If you are interested, I would highly recommend "Linux Mint" as being exceptionally "user friendly" for folks who are new to linux.
However even then there are what might at first seem a bewildering variety of "desktops" to choose from.
Linux Mint 9 (The most current release) is available in KDE, Gnome, LXDE or Xfce desktop environments
Linux Mint 8 (which I currently use) offers those four, or Fluxbox (which is my preference)
KDE and Gnome are full featured "heavyweight" desktop environments. They have all the bells and whistles, but can bog down older computers.
LXDE and Xfce strive to be fully featured but "lighter"
And Fluxbox would be the lightweight... fewer features, but runs faster and is more suitable for older computers that don't have as much "ooomph". (LOL! That's me!)
But give it a try at your leisure!
That's the nice thing about the Live CDs... you can try different versions on your computer without actually installing them to see which one you like first!
Good luck! Just take your time and don't rush into anything that you're not comfortable with.
(Oh... and to be extra safe... be sure to make a backup copy of any stories you've written. It's almost impossible to "accidently" install linux onto your hard drive from the Live CD because there's plenty of opportunities to cancel without making the change. Nevertheless, I believe in Murphy's Law... so it's always best to be safe with work that you have stored.
Thanks for the additional information. I appreciate your time and input.