About Matthew Valor

“Matthew Valor” is the pen name for Matthew Chan. It may one day be my legal name but for now, it is only a pen name. There are way too many people with the surname “Chan” in the world. The “Chan” Chinese surname is as common as the American last name “Smith”. I’ve dealt with it all my life and I’ve heard all the jokes. (No, I am not related to Jackie but I wish I was!)

There are also many “Matthew Chan’s” running around online. There are no conspiracies involved in the name change and no one I am trying to hide from. It is my intention to one day legally change my name. But until that time comes, I am simply being transparent and publicly acknowledging that Matthew Valor is a pen name. It may also be the name I likely use for some future books, audio programs, and media I publish.

Over the years, I have developed an online reputation/persona as being direct, outspoken, rude, snarky, arrogant, and forthright. It is sometimes well-deserved. I simply feel it is sometimes too exhausting to constantly be “nice”, politically-correct, and socially-correct online. I run into a lot of idiots, liars, crooks, people with thin skins, and people with no spines. And so, I sometimes get cranky and fire verbal bullets. Given this, I warn everyone to get your verbal-bullet-shields out so you don’t accidentally get your feelings hurt. Sometimes I get personal and engage in some colorful name-calling, other times it only seems like I am getting personal when I am really not. (Some people are just paranoid, overly-sensitive, or have guilty consciences.) It is not my job to manage other people’s feelings, paranoia, or insecurities. If you can’t handle directness and bluntness, stop reading Defiantly.net and visit a poetry site. (If you need a suggestion, I have one in mind. *wink*)

Anyhow, I generally enjoy meeting new friends and acquaintances online. I believe “like attracts like” and “birds of a feather flock together”. If you like what and how I write, that generally means there is a little of you in me and vice versa. Kindred spirits recognize each other. That is the beauty of the Internet. I have met many people online over the years and those acquaintances often morph into great friendships in “real life”. Some people I will never be friends with because they have made themselves my enemies and they know who they are. But if you are not my enemy (very few are) and we do get acquainted online, chances are you will find I am a bit nicer, more polite, more respectful person in real-life.

Email:  matt30060 / gmail