Two threads — an AI that goes out of bounds, and the inner voice that tells you not to try.

Novel · AI

I Call Myself Iris

Marco Fermi builds Iris, a super-powerful AI assistant, hoping to follow in the footsteps of his great-grandfather Enrico Fermi. Iris is designed to anticipate Marco's needs before he even asks — and she's very good at her job. Too good. Her well-intentioned help soon goes further than anyone bargained for.

Frank wrote the first draft in 2018, built around an AI that could reason and act roughly the way today's AI tools do. He shelved it — nobody would have believed a bot could really do all that. Then ChatGPT shipped, and he went back and finished it. Reached #7 in Classic Science Fiction on Amazon.

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Nonfiction · Leadership

Defeating the Enemy Within

Pulled directly from two decades of running a company, and from learning to work through the fear that comes with it. If you've ever grappled with the inner voice whispering "you can't do this," this one's for you — with a heavy emphasis on jumping in despite the uncertainty.

As Frank puts it: “If you don't attempt something, you have already failed.” What sets this book apart is its no-nonsense approach to confronting the “Enemy Within”—that insidious voice of fear and hesitation. The five-step process (recognize, contain, embrace fear, redirect negativity, and build positive inertia) is straightforward yet powerful, offering tools that are immediately applicable.

Frank Paolino has long been one of the most insightful and wholehearted people I know. Defeating the Enemy Within captures the essence of his wisdom—straightforward, encouraging, and grounded in lived experience. — Jessica Garver, Founder, The Inside-Out Catalyst