So, yesterday, I submitted the epub edition of Writing Neep to Smashwords, as planned. Probably predictably Smashwords fussed that the cover was too small, so I had to upload a bigger image. Then it told me the book was published, but I couldn’t find it in my dashboard, so this morning, I re-re-uploaded the book, and it is now showing on the dashboard, as published and pending review.
So, yay, right?
Wrong.
Yesterday, a friend reminded me that Smashwords, in addition to all of the rest of its annoyances, large and small, requires that Certain Particular Holy Words be placed on the copyright page, something like “This is a Certified Smashwords Edition,” or…something. Which brands the book as coming from the Smashwords Distribution Empire, and bully for them, but which also means that No Standard Copyright Page will satisfy them. You cannot put the Holy Words on a page of their own, they must be in a particular place on the copyright page, and the words must be exact.
I had of course forgotten this, but what it means is that the book will not pass Real Human Vetting.
I am therefore calling it quits with Smashwords’ storefront and distribution empire. The books that are on Smashwords will stay there, but I will not be adding new books. I’m sorry about that, because I, like some of you, like to have alternatives to pubbing to Kindle and Nook; OTOH, Smashwords and I simply can’t reach an accommodation.
(Yes, I’m aware that millions of people every day pub to Smashwords and adore it. I am not one of those people, and since I don’t use Word, Smashwords’ decision to base their entire conversion process on a bloated, buggy word processor works very much against me.)
So, that.
Last night, Steve and I watched “To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar” and had a good time with it. This morning, we’re doing catch-up with a variety of tasks, including getting Chapter Fourteen of Shan and Priscilla Ride Again ready to upload tomorrow, and doing some side-laundry. I need to get with Sprite a little later and give her mane a trim under her chin where it wisps up into her mouth and gets made into little, soggy corkscrews of fur.
Also, the ribs still giving me back-chat, as they are, some careful stretching, and some time out in the comfy chair with The Golden Hawk, which I started yesterday. My goodness, it does get on its bike and ride, doesn’t it? And, despite a few eye-rollers like the first mate wondering, given the notoriety of their ship and captain, how the crew can expect to land at Xtown to satisfy their “manly needs,” it’s really very readable. Mr. Yerby knew how to write sentences, so he did.
Monday sadly requires phone calls, and I’ve got to get to the bottom of this desk, which has become chaotic again, mostly with Mundane Matters. I wonder if there’s room in this house for a House Desk, so I can dedicate my desk to writing. Too much to ask? Yeah, probably so.
So! Off to do battle with the to-do list. I hope everyone has a restful Sunday afternoon.

Loved The Golden Hawk! Have a son named Christopher in it’s honor. Alas, he is not a pirate. Sigh.
Makes sense to have a desk / space for mundane life and house tasks, and one for writing! Some times you need to write but can’t have your house tasks taking up your time and energy!
If it’s possible to find/make the space, separate desks for separate tasks can be a fabulous, fine & useful thing. One may be swamped in one area, flee to the sanctuary of the other, Get Things Done, and then, aglow with the triumph, return to attack the original swamp. Sometimes anyway. Naturally it’s not perfect.