One Hell of a Week

As much as I try to run, Murphy (AKA the One True God) keeps finding me.

I've had to get up early every day this week for phone calls, appointments, and time sensitive tasks.

A bench warrant was issued for my arrest. I forgot to pay a speeding before the court date. The fine has been paid, and the warrant canceled. I switch between laughing at my absent-mindedness and being totally embarrassed because I'm usually on top of deadlines.

My cousin is still planning to move to Ohio. We were on the phone nearly two hours going through everything she's gotten done since our last phone conversation. Plus, discussing all the things that need to be arranged on any move.

A new health issue for me has raised its ugly head. A complete blood workup is scheduled for Monday before I get a referral to the specialist. I'm finally cutting down my diabetes and high blood pressure meds after changes to my diet and attending yoga classes. I don't want to add more drugs to my personal pharmacy, but I may not have a choice.

DH has been at the high school nearly every night this week since its peak high school lacrosse season. I thought I'd have a chance to catch up on some stuff around the house. Except the princess pup has been having tummy trouble with her new arthritis medicine, so I spent a good chunk of my free evening time cleaning up dog vomit. No, she is not still taking that med, and I need to call her vet on Monday.

The one good thing this week was Genius Kid found out he's going to be promoted to sergeant. DH and I are going to his base to see the ceremony. I'm excited to see my son. Unfortunately, we can't stay longer in Georgia, but GK plans on coming home for his birthday. I'm just really happy he's not still in Kuwait. I know it's part of being in the service, but it doesn't make it easier.

Over the weekend, I'll try to catch up on the writing that did not happen earlier. And maybe that's part of the problem with my funky mood. As I said in a previous blog post, I write to relax.

Making Time to Write

When I got up this morning, I took my daily pharmacy, threw on clothes, and headed straight to Starbucks. I have phone calls and appointments scheduled every freakin' day this week, and it can drive me crazy sometimes.

Oh, I get some writing in on those busy days. Ten minutes here. Fifteen minutes there. Everything squeezed in between a bunch of other stuff.

However, if I can sit down for a quiet two and a half hours, I hit my word goal for the day, and any other words are pure gravy. I'm not getting a lot of gravy words lately, and it irritates me.

You see, writing isn't work to me. From my point of view, it's not much different than reading another author's book during some quiet time. It's peaceful. Enjoyable. I can't wait to see what happens next.

Why? Because when I outline every freaking step, my brain thinks, "Hey, the story's done! Let's go write a different one." I have to pants the writing so it feels fresh and exciting to my brain. Pantsing makes writing fun!

I find it amusing that other writers bitch and moan about working so hard. My thought is if you don't like writing, if it's too difficult to do, why are you doing it?

More Retailer Limits to Avoid AI Shenanigans!

It's been a Monday, even though it's officially Tuesday as I type this.

Well, not only is Draft2Digital enacting fees in an effort to limit AI slop, Barnes & Noble("BN") also has a new policy to prevent the same on their site.

BN has enacted a limit of 100 titles for indie writers using the Nook Press feature. A lot of folks have received this notice from the scuttlebutt I've found on various social media sites. However, I haven't received such a notice.

(YES! I'VE CHECKED THE GODDESSDAMN SPAM FILTERS! Sorry, I get this from people who weren't even born when I graduated from college with a degree in computer science.)

It might be because I'm setting up Angry Sheep Publishing LLC as the owner of my retail accounts to make it easier on my heirs when I croak. I got the BN account switched over last year.

Even if the new rules apply to ASP LLC, I'm going to have to contact BN (yet, another thing to add to my massive to-do list) and confirm what I suspect, instead of making any assumptions.

Why? Because A Barrel of Vintner was the 91st book I've uploaded to BN. Yes, I have written a lot of stuff. No, not all of it is for sale. Yet.

Here's the problem though. A new spammer can create an account and still upload 100 pieces of AI-generated crap. Then create another account and upload 100 pieces of crap. And so on.

This rule only puts a crimp in people like me who have been writing professionally for the last twenty years.

I don't think the geniuses at BN have really thought this idea through.

Music I've Been Listening to Lately

To celebrate Prince on the 10th anniversary of his passing. His really popular songs are great, but I find myself listening to some of his more obscure songs.

Battling AI Via Economics or IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT!

This week, Draft2Digital ("D2D") announced a new fee structure in order for indies to publish through their distribution channels. Now mind you, their announcement says you can create an account for free.

However, if you don't already have an account as of April 14th of 2026, you must pay them $20 in order to distribute your books.

If you already have an account with them, and YOUR earnings do not meet a threshold of $100, you will need to pay a $12 annual maintenance fee.

So basically, they're extorting more money from indie writers.

*sigh*

I had problems when I first used  D2D back in 2013. Let's just say it was in the middle of the 2013 Pornocalypse, and their actions and response to a simple problem left a very bad taste in my mouth.

Last year, I was finally forced to use D2D's platform in order to publish on Smashwords after D2D purchased the Smashwords platform back in 2022. I'd been slowly removing titles from Smashwords' distribution system anyway. The takeover merely sped up the transition. So now, I go direct on Kobo and Apple instead of going through D2D.

I haven't sold much on Smashwords for the last few years. I'd been toying with the idea of no longer using them. This new stand by D2D has pushed the issue to the forefront.

Here's Angry Sheep Publishing LLC's stand on the matter: 

1) I have been grandfathered into D2D's new pay-to-play system. My company does not have to pay the annual fee until February of 2027.

2) I will leave ASP LLC's books, including 2026's releases, available for purchase on Smashwords until December of 2026. On New Year's Day, I'll re-evaluate everything. But if I'm not even making enough to cover the $12 fee, there's no sense keeping my account.

So for those readers who prefer purchasing ebooks from Smashwords, this is your fair warning.

I'm not pressuring you to buy anything. I passed the gas station today. I'm trying to figure out how to afford some groceries. I may have to go without a very expensive drug at the end of the month. And I know damn well a lot of you are in a worse position in the current economic chaos. If you have some change leftover at the end of month and you want to purchase one of my novels, GREAT! Otherwise, you need to take care of yourself first and foremost. I get it. I really do!

But this is how I make a living. I can't afford to subsidize another company. They sure as hell aren't going to subsidize me. Unfortunately, this is the reality of owning your own business when a bunch of nutcases are running our economy into the ground..

Release Day - A Barrel of Vintner

Finally, A Barrel of Vintner is out in the world! At least, the ebook is.

I spent the afternoon at Starbucks working on Death Goddess Fighting. It helps to be working on the middle of the next book so I'm not fretting about sales. Or lack thereof.

The world economy is all over the place right now because someone with a tiny mushroom is trying to prove its not a tiny mushroom. And to the world, I sincerely apologize that my fellow citizens would chose a convicted felon and rapist because he's white rather than an accomplished woman with a proven track record because she's black.

Anyway, I have started on A Spout of Wild, but I'm putting it aside for the next two weeks in the hope I can finish the second volume of The Books of Apep before the end of the month.

Let's hope Mother Nature cooperates. We've already had thunderstorms and tornadoes in Northwest Ohio nearly every day this week.

Back to Writing!

Now that the ebook for A Barrel of Vintner has been uploaded to retailers, I can focus on just writing for a few days.

"Wait! What about the trade paperback? I want paper!" I hear some of you ask.

The trade paperback version will be delayed a few weeks. My lovely formatter just got a brand-new bionic knee, and she's working the kinks out. It takes a little more time to cover from that getting bionic eyes.

Also, if there's any boo-boo's with the ebook version, it is totally my fault, not my formatter's. I will have her re-do the ebook when she's able because I know my version of the glossary wasn't as clean as hers would be.

But life rolls aside, I'd much rather be writing. The exploration of new characters or rejoining old friends doesn't really matter. The simple act of creation brings me joy.

Well, that and seeing a right-wing nutcase kicked out of office! Way to go, voters in Hungary!!

Primaries start in Ohio next month, and then the mid-terms are six months later. We need some changes in the U.S. before a senile old man drops a nuke on innocent people.

Yes, I'm talking politics. I have roughly thirty years left in my life ([Deity of your choice] willing and the creek don't rise!). I don't want to spend the rest of my life under a fascist regime.

Music I've Been Listening to Lately

One of my favorite songwriters passed ten years ago this month.

Happy Fri-YAY!

Despite the constant interruptions of real life, I'm wrapping up the fiddly bits on A Barrel of Vintner (Justice #11) before it drops next Wednesday.

I try to stuff all the reality crap into one day a week, so I can create the other six days. However, Murphy decided that was insufficient. Some things were super important like DH's eye doctor appointment. If you've ever had your eyes dilated, there's a reason you need someone to drive you home.

However, DH's appointment was on my day planner's to-do list. A lot of other stuff was not. In fact, I've only been able to cross off one other item on the to-do list.

That was a rather enjoyable dressing down of our local hospital administration for their lack of professionalism. For context, the hospital waited fourteen months before sending me the invoice for a 2024 appointment. These are the same people who threatened to sue me when I couldn't pay them thousands of dollars for my cancer treatments that the insurance company within six months. *side eye*

I get it. We're all just a number in the cogs of U.S. business interests. However, it irritates me when a compromise could be reached if the greedy fucks just weren't so fucking greedy.

*sigh*

Anyway...

I need to get back and finish the fiddly bits  of a new novel coming out. I hope everyone has an enjoyable spring weekend! Or a lovely fall weekend if you're down under!

Pre-orders Are Populating!

I managed to get the pre-order for A Barrel of Vintner entered on some of the various retailers before DH and I headed to Georgia last week. To my shock, people are already pre-ordering this tome before I announced they were available!

Thank you, readers!

I'll have links for the rest on the series page and on this blog post as soon as possible.

Thank you to all of you that have sent notes concerning the Justice series. I really appreciate your support! I'm so amazed that what should have been a one-off short story has turned into a beloved series.

Amazon
Apple
Barnes & Noble
Google Play
Kobo
Smashwords

Another Manic Monday

Last week, Darling Husband and I spent a few days in Georgia visiting Genius Kid. The spring weather was wonderful, though the amount of tree pollen in the air left something to be desired. However, I ALWAYS take my allergy meds when I travel. Overall though, the people in Augusta are incredibly friendly, and we had a lovely time.

On the way home, we stopped in Columbia, SC, to visit the friend who originally set us up. We spent the night with her before heading back to Ohio. We stopped in Cincinnati to have dinner with DH's best friend and his wife.

All in all, a good trip with too much good food.

It wasn't all fun and games. I wrote and edited on the trip. Prior to leaving, I placed A Barrel of Vintner and Death Goddess Walking on preorder on Amazon. A Barrel of Vintner is also up on the other retailer sights. So I need to set up Death Goddess Walking on the rest of the retailers.

One of the books has been fully edited and delivered to my formatter. I'm 75% through the second book and hope to finish it up today.

I also need to get some bills paid, correspondence sent to our hospital (they forgot to bill me for a check-up back in 2024!), and wade through all the e-mails and snail mail I've received while on the road. Then there's the piddly domestic stuff like picking up prescriptions, washing the laundry from the trip, and putting away clean dishes.

To top everything off, our brand-new roof has a leak, and we need to make some phone calls about that!

However, I have taken a few minutes to admire the spring flowers that were blooming when we arrived home, and I'm giving extra snuggles to the Princess Pup and the Grandpuppy. They both detest the Doggie Hotel even though the staff spoils them rotten.

 I hope everyone is whittling though their own to-do list and enjoying a wonderful spring day! 

Music I've Been Listening to Lately

It's hard to believe he's been gone for ten years.This month will be a tribute to Prince on the monthly anniversary of his passing.