When you write a book, you live with it in privacy for years. There’s a particular joy, then, when it goes into the world and people start to catch the little jokes and references you forgot you slipped in—Kai’s skepticism with regard to the Jack Reacher novels, for example. (I’m borrowing a screenshot from WICKED PROBLEMS that was shared on Bluesky by BJ Witkin here…)

This is one of those cases where the characters’ feelings should not be confused with the author’s. Though I think Kai might be surprised how much she liked the Reacher books if she gave them a shot—this more than anything is a case of her Prospective Match failing that critical first-date “describe your fandom” skill check. I’m not weird about Reacher—I’ve only ever read the first book, The Killing Floor, but I would put it on my “surprisingly good or even great books about America written by non-Americans” list, linking a deceptively idyllic Southern town, counterfitting and money-laundering, racist violence, capitalism, local corruption, the prison-industrial complex, and the on-shoring of a particular kind of American military violence—written in a way that trusts the reader to connect the dots, rather than have characters mug for the camera and sermonize. If you’re a SFF person and you’ve never given Reacher a try, the first book, one of the few written in first person is basically uncut Murderbot For Dads. He’s demobbed ex-military police, utterly unfit for civilian life, wandering the country minimizing all human contact; his most constant companion is the media that he replays endlessly in his head.

People spend thousands of dollars on stereos. Sometimes tens of thousands. There is a specialist industry right here in the States which builds stereo gear to a standard you wouldn't believe. Tubed amplifiers which cost more than a house. Speakers taller than me. Cables thicker than a garden hose. Some army guys had that stuff. I'd heard it on bases around the world. Wonderful. But they were wasting their money. Because the best stereo in the world is free. Inside your head. It sounds as good as you want it to. As loud as you want it to be.

It’s blues, not Sanctuary Moon, but—you get the idea.

Meanwhile, I’m bearing down on my re-read / revision pass on the next book. Onward and upward!

Elias Ells over at Bar Cart Bookshelf has a CRAFT WARS giveaway running for the next few days—comment on this video where he comes up with an (extremely delicious-looking) cocktail companion for WICKED PROBLEMS and you can win a set of DEAD COUNTRY and WICKED PROBLEMS, for your own enjoyment or the edification of a friend.

And next week, if you’re in the neighborhood, I’ll be reading from and signing copies of WICKED PROBLEMS at Brookline Booksmith! Come on by. Tuesday April 23, 7PM!