I received an automated e-mail while being kidnapped by bronchitis last week that needs to be shouted about for self-publishers everywhere: Smashwords signed a lucrative and beneficial distribution contract with Baker & Taylor. Read the full article here.
Basically what this means is that:
1. Smashwords books gain distribution to the Blio e-reading app which comes already installed on millions of personal computers and laptops manufactured by Dell, HP and Toshiba.
2. Smashwords books gain distribution to public libraries that subscribe to Baker & Taylor’s Access360 service. This includes dozens of public libraries and more of them are getting this service daily.
Royalty rates are 60% for Blio books and 45% for library list sales. This means that publishing to Smashwords is more important than ever for worldwide distribution.
I recommend that if you want to publish e-books to Smashwords that you sign up for their premium listing (which is free) and make sure you follow the guidelines in their “style guide” which is also available for free.
Happy publishing!
Writing Is Hard Work 
Thanks for the heads up, Mark. I have been fussing over where to put my my poetry. (PS I grew up in OK)
Mark Coker is really working his butt off for us. I just got approval for the Prime catalog for my third novel, and it’s great to know that it’s going to travel far and wide. I’m also starting to put my work on Amazon Kindle, but Smashwords always get it first.