Why I Wrote The Cost of Almost

Some people ruin their lives with terrible decisions. Others ruin them by never deciding anything at all. I’ve always been fascinated by the second group. Usually, they aren’t the reckless types who crash spectacularly, but the careful ones. The thoughtful ones. The decent ones. They tend to spend their lives trying not to hurt anyone… and somehow end up hurting everyone anyway. They hesitate. They adjust. They wait until the right moment. And while they wait, life moves on without them. Over the years, I’ve met more people like that than I can count. People who almost took the job. Almost left the marriage. Almost said I love you. Almost chose a different life. Almost. Eventually, I started wondering what a whole life built around that word might look like. That question slowly turned into a novel. That would be my fifth one.

The Cost of Almost is the story of Ryan, a man who has spent most of his life avoiding decisions. Not because he’s weak or selfish. But because he believes that if he waits long enough, things will somehow resolve themselves without anyone getting hurt. For a while, that strategy worked surprisingly well for him. Until the past moved in next door.

I’m not a professional writer. Never have been, and most likely never will be. But sometimes a story refuses to leave you alone. So I wrote this one. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be publishing The Cost of Almost here, chapter by chapter.

If you enjoy thoughtful stories about relationships, regret, and the strange ways people complicate their own lives, you’re very welcome to follow along. The first chapter will appear shortly. And if you’ve ever had a moment in your own life where you almost chose something important… you might recognize a few things in Ryan.