Treadmill Goals:

• Get on the treadmill (or equivalent exercise) daily
• Pace is fine at 30 min/mile, although I may up it on occasion
• Time range between 30 minutes and 1 hour per day
• Distance 1-2 miles per day
• Read the chosen book, which I won’t allow myself to read outside of my treadmill time, hopefully motivating me to reach or exceed the above goals (exception…at the end of the week where a book is highlighted, I will finish it off-treadmill so I can feature something new the next week)

Note: Although I will try to avoid them, my weekly #amreading updates may or may not contain spoilers, so read at your own risk.

What I #amreading: Murder Between the Pages by Josh Lanyon

I was planning to read Josh’s The Ghost Had an Early Check-out, which I’d preordered. I don’t know if I misread the release date or if it changed, but it’s not available until Feb. 28. But…BONUS…I discovered this longer story plus a number of shorter ones that I’d somehow missed. Also preordered three more that’ll be released throughout the year. So silver lining, right?

My favorite lines this week:

✿✿ SUNDAY ✿✿

“That’s not what I asked,” the large man said. His hair was brown. His eyes a light indeterminate color. He fixed them on Day with a hard level look. “I asked you your name.”

Day’s jaw grew stubborn. I wouldn’t doubt there was a mule somewhere in his family tree; I know there’s an ass. But as he glared at the man in the overcoat, his expression altered indefinably. “Felix Day,” he admitted.

✿✿ MONDAY ✿✿

I was tempted by the thought of planting a forceful kick in his muscular behind but heroically refrained.

✿✿ TUESDAY ✿✿

He slumped back in his chair and made a waving motion like a Southern belle declining the smelling salts.

✿✿ WEDNESDAY ✿✿

God knows I wouldn’t want the cops rifling through my desk. And that wasn’t even taking into account a certain collection of Mexican nude art photos that would be bound to raise a few eyebrows.

✿✿ THURSDAY ✿✿

I think he could see that the answer was no. Would always be no. The big, tiring smile faded. He squeezed my arm as though in encouragement, as though we were about to board a plane to a distant land. Or maybe jump out of a plane into nothingness, into the wild blue yonder.

✿✿ FRIDAY ✿✿

Staring at him, at the wary, guarded look in his back eyes, the too firm line of his mouth, that ferociously stubborn chin, it suddenly occurred to me that this was no aggression. It was defense.

✿✿ SATURDAY ✿✿

Speaking of rising occasions. That bedroom! That alone was enough to have him arrested. It looked like a pasha’s boudoir. Never had I seen so many silk cushions and tasseled draperies in one place. Even Leonard’s silk dressing gown looked like something Mr. Sphinx would wear.

Week 61: January 21, 2018 – January 27, 2018