Doug Schlesser
@dougschlesser.bsky.social
30-something writer, teacher, and traveler from the South Suburbs of Chicago. Curtis Brown Creative and Shotgun Honey alumnus. Lots of tattoos. He/Him
A great new thriller from Abir Mukherjee. If you enjoyed Hunted, this is on another level. Tense, humorous, full of well-placed social commentary. The cast of characters is excellent, and they really do jump off the page.
June 28, 2026 at 2:13 PM
A great new thriller from Abir Mukherjee. If you enjoyed Hunted, this is on another level. Tense, humorous, full of well-placed social commentary. The cast of characters is excellent, and they really do jump off the page.
LOST walked so Widow’s Bay could run. Can you imagine this show if we still had a water-cooler culture?!
What animal, Ruth?! What animal?!
What animal, Ruth?! What animal?!
June 24, 2026 at 2:26 AM
LOST walked so Widow’s Bay could run. Can you imagine this show if we still had a water-cooler culture?!
What animal, Ruth?! What animal?!
What animal, Ruth?! What animal?!
30 min. 500 words. Let’s go.
June 18, 2026 at 9:25 PM
30 min. 500 words. Let’s go.
That feeling when you delete the extra spaces and marry the writing you’ve done to end the chapter with the writing you’ve done to start the chapter.
June 15, 2026 at 10:09 PM
That feeling when you delete the extra spaces and marry the writing you’ve done to end the chapter with the writing you’ve done to start the chapter.
The darlings. I am k*lling them.
June 12, 2026 at 1:01 AM
The darlings. I am k*lling them.
Someone call Jack Reacher
June 11, 2026 at 3:00 PM
Someone call Jack Reacher
There are too many books to read and too much of my book left to write and too many coffee shops to visit and…
June 10, 2026 at 8:32 PM
There are too many books to read and too much of my book left to write and too many coffee shops to visit and…
Big victory today. 1100 feet of gain over the 13.1 miles. Oof. Glad to still be upright (though I’m typing this lying down)
May 31, 2026 at 8:41 PM
Big victory today. 1100 feet of gain over the 13.1 miles. Oof. Glad to still be upright (though I’m typing this lying down)
The DC (damn cat) was very insistent this morning at 3:30. 700 words and a sunrise/raining run later, I’ll try not to be too mad at him.
The cat in question:
The cat in question:
May 1, 2026 at 12:14 PM
The DC (damn cat) was very insistent this morning at 3:30. 700 words and a sunrise/raining run later, I’ll try not to be too mad at him.
The cat in question:
The cat in question:
This 5am writing thing is for the birds.
The ones outside my window.
Screaming at me to keep going.
The ones outside my window.
Screaming at me to keep going.
April 22, 2026 at 11:11 AM
This 5am writing thing is for the birds.
The ones outside my window.
Screaming at me to keep going.
The ones outside my window.
Screaming at me to keep going.
Crime/Thriller folks: I’ve just finished The Shadow Carver by Nadine Matheson, which was absolutely brilliant. In need of a new audiobook. What do we have on deck?
April 21, 2026 at 11:56 AM
Crime/Thriller folks: I’ve just finished The Shadow Carver by Nadine Matheson, which was absolutely brilliant. In need of a new audiobook. What do we have on deck?
But what if I want this modifier dangling?
April 16, 2026 at 10:52 AM
But what if I want this modifier dangling?
Here in the U.S. it’s a big day for kids who want to Space Camp (me).
April 1, 2026 at 11:01 AM
Here in the U.S. it’s a big day for kids who want to Space Camp (me).
Cats, man. Also pictured, the first nine Ruth Galloway books I’m working through.
March 30, 2026 at 2:34 PM
Cats, man. Also pictured, the first nine Ruth Galloway books I’m working through.
The Grether’s Gods are getting me through this weekend. And a little bit of reading from Carlsson.
March 28, 2026 at 11:40 AM
The Grether’s Gods are getting me through this weekend. And a little bit of reading from Carlsson.
A stop sign fell down at school and off its pole 5 days ago. Not one enterprising youth has taken it home to decorate their bedroom wall.
What is the world coming to?
What is the world coming to?
March 16, 2026 at 11:44 PM
A stop sign fell down at school and off its pole 5 days ago. Not one enterprising youth has taken it home to decorate their bedroom wall.
What is the world coming to?
What is the world coming to?
I tell my students I don’t spend time making diabolical plans when writing a new seating chart. But really - I do.
March 10, 2026 at 12:53 PM
I tell my students I don’t spend time making diabolical plans when writing a new seating chart. But really - I do.
The book I’m reading just had a rumination about what it feels like to actually relax on a holiday, and I might as well just never go back to work because Sally is absolutely right.
March 9, 2026 at 1:54 AM
The book I’m reading just had a rumination about what it feels like to actually relax on a holiday, and I might as well just never go back to work because Sally is absolutely right.
367 words this morning in a quick 20 min sprint. 🌬️👟
March 5, 2026 at 5:54 PM
367 words this morning in a quick 20 min sprint. 🌬️👟
This time next month, I’ll be in Vienna walking 10,000 steps before lunch, three coffees deep every day with my favorite travel partner (Amy), and staying up way too late. The countdown has begun.
Until then, hoping to get lots of scribbles snuck in between work obligations.
Until then, hoping to get lots of scribbles snuck in between work obligations.
March 4, 2026 at 1:09 PM
This time next month, I’ll be in Vienna walking 10,000 steps before lunch, three coffees deep every day with my favorite travel partner (Amy), and staying up way too late. The countdown has begun.
Until then, hoping to get lots of scribbles snuck in between work obligations.
Until then, hoping to get lots of scribbles snuck in between work obligations.
Being a month away from Vienna and Prague is getting me through today. Not much else.
February 27, 2026 at 4:02 PM
Being a month away from Vienna and Prague is getting me through today. Not much else.
1-Hour Write Sprint starting now.
February 22, 2026 at 5:28 PM
1-Hour Write Sprint starting now.
Writing a whole new sequence for the opening of my novel is daunting, but also very exciting.
February 22, 2026 at 4:27 PM
Writing a whole new sequence for the opening of my novel is daunting, but also very exciting.
Absolutely ecstatic to be outside and getting in a quick little run and it feeling easy after years of doing absolutely nothing. This run brought to you by 4 months of 5am treadmill workouts. See also: Shorts in February!
February 12, 2026 at 11:28 PM
Absolutely ecstatic to be outside and getting in a quick little run and it feeling easy after years of doing absolutely nothing. This run brought to you by 4 months of 5am treadmill workouts. See also: Shorts in February!
Much to my dismay, I may have to make a fiscally responsible decision about my flight to the UK this summer. Someone tell me premium economy is worth it. (I already know that it is)
January 15, 2026 at 7:16 PM
Much to my dismay, I may have to make a fiscally responsible decision about my flight to the UK this summer. Someone tell me premium economy is worth it. (I already know that it is)