Published? Sorta...

So I took the leap and decided to put my short story PAST JUMPER up for sale on Amazon and Smashwords. I thought I was doing the write (hehe) thing and I re-read the story word for word as well as passing it out to some friends to have them read it for me. It all came back with the thumbs up. I fixed a few minor issues, re-read the guide lines to post it online, re-read them again. Changed the format to what was recommended and clicked the submit button to have it available to buy.
Then it hit me...
In the very FIRST page where people read about what my story is about I misnamed one of my main characters. So, I pulled it down and had that fixed... another three days passed so Amazon can make sure I didn't fill the book full of instructions on how to topple the American government. ( Or something like that I have no real idea why it takes them three days to review one changed word.) Then my short story was up for sale! (again) The oddest thing happened. My book started selling. Yeah! I know! Someone out there actually paid money to read what I wrote. Yes, I know it is ONLY .99c Heck a coffee these days costs more then that but it actually started to sell!
Then comes the bad part.
I have a friend that bought it. Thank you! And he found things that all my readers and myself missed inside the work. Granted they weren't horrible blaring mistakes but they were there regardless. That hit me the hardest. I honestly feel bad that people paid that much for a work that wasn't perfect. Yeah, I know, it's .99c but it doesn't matter. My readers expect something less flawed. I would expect that from someone else. I haven't pulled the book, it is a little more of hassle if you decide to do that but I have swindled a friend that actually went to school to be an editor to take a look at it for me. I am happy to say that she did a read and wasn't totally revolted with what I wrote. She is cleaning it up now. So with any luck there will be a revised edition up to replace my flawed one very soon.
One reader did review the book for me. (Hopefully more will soon) Her comments were good with the one exception. It was too short! Well, I did warn people it is a short story but it got me thinking. I created this story to enter a short story competition and decided that I didn't want to tie my story up with an unknown company for six months waiting to see if I win or not. So I decided not to enter. Their rules at that time were to keep the work under 8000 words. I adapted some of the story before posting it for sale and it ended up at around 8300 words. Pretty short, but the world I had created had many opportunities. So on the advice of the review I have started the "sequel" so to say. Actually I have it planned to be four short stories all around the 10k mark ending with a 5th of unknown length. I think this is a novel (hehe) idea and I am already 50% finished the second short. If this idea takes off then perhaps I will appease the masses and have a load of fun at the same time.
Must get back to writing!
P.S. Sorry no little picture, this was a long enough post without me putting one up there :)