On July 2, 2013, I got a message that threatened to expose my past to the world. The message was titled, "Tom you fucking sob DIE ALREADY." It ended with "When you die, if I’m still around to hear of that glorious day, I’ll have a party."

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why I don't have a comment feature on this site, and I won't have one on my Extravagumbo Website when it's ready. Although I've come to terms with my past, my past has yet to come to terms with me. The sender of the message said that there's something about me that makes people want to punch me.

It's true. The Kids in the Hall addressed this phenomenon their usual brilliant way.

I could explain why people want to assault me, but I choose to not get into it publicly. For one thing, it's too personal. Also, my intent in writing is to entertain, not become the poster child for social issues. Everybody already knows how to behave. Me spilling my guts about every tiny detail isn't going to change a single person's mind or actions. People do terrible things because they choose to. The only way to stop them is to imprison them or kill them. A tiny percentage are helped by extensive psychotherapy and medication, not anything said by authors.

So I keep my experiences to myself. I recently had it driven home in the most forceful way possible that this is the correct choice for me. You'll read all about it on my Extravagumbo Website. One of my heroes told me I'm an idiot. It hurt, but then I was immediately given proof that the thing I'd done that made my hero call me an idiot was the right thing to do.

People have buttons that I push. That's their problem, not mine. But I won't be anybody's target or toilet anymore, and I won't discuss my past publicly. There's no upside for me in talking about it. I have to allude to it because it defines me and was the reason I lost the love of my life, but that's as far as I'll go in describing it.

Today Sandpiper Publicity began my campaign. I appreciate every single person who buys my books. However, you have to do it on my terms. That's not negotiable. I choose to keep myself separate from society in general. My illness makes that easier.

Unfortunately, so do some of the people interested in my work.