February Press first released my ebook, Finding It Again: The Truth About Love After 40, via this website, on August 13th.  My expectations, initially, were modest.  I sent an email to perhaps three-dozen friends and family members, with the hope that through word of mouth, forwarded emails, and the passage of time, I might slowly attract an audience beyond my immediate circle of influence.

As I write this blog on September 6th—just prior to the publication of the NYT Book Review ad, and barely three weeks after first going online with the website—my audience has gone from zero to more than 1600, with the numbers increasing daily.

Ahh, the power of the Internet.

The publishing world is changing.  While all of us who love reading will always have a place in our hearts for the multi-sensory experience of holding an actual book in our hands, the digital age is nevertheless upon us, bringing with it new paths—digital paths—toward knowledge and discovery.  And if we who read and write know anything at all, we know the pleasure and the wonder of walking a newly blazed trail.

My guess is that some of you have already sampled the ebook medium.  If so, you’ve likely discovered the simplicity and the convenience of building a library filled with weightless, bulk-free, digital books, all saved and easily accessible in your desktop, your laptop or your portable reader.  For you, adding Finding It Again to your digital library is an easy call.

Most of you, though, are probably still ebook virgins, but fear not.  By downloading Finding It Again, you’ll be surrendering your ebook virginity to a tale about the mystery that often stimulates such real-life surrenders in the first place.  How better to lose your ebook virginity than to a book that tells the truth about love?

In either case—whether you’re an ebook virgin or an ebook veteran—I welcome you to the Finding It Again website, and I encourage you to nose around.  Download the excerpt (it’s almost 100 pages—and it’s free).  Buy the entire ebook (but don’t reveal the unexpected ending).  Read the blog entries, read the comments from people who’ve read the book, offer your own remarks (positive or negative, I’d love to hear from you).  Most importantly, though, spread the word—about Finding It Again, of course, but also about the burgeoning phenomenon of digital books.

The ebook era has dawned.  Good morning.

In theory, it sounds perfect.  What woman wouldn’t want to receive flowers after a nice date?  In theory, even a woman will tell you it’s a nice idea.

In reality, though, it’s too soon—way too soon.  Despite the thrill that comes from clicking with someone on a first date, some people—both men and women—run for the hills when a romance seems to move too quickly, and sending flowers too early, particularly after just one date, can scare away someone who might otherwise have been willing to travel a little farther down the road with you.

This is not game-playing—it’s respecting the reality that, past 40, most people have been burned a time or two, and some defend themselves by bailing when the pace exceeds a certain comfort level.

It’s counter-intuitive, I know, but trust me—hold back.  Sometimes, particularly in the beginning, less is more.  If she enjoyed the first date as much as you did, she’ll be thrilled enough by your call the next day.  Get to know her better.  The time for flowers will come.

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