A New Career and a ‘Moral Code’

After nearly 20 years running a software company, Lois Melbourne has found a new calling as a professional writer, including books to help children explore careers and a novel, “Moral Code,” about the pursuit of ethical artificial intelligence.

I was young, naive, and bold enough to co-found a software company in the ’90s. My co-founder was my husband. He had a brilliant software concept, then a prototype, and I knew I could sell it into big business. I didn’t have the requisite experience, but it was that good.

Over the following 19 years, we built and designed products to help companies improve their workforce. I traveled the world pitching software. I learned to write blogs and communicate in 140 characters or less, on top of sales and marketing materials and I’m sure millions of emails. I also learned nothing lasts forever.

I loved selling, building partnerships, and helping to design software features. I loved creating great jobs and culture for our employees. I especially enjoyed learning about the careers in companies in every industry on every continent except Antarctica. I took that knowledge and used it for mentoring and teaching students about career options they could explore.

After selling the company, I knew what I needed to do. It wasn’t a matter of filling my time as an early retiree, it felt like a mission. I needed to write books for children to help them explore careers. I’d found too many students reaching the end of their formal education with little idea of what they would do to make a living. I wanted to inspire kids.

I started writing, attending conferences and workshops for authors, reading about the publishing industry, and testing my book ideas. Within five years I had published two illustrated books for 8 to 12-year-olds to inspire the connection between their interests and a multitude of career options. It felt great.

Lots of marketing to the general public and to corporations who do “bring your kid to work” events led to nice sales.

Then another writing mission loomed: a novel. A discussion with my husband about what type of artificial intelligence would offer the most benefits to the world if we could build it, sparked the idea. The most important AI would be an ethical AI that would protect kids from abuse and trafficking and even better if it could prevent these generational tragedies. A sci-fi concept developed, then an outline, then a manuscript.

Working closely with my husband for the concepts and realities of the technology now and in the future, a forward-thinking and hopeful story about ethical AI came to life. Having a novel published is a lifetime achievement I didn’t know I wanted.

The process was long. I took many courses and hired editors and marketing help. I’ve loved the process and now introduce myself as an author, because I can’t imagine doing anything else.

I’m continuing to diversify my genre portfolio. I’m working on a historical fiction manuscript. I have the shape of a magical realism story, and it’s time to add to the children’s book series.

My second career is unique from my first, and I love it.

After 19 years in the tech industry as both a CEO and entrepreneur, debut author Lois Melbourne explores her love for books and writing in “Moral Code,” a story about a young female engineer who works to develop an ethical AI but falls prey to the corporations looking to benefit. When she’s not writing, she also advocates for young women and girls to take up interest in STEM and find careers within the industry, and encourages them to keep up their careers for years to come.

Related: Lynn Slaughter – A Second Act As a Writer