Dear Readers:

May 2nd was my three-month anniversary. The first version of my debut novel was available in electronic form. The emotions were a mix of fright, satisfaction, relief, hope. The busy times were just beginning. I had a seven-page marketing plan (which would have been longer if I had known at the time of its creation that there were a number of things not even listed.) My days were filled with writing press releases, cold calling newspaper reporters (an amazing bunch of dedicated writers I’d never thought about), entering writing contests, many trips to the USPS to ship off printed copies to any kind person listed above who agreed to accept and hopefully read and review them.

And meanwhile, my spouse, a retired computer consultant, was wending his way through the potholes, canyons, and gotcha gorges of the many versions of electronic permutations needed to expand our exposure to the reading public. He could easily write a book about his experiences.

So now it appears that things are coming together. I’ve had interviews, reviews, comments, questions, invitations to speak at book events (where I plan to sell my books using a weird computer gizmo attached to my cell phone). Through all of this I just realized I am a new me. A new, revised edition. I am an author. I now have a business account and the name of it is Judith A. Grout Author. I am just as accomplished as all those other writers out there on the internet offering advice, pitching products, trying to keep up with the frenzied pace of today’s electronic world. And it feels good. So far it has mostly been fun and the feeling that each day I grow a bit in keeping up with all the hip dudes out there tweeting and skyping and texting is pretty good for someone at my advanced age. Bring it on. The plot thickens.