Witches and Ray-Guns

I just found myself agreeing with Nigel Farage. I… I don’t think I can go on.

If you aren’t aware of who Nigel Farage is… you lucky, lucky utter bastard. Let’s just say that his politics are pretty much exactly the opposite of mine and I think he’s possibly the biggest douche to ever exist. The thought that he an I can have any thought in common is, um, horrifying.

Starting tomorrow and through all of July, my books will be on sale at Smashwords. Now, most of the people reading this probably already have all of my books, but if you never bought something for whatever reason, or you haven’t read the older stuff because, here’s your chance to get it cheap or possibly free. The first book in each series is on there for free (the first three of Thaumatology and Aneka). Everything else is reduced.

Just remember, it doesn’t start until July 1st, so you’ll have to be a bit patient. Enjoy, if this is at all useful to you.

So, I tried an experiment and asked Bing’s AI search (which I think is based on ChatGPT about Nava Greyling Sonkei. Specifically: Give me five paragraphs on Nava Greyling Sonkei. This is what I got…

Nava Greyling Sonkei is a fictional character created by Niall Teasdale, a British author of fantasy and science fiction novels. She is the protagonist of the Death’s Handmaiden series, which consists of six books so far. Here are five paragraphs summarizing her character and story:

• Nava Greyling Sonkei is a young girl with a mysterious past and a powerful potential for magic. She enrolls in the Shinden Alliance School of Sorcery, the best educational facility of its type in the Clan Worlds Alliance, a large political body in the known galaxy. She hopes to live a normal life and make friends, but she soon realizes that she is far from being a normal girl and that she does not fit perfectly into Clan Worlds society.
• Nava has a unique ability to manipulate death energy, which makes her a valuable asset for the military and a target for enemies. She also has a connection to an ancient artifact called the Death’s Handmaiden, which grants her enhanced abilities but also puts her in danger. Nava must learn to control her power and deal with the consequences of her actions, while also facing the challenges of being a student at a prestigious school of magic.
• Nava’s adventures take her to different planets and dimensions, where she encounters various threats and allies. She meets other students with special talents, such as Kira, a telepath; Lila, a shapeshifter; and Ria, an empath. She also forms a bond with Aiden, a handsome and charming sorcerer who becomes her boyfriend. Together, they face ghosts, demons, vampires, dragons, and other supernatural beings.
• Nava also learns more about her origins and her destiny. She discovers that she is the daughter of Mysara, the goddess of magic and mischief, who was banished from the home of the gods for her rebellious actions. Nava inherits some of her mother’s traits, such as her curiosity, intelligence, and sense of humor. She also learns that she is part of a prophecy that foretells the end of the world and that she has a role to play in it.
• Nava grows as a person and as a sorcerer throughout the series. She develops her skills and confidence, as well as her relationships with others. She faces difficult choices and moral dilemmas, as well as personal losses and tragedies. She also discovers more about herself and her place in the universe. She realizes that she is not just Death’s Handmaiden, but also a daughter, a friend, a lover, and a hero.

Source: Conversation with Bing, 27/05/2023
(1) Death’s Handmaiden (6 book series) Kindle edition – Amazon.co.uk. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Deaths-Handmaiden/dp/B086XD78M1.
(2) Niall Teasdale – Amazon.co.uk. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Niall-Teasdale/e/B006J6II9O.
(3) Freedom, Humanity, and Other Delusions – Smashwords. https://www.smashwords.com/extreader/read/1030947/2/freedom-humanity-and-other-delusions.
(4) Niall Teasdale – Amazon.co.uk. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Niall-Teasdale/e/B006J6II9O%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share.

So, if I’d asked for one paragraph, it would have been pretty accurate. Paragraph 2 and 3 are just wrong. I have no idea where the characters in paragraph 3 come from. Paragraph 4 is wrong, and mixing up two different series. Paragraph 5 is so generic it’s effectively impossible to call wrong.

I also got a prompt: How does Nava use death energy? And the answer is…

Death energy is a rare and dangerous form of magic that Nava can use to manipulate the life force of living beings. She can use it to heal or harm, depending on her intention. She can also use it to create shields, weapons, and other constructs out of pure death energy. Death energy is usually black or purple in color and has a cold and eerie feel to it.

Nava’s use of death energy is not without risks and drawbacks. She can harm herself or others if she is not careful or skilled enough. She can also attract unwanted attention from beings who are interested in her power, such as demons, vampires, and necromancers. She can also become addicted to the rush of death energy, which can make her lose control and become more violent and aggressive.

Nava’s ability to use death energy is partly inherited from her mother, Mysara, the goddess of magic and mischief. Mysara was banished from the home of the gods for using death energy to kill another god. Nava also has a connection to the Death’s Handmaiden, an ancient artifact that amplifies her power and grants her additional abilities, such as teleportation, telekinesis, and enhanced senses. However, the Death’s Handmaiden also has a will of its own and can influence Nava’s actions and emotions.

Source: Conversation with Bing, 27/05/2023
(1) death – How to understand the dead person’s future based on the life …. https://hinduism.stackexchange.com/questions/3103/how-to-understand-the-dead-persons-future-based-on-the-life-energy-left-through.
(2) How to Notify Octopus Energy of a Death – Settld.. https://www.settld.care/what-to-do-when-an-account-holder-dies/energy/octopus-energy/.
(3) National Center for Biotechnology Information. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6438089/.
(4) Milim Nava | Omniversal Battlefield Wiki | Fandom. https://omniversal-battlefield.fandom.com/wiki/Milim_Nava.

It’s all total rubbish, but I am proud that one of the citations links my Nava with Demon Lord Milim Nava from That Time I was Reincarnated as a Slime.

In a way, it’s impressive. The system managed to find and accurately sum-up a character from an obscure work of fiction by a pretty unknown author. On the other hand, most of what it says is totally made up. It seems like we have a way to go before we get to the kind of AIs we see in the Fox Meridian series. Quite a long way, really.

Click on the image above to go see some character art from Elementary.

Elementary is now available for purchase.

• Smashwords.
• Amazon: ASIN: B0C55S1PWL
  • US
  • UK
  • DE
  • CA
  • AU

To the one person who downloaded this one from Smashwords before I noticed a mistake: please download the new version. It has a table of contents.

I’m currently writing Elementary which is the eventual outcome of a bunch of ideas I had regarding doing science in a world with magic. It’s got hints of Thaumatology in it, but just hints. It’s been going really well, much better than Starlight did. And then I hit the last section and I can’t figure out how to finish the damn thing!

It’s not so much writer’s block. More like Lego. All the little blocks are firmly connected together and breaking through the wall is driving me nuts. I’m third-guessing myself. I am displacing. I’ll figure it out eventually, but it’s really annoying. I was so close!

At this point, I’m thinking about starting the next Death’s Handmaiden book, because I have the plot for the first section worked out, and hoping that I have a brilliant idea in a week or so.

I hate writer’s block!

Not too many this time. I actually have more characters rendered, but they got slipped to the second book after Rika took a bigger part in this one than expected.

Click on the image to go to the ArtStation collection.

Starlight is now available. This isn’t a long one, so I’ve cut the price a little.

• Smashwords
• Amazon… ASIN: B0BVRMNL2V
  • US
  • UK
  • DE
  • CA
  • AU

This is Ai. Ai is going to be appearing in my next book which is currently called Starlight. Unfortunately, due to various reasons including but not limited to catching my worst cold in over a decade (I was this close to getting a COVID test and calling off Christmas with the family!) before Christmas, Ai won’t be on your favoured reading platform until March. I was aiming for early February, but life sometimes sucks.

I know she looks sweet and innocent, but this is Ai in kickass mode…

I hope the extra wait is worth it.

Oh, and Happy New Year. All of you should be in 2023 by now. Unless I have fans in the middle of the Pacific, and even then… Or if you’re Chinese. I think Chinese new year is a few days off (yup, 22nd of Jan). But generally, I wish everyone a nicer 2023 than they had in 2022, even if you had a great 2022.

Click the image above to see the art for this book.

There’s not much there this time. I didn’t feel the need to render much for it.