Writing Today's Novel Combining Technology by Jamie Cortland
The genre has already
been decided upon; the plot has been outlined, the location and whatever needs
researched has been done. The era the book takes place in is set, and the
character sketch is complete.
In the past decade, the
world has changed greatly though. In order to write a novel set in the present
day I needed to consider crime lab techniques for one, driver-less cars,
cloning perhaps, drones, and of course, robots.
Since Judy Garland's
Wizard of Oz was released in 1939, “Star Wars” and “The Terminator,” robots have been on the
horizon. In the Wizard of Oz, ”The heartless Tin Woodsman”, technically a cyborg,
wrestled with a common problem faced by all robots,
the inability to feel
and the desire to combat rust.
With my overactive
imagination. I have always hoped that robots would remain in the world of
fantasy. Not so. We now have robots that belong in the realms of horror and
those that are suited for children and Disneyland. To give you an example
following are just a few of them:
MQ-1 Predator is a real
robot, not a fantasy robot that kills people. It's used by the US Military as
an unmanned aerial vehicle armed with missiles, not only monitoring our enemies,
but blowing them up as well.
The T-52 gives me
nightmares just to think about it! An eleven-foot-tall robot, that can rip cars
in half, lift 1,100 pounds of concrete and is piloted from a cockpit. The good
thing about the T-52 is that it is used to rescue those who have been buried in
Earthquakes.
False Maria was one of
the first mechanized humans on film. A sexpot from Fritz Lang's “Metropolis”,
she danced topless, incited riots, and sparked duels! For the next 80 years she
inspired every vision of an android.
I was amazed when I
discovered that we have Partner Ballroom Dancing Robots which can predict the
movements of a partner enabling them to follow another dancer's lead...no toes
to step on. As a ballroom dancer myself, I prefer a human partner!
Thankfully, we have
several robots used for medical purposes. The Edinburgh Modular Arm System is
part man, part machine, Pressure sensors in the shoulder attachment detect
minute fluctuations .in
the muscles activating motors that control the arm's movement. .
The DA Vinci System, a
surgical System is a fusion of arms, cameras, and instruments that allow
doctors to operate on their patients remotely. Research indicates there is less
blood loss and faster recovery
Toys are here!! If
you are writing a kid’s novel, don't forget Astroboy! While American kids were
pre-occupied with Superman, Japanese kids were dreaming of Astroboy. He wears
rocket boots, has lasers that shoot from his fingertips and a booty cannon!
This amazing crime-fighter was an inspiration to a generation of kids that went
on to become robotic researchers. Astroboy may very well be the reason Japan is
at the forefront of android development today.
If you love auto racing,
you must have heard of Stanley. He is a modified Volkswagen
Tourareg that can scan
any terrain and choose a drivable course to a present destination.
So, here's my Christmas
list. I've chosen a couple of robots for myself as well as a
few of the characters in
my novel. For my work in progress, Stella, an upper middle aged attractive,
wealthy woman, I' m going to give her the Roomba Discovery, the robot that
cleans floors and a Kitt which is a robotic auto that I would love to have
myself. This auto is a smooth -talking, self-driving muscle car from the early
'80's “Knight Rider” Check it out!
There are so many cool
robots. A warning, I have heard that the robots have developed their own
language. When they figure out they don't need us anymore,
I'm buying a case of
rust spray.
Brief
bio and links for Weslynn McCallister
Weslynn McCallister, pseudonym,
Jamie Cortland was born in Evansville, Indiana and raised in Roswell, New
Mexico. Today, she lives in the southwest.
A published novelist and an
award winning poet, she is a member of Sisters in Crime, the Mystery Writers of
America, and is a founding member of the Florida Writers Association.
Website URL: Weslynn McCallister, Author www.jamiecortland.com
Facebook URL: https//www.facebook.com/jamiecortland
Twitter: Weslynn McCallister@twitter
LinkedIn: Weslynn McCallister, Author
Buy links:
The Gardener’s Secret https://www.amazon.com/Gardeners-Secret-Jamie-Cortland/dp/1629897310/ref=sr_1_1_twi_pap_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1501788928&sr=8-1&keywords=the+gardener%27s+secret+cortland
What Lies Within http://www.amazon.com/What-Lies-Within-Jamie-Cortland/dp/1629891762/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1447445600&sr=8-2&keywords=What+Lies+Within+Cortland
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