where tech meets fiction
Are you an indie author? Don’t miss Laura Morelli’s excellent advice on editorial reviews, especially those that come from Publishers Weekly! I had the privilege to share a panel at BookExpo 2017 with Laura (author of the critically acclaimed The Gondola Maker) hosted by Carl Pritzkat, President of BookLife. Here’s Laura’s article, published by the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi):
Thank you Laura!
WIRED‘s Elise Craig explains how science can detect even the most artful forgeries in “How Science Uncovered $80 Million of Fine Art Forgeries.” Pretty amazing detective work. For more on forgery and fine art, check out my latest novel, Attic Ward.
On the run from the state of Virginia, a talented teen artist takes refuge in the Smithsonian Castle and uncovers a plot to steal one of the nation’s most prized works of art.
Fifteen-year-old Brooke has been bounced between foster homes for half her life. With her rare and exceptional ability to draw and paint, Brooke knows she’s not normal. She has always felt misunderstood and mistreated by the adults in her life. When Brooke decides to run away to Washington, DC, her luck begins to turn. Just as things are finally looking up, however, Brooke’s probation officer catches up with her. But that becomes the least of her troubles when she suddenly finds herself having to choose between fleeing for her life and saving a centuries-old masterpiece. In Attic Ward, greedy art world power brokers find themselves up against a brilliant and determined young artist who is willing to sacrifice everything to save the art she loves.
Experts suggest that as much as forty percent of the pieces of art circulating in legitimate art markets are forgeries. Even Michelangelo was allegedly hired to forge copies of ancient Roman sculptures. Brooke learns more than she ever wanted to know about the dark side of art, which is at once thrilling and infuriating.
Imagine masterpieces coming to life! Better yet, imagine that they’re already alive. Brooke sees art in every aspect of her life. Her passion and perception are so infectious that you won’t be able to view legendary artists and their masterpieces the same way ever again. And the next time you wander the halls of a museum, you might find yourself holding your breath…
Whether you’ve read my novel, Capitol Kid, which describes how a young hacker, Boot, fairly easily takes control of Capitol Police mobile phones, you ought to read Nicole Perlroth’s NY Times feature article about phone hacking. It’s both astounding and demonstrates how insecure most phones (computers, too) really are despite tech company efforts to lock them down. Check it out here:
How Spy Tech Firms Let Governments See Everything on a Smartphone
How cool that we’ve finally “heard” gravity! Are we one step closer to realizing Dr. Magigate’s seminal invention–Glide, the ability to manipulate gravity (and thereby, time)?
Thank you Albert Einstein! (And Dr. Magigate).
Tune out the harsh, tune in the mellow…for real!
A new startup, Doppler Labs, is coming out with earbuds that allow you to control the ambient sounds in your environment. With the exception of requiring a smartphone app (and their size), they’re just like the Z.Earos earbuds I envisioned (and wished for) in my Glide Trilogy, which teens used to tune in and out surrounding sounds: tune out those nagging parents, but tune in that secret conversation across the hall–you get the idea.
Can’t wait to get a pair!
