I have noticed that the blogs of more experienced authors are often aimed at helping new authors who are learning to navigate through shark infested waters. Some others seem to think that jumping feet first covered with blood into shark infested waters is the best way for a new author to figure out what they're doing. I decided to avoid the sharks as completely as possible. I didn't get an agent and I didn't have publishers breaking down my door. I started out doing the agent thing, query letters, etc., because I didn't know then that there was another way. I found out there were companies that you could hire to publish your book for you. But I, like many people, didn't have the money for that. Then I saw it. Publish free on Amazon. The downside is that while the process was fairly easy, I had to do everything myself. I designed the cover from a template they provided, and I'm sure that could have been done better by someone with more resources than I had. Yet, the cover, I think, turned out pretty good. The interior looks great. I was surprised, actually, by the quality of the service provided by Amazon. Heavy duty laminated paper for the cover, the pages are of excellent quality paper, and the type set looks wonderful. And now I can say I'm published. I wish now that I knew more about marketing. Right now I'm still at the point where I'm telling my friends and hoping that they'll tell their friends and that somehow it will all take off. I'm also going to sign up for Extended Distribution, a service offered by Amazon. That makes the book available to retailers and libraries.