You that never done nothin’
But build to destroy
You play with my world
Like it’s your little toy
You put a gun in my hand
And you hide from my eyes
And you turn and run farther
When the fast bullets fly

-Bob Dylan, Masters of War

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Hi, I’m Christopher Ryan, a hybrid author with forty years of experience in journalism, education, sketch comedy, indie film, unions, community service, parenting, public speaking, acting, podcasting, but most often writing fiction, poetry, and pop culture essays. Now I’m working to discover what more I can achieve and share with the world, and whether an older author can find a place in the storytelling business. Together, let’s see if I can get there.

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NEWSish Stuff

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Upcoming live events

• StokerCon, Pittsburgh, PA, June 4-7
• Thrills and Chills Book Fair, Middletown, NY, July 12, 2026

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ON WRITING: Promotion for the latest episode of Tell The Damn Story really stresses me out

There is a very quiet, polite war going on at Tell The Damn Story. My-co-host and a co-founder of the podcast has decided to experiment with AI for promotional purposes. NOT in his writing. Just promotion.

I am uncomfortable with this.

My discomfort deepened a few weeks back when an author I had published (I’ve published around 50 authors in Soul Scream Antholozine and other projects under my Seamus and Nunzio Productions imprint) seemed ready to cut ties with me because they assumed I was all in on AI due to my co-host using AI in our episode “cover” and promotional material.

I had no idea what they were talking about and had to look up the promo myself. Sure enough, my partner had used an AI rendered illustration of me in the promo. That was enough to inspire this writer to contact me with the serious problem they had remaining associated with me as an AI user. Even though it wasn’t me.

Such is the state of our industry these days. The rich and successful can utilize AI but us blue collar creators are once again living with a completely different set of rules, with a slight whiff of Red Scare about them.

My partner, friend, and co-host discussed this. Debated it. And after stressing my discomfort with this and taking actual photos of myself simulating the illustration, he switched it out.

So, that was settled. We each understood and respected our differing opinions on AI. We could move forward.

And then this happened:

You can tap that link to listen to our latest episode, which has nothing to do with AI. This is a good, short one, about pitching and preparing to pitch. Worth your time.

The issue is with the above promo “cover” for the episode. Not the handsome mugs on either side (they’re just dreamy, ain’t they?). The conflict is sitting right between us. That illustration.

It’s AI-generated.

Here’s a close-up of the AI image used:

I don’t know if this is right or wrong, if it hurts my standing or provides a way to market the work we do for free as a service to the writing community. All I know is I was confronted about it last time and am stressing about it now. Because I do not know what is right, allowed, accepted.

As for my dispute with my co-host, I truly thought this had been settled. That it was clear my reputation was being doubted by my co-host’s use of AI.

We discussed it. Again. I understand his position; he’s demonstrating it right here. And he understands my concerns. And we’re going to search through alternatives. Again.

But the AI issue is here. Right here, right now, in this business and all others. Not just between us. But surrounding all of us, everywhere, whether we seek it out or not.

Try writing an email—AI wants to help.

Utilize the listen option on a news story—AI generated.

Adds on our social media. Lego-looking political parody. Ads. Book promotions. Indy animated or cinematic projects. Large-scale animation, film, commercial, print, or audible projects. All of it is tinged with AI. Worse, war targeting, governmental and business programming and decision-making, and so on, all now laced with AI.

And not always to positive results. Consider an entire school of Iranian girls was blown up because an AI-enhanced program suggested it as a target and the people in charge of confirming the targets as legit…do not seem to have.

It gets overwhelming.

And I can really use the help AI services can provide. I’m not good with ads for my books. AI-reliant services can do that for me. But it would tarnish my reputation. Maybe. I just don’t know the rules. Few of us do. But some are acting on rules from somewhere, questioning the reputations of honest, hard-working, non AI-using people. It feels like falling into a dystopian novel.

An author recently got dropped from Hatchette Books because her book showed some evidence of AI, seemingly on the editing end. The author denies using it at all, but their dreams are shattered now. I don’t know for sure, but I did not read about any editors or publishers getting fired over this, just the creative.

My co-host even sent me an article to further explore the issue. The article is interesting. The comments afterward serve as a good example of the fiery debate that continues.

Here’s the link:

We need a large-scale ongoing discussion and exploration of what indie or small or mid-list writers can utilize to give their work a fighting chance in this insane market. Like pens, paper, printing presses, mass production, computers, personal computers, the internet, ebooks, online selling, email, video, and social media have all enhanced what an author can do to get their work out there, AI must be discussed as a marketing tool, a business tool, and we need clear parameters that apply across the board.

Indie, hybrid, and working creators shouldn’t have to live with the twin nightmares of being accused of something we are not doing, and simultaneously seeing others benefit and succeed utilizing those forbidden tools.

Until then, I have to refrain from utilizing AI at all, even if it would ease the business end of my tiny company. But it is tearing rifts in my longtime partnership, and has already caused stressful accusations against me even though I didn’t use AI.

Full disclosure, I understand the guilt by association argument here; my partner has used it more than once to promote us. So, what is my moral obligation here? Must I end my participation in Tell The Damn Story after 412 episodes? Is that what is expected of me? What is fair? Honestly, it feels like right now the expectation is zero tolerance for some, me included, but not others.

I just want to do the right thing.

Your comments are welcome.

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Here’s a pic of a handsome fella

My sister snapped this pic of the legendary Sonny Mehlman at a high school varsity baseball game. He’s expressing his enthusaism for the sport. The team my son coaches won their league despite Sonny’s lack of support.

POP CULTURE FUEL

TV

The Punisher One Last Kill is a masterful exploration of PTSD that many veterans suffer, as well a exceptionally well done transition from Frank Castle’s deepest pain to repositioning him for the wider MCU.

I was going to write a longer review arguing the merits of this violent, incredible journey (completed impressively by Marvel Television in less than an hour of screen time), and complimenting Jon Bernthal’s incredible acting and credible writing on this project, as well as gratitude for lifetime favorite Judith Light’s quietly furious performance. But then I read the spoiler-free review below and it said all that I wanted to say, and said it well.

If you check it out, please give it a like and a share. Credit where it is due. Here’s the link:

https://screenrant.com/the-punisher-one-last-kill-review

Highly recommended.

Music

Listening to a Chess Records boxed set. Incredible, song after song.

Highly recommended.

Books

Same as last week. Plus Bukowsky. Been busy.

Social Media

If you haven’t checked out Omar Holman’s pop culture short videos, give yourself a treat. Here’s a link:

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“…maybe, I can, baby girl… maybe I can keep going…”

Frank Castle

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All right, thanks for stopping by. Talk atcha next week.