Critical Path is now officially one year old. It’s comforting to say “it’s been out for a year” after saying “it’s been in the works for eight years.” One day it will be out longer than it took to create, and by that time, I will probably say “I wrote a book? I don’t remember writing any book.”
Sales have been pretty good. I’m not getting rich, and I’m not topping any sales lists — but it was not an abject failure, I got some great feedback from readers, and considering I self-published a first-person book on a niche topic for a niche audience, I’m certainly happy to see that it’s found its way into the hands (and hopefully heads) of as many people as it has. And I am grateful on a daily basis for the word-of-mouth recommendations that I see on social media. I am hoping these will continue as more and more people discover and enjoy the book. My dream has always been for this to become a standard work on the topic — maybe even a textbook or part of a curriculum’s reading list.
So while I still have challenges as an author, you still have challenges as a reader! I have always been a puzzle nerd, so I buried two easter eggs in the book — all editions, print and digital. To date, only one person has told me that they found both. I consider the first egg to be fairly easy — and a handful of folks have reported that they spotted it — but the other egg is apparently far more difficult than I expected it to be. And that tricky one has a better payoff: A hidden chapter. All the info you need to find and read this hidden chapter is in the book itself. Look closely, think critically, and have fun.
And thank you for 365 days of support!