The old technology
“Dear Pen Pal” was typed on an old data processor. Once upon a time, they sold this machine that was a typewriter connected to a big screen. It still printed like a typewriter but you could see the whole page printed out before you actually let it print. Back then, the Internet existed, but the average broke person from Howell didn’t have access. I used to go to the Internet Cafe in Red Bank to use the Internet.
I used reams of paper in rewrites.
Loads of paper was used to query letters.
The Writers Digest guide to Agents was the best guide to have to get published. This huge book had magazine and book editors. The first part of the book was devoted to agents and what types of work they would market.
I didn't have the writing background that excited publishers so I didn't have a lot of luck. I got rejection postcards. Agents didn’t go for the whole envelope stamp, they went postcard.
I eventually found Dorrance Publishing located in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. After a year of communication, “Dear Pen Pal” was released in 1998.
Encore Books was the first bookstore to carry the book. I had my first book signing at Encore Books in Wall, New Jersey.
Today, Dear Pen Pal is available as an Ebook at amazon.com.