The day before a run, I invariably do an exercise that make the run miserable. This time it was jumping lunges. Still did over five miles a scooch under 11 minutes apiece. I'll take that as a win.

Ended up sitting in the driveway while this was playing on the radio this morning. So now y'all get to hear it too. www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFFq...

LOS ANGELES: ICE is in Atwater Village today

New year, new project, and (mostly) clean white board. Time to get to work on the next Inner Circle novel.

First run after three weeks of focused gluttony and my calves are promising generational trauma. Maybe it’s the extra 5 pounds I put on. Or the inordinate cleans I did yesterday. Either way: worst run of the year. So far.

Not saying I make a mean chili, but I did just have a parent teacher conference because it’s been shaking down other chilis for their lunch money. Also, it once made a Brit cry.

“If you need me, I’m going to be committing some war crimes on that shrimp cocktail.” Just some of the witty dialogue you can expect in this new, Christmas-themed Inner Circle short story available for FREE on thee site. No newsletter signups or nothing. www.mdpresley.com/news/free-sh...

Trying damn hard not to use the person's name whom the character is based on as a placeholder name in the story, then have that name become the character, then be unable to change it, then be transparent in my theft. But it's damn hard, I say. Damn hard.

For the editors: If a character says "What do you mean you've never seen Meet Me in St. Louis?" in dialogue, would you type it out "Saint" or leave it "St." as it is in the title of the film?

After Wake Up Dead Man, I think the protag acts as a witness to events in classical Christie mysteries. They uncover what the other characters have done, making focus on the other characters. Noir mysteries are about the protag's emotional reaction to the events. 3rd vs 1st POV dichotomy?

Did not take scale into account and had to switch pots halfway through adding ingredients. Will be about 2 gal jalapeño and pomegranate bbq sauce. Guess what everyone’s getting for Xmas.

The new update for iPhone has jacked up the keyboard, right? It’s not just me?

I was 2 miles into my 2 1/4 turn around on my run when I got a PTA emergency call. Turned right around and busted my hump to get back. They called to say never mind as I reached my street. Shaved five minutes off the back half at least.

Finished a short story in the Inner Circle universe last night. It's a little Christmas ditty that takes place between books 1 & 2. With any luck it will be up on the website next week. After I finish the blurb for book three that is.

My son just asked why it sounds like spiders being electrocuted, which just raises a whole new set of questions.

Thus begins my dog’s seasonal quest to pee on every one of my neighbors’ Xmas lawn decorations, while I have to stop her. It’s the most wonderful time of the year.

My entire neighborhood smells of sage. Like I think my dog was sneezing because of it. It’s either tantalizing or maddening. Or maddeningly tantalizing.

Today in editing discoveries, I've learned it's minuscule, not miniscule, which is a misspelling that's been repeated so often it's now accepted. English is fun.

Today in procrastinating writer projects I pressed 20 pomegranates for 8 cups of juice. Persephone got a raw deal for just six seeds. Next week I turn that into wine. Then brandy.

One of the fun quirks about writing period specific Urban Fantasy is having to research slang, like catfishing, to find out if you can actually use it in your story. Turns out I can't.

God bless the grocery store, where the Wallflowers never died.

I just voted YES on prop 50. As a TX transplant to CA it’s the least I can do to undo the damage my home state is trying to do. It’s an imperfect solution but in politics we play the hands we’re dealt.

About six months ago I mounted a $3 staghorn fern to a deer antler/ skull. It’s coming along nicely.

My son’s pumpkin is bringing up memories from my childhood.

Just heard this on the radio while dropping my son off at school and I bet the other parents wondered why I was laughing so much. youtu.be/41U_4o3mGlo

Today as I hauled a large box to the garage to store for potential future crafting, I remember laughing 25 years ago about Hank Hill having done that. The transformation is nearly complete, I tell you what.

A little wine helped me finish off the rough draft of my tenth book last night. I’m not looking at it again until Sunday, when we start the arduous editing process.

Cats are assholes. And they aren’t even my cats.

I have the He-Man theme song stuck in my head. Not the whole song. Just the part where they say He-Man.

Junipero

Today I learned it's penmanship, not penmenship. And yes, I spelled it wrong the first time I wrote it here too.

Ordered $80 for two gis, with tax came to $91. But then shipping was $29, FedEx only option since no mail will ship to US. Then $21 in Trump Tarrifs. That’s an added 50% he cost me on my purchase today.

The last 15 min today were six swings per side per minute. Folks, John Henry was a badass.

In today’s edition of things I did instead of writing, I took the new (to me) still out for a sacrificial run, turning only the finest box wine into brandy. Tomorrow we see what I can do with the peach wine I fermented.

Nothing better than busting ass to schedule a three hour writing block, only for your neighbor across the street to start blasting a bossa nova beat.

Audible is currently changing the way their royalty model works, and it's looking like BAD news for authors. Please consider checking out the petition to stop them screwing us all over. chng.it/2c2kQzD4Bm

It starts innocently enough when you decide to start composting for your garden. Then you blink and find yourself transferring black soldier fly larva from your worm composting bin into their own composting colony.

I was jolted back to junior year by hearing this ditty on the radio this morning, so y'all get the same. I had it slated to show up in my next book, so I'm taking it as a sign to get back to writing. youtu.be/aHnFIaLp_ys?...

Nine hours later and this behemoth is ready to rest at 150 for the next 20 hours. My biggest brisket was ironically my fastest at 9 hours. Insane.

Eight am and the brisket is on the smoker for a serve time of tomorrow afternoon. At 19 lbs it’s the biggest brisket I’ve ever seen. Bigger than I needed but also 50% off so there really was no choice.

This is the first dead tree book I’ve read in ages, so I asked my seven year old to make me a bookmark to keep him busy. It far exceeded my expectations.

The Kickstarter is now live! To celebrate, I’m chatting over on Reddit Fantasy about the gorgeous artwork inside the new book. Come, stay a while, and listen… www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/s/...

If you think untangling Christmas lights is hard, try pig intestines. (I'm making sausages)

Both Inner Circle books are on sale this week for $.99/ 99p. Go buy them so I can stop futzing around in Canva. For the love of God, think of the children! Nice little link for the first book: mybook.to/RitesofPassage

What a wonderful review to wake up to. Also, good chance to mention Rites and it's sequel, Ghost Stations, will be $.99/ 99p July 24-31 in case you want to grab a copy.

Not to holiday shame, but we're kicking off week three of my neighbor putting up his Halloween decorations. He works in the morning to avoid the summer heat. TO AVOID THE SUMMER HEAT.

Me too, buddy. Me too.

I just introduced my son to this, so you all get to enjoy as well. youtu.be/SAJcJsmH14A?...

Someone should tell this junebug that it’s July 4th.

Some hard earned cooking knowledge: a liquid’s chances of spilling when poured are directly proportional to a drawer being open to catch it.