I'm so glad most of hubski is not like you.
He is guy, you're girl. There is cultural difference here and you both should know about it because you should be able to write dialogue. If you get insulted, you are insulted. If a guy is insulted, he is insulted. But as much he is flattered about the fact that someone thought that he is strong enough to take such insults. (and you girls are supposed to be complicated...) He treated you as a guy, probably out of respect. He does have a point. Very good point. But I don't think anything is wasted. Especially those seven years. You wrote a book, that's something. But even more, you learned a shit ton of stuff. Now you could have linked us your book. Why didn't you? Honest question here. What do you have to loose? You could be getting huge amounts of free advertising to sell your next book if you would release the first one for free. PS. I'm a guy too, forgive my possible harshness. It sits tight.