This is the new era of publishing. Today, online, an individual can research, produce, publish, and distribute worldwide, in print or digital form, works that are limited only by imagination.

Initially, the idea of writing a book was exciting, but the thought of getting it published tempered our enthusiasm. While writing Things Change, we contacted dozens, and dozens, and then more dozens, of editors, publishers and agents. We did not receive one reply.

Consternation set in. I decided to contact a person I knew forty years ago who had, literally, a Hall of Fame writing career, including at least two NYT best sellers. I asked him for a name of someone I could contact, who might be able to steer me in any direction, to get our new book in front of anyone who could help us move it forward. We were really stretching for help.

I was asking this guy for a favor. We don't hang out any more, and haven't for forty years, but we had been in contact in the past couple of years, so I didn't have a problem calling him.

"I'll never work with a publisher again. You don't want a publisher. SELF PUBLISH. SELF PUBLISH."

I said, "Huh? Yeah. But can you just give me a name?"

"SELF PUBLISH. I'll never work with a publisher ever again. You don't want a publisher. SELF PUBLISH."

Boy, was I getting annoyed. Here I am asking this guy for a favor and he's really screaming at me by this point.

I hang up the phone and for the next two or three days I'm angry and depressed. Then, somehow, the words "self publish" hit me in the back of the head. So I Googled them.

Incredible. Total control and low cost. Anyone can publish their work for less than $200. Published books are then available online, overnight, worldwide, by print on demand services.

We decided to try it. We found that this process offers real opportunities and unlimited potential for authors. It is an entirely new world for expression in the age of information. We are now big fans and cheerleaders for self-publishing.