JMalrix

Evenin’ goofies!

Alright.

It’s been over a month.

I know.

Y’all thought I forgot about you.

I didn’t.

I’ve just been… moving. Living. Plotting. Writing. Traveling. Rethinking. Staring at ceilings. Eating tacos. Riding in cars with no drivers. Normal stuff.

So yeah, your favorite absentee landlord has returned.

Los Angeles.

Let’s start there.

I landed in a city where palm trees look like they were designed by a production team, where the air feels like a filter, and where traffic lights take their time like they’re unionized.

First stop? A little non-alcoholic gem called Burden of Proof.

I grabbed an aperitif that looked like it should’ve cost me a hangover. (It didn’t.) Blood orange bittersweet. Zero alcohol. All vibes. I don’t drink much these days anyway, so give me something aesthetic and let me pretend I’m mysterious.

Then.

Because apparently I enjoy surrendering control in dramatic ways… I rode in a Waymo.

No driver. No awkward small talk. No “you visiting?” questions. Just me. A steering wheel. And the quiet realization that the future is here and it doesn’t need us.

The screen literally said “arrival in 7 minutes” like it wasn’t a robot making life decisions. I sat back like, “Well. If this is how it ends, at least I made progress on Secret Chords.”

I made the pilgrimage to Beverly Hills, which confirmed two things:

1. I could not afford nothing.
2. I didn’t really want nothing either.

Luxury is cool until you realize you’d rather fund a cover design and an editor.

I hit Redondo Beach Pier, let the ocean do that thing where it reminds you you’re small but not insignificant. Took the obligatory church photo (because you know I can’t help myself). Rode past Crenshaw—actually stayed in that area. Palm trees, corner markets, history in the sidewalks.

Saw a little delivery robot rolling down the street like it had somewhere important to be. It did not look stressed. I respect that.

Stopped at Descanso Restaurant and can I just say… they had a hibachi inside. I was not emotionally prepared. The wall art? Cinematic. The seating? Intentional. The flames? Biblical.

Also, Pincies tacos? Elite behavior. No notes.

Now let’s talk writing.

Because that’s what you’re really here for.

Secret Chords is moving. Like actually moving. I can see the runway now. If things continue at this pace, we’re looking at a mid-summer wrap. Which is wild considering how this thing started as a “let me try something different.”

It’s not little anymore. It’s grown legs. And yes, there are new ideas brewing. I’m not announcing them yet. I’m protecting them. But just know your boo is cooking.

Now…

Conquistar.

I’m taking a break.

Not because it’s boring. Not because I’m stuck. But because writing an ensemble serial with six characters, layered theology, political nuance, and ethical tension is not a “drop a chapter on Tuesday” type of story.

It’s complex. It’s structural. It’s deliberate. And I refuse to give you something half-baked. The entire arc is mapped out. Completely. Beginning to end. I know exactly where it’s going. When I come back to it, it’ll be disciplined. Strategic. Clean. I want to give you good products. Not rushed ones.

This trip reminded me of something.

You can build quietly. You can step away and still be moving forward. You can sit in a driverless car and still feel in control. You can walk through cities you can’t afford and still feel rich in vision. And you can disappear for a month and still come back like nothing broke.

I love y’all.

Even if it’s 12 of you. Even if it’s 2. Even if it’s just future archivists reading this later.

Thank you for staying. Thank you for reading. Thank you for letting me build slow and build right.

More coming soon.

Stay curious. Stay dangerous. Stay building.