Jerry Smith, writer, motorcyclist, Sophie's dad.

An excerpt from Kill Fee, coming as soon as I get my act together. #booksky #mystery

I emailed my long-time graphic designer today about cover art. As soon as we have something we both like I'll post it. Not long after that KF will go on sale as an ebook first, and depending on sales a paperback, too.

OK, I'm calling it. My new mystery, "Kill Fee," is done. The MC is Jack Hansen, a writer and divorced dad who takes a ghostwriting job to get more time with his 15yo daughter. The client is murdered partway through the job, and...well, I won't spoil it for you. More info to come. #booksky #mystery

Sophie loves her Chuckit ball, but she REALLY loves an old bedsheet I was going to toss but gave to her to sleep on. She's never slept on it but she wears herself out with it two or three times a day, dragging it around the house and throwing it in the air.

I began my riding career on a Kawasaki dualsport ('70 F3 Bushwacker) and may well end it on one ('04 KLR650). Read about everything that happened in between--riding, racing, writing, crashing (ouch)--in Rolling Stops, for $2.99. #motosky #motorcycle #autobiography

www.amazon.com/dp/B0CBNQ792H

Hard: Writing a novel.
Harder: Finding and correcting every last typo and error in the final draft.
Hardest: Resisting the urge to rewrite large chunks of the final draft as you edit. #booksky #amwriting #author

Dents Dents - Kindle edition by Smith, Jerry. Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading Dents.

There you are, living quietly under your false name and identity, when your college crush shows up and outs you. Now you're in the crosshairs of her psycho ex-boyfriend, the FBI, and a meth gang. Do you face the music or hit the road again? Find out for $2.99. #booksky
www.amazon.com/dp/B0DYBM6HTM

Lesson learned on the last book, now being relearned on the current one: On the final read-through, change the font and the line spacing from what you used to write it. The goofs you missed before (and there will be some) practically jump off the screen at you. #booksky #author #amwriting #WIP

Final version of manuscript formatted and ready to dazzle the first agent I send it to. One last read-through to ferret out the inevitable typos that slip through no matter how careful I am, and the soul-destroying process of finding representation begins anew. #booksky #author #amwriting

Sophie interprets her new bed privileges very liberally. She hops up, curls into a furry ball, and slowly flattens and spreads like a stain until I'm clinging to the edge. I told her she can have half of the bed, but not the half in the middle. #dogsofbluesky #goldenretriever

(Of course, a typo in the above post. Perfect ending.)

...showing me how to write a not just a mystery, but a novel. I'm sad I won't be working with any of them again. We made a good team.

...almost every aspect of it changed until all the moving parts acted in concert. It was a pantser's nightmare, but it was the only way I could make it work. The characters kept taking over, writing better lines than mine, doing things that made more sense than what I planned, and generally...

That's a wrap. Done. Finito. Just typed THE END to close out a tight, fast-paced, 78K mystery. I might not have another novel in me, and if I don't at least I'll hang up my book-writing hat knowing my last was my best. I started telling this story five years ago, and in that time... #booksky #author

I guess it depends on which you do more often. Most of my bikes have been stone reliable, probably because I never modified them. I'll pick up a wrench when I have to but it's not my preferred way to spend time. OTOH I've been writing for money for 45 years. Now it's as natural to me as breathing.

They're back! Out of print for 10 years, "Deadman's Throttle" and "Hotshoe" are now available again as ebooks. Like mysteries? Like motorcycles? Either or both, the Jason Street mysteries will get your motor running. More info at jerrysmithauthor.com. #Motosky #Booksky

A crappy DR goes for $3000 around here, a good one for $5000. My KLR cost $1250, and it's better on the street, where I ride the most. If I rode more off-road I'd have gotten a DR for sure.

Her limit is two at a time, but she won't chase the first one until I've thrown the second one, then she brings them both back at the same time.

Whoof. I wrote 3800 words today in about five hours, the Big Finish of a story I've been writing off and on for about five years through seven or eight complete rewrites. I'm drained. Don't ever let anyone tell you writing isn't physical work. It just uses different muscles. #booksky #WIP #author

The KLR fix-up is on hold while the discretionary budget catches its breath. In the meantime I'm wrapping up work on the novel. The final few chapters are practically writing themselves. I wish working on the bike were this easy. #motosky #booksky

Sophie once again fails to accept that in order for me to throw the ball she must first let go of it. #goldenretriever #dogsofbluesky

My previous house was on the same road as an emu ranch (Rockin' Rollin' Ratites"). Apparently they were escape artists. Every now and then three or four dinosaur chickens came bopping along like the were late for a movie in town. Oddly, my dog ignored them. They simply didn't exist in his world.

Hoo boy. This covid shot is hitting me like all the rest did. It's only 6:15pm and I'm ready to crawl into bed. It's exhausting when your body is playing war games against dead viruses. But it beats slugging it out with live ones. G'night...

I was reminded covid is still out there by a friend who caught it recently. Got my shot today. Given the current govt's attitude toward medicine and science in general, it's best to be proactive. No one in charge is going to do anything to help us if it all goes upside down. We're on our own.

Missed Shifts: True stories, tall tales, and outright lies from a 30-year career in motojournalism Missed Shifts: True stories, tall tales, and outright lies from a 30-year career in motojournalism [Smith, Jerry] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Missed Shifts: True stories, tall tales, and outright lies from a 30-year career in motojournalism

"Missed Shifts is a peek inside the life of someone who has, as Joseph Campbell urged us to do, followed his bliss. Actually, it seems like he has followed two blisses – motorcycles and writing – and has combined them here for a truly satisfying read." #motosky #booksky www.amazon.com/dp/1719235317

Checked the valves today. All within spec. (Who's relieved? [points thumbs at self] This guy!) Will check the doohickey next, then it's back to the chassis--chain and sprockets, rear tire--and after that it's on the road. Might actually get a ride in before 2026 rolls around. #motosky #motorcycle

Cracked open the KLR's engine today. The cam lobes are smooth and shiny; with luck the bearings and caps will be, too. Will check clearances later. Right now I need a break and a couple of Tylenol. Feels like I was never as young as I used to be. #motosky #motorcycle

Keeps debris thrown by the tire off the air filters

New brake pads join the new fork seals and tire at the front of the KLR. Looks good until you remember the KLR's front brake is deemed by many to be an awful POS. Upgrades (fresh fluid, braided brake steel hose) will come later. Next up: deep engine stuff (valves, doohickey). #motosky #motorcycle

If I had to guess (and I do) I'd say disconnect all of the new stuff, then hook it up again one step at a time, stopping between steps to check for the malfunction. At some point you'll have gone one step too far and you'll know where the problem lies.