dd..: Naz can give you more info on options than I but if you go to http://www.888options.com/ you can get some free brochures and an options training CD, "free".....
It's a good place to start. There are lots of options tutorials at the site and you can call them toll free if you have a questions.
question: can you sell contracts at any time, much like a stock?
Yes, you may sell your contracts anytime prior to expiration during normal market hours. Options are tradeable securities just like stocks. You may sell your options as a market order or a limit order just as you would stocks. Just be mindful that trading commissions are a little higher for options than for stocks.
you have a newbie link to learn option's trading?
I read several books, took an options trading course and executed several paper trades before I ever began trading options. I'm presently at my office so I don't have the books handy. If interested, I can post them later.
I don't know who you trade options with. Ameritrade, with whom I trade with, has a section which describes option trading, including advanced techniques.