The way I look at the publication of my book is kind of the same way I look at posting in my journal - if it helps or makes one person happy or I connected with just one person, then I did what I set out to do.

That's really all we can hope for.

And as it turns out - my book made more than one person happy. My mother's choir director loved it. As did quite a few of my co-workers. And a few friends, relatives, and people on my flist. They wrote reviews.

So I got what I set out to do. Did everyone like it? No. There were at least two people who hated it. Such is life.

I never expected it to make much money, it would have been nice if it did. But I've read books that make a lot of money and promptly forgotten them, and books that haven't - and remember them well. I don't write novels for money, I've a day job for that - and I'm proud of my day job. It contributes to my city and state, it helps people, and I can analyze and solve problems and help others.

That's really all I want to do at the end of the day. Help people and the world in some small way. And hopefully not hurt anyone.

I think I've managed to do that.