Notice of Assignment drops October 27, 2026. Learn more and pre-order here. Join me for the journey.

Habituation

There’s rain on the windshield and on the road. Cars in front, and in back. Your phone rings so you take your eyes off the road to reach for it. Then you reposition the phone in your hand while instinctively using your thumb to answer.

In less than a full two seconds you realize you’ve made a mistake. You slam on the brakes. Or swerve the car. Possibly both.

Maybe you got lucky. No crash. No pedestrians hurt. Just a flooding of adrenaline as you promise yourself to not be distracted again—until the next time the phone rings.

You know it’s dangerous to take your eyes off the road. But you’ve become complacent because nothing bad has actually happened—to this point. Your brain actually flags this repeated risky behavior as “safe.”

That’s habituation. You get used to the stimuli. Comfortable, even.

Why I Wrote Notice of Assignment

Because people sign documents they don’t read. It’s that simple. I’ve done it and so have you. Usually, there isn’t any real price to pay. But occasionally…

“Everything is fine. Until it’s not.” - Cal Brink

Notice of Assignment goes to that place where a casual attitude unlocks a poop storm. In Cal’s case, the storm unleashed is something from his past that he’s done his best to ignore.

Cal Brink used to be an investigator and process server. He knew better than to sign a document without reading it. Now he has a price to pay.

That’s the story of Notice of Assignment.

Learn More

Two People Get a Free Paperback

No matter who you are, if you leave a comment before October 28th about who your favorite fictional detective is, you’ll be in a random drawing for a free copy of Notice of Assignment. I’ll reach out through the chat to the two people whose names are drawn to get your address.

Rules: Comment who your favorite fictional detective is. I’ll draw and mail on Wednesday, Oct 29.

Note: Sucking up to this author by saying “Cal Brink” is appreciated, but not necessary.

You’ll receive your free copy as soon as USPS has routed it through Milwaukee for no apparent reason.

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A Chris Writes, LLC Publication
Not legal advice / not professional guidance / do not imitate tactics
Fictionalized/composite/altered details + no identification intended

© 2026 Chris Writes, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Cal Brink Files

Complacency Is Risky Behavior