Second Look: Thoughts I Wrote Down Because I Hate Talking to People

tyunglebower ♦ May 29, 2024 ♦ Leave a comment

My first foray into publishing book length non-fiction was Thoughts I Wrote Down Because I Hate Talking to People. It’s a collection of thought pieces or life essays, most of which I kept light hearted, but not all.

It is the first work I published after my Autism diagnosis. As such, the Autistic perceptive on several topics is explored and acknowledged in full. Pure “me,” so to speak.

That explains the cover. Yes I was and am on a budget and cannot afford to hire a cover artist for every book right now. However in this case, I wanted the down to earth aesthetic and perplexed expression on my face to hint right away at what the reader will encounter within. Goofy as it is, I am still proud and amused by my minimalist choice here. Not to mention I did manage to capture how I feel much of the time as I navigate society, even if I rarely make such an obvious face as I do so.

I cover talking food, views from a local library, porn, vultures, (yes, the literal bird), and several other everyday topics. “Everyday” meaning that though I do touch on some deeper themes, I do so by way of a guy observing through the lens of his own life and his place on the Spectrum, even when I do not mention the Spectrum by name.

It is not a philosophical treatise on anything. I wrote it in hopes of both reaching out to others with ASD, but also offering what I hope are thought-provoking takes on topics that most people have experienced to some degree.

Even by my own standards I did not promote this one heavily. I knew going in it was likely not going to be a “hit” per se, and I was fine with that. I wanted it to find a specific audience of simpatico folks.

I am not sure if it did, there are not many reviews of it. I can however say that one or two copies get downloaded per year even now. Nothing worth noting in the business department, but it does indicate interest for someone on a regular if periodic basis. As always I wish I had some more positive reviews on the book, but if it is reaching those who think as I do on at least some of the topics I raise, I am happy to have written it.

I won’t claim the mask is entirely off within those pages, but it is a good place to start if you want to get to know me as a person and not just as an author.

In ebook form only, but now free of charge.