Hello eternityinmind,
Here are couple of links which you mind helpful:
https://www.facebook.com/notes/sot" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;āpanna/pemasiri-thera-about-meditation-what-why-how/406318106059242
https://www.facebook.com/notes/sot" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;āpanna/in-this-fathom-long-body/445109635513422
These are couple of Dhamma talks by Ven. Pemasiri Thera, Sri Lankan meditation teacher.
There are several other texts on the "Sotapanna" page which you may find interesting and helpful. Ven. Pemasiri is very skilled and reliable teacher.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sot" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;āpanna/403694482988271?ref=tn_tnmn
We may all give you different advice and different points of view. I think it is important that you try to find your own way, the way you are comfortable with.
When I was trying to learn to meditate on my own, I also started reading couple of books about meditation, including the book of Ajahn Brahm, but I didn't find them helpful. Even if I went to read them now, I would still not find them helpful. The book that in my opinion is most reliable out of those kind of books is "The Heart of Buddhist Meditation" by Ven. Nyanaponika.
The problem with reading the books is that a beginner can follow them to a degree, but then reading the pages about something that one has not yet experienced is useless. One only reads all those terms and experiences, and when they don't happen in one's meditation, one may start to think that something is going wrong, that meditation is not successful and so on.
There are many meditators out there who are sitting and thinking "is what I am experiencing now is samatha, or vipassana, or jhana or this or that..." and this then ends up not being meditation but sitting and thinking.
From my personal experience - don't worry about 'samatha', 'vipassana' or any names, just sit down, do what you do, watch your breath the best you can(or whatever object you are using.) Don't worry about jhanas and things like that either. If your practice is good from the start, it will gradually and automatically develop. Try not to have any expectations, not even about the length of time you are sitting. Keep it simple.
Also, keep the sila the best you can, study and try to adhere to Eightfold Noble Path. Those things are fundamentals for the meditative development.
Read the original scriptures. Although you may come across some you don't understand, don't worry, you will still gain confidence, faith or inspiration from them and in time, as your meditation develops, your understanding of it all will develop as well.