Weeds

I did something yesterday that I haven’t done in years: I laid down on the couch and read a book. It was amazing. It felt indulgent. I’m liking the author and will search out more of her books.

I made 2 new recipes (stuffed portabello mushroom caps and corn/cornmeal pancakes) this weekend. Saturday found me around the bbq as I roasted peppers from the garden. I also helped pickle 3 jars of jalapenos, also from the garden.

Serious forward momentum was made on the flash fiction project. I have 22 more stories to read aloud, twice, then the formatting. Book Funnel wants the book uploaded before I create a landing page. Everything else on that website has been pretty easy to do, so fingers crossed this will be no different. I spent time uploading new covers for “The Resistance” and “Reality?”, which I also made available on Amazon. Then I realized I made an unbelievable error: I copy/pasted the copyright page from my only nonfiction to the last 7 fiction publications! THAT prompted me going in and fixing the Word doc, generating new files in Vellum, and uploading the new files. Luckily, I only had one issue with Of Objects and Obsessions. At some point, for some reason I don’t remember, I have 2 ISBNs for the print version. I, of course, put the wrong ISBN on the copyright page when I fixed the “this is a work of nonfiction” to “this is a work of fiction”. I also fixed 4 print files that had the wrong heading on the final pages.

I cleared a bunch of weeds at the barn so I can get my truck in to move my horse trailer as it needs new tires and I never wanted it parked how the owner parked it. I’m already sore, and think I’ll have trouble getting out of bed in the morning. As I was using a hoe to cut down the dead and dried weeds, I thought how my life would be if I had to do manual labor for a living. Then I thought of all the steps and missteps that happen when I’m publishing a book. I suppose both clearing weeds and publishing stories each have their benefits and obstacles. May your weeds be cleared out. May you use the correct ISBN. May you do what matters and what is right.