Heading back home today. And it is with a very heavy heart.

But ah, I will see my puppy and I’m sure the cat will glance in my general direction.

HUGE thunderstorm rolled over us in the wee hours of the morning and is lingering. I fly out later this evening.

Now, I head upstairs to make kim chee fried rice for the last time this visit.

Sharing someone else’s story.

The hardest part about being on a road trip isn’t just trying to finish a chapter or two, it’s also trying to remember to post something on the blog.

There’s been a lot of stuff happening in my head… and lack of sleep seems to be an ongoing problem. Today I read a one star review on one of my books and had a good chuckle over it. Now this isn’t a call to action on anything. Please know this. The odd thing is I could read it and kind of…chuckle.

Not sure why. Perhaps lack of sleep or just… maybe it was a “huh” moment and move on. Not because I’m thinking “oh I’m such hot shit that one star does not apply to my brilliance”. Let’s get real here. But I think I’m okay with my books not being for everyone just as I’m happy if someone likes it.

There are some reviews where I wonder what they’ve read. We all get those kinds of reviews. This was one of them. Perhaps that’s what makes it easier? to sort of shrug over it? I don’t know. Do I worry about books and how they’d be taken? Hell yes. I don’t think that will ever go away but I think I’m okay if a book just doesn’t work for someone.

Of course if my mother left a one star review I might be horrified and shamed. She’d probably critique how I wrote someone washing rice.

So far on the road trip I’ve watched Deadpool. FUCKING awesome movie. Cooked a bunch… made a very Korean spicy kimchi chigae… and nearly dumped an entire vanilla soy latte with no foam all over the inside of Mary Calmes’ car. To be fair, I was getting choked by the seat belt at that time.

It was fricking freezing when I landed and snow is always a fascinating thing for me. I also ate at my first Steak n Shake and it was pretty decent. Met a bunch of people at Kroger’s (I think it was a Kroger’s) including a very nice Vietnamese checker with whom we exchanged opinions about daikon. I also discovered there’s no ginger in this house and I fear that some must be found.

Tomorrow we have the coffee thing so woooot! Looking forward to that. And I have a cat hair or something in my right eye and it’s driving me nuts.

Actually on travel right now. Sitting in a hotel in Austin and trying to find a comfortable position to sit at this table. The table is too damned high.

Man I could use more sleep.

Life kind of went upside for a bit… family medical emergency which sucked up a bunch of time but stuff’s better now.

Whatcha all up to?

Or scritch me.

This is Tam. You’ve all met him before. He’s about 15 pounds (a little over one stone) of black, muscular passive-aggressive aloofness. His head almost reaches the top of the couch cushions and he doesn’t like to be picked up.

He’s been diabetic for a while now but is ever so good about coming to get his shots twice a day at 6 am and 6 pm. Adores catnip to the Nth degree and  also has a hardcore love for turkey or as we call it… leezard. Long eeeeeeee on that.

This is Tam’s begging face. It’s the same begging face for food as it is scratches on his head or back. He also likes to get his tail gently tugged because he’s a weirdo.

And yes, those are his eyes. He’s ALL eye. Like a Keane painting.

Apologies. I’ve been a bit under the weather. Mostly the weather’s kicking my ass because that’s what weather seems to like doing. We keep snapping hot and cold and the breaks in my face along with my sinuses are not happy about it. Next week, we allegedly will be in the 80s. We’re all skeptical.

Nothing much is going on. Heading to Austin and lexington in a week so that’s cool. Will be hooking up with friends, readers, editors and Mary Calmes. Texted my dongsaeng Ren this morning that I was going to see Hoshi and PornoChun along with a picture of a latte I got this morning at Starbucks. Then realized, life is a kind of strange and odd place where we know one another’s names but really, it is the username we meet someone under that sticks in the brain the most.

The latte by the way is perfect. Just what I needed. Okay actually what I need is some sleep but the latte will be fine.

Trying to get Kai under some semblance of order. Rounding the bend to the end then I have to go back and gut some things. Wish me luck on the gutting.

Also got a pub date for Absinthe of Malice and a cover. I’ll be doing a reveal on The Novel Approach in a month or so. After the Dirty Heart stuff dies down.

I’m thinking of giving away Vietnamese Coffee Kits for the DH giveaways. What do you all think? It’s the last of the series. It should be something fun? What’s your opinions? I’m entertaining any input. Hell, I guess I better line up something for a tour as well. THAT would be a good idea, yes?

Time has gotten away from me in the past few months. It’s a giant blur of coffee and words. So… what do you all want for the final Cole McGinnis tour?

My cat Tam is an addict. He shoots up once or twice a day (insulin), gets the munchies late at night (cat treats before bed) and most of all, needs a bit of weed every night.

Okay so it’s catnip but still, he needs it, man. And usually about 8ish if I’m anywhere near the cat post, Tam is MORE than happy to get hooked up. Actually he comes around like some guy hitting a pusher up in an alleyway. First he’ll sit on my feet while I’m working and then when I get up, immediately head over to the cat post to get hooked up.

As one does.

He’s sitting up there right now. Stoned and quite happy. And a little Cheshire Cat mad.