Lawrence Nault – Page 5 – Essays, observations, and ideas from Canadian author and filmmaker Lawrence Nault — on writing, ecology, technology, and the natural world.s Blog

AI and copyright | AI ethics | AI misuse | book piracy | content protection | copyright infringement | creative rights | digital rights | intellectual property | LibGen | Meta | online piracy

Feeding the Beast: Why Pirated Books and AI Misuse Are Part of the Same Problem
ByLawrence Nault March 20, 2025July 12, 2026

The digital equivalent of someone selling stolen electronics or meat out of the back of a van, appearing on one corner one day and another the next. Recent revelations about Meta’s use of copyrighted material for AI training have reignited concerns about how our creative works are being exploited. While Meta’s actions are troubling, the…

Read more → Feeding the Beast: Why Pirated Books and AI Misuse Are Part of the Same Problem
climate change | Environmental Fiction | geological disasters | Great Sitkin | Inversion novel | Kīlauea | Marapi | Mount Spurr | Popocatépetl | Shiveluch | Speculative Fiction | survival | volcanoes

When Fiction Feels Like Reality: Mount Spurr, Global Eruptions, and the World of Inversion
ByLawrence Nault March 19, 2025July 12, 2026

A vigorous eruption column rising over the summit of 1,282-m (4,206 ft)-high Augustine Volcano. Photograph by M.E. Yount, U.S. Geological Survey, March 31, 1986. The earth never stops moving beneath our feet, but sometimes, its rumblings are impossible to ignore. Recent reports indicate that Mount Spurr, a towering peak northwest of Anchorage, Alaska, is showing…

Read more → When Fiction Feels Like Reality: Mount Spurr, Global Eruptions, and the World of Inversion
AI | artificial intelligence | climate change | creative arts | creative community | education | environmental impact | ethics | fears and hopes | future of AI | healthcare | job displacement | privacy | technology

Exploring AI: Fears, Hopes, and the Creative Future
ByLawrence Nault March 18, 2025July 12, 2026

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer a concept confined to the realm of science fiction. Its presence is rapidly growing across various industries, including the creative arts, the environment, and even our everyday lives. As a writer, I’ve had the opportunity to explore different facets of AI in my work, and I’ve been reflecting…

Read more → Exploring AI: Fears, Hopes, and the Creative Future
debt relief | economic justice | financial crisis | G7 summit | G8 summit | global economy | indie author | Kananaskis | Leviticus 25: Jubilee | political thriller | Smashwords sale | US influence

Leviticus 25: Jubilee — A Novel Written 20 Years Ago, More Relevant Than Ever
ByLawrence Nault March 16, 2025July 12, 2026

Nearly two decades ago, I wrote Leviticus 25: Jubilee, a political thriller inspired by the 2002 G8 Summit held in Kananaskis Country, Alberta. At the time, world leaders gathered to discuss economic stability, debt relief, and global financial systems. While the summit itself may have faded from public memory, the ideas that emerged from…

Read more → Leviticus 25: Jubilee — A Novel Written 20 Years Ago, More Relevant Than Ever
Author Musings | Blog Series | Cold Imagery | Creative Writing | Existence | Fragments of Frost and Fire | Mortality | Original Poetry | Philosophy | Poetry | Standalone Works | Time & Decay | writing

Fragments of Frost and Fire – Episode 2 – Wounds That Won’t Heal
ByLawrence Nault March 12, 2025July 12, 2026

Some words arrive unexpectedly—unattached to any story, yet too vivid to be left unwritten. Over time, I’ve found myself collecting these fragments of poetry, pieces that don’t belong in my novels but still deserve a life of their own in the world. My blog has already welcomed one of these wandering verses, but Fragments of Frost…

Read more → Fragments of Frost and Fire – Episode 2 – Wounds That Won’t Heal
AI and Technology | Beta Reader Feedback | Dystopian Fiction | Environmental Fiction | Faith and Technology | Humanity and AI | Philosophical Fiction | Speculative Fiction | The Life of Phi | Writing Insights

The Life of Phi – Early Reader Feedback
ByLawrence Nault March 10, 2025July 12, 2026

I’ve always leaned toward traditional publishing practices when it comes to beta and ARC readers, so my circle of readers is small — but their feedback is invaluable. The insights I’ve received so far have been thoughtful, detailed, and deeply encouraging. Here’s a glimpse of what a couple of my early readers had to say…

Read more → The Life of Phi – Early Reader Feedback
author advice | book marketing | book promotion | Canadian author | cancel culture | creative freedom | ebooks | indie authors | indie publishing | marketing challenges | POD | self-publishing | social media | writing journey

Two Decades of Self-Publishing: How My Approach Has Changed
ByLawrence Nault March 6, 2025July 12, 2026

“Through writing, I strive to transport readers to another world, to merge their mind and heart with another being, to inspire, motivate, and deepen understanding. To earn my place in this world by living modestly through this work alone—this is my dream, my goal, and my honor.” – Lawrence Nault If you have seen the…

Read more → Two Decades of Self-Publishing: How My Approach Has Changed
Author Musings | Blog Series | Cold Imagery | Creative Writing | Existence | Fragments of Frost and Fire | Mortality | Original Poetry | Philosophy | Poetry | Standalone Works | Time & Decay | writing

Whispers Between Worlds
ByLawrence Nault March 5, 2025July 12, 2026

When I set out to write “The Life of Phi” (coming April 22nd), I didn’t expect to find a hidden poet inside me. But as I explored the themes of the environment, AI, and humanity, I found myself drawn to the voice of water as my narrator. Water became my storyteller—fluid, ever-changing, and deeply intertwined…

Read more → Whispers Between Worlds