I'm starting to reach maximum fear/nerves overload because the book ships tomorrow, and will start shelving next week in drips and drabs.

Seriously, my real predictions:

The book comes out, and the real-world people go "whoa! my co-worker wrote a book! that's really neat!" And they all buy at least 5 copies apiece, because this is my prediction, dammit!

The great majority of them read it and say things like "hey, she can really write!" and "how cool -- I feel like I know her better!" and "I've been misunderestimating those people in the computer all along!" and "maybe I'll check out that place..."

Nonetheless, most of them don't. But they already paid for the book, so it's all good.

A much smaller number of them come by the site. A very few of those post things like "do you really know josh wheaton?!" The great majority of them poke around at the first page or two of a few threads, but nobody goes back and searches through the great volume of old stuff, because if they were that kind of obsessive, they'd be one of us already. Some of us get cranky, and get doblerized, and stuff blows over.

The ones who belonged here all along stick around. These include the geeky little sister of someone who heard one of the coworkers talk about the book when s/he went home to Missouri for a wedding, and someone who happened to be in a bookstore that evening and stuck around for the signing, only to recognize Nilly's name from non-buffista Tim fandom.

5 years later, someone delurks to ask for a name change [paperdol's real name]5732, because after all this time they still can't figure out what the joke was.

The great majority of them poke around at the first page or two of a few threads, but nobody goes back and searches through the great volume of old stuff, because if they were that kind of obsessive, they'd be one of us already.

BWAH!

And I kind of love the Where's Waldo suggestion. A lot. Despite the fact that that would reveal my quadruple-digit user ID. (I was slow with teh internets, but I'm still one of you, right?)

I like the idea ... but I'm thinking it would be a hassle. And all our stompies would get carpal tunnel. But we could have some real fun.

We could just distract them all with salad shooters instead.

Seriously, I agree with amych's predictions. We'll be fine. paperdol, I hope the anxiety eases for you soon.

Completely non-seriously, I propose that we replace words like "book" and "vampire" with "cilantro" and "gerund". "Tim" could be "muffaletta". "Internet" could be "tiara".

Paperdol, your book isn't wanky, so I don't expect it to bring the wankers down on us. Your book is funny and smart. I expect it to attract readers with the same qualities. And you didn't write a book saying why Spike is all wrong for Buffy, that the glorification of Logan Echolls ruined Veronica Mars, or that Wincest is evil/the BEST THING EVAR! You wrote a book about how virtual friends worked their way into your real life, and how important they are to you.

I really think it's going to be okay. If it's not okay, it will still end up being okay, because we'll make it so.

I'm sorry you're feeling so sick. When Ben was a baby, any excitement, good or bad, sent him into a melt down. I finally twigged to this and started telling him, "This is good excitement," when it was.

This is good excitement, paperdol. I hope you can feel that way soon.

Non-seriously, I propose that we replace words like "book" and "vampire" with "cilantro" and "gerund". "Tim" could be "muffaletta". "Internet" could be "tiara".

paperdol259: I really like that cilatro. It's not really about gerunds, yet it is!

paperdol20: Did muffaletta like it?

paperdol156: He did, though he's not on the tiara all that often anymore.

I'm sorry you're feeling so sick. When Ben was a baby, any excitement, good or bad, sent him into a melt down. I finally twigged to this and started telling him, "This is good excitement," when it was.

Aw. Kind of like how when I was little I threw up for every occasion -- Christmas, Easter, vacation, etc. It was always a combo of sugar and excitement.

He did, though he's not on the tiara all that often anymore.

Poor muffaletta and his sore ass....