E.C. Adams's Blog, page 2

17/04/2013 – My first author interview (with Daniel Sherrier)

Get to Know…E.C. Adams

Paranormal fantasy author E.C. Adams joins us for this week’s “Get to Know…” This is also her cover reveal day, so…look! New cover! Welcome, E.C.!

Tell us about your book.

“The Vampire Code” is a New Adult Urban Fantasy Romance novel about a human lawyer who is hired to defend a vampire wrongly accused of murdering a human in a world where vampires are a social minority fighting for more legal rights. In the process, she of course gets into a ton of trouble and falls in love with the accused’s brother, another member of the leading vampire family of New York, the Fiscards.

Where did the idea come from?

I was watching a TV series which featured vampires who supposedly “lived in secret” and I remember thinking, “How is that even possible in this modern day of Facebook, high-tech airport security, social security numbers and the IRS? This sparked the idea that if there really were vampires, they should “come out”, you know… like gays before them… and would they be a social minority for some time? What would the legal implications be, especially in relation to property, if they don’t have identities? What about inheritance?

What’s the book’s opening line?

“Sebastian Fiscard couldn’t have been older than thirty five when he died. He sat across from me wearing a crisp white shirt over dark blue pants and an air of barely contained impatience.”

What do you most enjoy about writing?

Being with my characters, researching the world they live in. Plotting their home addresses on Google maps. That sort of thing.

Please share a writing tip you’ve found helpful.

Readers want a “powerful emotional experience.” If you can feel that when you’re writing, your readers are bound to feel it too.

What interests you about vampires?

The fact that they live more than one lifespan, and the wisdom and maturity that should come with that. I cannot help thinking that if I could live that long, I’d be so much wiser and more “balanced” than I am today.

What distinguishes your book from the other vampire stories out there?

Treating vampires as a social minority is definitely a new take on vampires which readers should find refreshing.

What’s your day job? Does it influence your writing in any way?

I’m a lawyer by day and my heroine and narrator is a lawyer, so I’ve definitely drawn from my own experience when writing “The Vampire Code”. Just like my heroine Aurora, I used to work for a large firm, and I understand the pressure on newbies to pull long hours and treat every case as an opportunity to impress their seniors. Aurora is at that stage in her life where she’s ready to move from being a “nobody” to becoming a “somebody”.

What’s the best book you’ve ever read?

There can never be a “best”, as authors keep coming up with great books. But I will always have a favorite, and that’s “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen. I studied it at school when I was a teenager, and it will always have a special place in my heart as for years I had a crush on Mr. Darcy. (I think I still do… shhhh!)

Who is your favorite fictional character? (Any medium)

I used to love Ally McBeal (TV series 1997-2002). I also have a soft-spot for Sookie Stackhouse from the Southern Vampire Series.

If you could have one super-power, what would it be and why?

I wish I didn’t need to sleep because I’d get so much more than in one day! Besides my day job, I have three small children to look after. If I didn’t need to sleep, I’d cook better meals for my family at night, while everyone else slept. I’d read and review books as a hobby, and of course, I’d write more books.

What’s next for you?

My original plan was to publish book 2 in “The Vampire Code” series for Christmas 2013 and a stand-alone about a cryogenically frozen woman who wakes up in the future over the Summer. Now, I’m thinking of swapping the release dates of these two books. Problem is, I really want to write this stand-alone!

Where can people learn more about your work?

I have a website / blog: http://www.thevampirecode.com. I’m also a Goodreads.com author and librarian for those who are active on Goodreads.com.

Tell us one fun fact about yourself.

I will not eat the same food for lunch and dinner on the same day. I refuse!

Thanks, E.C.!

This entry was posted in Get to Know on April 16, 2013 by drsherrier.

16/04/2013 – V. CODE’s COVER REVEAL

Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you: my cover for “The Vampire Code” Book 1, featuring my heroine, Aurora Lake, a sexy, kick-ass heroine, who is not afraid to close her eyes and take the proverbial leap.

Thank you Zee Monodee, the artist who converted my vision into the cover shown here and thank you to Nadia for hosting the cover reveal @ http://htl.li/k5u4f

01/04/2013 – Planning a giveaway

Dear friends,

I want your help and in some cases experience, to help me plan and host a giveaway as part of my launch campaign for “The Vampire Code”. What would you like to receive? Free signed copies? Swag? (And if swag, what exactly?) Amazon coupons?

I want to GIVE, but what? I want it to be personal and warm, something that would truly represent me giving something to you.

 

27/03/2013 – Book covers and blind dates – by author Sherry Stanfield

You’re probably wondering what book covers have to do with blind dates.  If you’re an author, the answer is everything.  Have you ever heard the saying:  “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.”?  Just like a blind date, an author’s only chance to grab a reader’s attention is with their book cover, their first impression if you will.

“Different strokes for different folks” is another popular saying, and a very true one.  When the reader goes looking for the next great read, they usually search first by genre or topic, then by title and then … you guessed it, they look at the cover.  Now, I’m going to pick on the guys for a minute.  You’re “shopping” around for a new relationship, and just like an author’s book title, your friend tells you this unknown person is exactly what your looking for.  Being the risk taker that you are, you take your friend’s word for it and show up for the blind date.  I guarantee you, just as in shopping for books, this is what happens next:  the first impression begins…

1.  Visual Appeal – Presentation is vital to book sales – compatibility, appropriateness, and cleanliness.  If an author chooses the wrong book cover, it could instantly turn off the reader.  It’s very important to “dress” your book for the occasion.  You wouldn’t show up for a formal date in shorts and a t-shirt, so why would you “dress” your book incorrectly.  It must be compatible and appropriate for your genre (the occasion) as well as the inside content.  Make sure the image is clean, fresh and unique, the same as your book.  One last note, if you’re an erotica writer as I am, you may want to consider how your cover will affect the readers comfort level in public.

2.  Introduction – Your book cover comprises both the front and back covers.  Once you have passed the front cover inspection, most readers turn it over and read the synopsis of your book.  It is detrimental for an author to be forthcoming with what they are offering the reader.  The two covers should go hand and hand, after all, they are bound to one another.   Put your best summary forward.  Just like a blind date, give them a brief glimpse, sell yourself so to speak. And finally,

3.  Substance -  So, you’ve grabbed their attention.  Great!  Now, are you worth it?  Book covers and blind dates are one in the same, they lead to one thing … relationships.  You want to engage your reader and keep them interested.  You want them to fall in love with your characters and with your work.  How you do that, well, that’s entirely another post! So choose well my fellow authors.  Please leave your comments and thoughts, both authors and readers.  I would love to hear from you.  To subscribe to future posts, here is the link:  http://feeds.feedburner.com/TheTemptationTrilogy

21/03/2013 – “I do, therefore I am” – E.C. Adams

Descartes said “I think, therefore I am”, but that has nothing to do with my blog post of today, which is about taking the plunge – closing your eyes and jumping – in other words: DOING. So I couldn’t quote D. I had to come up with my own words of wisdom. “I do, therefore I am”. Sounds nice too, doesn’t it?

Ok – Let me explain.

Today I did something that I would have never done a year ago. I tried something new, something I barely understood (and still have trouble understanding). Something outrageous. Something called Crowdfunding.

Crowdfunding, inspired by crowdsourcing is described as “the collective cooperation, attention and trust by people who network and pool their money together, usually via the Internet, in order to support efforts initiated by other people or organizations. Crowdfunding occurs for any variety of purposes, from disaster relief to citizen journalism to artists seeking support from fans, to political campaigns. Crowdfunding can replace the need for specialized grant applications or other more formal and traditional fundraising techniques with that of a more casual, yet powerful, approach based on crowd participation. Examples of the basis of Crowdfunding can be seen in Cooperatives (co-ops) around the world.”  [Michael Sullivan]

A friend recommended it and another friend, someone who works in marketing, funding and ancillary services, looked into for me, because me being me, I was skeptical.

I created an account, laid out my case (I need to raise money for a professional book cover) and two hours later I’ve already collected 20% of the funds I need.

Outrageous, right?

Follow this link to my proposal. I am giving away free copies of my book to donors (plus other tokens of my appreciation) – http://www.gofundme.com/2d62ck

I still cannot believe something like this – so new and hip – is not only available, but used by thousands of individuals and also by large companies, to fund ventures/projects. And what’s even better: I’m doing it too! Outrageous!

[Image: Forbes.com]

13/03/2013 – Which is the most powerful image? VOTE NOW!

 

 

 

 

 

 

The first picture is Aurora, the heroine and narrator of “The Vampire Code”. So I’m going to call this picture “Aurora”.

The second picture reminds me of Stephanie Meyer’s “The Host”, and loses points for that, but Aurora jumps at the opportunity to defend a vampire in Vampire Court. She (thinks) she is going in with eyes wide open, and that’s why I picked this picture.

The third picture is… well… breathtaking, and I thought all those blue leaves would make a great backdrop for the Blurb at the back of the book.

The fourt is of course my first and original book cover, which is looking, I must admit, a little dull in comparison with the other images now. (Let’s refer to it as “Woman with red cape”, shall we?)

And the last picture… I mean… WOW, right? Or is it just me? I’m calling this picture “Red Hair”.

Now, further to Elaine’s comment in my last Blog Post, I could put hearts with butterfly wings (I know Elaine and she has a vivid imagination), but I feel the story is so much about Aurora, and how she evolves from short-sighted, greedy little girl into a more complete, more honest, woman, that the cover should be about her too.

Over to you…

 

13/03/2013 – My book cover crisis

So someone gave me negative feedback on my book cover and I’ve been going nuts about it.

I wasted a morning trying to find images which inspire me, but I keep going back to a woman in a red cape.

I even researched which book covers readers find more attractive, and, perhaps not surprisingly, studies show that people like to see people/faces on covers. A friend told me I should put Aurora and Sebastian on the cover.

Anyone wants to give their opinion?

HELP!

 

11/03/2013 – A powerful emotional experience

It is no secret that as authors we are supposed to deliver “a powerful emotional experience” if we want to sell books. Okay. Fine. But what? Romance is always a safe bet I suppose. Then there’s fear and pain. Sex? Also.

But what if you’re half way through a romance novel and your husband walks out on you? How do you not turn your romance into a horror? Where do you tap into to find the right mood and convey the correct emotion?

What if your character is full of witty retorts for the first sixteen Chapters, your son is taken ill and your inspiration dries up?

What do professional authors, the ones who steadily and progressively publish solid books do? And how do they do it?

I struggle to write if I’m not “in the right mood” for it. I cannot write a romantic scene if I’m worried or distracted by things happening in my life. I just can’t “feel it”.

Anyone wants to share what they think?

 

 

03/03/2013 – How to avoid paying 30% tax on Royalties earned in the U.S.

When I decided to publish “The Vampire Code”, I was in for a big surprise when I learnt that I’d be paying 30% tax in the U.S. on every book I sold in that territory. Seems unfair, right, when you’re already paying taxes in another country?

I’m not from the U.S. but I was going to be using the services of a self-publishing company such as CreateSpace or Smashwords, and the Law requires these companies to report royalty payments made to non-U.S. authors to the U.S. authorities and to withhold and remit taxes on the royalty payments, thus earning them the name of “Withholding Agents”.

In other words, before you receive your cheque with your royalties, CreateSpace or whichever self-publishing company you decide to use in the U.S., would have already deducted 30% of your profits to pay your taxes in the U.S.

Is there a legal way to go round this?

Yes.

If you are a non-U.S. resident and your country has an established tax rate treaty with the U.S., you may be eligible for treaty withholdings rates of up to (or in this case down to) 0%.

The U.K, Canada and Malta, my country of residence, are all examples of treaty countries where the applicable withholding tax rate could go down to 0%.

Needless to say, you would always have to declare your income in your country of residence and pay your taxes there, but this could be significantly less than 30%, depending on income tax brackets in that particular country.

In order to benefit from a treaty exemption you must provide your Withholding Agent with a valid W-8BEN. [Available online from the IRS website]

Now, in order to submit a proper W-8BEN application, you need to first obtain a U.S. Tax Identification Number (TIN),which you will then quote on your W-8BEN application.

For non-U.S. persons, a Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) may be an EIN (for individuals and businesses) or an ITIN (for individuals only). An EIN may be obtained by filing IRS Form SS-4, Application for Employer Identification Number, whereas anITIN (which is what I applied for personally nearly two weeks ago) can be obtained by filing IRS Form W-7, Application for IRS Individual Taxpayer Identification Number.

I cannot stress enough how important it is to read the instructions as you fill out these application forms. I’m a lawyer by profession and I still took my time, crossing off parts which were not relevant to me and underlining parts which were.

For instance, I had to take a copy of my Passport (my validating document proving residence, citizenship and date of birth all in one go) to the U.S. Consulate in Malta to have the copy authenticated by a Notary from the U.S. Consulate as notarization by any other Notary in Malta would not have been accepted.

Also, remember to specify, if applicable, that you qualify for an exception from submitting a federal income tax return as your income will be coming from Royalties earned in the U.S.

And last but not least, remember to include an ITIN letter along with your Form W-7, which your Withholding Agent should provide you with. (I know for a fact that CreateSpace have a template which you can download and print.) Once you receive your TIN, send your Withholding Agents a completed W-8BEN form, which is a little more straightforward to fill in, but still comes with a set of useful instructions which I strongly suggest you follow as you go along.

Please note: Neither a TIN nor W-8BEN form are required to receive royalty payments if you are not a U.S. citizen/resident, however, if you choose not to provide a W-8BEN to your Withholding Agent, you will lose 30% of your earnings.

Disclaimer: Information in this article does not constitute tax, legal, or other professional advice and must not be used as such. Please consult a tax specialist for tax advice related to this matter.

02/03/2013 – Monster Erotica Books – How did I not notice until today?

Until recently, I thought I’d seen and heard it all, what with my line of work and all.

There is such a thing as Monster Erotica. (!)

Now I know what some of you are going to think. You’re going to think I must have been living under a rock or something. Honestly, they just never registered on my radar… until Goodreads.com.

So one day I came across this great reviewer on Goodreads, and as I looked through her shelves, I realised she has a penchant for Monster Porn and other weird stuff (in a witty, funny, only in it for kicks and giggles sort of way). And boy, did I have a blast reading her reviews!

In case there are people out there who have no idea what I’m talking about, here are some examples:

 

But if you really, and I mean, REALLY want to laugh, go to THIS review by said reviewer at this link: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16150714-his-human-cow

This book is the story of a girl who signs up for a study on human milk production, but the story as such is irrelevant. It’s the review that’s not to be missed. An excerpt for those who aren’t sure if they want to proceed:

so then he gives her some pills, which of course, she just takes, and he tells her that they are gonna make her boobs all full of milk and that she might find the sensation of being milked pleasurable. and then he winks.

because there is nothing creepy about a doctor talking about your boobs and then winking.

but mallory, who is fascinated by science, is not skeeved out by this. she orders takeout, takes the pills and goes to bed, It felt as though she had just made a positive decision for the first time in years.

oh, mallory. you dope.

and – lo! she wakes up with huge boobies, full of milk! and the first thing she does is go to the bathroom to admire them and squirt milk onto the mirror.

as you would.

and of course, it makes her totally hot.

and then the doctor comes in and stares at her boobies with excitement, and makes a statement that should really send mallory running, fascination with science or no:

“This is incredible…I didn’t expect any subject’s body to adapt to the substance this fast. It took the monkeys and cattle days to see results.”

good lord.

She shook her head, oddly excited by how close his face was as he leaned down, studying her naked breasts. Under any other circumstances, it would have been awkward, but she trusted him as a Doctor.

of course she did, because she is a moron.

and then he starts milking her. with his hands. flooding his palms with her milk. because that’s how a scientist would do it – just grabbing and letting the milk go all over the place because it’s not like it should be collected for examination or anything. and then… yup, suddenly he is using his mouth on her breast. but it’s okay, because she trusts him as a doctor.

and she is loving it.

because she is a moron.

and science is so fascinating.

and then there is dry-humping and she turns into a begging machine, telling him she will do anything for him. good lord, what is in those pills?

and then he makes a proposition.

and then his hands go where there should be no going, because THAT’S NOT WHERE MILK COMES FROM!!

and so then he comes back with a harness, and the whole thing gets sillier and sillier.

Funny, right? But it gets better. There’s also an appreciation for the creepy side of the story, which others missed.

Should I unearth similar gems, I’ll be sure to share.

E.C

PS: This post was inspired by my friend Iona and her “Let’s LIKE” (on FB) comments.

IONA: Please “LIKE” )