This week: an update on my writing; Apple AI’s fake headlines; The Spike-related links; and my favourite Christmas song.
progress_report
As anticipated, I didn’t get much writing done this week (2,328 words) due to a busy week in the day job and Christmas preparations.
I’m fully into the approach to the finale now, and the two chapters of part 2 I’ve been working on crossover with part 1, which is tricky. For example, if a character in part 1 causes a loud noise, the character in part 2 needs to notice it. Cause and effect.
I’m still aiming to finish this draft of part 2 by the end of year. I haven’t finalised what order to do things after that, but my current plan is I’ll plot out the chapters that I want to add to part 1, then work on completing draft 2 of part 3, then look at the replotted chapters with a fresh eye before drafting them.
status.vol2
The Spike Volume 2 will contain three separate books from the perspective of seven characters.
Part 1 – draft 2 complete; further chapters to add.
Part 2 – draft 2 written up to chapter 71; five chapters to go.
Part 3 – draft 2 written up to chapter 18; forty-eight chapters to go.
The intention is to complete draft 2 for all three parts by the end of February 2025.
Then a readthrough will determine how much revision is required.
The ultimate aim is to have Volume 2 finished by the end of 2025 for publication early 2026.
opinion\apple_unintelligence
I’m stunned this story doesn’t appear to have caused a bigger stir.
The supposed “Apple Intelligence” is being used to collate and summarise news stories from other sources into a notification. But it is creating false headlines.
One such summary “falsely made it appear that BBC News had published an article claiming Mangione, the man accused of the murder of healthcare insurance CEO Brian Thompson in New York, had shot himself. He has not.”
This is serious. Who knows what nonsense it could report next, and what impact that could have?
I’m particularly unimpressed Apple don’t appear to be addressing this at all, seemingly not at all bothered they are reporting fabrications as fact. The far-right have spent a long time attacking the press to deteriorate the public’s trust in it so they can push their agenda and get away with their crimes, and things like this only make things worse.
So, this is a Public Service Announcement for anyone using any Apple product that uses “AI” – you can’t trust anything it says.
connecting_links
The Spike is set in our world, incorporating real events; the links below are relevant to the themes and overarching storyline, and may or may not provide clues to the direction of the series.
I do not necessarily agree with or endorse any of the views within.
Chatbot ‘encouraged teen to kill parents over screen time limit’
Hackers weaponize Google Ads: Graphic designers falling for fake tools
The AI Revolution and the Economy Have Killed My Highly-Skilled Job
weekly_inspiration
Every week I share something that’s inspired my creativity.
This week, it’s the law I have to include something Christmassy, so I’m sharing my favourite Christmas song, or to be more precise, my favourite performance of a Christmas song, and it’s from objectively one of the best Christmas movies, Home Alone.
John Williams is responsible for the majority of the most iconic film scores in history, from Superman to Star Wars to Indiana Jones to Jaws to ET to… you get the idea. He composed the score for Home Alone as well, and his adaptation of “O Holy Night” is wonderful.
You get +1 internet point if you know which scene this is featured in.
What’s inspired you this week? Please share in the comments.
Have a very merry Christmas, and see you next week.
Arrowmaker Books 