The shine has not lost its luster. When I type “Goodreads” in my address bar and notice there is another book review for Surrogate Colony or Surrogate Code, my fingers shake.

The feeling is raw, real, and ready to tear my heart, and reveal my deepest insecurities. When the review is positive, it is a buzz that follows me for days. It is like a hit of cocaine. It is what keeps me writing. I never experienced this feeling with anything else; not years of gymnastics competitions, not public speakin...