It’s my pleasure to have fellow science fiction romance author Yolanda Sfetsos here today, talking about Artificial Intelligence, robots and romance! (Love her book’s cover…) Take it away, Yolanda!

Hi there! It’s great to be here today. I want to thank Veronica for giving me the chance to post a little something on her blog, while also helping me celebrate the release of my latest SFR book. DASH is the fourth book in my RECAST series and features an AI you might recognize from previous books. Walsh was introduced in CLASH (Book 2). He’s a Y-123 model that looks exactly the same as Young from WITHER (Book 1).

I knew early on that I would write a book featuring one of the Y-123 models. They were built for many reasons—mostly to satisfy human and alien desires—but were later outlawed and destroyed. At least, that’s what most people believe. Yet, Young was living in a scorching faraway planet and Walsh is living inside the Clash Arena. Both were seemingly used for selfish reasons, but each is a lot more than meets the eye.

Take Walsh for instance. He might be seen as the Enforcer in the arena dungeons, but he could also be playing two sides.

Most people in the galaxy might think of the Y-123 as dreadful machines, or not think of them at all, but these models were despised because they developed humanoid personalities and were often hard to spot. Which makes me wonder, how would our society feel about having robots integrate so seamlessly? Would we shun them and be suspicious of everyone just in case they weren’t entirely human? Or would we welcome them into society and not care?

I remember seeing a female robot on TV once. She looked so much like a woman that most called her creepy. But why is she creepy? Is it because she looks like she’s imitating a person or it because she looks so much like a person? It might sound like a strange question, but I think it’s important. Why are we so afraid of robots turning against us? I mean, if that’s our deep-rooted fear why spend time on robotics? What is it that scares us so much about our own creations? Do we secretly fear that everything we make can—and will—turn against us? Or is it because of the countless of stories we’ve read and watched?

Most people seem happy with the prospect of having a robot to help them in industry scenarios. Some would even love to have one to help take care of their house. Yet, these same people are probably the ones who wouldn’t want them to live freely amongst us. Why?

Personally, I don’t have that phobia. I find robots fascinating, and welcome equality in all forms. Besides, I don’t think the creation and introduction of robots would be as black and white as we try to make it. I think like people, they would each have their own quirks.

This leads me back to DASH. I took an AI who is mostly despised because of what he can become, and gave him a chance to tell his story. To show readers that although Walsh might have been created and engineered, it doesn’t mean he matters less. And hell, why shouldn’t he be treated like an individual?

So, do you like robots, or do they scare you? Are they scary or awesome? I think you already know my answer. 🙂

Thanks for reading,

Yolanda 

AUTHOR BIO:

Wife. Mother. Writer. Bibliophile. Dreamer. Animal lover. Intrigued by the supernatural. Horror freak. Zombie enthusiast. Movie & music fan. Slave to her muse.

Yolanda lives in Sydney, Australia with her awesome husband, lovely daughter, and cheeky cat. (Veronica sez: Is there any other kind of cat on the planet LOL?)

You can find Yolanda at:

Website: http://www.yolandasfetsos.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/yolandasfetsos

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/yolandasfetsos

The story for DASH Recast:

She escaped the arena of death, but trusting him might be the death of her. 

RECAST, Book 4

Taylor may be the Clash Arena’s most dominant—and only—female gladiator, but today she just can’t catch a break. After winning yet another brutal fight, with the arena inexplicably falling down around her ears, she jumps at the chance to escape the prison of her subterranean pit.

Instead, she finds herself knocked unconscious more times than she can count, and pursued over the edge of a sea cliff by an AI enforcer she can’t shake off her heels.

Walsh has been living a double life, masquerading as a tyrant’s enforcer while hiding his true agenda. When the despicable arena falls, there’s only one thing on his mind—saving the savage blonde who doesn’t trust him as far as she can throw him. Which is a considerable distance.

Once he convinces her he’s not out to kill her but help her survive, they form an uneasy alliance. But Taylor senses he’s keeping a secret, not just from her, but about her. And the truth will show them exactly what it is to be human.

Warning: This book contains some girl-on-girl action, a kick-ass gladiator who takes no crap, an AI who puts it all on the line, a band of misfits who aren’t as merry as they seem, cute