And here he is again, yet things feel like they'll never be as easy between us as they once were.

One little ripple started today could create a typhoon fifteen years from now.

Actually, I love trying to figure out why certain books become hits while others, which may be just as good, have trouble finding an audience.

That is all that happened. Why did you hear something else?

A lot of you cared, just not enough.

Half of them kept repeating my name, trying to get it right, while the other half laughed. But they were harmless. Fun drunks make a nice addition to any party: Not looking to fight. Not looking to score. Just looking to get drunk and laugh. I remember those guys. Like the mascots of the party. "Clay! Whatcha doon here? Bah-ha-ha-ha!

Because what if I got to know you and you turned out to be just like they said? What if you weren’t the person I hoped you were? That, more than anything, would have hurt the most.