sync to the ticker inside

Today I kept up with my daily run/climb, which makes two days in a row. It'd feel more like a victory and less like an embarrassment if this wasn't something I used to do almost every single day, but I'll take what I can get.

It's no one's fault but my own. I got so badly out of the habit when I did all that traveling a couple of months ago, that's all; and then the weather turned so very awful, and it became too damn easy to make excuses to stay inside.

I fashion my excuses thusly: I will attempt my daily constitutional provided that only two of the three following meteorological states are in play – (1). It's cold, (2). It's windy, (3). It's raining. (To be more precise, my definition of "too cold" amounts to "40 degrees or below." I know plenty of people go out exercising in colder weather than this, but I am a pissy little hot-house orchid, and I flat refuse to be one of them.)

Mind you, Seattle-in-the-winter is very often cold, windy, and rainy. Ergo, my consistency has gone down the toilet even farther these last few weeks; but I'm working toward it again. I refuse to call this effort a New Year's resolution, because I've now kept up this routine for about a year and a half. I just haven't kept it up as well as I should have.

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Often when I make references to my daily run/climb on Twitter/Facebook, I get people asking for details of what I do and where I go. But those paragraphs above are all the details I'm prepared to hand out.

To be perfectly honest, I simply don't want the whole damn world knowing where I am and what I'm doing for about 35 minutes almost every single day. I don't care if people know what city I live in. I don't care if they know what neighborhood I live in. (It's a huge neighborhood with thousands and thousands of people in it.) But I'm not comfortable with anything more precise than that.

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In cheerier, less defensive news, it looks like Boneshaker has been declared Steampunk Book Of The Year by Steampunk.com. Many thanks to that fine website, and to everyone who voted!

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Speaking of books (yeah, still having trouble with transitions – in my attempts to provide fewer bullet points in my blogging) … things are beginning to ramp up with regards to my upcoming urban fantasy debut, Bloodshot. You may safely expect to hear more about this title as its due date looms (January 25).

For now, I want to say thanks again to the Amazon Vine program, its reviewers, and the publicity people at Bantam who thought it'd be a good idea to chuck books in their general direction. I've been very fortunate that the early readers have enjoyed the book, and that it's getting so much attention over on Amazon and over on Goodreads, too.

Anyway, if you're the sort of person who (a). enjoys urban fantasy, (b). lives in the greater Detroit area, and (c). MUST be the first to get your hands on a book the very MOMENT it becomes available … then you should really come out and see me at Off The Beaten Path Books on January 22 at 7:00 p.m.

Why? Because via some wrangling, finagling, and good old-fashioned begging … a few brand-spanking-new copies of Bloodshot (NOT the advance reader copies) will actually be on hand. Before the street date, yes. And people will be able to buy them (while supplies last). And I will be on hand to sign them.

MWOO HAH HAH HAH.

[Crossposted from my website. If you'd like to comment, you can do so either here or there.]