social media, Writing

Artificial Intelligence is…you fill in the blank

deborahanndykeman

The AI controversy is out there, and however you may feel about it, it’s making an impact on the world. You may believe it’s a bad one, or you might be going along for the ride, wondering where it’s going to take us.

It’s been something on my mind since the beginning of this year, 2024. Generally, I’m not a fan of advancement in technology, especially if it causes me to have to learn something new or adjust what I already know. This past week of updating this site has had me chewing on that more than a few times and I’ve wanted to spit it out and never try again! But I also recall my days of using a manual typewriter to write my first attempts, and then moving on to an electric typewriter, which I’ve written about on here before. I love my laptop, my big monitor, and my wireless keyboard. I feel lost without them. I’ve succumbed to technology in my own office on a daily basis.

Creativity as always been a huge part of my life. It’s how I function as a person in the way I look at the world. There is always possibility to make something better. That includes the characters I create, the world they live in, and now, I can create the way it all looks. I can take my thoughts of how something appears, and make it happen. And that is pretty spectacular!

I’ve been designing the covers for my books for a while now. It’s something that I absolutely love! I’ve never taken any kind of graphic design classes, or even art classes outside of what I did back in school forty plus years ago. Yes, I had some talent back then, and I enjoyed it. But I didn’t pursue a degree. I have great appreciation for those that did. So, it was with great fear and trepidation that I looked into the AI design on the site I use to design my covers. I’ve used this site for almost ten years now. I’ve taken the tools there, along with pictures and designed my covers. With the addition of AI, I can now put all those thoughts of what I think something should look like onto a cover. The results have been once again…spectacular! I will be sharing more of those results on here as books release. To this date, I’ve designed seven covers with the use of AI. For those of you that have read my Rubyville series of books, you may now see my vision of my characters. I still find that amazing!

Meet the characters of my Rubyville series.

I have thought long and hard about this new advancement or curse in technology. I think there will be good, and I know there will be bad things to come of it. Evil always seem to find whatever good potential there is. That is the world system that we live in. I am in constant vigil of others trying to steal my book content. Copyright doesn’t seem to mean much to some. To think that another person could steal my voice in writing, is very concerning to me. And so, my thoughts go to those that work as artists, those that design covers using mediums such as photography, watercolors, oils, sketches, etc. In no way do I want to take away from what they do to make a living or be creative. In no way do I want to fake something, which is what I believe is at the heart of this AI discussion.

In the middle of all my thoughts on this, Randy Travis releases a new song. When my husband and I were first married, around October of 1988, we were given tickets to see Ricky Van Shelton in the Albany area of upstate New York. He was not able to make it that night due to laryngitis. Randy Travis sang instead…and he was good! I want to say he was the first act, but I don’t remember all the details now. We followed his career over the years, and we were very sad to hear of his stroke. It seemed rather cruel that it would take the voice that Randy Travis was known for. When I listened to the release of his new song a few days ago, I knew it had to be AI, and I thought, “Oh no, here we go!” But after watching this clip from CBS Sunday Morning, this AI challenge began to take on a different meaning to me.

CBS Sunday Morning clip.

Technology is with us, and we can’t run and hide. Well, I guess we could if we really wanted to, but it would be difficult! That’s another topic for discussion. Some areas I’ve learned to embrace…like my computer system, and my Alexa controls in my house. Others I’m still not sure about, like my Alexa controls in my house, and AI. Yes, I know I repeated Alexa twice. And she’s probably listening ready to argue with me right now! But when I look at the covers I’ve designed, or listen to Randy Travis ‘sing’ again, I’m leaning toward being thankful, and praying I keep it all in perspective.

And BTW, his new song is beautiful!

A Quick Thought, Writing

Welcome Spring!

deborahanndykeman

Here in Kansas, today is a hot one! I do miss the long, slow progression of spring and autumn in the northeast. But here in Kansas, we don’t seem to have the mud problem either that I remember so well when my parents had their horses. I lost a shoe or two more than once slogging through mud in upstate New York!

The daffodils have bloomed at our house. The peonies I moved last year seem to be doing well so far. They came up anyway! Now I’ll be looking for blossoms. I had wanted to move the daffodils last fall, but plantar fasciitis slowed my autumn prep to a standstill. Maybe I’ll get it done before the end of May.

Writing books and designing covers has been my focus since the beginning of the new year. I designed six covers, and I wrote a new book…about 85,000 words between the first of February and yesterday when I finished going through the edits needed on the second part of 56,000 words. I wrote that second part in three weeks. For those of you that write, you know that is an accomplishment! The first three months of a new year have always been a great time for me to get writing done. Motivated, not a lot of outside work, and between spring and fall cleaning schedules. This year was extremely successful. That puts a smile on my face!

Last September also saw the release of the second book in my Love Defined series…Sweet Belief.

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Of course this is available right here: https://www.amazon.com/Sweet-Belief-Mike-Katie-Defined/dp/B0CJSQFWBV/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2FFQYNYPU3ZRD&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Z57xZ9EpuoKA-Cv3YKBaWg.2iWTLGur7eQqvHNvKTDDK5teixJjjg0-CAeXcrvRMJ0&dib_tag=se&keywords=deborah+ann+dykeman+sweet+belief&qid=1713117547&s=books&sprefix=deborah+ann+dykeman+sweet+belief%2Cstripbooks%2C161&sr=1-1

If you live in Texas, the view out your window today may look very much like the backdrop of the cover for Sweet Belief.

Happy spring to all! Enjoy the sunshine, the bright flowers, and new buds on the trees. And if you are in the mood to read, you know where to find a good book. 😉

A Day to Remember

Happy Thanksgiving

deborahanndykeman

In the hustle and bustle of life, I tend to forget all the good things and people that I have. People that I rely on, family that is always there to lend a helping hand.

I have much to be thankful for. My health, my family and friends, a warm home, food and clothing. So many people around this world don’t have those things.

Take time today to be thankful for all that you have. All that you’ve been given.

Thank you, God, for all of these!

Yummy Food!

Hot Baking III

deborahanndykeman

Life has a tendency to get away from all of us at times. I once prided myself on being on top of things. No procrastination here! If it needed to be done by me, it was done yesterday.

Well, no more! I’m on the slippery slope of best-laid intentions and feeling more than overwhelmed with stuff needing to be done.

Which is why I asked myself, “How long has it been since you posted?” I was afraid of the answer, and now here I am, seven months later! Seven months? Almost eight!

It was Christmas time, the smell of baking in the air, and the crisp cold of a wintery day. The Christmas tree sparkled in the living room, and it would be the first Christmas since the passing of my mother in July. We did have a wonderful holiday season, with family staying for days, and all of us eating lots of great food. The quintessential Christmas!

Image by Jill Wellington from Pixabay

So, with food on my mind, I think of my most read posts on here and they were about baking. Baking? I’m a writer! Yes, I bake a lot…but I don’t think of it as me. I don’t define myself in that way. But a very large percentage of us love to eat in this world, so I’m going to go with it once again in this post.

A quick update before I proceed…I do still try to abstain from flour and sugars. I have felt much better living my life in this way for three years now. The headaches, bloating, and general yuck feeling are not worth eating those two little devils. Because of eating in such a manner, I’m always seeking new recipes. I’m still amazed at the amount of really wonderful food bloggers that are out there sharing keto recipes. They pull me in every time with their happy smiles and bright descriptions of ingredients that really should not go together in the ‘normal’ world of baking. If I told my maternal grandmother of the ingredients I use in my baking, she’d think I was crazy!

So, I’m here today to share two recipes that I made recently. Actually, the first one I made earlier today. It’s pretty fresh in my mind! One of my most popular posts was titled Hot Baking from last May. This post could be titled the same since it’s July in Kansas. Not a great time of year to stand in the kitchen for several hours even if you have air conditioning.

Image by Oberholster Venita from Pixabay

The link for what I made today is right here. I saw it on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/EasyRecipesForFamily/posts/pfbid02JjQ9mQyZ7Cow8B2qKLS6vu2TXdDjnVhc7yzxZbAWpC5eHQrn9YY5Rrv2fc5tw6sHl

I’m kind of wondering about this one. Definitely seem fudgy, but mine are a little soft, even after baking for specified time. Maybe a bit like pudding. I would also like a little more of a chocolate taste. I love a really dark chocolate brownie.

This recipe I made a couple days ago and it’s a winner! I much prefer French toast over pancakes. The taste on this delivered! https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid0xyZsP2JAepvDsFim1JNuAKUWEEDveBoG7p77AdTwVJm64qrRyorSGJHrWxB2WNgEl&id=100086305485872

I made sure my cream cheese, butter, and eggs were all room temperature. If you do any keto baking, this is kind of a rule. Everything mixes and blends much better! The butter in this recipe link is what I used. I have found another recipe which has 4 ounces of butter and some cinnamon in it. I’m going to try it next time. Although that seems like a lot of butter to me! Mine tasted fine. I made mine in a loaf pan, and then sliced it pretty thick. My husband grilled it on both sides with the meat we were having with our breakfast. I slathered butter on it, and then some homemade sugar-free strawberry jam. I also had an agave syrup I purchased at Aldi. Delicious!

Welcome summer, and another addition of Hot Baking!

A Day to Remember, Our Christian Walk

Merry Christmas!

deborahanndykeman

Brightly wrapped presents under the tree are a beautiful sight to behold on Christmas morning. As a child, scampering down the stairs to see what Santa had delivered was always exciting. Even though we all knew Santa Claus was a fictional character in our home, it was fun to think about. We all knew our parents provided our gifts, and my mother worked herself to exhaustion level to make sure we had a wonderful Christmas season.

In our home growing up, and in our home raising children, the birth of Christ being remembered was always the reason we celebrated. The older I become, the more meaningful that is to me. I still enjoy the lighted and decorated Christmas tree, and the giving of presents. The family gathered, and food contributed and enjoyed by cherished family and friends.

No, Jesus Christ was not born on December 25th, and there wasn’t snow on the ground with wise men present. But Jesus Christ was born, and the angels proclaimed it to the shepherds in the fields. A star boldly proclaimed where the Savior lay and directed those that wished to follow. December 25th is the day set aside for Christians to remember. I am thankful we have the opportunity to still celebrate that, and I am extremely thankful for the gift that was given.

Merry Christmas to one and all! May your day be filled with thankfulness, and joy!

Featured image at top of title: Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay 

A Day to Remember, A Quick Thought

Merry Christmas Eve!

deborahanndykeman

If you are in the United States, it’s safe to say that you are probably experiencing some severe weather of some sort. It’s been a crazy weather week! Here in Kansas, we will be having a white Christmas for the first time in many years. I know I’m excited about that! I rather like that Norman Rockwell feeling I get when the holiday season is filled with wintry weather…snow-covered grounds, with cinnamon and pine filling your senses beside a crackling fire.

Stay safe everyone as you get ready for “the most wonderful time of the year!”

Just For Fun!

Christmas Music

deborahanndykeman

Music has always been a very big part of my life. Maybe because of my mother and her talent in that area. She played piano and organ, and even accordion in her younger years. When I was a child, she always played for church services, and any weddings or special singing. Each Christmas season, she usually played for a Cantata. On many occasions, I was her page turner. I thought of it as an honor as she practiced for these events at home. It definitely helped me to learn to read music and keep track of where she was on the page!

I never became the pianist that my mother was. I do have her piano in my home once again. Our daughter was not able to keep it for now, so I am thrilled to have it back. I missed it way more than what I thought I would. And I can actually still play. That was a surprise. It’s been a few years!

Chickering upright. Purchased by my grandfather in Denver, Colorado in 1956. It is now over 100 years old!

Every Christmas season, my mother played Christmas music. It seemed like all day every day at the time. But I’m sure it wasn’t. Especially considering what you went through to play music back then in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. We had records of the classic Christmas songs. Perry Como, Dean Martin, and of course Andy Williams. My father was rather innovative at that time. He wired our house with speakers upstairs, so we could hear the music there as well. It was played from a huge wood stereo. It took up a wall in our living room. When I hear any of those songs now, I get all fuzzy and warm feeling inside.

I heard this song today…again, a couple of my favorite Christmas songs. I have shared this group on here before. This family came to our church many times over the years. Back when they were all still in school. I don’t think the oldest had even graduated high school yet. Our youngest always looked forward to seeing their youngest. They were close in age, and that was a treat for Catherine. Our son was impressed with the guitar playing. He was just learning at the time. He’s become a pretty good player and singer himself now. The Petersen’s are a very successful group now, and they have a regular show in Branson. It’s been neat to follow their journey over the years and see their talent grow. Enjoy this version of these two songs. I did!

A Day to Remember, Home Projects

Let the Season Begin

deborahanndykeman

Christmas time has come once again. And like all older people, you know the ones…the ones I said I would never be like back when I was in my twenties and thirties…it arrives quicker each year! Now that’s a sentence for my editor to make a comment on! Thank you, Britta Ann for all your wise words on editing. I really do appreciate you!

I really dislike that each time I have posted this year…all three times I think it’s been…I apologize for not posting. Life has been a whirlwind, and I know all of your lives have been as well. I’ve been wanting to update you all, and the time has never been there. So, here’s a quick update. Maybe at some point, when the winter winds blow and I’m cold just sitting around, and all my books are finished, I will fill in all the little blanks.

In April this year, my husband and I went to Indiana for two weeks to help care for our newest grandson. I kind of had a bad feeling from the standpoint of caring for a six-month old. Doing that at 57 is far different than in your twenties! But we survived, and it was absolutely wonderful getting to know little Maverick, who is now an adorable 13-month-old. But for some reason, those two weeks started a tailspin of events that I’m still recovering from. The hardest part being just being gone from home a lot…which again, something I wouldn’t have found a problem back in my twenties and thirties!

June was a busy month. My sister, whom I hadn’t seen in many years, came for a visit, and we were able to meet her new husband. A great visit! So happy to have Evan as part of our family! My mother fell at the nursing home about that same time. Any of you that have worked in geriatrics know that is not a good thing! Yes, my mother broke her hip…and that’s even worse for someone in a care facility. (I say that after working in care facilities for many years. It just seems to go downhill after a broken hip. Nothing being said here about care facilities being bad!) The end of June held many visits to the hospital, where my mother did very well for about a week. It was wonderful to have that time with her and my father. The end of June brought a fantastic time for our family in Branson. I even went swimming, which I hadn’t done in so many years! It was once a thing I loved!

During our week in Branson, my mother took a turn for the worse. My husband and I headed straight to the care facility on our return, him leaving my suitcases at my parent’s home. My mother passed on July 2nd, and while very sad, I am happy for her, and where she is now. She was in so much pain that last week. My brother and his family were making plans to visit my mother but missed her by two weeks. It was still wonderful to have them visit for a couple days!

Here is a fill-in-the-blank-later moment. My husband and I are now living in my parent’s home…my father is here occasionally, but my husband and I are now caring for it. My father wants it to be our home, and I’ve explained that it will take a while. Some time will need to pass before I don’t look at each item that is here and remember that it was my mother’s. For now, that’s a good thing. So many of my mother’s monetary furnishings had to be sold to make room for our furnishings, but I’ve kept those special pictures, glassware, and furniture that I and my siblings remember from our childhood.

I’ve posted on how special my mother made the holidays. I look back now and wonder how she did it. Dozens of cookies, open house celebrations, decorations galore! We always had at least two Christmas trees, and some years five when we lived in the bigger houses. I fall way short of that, but I have my memories. Yesterday I finished decorating our new home. Simpler than what my mother once did, but homey for us.

Lots of traveling this past year, my mother’s death, and a move. But so much to be thankful for this Christmas season! I have found that in my own life, God seems to work that way. Many trials and testing, but so many other reasons to give thanks, and remember how gracious and merciful God is. I have reconnected with my sister, I have the opportunity to spend time with my father, I have been privileged to get to know my brother’s family a bit better. We’ve had visits with our children and our grandchildren that were wonderful! We have a beautiful home to live in, and my husband’s Parkinson’s is holding steady.

Thank you, God, for all of these! Have a wonderful Christmas season!

Just For Fun!, Writing

Beautiful Spring

deborahanndykeman

I’ve shared a lot on baking for my past few posts. It’s something that I do on a regular basis…when it’s cold outside. But with warmer weather, I’m feeling the pull to be outside. Not to work as I once did…laying sidewalk, building rock walls, digging ponds…but just enjoying. I haven’t even mowed lawn this year. My husband has been keeping up with that pretty well. It’s a two-day job with our push mower. At this writing, I haven’t even planted my hanging baskets or pots for our front porch. That was typically a Mother’s Day goal.

What I’m feeling today is writing. I haven’t worked on my book in two months, and I’m being crushed by the weight of getting it done! With a writer’s meeting this Thursday, the weight is heavier.

I don’t like unfinished projects. But I’m not very good about completing one before I start another. My mind is always bouncing from one thing to the next. There is probably medication for that, and it would probably help my family and friends deal with me better. 😉 But I do like to live in the moment and feel everything! My editor not only edits my books but keeps me reined in when I think of another book to write. Which circles back to the weight of getting this third book in my series done.

Everything beautiful! A sunny, spring day with flowers! Image by Jill Wellington from Pixabay

I found the above picture when I was looking through Pixabay pictures for a comment on Facebook. It made me think of my writer friend Julane Hiebert. https://www.amazon.com/Julane-Hiebert/e/B017QGX5X4?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1652806690&sr=1-1 When I go to her house for our writer’s meeting, a bicycle with flowers in the basket lets you know you are at the right place. It always makes me smile and think of Julane and being Julane. She’ll get that statement.

So back to writing, so I have something to share at the meeting on Thursday. I hope your spring is going well, and that there’s beauty, sunshine, and maybe a bicycle with flowers in the basket for your Tuesday!

P.S. The header picture is from: Image by jplenio from Pixabay

Yummy Food!

Hot Baking Continued

deborahanndykeman

In my last post on baking, I said I would share the newest recipe I had tried from Joy Filled Eats. https://joyfilledeats.com/about/

I use this site the most for my baking recipes. I’ve shared a couple other sites on here as well. You can see them in past posts under yummy food. I always share these sites because I’m not a food blogger, and I really appreciate the work these women have done with these recipes. The first time through a recipe, I always follow the guidelines exactly. The second time, I might try something different to make the recipe work better for me. If so, I include what I found to be helpful when going through the recipe. I always share the link for the recipe in my post, along with pictures that I have taken of the finished product. I want you all to have the original recipe, and the nutrition information that you need. Plus, as a writer, I know I want to give credit where credit is due. And followers are always a great thing! 😉

Who doesn’t love cheesecake? When you put it with fruit and in a bite-size morsel it’s even better. This recipe for Raspberry Cheesecake Cookies is amazing! https://joyfilledeats.com/raspberry-cheesecake-cookies/ and pretty easy to make. I don’t do a lot of cookies because…well…they’re tedious to bake. I go for a bar any day. But this thumbprint cookie is easy to form, non-sticky, and just the right size for two bites. (Okay, a few were just one bite!)

In this recipe is a recipe link for sugar-free Strawberry Jam. https://joyfilledeats.com/fresh-strawberry-jam/ I made this jam with mixed berries, (just like the picture above), and I used this in the cookies. It’s wonderful! I can’t wait to try it on some toast…gluten-free of course! I’m also looking forward to trying these cookies again with the raspberry jam, or the caramel in the thumb-print cookies.

I wasn’t going to put the white chocolate drizzle on top. I was a little tired of baking by that point in time, but I melted some anyway. I don’t have a microwave, by choice. So, when I was melting the chocolate on the stovetop, I refilled my Singing Canary and let the chocolate get too hot. White chocolate seems to be a little more finicky in that area. Anyway, no drizzle was coming out of that mess! So, I just chopped it into little chunks and crumbled over the top. It still tastes delicious!

Cookies just out of the oven. I doubled the recipe. Original recipe is for 12 cookies.
Finished product with white chocolate crumbles.

So, just a reminder. Don’t refill your Singing Canary glass when you are melting white chocolate on the stove. But if you do, and you haven’t burnt it beyond recognition, it can be redeemed in crumbles. These cookies are wonderful, and I’m going to say my new favorite cookie…until the next recipe. Thank you, Joy Filled Eats, for another great recipe!

P.S. Part one of this blog is Hot Baking. I have included information on the Singing Canary and other recipes in that post.