists. Scammers also may use AI to generate reworded versions of actual books. They can think of anything to make a quick buck out of the sweat of real authors by using AI to alter their work. Although Amazon has made a few efforts to alleviate the problem, it continues, and as of now AI generated content must be disclosed when submitted, something that helps but does not solve much.

Artificial Intelligence is becoming better and soon it will be just a matter of time when we could hardly be able to tell the difference between written works by real authors and a piece of junk from Robotina. People who care more about making a quick buck than about the craft are able to generate a story, from cover to content, and illustrations in a matter of minutes, especially children’s books. AI saturated market is the worst nightmare for true writers who love their craft and who bleed through the pages of a novel until it is finished.

How will readers find your work when they have to navigate a system which is so saturated by fakes? Will they even care or will they voraciously consume AI generated content as long as it is good enough to fill an entertaining need or any other specific need? If we have people dating AI generated people, what prevents readers to make a switch to AI generated books? Only time will tell, but one thing is certain, authors are now competing with a new form of “art,” one that has eliminated the middleman aka real author and goes straight to making a product for profit in no time at all. Will authors become discouraged? Will real writing even matter anymore? Will AI mimic our blood and sweat in the pages? Will writers write? Only time will tell.

Faster and faster, we are being replaced by our own creation, maybe to the point of becoming obsolete by our own hand. The creator ceases to exist, absorbed by its own creation. Maybe time is all we have left, or do we? Will AI alter our perception of time, eventually? Will we be able to tell?

Dragon’s Den

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Photo by M.A.D.

Dragon’s Den, a Halloween poem.

***

Poking, at the dragon’s den

the Golden Man is playing games.

Nor fire, nor flames

but bells and whistles

from the dragon’s mouth escape.

Reign of Terror

/ inkspeare
Moon and branches (Photo by M.A.D.)

Here’s a little seasonal Halloween poem, Reign of Terror.

Reign of Terror,

the sick becomes sicker

the hungry hungrier.

Twenty million reasons

away into the night fly

while the land into the dawn cries.

Happy October!

The Sum of Your Life

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An adorable visitor (Photo by M.A.D.)

Ever met someone who has gone through many vicissitudes in life? Somehow, knowing some of the details allows one to understand better the character of that person. I have met people who have been through many sad experiences in life and somehow, they seem to have a good and grounded personality. I am dumbfounded by the ones who have had a pretty good life since childhood and still manage to complain about how unfair life is and how it should be better. The first group of people is usually more grateful, and the later seems to be somewhat unhappy and in perpetual discontentment. It puzzles me. Does the sum of one’s life determine character? I think it determines the level of growth and maturity.

As a writer, I treasure the moments when I get to know someone a bit better in the details of a conversation, even if it is a brief conversation with a stranger. I know that I will never experience many situations in life that other people might have but knowing and interacting with people will make for better character building in writing. I always thought that psychologists could be good developers of characters if not writers because they have access to a range of human emotions and behavior.

Knowing the details or a bit more of the sum of someone’s life allows me to be less judgmental of others and more sympathetic. Think about the sum of your life up until now, how has it influenced the development of your character/personality? If you are “here-now” and are able to go back in time to answer this question honestly, consider yourself blessed.

Happy Autumn!