I must admit to being quite pleased, really.
The origination of this website, smchapman.com, has to be considered a pretty substantial first step. And, as I’ve well alluded to in my first novel, Objectivity (with regards to lovely Steph), the first step in which every journey begins may well be the most important of them all.
I’ll be honest in that, while I absolutely never saw any of this coming, I am proud of my novel. And I’m sorry, but I do say that as objectively as possible. For every chapter I find myself, shall we say, not quite so keen on, I could name at least a couple others about which, well… the same just wouldn’t be true.
Far be it from me to risk coming across as someone conceited about what he’s done here, though – anyone can talk up their own novel, after all – so I will gladly interject a bit of context. Ever the defeatist, I am so very well aware that, from a certain point of view, this isn’t even really a beginning. At the time I write this, the public profile I have setup on Facebook has two ‘friends’ and they’re both people I know. As in, in real life. And not just that, but I gave both of them their copies of Objectivity.
Indeed, I couldn’t tell you the last time I legitimately sold a copy of this novel, and as for agents and/or publishing houses, don’t make me laugh. Quality (or lack thereof) notwithstanding, you couldn’t fail more spectacularly if you tried, and have no fear, the day job is in no danger of being given up anytime soon, lest bankruptcy be declared. I want to tell Tony Stark, who said in The Avengers that it takes them a while to get any traction, that his team has nothing on this.
But coming from someone who quite freely states he hasn’t really done anything with his life, when I consider my name being stamped on the cover of a book like Objectivity (to, dare I say, stand the test of time long after my sorry arse has departed this mortal coil), I can’t help but think… yeah, I can live with that.