Undawntech: Era of Cyberespionage
Posted: February 7, 2025 Filed under: AI Technology, Undawntech | Tags: AI Technology, artificial-intelligence, Cyberespionage, DL Mullan, Undawntech, Writing to be Read Leave a comment
Artificial Intelligence, or A.I., sees all, knows all, and judges all. From jury pools (https://www.infotrack.com/blog/ai-jury-selection) to banking records (https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbestechcouncil/2024/02/23/how-artificial-intelligence-is-reshaping-banking), A.I. is behind the scenes controlling outcomes, information, and government agencies. The question is: when is there an overabundance of hyper-artificiality versus a deficiency of human control?
Or, are humans too engaged with the shiny new toy to make appropriate choices?
The Era of Cyberespionage
Take for instance, China’s DeepSeek A.I. flooded the market, which drove people to its cheap price point and technical scope. The application may look good and contribute to problem solving, but at what price? Any Chinese corporation is owned by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) government at the tune of 51%. Add to that reality is that the Chinese people are conscripted to spy on their fellow citizens and everyone else around the world (https://thediplomat.com/2019/02/the-real-danger-of-chinas-national-intelligence-law) for the communist regime. You, your data, and your privacy are in the hands of an aggressive foreign government campaign to infiltrate other countries’ culture, norms and mores, as well as conduct influence operations onto an unsuspecting populace.
To illustrate further this idea of cyberespionage by an adversary, let’s scrutinize some popular applications: Tictok (https://www.heritage.org/big-tech/report/tiktok-generation-ccp-official-every-pocket and https://www.cnn.com/2023/06/08/tech/tiktok-data-china/index.html), WeChat/QQ (https://nspirement.com/2019/03/22/ccp-tracking-private-messages-on-chinese-social-media.html), as well as DeepSeek (https://abcnews.go.com/US/deepseek-coding-capability-transfer-users-data-directly-chinese/story?id=118465451) are available to the public, in order to track and surveil their users. The Social Credit Score implemented by the CCP is in effect here.
Defending the Indefensible
The reaction mustered by the ego begins: “But I am an artist, creator, musician, and/or writer, I need to reach my people! I am an independent creator. All marketing falls on my shoulders. How can I become an international sensation without going international?”
Response: How can you reach anyone, if you lose your soul? If you are going to be a victim of cyberespionage at home or abroad, then be a really smart victim.
Counter the Cyberespionage
What can creators do to protect themselves from overt government, foreign and domestic, overreach into our private data and lives?
Creators can reach their audience as long as they do a few extra steps. For one, do not download or use any application from China. That would be the ultimate protection. However, if you cannot resist the siren song of the CCP, then have a separate device or phone to use these applications. A burner phone with no trace to your personal accounts of other social media, banking, or purchases would be a wise alternative. In the age of A.I., no one can be too careful with their data.
Don’t believe China is the only problem.
American software has backdoors for the NSA and other Five Eyes (FVEY)countries to spy on Americans without due process (https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/confirmed-windows-10-government-backdoor/c72e091a-3f56-4c7f-a4b8-9de912de5cd6, https://www.gnu.org/proprietary/proprietary-back-doors.en.html). In the United States, probable cause and a warrant signed off by a judge are critical to obtaining private information or property from an American, but our privacy and rights are ignored for national security, which is unconstitutional, unlawful, and illegal.
That sets up the corporate governance angle to cyberespionage. Corporations steal users data as a commodity. Accounts that are FREE, aren’t free. Your data and privacy are being sold to the highest bidder in a modern version of the slave trade.
No fear, if there is nothing to hide.
In other countries, bootleg purses (https://daxueconsulting.com/counterfeit-products-in-china), music (https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/soviet-hipsters-bootlegged-banned-music-bone-records-180957505), and movies (https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2023/08/09/russian-cinemas-screen-pirated-copies-of-barbie-a82102) are commonplace. If your book becomes popular, but not a sensation, then copies of your hard work could be sold for profit and no royalties go your way (https://austinkleon.com/2023/02/09/on-piracy-and-bootlegged-copies-of-my-books).
How does Creators defend their works?
Copyright your creation in the USA, and in other countries where your creative items are sold, would give you legal standing in a criminal case. Don’t use your foreign social media to publish books on other platforms using the same device or cellular/smart phone. Purchase a good virus defender on all of your technology: computer, phone, or anything else that you create on. And, always keep a downloaded, original version of your creations: books, photos, images of created works, music, and videos, preferably burned on a disk for safe keeping. If a legality arises, you have proof the work is yours.
Conclusion
In the ever-changing landscape of technology and its intrusion into our privacy, humans need to safeguard their information like never before. Sometimes due diligence can make the difference between selling books, audiobooks, and videos of creative works, or being a victim of piracy from within and without.
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DL Mullan holds a Master of Arts in Teaching and Learning with Technology. Her lecture, Spacescapes: Where Photography Ends; Imagination Begins, debuted at the Phoenix Astronomy Society, which then led to her Sally Ride Festival lecture invitations. Her presentation, Bridging the Gap between Technology and Women, won her accolades at a community college’s Student Success Conference. She has been a panelist at speculative fiction, science fiction, and other regional conventions. Her digital exhibition pieces have won awards at convention art shows, as well as garnered her Second Premium at the Arizona State Fair. Currently, Ms. Mullan’s artistic renditions are seen on book covers, blog sites, and various merchandise. As an independent publisher, she uses her technical background to innovate the way she perceives the creative arts.

As a writer, DL Mullan loves to stretch her imagination and the elasticity of genres. She writes complex multigenre stories in digestible and entertaining forms, be it poetry, short fiction, or novels. Her science, history, mythology, and paranormal research background is woven into her writings, especially in Undawnted’s Legacy Universe. Ms. Mullan’s creative endeavors are available in digital and print collections, from academia to commercial anthologies. She is also an award-winning poet.
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Did you know you can sponsor your favorite blog series or even a single post with an advertisement for your book? Stop by the WtbR Sponsor Page and let me advertise your book, or you can make a donation to Writing to be Read for as little as a cup of coffee, If you’d like to show your support for this author and WordCrafter Press.
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This segment of “Undawntech” is sponsored by The D.I.Y. Author and WordCrafter Press.
Being an author today is more than just writing the book. Authors in this digital age have more opportunities than ever before. Whether you pursue independent or traditional publishing models, or a combination of the two, being an author involves not only writing, but often, the publishing and marketing of the book.
In this writer’s reference guide, multi-genre author and independent publisher, Kaye Lynne Booth shares her knowledge and experiences and the tools, books, references and sites to help you learn the business of being an author.
Topics Include:
Becoming Prolific
Writing Tools
Outlining
Making Quality a Priority
Publishing Models & Trends
Marketing Your Book
Book Covers & Blurbs
Book Events—In Person & Virtual
And more…

Purchase your copy today: https://books2read.com/The-DIY-Author
Undawntech: Balancing Technological Freedom and Oppression in 2025
Posted: January 3, 2025 Filed under: AI Technology, Undawntech | Tags: ai, AI Technology, artificial-intelligence, Books, DL Mullan, Fiction, Undawntech, Writing, Writing to be Read Leave a comment
Greetings, Undawntechs!
A new year is upon us. Have you made your New Year’s Resolutions yet?
Do you want to publish a book: write, edit, and research? Are you fascinated
by technology in the arts?
Welcome to 2025, the year technology becomes important as a means
of creation, experience of freedom and oppression, simultaneously. Fret not,
Undawntech will help creators navigate this exciting and frightening journey.
Did you know that Artificial Intelligence (AI) will affect you in each
step of creation? Many writers research the content of their plot lines
before embarking on the writing process. AI can help writers with
their source material like many people already use ChatGPT, GROK, and
others. These programs also fact-check. As editing software, writers
can clean up their writing and create better, more understandable
products with the use of AI. AI is like having a beta reader at your
disposal. As stories are written, writers can employ AI to give them
word and phrase prompts, as well as maintain verb tenses and
continuity within a work. More writers are opting for the independent
publishing route these days. Formatting and distributing a manuscript
with AI assistance, indie creators are able to bypass stuffy publishing houses
for a direct line to their audience.
However, creators of all types, including writers, need to weigh the
advantages with the disadvantages of using AI. Yes, Artificial
Intelligence helps writers in many awesome ways: creating content,
editing for clarity, and designing book covers. What AI does not give
writers are original plots and characters, authentic voices, real
information over “fact-checking” mis-/dis- information, and other
errors. Some creators have already stepped into the public arena by
rejecting AI meddling in their content while others embrace it.
As an artist, editor, musician, producer/publisher, filmmaker, and
writer, Artificial Intelligence has opened up the expanse of
creativity and imagination for me. I design book cover art with and
without the use of AI (Undawnted/Author Central). I use spell check
and grammatical software to correct errors in my typing/writings. With
my musical background in orchestra, band, chorus/singing, lyrics,
poetry, and arrangement, this new technology has given me the ability
to write my own songs (Quantum Time), as soundtrack singles and albums
for my written work (Undawnted/Yuletide Celebration). AI allows me to
publish my content as an Indie writer and publisher. Shorts, poetry
slams, and music videos are assisted by the use of AI, including
uploading to video sites (Undawnted on YouTube). Writing, no matter
the author, can be uplifted by the use of technology.
Conversely, if you do not know who you are, what your
authoritative/authentic voice is, or what you believe in, then the use
of technology will put your deficits on display, instead of hiding
them. Terrible writers will use AI to become mediocre writers. Just as
vivid and imaginative visions can become cookie-cutter dribble with
the use of AI. The problem with making writing easier with technology
is that writers become complacent, allowing AI to do their thinking
and creating for them. To combat the challenges of technology,
creators must be a seasoned expert in their craft. The better creators
know themselves; the better creators can use technology to improve
their art, music, filmmaking, and writing.
Just like tech companies, multinational corporations and governments will
promote Term of Service vigilante justice, or lawfare, over protecting basic
human rights of freedom of speech and expression. In this brave new world,
humanity must stay vigilant and refuse to succumb to the radical agenda of
the Dark Enlightenment. It is a new philosophy by tech oligarchs and their
puppet politicians to usurp our nations’ Constitutions and insert corporate
autocracy in the wake of power vacuums left by weak leadership.
2025 is the start of a new era in technology and the human race. If
you are a creator of any type, technology will test you in ways you
haven’t quite imagined yet. If it is maintaining your voice/integrity,
rejecting corporate vigilantism (using AI Terms of Service enforcement
through censorship (e.g., lawfare) governance, etc. on social media), or competing
with artistry sanitized of voice and wisdom, the best and worst of
Artificial Intelligence is yet to come.
Are you ready to take a joyride with me?
–~o0o~—

DL Mullan holds a Master of Arts in Teaching and Learning with Technology. Her lecture, Spacescapes: Where Photography Ends; Imagination Begins, debuted at the Phoenix Astronomy Society, which then led to her Sally Ride Festival lecture invitations. Her presentation, Bridging the Gap between Technology and Women, won her accolades at a community college’s Student Success Conference. As Editor-in-Chief of her local newspaper for a decade, the Villa de Paz Gazette, Ms. Mullan earned accolades for her investigative journalism, in depth research, dot-connecting articles, and fact-based op-eds, which effected national politics, saved industries, and thus lives. She has been a panelist at speculative fiction, science fiction, and other regional conventions. Her digital exhibition pieces have won awards at convention art shows, as well as garnered her Second Premium at the Arizona State Fair. Currently, Ms. Mullan’s artistic renditions are seen on book covers, blog sites, video presentations, and various merchandise. As an independent publisher, she uses her technical background to innovate the creative arts.
As a writer, DL Mullan loves to stretch her imagination and the elasticity of genres. She writes complex multi-genre stories in digestible and entertaining forms, be it poetry, short fiction, or novels. Her science, history, mythology, and paranormal research backgrounds are woven into her writings, especially in Undawnted’s Legacy Universe. Ms. Mullan’s creative endeavors are available in digital and print collections, from academia to commercial anthologies. She is also an award-winning poet and is now using her lyrical talents creating music.
Be sure to subscribe to her newsletters and follow her on social media. For further information, visit her at www.undawnted.com.
________________________________
Did you know you can sponsor your favorite blog series or even a single post with an advertisement for your book? Stop by the WtbR Sponsor Page and let me advertise your book, or you can make a donation to Writing to be Read for as little as a cup of coffee, If you’d like to show your support for this author and WordCrafter Press.
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This segment of “Writer’s Corner” is sponsored by The Rock Star & The Outlaw and WordCrafter Press.

A time-traveler oversteps his boundaries in 1887. Things get out of hand quickly, and he is hanged, setting in motion a series of events from which there’s no turning back.
In 1887, LeRoy McAllister is a reluctant outlaw running from a posse with nowhere to go except to the future.
In 2025, Amaryllis Sanchez is a thrill-seeking rock star on the fast track, who killed her dealing boyfriend to save herself. Now, she’s running from the law and his drug stealing flunkies, and nowhere is safe.
LeRoy falls hard for the rock star, thinking he can save her by taking her back with him. But when they arrive in 1887, things turn crazy fast, and soon they’re running from both the outlaws and the posse, in peril once more.
They can’t go back to the future, so it looks like they’re stuck in the past. But either when, they must face forces that would either lock them up or see them dead.
Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/RockStarOutlaw
Midnight Garden stories now on Joseph Carrabis: “Kurst”
Posted: October 8, 2024 Filed under: Anthology, Book Release, Dark fiction | Tags: DL Mullan, Kurst, Midnight Garden 3 Comments
Tales From the Hanging Tree Stories Now Featured on Joseph Carrabis: “12 Angry Dead”
Posted: September 17, 2024 Filed under: Anthology, Book Promotion, Dark fiction | Tags: "12 Angry Dead", Dark fiction, DL Mullan, Joseph Carrabis, Tales from the Hanging Tree Leave a commentTales From the Hanging Tree Available for Pre-Order
Posted: September 5, 2024 Filed under: Anthology, Book Promotion, Book Release, Books, Dark Fantasy, Dark fiction, Horror, WordCrafter Press | Tags: C.R. Johansson, Dark fiction, DL Mullan, Joseph Carrabis, Kaye Lynne Booth, Matt Usher, Paul Kane, Sylva Fae, Tales from the Hanging Tree, WordCrafter Press 1 CommentThere exists a tree that is timeless, spanning across all dimensions, which absorbs every life as those who are hanged as they die… and it remembers every one. The stories within are a select few of the Tales From the Hanging Tree.
Stories by Kaye Lynne Booth, Paul Kane, DL Mullan, C.R. Johannson, Joseph Carrabis, Sylva Fae, and Matt Usher.
To release on September 10, 2024. Available for pre-order now: https://books2read.com/Hanging-Tree
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And don’t miss the WordCrafter Tales From the Hanging Tree Book Blog Tour September 9 – 13. Find out more right here, on Writing to be Read.
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This post is sponsored by WordCrafter Press.

This post is sponsored by WordCrafter Press.
Undawntech: Innovative Creativity
Posted: January 5, 2024 Filed under: Creative Arts, Technolgy, Undawntech, Writing | Tags: Creative Arts, DL Mullan, technology, Undawntech, Undawnted, Writing, Writing to be Read 2 Comments
Since technology is ubiquitous in our modern lives, sometimes it is nice to peel back the layers and see how devices serve us, to identify when we are serving them and break that negative feedback loop. Technology in its proper place enhances our life experience. That brings us to the scope of this column. Our discourse will range from computers, writing and image software, artificial intelligence, video creation, social media, and other applications, as well as our handy peripherals.
Creators are barraged with advertisements and gadgets to make their lives as writers easier, but do they really make our lives better? When faced with the new versus the old, which one wins out in the end? And are expensive items just a gimmick when a tried and true device will do? Or, is this situation another case of buying a different waffle maker each holiday season to the point where the cupboards are filled with old versions of the same gadget, but they no longer serve a real purpose? Let’s clean out the storage, make a list, and remove what no longer serves our ability to do what we love. Then we will have what we need to create from our imaginations, instead of worrying about the next waffle maker.
For instance, spellcheck and grammar programs, I have two different ones on my computer to see which one serves my needs. One tells me that I require a comma for a clause. The other one tells me to remove the comma from the sentence. Which one is correct? Could both programs be right? Wrong? In the age of technology, sometimes the simplest answer is to read the language rule to decide, if the comma is necessary or not. There is nothing like computer program arguments to wish for a time without them.
Technology can be foreboding, yet indispensable in the creative arts. In the coming months, we will work together to build a knowledge base that helps unleash the creator in us all while working with technology and allowing it to serve our greatest and highest good.
I look forward to Writing to be Read readers joining me on this new adventure.
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DL Mullan holds a Master of Arts in Teaching and Learning with Technology. Her lecture, Spacescapes: Where Photography Ends; Imagination Begins, debuted at the Phoenix Astronomy Society, which then led to her Sally Ride Festival lecture invitations. Her presentation, Bridging the Gap between Technology and Women, won her accolades at a community college’s Student Success Conference. She has been a panelist at speculative fiction, science fiction, and other regional conventions. Her digital exhibition pieces have won awards at convention art shows, as well as garnered her Second Premium at the Arizona State Fair. Currently, Ms. Mullan’s artistic renditions are seen on book covers, blog sites, video presentations, and various merchandise. As an independent publisher, she uses her technical background to innovate the creative arts.
As a writer, DL Mullan loves to stretch her imagination and the elasticity of genres. She writes complex multi-genre stories in digestible and entertaining forms, be it poetry, short fiction, or novels. Her science, history, mythology, and paranormal research backgrounds are woven into her writings, especially in Undawnted’s Legacy Universe. Ms. Mullan’s creative endeavors are available in digital and print collections, from academia to commercial anthologies. She is also an award-winning poet.
Be sure to subscribe to her newsletters and follow her on social media. For further information, visit her at www.undawnted.com.
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Want to be sure not to miss any of DL Mullan’s “Undawntech” segments? Subscribe to Writing to be Read for e-mail notifications whenever new content is posted or follow WtbR on WordPress. If you found it interesting or informative, please share.
Book Review: “The Town Santa Forgot”
Posted: December 12, 2023 Filed under: Book Review, Books, Fantasy, Fiction, Holidays, Humor, Mystery, Review, Short Fiction | Tags: Book Review, Christmas fiction, DL Mullan, Fantasy, mystery, The Town That Santa Forgot, Writing to be Read 8 CommentsAbout the Book

In the small town of Saguaro Hill, Arizona, there is an ongoing history-mystery as to why Santa has never visited. Children have never received a single gift for the Yuletide holidays since the town’s establishment in 1888.
The public librarian, Rachel George, is tasked by Mayor Higgins to research the urban legend and discover the real reason why Santa has never flown over, let alone stepped foot, in their village.
Rumors abound, but are there any facts to this case?
Or, will Santa remain a no-show for the ages?
Rachel is determined to find out the truth as to why she lives in The Town Santa Forgot.
Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CQDK1RPD
My Review
The Town Santa Forgot, by DL Mullan a short story which reads like a classic Christmas mystery. This is the kind of heart warming tale you want to read with your family, sitting around the tree, with a fire warming the hearth.
Rachel George is the head librarian in Seguaro Hills, Arizona, dubbed the town that Santa forgot. It was named so because Santa Clause hasn’t visited this town for over a century. No one knows why Santa has neglected them, but despite being left off Santa’s GPS, the town maintains their Christmas spirit in hopes that someday he will return. It falls on Rachel to find out why Santa has forgotton Seguaro and save Christmas, but she must dig deep into the town’s history to solve the mystery.
A tale that will tickle the whole family’s fancies. The perfect holiday gift, but would be fun to read year round. As with most Christmas stories, this one is filled with love and hope. I give The Town Santa Forgot five quills.
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Kaye Lynne Booth does honest book reviews on Writing to be Read in exchange for ARCs. Have a book you’d like reviewed? You can request a review here.
































