diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 13f802c..18d727f 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [tool.poetry]
 name = "pymicrocosm"
-version = "0.1.0"
+version = "0.2.0"
 description = "A tiny python-based micropub endpoint that supports a Gitea + drone static website"
 authors = ["James Ravenscroft <ravenscroftj@gmail.com>"]
 license = "AGPL-3.0"
diff --git a/src/microcosm/__init__.py b/src/microcosm/__init__.py
index e710181..52a1a94 100644
--- a/src/microcosm/__init__.py
+++ b/src/microcosm/__init__.py
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ import giteapy
 import giteapy.rest
 import time
 import base64
+
+
 from werkzeug.datastructures import FileStorage
 import yaml
 
@@ -27,7 +29,7 @@ PERMITTED_DOMAIN = os.environ.get(
 
 ENTITY_TYPE_PLURAL_MAP = {
     "reply": "replies",
-    "watch":"watches"
+    "watch": "watches"
 }
 
 core_bp = Blueprint("core", __name__)
@@ -81,10 +83,10 @@ _api_client = None
 
 
 
-def process_photo_url(now: datetime, doc: Dict[str, List[str]], suffix: str = ""):
+def process_photo_url(created_at: datetime, doc: Dict[str, List[str]], suffix: str = ""):
     """Process photo submitted via URL"""
 
-    now_ts = int(time.mktime(now.timetuple()))
+    now_ts = int(time.mktime(created_at.timetuple()))
     
     photo_urls = []
 
@@ -103,9 +105,9 @@ def process_photo_url(now: datetime, doc: Dict[str, List[str]], suffix: str = ""
 
             # generate local filename
             filename = os.path.join(os.environ.get(
-                'MICROPUB_MEDIA_PATH'), now.strftime("%Y/%m/%d"), str(now_ts) + f"{now_ts}_{suffix}_{i}_{ext}")
+                'MICROPUB_MEDIA_PATH'), created_at.strftime("%Y/%m/%d"), str(now_ts) + f"{now_ts}_{suffix}_{i}_{ext}")
             photo_url = os.path.join(os.environ.get(
-                'MICROPUB_MEDIA_URL_PREFIX'), now.strftime("%Y/%m/%d"), str(now_ts) + f"{now_ts}_{suffix}_{i}_{ext}")
+                'MICROPUB_MEDIA_URL_PREFIX'), created_at.strftime("%Y/%m/%d"), str(now_ts) + f"{now_ts}_{suffix}_{i}_{ext}")
 
             photo_urls.append(photo_url)
 
@@ -123,10 +125,10 @@ def process_photo_url(now: datetime, doc: Dict[str, List[str]], suffix: str = ""
 
     return photo_urls
 
-def process_photo_upload(now: datetime, file: FileStorage, suffix: str=""):
+def process_photo_upload(created_at: datetime, file: FileStorage, suffix: str=""):
     """Process photo directly uploaded to micropub"""
 
-    now_ts = int(time.mktime(now.timetuple()))
+    now_ts = int(time.mktime(created_at.timetuple()))
 
     if os.environ.get('MICROPUB_IMAGE_STRATEGY') == 'copy':
 
@@ -134,9 +136,9 @@ def process_photo_upload(now: datetime, file: FileStorage, suffix: str=""):
 
         # generate local filename
         filename = os.path.join(os.environ.get(
-            'MICROPUB_MEDIA_PATH'), now.strftime("%Y/%m/%d"), f"{now_ts}_{suffix}{ext}")
+            'MICROPUB_MEDIA_PATH'), created_at.strftime("%Y/%m/%d"), f"{now_ts}_{suffix}{ext}")
         photo_url = os.path.join(os.environ.get(
-            'MICROPUB_MEDIA_URL_PREFIX'), now.strftime("%Y/%m/%d"),  f"{now_ts}_{suffix}{ext}")
+            'MICROPUB_MEDIA_URL_PREFIX'), created_at.strftime("%Y/%m/%d"),  f"{now_ts}_{suffix}{ext}")
 
         # make directory if needed
         if not os.path.exists(os.path.dirname(filename)):
@@ -150,9 +152,9 @@ def process_photo_upload(now: datetime, file: FileStorage, suffix: str=""):
         return None
 
 
-def init_frontmatter(now: datetime, post_type: str, name: Optional[str]=None):
+def init_frontmatter(created_at: datetime, post_type: str, name: Optional[str]=None):
 
-    now_ts = int(time.mktime(now.timetuple()))
+    now_ts = int(time.mktime(created_at.timetuple()))
 
     if name:
         if isinstance(name, list):
@@ -164,18 +166,18 @@ def init_frontmatter(now: datetime, post_type: str, name: Optional[str]=None):
 
 
     url = os.path.join("/", ENTITY_TYPE_PLURAL_MAP.get(post_type, post_type + "s"),
-                       now.strftime("%Y/%m/%d"), slug)
+                       created_at.strftime("%Y/%m/%d"), slug)
 
     print(os.environ.get(
         'CONTENT_PREFIX'))
 
     file_path = os.path.join(os.environ.get(
-        'CONTENT_PREFIX'), ENTITY_TYPE_PLURAL_MAP.get(post_type, post_type + "s"),  now.strftime("%Y/%m/%d"), slug + ".md")
+        'CONTENT_PREFIX'), ENTITY_TYPE_PLURAL_MAP.get(post_type, post_type + "s"),  created_at.strftime("%Y/%m/%d"), slug + ".md")
 
     frontmatter = {
         "url": url,
         "type": post_type,
-        "date": now.isoformat(sep='T'),
+        "date": created_at.isoformat(sep='T'),
     }
 
     return frontmatter, file_path
@@ -321,7 +323,13 @@ def process_json_post():
     props = body['properties']
     entry_type = detect_entry_type(props)
 
-    now = datetime.now()
+    if 'published' in props:
+
+        from dateutil import parser
+        
+        now = parser.parse(props['published'][0])
+    else:
+        now = datetime.now()
 
     frontmatter, file_path = init_frontmatter(now, entry_type, props.get('name'))