# The Canadian Authors Support Thread



## bwcolborne (Jun 11, 2014)

I keep seeing the Aussies thread popping up and figured us Canucks could use a little sub-hangout for all things unique to our Northern perspectives.

Feel free to add in any links to old threads that we got going in. There is one that was actually my very first foray into the WC where we talked about tips for minimizing the blow of the exchange rate conversion here:
http://www.kboards.com/index.php?topic=198289

I'd also like to start this off by getting some feedback about the bane of my current existence, the createspace paperback.

Can anyone tell me when, if ever, will it show on Amazon.ca or is it just on the big dogs .com .co.uk etc? If so, how bloody long did it take to link up for you?

Stay warm, gang


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## Sever Bronny (May 13, 2013)

Oooo, I'm a Canadian, eh!

But I got no tips really. Other than check is best. Oh and I used to know this clever way to get an ITIN number, but they changed their policies, so ... 

I will say this: Amazon.ca is phooey.

The sad truth is, Kboards makes me feel American. Breaks down and sobs in corner.


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## ShayneRutherford (Mar 24, 2014)

Hi BW. I'm a Canuck, too. (Hi, Sever. *waves*)

IIRC, it takes between six to eight weeks for your paperback to show up on the .ca site, if you chose expanded distribution... I think.


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## Douglas E Wright (Mar 11, 2011)

I'm here as well. No pointers at the moment, but I will come up with some.


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## Heather Hamilton-Senter (May 25, 2013)

Me too!

Createspace hooked me up in about 2 to 3 weeks. You'll continue to hate them when you have to pay shipping to Canada for a box of books!

I keep meaning to switch over to cheque - Amazon appears to be simply making up the exchange rate every month.

Anyone here from Ontario, the GTA or Durham Region? Would love a kboard get together!


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## Sever Bronny (May 13, 2013)

I'm in Victoria, BC. Too far from everyone


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## Midnight Whimsy (Jun 25, 2013)

Canadian too! 

My paperback linked up to my ebook on the CA store, but when a friend ordered it, the shipping time was ridiculous (8 weeks just to ship). I contacted Createspace and learned that they don't actually distribute directly to the CA store. So if your paperback is listed on the CA store, it's an intermediary selling copies they got from CreateSpace, not Createspace directly

So if you don't have a paperback listing on the CA store, it's because there's no intermediary seller listing it, and if you do have a listing, it's not Createspace directly and will likely have stupid-slow shipping. It's a bummer.

I really want to know when ACX will become available to Canadian authors...

Any of you fine folks using a pen name? I've got a question if you are. 

M.W


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

I'm here, too. 

Cheque is slow. Especially if you're not earning the minimum $100 per month. US bank account is best.  RBC, TD Canada Trust and BMO have branches in the US where you can open an account without having to set foot across the border. Get paid in USD, convert to CAD when the exchange rate suits you (and not your bank or Amazon.  )

As for the PB, I have no idea how long it takes, but I wouldn't send your readers to the CA site to buy it. If you've got it in Expanded Distribution (or pubbed a version tthrough Ingram), send them to Chapters or Book Depository. Cheaper and much faster shipping/delivery!

Hope that helps!

Rue


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

Sever Bronny said:


> I'm in Victoria, BC. Too far from everyone


I'm just a short ferry ride away. 

Rue


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

Midnight Whimsy said:


> Canadian too!
> 
> My paperback linked up to my ebook on the CA store, but when a friend ordered it, the shipping time was ridiculous (8 weeks just to ship). I contacted Createspace and learned that they don't actually distribute directly to the CA store. So if your paperback is listed on the CA store, it's an intermediary selling copies they got from CreateSpace, not Createspace directly
> 
> ...


I use my maiden name, so kind of a pen name.

Rue


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## Sever Bronny (May 13, 2013)

I asked creatspace that question, MW, and they said they're trying to make it happen 


Ooo, hiyas, Rue! You so close! maybe one day we can get a bunch of us together and hold a westcoast BC thingy thing, or whatever. Get together!


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## Heather Hamilton-Senter (May 25, 2013)

I use my hyphenated maiden-married name.


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## Heather Hamilton-Senter (May 25, 2013)

None of my family have had to wait long to get my book shipped. Right now it's showing as being able to be received by Friday (basically a day and a bit!) if I order it right now - though it does say there's only one copy left.

Why is everyone else having trouble?


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

Clearly Amazon hates us. 

Sever, sounds like fun. 

Rue


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## Midnight Whimsy (Jun 25, 2013)

Heather, Rue, is your Amazon account name therefore different from the author name on your books? If so, has Amazon questioned your right to publish your books at any point?

Thanks!

M.W


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## Heather Hamilton-Senter (May 25, 2013)

Midnight Whimsy said:


> Heather, Rue, is your Amazon account name therefore different from the author name on your books? If so, has Amazon questioned your right to publish your books at any point?
> 
> Thanks!
> 
> M.W


I think the difference between Heather Senter and Heather Hamilton-Senter probably makes it obvious that it's a hyphenated single-married name - so no, not thus far anyway. But that's when I originally set up an Amazon account. I actually publish under my publishing company name Two Paths Publishing because I created a sole proprietorship in that name.

No problems anyway - have you had problems?


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## Heather Hamilton-Senter (May 25, 2013)

ruecole said:


> Clearly Amazon hates us.


Wasn't there a thread one time about sacrificing goats to the Amazon gods? Maybe that will help!


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

Yup, Amazon account is under my married name. Received one email back in 2012 regarding rights to one title (a short story). It was available online via a lit mag at that time, so I explained that and they went away. Never been questioned about my name.

Hope that helps!

BTW, just reread the thread bwcolborne linked to and realized I never said thanks for the email transfer tip. I now receive all my money from Amazon into my TD chequing account without having to leave the house. 

And no mysteriously disappearing $$$$!!!

Rue


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## Midnight Whimsy (Jun 25, 2013)

Heather Hamilton-Senter said:


> I think the difference between Heather Senter and Heather Hamilton-Senter probably makes it obvious that it's a hyphenated single-married name - so no, not thus far anyway. But that's when I originally set up an Amazon account. I actually publish under my publishing company name Two Paths Publishing because I created a sole proprietorship in that name.
> 
> No problems anyway - have you had problems?


Well, I had a dumb moment when I created my Amazon account and used my pen name as my account name. Then my first cheque arrived and I clued into the "whoops". I contacted KDP and they said I should definitely change my account name to my real name, but "by the way, we might at some random point then demand a copy of your rights to publish your next book since your author name will no longer match your account name." (quote may be paraphrased)

I'm now terrified to change my account name in case they demand this mysterious "copy of my rights" -- the nature of which they can't seem to explain clearly -- because my next book is in pre-order. If they demand this rights thing on my pre-order and it ends up being cancelled... that would be disastrous, to say the least. 

On the other hand, I would really like to be able to cash my cheques. 

M.W

PS - Going to read that tip thread!!


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## Douglas E Wright (Mar 11, 2011)

Originally, I'm from The St Lawrence Valley, City of the Thousand Islands in between Ottawa & Kingston. Lived all over the country and moved back to Victoria from Whitehorse about 5 years ago. I have had my $ going into the RBC across the street from me for a year or so.

Yep, we should do a west coast meet sometime!


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## Heather Hamilton-Senter (May 25, 2013)

Midnight Whimsy said:


> Well, I had a dumb moment when I created my Amazon account and used my pen name as my account name. Then my first cheque arrived and I clued into the "whoops". I contacted KDP and they said I should definitely change my account name to my real name, but "by the way, we might at some random point then demand a copy of your rights to publish your next book since your author name will no longer match your account name." (quote may be paraphrased)
> 
> I'm now terrified to change my account name in case they demand this mysterious "copy of my rights" -- the nature of which they can't seem to explain clearly -- because my next book is in pre-order. If they demand this rights thing on my pre-order and it ends up being cancelled... that would be disastrous, to say the least.
> 
> ...


Weird. Maybe because I'm direct deposit, that's why I haven't had a problem with the different names - no cheques, just money into an account.....


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## Maia Sepp Ross (May 10, 2013)

Heather Hamilton-Senter said:


> Anyone here from Ontario, the GTA or Durham Region? Would love a kboard get together!


Toronto, here!


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## MichaelBlackbourn (May 29, 2013)

Bowen Island, BC here.

Nice to meet you all. I recently received my book from cs and it looks awesome. Didn't take too long to link to the ebook.


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

The last time I went to Bowen Island, a pod of dolphins chased the ferry back to the Mainland. It was pretty awesome. 

Rue


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## bwcolborne (Jun 11, 2014)

Ah, yes I love me a good email transfer!

Thx for the paperback lowdown. I figured that's how it was going to be but had to check with y'all


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## Anna_ (Jan 18, 2015)

I'm new and haven't published yet, so I have nothing to add ... yet. I'm from Winnipeg and it's pretty lonely here. I don't see anyone else on here from my home province. 

I'm bookmarking this thread because I'm sure it will be invaluable. Love seeing everything from the Canadian perspective.


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## bwcolborne (Jun 11, 2014)

Anna Albo said:


> I'm new and haven't published yet, so I have nothing to add ... yet. I'm from Winnipeg and it's pretty lonely here. I don't see anyone else on here from my home province.
> 
> I'm bookmarking this thread because I'm sure it will be invaluable. Love seeing everything from the Canadian perspective.


I've been to Winnipeg. That's something. And for the record, it wasn't cold as futz when I went there. They do have summer!


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## ShayneRutherford (Mar 24, 2014)

Midnight Whimsy said:


> Well, I had a dumb moment when I created my Amazon account and used my pen name as my account name. Then my first cheque arrived and I clued into the "whoops". I contacted KDP and they said I should definitely change my account name to my real name, but "by the way, we might at some random point then demand a copy of your rights to publish your next book since your author name will no longer match your account name." (quote may be paraphrased)
> 
> I'm now terrified to change my account name in case they demand this mysterious "copy of my rights" -- the nature of which they can't seem to explain clearly -- because my next book is in pre-order. If they demand this rights thing on my pre-order and it ends up being cancelled... that would be disastrous, to say the least.


Hi MW. I'm using a pen name, and so far I haven't had a problem. I can't see why there would be a problem, really, since KDP has the ability to have different pen names in your account and on author central. If you're really worried, register the copyright to each of your books - you register to your real name and list your pen name, too - and then you would have proof that you own the rights.


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## Quiss (Aug 21, 2012)

What's with all the writers in BC?  Must be something in the water. Or the weather.

I'm near Toronto, currently freezing my hiney off.  I know of two other kboarders in TO and one in Hamilton, so a get-together might be possible.

Very busy right now being grilled by Revenue Canada about those taxes the IRS grabbed before I got my EIN sorted out in 2013.  Sigh.


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## bwcolborne (Jun 11, 2014)

Guess we can add this in now
http://www.kboards.com/index.php?topic=208786

KU in Canada. Kinda surprised actually.

Good luck with those taxes, I specifically waited until January before I hit publish to avoid even a possibility of a tax nightmare. Although I'm sure CRA won't mind too much that I made a whopping $50 in a month.

Ooh, that's enough to pay a bill! I'm rich!


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## Heather Hamilton-Senter (May 25, 2013)

You Toronto people - anyone on the east side in Durham Region?


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## ShayneRutherford (Mar 24, 2014)

Heather Hamilton-Senter said:


> You Toronto people - anyone on the east side in Durham Region?


Me!


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## Heather Hamilton-Senter (May 25, 2013)

ShayneRutherford said:


> Me!


Hey you! Did you do WCDR's Bookapalooza - your covers look familiar.


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## Fictionista (Sep 14, 2012)

Halifax, Nova Scotia in the hizzzouse!!!


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## ShayneRutherford (Mar 24, 2014)

Heather Hamilton-Senter said:


> Hey you! Did you do WCDR's Bookapalooza - your covers look familiar.


No. I haven't been to any WCDR events in ages... Since right around the time they moved the meetings from Whitby to Ajax. I think my covers have just been sitting in my signature for a while, so you've probably seen them around here.


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## Nancy Warren (May 5, 2014)

Hi fellow Canucks!

I'm also from Vancouver, though I travel a lot. I'll be back in March for most of the month, though, if anyone wants to do a meet up. My folks are on Van Isle so I could do that, or something on the mainland.

Rue, I get direct deposit to TD but Amazon would NOT deposit to my US $ account. It all gets changed into $C which drives me nuts as I would much prefer the money to stay in US funds. Any tips? What did I do wrong?

I'm so with you on ACX for Canadians. I am doing my first audio books now and going through Joe Nobody's company (which was awesome of him) but really? How hard would it be.


Stay warm you easterners, and dry you westerners.

best, Nancy


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## @Suzanna (Mar 14, 2011)

I.Am.Canadian.

(Love that commercial!)

I grew up right in downtown Toronto (could walk to the CNE) and now live in midtown Toronto. I'm strictly a west-end person, though.


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## Brevoort (Jan 27, 2014)

bwcolborne said:


> I keep seeing the Aussies thread popping up and figured us Canucks could use a little sub-hangout for all things unique to our Northern perspectives.


Thanks for starting this. I had no idea there were so many of us and I am glad there are. I have learned a great deal reading this thread, especially those threads referencing U-S bank accounts.

By way of introduction: Was a long time CBC and BBC correspondent in the Canadian Arctic and internationally in war zones before starting up as an independent communications consultant. Still going to war zones but expanding into western Canada's energy sector. I have books in various stages and getting quite close to hitting publish (going wide) on one of them.

I'd be very interested if anyone has heard anything definitive from ACX about when they might start allowing Canadian audio productions. I've emailed them but received no reply.


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

Nancy Warren said:


> Hi fellow Canucks!
> 
> I'm also from Vancouver, though I travel a lot. I'll be back in March for most of the month, though, if anyone wants to do a meet up. My folks are on Van Isle so I could do that, or something on the mainland.
> 
> ...


Hi Nancy,

There's a difference between a US funds account and a US bank account. You need an account drawn on a bank from the US with a routing number (not the same system we use here in Canada). Three Canadian banks (as far as I know) have branches or banks in the US. RBC, TD Canada Trust, and BMO.

Here are some links to the US accounts those banks offer:

http://www.rbcbank.com/

http://www.tdcanadatrust.com/m/products-services/banking/cross-border-banking/index.jsp

https://www.bmoharris.com/main/personal

Hope that helps!

Rue


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## Dennis E. Taylor (Feb 10, 2015)

bwcolborne said:


> I keep seeing the Aussies thread popping up and figured us Canucks could use a little sub-hangout for all things unique to our Northern perspectives.


Woo hoo!



bwcolborne said:


> I'd also like to start this off by getting some feedback about the bane of my current existence, the createspace paperback.
> 
> Can anyone tell me when, if ever, will it show on Amazon.ca or is it just on the big dogs .com .co.uk etc? If so, how bloody long did it take to link up for you?


The first time I put up my createspace paperback, it linked just fine after a couple of days. Then I modified the paperback, it went "out of stock", and wouldn't come back. However, a couple of complaints to both createspace and amazon.ca got it reconnected. Can't speak for anyone else, but my experience with their customer service is all good.


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

Question: for those of you who have books in stock and shipping in a couple days on the CA store, have you sold any PBs in Canada? I haven't sold a single copy on the CA site yet, so I'm wondering if an order will trigger them to stock it in Canada?

Rue


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## Dennis E. Taylor (Feb 10, 2015)

Heather Hamilton-Senter said:


> Wasn't there a thread one time about sacrificing goats to the Amazon gods? Maybe that will help!


Or, we could sacrifice amazon to the Goat gods. Just sayin'


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## Jo Clendening (Apr 9, 2011)

Quiss said:


> What's with all the writers in BC? Must be something in the water. Or the weather.
> 
> I'm near Toronto, currently freezing my hiney off. I know of two other kboarders in TO and one in Hamilton, so a get-together might be possible.
> 
> Very busy right now being grilled by Revenue Canada about those taxes the IRS grabbed before I got my EIN sorted out in 2013. Sigh.


I live in the GTA too!


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## Scott Bartlett (Apr 1, 2012)

I'm a Canadian too, from Newfoundland! We have a snow day here. Some serious shovelling approaches.

I feel ya, about those shipping costs. I feel like a bit of an anomaly on kboards in that I'm an indie author who makes his living largely from print books. So I'm well-acquainted with spending money on shipping  (I use Lightning Source, incidentally.)


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## Jo Clendening (Apr 9, 2011)

Colleen Cross said:


> Another Vancouverite here...thanks for starting the thread!


I love your covers.


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## Midnight Whimsy (Jun 25, 2013)

Thanks for the responses about pen names! It seems I just need to take the plunge, get it over with, and hope for the best once I've changed my account name. Is there anything special you need to do to "set up" a pen name, or do you just enter it for the book in the "contributors" section and that's it?

Thanks for enduring my newbie-ness. 


M.W


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## Midnight Whimsy (Jun 25, 2013)

To the BC peeps in the thread: My fiance and I are planning a road trip through BC for our honeymoon this July. Any suggestions/recommendations for routes, sights, stops, etc.? We're thinking 1-2 weeks depending on how many stops we make. 

M.W


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## Tim McGregor (Apr 2, 2013)

Hey Canuckers,
Nice to see so many stop in and shout out. I'm in Toronto, in a neighbourhood now overrun with hipsters. Ugh. 

About the createspace question, I've never even bothered to look if my paperbacks show up in the CA store. 
Here's a question...do you shop through Amazon.ca? I never do. 

Add my vote for ACX letting Canada in. If they can let the UK in, how hard can it be for us here? 

Stay warm everybody!


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## Midnight Whimsy (Jun 25, 2013)

Edward M. Grant said:


> The only extra thing you need to do is set up the author central account for that name, if you want one.


Great, I already have that taken care of. Thanks!

M.W


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## EC Sheedy (Feb 24, 2011)

Another Canuck here who just moved to Victoria, BC from mid Vancouver Island.  

Oh, and I've been to Winnipeg, too. Once. Years ago. And, yes, it was cold! But the people were fantastic!


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## Tim McGregor (Apr 2, 2013)

I've found that too, Ed. Seems almost arbitrary, doesn't it?


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

Midnight Whimsy said:


> To the BC peeps in the thread: My fiance and I are planning a road trip through BC for our honeymoon this July. Any suggestions/recommendations for routes, sights, stops, etc.? We're thinking 1-2 weeks depending on how many stops we make.
> 
> M.W


Travel via the #1 all the way to Vancouver, then hop the ferry to Victoria, spend a few days there, maybe go up island to Parksville or Qualicum Beach (beautiful beaches and camping!). Then travel back home via the #3 Crowsnest route and enjoy the scenery (it's slower and less direct, but there are some seriously pretty little towns along the way. Don't forget to stop in Nelson (my hometown). It's got a ton of history and a strong arts culture. Then take the Kootenay Lake ferry, drive to Cranbrook, then to Radium and Banff and back to Alberta. 

Hope that helps!

Rue


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

Edward M. Grant said:


> I've found things are often cheaper on amazon.ca than amazon.com, particularly when you include shipping. But it's entirely random: one DVD box set might be $20 cheaper while another DVD is $10 more expensive.


With the dollar dropping, I'll probably switch back to shopping on the CA site. But until now I've always shopped on the .com site and had packages delivered to a place just south of the border. It cost $3 per package, so sometimes it works out to the same price, but you save on time since anything shipped from the US seems to take FOREVER to get across the border. So much faster to just drive down and get it myself! 

Rue


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## Maia Sepp Ross (May 10, 2013)

Fictionista said:


> Halifax, Nova Scotia in the hizzzouse!!!


Loooooooooooooooooove Halifax!


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## Heather Hamilton-Senter (May 25, 2013)

ShayneRutherford said:


> No. I haven't been to any WCDR events in ages... Since right around the time they moved the meetings from Whitby to Ajax. I think my covers have just been sitting in my signature for a while, so you've probably seen them around here.


I've been semi-active at WCDR for a couple of years. I won one of their scholarships in my first year. I go to the breakfasts probably every three months. I think I'll be there in March. Are you doing the Ontario Writers Conference in Ajax? I find both have a lot of familiar faces between the two of them and they are amazingly devoted to trad pub - a little bit blinkered actually. I get no respect or notice at the WCDR, despite my sales and ranking on Amazon. And yet people who haven't even managed to publish anything are always giving workshops, asked to speak etc....

Oh well, the breakfasts are yummy and some of the imported speakers are excellent. Though I remember last year when best selling trad pub romance author Eve Silver mentioned that, particularly for niche genres, self pub was an excellent and lucrative idea, you could feel the collective gasp in the room! LOL


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## Heather Hamilton-Senter (May 25, 2013)

ruecole said:


> Question: for those of you who have books in stock and shipping in a couple days on the CA store, have you sold any PBs in Canada? I haven't sold a single copy on the CA site yet, so I'm wondering if an order will trigger them to stock it in Canada?
> 
> Rue


That actually might be it. I had family first order from Amazon.com before the book was linked to .ca - and that took a bit longer shipping - and then a bunch ordered from the Canadian site. I think I remember the first couple taking longer to arrive, but now one must be sitting in a warehouse somewhere, ready to get to me in a day or so because Amazon thought there might be the demand for a couple.....

Maybe it's like priming the pump....


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## ShayneRutherford (Mar 24, 2014)

Heather Hamilton-Senter said:


> I've been semi-active at WCDR for a couple of years. I won one of their scholarships in my first year. I go to the breakfasts probably every three months. I think I'll be there in March. Are you doing the Ontario Writers Conference in Ajax? I find both have a lot of familiar faces between the two of them and they are amazingly devoted to trad pub - a little bit blinkered actually. I get no respect or notice at the WCDR, despite my sales and ranking on Amazon. And yet people who haven't even managed to publish anything are always giving workshops, asked to speak etc....
> 
> Oh well, the breakfasts are yummy and some of the imported speakers are excellent. Though I remember last year when best selling trad pub romance author Eve Silver mentioned that, particularly for niche genres, self pub was an excellent and lucrative idea, you could feel the collective gasp in the room! LOL


Devoted to trad pub, and devoted to literature over genre, they are. At the time, a friend of mine and I were two of the only genre writers there. I didn't have anything pubbed at the time, but she had several novels out with a small press, and she got snubbed by most of the people there.

I don't do the OWA. I consider it a huge waste of money, since most of the people there aren't genre and, as you pointed out, don't have much experience. I go to Ad Astra, instead. It's a fan con, but there are a lot of panels that you can learn a lot from. And a lot of big name writers show up and talk on the panels, too.


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## Glenna (Dec 1, 2014)

Why has no one started this thread before now?  Thank you, Brian!  
I'm 30 minutes to the Windsor-Detroit border, way down in Essex County, Ontario - Canada's sun parlour, although it doesn't feel like it today.


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## Rayven T. Hill (Jul 24, 2013)

I'm also from the GTA. Haven't posted much recently but this thread caught my attention.


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## Heather Hamilton-Senter (May 25, 2013)

ShayneRutherford said:


> Devoted to trad pub, and devoted to literature over genre, they are. At the time, a friend of mine and I were two of the only genre writers there. I didn't have anything pubbed at the time, but she had several novels out with a small press, and she got snubbed by most of the people there.
> 
> I don't do the OWA. I consider it a huge waste of money, since most of the people there aren't genre and, as you pointed out, don't have much experience. I go to Ad Astra, instead. It's a fan con, but there are a lot of panels that you can learn a lot from. And a lot of big name writers show up and talk on the panels, too.


OWA has a book trailer, YA workshop & YA agent this year, but yeah, very trad, and very vanilla too. And yes - expensive - too expensive. I've paid less for 3 day SCBWI conferences and they're jam packed with workshops and spearkers!

There's more genre writers at WCDR now and they have had some great genre speakers like Guy Gavriel Kay -- though he tends literary too, Tim Wynne-Jones, Andrew Pyper, Amanda Sun is next month. But it's all trad, trad, trad, small literary press lovers etc.. And horrors - soooooo many still publishing with IUniverse and other vanity press blood-suckers!

I don't really socialize that much, or say too much. I just enjoy the food and the speakers. But whenever I try to warn against vanity presses, or try to explain my sales on Amazon, most of them look at me like I have two heads!

I've been to ad astra a couple of times. Not sure about it this year.....


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## GP Hudson (Sep 16, 2013)

Another Canadian here! Great idea for a thread.

I'm in downtown Toronto. East end.

I noticed some people mentioned ACX. I've been meaning to start a thread on the subject of audio books for Canadians. How does a Canadian go about publishing an audio book without ACX?


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## RhondaW (Mar 31, 2012)

Former BC girl here. Now in Edmonton, Alberta and hoping to get back to the BC Okanagan in the not so distant future. Miss the mountains big time!

Just received my RBC US bank debit card in the mail this week so should be able to get deposits straight into the US account now. No messing with mail and cheques!


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## theaatkinson (Sep 22, 2010)

How awesome is it to see so many Canadians here?!

This gal is from South West Nova Scotia, right on the tip of the province..Yarmouth, NS, where our lobsters are succulent and the haddock fish fry is to die for

t


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

Colleen Cross said:


> I love Nelson! Just visited for the first time last year, such a cool little town. If you like wine make sure to also visit the Okanagan - Penticton, Naramata etc have some great wineries. And while you are on the Island visit a few of the Gulf Islands, like Saltspring and my fave, Pender Island.


Yes, yes, and yes! 

Rue


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

Heather Hamilton-Senter said:


> That actually might be it. I had family first order from Amazon.com before the book was linked to .ca - and that took a bit longer shipping - and then a bunch ordered from the Canadian site. I think I remember the first couple taking longer to arrive, but now one must be sitting in a warehouse somewhere, ready to get to me in a day or so because Amazon thought there might be the demand for a couple.....
> 
> Maybe it's like priming the pump....


Oh! Yes, that may be it!

Hope some others weigh in with their experiences!

If this is true, then I'll go ahead and order my own book just to get the gears turning!

Thanks!

Rue


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## Anna_ (Jan 18, 2015)

bwcolborne said:


> I've been to Winnipeg. That's something. And for the record, it wasn't cold as futz when I went there. They do have summer!


Ha, ha! Yes, we do have summer and it's lovely. In fact I'm looking forward to it right now. And thank you for not going on about how cold it is here, lol!


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## Anna_ (Jan 18, 2015)

EC Sheedy said:


> Oh, and I've been to Winnipeg, too. Once. Years ago. And, yes, it was cold! But the people were fantastic!


Why does everyone come in the winter? Lol! And on behalf of my beloved city, thank you for the compliment!


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## @Suzanna (Mar 14, 2011)

Anna Albo said:


> Why does everyone come in the winter? Lol! And on behalf of my beloved city, thank you for the compliment!


I was in Winnipeg once in the early fall ... no snow in sight! Alas, it was for a work trip and I didn't get to see much beyond the hotel. Maybe next time!


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## bwcolborne (Jun 11, 2014)

Wow, looks like there's a lot of us in here now! Great to see. I think we might have to start a thing where we all meet in Winnipeg every year or something. In the summer of course.

Thought I'd throw a general advice question at you guys. I'm wondering how you all are handling gst/hst (my phone almost snuck an autocorrect there fat/hat!) with paperback sales in person. I'm about to order some copies for the friends/family frenzy and, though prawny as I may be, I am as curious as a cat on such matters since I will be taking credit card payments as well as cash. Don't want the taxman to come after me. Thoughts?


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## Sever Bronny (May 13, 2013)

Thread brought everyone out of the woodwork. Good job


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## P.T. Phronk (Jun 6, 2014)

Am I the first person from London Ontario to post here? 

Ooooohhhh Canada. 

I'm glad KU finally made it here, but now I feel even worse about not having enough free time to read $10 worth of books a month.

I'm curious about tax issues too. I've sold a massive volume of 4 or 5 books paid for with cash, but it would be cool to take Square payments by credit card at the next event. Not sure how that works for income or sales taxes.


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## 鬼 (Sep 30, 2012)

Another Canadian here... near Niagara Falls.


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## SomethingClever (Mar 9, 2014)

Another Canadian checking in! Thanks for starting this thread.

I'm about an hour west of Mississauga.


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## bwcolborne (Jun 11, 2014)

Phronk said:


> Am I the first person from London Ontario to post here?
> 
> Ooooohhhh Canada.


Nope! Im also from the Forest City

But you were first to announce it I guess.


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## because (Jul 9, 2014)

Hello everyone, we are from Toronto, Ontario. Good to see you all here


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## Vivi_Anna (Feb 12, 2011)

Vivian Arend said:


> Canuck, currently settled in the BC interior. I've been a Yukoner and Albertan, too.


Oh Vivian in the house!!! Yeah.

Canuck here. Calgary.


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## Nomadwoman (Aug 25, 2011)

+1 DT Vancouver
Amazon in Canada Sucks (I've been in states a long time and the difference is ridiculous - we may as well be in Delhi)
I put it down to chapters and Kobo exerting excess influence. But chapters on Robson is closing and whichever way you cut it that is not good. Maybe that influenced Zon to go for it up here at last. It's so boring being an also ran


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## bwcolborne (Jun 11, 2014)

I agree that Amazon Canada doesn't even compare to the U.S. but I believe it's a matter of ROI for the Zon. Canada's entire population is equal to the amount of people living in just Los Angeles county so, math.


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## Quiss (Aug 21, 2012)

Does anyone have their tax statements from Amazon yet?


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## Steve Vernon (Feb 18, 2011)

Halifax, Nova Scotia here as well - with family in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, Thea.

I grew up in Capreol, Ontario and have hitchhiked across the country but these days I am too old and fat for all of that hitchhiking foolishness.

I'm home today, still getting over a bad case of walking pneumonia.

Great to get all of the Canadian Kboard folk gathered in one thread!


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## Lloyd MacRae (Nov 18, 2012)

Another Canuck here.

I'm down on the shore of Lake Erie, SW of Hamilton, Ontario

And before I retired last year I traveled extensively and can say I've been in every place mentioned


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

Quiss said:


> Does anyone have their tax statements from Amazon yet?


Nope. 

Rue


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## Brevoort (Jan 27, 2014)

bwcolborne said:


> I'm wondering how you all are handling gst/hst ( . . . ) Don't want the taxman to come after me. Thoughts?


Speaking as someone who has had an ongoing and tumultuous relationship with those dear old souls in Canada Revenue my best advice would be for you to speak to an accountant. The advice won't cost much, perhaps nothing if you are doing other business with the firm, and you will sleep a lot better for it.

Guessing or winging it about tax matters always ends badly.


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## bwcolborne (Jun 11, 2014)

Brevoort said:


> Guessing or winging it about tax matters always ends badly.


Thruth


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## doolittle03 (Feb 13, 2015)

This is my first post on Kboards. Extremely new member but I opened the Canadian thread this morning and jumped the shark! I'm in Quebec near Ottawa. (I voted to stay in the country in the last referendum.) I was born in Comox and I lived in Toronto for 10 years. 

I'll have to figure out how to add a photo, etc. to my profile. I really, really was not going to join because I already spend far too much time reading the threads. Dang Canadians lured me in...


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

We're just so dang friendly. 

I have family in Comox. My second favourite place on the Island. (Victoria, being first.)

Rue


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## bwcolborne (Jun 11, 2014)

If I had a dime for every time I heard the phrase "dang Canadians lured me in" well, I'd be quite poor but I'd have a dime!


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## doolittle03 (Feb 13, 2015)

My biggest gripe with being a Canadian author is trying to market to Canadians. It was really exciting to hear Bookbub is coming here (not that I'd qualify for a Bookbub ... but nice to be part of the action) and KU is going to be great for Canadian authors to market their books in Canada. (I think. I hope.) It's just so aggravating ... I sell paperbacks just fine in my local market but Canadian kindle users...? our beloved .ca? Meh.


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## Mike_IAA (Feb 10, 2015)

Greetings from the east coast. What a great day for snow shoveling ;P


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## RecursiveInstance (Jan 19, 2015)

Calgary here.

I wouldn't worry too much about marketing to Canadians... There just aren't that many of us.


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## doolittle03 (Feb 13, 2015)

True, this is. But I love to see my book zip up the charts when I get a sale on .ca! It's just so exciting to see the rank leap out of the graveyard. 

I hope this thread doesn't pack it in. Lots of snow here. Nothing to do.


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

What is this snow of which you speak? See nothing but green grass out the back window. 

I think if you want to market to Canadians, you need to push Kobo, Chapters, etc. Though you're probably already making sales to Canadians and just don't know it. Most Canadians I know still shop on the .com.

Rue


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## bwcolborne (Jun 11, 2014)

ruecole said:


> What is this snow of which you speak? See nothing but green grass out the back window.


So jealous


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## theaatkinson (Sep 22, 2010)

Steve Vernon said:


> Halifax, Nova Scotia here as well - with family in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, Thea.
> 
> I grew up in Capreol, Ontario and have hitchhiked across the country but these days I am too old and fat for all of that hitchhiking foolishness.
> 
> ...


Yarmouth is so small I probably know someone who knows your family. LOL


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

bwcolborne said:


> So jealous


Of course it's raining on that lovely green grass. Has been pretty much all week. Sometimes, I'd rather have the snow!

Rue


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## Amity Lassiter (Nov 28, 2014)

Canadian, here. In NB, so a little more East Coast representation.


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## @Suzanna (Mar 14, 2011)

ruecole said:


> I think if you want to market to Canadians, you need to push Kobo, Chapters, etc. Though you're probably already making sales to Canadians and just don't know it. Most Canadians I know still shop on the .com.


I'm going to underscore this. I buy from both Kobo and Amazon.com. Amazon took so long getting ebooks onto their .ca site that I think most Canadians never made the switch. Who knows if Unlimited finally coming to Canada will change that, but I'm willing to forgo the free trial in order to keep my access to buying books on the .com site.


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## Dennis E. Taylor (Feb 10, 2015)

ruecole said:


> Of course it's raining on that lovely green grass. Has been pretty much all week. Sometimes, I'd rather have the snow!


All three of our local mountains are closed, as well as Hemlock a ways to the east. $600 seasons pass, poof!


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

bizmuth said:


> All three of our local mountains are closed, as well as Hemlock a ways to the east. $600 seasons pass, poof!


I know. 

Rue


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## Sever Bronny (May 13, 2013)

Aside, I used to do google adwords fishing for Canadian kindle buyers.
Yeah, waste of time and money.

Maybe after kindle takes off ... 
IF it takes off ...

Anyway. I'd love to do (or host) a weekend for kboarders sometime. Maybe Vanc? 
So let's keep this going, see where it takes us


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## Heather Hamilton-Senter (May 25, 2013)

SuzannaM said:


> I'm going to underscore this. I buy from both Kobo and Amazon.com. Amazon took so long getting ebooks onto their .ca site that I think most Canadians never made the switch. Who knows if Unlimited finally coming to Canada will change that, but I'm willing to forgo the free trial in order to keep my access to buying books on the .com site.


amazon.com won't let me buy ebooks from their site - I get a notice to the side that makes me go to the Canadian site to buy. How are you doing it? I can only buy from .com when it's an item that's not on the Canadian site but will still ship to Canada.....


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## @Suzanna (Mar 14, 2011)

Heather Hamilton-Senter said:


> amazon.com won't let me buy ebooks from their site - I get a notice to the side that makes me go to the Canadian site to buy. How are you doing it? I can only buy from .com when it's an item that's not on the Canadian site but will still ship to Canada.....


When they finally launched kindle books on .ca, I never bothered clicking on the bar across the top that says, "Great news! You can now shop for digital content at Amazon.ca in Canadian Dollars." You can only purchase kindle books from one of the sites, not both, and I never transferred my Kindle account to Amazon.ca.


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

You can go into your settings and switch to the US site. Here's how to do it:

Go into your account, click on Manage Your Content and Devices, then click on settings (it's on the right of the menu bar), then under Country Settings, click the change button and switch to United States.

Hope that helps!

Rue


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## doolittle03 (Feb 13, 2015)

ruecole said:


> I think if you want to market to Canadians, you need to push Kobo, Chapters, etc. Though you're probably already making sales to Canadians and just don't know it. Most Canadians I know still shop on the .com.
> 
> Rue


Good to know! I didn't realize this. I just assumed Americans were my new best friends. Locally, I have 2 stores that carry the print editions and sell quite well. But trying to reach those digital users ... I don't know where they hang out. I self-published the first book in April 2014 and I'm just starting to think about the marketing aspect.

I've been trying to do the DWS writing thing on this new book I'm working on but it's just making me hate writing. And that's a sketchy relationship at best these days....


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## bwcolborne (Jun 11, 2014)

So how have you guys pushed kobo and chapters? I don't even know any promo sites that focus on kobo


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## Steve Vernon (Feb 18, 2011)

theaatkinson said:


> Yarmouth is so small I probably know someone who knows your family. LOL


When I lived in Yarmouth I worked in the Dominion Textile cotton mill - back before it closed down - and the IMO fish plant. On payday I would climb the hill and head for the Dairy Queen for a burger, shake and fries and then move on to the Black Knight Tavern for a beer and a steak.


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## Steve W. (Feb 23, 2011)

bwcolborne said:


> So how have you guys pushed kobo and chapters? I don't even know any promo sites that focus on kobo


Kobo promos are possible, but you'll only get offers to do promos if you have a lot of titles. Publishers get the offers typically, since some of them are like 20 title cut offs (i.e. you need to include 20 titles in the promotion to get access to it). Getting your physical book on the Chapters website is helpful to get sales that way. It helps to get books in the store if you already have your book on their website (if you want to get your book in the store... I've fond the ROI on that route very poor).


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## EveLanglais (Nov 29, 2010)

Waving from  very chilly Ottawa.


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## J.J. Thompson (Aug 10, 2013)

Another Ottawa resident here, and yeah, it's frigging cold!
One little bonus we're getting as Canadians right now is that payments from Amazon.com are in U.S. dollars! Nice little 20 percent increase to the bank account this month.


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## bwcolborne (Jun 11, 2014)

Don't forget, today is the day to register in the public library system. The website seems to be down right now (probably getting hammered by all you East coasters!)

The short version; donate books to library, get money.

http://www.plr-dpp.ca/PLR/program/default.aspx


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## Tony_A20 (Dec 8, 2011)

I had to read to the end of the thread (page 5) to find a mention of a couple of Ottawa writers. Are we so few?

I think this thread needs some sub-threads for specific locations in Canada (is this possible?). 

Perhaps, Canadian e-book authors could get together or provide local support.

I would certainly like to meet other writers in the Ottawa area.

Anyone interested? PM me if you like the idea.

Tony


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## Steve W. (Feb 23, 2011)

bwcolborne said:


> Don't forget, today is the day to register in the public library system. The website seems to be down right now (probably getting hammered by all you East coasters!)
> 
> The short version; donate books to library, get money.
> 
> http://www.plr-dpp.ca/PLR/program/default.aspx


It's not only one day though, unless they've changed it dramatically! Usually it starts on a particular day and then registration lasts a month or so. Still, good to get it done. Last year the cheque was a very nice surprise!


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## Amity Lassiter (Nov 28, 2014)

So, I have a Canadian-specific question. It might actually be province-specific... Hmmm.

Back when I was getting started, I emailed SNB to find out if I needed a sole proprietorship in order to epublish. They told me as long as I was doing business online, I was fine. So now, two books in, I have a lot of people, in person, asking to buy paperbacks. I'd like to be able to sell them signed paperbacks as well as do some direct sale signings (I write western romance and there are some horse expos, etc, that I'd like to go to). Does anyone know if I'll have too register as a business to do this? I can't imagine I will be making a lot of money doing it, but I want to keep all my letters crossed and dotted, as it were.


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## AnnaBF (Aug 25, 2014)

Amity,

This is province specific. In NS, where I'm at, you don't have to register at SNS if you are doing business under your own name. It's only when you have a business name that you have to register.


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## Amity Lassiter (Nov 28, 2014)

AnnemF said:


> Amity,
> 
> This is province specific. In NS, where I'm at, you don't have to register at SNS if you are doing business under your own name. It's only when you have a business name that you have to register.


That's what I was afraid of. It took me several emails to get the reply that I mentioned in my previous post and when, in frustration, I asked if they had an office where I could come in and talk to someone about this face to face, they said no. I think I'd be better off trying to get information through an entrepreneurial organization than through them directly.


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## bwcolborne (Jun 11, 2014)

Steve W. said:


> It's not only one day though, unless they've changed it dramatically! Usually it starts on a particular day and then registration lasts a month or so. Still, good to get it done. Last year the cheque was a very nice surprise!


You're right it does go for a while. If I don't do things like this right away though I'll forget.


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## doolittle03 (Feb 13, 2015)

Ottawa authors! I'm in Wakefield, Quebec and would love a meet up when the snow melts. I've already learned some helpful Canada-specific stuff from this thread. 

The library thing...had no clue. And Steve W. I'd love to hear more about your experience with Chapters. I was thinking of getting my books in print through Ingram to have access to Chapters but I wondered if the ROI would be adequate. 

Helloooo Nicknacks! the only poutine worth eating is sold at Jean Burger. It's all in the curds and potatoes. I'll send ya some. 

Is it terrible that every time the loonie dips, I clap my hands with glee?


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## Desmond X. Torres (Mar 16, 2013)

Phronk said:


> Am I the first person from London Ontario to post here?
> 
> Ooooohhhh Canada.
> 
> ...


Square is the bomb, Phronk. I got one last summer and use it on an old iPhone. A little touchy, but once I worked out the bugs (have them sign the CC on your phone screen w/ their finger, not a stylus) it was great.

For me, I haven't collected nor charged HST up till now on purchases b/c I don't sell directly (as in take payments etc) at shows etc anywhere close to the $30,000 floor they established. My interpretaiton is that if you do less than $30K/ year in sales, then you're not obligated to collect or file. Here: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/small-business/sb-money/cash-flow/hst-business-questions-from-readers-answered/article4258938/?page=all

It's an older article, but it's in agreement w/ other sources I have.
If anyone has better info, please correct me!

I just report my sales as part of my gross income and take off the expenses. Find a good tax advisor, and you should be okay.

It starts getting dicey when sales via Amazon picks up. I've only had to worry about this since Jan, but my tax lady and I will be discussing quarterly remittances for this year when we sit down in a couple weeks.


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## AnnaBF (Aug 25, 2014)

Amity Lassiter said:


> That's what I was afraid of. It took me several emails to get the reply that I mentioned in my previous post and when, in frustration, I asked if they had an office where I could come in and talk to someone about this face to face, they said no. I think I'd be better off trying to get information through an entrepreneurial organization than through them directly.


I _think i_t's the same in NB but not positive. Also, consider that if you make over 30,000/year with your business you have to register for GST and collect it on those sales.


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## Desmond X. Torres (Mar 16, 2013)

Wavin' HI from Kingston, Ontario!
I'm a dual citizen... okay, it's the 21st Century... I'm a 'Bi' Citizen.  

It's been a gas hanging out on these boards the last couple of years, and I'm happy as anything to see a Canuck thread started.


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## Amity Lassiter (Nov 28, 2014)

AnnemF said:


> I _think i_t's the same in NB but not positive. Also, consider that if you make over 30,000/year with your business you have to register for GST and collect it on those sales.


I won't have to worry about that for another year or two, I don't imagine.  Slow and steady here. One of my 2015 'big ticket' goals is a 5-digit year for royalties. I just started in September.


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## AnnaBF (Aug 25, 2014)

Amity Lassiter said:


> I won't have to worry about that for another year or two, I don't imagine.  Slow and steady here. One of my 2015 'big ticket' goals is a 5-digit year for royalties. I just started in September.


Amity, you can do it! Then you can hire an accountant and let _her_ worry about the GST


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## ShayneRutherford (Mar 24, 2014)

doolittle03 said:


> The library thing...had no clue. And Steve W. I'd love to hear more about your experience with Chapters. I was thinking of getting my books in print through Ingram to have access to Chapters but I wondered if the ROI would be adequate.


Just wanted to add, if you want to get your books into Chapters, you have to be able to take returns.


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## Steve W. (Feb 23, 2011)

ShayneRutherford said:


> Just wanted to add, if you want to get your books into Chapters, you have to be able to take returns.


Yeah, if you want actual shelf space, you'll be hawking 'em yourself. Door-to-door style. And being called to pick up unsold stock if that happens. The ROI, even moving A LOT of copies that way, wasn't worth it. Getting on to the Chapters website is good though. I've had lots of sales from people ordering THROUGH Chapters.


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## Sever Bronny (May 13, 2013)

Steve W. said:


> Yeah, if you want actual shelf space, you'll be hawking 'em yourself. Door-to-door style. And being called to pick up unsold stock if that happens. The ROI, even moving A LOT of copies that way, wasn't worth it. Getting on to the Chapters website is good though. I've had lots of sales from people ordering THROUGH Chapters.


Wow, I didn't know you tried Chapters out, Steve! That must have been a very interesting experience. I placed two books in Munro's recently (on consignment), just as a fun trial. After shipping costs though, I'd be only breaking even, so I don't see it as viiable route for me anytime soon.


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## Steve W. (Feb 23, 2011)

Sever Bronny said:


> Wow, I didn't know you tried Chapters out, Steve! That must have been a very interesting experience. I placed two books in Munro's recently (on consignment), just as a fun trial. After shipping costs though, I'd be only breaking even, so I don't see it as viiable route for me anytime soon.


Yeah I have a sibling who lives in Mission, so I can get books delivered to the border and she can cross and pick 'em up for me. I don't bother anymore though. But that route saves the cost of shipping by a HUGE margin. Still, it's a pain. My goal was to introduce my books to the stores by hand-selling them, and see if they'd re-order direct through Ingram. But that just didn't happen. They'd email that they wanted more books, and I'd tell them to order via Ingram, and they said they weren't able to. What books are carried on shelves is a decision made by Chapters corporate office (Toronto, I think). Most stores have that local-author shelf, but I've never heard of an author who managed to get stores to stock their books without an actual distributor. And honestly, with POD books, you don't have the economies of scale to justify a distributor.


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## Sever Bronny (May 13, 2013)

Steve W. said:


> Yeah I have a sibling who lives in Mission, so I can get books delivered to the border and she can cross and pick 'em up for me. I don't bother anymore though. But that route saves the cost of shipping by a HUGE margin. Still, it's a pain. My goal was to introduce my books to the stores by hand-selling them, and see if they'd re-order direct through Ingram. But that just didn't happen. They'd email that they wanted more books, and I'd tell them to order via Ingram, and they said they weren't able to. What books are carried on shelves is a decision made by Chapters corporate office (Toronto, I think). Most stores have that local-author shelf, but I've never heard of an author who managed to get stores to stock their books without an actual distributor. And honestly, with POD books, you don't have the economies of scale to justify a distributor.


Yeah, my thoughts exactly. And until Createspace comes to Canada, I just don't see much distribution happening for POD. I've talked to them about it at length, they're really trying to make it happen--I advised them to buy out an already existing printer, maybe somewhere central like in Winnipeg to keep shipping down, but it's all a long ways off I think.


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## Steve W. (Feb 23, 2011)

Sever Bronny said:


> Yeah, my thoughts exactly. And until Createspace comes to Canada, I just don't see much distribution happening for POD. I've talked to them about it at length, they're really trying to make it happen--I advised them to buy out an already existing printer, maybe somewhere central like in Winnipeg to keep shipping down, but it's all a long ways off I think.


I've heard rumors that Friesens Press might open a POD printer in the future. They do good off-set work. Maybe the market just isn't there yet...


----------



## Lisa Blackwood (Feb 1, 2015)

Hello all,

Dunnville Ontario here. (also known as the middle of nowhere Southern Ontario)  Lots of good info on this thread. Kept it coming.


----------



## Dena Christy (Jul 15, 2014)

Just saying hi from Kingston, Ontario.


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## Vivi_Anna (Feb 12, 2011)

It's too bad we couldn't all come together as a group and somehow make a deal with Kobo, to get more visibility in their storefront.  Like do one big promo together... like 50 Canadian authors at 50% off...  get it ready for Canada Day.


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## bwcolborne (Jun 11, 2014)

Vivi_Anna said:


> It's too bad we couldn't all come together as a group and somehow make a deal with Kobo, to get more visibility in their storefront. Like do one big promo together... like 50 Canadian authors at 50% off... get it ready for Canada Day.


I like the way your mind works


----------



## VictoriaScribens (Sep 11, 2014)

Hi everyone! 

I think I'm the only PEI author on here at the moment ... though I have lived in Ottawa, Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton, and several places in Saskatchewan (and also Nunavut). 

I'm also currently working at Chapters/Indigo. A friend and I decided to do our print through Createspace (me) and Ingram Spark (her) to compare and contrast the services. Although our books are about equal in terms of physical quality, hers are available to be ordered through the Chapters website (in store as well as online), whereas mine are not. I believe she just had it set up for extended distribution, not that she's personally doing the returns, but I plan on getting myself into Ingrams once I've finished revising my blurb and re-registering my business in PEI (was in Halifax before) to see what I can do there.


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## Douglas E Wright (Mar 11, 2011)

To the Ottawa/Hull writers. I lived in Brockville for 20 years, my family is from the Valley. There are times I miss Chez/Doc/Woody, Max Keeping (now retired and sick with cancer) and Channel 13, CHEO fundraisers and sometimes The Bear. There have been times I've listened to CHEZ 106. I also went to school with Randy (Randall) Moore. But what I don't miss is the freezing rain winters!


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

bwcolborne said:


> Don't forget, today is the day to register in the public library system. The website seems to be down right now (probably getting hammered by all you East coasters!)
> 
> The short version; donate books to library, get money.
> 
> http://www.plr-dpp.ca/PLR/program/default.aspx


I've not heard of this before! Thanks for sharing! 

Rue


----------



## doolittle03 (Feb 13, 2015)

Vivi_Anna said:


> It's too bad we couldn't all come together as a group and somehow make a deal with Kobo, to get more visibility in their storefront. Like do one big promo together... like 50 Canadian authors at 50% off... get it ready for Canada Day.


You read my mind. I think this could work really well. It might be a small market but Canadians are big readers apparently. I used to have a UK agent who kept the Canadian rights separate from Commonwealth or North America because they were so lucrative.


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## KBoards Admin (Nov 27, 2007)

Good day, fellow Canadian authors! Nice to see all my compatriots on the boards. I live in Washington State but grew up in the B.C. interior. I'm a dual citizen.

Factoid: about 9% of KBoards pageviews come from Canada.


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## Stephanie Marks (Feb 16, 2015)

Vivian Arend said:


> Canuck, currently settled in the BC interior. I've been a Yukoner and Albertan, too.


Yay, another BC Interior dweller. I felt so far from the action with everyone saying that they live in Vancouver! *happy dance*


----------



## Jamie Maltman (Nov 1, 2013)

Born and raised in Etobicoke (west part of current Toronto for anyone not from the GTA), and now settled comfortably just north of the city in Richmond Hill.

Any Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Horror authors/readers from around here ever head down to the ChiSeries book readings/talks? I might go on Wednesday night. 
(They also run them in Ottawa, Winnipeg and Vancouver periodically, and do the Toronto SpecFic Colloquium every year).

To Rue's question - as soon as people order your paper book from .ca it starts to work through the system. I don't know why, but they have my first book marked WAY down right now. Maybe they stocked too many after a few friends bought and now it's not moving there since I hand-sell them for way more $ locally.


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

Jamie Maltman said:


> Born and raised in Etobicoke (west part of current Toronto for anyone not from the GTA), and now settled comfortably just north of the city in Richmond Hill.
> 
> Any Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Horror authors/readers from around here ever head down to the ChiSeries book readings/talks? I might go on Wednesday night.
> (They also run them in Ottawa, Winnipeg and Vancouver periodically, and do the Toronto SpecFic Colloquium every year).
> ...


Oh, good to know! I'll definitely put in an order for it then. Gotta kickstart the machine!

Thanks!

Rue


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## KateSparkes (May 6, 2013)

Hey, how did I miss this? Another Canadian here, born in Hamilton, ON but currently living in Newfoundland.

*waves to Scott Bartlett*

Nice to see so many of us here. 

I... am so nervous about taxes.


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## Douglas E Wright (Mar 11, 2011)

KateSparkes said:


> Hey, how did I miss this? Another Canadian here, born in Hamilton, ON but currently living in Newfoundland.


I lived in Newfoundland for a few months before coming to BC. I used my time there to travel the island on weekends and work during the week. I lived in Springdale and visited St. Pierre a couple of times. My daughter was born in St Catharines and I lived most of my life in the Thousand Islands and Ottawa Valley areas. Nice to see you here.


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## Sever Bronny (May 13, 2013)

Harvey said:


> Good day, fellow Canadian authors! Nice to see all my compatriots on the boards. I live in Washington State but grew up in the B.C. interior. I'm a dual citizen.
> 
> Factoid: about 9% of KBoards pageviews come from Canada.


One of us ... One of us ...


----------



## bwcolborne (Jun 11, 2014)

Sever Bronny said:


> One of us ... One of us ...


Nice


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## bwcolborne (Jun 11, 2014)

Whoa! $19 customs charges on my createspace order of 15 paperbacks on top of the, ahem, shipping charges. Still only comes to about $7.33 CAD cost to me for a $10 sale price but, damn.

O Canada!


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## Sever Bronny (May 13, 2013)

bwcolborne said:


> Whoa! $19 customs charges on my createspace order of 15 paperbacks on top of the, ahem, shipping charges. Still only comes to about $7.33 CAD cost to me for a $10 sale price but, damn.
> 
> O Canada!


I had the same rude surprise awaiting me on my last order. Makes it pretty much pointless :/


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## Douglas E Wright (Mar 11, 2011)

I was lucky but I only ordered 5 of two books. The proof copies. So, I didn't get hit with customs or the CPC charge. Most times the CPC charge is a lot more than the custom's charge. So, I won't be ordering any paper copies.


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

Steve W. said:


> Yeah I have a sibling who lives in Mission, so I can get books delivered to the border and she can cross and pick 'em up for me. I don't bother anymore though. But that route saves the cost of shipping by a HUGE margin. Still, it's a pain. My goal was to introduce my books to the stores by hand-selling them, and see if they'd re-order direct through Ingram. But that just didn't happen. They'd email that they wanted more books, and I'd tell them to order via Ingram, and they said they weren't able to. What books are carried on shelves is a decision made by Chapters corporate office (Toronto, I think). Most stores have that local-author shelf, but I've never heard of an author who managed to get stores to stock their books without an actual distributor. And honestly, with POD books, you don't have the economies of scale to justify a distributor.


I was just thinking what would be amazing would be an independent distributor (like a real person) who'd take on self-pubbed/indie authors and peddle their books to Chapters, etc. But that's probably a pie in the sky idea. Especially since I don't totally understand how the big book-selling business works. I'm happy enough with just getting my book into the bookstore system through Ingram. I'm selling 2-3 copies per month and that's with no promo at all.

BTW, Steve, your sister ever have to pay duty bringing books across? I haven't, but I haven't ordered more than a couple at a time. They just ask what I'm bringing back. I say books. They ask what kind. I say fiction. They say have a nice day.

Thanks!

Rue


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## Amity Lassiter (Nov 28, 2014)

I bring all kinds of stuff across the border by hand and I have never been charged anything but taxes. It drives my SO batty because he is a broker for UPS. LOL

The only thing I'd trade the US for is their postal system. I dream of flat rate priority. *sigh*


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

Yes, sorry. I meant taxes. I've only ever been charged taxes, but that was on goods over $500. Was just wondering about the books, though, as clearly Steve's been doing exactly what I was planning to do: bring in a large shipment of books over the border, but was worried about getting dinged with GST. Keep it under $500, I guess?

I have to agree. The US postal system is pretty amazing!

Thanks!

Rue


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## SomethingClever (Mar 9, 2014)

We don't have to pay duty on books. Just GST. But those customs places charge for "processing" that GST so you end up paying more that you should. It annoys me and I haven't even put up anything on CreateSpace yet. I wonder if I could send them to my friend in the U.S. and just have her bring them with her when she comes to visit. She visits 2 or 3 times a year.


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## Steve W. (Feb 23, 2011)

ruecole said:


> BTW, Steve, your sister ever have to pay duty bringing books across? I haven't, but I haven't ordered more than a couple at a time. They just ask what I'm bringing back. I say books. They ask what kind. I say fiction. They say have a nice day.
> 
> Thanks!
> 
> Rue


Actually, the last time she went they told her that I had to register the business, and get a tax number b/c if they think the goods being brought back will be for commercial sale, they'll charge you 12% and if you have your tax number you get 5% of that back. It was the first time that happened though. Too bad b/c you could easily use 100 promo copies and if they decided it was for commercial sale (which I could see them thinking) they'll charge you for it.


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## Steve W. (Feb 23, 2011)

ruecole said:


> I was just thinking what would be amazing would be an independent distributor (like a real person) who'd take on self-pubbed/indie authors and peddle their books to Chapters, etc. But that's probably a pie in the sky idea. Especially since I don't totally understand how the big book-selling business works. I'm happy enough with just getting my book into the bookstore system through Ingram. I'm selling 2-3 copies per month and that's with no promo at all.


There are several well regarded distributors who will take indie and self-published titles and actively sell them to bookstores, but they do it for a percentage of cover price - and it's not a small prcentage. If you add in the fact that a store's unlikely to shelve a book if they don't get AT LEAST 40% (but probably more like 50-60%) of the cover price as their profit, AND have the option of returning those books they don't sell, you're either going to have to go offset-printing route, OR price your book so high no one will buy it anyway.

Honestly, as a SP author, I don't have the stomach for it. I might consider doing a print run one day, and warehouse them just for online purchases or orders through stores, but that's only if the demand for the books justified it (warehousing books isn't free). I've heard of authors doing this to some success (given that your price per book goes from like $4 to $2 or less depending on your print run).


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## Amity Lassiter (Nov 28, 2014)

ruecole said:


> Yes, sorry. I meant taxes. I've only ever been charged taxes, but that was on goods over $500. Was just wondering about the books, though, as clearly Steve's been doing exactly what I was planning to do: bring in a large shipment of books over the border, but was worried about getting dinged with GST. Keep it under $500, I guess?
> 
> I have to agree. The US postal system is pretty amazing!
> 
> ...


You must stay over for a period of time? We do day trips over all the time (my parents live 45 minutes from the Maine border and have a post office box over there) and pay taxes on anything over $50 usually.


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

Steve W. said:


> Actually, the last time she went they told her that I had to register the business, and get a tax number b/c if they think the goods being brought back will be for commercial sale, they'll charge you 12% and if you have your tax number you get 5% of that back. It was the first time that happened though. Too bad b/c you could easily use 100 promo copies and if they decided it was for commercial sale (which I could see them thinking) they'll charge you for it.


Ew. That's what I was afraid of. I've already registered my publishing company and got a GST number. But doesn't Ingram already charge you tax just to ship the books? Would suck to get double dinged. 

Rue


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

Amity Lassiter said:


> You must stay over for a period of time? We do day trips over all the time (my parents live 45 minutes from the Maine border and have a post office box over there) and pay taxes on anything over $50 usually.


Okay, clearly they're much more lenient here in BC! I'm back and forth every few weeks for groceries and I've only been charged two or three times and it was only when I went over $500!

Rue


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

Steve W. said:


> There are several well regarded distributors who will take indie and self-published titles and actively sell them to bookstores, but they do it for a percentage of cover price - and it's not a small prcentage. If you add in the fact that a store's unlikely to shelve a book if they don't get AT LEAST 40% (but probably more like 50-60%) of the cover price as their profit, AND have the option of returning those books they don't sell, you're either going to have to go offset-printing route, OR price your book so high no one will buy it anyway.
> 
> Honestly, as a SP author, I don't have the stomach for it. I might consider doing a print run one day, and warehouse them just for online purchases or orders through stores, but that's only if the demand for the books justified it (warehousing books isn't free). I've heard of authors doing this to some success (given that your price per book goes from like $4 to $2 or less depending on your print run).


Oh, interesting! See, I said I didn't know much about how the print distribution system works. Maybe when I'm selling thousands of copies... 

Rue


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## Amity Lassiter (Nov 28, 2014)

Oh they don't charge tax here on grocery either! Any goods besides grocery are taxable. They've let us slip through with other stuff before, depends on who is working.


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

Amity Lassiter said:


> Oh they don't charge tax here on grocery either! Any goods besides grocery are taxable. They've let us slip through with other stuff before, depends on who is working.


I always buy at least some groceries. Maybe that's why. They don't make me break down my purchases into grocery or non-grocery. Just ask for the total and if I'm bringing back any alcohol (sometimes), tobacco (never), or firearms (definitely not!). 

Rue


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## bwcolborne (Jun 11, 2014)

This is shaping up to be one of those 80/20 things. Think I might just print "business cards" with the cover on the front and a QR code for Amazon and isbn on the back.

"Here, man. Take this to Chapters. They'll get it for you."


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## Sever Bronny (May 13, 2013)

bwcolborne said:


> This is shaping up to be one of those 80/20 things. Think I might just print "business cards" with the cover on the front and a QR code for Amazon and isbn on the back.
> 
> "Here, man. Take this to Chapters. They'll get it for you."


Yeah I've got bookmarks, and they rock. Going to do business cards too. Can QR codes be made easily?


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

Sever Bronny said:


> Yeah I've got bookmarks, and they rock. Going to do business cards too. Can QR codes be made easily?


I'm ashamed to admit I designed my own book cover, yet still have yet to design my own bookmarks, etc. Sigh.

QR codes can be generated online. Or so I've been told. Haven't made one yet.

Rue


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## Stephanie Marks (Feb 16, 2015)

Sever Bronny said:


> I had the same rude surprise awaiting me on my last order. Makes it pretty much pointless :/


Seriously?? Well this really puts a crimp in my consignment plan with Chapters. I'll already be making next to no money off of it.


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## Sever Bronny (May 13, 2013)

I've got a couple books in Munro's, and I'm making zero dollars on it. That's IF they even sell. It's a hassle :\


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## because (Jul 9, 2014)

Sever Bronny said:


> Can QR codes be made easily?


Try https://www.the-qrcode-generator.com/, Sever.


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## Sever Bronny (May 13, 2013)

because said:


> Try https://www.the-qrcode-generator.com/, Sever.


Thanks, perfect


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## Stephanie Marks (Feb 16, 2015)

Sever Bronny said:


> I've got a couple books in Munro's, and I'm making zero dollars on it. That's IF they even sell. It's a hassle :\


Ugh. I have to haul some up here for the book launch. The manager at our local Chapters said that I could hold my launch there. Which is cool, but I'll make like $0.75/book now if duties are high. *snort* cause $2/book was so ballin'.


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## LoriP (Jun 2, 2014)

Just popping in to say hi to everyone. *waves* 

I'm in the Calgary area now, but have lived in Edmonton and Guelph. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## LoriP (Jun 2, 2014)

Just popping in to say hi to everyone. *waves* 

I'm in the Calgary area now, but have lived in Edmonton and Guelph. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Steve Vernon (Feb 18, 2011)

I have got a QR on my business card. I don't know if it helps all that much but it sure doesn't hurt.

I wrote a bit about in a May 2014 blog entry, if anyone is interested.


https://stevevernonstoryteller.wordpress.com/2014/05/10/i-discover-business-cards-at-the-halifax-shopping-centre-coles/


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## doolittle03 (Feb 13, 2015)

I'm going to have to bookmark this thread. I didn't know about QR codes. Freaking brilliant! I have 3 books in paperbacks that there is a steady demand for in my area. If I can hand out a business card with that on it, all the better.

The trouble is the people around here think I have boxes of the things sitting in my house! I tell to order from Amazon but they want what they want. So I become my own distributor and it's 80/20 for sure. 

I price the book at $20/ea to justify the investment of the duties, shipping, taxes, etc and my time in selling. I choose when I'm going to order and make sure I can sell out. 

(Hi to the new faces from all over the country!)

I just have to add: I would love to have my book in Munro's. If only to say my book is in Munro's. Alice Munro's ex-husband's bookstore..? *swoon*


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## Steve Vernon (Feb 18, 2011)

I am pretty sure that there have been no more comments on this thread on account of half of Canada is still digging themselves out of the snow and the other half are way too busy laughing at them.


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## ShayneRutherford (Mar 24, 2014)

Steve W. said:


> Yeah I have a sibling who lives in Mission, so I can get books delivered to the border and she can cross and pick 'em up for me. I don't bother anymore though. But that route saves the cost of shipping by a HUGE margin. Still, it's a pain. My goal was to introduce my books to the stores by hand-selling them, and see if they'd re-order direct through Ingram. But that just didn't happen. They'd email that they wanted more books, and I'd tell them to order via Ingram, and they said they weren't able to. What books are carried on shelves is a decision made by Chapters corporate office (Toronto, I think). Most stores have that local-author shelf, but I've never heard of an author who managed to get stores to stock their books without an actual distributor. And honestly, with POD books, you don't have the economies of scale to justify a distributor.


I know of one guy who managed it. I was the one who received his books, so I know it is possible. But he had a really big hook - the store I worked at is in the same city as Camp X, and his books were non-fiction about Camp X (and, I believe, his experience serving there).

He started his own publishing biz, and delivered the books himself. We were always selling out and ordering more.


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## Stephanie Marks (Feb 16, 2015)

Steve Vernon said:


> I am pretty sure that there have been no more comments on this thread on account of half of Canada is still digging themselves out of the snow and the other half are way too busy laughing at them.


Tee hee hee I'm in the laughing half! It was practically t-shirt weather here today. I stepped outside in my winter coat and was like "WOAH! I am seriously overdressed..."


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## Elizabeth Kelly (Nov 2, 2013)

Hey, everyone!

Just adding my name to the list of Canadians.    I'm currently living in Edmonton, but I've lived in Kingston, Calgary and Kelowna as well.

So nice to see all the Canadian authors on the kboards!


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## 鬼 (Sep 30, 2012)

Steve W. said:


> They'd email that they wanted more books, and I'd tell them to order via Ingram, and they said they weren't able to. What books are carried on shelves is a decision made by Chapters corporate office (Toronto, I think). Most stores have that local-author shelf, but I've never heard of an author who managed to get stores to stock their books without an actual distributor. And honestly, with POD books, you don't have the economies of scale to justify a distributor.


As a former Chapters manager, I can tell you that's not exactly accurate. Managers are able to place orders on whatever item is listed in the system using a program called SAP. Here's the rub, though, it's not bulletproof. Sometimes you would get the stock in, sometimes not. If the item sells enough while in store, you can even put in a request to have it be carried as regular stock with mins and maxs put in place. I took advantage of this method in order to boost sales on backlist titles for series books and older Stephen King books, for example. We also did it regularly with one of our employee's books. Worked like a charm.

As far as consignment goes... yeah, don't expect make to much at all. They ask for 45% of your retail price. You'd actually probably lose money unless you price yourself right out of the market. I'm thinking like $20 CDN for something you'd normally sell for $13 or $14 US on Amazon. I'm currently looking into it and trying to figure out how to price it so I actually make some money after you take out:

-Your total cost of books from POD
-Your shipping charges from POD
-Custom charges

Right now I'm almost thinking that I should have 2 versions in POD. One that I sell normally on Amazon, etc. The other I use for consignment, handsells, signed, etc and put a higher retail price on the back. (A price needs to be on the book for brick and mortar stores.)


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## Heather Hamilton-Senter (May 25, 2013)

ShayneRutherford said:


> I know of one guy who managed it. I was the one who received his books, so I know it is possible. But he had a really big hook - the store I worked at is in the same city as Camp X, and his books were non-fiction about Camp X (and, I believe, his experience serving there).
> 
> He started his own publishing biz, and delivered the books himself. We were always selling out and ordering more.


Yeah, he's really well known too and very well respected in the community, through all the historical associations etc. He's basically the expert on a piece of local history so his experience is going to be unique. I bought the book for my Dad when it first came out - from a store I believe.


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## Steve W. (Feb 23, 2011)

鬼 said:


> As a former Chapters manager, I can tell you that's not exactly accurate. Managers are able to place orders on whatever item is listed in the system using a program called SAP. Here's the rub, though, it's not bulletproof. Sometimes you would get the stock in, sometimes not. If the item sells enough while in store, you can even put in a request to have it be carried as regular stock with mins and maxs put in place. I took advantage of this method in order to boost sales on backlist titles for series books and older Stephen King books, for example. We also did it regularly with one of our employee's books. Worked like a charm.
> 
> As far as consignment goes... yeah, don't expect make to much at all. It was around 45-50% of cover price, if memory serves. You'd actually probably lose money unless you price yourself right out of the market. I'm thinking like $20 CDN for something you'd normally sell for $13 or $14 US on Amazon. I'm currently looking into it and trying to figure out how to price it so I actually make some money after you take out:
> 
> ...


Thanks so much for clarifying that. Great to have the insider info. As for two versions of POD - I do that, and I know a great many SP authors do that. CS for everything Amazon, and LSI for everything else. I can give 50% discount through LSI and price the books below $12, but for MG, $12 is pretty steep. Competing at price points of $8 or less most of the time.


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## writer-artist-mom (Feb 21, 2015)

bwcolborne said:


> This is shaping up to be one of those 80/20 things. Think I might just print "business cards" with the cover on the front and a QR code for Amazon and isbn on the back.
> 
> "Here, man. Take this to Chapters. They'll get it for you."


I want to do this! What link would you make the QR code for? The paperback from amazon.ca or .com?

Here from southern Alberta by the way--I'm glad to see so many Canadians here


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## bwcolborne (Jun 11, 2014)

For me it would probably be .ca because I'm (likely) always going to be in Canada when I hand them out.


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## Steve Vernon (Feb 18, 2011)

Eliza Marie Jones said:


> I want to do this! What link would you make the QR code for? The paperback from amazon.ca or .com?
> 
> Here from southern Alberta by the way--I'm glad to see so many Canadians here


I've got the Kobo QR, just because I seem to meet more Kobo users than Kindle users here in Halifax.

BUT, for most anywhere else I would go with the Amazon.com QR rather than the Amazon.ca.


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## Sever Bronny (May 13, 2013)

Hey btw guys, Facebook rolled out their call to action button in Canada the other day. Hope you took advantage! I sure did


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## bwcolborne (Jun 11, 2014)

Sever Bronny said:


> Hey btw guys, Facebook rolled out their call to action button in Canada the other day. Hope you took advantage! I sure did


Saw that. Did you finally make a decision on what to link it to?


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## Sever Bronny (May 13, 2013)

bwcolborne said:


> Saw that. Did you finally make a decision on what to link it to?


I did 

6 signups so far via that button alone (it tracks them for you, which is cool).


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## Genevieve Mckay (Jan 19, 2015)

Hello from the warm West Coast.   Glad to meet some fellow Canadians.


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## Sever Bronny (May 13, 2013)

Hiyas from Victoria, Genevieve Mckay


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## Stephanie Marks (Feb 16, 2015)

鬼 said:


> As a former Chapters manager, I can tell you that's not exactly accurate. Managers are able to place orders on whatever item is listed in the system using a program called SAP. Here's the rub, though, it's not bulletproof. Sometimes you would get the stock in, sometimes not. If the item sells enough while in store, you can even put in a request to have it be carried as regular stock with mins and maxs put in place. I took advantage of this method in order to boost sales on backlist titles for series books and older Stephen King books, for example. We also did it regularly with one of our employee's books. Worked like a charm.
> 
> As far as consignment goes... yeah, don't expect make to much at all. It was around 45-50% of cover price, if memory serves. You'd actually probably lose money unless you price yourself right out of the market. I'm thinking like $20 CDN for something you'd normally sell for $13 or $14 US on Amazon. I'm currently looking into it and trying to figure out how to price it so I actually make some money after you take out:
> 
> ...


For mine I was told they wanted me to supply it and then wanted the 45% discount and it would be placed in the local author shelf. That last part kind of sucks because who the heck looks for genre fiction on the local author shelf?!? But hey, it's a shelf.

We have a friend that owns one of the last of two Indy bookstores in town, so I'm hoping to work a better deal with him and be able to get on the fantasy genre shelf.


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## Maia Sepp Ross (May 10, 2013)

Steve Vernon said:


> I am pretty sure that there have been no more comments on this thread on account of half of Canada is still digging themselves out of the snow and the other half are way too busy laughing at them.


My pipes froze this morning


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## Steve Vernon (Feb 18, 2011)

Maia said:


> My pipes froze this morning


That's hard luck, Maia.

This is the first winter that I have NOT been able to keep my driveway cleared. The car has been buried in snow for the last two weeks and the driveway is nearly impassible. Right now it looks like I might have to wait until spring thaw to be able to find out if the car still works. The hard part of this is I have ALWAYS been a one-man snow-shoveling team. Every year, like clockwork, I am out there shoveling faster than any snow blower you could think of. But this year has been an awfully hard winter.

Them's the breaks.

Hope you get your plumbing back into running order soon, Maia.


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## VictoriaScribens (Sep 11, 2014)

Yeah, the two-day dig-out ... We haven't had problems with pipes freezing, thank goodness. Just snow snow and more snow--and blowing snow now that the wind's picked up.


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## writer-artist-mom (Feb 21, 2015)

I've had sunny +9 to +15 degree weather for many weeks until this morning. We've hardly had any winter at all, I sleep with my windows open! But this morning it snowed for the first time since December. Usually Jan/Feb is -20 plus windchill here so idk what's been going on.

Do any of you have your paperbacks out through CS's expanded distribution on book depository? My friends and family here in Canada mostly want a paper book not an ebook but it's not showing up on amazon.ca or any other distributors yet. Published on Feb 4th so its only been out 2.5 weeks. How long does it usually take for your books to show up on .ca and book depository?


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## bwcolborne (Jun 11, 2014)

Shayne said earlier that roughly 6-8 weeks will pass due to the whole expanded distribution timeframe. Still waiting for mine to show up too.


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## writer-artist-mom (Feb 21, 2015)

bwcolborne said:


> Shayne said earlier that roughly 6-8 weeks will pass due to the whole expanded distribution timeframe. Still waiting for mine to show up too.


Thanks. Maybe for new books I need to upload 6-8 weeks before my actual desired launch date...


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## Steve Vernon (Feb 18, 2011)

Most of my paperbacks have eventually worked their way onto the Amazon.ca website. 

Like Eliza said - it takes 6 or 8 weeks to show up. Maybe Amazon/Createspace's pipes are frozen as well...


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## Genevieve Mckay (Jan 19, 2015)

Maia said:


> My pipes froze this morning


Well, the East has maple syrup and Fall colours lol, something sorely lacking here on the west coast... that might be some consolation for the fact that it's 10 degrees and sunny here today!


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## Midnight Whimsy (Jun 25, 2013)

Eliza Marie Jones said:


> Thanks. Maybe for new books I need to upload 6-8 weeks before my actual desired launch date...


Both my paperbacks showed up on Amazon.ca shortly after appearing on Amazon.com, which was around 24-48 hours after publishing it through Createspace. The shipping time on the first book ordered through Amazon.ca was ridiculous (6-8 weeks) but once someone ordered it, it started showing as in stock.

Createspace's customer service is supposed to be great, so maybe try giving them a call. 

M.W


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## Amity Lassiter (Nov 28, 2014)

We got snowed in here in the capital of NB, but nothing like other friends in the province, and the next one over. My friend from the Island was trapped away from home (she is a nurse, didn't have much choice on the go to work option) and her animals for 24 hours. Eventually had a DTI plow truck and fire engine escort back home when the right ears heard about her special needs dog that was in desperate need of her seizure meds!


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## abishop (May 22, 2014)

My paperback's been available for about 4 months on Amazon.com and it's still not on Amazon.ca.  If anyone in Canada wants to buy my paperback, I direct them to my Createspace page.


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## Steve W. (Feb 23, 2011)

abishop said:


> My paperback's been available for about 4 months on Amazon.com and it's still not on Amazon.ca. If anyone in Canada wants to buy my paperback, I direct them to my Createspace page.


Is it on The Book Depository? That should only take a week or so. But if it's not, I'd be curious if you neglected to tick the expanded distribution option.


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## Krista D. Ball (Mar 8, 2011)

Canuckistani here. 

Yolo.


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## Maia Sepp Ross (May 10, 2013)

Steve Vernon said:


> Hope you get your plumbing back into running order soon, Maia.


Thanks! We're good . We're in an almost 100 year old house in Toronto, so this isn't that unusual, but normally they don't freeze until -25. This time it was only -21. On the bright side, it's absolutely beautiful here now - tons of snow. Just gorgeous.


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## Maia Sepp Ross (May 10, 2013)

Genevieve Mckay said:


> Well, the East has maple syrup and Fall colours lol, something sorely lacking here on the west coast... that might be some consolation for the fact that it's 10 degrees and sunny here today!


I was in Vancouver in February once - sitting outside on a patio eating lobster. Totally crazy. Then we went up to Whistler and went skiing. Love it out there.


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## RhondaW (Mar 31, 2012)

Been living in Edmonton since the 90's and I have never seen such a wacky winter. Wild swings in temps; will be 8C one day and -15C the next and more rain than snow. Though unfortunately it is usually freezing rain which makes driving and walking treacherous.

I actually had to fill up my wind shield washer thingy yesterday. Usually it only gets filled twice a year when my car gets serviced and wasn't due to be filled until April. Car wash owners are pretty happy this winter


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## bwcolborne (Jun 11, 2014)

Just saw a thread about tax woes by our US friends and my eyes kind of glazed over. I'm not going to have to worry about that this year thankfully but it triggered something I remembered from a different thread.

Sever, you mentioned incorporating some time ago and that had never crossed my thoughts before. Would you mind sharing how you went about it and any specific costs/benefits/cons you ran into as a result?


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## Sever Bronny (May 13, 2013)

bwcolborne said:


> Just saw a thread about tax woes by our US friends and my eyes kind of glazed over. I'm not going to have to worry about that this year thankfully but it triggered something I remembered from a different thread.
> 
> Sever, you mentioned incorporating some time ago and that had never crossed my thoughts before. Would you mind sharing how you went about it and any specific costs/benefits/cons you ran into as a result?


I incorporated because the opportunity came my way, and I took it. From what I know, you pay less taxes, as Canadian corporate taxes are some of the lowest in the developed world. I don't know the ins and outs yet, so I'll have to get back to you on that after seeing an accountant (supposed to go very soon).


----------



## doolittle03 (Feb 13, 2015)

I have a question for D2D people. I switched a couple of books from SW distribution to B&N to D2D for distribution to B&N. Emailed them that I would fax my W8-BEN and they wrote back that they needed W8-BEN E. 

The IRS form changed. I think it's supposed to make it easier. But I don't get it. I have an EIN which I love because it was freaking easy to get and all was well ... and now I have to fill out this other form which I do not understand.

Here's what I get: I'm doing business with a U.S. business but I'm an individual sole beneficiary and I'm in a treaty nation that has 0% withholding tax. I file income tax in my own country and pay tax here on my income. I give them my SIN and my EIN. Only now I don't have to give the EIN

So what form do I use


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## Dennis E. Taylor (Feb 10, 2015)

Sever Bronny said:


> I incorporated because the opportunity came my way, and I took it. From what I know, you pay less taxes, as Canadian corporate taxes are some of the lowest in the developed world. I don't know the ins and outs yet, so I'll have to get back to you on that after seeing an accountant (supposed to go very soon).


Corporate taxes are low, yes, but to get the money OUT of the corp into your hands, you have to either pay yourself (and pay personal tax rates) or do a dividend to yourself (and pay dividend tax rates, which are basically about the same).

The only place where a corp makes a lot of sense is for income splitting. The corp pays you and your wife, and you each pay a lower personal tax rate. But be prepared to justify the two incomes. Maybe your wife does editing for you?

The biggest issue IMO with using a corp is that you have to file audited financials every year. My accountant was charging me $750/yr for that.

If you are just looking for write-offs, you can write off a lot of stuff as a proprietorship anyway. I know you hear about all the great write-offs and tax dodges you can do as a corp, but honestly, most of those don't survive an audit. Have a long, detailed talk with your accountant before going down that road.


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## Sever Bronny (May 13, 2013)

bizmuth said:


> Corporate taxes are low, yes, but to get the money OUT of the corp into your hands, you have to either pay yourself (and pay personal tax rates) or do a dividend to yourself (and pay dividend tax rates, which are basically about the same).
> 
> The only place where a corp makes a lot of sense is for income splitting. The corp pays you and your wife, and you each pay a lower personal tax rate. But be prepared to justify the two incomes. Maybe your wife does editing for you?
> 
> ...


Yep, we're doing it for income splitting -- and she does the editing, yes, so it makes sense for us. And I will definitely have that long talk with my accountant, thanks


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## Midnight Whimsy (Jun 25, 2013)

bizmuth said:


> Corporate taxes are low, yes, but to get the money OUT of the corp into your hands, you have to either pay yourself (and pay personal tax rates) or do a dividend to yourself (and pay dividend tax rates, which are basically about the same).
> 
> The only place where a corp makes a lot of sense is for income splitting. The corp pays you and your wife, and you each pay a lower personal tax rate. But be prepared to justify the two incomes. Maybe your wife does editing for you?
> 
> ...


This is absolutely correct.  If you're thinking about incorporating, talk to a business accountant FIRST. Incorporating or not will depend on your unique situation, and prematurely incorporating could end up creating headaches and unnecessary management costs, as bizmuth mentioned.

Disclaimer: I am not an expert.

M.W


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## Glenna (Dec 1, 2014)

When interviewed on Rocking Self Publishing (episode 46), Mark Dawson said authors should assume they will do well and plan for success by incorporating before publishing.  If something I write takes off, and I then decide to incorporate in order to pay lower taxes, my newly formed company would have to buy the titles from me.  It could be exorbitant, if not prohibitive.  The bit where Mark and Simon discuss this starts at 68:25.  I don't know if it applies to Canadian self-publishers/incorporation, but it does seems likely.


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## ShayneRutherford (Mar 24, 2014)

doolittle03 said:


> I have a question for D2D people. I switched a couple of books from SW distribution to B&N to D2D for distribution to B&N. Emailed them that I would fax my W8-BEN and they wrote back that they needed W8-BEN E.
> 
> The IRS form changed. I think it's supposed to make it easier. But I don't get it. I have an EIN which I love because it was freaking easy to get and all was well ... and now I have to fill out this other form which I do not understand.
> 
> ...


Crap. I just had to redo the Amazon tax interview in December, and I don't remember the specifics. Do they not have an online form you can fill out?

I think you're supposed to use the W8-BEN, and you fill it out as an individual, and give them your SIN. Hopefully someone will come along soon and confirm.


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## Krista D. Ball (Mar 8, 2011)

I have an ITIN, so the forms were pretty much all the same when they asked me to update. Can't help you, sorry.


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## Vivi_Anna (Feb 12, 2011)

I heard it somewhere that EIN isn't good enough anymore and that we have to have ITIN.

I will try and find where I heard that from... it was definitely recent.


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## Krista D. Ball (Mar 8, 2011)

Vivi_Anna said:


> I heard it somewhere that EIN isn't good enough anymore and that we have to have ITIN.
> 
> I will try and find where I heard that from... it was definitely recent.


I got an ITIN originally. Had a lawyer file it and do it all for me a few years ago.


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## @Suzanna (Mar 14, 2011)

When I recently gave CreateSpace my tax info, the IRS denied my EIN. I was, however, able to use my Canadian SIN on the W8BEN form and it went through with no problem. The same was true when Amazon asked me to redo my tax info in December. My SIN was sufficient to get my tax withholding amount down to 0%.


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

This is the form to use:

https://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&ei=TUrtVOP4E5eIoQSG4oKwCw&url=http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw8ben.pdf&ved=0CBsQFjAA&usg=AFQjCNGTpNmC9ZcjM4ddF2mCVtcac87BNA&sig2=YmKLMJm5Fez9qqnXoh9PQw

You'll need to use your SIN, but you won't have tax withheld.

Hope that helps!

Rue


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## jackiegp (May 18, 2013)

Canadian here, too. No advice on CreateSpace though, sorry. Shipping charges. Customs charges. Oh my!


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## Stephanie Marks (Feb 16, 2015)

Amazon (KDP/Createspace) updated all of their tax forms so now if you put in your Canadian SIN they withhold 0%, so nothing in order to more accurately reflect the tax treaty. We no longer need an American tax number as of... November or December last year I believe. I filled out my forms in January 2015.


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## doolittle03 (Feb 13, 2015)

Thanks all for the info. I've always put my SIN on all the W8BENs I've filled from the beginning on the Foreign Tax number line (or whatever it's called). When I started publishing, I read a Canadian blogger recommending to do that so I did. Maybe that's why I haven't had to update with Amazon or Createspace ...?

D2D is the first new form in 2015. I guess they don't realize Canadians just have to use the regular W8BEN and include their SIN to get the 0% withholding.


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

I think D2D is confused. Pretty sure I sent them a straight old W8BEN (with my EIN on it) last summer before they changed the form. They shouldn't need a W8BEN-E unless you're incorporated. If you're a sole proprietorship, then you send in the W8BEN.

Rue


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## Krista D. Ball (Mar 8, 2011)

doolittle03 said:


> Thanks all for the info. I've always put my SIN on all the W8BENs I've filled from the beginning on the Foreign Tax number line (or whatever it's called). When I started publishing, I read a Canadian blogger recommending to do that so I did. Maybe that's why I haven't had to update with Amazon or Createspace ...?
> 
> D2D is the first new form in 2015. I guess they don't realize Canadians just have to use the regular W8BEN and include their SIN to get the 0% withholding.


A couple years ago, I tried the SIN and got shate on for it by Amazon, so went ITIN route. I'm glad that they are now actually letting people use it lol


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## Steve W. (Feb 23, 2011)

Yeah, I have the ITIN as well, but it was a pain to get and took months and months and ... well, I think it was 8 months. Glad they've simplified it.


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## Krista D. Ball (Mar 8, 2011)

Steve W. said:


> Yeah, I have the ITIN as well, but it was a pain to get and took months and months and ... well, I think it was 8 months. Glad they've simplified it.


When I heard of people taking so long, I hired the lawyer. It took me like 6 weeks and i didn't have to do anything. I highly recommend that route for anyone else wanting to go that way. It was soooo much easier lol


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## Heather Hamilton-Senter (May 25, 2013)

I got an EIN since I'm registered here in Canada as a sole proprietorship. Took almost no time to fill out the form and was just an easy peasy phone call to the IRS.

Of course, no one seems to want it now. Everybody is fine all of a sudden with a SIN!


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## doolittle03 (Feb 13, 2015)

I love Saskatchewan too. Love the prairies...

My heart's desire is to tour the Maritimes ... the only part of Canada I haven't seen. I swoon when the Newfoundland ads come on TV.


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## Steve W. (Feb 23, 2011)

doolittle03 said:


> I love Saskatchewan too. Love the prairies...
> 
> My heart's desire is to tour the Maritimes ... the only part of Canada I haven't seen. I swoon when the Newfoundland ads come on TV.


My thoughts exactly.


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## writer-artist-mom (Feb 21, 2015)

doolittle03 said:


> I love Saskatchewan too. Love the prairies...


My husband's family is in northern Saskatchewan, they usually get flooded from all the snow melting in the spring but still, gorgeous scenery  We try to visit at least once a year, usually in July/August


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## KGorman (Feb 6, 2011)

Another Canuck dropping in. Victoria, BC! Was in Edmonton last summer, though. Moving to Taiwan around September. Anyone know about tax exemption for ex-pats?


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## 555aaa (Jan 28, 2014)

US business owner here:

If you don't file a US tax return within five years, your ITIN will go away. Those are really meant for people, like students, who are working temporarily in the U.S and need to file taxes, not foreign persons who will never work in the US or file US tax returns. 

The IRS recently clarified the instructions on the W8-BEN so that you don't have to have an EIN or a ITIN if you are not going to file a US tax return (which you would need to do if you do business in the US - which you don't). I think it's actually simpler with the present system than with the EIN - if you gave me a US EIN, then I would file a 1099 form for you and send the IRS a copy, because I would have to presume your business might owe US taxes. If you use your foreign tax ID on the W8-BEN, then I won't have to file the 1099 form, which is how we report to the IRS what a person got paid. The IRS takes the forms we as businesses send them, and then the delcared miscellaneous income, or royalties, or whatever, on the tax return with the same EIN/SSN/ITIN, and compares them to make sure no one is cheating.

Anyway, that's what I did this last year.  I collected W-9s from US persons and W8-BEN from non-US persons and I provided (and sent to the IRS) 1099-MISC forms for the US people only. I would have submitted the 1099 for someone who sent me a US EIN or an ITIN since I would presume that they might file US taxes. 

So that's what I know, but I'm not a US tax professional or expert or anything like that.


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## doolittle03 (Feb 13, 2015)

Thanks for the clarification!  So I wouldn't expect to receive a 1099 because I put my Foreign Tax number on all of my W8BEN at SW, Amazon, Createspace and now D2D. Kobo, bless them, are in Canada. I just fill out my income tax form in Canada, declaring my royalty income and pay tax on that. And all the government agents are happy.

But I have to say, talking to the IRS lady to get my EIN was one of the nicest experiences I had in this self-publishing journey. Sad, in a way....future indies from Canada won't have that....


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## Steve W. (Feb 23, 2011)

KGorman said:


> Another Canuck dropping in. Victoria, BC! Was in Edmonton last summer, though. Moving to Taiwan around September. Anyone know about tax exemption for ex-pats?


There are a lot of Victoria based canuckers on these threads! Great to see that.


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## Amity Lassiter (Nov 28, 2014)

doolittle03 said:


> Thanks for the clarification! So I wouldn't expect to receive a 1099 because I put my Foreign Tax number on all of my W8BEN at SW, Amazon, Createspace and now D2D. Kobo, bless them, are in Canada. I just fill out my income tax form in Canada, declaring my royalty income and pay tax on that. And all the government agents are happy.
> 
> But I have to say, talking to the IRS lady to get my EIN was one of the nicest experiences I had in this self-publishing journey. Sad, in a way....future indies from Canada won't have that....


Yes! I waited 45 minutes to speak to her and I was nervous as hell (because IRS, right?). She was so sweet, sounded like an older lady, took her time with me and reassured me when I fumbled (out of nerves, though I was convinced any faltering would have been perceived as lying, etc).


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

I think I spoke to the same woman. 

Rue


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## Maia Sepp Ross (May 10, 2013)

ruecole said:


> I think I spoke to the same woman.
> 
> Rue


+1. She was very friendly. It was a very painless process, which was cool.


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## Sever Bronny (May 13, 2013)

Hey guys, besides picking books up at the border, any way to reduce those huge import/duty fees? Can they be written off or something?


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## bwcolborne (Jun 11, 2014)

Tax Expert - is not this guy. I would assume it could be written off as it's not an expense you would have had if you weren't in the writing game. 

tl;dr I don't know, dude.

But! A friendly at work told me about Kinek. It's like a little depot that takes packages on the US side and they charge like $5/package which helps avoid those duty fees. Still have to go get it and then bring it back over but some folks seem not to have troubles.


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

The border towns south of BC are peppered with parcel pickup places. Even Point Roberts has a bunch!

Sever, you need to find someone on the mainland willing to go pick up books for you. 

Rue


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## Sever Bronny (May 13, 2013)

Thanks, Rue. That would work if I didn't have to worry about Ferry fees 

That's what I get for living on an island.


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

Don't get me started on the ferry fees.  

Half my family lives on the Island. I see them every other year. They don't come off and we can't afford to go over more often than that! 

Rue


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## doolittle03 (Feb 13, 2015)

Oh that's wild! when I go home to BC to see the family, I always want a trip to the Island where I grew up (French Creek, Parksville, and my mom took us shopping in Nanaimo - big town!) But my sisters freak out at the cost of taking the ferry. 

My friend was on Bowen Island for a few years but the trips to the mainland were too much. Now she's in Boundary Bay. Gorgeous. Incredible places on the coast. 

I've got Canadian Shield and swamp here but I like it and my house didn't cost the earth.

Re: customs fees etc--I was going to send a book to a customer from Createspace to Vancouver but then I realized the customer would have to pay customs when they picked it up. Grrr...so I'll put it in the mail. I'm REALLY trying to avoid having boxes of books in my house. That takes indie to a new level.


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## writer-artist-mom (Feb 21, 2015)

Have any of you tried the preorder & paperback thing for early reviews? http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,196509.msg2880364.html#msg2880364

I'm just wondering if I need to leave up the paperback and not upload a new file so that it has the 6 weeks I'm doing preorders for to get through to amazon canada by my launch date. I suppose it has to be the final files up in order for book depository to carry it. I guess it doesn't matter if my paperback is live and available early because no one would know since I'm a new author lol

Which do you think is more important: having the paperback available on amazon canada/book depository to friends and family in canada ON launch day or making sure no one can buy the paperback early in case fans feel it's not fair if they're waiting for the ebook?


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## Dennis E. Taylor (Feb 10, 2015)

For those of us who live in the lower mainland, there is a Self Publishing Fair tomorrow (2/2 10 - 4 at the Vancouver Public Library.


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## Elizabeth Kelly (Nov 2, 2013)

Sever Bronny said:


> Hey guys, besides picking books up at the border, any way to reduce those huge import/duty fees? Can they be written off or something?


They sure can! I worked for an accounting firm for years and years before I became a full-time writer and import/duty fees can be counted toward expenses. Some of the things I submit for expenses are: postage costs, book covers, marketing, po box cost, printing paperback costs, website costs, office supplies (including any new office furniture you bought during the year or computers, monitors etc.), legal fees, accounting fees.

As well, keep track of your house costs like: utilities, gas, internet, telephone (cell or land line whichever you use for business), property taxes, house insurance, etc. Calculate the total square footage of your home and the total square footage used for your business and hand that information over to your accountant. I have a dedicated office but if you use, say, your kitchen table to write on, then find out the square footage of half your kitchen or a quarter of your kitchen. I can't remember the exact amount but based on the square footage of space you use in your home, you can write off a certain percentage of your utilities, house insurance, etc.

Basically, anything I buy or use for business I submit the receipt to my accountant. If they can't use it, they don't. But I'd rather submit something than lose out on the possibility of writing it off. 

I have a big binder broken into sections for each of these categories and every month I file my receipts and bills in it. At the end of the year I do an excel spreadsheet that lists all the expenses I've accrued over the year, by category, and submit that Excel spreadsheet to my accountant. For example, the first tab in my excel spreadsheet is for book covers. I have them entered by date, details, who I made the payment to, the amount charged in US dollars, the conversion rate, and the final amount I paid in Canadian dollars. At the end I total it all and my accountant can see at a glance that I paid a total of $2507.93 in covers and use that number on my tax return.

I keep all of my original receipts as they file it electronically and actual receipts are only needed if the CRA requests them. If the CRA requests your receipts, then you simply hand them over to your accountant and they'll scan them and send them off to the CRA for you.You can, however, give your receipts to your accountant. Lots of our clients did but I just know the inside mechanics of how it works from working for the firm, so I don't bother to send mine in. You should always confirm with your accountant exactly what they want and then follow their suggestions.

Huh - that got long and overly descriptive. Sorry... I'm kind of a nerd for accounting things and get excited about all the ways to reduce your personal tax owing...


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi everyone,

Very glad I found this thread! I've been on KB for quite a while and yes, sometimes it feels that it's all American most of the time, (with a growing Aussie presence) which is fine because I've learned a lot from posts in the Writers' Cafe. But as you've already found, Canadians have unique challenges with shipping costs and delivery etc. I remember a time when Kindle books didn't show up on amazon.ca at all!

I self-published two mysteries back in the day before it was popular to do so...even before POD became popular. At the moment, they're not in e-book form, but they will be. Those 2 books aren't ordered often from amazon anymore, but whenever they are, I lose money due to  mailing costs.

My current mystery series is published by a small publisher in Victoria, but I'm heading back to self-publishing again after a 6 year absence. Hope to share lots of great info with you all.

By the way, I'm from Port Moody, BC! I visit KB once a week, and wish it was more but writing is the priority, as you can imagine! I'm not prolific but I do write everyday. Also, I'm interviewing for a part-time job today. I'm one of those writers who believes that more than one income stream is a really good idea. 

Cheers,
Debra


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## Steve Vernon (Feb 18, 2011)

ruecole said:


> This is the form to use:
> 
> https://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&ei=TUrtVOP4E5eIoQSG4oKwCw&url=http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw8ben.pdf&ved=0CBsQFjAA&usg=AFQjCNGTpNmC9ZcjM4ddF2mCVtcac87BNA&sig2=YmKLMJm5Fez9qqnXoh9PQw
> 
> ...


Okay, Rue Cole - or whoever else can help me - where do I send this form to in order to STOP letting Amazon withhold that 30%.

And, when I do apply and receive for the proper form does Amazon then return the 30% withholding that they have been withholding all this time


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## Ethan Jones (Jan 20, 2012)

Greetings from another Canadian from Edmonton.
I wish everyone a blessed and warm month of March.
Sincerely,
Ethan Jones


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

Steve Vernon said:


> Okay, Rue Cole - or whoever else can help me - where do I send this form to in order to STOP letting Amazon withhold that 30%.
> 
> And, when I do apply and receive for the proper form does Amazon then return the 30% withholding that they have been withholding all this time


That form is the one to send to D2D. To get Amazon to stop withholding, you need to go into your Account via your dashboard and update your tax information using the tax interview. Make sure you select individual and then enter your SIN number under Foreign Tax ID. It should tell you right away that your withholding is 0%.

Hope that helps!

Rue


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

Here's a link to step-by-step instructions to Amazon's tax interview: http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,205008.msg2853320.html#msg2853320

Just enter your SIN when it calls for the non-US tax ID.

Hope that helps!

Rue


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## Steve Vernon (Feb 18, 2011)

Awesome! I will try that tomorrow when my eyes are a little less bleary. Many, many thanks!


One last question - (in my best Columbo voice) - does anyone know that when (if) I get Amazon to bump my withholding tax down to 0% do they refund all of the 30% withholding they kept in the past Or is that my loss?


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## Midnight Whimsy (Jun 25, 2013)

Eliza Marie Jones said:


> Have any of you tried the preorder & paperback thing for early reviews? http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,196509.msg2880364.html#msg2880364
> 
> I'm just wondering if I need to leave up the paperback and not upload a new file so that it has the 6 weeks I'm doing preorders for to get through to amazon canada by my launch date. I suppose it has to be the final files up in order for book depository to carry it. I guess it doesn't matter if my paperback is live and available early because no one would know since I'm a new author lol
> 
> Which do you think is more important: having the paperback available on amazon canada/book depository to friends and family in canada ON launch day or making sure no one can buy the paperback early in case fans feel it's not fair if they're waiting for the ebook?


I did that for my second book and it worked great. However, I did it just a little differently. I didn't upload my print version until 1 week before the pre-order release date. This allowed my ARC reviewers to get their reviews up before the pre-order's go-live date, without a) having an unavailable paperback for an extended period of time or b) having the paperback available way before the ebook. I only had two or three people notice the paperback was available early and buy it, which I didn't mind at all.

The way I see it--you want reviews before your release date, but you won't get any reviews until ARC time, so no need to have that paperback up until a short time before release. 

M.W


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## Northern pen (Mar 3, 2015)

Greetings from the BC interior... just found kboards, and the Canadian thread seemed a great place to start.


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## Stephanie Marks (Feb 16, 2015)

Robyn W said:


> Greetings from the BC interior... just found kboards, and the Canadian thread seemed a great place to start.


*hi5!* I'm in the Interior as well.


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

Steve Vernon said:


> Awesome! I will try that tomorrow when my eyes are a little less bleary. Many, many thanks!
> 
> One last question - (in my best Columbo voice) - does anyone know that when (if) I get Amazon to bump my withholding tax down to 0% do they refund all of the 30% withholding they kept in the past Or is that my loss?


I think to get the money back you have to file a return with the IRS. Unless you're talking a lot of money, I don't think it's worth the time and effort. I think Amazon withheld about $60 from me before I got my tax info sorted out, so I'm not even going to bother. I think I heard you can write it off as an expense on your Canadian taxes, but I'm not 100% sure.

Hope that helps!

Rue


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## Steve Vernon (Feb 18, 2011)

That does, Rue. 

Thanks again.

It isn't a lot of money - but I was just curious.

I submitted my info this morning and the computer told me that Amazon is going to think about it.


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## bwcolborne (Jun 11, 2014)

Getting weird in some other threads and I want my tapatalk full of nice things again.

Hey buds!

Might as well be productive while I'm here too. Anybody know how to check if your print version is in the book stores ordering systems? I was thinking of just calling as a 'customer' and giving them the isbn. Thoughts?


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

Only way I know is if they list them on their website. Chapters, Coles, and Blackbond Books show mine as in their system. Plus a few independent shops.

Hopefully someone else knows better!

Rue


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## bwcolborne (Jun 11, 2014)

Nice. I just googled isbn search and came up with a bunch of options. Seems black bond and some others have it listed. Time to print some biz cards


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## doolittle03 (Feb 13, 2015)

Very helpful info on the ISBN thingy. I didn't know our books could be accessed beyond ordering from Amazon. I see B&N has print copies in their store online. Chapters looks to be Kobo only. But I bet if someone asked they'd order it. Chapters is pretty good I found. Better than the independents at times at getting in books without fussing about how it was published.

I find this part of business the hardest to do--the hustling around to see if the book is out there and keeping tabs on rankings, etc, etc. Does it become second nature after awhile? I still don't understand what I'm looking at or how to do anything about it even if I could figure it out. (It's cold. I'm whining. And drinking beer because it's March and people are still ice-fishing.)


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## Steve W. (Feb 23, 2011)

doolittle03 said:


> Very helpful info on the ISBN thingy. I didn't know our books could be accessed beyond ordering from Amazon. I see B&N has print copies in their store online. Chapters looks to be Kobo only. But I bet if someone asked they'd order it. Chapters is pretty good I found. Better than the independents at times at getting in books without fussing about how it was published.


Actually if the chapters website doesn't have your book, people won't be able to order it through the store. They have 'approved' titles available for purchase, and that includes most books, but they do require a book have X% wholesale discount. Also, it MUST have an ISBN and EIN, and sometimes they even say it has to have the price printed on the book.


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

Createspace's expanded distribution should get your book into the Chapters system. Ingram will, too, even at the lower discount of 40% and non-returnable. Can't tell you about Lulu or any other POD presses.

Hope that helps!

Rue


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## theaatkinson (Sep 22, 2010)

I've asked at chapters if they can order my book...alas, they couldn't find me, so I'm not sure it does get into the system.

chasing dragons has my own isbn but no price on the cover....hmmmm


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## VictoriaScribens (Sep 11, 2014)

Createspace's expanded distribution doesn't get books into Chapters. I'm not sure why, but it does seem to be the case; my books show up in the Kobo version but not in print. My friend who did the print option through Ingram Spark (with sufficient room for discounting) is available to be ordered through Chapters in the regular system. You definitely need an ISBN, though as it's free for us (one thing it's good to be a Canadian indie author for!) that's not a problem.


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

Okay, weird. I could've sworn my two novelettes (in CS ED) were available through Chapters. But I just looked and don't see them now.

Rue


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## bwcolborne (Jun 11, 2014)

argh. print continues to be a thorn in my side. i assume this has everything to do with CS?


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

IngramSpark, Brian. Not only is the quality better, but my book is available pretty much everywhere thanks to their distribution. And I get a decent royalty without having to jack the retail price up. And one day I may get brave enough to try making it returnable and see if a few bookstores will actually carry it. 

Rue


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## bwcolborne (Jun 11, 2014)

I've been going back and forth over Ingram for about a month now. I'm cheap as futz but I can justify it since I hand sold every copy of my "friends and family" paperback order. I assume you need a different ISBN for Ingram?


----------



## cinisajoy (Mar 10, 2013)

Texan coming in to ask milk in bags?


----------



## bwcolborne (Jun 11, 2014)

Here in ontario yes. Not in any other places I've been though. Quebec? East coasters?


----------



## bwcolborne (Jun 11, 2014)

Three little bags inside that big bag


----------



## @Suzanna (Mar 14, 2011)

Wiki entry, complete with photo of the smaller bag and of a couple of containers.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milk_bag

One of the pros:



> Normally, people will only open one bag at a time, and then open another one when the first one is empty. That means that the milk in the bags which are still sealed lasts longer than milk in a jug which is being repeatedly opened.


----------



## writer-artist-mom (Feb 21, 2015)

~Suzanna~ said:


> Wiki entry, complete with photo of the smaller bag and of a couple of containers.
> 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milk_bag
> 
> One of the pros:


WHAT! I have *never* seen or heard of milk coming in bags in my entire life! I've never lived anywhere but southern Alberta so maybe it's just not a thing in Alberta?



bwcolborne said:


> I've been going back and forth over Ingram for about a month now. I'm cheap as futz but I can justify it since I hand sold every copy of my "friends and family" paperback order. I assume you need a different ISBN for Ingram?


Your ISBN is per version of the book, so your ISBN for a paperback novel can be used with any printer/distributor it stays with the book. (That is, of course if you registerd on CISS and got your own, not using the Createspace free number)


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## Anna_ (Jan 18, 2015)

That's a throw back! No milk in bags in Manitoba! At least no place I've seen in the last 20+ years.


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## Amity Lassiter (Nov 28, 2014)

Milk in bags in NB, for sure. Our (two adults) milk consumption varies so much though (depends on if there are cookies or Fruit Loops in the house LOL) that we just buy a 2L carton and buy more if needed.
And don't get me started on the "two brands" thing in NB. You're either a Northumberland person or a Baxter person and nobody converts. People are passionate about this shiz. (And we are Baxter people because Mr. L's dad works for Baxter...).


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## KGorman (Feb 6, 2011)

Used to see milk in bags in Victoria... Haven't seen it for about fifteen years.


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## LoriP (Jun 2, 2014)

Has anyone released an audio book? If so, how? Was it complicated? I keep checking at ACX but they aren't open to Canadians yet.


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## bwcolborne (Jun 11, 2014)

dying to get into audiobooks. I've got an ally at work here that does narration and wants to record (for free!) but no easy as pie distribution. thinking cdbaby maybe.

I just saw a thing, too. So I was fartin' around on ingram and it said my isbn for print was already in use. I'm taking that to mean that CS expanded dist. has sent it to them already. I take _that_ to mean that Chapters can order it. But then, I'm foolishly hopeful.


----------



## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

Eliza Marie Jones said:


> WHAT! I have *never* seen or heard of milk coming in bags in my entire life! I've never lived anywhere but southern Alberta so maybe it's just not a thing in Alberta?
> 
> Your ISBN is per version of the book, so your ISBN for a paperback novel can be used with any printer/distributor it stays with the book. (That is, of course if you registerd on CISS and got your own, not using the Createspace free number)


They used to back in the late 90's when we lived in Calgary. 

I think they should bring it back. So much more environmentally friendly. And yes, to it lasting longer. Plus it's so much easier to pour a small 1.33 L bag than a 4L jug!

To the ISBN question: you only need one ISBN for the paperback and one ISBN for the ebook (though Amazon will overwrite that with their ASIN). I have the same ISBN on both my CS version and my IngramSpark version.

Hope that helps!

Rue


----------



## LoriP (Jun 2, 2014)

That's fantastic that you have a narrator! I don't know anyone with the skills / equipment. Thanks for the tip about cdbaby, I'll go check them out. 

Also - I haven't checked with Chapters for my books, but a local small indie bookstore ordered my books for an event. I don't know why Chapters couldn't get books in too. That said, most indies I know who have their books on shelves in Chapters did it through a consignment agreement.


----------



## bwcolborne (Jun 11, 2014)

welp, I'll just make another ISBN if Ingram is gonna be thick about it. O Canada!


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

No, no. You don't need another ISBN. One per book. So the same one you used at Createspace can be used at IngramSpark. Unless it's a Createspace ISBN (but why would you use those since we've got CISS?  ).

Hope that helps!

Rue


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## bwcolborne (Jun 11, 2014)

Maybe I'm doing something wrong but when I enter my print ISBN (that I got from CISS, because Canada) it says ISBN already in use. PRINT!!!!!



I'm shaking my fist now... At the clouds. And the young 'uns. Whippersnappers...


----------



## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

bwcolborne said:


> Maybe I'm doing something wrong but when I enter my print ISBN (that I got from CISS, because Canada) it says ISBN already in use. PRINT!!!!!
> 
> I'm shaking my fist now... At the clouds. And the young 'uns. Whippersnappers...


Have you taken your book out of Expanded Distribution with CS? That may be the problem? I published my book with CS about 2 months before I pubished with I/S, but I didn't choose Expanded Distribution with CS.

I don't know if that's actually the solution, but that makes sense to me, anyway. 

Hope that helps!

Rue


----------



## bwcolborne (Jun 11, 2014)

You may be on to something


----------



## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

I may be. Or I my be all wet.  

But it makes logical sense since I could publish to Amazon with the same ISBN, no problem. Hopefully pulling the book from Expanded Distribution will work and it's not a case of they'll only take the ISBN if it hasn't been put into Expanded Distribution in the first place.

If worse comes to worst, you can always email I/S and ask!

Rue


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## SJ Kelley (Feb 13, 2015)

I just wanted to pop in to say hi! I'm new to posting on KBoards, but I've been lurking for awhile. Nice to see some other people from Atlantic Canada on here! (I'm envious of those in BC right now; I lived on the coast for several years and loved it, but moved back to the other ocean to be closer to family).


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## writer-artist-mom (Feb 21, 2015)

ruecole said:


> To the ISBN question: you only need one ISBN for the paperback and one ISBN for the ebook (though Amazon will overwrite that with their ASIN). I have the same ISBN on both my CS version and my IngramSpark version.


Just wondering: for those of you who do CS for the USA and Igram Spark for international, what are your reasons? Do they have way better distribution or same/better quality paper or what? Do you think the time it takes for book depository to stock it is less than using CS ED?


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## Genevieve Mckay (Jan 19, 2015)

ruecole said:


> Have you taken your book out of Expanded Distribution with CS? That may be the problem? I published my book with CS about 2 months before I pubished with I/S, but I didn't choose Expanded Distribution with CS.
> 
> I don't know if that's actually the solution, but that makes sense to me, anyway.
> 
> ...


Do you happen to know if you can publish with both CS and I/S if your e-book version is enrolled in KDP Select?


----------



## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

Eliza Marie Jones said:


> Just wondering: for those of you who do CS for the USA and Igram Spark for international, what are your reasons? Do they have way better distribution or same/better quality paper or what? Do you think the time it takes for book depository to stock it is less than using CS ED?


You get a better royalty without needing to jack up the retail price. And it would seem their distribution is better as Chapters doesn't carry CS books in their system. Something I just learned in this thread!

Also, Ingram allows you to use your own ISBN and still get into the library system (unlike CS). You just need your CIP data (which is free in Canada.  ).

Hope that helps!

Rue


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

Genevieve Mckay said:


> Do you happen to know if you can publish with both CS and I/S if your e-book version is enrolled in KDP Select?


Yes. Select only requires your ebook be exclusive. So your print book can be distributed as far and as wide as you can make it. 

Hope that helps!

Rue


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## Vivi_Anna (Feb 12, 2011)

Eliza Marie Jones said:


> WHAT! I have *never* seen or heard of milk coming in bags in my entire life! I've never lived anywhere but southern Alberta so maybe it's just not a thing in Alberta?
> 
> Your ISBN is per version of the book, so your ISBN for a paperback novel can be used with any printer/distributor it stays with the book. (That is, of course if you registerd on CISS and got your own, not using the Createspace free number)


We used to have milk in bags in Alberta a looooooooooong time ago. I remember then as a kid. So like 30 years or more ago.


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## 鬼 (Sep 30, 2012)

Milk bags are standard in Ontario. I figured they were as well in the rest of Canada.


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

鬼 said:


> Milk bags are standard in Ontario. I figured they were as well in the rest of Canada.


They used to be up until the mid to late 90s. Then they disappeared from store shelves. I guess jugs were just more popular.

Rue


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## 鬼 (Sep 30, 2012)

ruecole said:


> They used to be up until the mid to late 90s. Then they disappeared from store shelves. I guess jugs were just more popular.
> 
> Rue


Weird. I don't see much jugs around here. What about cartons? Brand would be Sealtest. Blue carton.


----------



## writer-artist-mom (Feb 21, 2015)

ruecole said:


> You get a better royalty without needing to jack up the retail price. And it would seem their distribution is better as Chapters doesn't carry CS books in their system. Something I just learned in this thread!
> 
> Also, Ingram allows you to use your own ISBN and still get into the library system (unlike CS). You just need your CIP data (which is free in Canada.  ).


Thanks! I'll definitely try this for my next book and see if I can change it for the one I already have out. What does CIP data mean?



Vivi_Anna said:


> We used to have milk in bags in Alberta a looooooooooong time ago. I remember then as a kid. So like 30 years or more ago.


Lol I was born in the 90s so...


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## Genevieve Mckay (Jan 19, 2015)

ruecole said:


> Yes. Select only requires your ebook be exclusive. So your print book can be distributed as far and as wide as you can make it.
> 
> Hope that helps!
> 
> Rue


Great. Thank you!!

As an aside, my mom bought milk in bags all the time when I was a kid in Ontario. She would put one in the milk jug and the other two bags in the freezer. Seemed to work!


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

鬼 said:


> Weird. I don't see much jugs around here. What about cartons? Brand would be Sealtest. Blue carton.


That's because you're in Ontario, where there still are milk bags.  Western Canada it seems stopped selling them in the late 90s early 2000s. Not sure exactly when, but I remember still seeing them in Calgary when my eldest (now 17) was a baby. Can't remember if they were still on the shelves when we moved back to BC before my youngest was born.

Cartons are available for under 1L sizes in BC. That's a more recent switch. And some things (like Egg Nog) are still sold in 2L cartons. But milk has pretty much switched entirely to jugs. Not sure about other places. I've been back in BC for 15 years now.

Rue


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## theaatkinson (Sep 22, 2010)

milk still available in bags in SW NS. and folks are verrrrry particular about their milk hereabouts, especially since we just lost our local dairy....a few folks are pretty upset about having to drink Baxters or Scotsburn. LOL


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

Eliza Marie Jones said:


> Thanks! I'll definitely try this for my next book and see if I can change it for the one I already have out. What does CIP data mean?
> 
> Lol I was born in the 90s so...


Geez, you're making me feel old here! 

CIP is Cataloging in Publication is how libraries keep track of books. Here's the link to the Canadian site where you can submit your book to be added to the catalogue. (Once your book is published, you need to send a copy to Archives Canada.)

http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/cip/index-e.html

If you're writing children's fiction, in particular, CIP cataloguing is vital to being able to get your book into school libraries, etc. Helps with school visits, too. If you're not interested in that, then you can pass on CIP cataloguing, but it's free (aside from the cost of sending one copy to the Archives), so I don't see the downside. 

Hope that helps!

Rue


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

Genevieve Mckay said:


> Great. Thank you!!
> 
> As an aside, my mom bought milk in bags all the time when I was a kid in Ontario. She would put one in the milk jug and the other two bags in the freezer. Seemed to work!


Genevieve, dunno if I mentioned this before, but I LOOOOOVE your book cover!

My mom used to freeze milk in the winter by putting it out on the patio. Can't do that here in Vancouver, though. 

Rue


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

Here in BC, we've got Island Farms, Dairyland, Lucerne, and Foremost Dairies. Never heard of Baxters, Scotsburn, or Sealtest!

Rue


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## doolittle03 (Feb 13, 2015)

I debated going with Ingram because they get into libraries and bookstores more than CS could do it (I read that some bookstores refuse to stock CS books) but the cost of setting up each book with a designer and the fee when I had 3 -- I didn't think I'd recoup that. 

You guys with Ingrams, have you found it worth the expense?

Milk here is local dairy Outaouais and in a jug. But we have Neilsen and Sealtest in bags too. I miss some food brands that are only distributed to the west. Thank God Old Dutch potato chips made it here at last.


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

To date, I've sold 8 copies through I/S and 55 through CS, so at this point, my CS edition is paying for my I/S edition. But I wanted the I/S edition to do book signings and school visits (and also so my friends and family could order the book through Chapters), so when I get a few of those lined up, I expect I'll start recouping the expense then.

Of course, I look at the royalties I make as one big pot. And between KDP and CS, my book earned out in January. So it's all gravy from here. 

But for the cover and interior, I don't see an additional expense there--at least not anything major! For the interior, the gutter needs to be 1/2 inch for I/S. I'd set mine to 3/4 inch for CS. So that was a two minute change for my typesetter/formatter. For the cover, the spine was a bit thinner on the I/S edition (as the paper isn't as thick as the CS paper) and the colours needed to be adjusted to account for the different printing process (I found I/S printed much darker than CS). But again, we're talking a few minutes work to adjust the cover before inserting it into the I/S template.

The only real expense difference, IMVHO, is the set-up fee and annual fee.

Hope that helps!

Rue


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## doolittle03 (Feb 13, 2015)

I thought for Ingram, they wanted the file created in InDesign - like I couldn't simply Save As in PDF and submit that like I do for CS. I would need the program to design the file in and I don't have it so I'd have to hire a book designer. That was my thinking. Is that wrong? 

My print books are still little earners but mostly through local distribution channels. Stores don't mind carrying local authors' books here and the tourist/cottage/ski customers love to buy them.


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

My formatter/typesetter used InDesign to create my interior, but she saved it as a PDF which I uploaded. I have no idea if they only accept InDesign generated PDFs, but I doubt it. I'm guessing, like with their covers, they want a print-ready PDF format like PDF/X-1a. Dunno if Word can generate that format of PDF or not.

Alternately, you could subscribe to InDesign for a month or two, design your covers, and then cancel the subscription. Hugh Howey has some video tutorials that would help with the learning curve.

Unless someone knows of a free book layout program (like Gimp or InkScape are freebies of Photoshop and Illustrator)?

Hope that helps!

Rue


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## Amity Lassiter (Nov 28, 2014)

Genevieve Mckay said:


> Great. Thank you!!
> 
> As an aside, my mom bought milk in bags all the time when I was a kid in Ontario. She would put one in the milk jug and the other two bags in the freezer. Seemed to work!


My grandmother does that. And she also WASHES OUT THE BAGS AND REUSES THEM.


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## Genevieve Mckay (Jan 19, 2015)

ruecole said:


> Genevieve, dunno if I mentioned this before, but I LOOOOOVE your book cover!
> 
> My mom used to freeze milk in the winter by putting it out on the patio. Can't do that here in Vancouver, though.
> 
> Rue


Thank you!  It was a good coup actually. I found a pre-made cover on Damonza and asked them to modify it a bit for me, which they nicely did. I do love finding a good bargain! 

I have one more quick question if you're up for it. I just uploaded my book to Createspace and they are doing their review. I did not opt for the extended distribution but now I realize I'm going to need it if I want it to be on amazon.ca (Is this correct?). So, if I enroll in ED do I still stay at the high royalty rate on books sold in the US through Amazon but get a reduced rate when someone outside of the US purchases the book? Or do I get the reduced rate across the board?

So much to learn... I pretty much come here to research every step I take now lol


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## Genevieve Mckay (Jan 19, 2015)

Amity Lassiter said:


> My grandmother does that. And she also WASHES OUT THE BAGS AND REUSES THEM.


LOL. For one year my mom, who was a struggling single mom, was watering down the milk to make it "last longer" ha ha. Oh those thrifty ladies with their Scottish blood lol!


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

Genevieve Mckay said:


> Thank you!  It was a good coup actually. I found a pre-made cover on Damonza and asked them to modify it a bit for me, which they nicely did. I do love finding a good bargain!
> 
> I have one more quick question if you're up for it. I just uploaded my book to Createspace and they are doing their review. I did not opt for the extended distribution but now I realize I'm going to need it if I want it to be on amazon.ca (Is this correct?). So, if I enroll in ED do I still stay at the high royalty rate on books sold in the US through Amazon but get a reduced rate when someone outside of the US purchases the book? Or do I get the reduced rate across the board?
> 
> So much to learn... I pretty much come here to research every step I take now lol


I'd say you got a wicked good deal on your cover. 

You shouldn't need to enroll in Expanded Distribution to get onto the .ca store. My book is on .ca and it's never been in the Expanded Distribution. Doesn't mean the .ca store is going to ship it any quicker, though. 

I'm not sure about the royalty and whether or not it is affected across the board. It's a good question, though. Hopefully someone else knows and can answer that.

Hope that helps!

Rue


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## Sever Bronny (May 13, 2013)

The border fees are so high I skipped doing a paperback launch for book 2. Island life. Yup. I take some solace looking out my window and noting the absence of snow.

=P


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## Heather Hamilton-Senter (May 25, 2013)

ruecole said:


> I'd say you got a wicked good deal on your cover.
> 
> You shouldn't need to enroll in Expanded Distribution to get onto the .ca store. My book is on .ca and it's never been in the Expanded Distribution. Doesn't mean the .ca store is going to ship it any quicker, though.
> 
> ...


Now I'm confused. CS told me I had to do expanded to get my book on .ca

So I didn't have to? maybe I didn't - I don't know! I've found CS much more difficult to navigate than Amazon.

How did we get on milk bags btw? And did you know you can knit them into nifty rugs!


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

Maybe you used to? Or maybe that rep was confused?

On CS, I have Amazon.com, Amazon Europe, and Createspace eStore selected on the Channels page. And here's the link to the book for sale through the .ca site:

http://www.amazon.ca/gp/offer-listing/0991766725/ref=tmm_pap_new_olp_sr?ie=UTF8&condition=new&sr=&qid=

As for milk bags, it started on the Texan thread and Cin brought it over here. 

Hope that helps!

Rue


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## RhondaW (Mar 31, 2012)

Growing up I drank powdered milk    

To this day I can't drink anything thicker than skim milk because of it.    Funny conversation


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## bwcolborne (Jun 11, 2014)

Ugh. Powdered milk. Whenever someone says they grew up poor, I ask them if they had powdered milk. No? You wasn't poor.


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## bwcolborne (Jun 11, 2014)

And we didn't get Sugar Crisp. We had puffed wheat. It came in a big plastic pillow case and not a grain of sugar on it.

Good times.


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

If we ran out of milk before Mom could get to the store sometimes we'd have to drink powdered milk. Sorry, but that stuff is nasty!  

Crazy thing is nowadays it's not cheap. I bought some for baking and couldn't believe the price!

Also I love puffed wheat. And puffed rice. They still sell that stuff? I may have to buy some. 

Rue

P.S. I love this thread.


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## Douglas E Wright (Mar 11, 2011)

Yep, had puffed wheat, puffed rice and if we were really doing well I had corn flakes. Yes, power milk was a staple. It got so I would put ice water in my cereal because it tasted better than the powder.

Yes Rue, they still sell puffed wheat & puffed rice. I get it every once in awhile.


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## Steve Vernon (Feb 18, 2011)

Puffed Wheat was good for ONE thing - and one thing only.

The plastic cavemen.

The cowboys were cool too - but NOTHING was better than the cavemen.


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## KateSparkes (May 6, 2013)

Hey, Canadians!

Not to change the subject, but have you guys received tax info from Amazon yet? No sign of it here, and my accountant is getting antsy (he's my dad, he's allowed to).

And I miss bagged milk. We can't get it here in NL. Just cartons. I liked having it in bags when we lived in ON.

...and I may have re-used the bags, because hey, free bags.


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## theaatkinson (Sep 22, 2010)

I haven't received mine yet, nope


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

Still waiting...  

Rue


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## RhondaW (Mar 31, 2012)

Yep, puffed wheat too, the great big bags. Grossest thing ever...puffed wheat and powdered milk 

Funny that powdered milk is expensive now.

(and yes, I grew up poor)

Good to know about the 1042's and when they mail out. I'll have to keep this information for next year as I only published late in 2014, so haven't been paid yet.


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## KateSparkes (May 6, 2013)

Thanks, Bleekness! That's good to know.

Gosh, you guys are handy.


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## writer-artist-mom (Feb 21, 2015)

I just found this: http://bookmarketingtools.com/blog/benefit-of-self-publishing-with-createspace-and-ingram-spark/

It recommends to use a separate ISBN for CS and I/S paperbacks for sales tracking purposes. What do you guys using both think about this?


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

Really not sure why you'd want to do that. Your Amazon sales you track through CS. And your Ingram sales you track through Ingram.

Rue


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## Heather Hamilton-Senter (May 25, 2013)

kward said:


> Wow, good find!


Kward - I love your covers!


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## doolittle03 (Feb 13, 2015)

Puffed wheat - check.
Powdered milk - check.
Insanely frugal Scottish mum - check.

Me and my siblings thought we were alone in our childhood hell of no sugar... and my parents have the last laugh now because research shows all that sugar in childhood is extremely bad and powdered milk is packed with protein (concentrated). So if they weren't dead, they'd be telling us they told us so...

My hubbie grew up in a 2 kid family with a busy mom and he had Fruit Loops every morning. He said he'd fall asleep almost as soon as he got to school. 

I didn't mind Puffed Wheat but don't get me started on Shredded Wheat. Which is NOT the same as Shreddies. *shudder*


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## @Suzanna (Mar 14, 2011)

No shredded or puffed wheat and definitely no powdered milk for this daughter of Portuguese immigrants living in downtown Toronto. Unfortunately, we were all about bread ... french stick bread with butter, toast, even Massa (Portuguese sweet bread) was our regular breakfast fair. Super yummy (is it any wonder I'm still a carb addict?) but definitely not healthy. And I'm not sure how old I was when I started, but I can't remember a time when I didn't drink coffee.


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## Genevieve Mckay (Jan 19, 2015)

There used to be a cereal factory in Peterborough, ON that had a "puffed wheat cannon" that would go off at all hours lol. Every time you heard the boom you knew that a new batch was being "puffed" ha ha


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## Stephanie Marks (Feb 16, 2015)

Oh my god are we talking about puffed weat? I can actually taste them in my mouth now, like, texture and all. Damn, I'm never eating those again. We didn't do powdered or bagged milk, but I remember seeing the bags in stores.

Hmmm what else is super Canadian? Oh! Does anyone remember when the $2 bills changed over to toonies, and the first time they got their hands on one? I was 9. It was so weird!


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## bwcolborne (Jun 11, 2014)

And trying to pop the centre of the toonie out?


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## doolittle03 (Feb 13, 2015)

~Suzanna~ said:


> No shredded or puffed wheat and definitely no powdered milk for this daughter of Portuguese immigrants living in downtown Toronto. Unfortunately, we were all about bread ... french stick bread with butter, toast, even Massa (Portuguese sweet bread) was our regular breakfast fair. Super yummy (is it any wonder I'm still a carb addict?) but definitely not healthy. And I'm not sure how old I was when I started, but I can't remember a time when I didn't drink coffee.


Okay, seriously, this will be my last food-related thing -- but oh my god, I loved the bakeries in Little Portugal in TO. I had an apartment on Euclid and every one had tiny backyards where they'd grow grapes and make wine every year! And the fish! They would barbeque fish outside every season and the smell was fantastic. It was such a cool neighbourhood for a big city because people sat on their front porches and they knew who was who so it was safe.

I stopped at the bakery on my way home every day. Scots are all about the bread too.

Toonies that Fell. Apart. What a country.

RE: ISBN and Ingram -- I would use one ISBN for print and one for digital. It really does save confusion and duplicate ordering. My first and second books had previous publishers so when I got my new ISBN I selected "Replacement ISBN" or whatever to let booksellers know this was the current edition.

Createspace's expanded distribution works pretty well, I find. Still not willing to stump up for Ingram.


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## @Suzanna (Mar 14, 2011)

doolittle03 said:


> Okay, seriously, this will be my last food-related thing -- but oh my god, I loved the bakeries in Little Portugal in TO. I had an apartment on Euclid and every one had tiny backyards where they'd grow grapes and make wine every year! And the fish! They would barbeque fish outside every season and the smell was fantastic. It was such a cool neighbourhood for a big city because people sat on their front porches and they knew who was who so it was safe.


My mother still lives on Euclid.  (Alas, my father passed away several years ago.)


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## Stephanie Marks (Feb 16, 2015)

bwcolborne said:


> And trying to pop the centre of the toonie out?


I never actually tried but I remember some guys that were able to do it. What shoddy craftsmanship! Lol


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## JVRudnick (Sep 12, 2014)

RE: the talk on various "canuck" things...

my dad used to eat ONLY hot cereals, so I grew up  with Cream of Wheat, RedRiver Cereal or Oatmeal. Loved it...especially when Dad would wink and go to the fridge and pour a layer of real Maple syrup across the top!


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## Maia Sepp Ross (May 10, 2013)

~Suzanna~ said:


> My mother still lives on Euclid.  (Alas, my father passed away several years ago.)


I lived on Palmerston for years - in two different houses. Still miss Little Italy/Portugal.


----------



## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

JVRudnick said:


> RE: the talk on various "canuck" things...
> 
> my dad used to eat ONLY hot cereals, so I grew up with Cream of Wheat, RedRiver Cereal or Oatmeal. Loved it...especially when Dad would wink and go to the fridge and pour a layer of real Maple syrup across the top!


My dad, too. But we always added brown sugar. My grandparents liked their golden corn syrup on hot cereal! How's that for bad for you! O.O

Rue


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## Stephanie Marks (Feb 16, 2015)

JVRudnick said:


> RE: the talk on various "canuck" things...
> 
> my dad used to eat ONLY hot cereals, so I grew up with Cream of Wheat, RedRiver Cereal or Oatmeal. Loved it...especially when Dad would wink and go to the fridge and pour a layer of real Maple syrup across the top!


Mom made oatmeal but dad made cream of wheat. I loooooved cream of wheat! Mom said it was because the man put about 3 d*mn cups of sugar in it. Lol. That may be so, I never found out for sure.


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## Quiss (Aug 21, 2012)

Draft 2 Digital made their 1042-S available today and Amazon said they'll do that on the 15th.

Did I read somewhere that Kobo doesn't bother? Or was that Google Play?


----------



## bwcolborne (Jun 11, 2014)

Had a thought the other day that seems appropriate for this thread.
I'm writing my next one and it is set in the US of A so obviously I want to make sure things are written in American English and, apart from the usual suspects like colour and favourite, I wonder what subtleties I might be missing when Americanizing my words. 
I'm unapologetically Canadian when it comes to spelling and even refer to things like TMZed or Jay-Zed just to be a (Richard) about it sometimes. 

What are some other Cross Border differences you guys have run across for spelling?


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## Brevoort (Jan 27, 2014)

bwcolborne said:


> What are some other Cross Border differences you guys have run across for spelling?


Spelling differences between Canadian and American english are pretty straightforward and can be dealt with by using a country specific dictionary during a spell-check. The bigger problem, and it is a huge one, is the subtle and dramatic differences in syntax, vocabulary, and phraseology.

No spell check will pick up even the most well known wording differences such as


pop-soda
blinds-shades
veranda-porch
asphalt-blacktop
It is extremely unlikely that a Canadian raised editor would be able to go through a writer's work and pull out all of the Canadianisms, but a U-S editor would find it a trivial exercise. The same thing is true of a Canadian editor editing U-S writing for a Canadian audience.

But you still won't get it right.

There are large swaths of the United States where people speak and write _(speech mainly)_ in something indistinguishable from Canadian english. People in Upper Michigan, across the northern tier states, northern New York, Maine, Vermont, are examples of Canadianized _(note the Z)_ Americans.

It works the other way too. People in my part of the world speak a form of Canadian english that is nearly identical to that spoken in the Pacific Northwest and through Montana and Wyoming in particular.

As far as I know, there is no software that can go through a manuscript picking out the Canadianisms and then suggesting their U-S equivalent. They do exist for switching between U-S and British writing but unfortunately not for Canadian english. And of course there are so many subtleties and exceptions that the job is always incomplete.

There is a pretty good write up of some of the problems inherent in Canadian and American writing at this University of Toronto website.


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## LoriP (Jun 2, 2014)

There are a lot of words that are Canadian that I didn't know were exclusive to Canada. Like garburator, eaves troughs, or deke. (http://www.canadaka.net/content/page/124-canadian-slang--english-words) So I'm scared to try to write something set in the US. My editor tries to edit out obvious Canadianisms, though, because my readers are mostly American. In one of my last stories, she changed out "runners." And I always get caught in the soda vs. pop debate.

I did run into a challenge in one book, where the story revolved around Canadian holidays. So... for Labour Day, I didn't feel it should change to "Labor" Day to meet American spelling b/c it was a Canadian holiday and that's the way we spell it.


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## bwcolborne (Jun 11, 2014)

Edward M. Grant said:


> I mostly use English for stories set in the UK or with British characters, and Canadian for everything else. I'm currently writing a novella set in Canada with an English main character, so I'm not quite sure what to do with that one .


My first one was unofficially set in Canada (a fictional town) with two British side characters. Their dialogue was always in uk English but the rest of the story written in Canadian.


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## LoriP (Jun 2, 2014)

Good point. "Exclusive" was the wrong word. I meant more commonly used in Canada than the USA. Back in the 1990's, Oxford came out with a Canadian Oxford Dictionary, which is still my main go-to dictionary. So, no wonder I have Canadianisms in my writing. 

And - My hubby is Scottish, and there are still a lot of words he uses that he can't believe I don't know. LOL. So I guess there are a lot of English-to-English translations needed.


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## Douglas E Wright (Mar 11, 2011)

I grew up and lived right on air force bases across Canada, but when I turned 11 I moved to a town on the St. Lawrence River. I spell in American and Canadian. Most of my stories originate in an unknown American town, at least in my mind. Lately I've used areas along the St Lawrence and Ottawa Valleys to situate my tales. Now living in BC, my girlfriend looks at me kinda weird when I say something she doesn't understand. She's lived in BC her whole life. However, it's the music we listened to as kids that really define the two of us. We listened to most of the same English bands, but's it's the Canadian ones that shape us. Most of the bands she listened to are from the west, Stampeders, The Guess Who, BTO, Loverboy, Brian Adams, etc. Whereas my favourites are Max Webster, Crack in the Sky, Rush, Triumph and Mahogany Rush. That's not to say I don't like the western bands, it's just I didn't listen to them as much, except for BTO. So, like I said, my stories have just recently taken on the Eastern Ontario flavour, or I'm not trying to cover it anymore.


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## Genevieve Mckay (Jan 19, 2015)

Edward M. Grant said:


> While I think of it, does anyone know of good resources (online or books) about life in western Canada in the 1890s? I've been to a few museums, but that's about the extent of my knowledge.
> 
> My novella is kind of a Canadian Western, but I suspect it's currently far too American West. Then again, it has a werewolf, Martians and zombies, so maybe realism doesn't matter that much .


I found some amazing newspaper archives online from papers in Vancouver and Vancouver Island. I spent a whole day reading them, they were so interesting! I'll see if I can find the link again.


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## MagicWord (Mar 18, 2015)

Hi Peeps!

I just joined. I have to figure this whole thing out! I'm from Calgary, but live in Edmonton.

I have done writing my whole life -- I can remember earning my first dime, from my father when I was 8 or so, for a play I wrote and produced (for family, of course).  

In my adult life, I have been working in marketing and communications (the basis of which is the written word) -- and I have also been working for several newspapers and magazines. I have recently been thinking of moving to ebooks.

Are all of you with printed books?

~ elle


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## doolittle03 (Feb 13, 2015)

Hi Magic Word! I have 3 books in print through Createspace and I'm thinking of doing another 3 that are under a pen name. It's time-consuming doing the formatting but not beyond the average author's ability. 



Douglas E Wright said:


> I grew up and lived right on air force bases across Canada (...)


I grew up in the PMQs! Comox base. It's interesting how the regional thing affects our writing. I have one story I would set in Vancouver but everything else I write is set in the east. It has a deeper influence on my writing for some reason.

I find themes are harder to nail in my American settings (written under a pen name). The older I get the more strongly attracted I am to Canadian voices and stories so it doesn't matter where I set the book, it comes out a wee bit "Canadian".

Last night, hubby and I laughed our guts out at This Hour Has 22 Minutes singing "The Cat Came Back" to a video of a snowmobile Cat that was driving itself. *so goofy.*


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## Douglas E Wright (Mar 11, 2011)

doolittle03 said:


> I grew up in the PMQs! Comox base. It's interesting how the regional thing affects our writing. I have one story I would set in Vancouver but everything else I write is set in the east. It has a deeper influence on my writing for some reason.


Yeah, I lived in PMQs in Moose Jaw & a house in Camp Borden. PMQ 147 in Moose Jaw. Will never forget that number, though it's not there anymore. But one can see the outline of where the units were. I stopped there about 10 years ago on my way from the east to Victoria. 90% of my stories take place along the St Lawrence in Ontario. Actually, I'm just about to start a series that will be based in a fake town called Quentin Harbour. I lived in the Brockville area for more than twenty-five years all together, so it makes sense to place the stories in the same area.


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## Amity Lassiter (Nov 28, 2014)

Question... I just got a 1042 (I think that's what it is?) document from Amazon yesterday but it is not for the entirety of my earnings for 2014... I don't know where to even start to figure out who to contact. Any suggestions? Was everybody else's right?


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## doolittle03 (Feb 13, 2015)

I got mine too and shoot--I never even questioned the amount but it seems low. I'll double check the earnings reported are correct. There was a thread going on KB about earnings being incorrect for US authors and corrected statements were to follow.


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## Amity Lassiter (Nov 28, 2014)

You would think they would have caught that before ours were sent out though?

It's actually the exact amount of the .com cheque I got in October that they are claiming are my earnings. Um, I just did my spreadsheets... I only started in September, but I earned quite a lot more than what they're saying...


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## William Meikle (Apr 19, 2010)

Have I posted in this thread before? Can't remember as I've been away for a while...

Anyway... I'm Willie, Scottish but now in Catalina up in Eastern Newfoundland and I write pulpy adventure stories in the main, with big beasties, men with guns, occult detectives, lost worlds, things from beyond, slime, ghosts, more beasties and more slime. And beer. I have 20 novels and over 300 stories published in the likes of Dark Regions Press, DarkFuse and Chaosium with many more still to come so I'm not an indie as such, but don't hold that against me. And did I mention beer?

I'm mostly over there at a writer's page. Mostly. --> http://www.facebook.com/williammeikle


----------



## EC Sheedy (Feb 24, 2011)

Curious... Has anyone seen an uptick in sales since .ca now has KU?  

I've had more sales/borrows in Canada this month than the past year! (And no that ain't saying much  ) I know a lot of us still buy from .com, but now I'm thinking KU is a bit of a game changer.


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## doolittle03 (Feb 13, 2015)

williammeikle said:


> I'm not an indie as such, but don't hold that against me. And did I mention beer?


This is the Canadian thread, we don't hold anything against anyone. And you mentioned beer. Welcome!!

Replying to EC Sheedy, I have not seen an uptick from .ca. Maybe the KU effect will kick in later? .ca is a dead market for me. Not that I'm bitter. They give me beer, hockey and healthcare.

I don't know if you found anything out, Amber, but I'm going to file with what Amazon sent me unless another 1042 arrives between now and June. Self-employed people in QC have a June filing date.


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

I have 2 borrows and one sale through the .ca site this month. I usually get a sale or two when I run a promo, but I haven't run a promo in two months. I have a promo scheduled for April. Will be interesting to see the results! 

Rue


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## @Suzanna (Mar 14, 2011)

I'm pretty much disregarding the 1042-S that Amazon sent me - it's nowhere near what I've earned. I'll submit it to my accountant, but I'm also giving him a copy of my bank statements and my Quicken reports that list exactly what I've earned.


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## bookaholic123 (Sep 22, 2014)

Hi everyone,

I am also a Canadian author. Just started earning from August 2014. Does anyone know which line (I think line 104) should be used to report royalties and expenses on the tax form?

I got my 1042 form and the earnings shown in the form are lower than what I made in 2014. 

I'd highly appreciate your help


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## Lisa Blackwood (Feb 1, 2015)

bookaholic123 said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> I am also a Canadian author. Just started earning from August 2014. Does anyone know which line (I think line 104) should be used to report royalties and expenses on the tax form?
> 
> ...


For some reason the 'Zon it all its great wisdom didn't send me my 1042 (or whatever it's called) First year I haven't got one. Odd.
I think I'm just going to go ahead and report what I know I made.
Anyone else not get one, correct or otherwise.


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## Quiss (Aug 21, 2012)

I sent a message to KDP earlier today about this. 
I received CreateSpace, Australia, Amazon Global (whatever that is), but nothing even remotely reflective of my .com sales. 

Going to look pretty weird (and suspicious) to the IRS if I have those three, Smashwords, D2D, and Google, but am missing the biggest of the lot.


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## Dennis E. Taylor (Feb 10, 2015)

If you are missing an income-reporting form, you can estimate your earnings and file using that. You then avoid any "tax evasion" charges. You have to file the form when you get it, and you'll be charged interest on any shortfalls, but that's relative peanuts.


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## EmOBrien (Apr 18, 2015)

Hi Fellow Canadians!

I've been publishing for almost a year now and I come from the Greater Toronto Area.
Great to come across the board. 
Just popping by to say hey!


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## sabot03196 (Sep 14, 2014)

Hey all,

I'm based in Mississauga, ON.

I've been looking for writing and book events both local and Canada wide. Is it just me or is there not a lot of love (acceptance) of those of us who have gone the self pub route? I'm guessing it's a hold over from the vanity press days? Not that there's a whole lot of events that I can find.

I'm also wondering if anybody in the GTA would be interested in starting a small writer's group? Just so we can occasionally get out of our homes and grab a timmies or whatever.


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## doolittle03 (Feb 13, 2015)

Hi sabot! I haven't found any festivals or book events that embrace self-published titles. I wasn't included this year in our local writers' festival (even though I have a new book out) because I'm self-published now. It could be that festivals have a lot to choose from and a trade published book has built-in media interest that indies don't. 

But The Writers's Union of Canada has opened membership to self-published authors and Crime Writers of Canada accept SP books for consideration in the Arthur Ellis Awards.


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## Heather Hamilton-Senter (May 25, 2013)

OK can someone please explain to me what this 1042 document is for? For Canadian purposes, I'm self-employed and its the honour system here so I claim my amount earned and then keep all receipts of proof for income and expenses. I've been doing self-employed returns for years so I'm pretty familiar with the process.

What am I supposed to do with the 1042? It says source income subject to withholding, but I don't have any tax withheld. Are people actually attaching this to their returns? Why?

I'm confused.....


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## Heather Hamilton-Senter (May 25, 2013)

bumping for the late night/early morning crowd - 1042s!


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## bwcolborne (Jun 11, 2014)

Hey guys,
My blog is coming up pretty thin these days since I'm mostly focused on writing more books. I wanted to see if any of you would like to be part of some ongoing features. 
I just thought of one tonight called What Cha Reading? which is pretty self explanatory and I really like the Five Things I Learned Writing... which I obviously lifted from chuck wendig.
If you'd like to be part of it, just pm me and we can chat.


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## jkswift (Jul 13, 2011)

Heather Hamilton-Senter said:


> OK can someone please explain to me what this 1042 document is for? For Canadian purposes, I'm self-employed and its the honour system here so I claim my amount earned and then keep all receipts of proof for income and expenses. I've been doing self-employed returns for years so I'm pretty familiar with the process.
> 
> What am I supposed to do with the 1042? It says source income subject to withholding, but I don't have any tax withheld. Are people actually attaching this to their returns? Why?
> 
> I'm confused.....


Hi Heather,
Since you are already filing a business form on your tax return (a T2125 right?) then you can just ignore that US form 1042. You are already reporting all of your income on the T2125 so adding the 1042 amount anywhere on your return means you would be reporting income twice. Paying tax once is bad enough


----------



## Amity Lassiter (Nov 28, 2014)

bookaholic123 said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> I am also a Canadian author. Just started earning from August 2014. Does anyone know which line (I think line 104) should be used to report royalties and expenses on the tax form?
> 
> ...


That's where I filed mine. Because that was the best I could make out. Next year, I'm hiring an accountant. 

But I figure I must be a grown up now because I don't qualify for GST anymore, and I had to pay taxes instead of get a sweet cheque.


----------



## Heather Hamilton-Senter (May 25, 2013)

jkswift said:


> Hi Heather,
> Since you are already filing a business form on your tax return (a T2125 right?) then you can just ignore that US form 1042. You are already reporting all of your income on the T2125 so adding the 1042 amount anywhere on your return means you would be reporting income twice. Paying tax once is bad enough


Thank you! That's exactly what I thought but then I saw everyone worrying about not receiving their 1042 or whether the amount was correct.... I keep my own records of money received and use that for my return.

Here's another question - and I know no one here is an accountant so I'm just asking why other people are or are not doing things the way they are. When my husband does contract work for US companies, he doesn't charge HST or need to remit any on it - because HST doesn't apply outside the country. My assumption is that this is the same. Amazon is just a third party middleman. Sales from the US are not charged HST obviously. Canadian sales are charged HST and Amazon remits that amount to the government on our behalf. So there should be no need on our part to remit HST twice on Amazon sales. If you make over a certain amount, someone may call and check why you haven't filed an HST return, but you explain that this is money made in the US (for US sales)

At least this is how it works with my husband's contract work. We pay a lot of HST on money earned here though! 

Are some people approaching this differently?


----------



## Jamie Maltman (Nov 1, 2013)

I never thought to mention it here, but a fellow Canadian author and I are two of the three co-hosts of the To Be Read Podcast, where we talk about books we're reading and the reading-related topics that interest us, often with guest authors.

www.tbrpodcast.com

Every Tuesday night at 8pm ET on Google+/Youtube as a video (available afterward), and on iTunes sometime in the next day or two after that.

(And we're always looking for guests to join us)


----------



## bwcolborne (Jun 11, 2014)

Jamie Maltman said:


> I never thought to mention it here, but a fellow Canadian author and I are two of the three co-hosts of the To Be Read Podcast, where we talk about books we're reading and the reading-related topics that interest us, often with guest authors.
> 
> www.tbrpodcast.com
> 
> ...


Weird, Patrick used to be my boss...


----------



## sabot03196 (Sep 14, 2014)

Any writers in the Mississauga, area? I'd like to start a small writer's group. Hoping to meet every couple of weeks during the evening. If you're interested PM me.


----------



## doolittle03 (Feb 13, 2015)

I'll be in Mississauga next week for 10 days to see my family...which is not much help.
I'm going offline for the duration and God only knows how I'll survive. I'm so used to checking in at KBoards---what do that call it? I have FOMO. Fear Of Missing Out.


----------



## sabot03196 (Sep 14, 2014)

I'm sure you can hijack some wifi for a quick fix. Otherwise it's all about sneaking out to the nearest Starbucks and borrowing theirs.

Hope you have a good time here.


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## Anna_ (Jan 18, 2015)

I scrolled through the thread and didn't see anything about newsletters. I haven't set mine up yet and I see a lot of discussion on kboards about it, but from a Canadian perspective, who has been successful with them? With the Anti-Spam law, I don't even know where I'd begin. Other than direct sign ups from either a blog, Facebook or website, any other way that isn't direct seems risky.

Anyone have some ideas?


----------



## Steve W. (Feb 23, 2011)

Is it SPAM if people sign up for it? They have to sign up, and then confirm that they've signed up for it  (if you use mailchimp). I only have a few hundred subscribers, but I don't send much out anyway...


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## Anna_ (Jan 18, 2015)

I'm not talking about direct sign ups (Mailchimp, etc) which have a double opt-in. I'm talking more about manual sign ups at a conference, book signing, giveaways, etc.

Does anyone get their sign ups this way? And do you see any risks? I'm wondering if it's just something to stay away from.

For instance, I was at a small writing conference here in Winnipeg yesterday and some people had simple sign up forms while others had me fill out my entire life history. At my work (not involved at all in the writing world) when we have in-store draws or promos, customers have the option of joining our mailing list with a disclaimer attached. We then have to attach a date and time receipt to that new mailing list member. We use Mailchimp and those people are then manually added to the mailing list (Mailchimp does not send an opt-in email with manual additions).

As writers, does anyone go through those hoops or do you just hope they directly opt in?


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## Stephanie Marks (Feb 16, 2015)

I still don't see the sign-up problem. At my signing at the end of the summer I'm going to have a sign up sheet there. Then I will manually upload them to mail chimp and send them their "welcome" email campaign. If they've GIVEN me their info then they've agreed to wanting the newsletter. It's not spam.


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## mattbrough (Mar 23, 2015)

Hey! I'm in Winnipeg too, and I'm also new and haven't published yet. But I'm getting pretty close, maybe next month. Only just started reading through this Canadian thread. Very helpful, and great to see so many Canucks on here.



AnnaA204 said:


> I'm new and haven't published yet, so I have nothing to add ... yet. I'm from Winnipeg and it's pretty lonely here. I don't see anyone else on here from my home province.
> 
> I'm bookmarking this thread because I'm sure it will be invaluable. Love seeing everything from the Canadian perspective.


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## Amity Lassiter (Nov 28, 2014)

I've not done any in-person events yet but I'm considering, rather than manually adding people, having a laptop or tablet on site for people to sign up (initially anyways, they can do the reconfirm at home) or a link to newsletter form with a QR code on a business card or bookmark.


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## Stephanie Marks (Feb 16, 2015)

Amity Lassiter said:


> I've not done any in-person events yet but I'm considering, rather than manually adding people, having a laptop or tablet on site for people to sign up (initially anyways, they can do the reconfirm at home) or a link to newsletter form with a QR code on a business card or bookmark.


If you give THEM the newsletter info most of them will walk out the door and never sign up. They will forget, or change their mind, etc. if you COLLECT their info, you control the sign ups. You KNOW their name is getting on your list because you are invested in your success and will make sure it happens.


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## Amity Lassiter (Nov 28, 2014)

Stephanie Marks said:


> If you give THEM the newsletter info most of them will walk out the door and never sign up. They will forget, or change their mind, etc. if you COLLECT their info, you control the sign ups. You KNOW their name is getting on your list because you are invested in your success and will make sure it happens.


Oh I know, but this method would benefit me for two reasons-- a) I'd rather not spend the time manually inputting everything and b) I like the soft-sell approach. I'm not aggressive in any way, shape or form, and I'd be uncomfortable asking someone if I could take their information to sign them up for my newsletter.


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## Stephanie Marks (Feb 16, 2015)

Amity Lassiter said:


> Oh I know, but this method would benefit me for two reasons-- a) I'd rather not spend the time manually inputting everything and b) I like the soft-sell approach. I'm not aggressive in any way, shape or form, and I'd be uncomfortable asking someone if I could take their information to sign them up for my newsletter.


Ok, not wanting to spend the time putting in the info? Fine. But who said anything about a hard sell? Make it a guest book. Or do a give away. "Join my newsletter for a chance to win this great gift basket." How is that ANY different from offering a free ebook upon sign up? It's not. It's just that one is face to face while the other is digital. That's ALL I'm saying. It's not about being aggressive so much as the fact that, upon initial reading of your post, it sounds like you feel you're asking them to do you this HUGE favor. When your not.

Discomfort from asking people to give you and/or buy something from you comes stems from a feeling that you're asking them to do something for you instead of the other way around. YOU are the writer. You're doing something for THEM. You're not a beggar on the street.

*im not talking out of my butt, this is knowledge gleaned from 10 years in sales.


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## Amity Lassiter (Nov 28, 2014)

Stephanie Marks said:


> Ok, not wanting to spend the time putting in the info? Fine. But who said anything about a hard sell? Make it a guest book. Or do a give away. "Join my newsletter for a chance to win this great gift basket." How is that ANY different from offering a free ebook upon sign up? It's not. It's just that one is face to face while the other is digital. That's ALL I'm saying. It's not about being aggressive so much as the fact that, upon initial reading of your post, it sounds like you feel you're asking them to do you this HUGE favor. When your not.
> 
> Discomfort from asking people to give you and/or buy something from you comes stems from a feeling that you're asking them to do something for you instead of the other way around. YOU are the writer. You're doing something for THEM. You're not a beggar on the street.
> 
> *im not talking out of my butt, this is knowledge gleaned from 10 years in sales.


You pegged my imposter syndrome! 

I will say, on the note of a gift basket, etc, I am the most interested in newsletter signups who have a specific interest in hearing from me. As a result, with the exception of the first FB party I ever attended, I don't offer incentives for sign ups (sign up to enter to win a chance!) and don't have enough of a backlist yet to offer a free book on sign up -- which I think is different from offering someone a chance to win. I like my organic growth via sign up links in my front and backmatter to this point. But I'm willing to learn and invest.


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## Anna_ (Jan 18, 2015)

mattbrough said:


> Hey! I'm in Winnipeg too, and I'm also new and haven't published yet. But I'm getting pretty close, maybe next month. Only just started reading through this Canadian thread. Very helpful, and great to see so many Canucks on here.


I'm not alone anymore!


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## pdworkman (Jan 17, 2015)

I'm late to the game joining this thread. I am a Canadian author!

Pam


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## bwcolborne (Jun 11, 2014)

Welcome, Pam and Matt! I love seeing this thread grow.

Has anyone on here check out the To Be Read podcast posted up thread? I never have free time to do live interviews but I'd like to see some of you cats out there


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

So I've got a bit of a mystery on my hands here.

I ordered a proof copy from Createspace, but rather than send it to my US mailing address, I got it shipped here to Canada. I wasn't in a hurry, so I didn't care if it took three weeks.

First, the book showed up in three days.  

And, second, the paper colour is different. It's not that horrid pee yellow, but rather very, very similar (if not the same), to the paper IngramSpark/LSI uses.

I know Createspace sometimes uses LSI to print books, so is that what happened here?

Anyone else have a similar experience with ordering books through the States vs. shipping them to Canada?

Thanks!

Rue


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## sabot03196 (Sep 14, 2014)

ruecole said:


> So I've got a bit of a mystery on my hands here.
> 
> I ordered a proof copy from Createspace, but rather than send it to my US mailing address, I got it shipped here to Canada. I wasn't in a hurry, so I didn't care if it took three weeks.
> 
> ...


----------



## bwcolborne (Jun 11, 2014)

When I ordered my first proof and the subsequent round of friends/family orders, they showed up in two days. The single proof cost a little more per unit than the 12 or 13 copy order. But the paper colour was not the 'horrible yellow' people had warned me of. But the large order had a customs charge when the single copy did not. Probably a weight thing but who knows


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

Interesting. So it looks like maybe CS uses LSI to print and ship copies to Canada.

I really wish their estimated shipping time wouldn't show so long, though, if the books are going to show up in a week! I think it puts buyers off. 

The customs charge is because the government charges publishers to bring books in from outside Canada. Of course, if we had a printer here, we wouldn't have to do that! Hurry up LSI!  

Rue


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## bwcolborne (Jun 11, 2014)

That would be lovely. Heard a rumour that there were some old printers that Amazon was eyeing to buy up here. Hopes and dreams...

Agreed about the estimated shipping though. Really hurts the impulse buys I think


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

Okay, so what I've learned (or deduced) here:

Createspace will ship to Canada much faster than they say.
We get the nice paper. 
Customs only seems to apply if you order multiple books.

So, next time you do a friends and family order, try drop shipping each copy to their individual addresses. It's not hard to do, just change the shipping address of each order. Then you shouldn't need to worry about customs charges (or having to deliver the books). Of course, if you're planning to sign them, then they'll either need to come to you or get a book plate.

Hope that helps! 

Rue


----------



## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

Also, I've heard both LSI and Createspace have been looking for printing facilities here in Canada. Wonder what's holding them up?

Rue


----------



## sabot03196 (Sep 14, 2014)

I've been looking for a suitable print copy supplier here in Canada but so far the setup fees and the minimum required orders have really put me off. I've got a friend starting a small press on the west coast in the Fall. I'm hoping he can offer me a decent solution to the print copy issues (or at least a good deal).


----------



## Jason Riou (May 2, 2015)

Love the thread. Born and raised in northern Saskatchewan, been in rural Manitoba since.


----------



## Amity Lassiter (Nov 28, 2014)

I love USPS's system. I wish the mail system in Canada was as good.

Fortunately, all you have to pay through customs, technically, is taxes. Books are not eligible for duty (my hubby is a customs broker with UPS, he's drilled this one into my head! LOL). But if a courier brings them over, you get brokerage fees.

I have a post box in Maine, about 45 minutes from my parents place, about 1.5 hr drive for me.
My first shipment of 50 books came to my Canadian address. It cost me $65 in shipping + $20 in 'brokerage' fees from DHL, plus $9 "COD" fee, plus my taxes.

The next 50 I shipped to my US address... $25 in shipping, and I brought them across myself, paying the taxes. What I saved in brokerage and COD fees alone paid my gas, then I had an extra $40 in my pocket from the shipping, AND I got a shopping trip to Mardens in there.  PLUS I was able to take advantage of super cheap priority shipping there for some of my readers. I shipped 6 packages to various places in the states in the flat rate priority envelopes (all of them got there within 3 days) for $6 apiece. Here, the lowest I've paid to ship to my Canadian readers is $11 (that was in NS, I am in NB. Go figure.), and most shipments average $13.

Have I mentioned I love USPS?


----------



## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

Did you notice a difference in paper quality between the two shipments?

Createspace seems to like to ship with UPS so that would explain the additional customs charges.

I was sure I'd read online about additional charges, but checked the CBA website and it says just taxes on packages over $20.

Thanks!

Rue


----------



## Amity Lassiter (Nov 28, 2014)

I didn't even think to look but now that it's been mentioned, I'll check tonight when I go home!

My Canadian shipment came through DHL/Loomis, not UPS, which I found interesting. I had never even heard of them until they landed on my doorstep! LOL My US shipment actually came through UPS.

"Brokerage" is the blanket term for the fee they charge for bringing it through customs for you, I guess. And then an addition COD fee because they paid up front instead of leaving my packages at customs until I paid, I guess. $44ish total in taxes + brokerage + COD on top of the $65 I had already paid for shipping. I was... not crazy about that. (Added to that, hubby wanted me to make sure everything was legit with their process/what they were charging... competition, you know. lmao)


----------



## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

Thanks!

I'm really curious about that as I've always avoided shipping the CS copies to Canada and have used Ingram instead, which is a fair bit more pricey!

Rue


----------



## pdworkman (Jan 17, 2015)

My last shipment from CS was different from previous deliveries. Usually, my standard deliveries come by DHL and take about three weeks, sometimes longer than the promised delivery date. My lat one came by UPS and took two days!


----------



## VG2311 (May 1, 2015)

A Canadian area, amazing.  I'm relatively new to kboards and Amazon (as an author). My previous experience was with eBookmall, back in 2006 when ebooks were in their infancy.  Amazon has kicked it up a few notches.

From Ottawa, land of hot air, politics and Beavertails.....


----------



## VG2311 (May 1, 2015)

ruecole said:


> I'm here, too.
> 
> US bank account is best.  RBC, TD Canada Trust and BMO have branches in the US where you can open an account without having to set foot across the border. Get paid in USD, convert to CAD when the exchange rate suits you (and not your bank or Amazon.  )


Very good info, Rue. Thanks for posting it. I didn't realize you can open a US bank account without the hassle of crossing the border.

BTW, I'm from Ottawa.


----------



## VG2311 (May 1, 2015)

doolittle03 said:


> My biggest gripe with being a Canadian author is trying to market to Canadians.I sell paperbacks just fine in my local market but Canadian kindle users...? our beloved .ca? Meh.


Historically we Canadians are always harder on our own in just about any genre. Canadian musicians bands (and authors) get indifferent sales/reviews, and some are downright nasty. But if we are a hit, Canadians welcome us with open arms and wallets. That would be a good topic for a doctoral thesis if one hasn't already been done (Prolly many but it didn't go very far ;-)


----------



## VG2311 (May 1, 2015)

doolittle03 said:


> Ottawa authors! I'm in Wakefield, Quebec and would love a meet up when the snow melts. I've already learned some helpful Canada-specific stuff from this thread.
> 
> Is it terrible that every time the loonie dips, I clap my hands with glee?


I'm from Ottawa as well, and I suspect all Canadian authors (and business owners) like when the loonie creeps down a bit


----------



## VG2311 (May 1, 2015)

cinisajoy said:


> Texan coming in to ask milk in bags?


...sounds like more of a statement that grew a question mark for kicks.

Say what


----------



## VG2311 (May 1, 2015)

Amity Lassiter said:


> My grandmother does that. And she also WASHES OUT THE BAGS AND REUSES THEM.


My mom used to do that too. She said it was great for storing spaghetti sauce, chili and other foods. She'd use one of those heat seal things to seal them shut.


----------



## VG2311 (May 1, 2015)

RhondaW said:


> Yep, puffed wheat too, the great big bags. Grossest thing ever...puffed wheat and powdered milk


I keep powdered milk around in case I want to make a quick meal of mac and cheese. Add the powdered milk to powdered cheese mix. Only when you need a really fast meal for a few people. Put on s ;Shredded real cheese on top with a little garlic and onion powder. Beavertails for dessert of course


----------



## VG2311 (May 1, 2015)

doolittle03 said:


> I didn't mind Puffed Wheat but don't get me started on Shredded Wheat. Which is NOT the same as Shreddies. *shudder*


My family was Italian and I occasionally tried different breakfast cereals. Two things I could never get down was puffed wheat and oatmeal. Particularly oatmeal. Even the look grossed me out; cross between a gelatinous life form and something that looked like coagulated phlegm with occasional little chunky bits. When my son was growing up, his mom (who loved oatmeal) gave him oatmeal and raisin or apple or banana. To me it all looked like phlegm. 
My apologies if I made anyone queasy...


----------



## VG2311 (May 1, 2015)

Stephanie Marks said:


> Hmmm what else is super Canadian? Oh! Does anyone remember when the $2 bills changed over to toonies, and the first time they got their hands on one? I was 9. It was so weird!


I remember reading somewhere that butter tarts are super Canadian. They are absolutely delicious, but only the round ones. The square ones have a thicker crust and you get more of a crust taste than the sweet delicious nectar of the tart filling.


----------



## VG2311 (May 1, 2015)

doolittle03 said:


> Okay, seriously, this will be my last food-related thing -- but oh my god, I loved the bakeries in Little Portugal in TO.


...OK, this is my last food item as well; to think it all started with the innocuous comment about milk bags, lol.

Bakeries....there were some fantastic bakeries in the Little Italy area of Ottawa, but just about all of them have shut down; mostly due to the owners getting old and / or the kids not wanting to continue with the business. Now the only place to get cannoli and real Italian bread is shipped in from Montreal.

We bought a bread maker last year and it has helped, albeit the small loaf disappears rather quickly. Nothing is better than a slice of fresh baked bread, slathered with butter, then a bit of olive oil, oregano, basil, maybe a sprinkle of garlic powder..... absolutely delicious....


----------



## VG2311 (May 1, 2015)

LorrainePaton said:


> Good point. "Exclusive" was the wrong word. I meant more commonly used in Canada than the USA. Back in the 1990's, Oxford came out with a Canadian Oxford Dictionary, which is still my main go-to dictionary. So, no wonder I have Canadianisms in my writing.
> 
> And - My hubby is Scottish, and there are still a lot of words he uses that he can't believe I don't know. LOL. So I guess there are a lot of English-to-English translations needed.


Even within Canada there are differences. My fiancée is from PEI and I'm from Ottawa. I never heard the expression "Handy", and she never heard of "Kitty Corner""

Handy - Near something; like Ottawa is handy Gatineau
Kitty Corner - On a diagonal; like a gas station is kitty corner to the mall.

BTW, Oxford is my go-to dictionary as well. I am astounded that they now list "orientate" as a rail world rather then the proper "Orient". When I hear it used incorrectly it is like nails on a blackboard....


----------



## Josh (May 27, 2015)

Hi everyone!! Just starting out. For all the Canadians out there did you go Sole Proprietorship or Corporation and why? This is my first step and I don't want it to be a misstep. Hopefully books will be out before Dec 1st!


----------



## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

VG2311 said:


> ...sounds like more of a statement that grew a question mark for kicks.
> 
> Say what


If you read the Texas Authors Support Thread, you'll understand where the question came from. 

Rue


----------



## VG2311 (May 1, 2015)

ruecole said:


> If you read the Texas Authors Support Thread, you'll understand where the question came from.
> 
> Rue


Ahhhh, gotcha. Always more to the plot if one knows where to look


----------



## pdworkman (Jan 17, 2015)

How about Canadian BISAC/browsing categories? 

How would you categorize a young adult book about a Canadian Aboriginal youth? 

In Amazon browse categories, I can find:

Books > Children's Books > Geography & Cultures > Explore the World > Canada 
(not the best place for a fiction book)

Books > Children's Books > Geography & Cultures > Multicultural Stories

Books > Children's Books > Geography & Cultures > Multicultural Stories > Native North & South Americans

Books > Literature & Fiction > United States > Native American
(USA rather than Canada)

Nothing under Teen or Adult fiction. 

Anyone else run into this? How would you categorize it?


----------



## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

> Books > Children's Books > Geography & Cultures > Multicultural Stories > Native North & South Americans


This one. YA is included under the Children's Books umbrella.

Hope that helps!

Rue


----------



## Dennis E. Taylor (Feb 10, 2015)

Red Beard of Destiny said:


> Hi everyone!! Just starting out. For all the Canadians out there did you go Sole Proprietorship or Corporation and why? This is my first step and I don't want it to be a misstep. Hopefully books will be out before Dec 1st!


Hey, Red. I spoke on this in another thread, but it bears repeating. The ONLY significant reasons to incorporate are 1) if you are planning to split income with your significant other, and/or 2) if you are concerned about liability. Otherwise, the write-offs are much the same in sole proprietorship, and the annual costs are much lower. Also, there are rules for an LTD, like having to maintain a corporate records office, minutes book, and have annual meetings.

I ran my software business as an LTD for 10 years, and finally scrapped it and went back to sole prop.


----------



## Amity Lassiter (Nov 28, 2014)

For the record,  I finally got around to comparing my US shipment of CS books and my Canadian ones and I saw absolutely no difference. I might just not be observant enough though.  Lol


----------



## tommy gun (May 3, 2015)

Hi Everybody!

I just saw that we have a Canadian thread!

I haven't had time to go through it all but the ownership question was good and something I was not considering and will now.

Have a great day!

Stay Positive!
tg


----------



## Stephanie Marks (Feb 16, 2015)

Sweet sweet sole prop. You make my life so easy.


----------



## Josh (May 27, 2015)

Thanks for the help! I guess the only real reason to incorporate is the liability. Think my Children's story about a curious little monkey and a man with a yellow _orange_ hat will land me in any trouble ?

I have read quite a bit more and the difference in liability doesn't seem that large. I think I will start out with sole pro and if I need to attempt to change later. These are the steps that really slow me down lol! I need to just get some books out there.


----------



## VG2311 (May 1, 2015)

Red Beard of Destiny said:


> Hi everyone!! Just starting out. For all the Canadians out there did you go Sole Proprietorship or Corporation and why? This is my first step and I don't want it to be a misstep


I work as a an IT consultant and had to drop my Sole Proprietorship in 2005 and get incorporated as a condition for winning contracts. Such a drag, having to maintain meeting books, etc. On the flip side, I can write off restaurant food for the monthly Directors meeting (only 1 director and guest), yearly stockholders meeting (only me and a guest) and a few other items. But it is a pain for record keeping, the cost of two sets of tax returns, etc. However the tax rate is much lower for incorporated companies than individuals.


----------



## Genevieve Mckay (Jan 19, 2015)

I just signed up for my free trial of Amazon Prime in order to help with shipping costs of getting hard copies of my book to Canada. I use Createspace as my printer but I ordered the books through Amazon. When I went to process my book purchase there was a note that said my Prime discount would be applied when I proceeded to checkout. But when I processed my order there was over 9.00 of shipping charges for two books.  Did I do something wrong? Or do we not get free shipping with Prime to Canada?? Help!


----------



## Amity Lassiter (Nov 28, 2014)

Genevieve Mckay said:


> I just signed up for my free trial of Amazon Prime in order to help with shipping costs of getting hard copies of my book to Canada. I use Createspace as my printer but I ordered the books through Amazon. When I went to process my book purchase there was a note that said my Prime discount would be applied when I proceeded to checkout. But when I processed my order there was over 9.00 of shipping charges for two books. Did I do something wrong? Or do we not get free shipping with Prime to Canada?? Help!


Does that really benefit you though? By the time you figure what they're listed for on Amazon + shipping? Mine were $3 & $4 through createspace for the books themselves, and the shipping was $8.99. Unless you have your books listed on Amazon at the same price as you can buy them through Amazon and are, therefore, receiving nothing if they are bought by someone else?


----------



## Genevieve Mckay (Jan 19, 2015)

Hmmm, my shipping fees for 10 books from Createspace was 20.00 US and then I had to pay 17.46 duty as well when it crossed the border. With Amazon I'm paying full price but then I get my cut off that through Createspace and I get a boost in rankings. I wanted to experiment with that to see what works better.   But hard to experiment successfully when they don't factor in my Prime free shipping!


----------



## Amity Lassiter (Nov 28, 2014)

Genevieve Mckay said:


> Hmmm, my shipping fees for 10 books from Createspace was 20.00 US and then I had to pay 17.46 duty as well when it crossed the border. With Amazon I'm paying full price but then I get my cut off that through Createspace and I get a boost in rankings. I wanted to experiment with that to see what works better.  But hard to experiment successfully when they don't factor in my Prime free shipping!


Oooh okay, I only shipped 2 books. I was thinking proofs, not in stock.

Mine for 50 books was $65 + an additional $45 in taxes and brokerage when it crossed the border. We live so close to the Houlton, ME, border, I shipped them to my box the next time. Paid the taxes myself (no brokerage) and shipping only cost me $25 for the same amount of books!

And I have to order another round here directly... ugh.


----------



## Josh (May 27, 2015)

I would never even have thought about shipping and duty.... Thanks for this thread! I wonder what other Canadianisms I am not aware of. I am still debating what kind of business to start. I though I had made up my mind but being military I move all the time and apparently it is annoying to switch things province to province. 

Has anyone been given a hard time gaining access to ISBNs?

I wanted to say that your book has a stunning cover Genevienve!!! Evertime I see it on here I stop for a sec and just stare awkwardly and catch myself mouth breathing, I hope my covers come out half as well put together. The colours, fonts, illustration ...... everything is perfect.


----------



## Steve Vernon (Feb 18, 2011)

Shipping and duty are DEFINITELY things I am going to have to start thinking about this summer. I have got table space booked at a Liverpool, Nova Scotia paranormal convention; a Tatamagouche, Nova Scotia horror festival; and come this fall I have a table booked at Hal-Con, a huge Halifax scifi convention. I am going to need to fill my table with books. Got to put some thought behind this.


----------



## Josh (May 27, 2015)

Steve Vernon said:


> Shipping and duty are DEFINITELY things I am going to have to start thinking about this summer. I have got table space booked at a Liverpool, Nova Scotia paranormal convention; a Tatamagouche, Nova Scotia horror festival; and come this fall I have a table booked at Hal-Con, a huge Halifax scifi convention. I am going to need to fill my table with books. Got to put some thought behind this.


I know it will completely depend on event/size/space ect. How much does it cost to get table space at stuff like that and do you find that it pays off? I am thinking about doing this as well. Thanks!


----------



## Steve W. (Feb 23, 2011)

Red Beard of Destiny said:


> I would never even have thought about shipping and duty.... Thanks for this thread! I wonder what other Canadianisms I am not aware of. I am still debating what kind of business to start. I though I had made up my mind but being military I move all the time and apparently it is annoying to switch things province to province.
> 
> Has anyone been given a hard time gaining access to ISBNs?


A hard time getting ISBNs? No. They're free and you get them by the armful if you want them. But you should register your publishing name now as it can take a couple days to a couple weeks for your numbers to be assigned.


----------



## doolittle03 (Feb 13, 2015)

The link to register to get your ISBNs.

http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/Pages/home.aspx

Once you've got your account set up you'll be assigned a prefix and have access to 10 ISBNs. You only need one for your digital edition and one for your print edition to publish.


----------



## Steve W. (Feb 23, 2011)

doolittle03 said:


> The link to register to get your ISBNs.
> 
> http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/Pages/home.aspx
> 
> Once you've got your account set up you'll be assigned a prefix and have access to 10 ISBNs. You only need one for your digital edition and one for your print edition to publish.


Just to clarify, you'll have access to 10 initially. Once those are used up you can access a lot more.


----------



## Steve Vernon (Feb 18, 2011)

Red Beard of Destiny said:


> I know it will completely depend on event/size/space ect. How much does it cost to get table space at stuff like that and do you find that it pays off? I am thinking about doing this as well. Thanks!


It can vary.

One of them I was invited to as a guest speaker - so the table is a perk.

One of them I am paying twenty-five dollars for a table, which is nearly neglible.

Hal-Con is asking two hundred to four hundred - depending on the size of the table. I am hoping to make a profit there.

I have sold my books at events before and only lost money once - and that was at an event that was REALLY mis-managed and under-advertised. Mostly they are a worthwhile proposition. I hand out bookmarks and business cards and tell a few ghost stories and jump up and down yelling BUY-MY-BOOK!


What province are you in, Red Beard?


----------



## Josh (May 27, 2015)

Steve Vernon said:


> What province are you in, Red Beard?


Currently I am in Manitoba. I grew up in Northern Ontario and am moving to Saskatchewan this summer . The one bonus to moving there is my kids will know how to spell it while still in school, I never could.


----------



## Amity Lassiter (Nov 28, 2014)

I hate to be nit picky but you don't pay duty on books. Just taxes. And brokerage if someone like UPS or DHL brings them through customs for you. 

Woot @ Hal-Con! We really talked about going last year but I couldn't swing it with work. I'm not sure what next year's schedule looks like yet.


----------



## Steve Vernon (Feb 18, 2011)

Red Beard of Destiny said:


> Currently I am in Manitoba. I grew up in Northern Ontario and am moving to Saskatchewan this summer . The one bonus to moving there is my kids will know how to spell it while still in school, I never could.


I've heard good things about the writing community in Saskatchoo...Sasketchu...that province.


What part of Northern Ontario? I grew up in Capreol.


----------



## Steve Vernon (Feb 18, 2011)

Amity Lassiter said:


> Woot @ Hal-Con! We really talked about going last year but I couldn't swing it with work. I'm not sure what next year's schedule looks like yet.


My regional publisher, Nimbus, paid for a table last year and I got to see the convention for the first time. It was awesome. I am definitely looking forward to this year - although I won't have much time to look around. Because I'm paying for my own table I intend to live there all weekend long.


----------



## Josh (May 27, 2015)

Steve Vernon said:


> What part of Northern Ontario? I grew up in Capreol.


Haha Hilarious, I grew up on Manitloulin Island but did some years at Laurentian in Sudbury. Small world. I think we have just perpetuated some Canadian stereo type...


----------



## VG2311 (May 1, 2015)

Who here is from Ottawa?


----------



## Josh (May 27, 2015)

VG2311 said:


> Who here is from Ottawa?


Lived in Petawawa for a while, went to Ottawa quite a bit for Ikea and other shopping.


----------



## CHobbes (Feb 12, 2012)

Glad to see this thread.  Hi everybody!  I'm on the prairies.


----------



## tommy gun (May 3, 2015)

"Lived in Petawawa for a while, went to Ottawa quite a bit for Ikea and other shopping."


Pett?  Ouch!  Middle of not really anywhere....


----------



## Vanessa Grant (Dec 12, 2010)

Midnight Whimsy said:


> Canadian too!
> 
> I really want to know when ACX will become available to Canadian authors...
> 
> ...


Hi, MW

I'm using 2 pen names - one is my maiden name, and the other is a name I made up. I have all 3 published on the same account on KDP, Draft2Digital, Smashwords, and Google Play with no issues

Like you, I'm also hoping ACX will soon open to Canadian authors. I'd like to read some current (2015) feedback from Canadians using Kemath's services to go through ACX. Just wondering if there have been any complications re taxation.

Vanessa


----------



## Genevieve Mckay (Jan 19, 2015)

Red Beard of Destiny said:


> I wanted to say that your book has a stunning cover Genevienve!!! Evertime I see it on here I stop for a sec and just stare awkwardly and catch myself mouth breathing, I hope my covers come out half as well put together. The colours, fonts, illustration ...... everything is perfect.


Thanks so much! That one is from damonza. It was a pre-made one that I asked them to modify for me. Turned out great!


----------



## Steve W. (Feb 23, 2011)

Tulonsae said:


> Question for folks. I'm one of those who is on amazon.com (not .ca). One of the reasons is because I have friends and family in the US who give me gift cards which I can't use on the .ca site. And now, I have quite a lot of digital content. (I don't buy physical stuff from Amazon.)
> 
> Anyway, as part of my author research, I thought it would be good to subscribe to KU. But when I do that, it says it's not available in my country. I googled it, and yes it's available in Canada, but apparently only in the amazon.ca store?
> 
> What do the rest of you do in order to subscribe to KU?


I don't know the answer to this, but I'm curious what people say. Might just need to contact Amazon


----------



## @Suzanna (Mar 14, 2011)

I don't think those of us who buy our ebooks from the amazon.com store (I'm one of those people) can use Kindle Unlimited. It's my understanding that we can only use the service if we switch our account to the amazon.ca store.


----------



## pdworkman (Jan 17, 2015)

Well, this is interesting. I ordered 30 copies of my latest release, and Createspace is sending 28 via DHL and 2 via UPS! 

The DHL tracking says it will be delivered tomorrow. 

The UPS tracking has only been scheduled for pickup, no delivery date yet. 

(My order went in last Thursday, so if the DHL delivery gets here tomorrow, that is 5 days order to delivery.)


----------



## Dennis E. Taylor (Feb 10, 2015)

Edward M. Grant said:


> Supposedly Saskatoon has the largest concentration of writers in Canada, but that may have only been true ten years ago, when it was a cheap place to live.


I thought it was Nelson, BC? Er, no, wait, that's pot growers...

oknevermind


----------



## Penang (Jun 28, 2011)

Hello! This is my first time dropping in. I've been on the boards, but am only starting to become active. I've spent the last 13 years in the US and just recently moved up to Nanaimo, BC. I'm slowly finding out some differences between being an author in Canada vs the US (hello $25 shipping from Createspace + $22 duty).

 Ang


----------



## Maia Sepp Ross (May 10, 2013)

bizmuth said:


> I thought it was Nelson, BC? Er, no, wait, that's pot growers...
> 
> oknevermind


Oh, I've been there...


----------



## Maia Sepp Ross (May 10, 2013)

VG2311 said:


> Who here is from Ottawa?


I'm originally from Gloucester, and then Nepean. I'm now in TO.


----------



## Stephanie Marks (Feb 16, 2015)

*CANADIAN KU ANSWER*

For those of us that have kindles registered with .com instead of .ca they want you to switch your account to .ca, then you can have KU. Meaning you have to actually switch the country site your kindle/kindle app is registered to.

Sorry, I can't remember where the switch link is but I'm sure if you keep hunting you'll come across it or Amazon will prompt you to switch. That's how I found out. (I didn't bother switching).


----------



## SomethingClever (Mar 9, 2014)

Tulonsae said:


> Question for folks. I'm one of those who is on amazon.com (not .ca). One of the reasons is because I have friends and family in the US who give me gift cards which I can't use on the .ca site. And now, I have quite a lot of digital content. (I don't buy physical stuff from Amazon.)
> 
> Anyway, as part of my author research, I thought it would be good to subscribe to KU. But when I do that, it says it's not available in my country. I googled it, and yes it's available in Canada, but apparently only in the amazon.ca store?
> 
> What do the rest of you do in order to subscribe to KU?


I use the .com to buy my ebooks. I refused to switch to the .ca site. I changed my country in my account to the U.S. Put in a U.S. address (one that I had sent things to before - my best friend lives in the U.S.) and signed up for KU on the .com site.


----------



## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

Maia said:


> Oh, I've been there...


I grew up there... 

Rue


----------



## pdworkman (Jan 17, 2015)

pdworkman said:


> Well, this is interesting. I ordered 30 copies of my latest release, and Createspace is sending 28 via DHL and 2 via UPS!
> 
> The DHL tracking says it will be delivered tomorrow.
> 
> ...


Both deliveries arrived next day!


----------



## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

What's the paper like? The same on both?

Thanks!

Rue


----------



## pdworkman (Jan 17, 2015)

No visible difference between the two.


----------



## bwcolborne (Jun 11, 2014)

Okay, which one of you was this?

http://thechive.com/2015/07/07/girl-live-tweets-the-worlds-worst-first-date-15-photos/


----------



## tommy gun (May 3, 2015)

Sorry dude not me.  I am married to my hot wife.
Also not that self centered.....


----------



## bwcolborne (Jun 11, 2014)

For the record, also not me. I laughed and laughed though.


----------



## Susanne123 (Jan 9, 2014)

Hi Guys,

Did any of you receive an email from David Miller -- see below -- who apparently got my email address from the Library Archives of Canada (LAC). When I signed up for the account to receive my ISBNs, I noticed there was a lot of personal information in that database. I could, for example, look up one of my critique partners and see information like phone number, address and email address. 

When I raised this with the LAC folks, they said I could use a postal address. That's fine, but now, I'm feeling like anyone could go in and get my information. I emailed the ISBN address today, and Heidi said she'd remove my email address, and to take it up with David Miller (author of email). Did any of you get this type of email? I'm ignoring it, but it annoys me. I'm going to change all the fields and use another email address, but I thought I'd mention it to you in case there's reasons why you don't want strangers (or others) knowing your details.

Here's the email:

Good Day,

You were listed as the main contact at Staring Down the Moon Publishing  in the LAC (Library Archives of Canada). We wanted to reach out to you today to chat about some of the titles in your collection.

Our company TLAC provides support services for Canadian authors like yourself.

There are a few things we would love to know about your titles.
Are these titles in your collection still in print?
Have you published them as E Books?
How often do you produce paperback copies?
Would you be interested in publicity or endorsements for your commercial titles?

The market for authors is changing, and short run print publishing is currently in high demand.

Our outfit at 525 University Avenue has recently been upgraded to serve this growing need.  Located next door to SickKids Hospital, our printing proceeds support SickKids Patient Care and Foundations of Hope in Toronto.

Kindly reply to this email if we can help further the success of your title, or if you would like to be referred to brands we work with that specialize in communications, editing, and publicity.

With warm regards,



TLAC 

David Miller, Sr. Print Publishing Agent

Please Read Our FAQ, Turnaround Times, & Terms 
Sales & Payments: 416.888.4321  Design Studio: 416.597.3949  
Print Studio : 525 University Avenue, M5G 2L3, Mail Box 150, Toronto,  Canada  
Publishing Office : 439 University Avenue, Suite 501, M5G 1Z3, Toronto, Canada

Proceeds Support Hospitals & Foundations of Hope in Toronto.
Printing & Publishing That Matters - Think Like A Champion!


----------



## sharjo (May 14, 2014)

I got the same email. Sketchy. They're in violation of Canada's new anti-spam laws on a few different counts. By law, companies have to prove that you've opted in or have done business with them recently, and must include an unsubscribe mechanism in the body of the email. Fail and fail.

Anyone who received this mass email should report it. You can either do so by filling in a web form on the gov't website (http://fightspam.gc.ca/eic/site/030.nsf/frm-eng/MMCN-9EZV6S) or simply forward the email to [email protected]


----------



## Susanne123 (Jan 9, 2014)

Thanks for that information. I'll report them. I know it's tough doing business today, but to go into that LAC database and pull out the email addresses is really wrong.

Appreciate your quick answer.


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## pdworkman (Jan 17, 2015)

sharjo said:


> I got the same email. Sketchy. They're in violation of Canada's new anti-spam laws on a few different counts. By law, companies have to prove that you've opted in or have done business with them recently, and must include an unsubscribe mechanism in the body of the email. Fail and fail.
> 
> Anyone who received this mass email should report it. You can either do so by filling in a web form on the gov't website (http://fightspam.gc.ca/eic/site/030.nsf/frm-eng/MMCN-9EZV6S) or simply forward the email to [email protected]


It's only a violation of anti-spam laws if they are doing a mass mailout, isn't it? It is perfectly legal to take information from a public register and mail or e-mail that person, if you are sending out individual e-mails.


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## Anna_ (Jan 18, 2015)

pdworkman said:


> It's only a violation of anti-spam laws if they are doing a mass mailout, isn't it? It is perfectly legal to take information from a public register and mail or e-mail that person, if you are sending out individual e-mails.


My understanding is that if you are soliciting for your business (or to do business) in anyway, you need permission to send the email - the opt-in or proof you've done business before as well as the unsubscribe option. I could be wrong, but I'm almost certain this email is a clear violation.

This whole anti-spam law scares the you-know-what out of me.


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## doolittle03 (Feb 13, 2015)

I haven't received that email but wow, what a weird way to do business. 

I ordered 5 titles to sell at an Author's thing in Wakefield this August and I was hoping against hope, CS would package them together. Single order, single address. But no.
So now it's shed-load of money on customs fees, etc. Every time the DHL guy shows up with his little scanner I feel my bank account draining.

Pan Am Games, anyone? All the bling!


----------



## sharjo (May 14, 2014)

pdworkman said:


> It's only a violation of anti-spam laws if they are doing a mass mailout, isn't it? It is perfectly legal to take information from a public register and mail or e-mail that person, if you are sending out individual e-mails.


Except that it clearly is a mass mailout -- there's nothing personalized about it (just referencing "titles" in general), and the one I received even had the same spacing error in the first line. He's obviously built his own little mailing list, and imported everyone into the same template.


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## pdworkman (Jan 17, 2015)

Okay, I had to fact-check my own message, because I admit I don't know the new laws. So here is some info:

"To send a commercial electronic message to an electronic address, you need to have the recipient's consent, to identify yourself, to offer an unsubscribe mechanism and to be truthful."

"Some examples of CEMs include:

* offers to purchase, sell, barter or lease a product, goods, a service, land or an interest or right in land;
* offers to provide a business, investment or gaming opportunity;
* promoting a person, including the public image of a person, as being a person who does anything referred to above, or who intends to do so."

So the message that you received clearly counts as a CEM (commercial electronic message), even if it was only sent to one person. It doesn't have to be a mass e-mail, and they cannot send it to you just because your e-mail was on a public register. 

Now thinking about the companies that have sent me messages recently along the lines of "I found your book on Amazon, and... buy my service..."

And wondering whether any of the messages that I have sent qualify as spam (I don't think they do, but I have to think some more.)


----------



## Penang (Jun 28, 2011)

So, being a newly returned Canadian, I am struggling to find author events. Does anyone know of any author events (preferrably in BC)? I'm on Vancouver Island and there are tons of craft fairs, farmer markets, and artisan fairs but nothing that seems to fit writers :/ ANy ideas where to look for some?


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## Susanne123 (Jan 9, 2014)

pdworkman said:


> Okay, I had to fact-check my own message, because I admit I don't know the new laws. So here is some info:
> 
> "To send a commercial electronic message to an electronic address, you need to have the recipient's consent, to identify yourself, to offer an unsubscribe mechanism and to be truthful."
> 
> ...


Thanks for all this information, P.D.

And thanks to the other folks who responded.


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## doolittle03 (Feb 13, 2015)

Penang said:


> So, being a newly returned Canadian, I am struggling to find author events. Does anyone know of any author events (preferrably in BC)? I'm on Vancouver Island and there are tons of craft fairs, farmer markets, and artisan fairs but nothing that seems to fit writers :/ ANy ideas where to look for some?


The problem I found with Book Fairs or Festivals or Author/Writing events was that they were limited to trade published books. Small press has regular fairs all over. There was a poetry fest in Nanaimo in May. Indie authors ... I don't know ... I've never tried to get into one. Our local farmer's market is hosting an Authors' Day and I was invited along with trade pubbed authors. So that might be a route you could take.

I know a few authors with Crime Writers of Canada on the Island. The Writers Union of Canada is also a good place to check for events.

Good luck!


----------



## Penang (Jun 28, 2011)

doolittle03 said:


> The problem I found with Book Fairs or Festivals or Author/Writing events was that they were limited to trade published books. Small press has regular fairs all over. There was a poetry fest in Nanaimo in May. Indie authors ... I don't know ... I've never tried to get into one. Our local farmer's market is hosting an Authors' Day and I was invited along with trade pubbed authors. So that might be a route you could take.
> 
> I know a few authors with Crime Writers of Canada on the Island. The Writers Union of Canada is also a good place to check for events.
> 
> Good luck!


Thanks! I'll check out the Writer's Union. I'm in Nanaimo and can't even find a local group that is active. I'm debating whether to try and start one. I found The Word on the Street event but that is only in limited places, and I'm not ready to that far and shell out all that money to go for an exhibitor booth.


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## tommy gun (May 3, 2015)

Hi everyone!

I just had a flash as I am having a few sales.  I started with smashwords and am now on amazon.

Smashwords has forms to fill in so no taxes are withheld.

I went through amazon and didnt see that at all.  Am I missing something?
Do you all leave 30% on the table when you take your payouts?

tom g


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## Penang (Jun 28, 2011)

Did you fill out the Amazon tax interview? There's a tax treaty between Canada and US so they shouldn't withhold anything.


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## tommy gun (May 3, 2015)

I did but awhile ago and didnt finish it.

I believe they want a number provided by the IRS (going through those issues with smashwords).
Form W7 is a pain


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## @Suzanna (Mar 14, 2011)

tomgermann said:


> I did but awhile ago and didnt finish it.
> 
> I believe they want a number provided by the IRS (going through those issues with smashwords).
> Form W7 is a pain


Actually, that's recently changed. Amazon used to require either an EIN or an ITIN provided by the IRS, but now they'll accept our Canadian SIN number as proof that they don't need to withhold taxes. You should do the interview again and provide your SIN number.


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## Mafalda Writes (Jul 25, 2015)

Hello fellow Canadians!
I am new to the KB and just got to browse today to find something Canadian. Great to find this thread!
I am in the interior of BC and hope to move to Vancouver area in the new year.
I know there are 20+ pages in this thread, which I will read later on as I can, but wanted to introduce myself first.

I managed to read the first pages and saw some postings about pen names and your Amazon account. I have an Amazon account with my real name for many years with a US and Canadian address. However, I am using pen name(s) and now that I see your posts, I need to research how to deal with that at time of publishing. 
I haven't hit the publish button yet, but I am aiming at the Fall to do so.

I am just creating my online presence as well in FB and will create a website soon as well. I know I am not published yet, but any tips for getting things rolling via online presence before the book is out?

Oh and I would love a meet up in the west coast as well!

cheers.

L.A.


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## Genevieve Mckay (Jan 19, 2015)

Penang said:


> Thanks! I'll check out the Writer's Union. I'm in Nanaimo and can't even find a local group that is active. I'm debating whether to try and start one. I found The Word on the Street event but that is only in limited places, and I'm not ready to that far and shell out all that money to go for an exhibitor booth.


I will ask my Writers Group. Some of the members go overnight to Vancouver and to Washington to different venues every year but I can't recall the names of them off hand. There's a couple big Romance groups on the Island and then individual Author or WIP groups in most towns . There is one in Nanaimo for sure and I'll see if I can find out what it's called. The Nanaimo Arts Council should know.... they run a short story competition every year with cash prizes


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## tommy gun (May 3, 2015)

I just wanted to say:
Personal First!

I have my first mailchimp subscriber!!!!

YAY!


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## bwcolborne (Jun 11, 2014)

Welcome, LA!

There have been some great discussions (particularly the milk bags vs milk jugs) in the previous pages.

For pen names, you just have to enter that as the author name in the KDP dashboard and use your real information for payment, etc.


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## bwcolborne (Jun 11, 2014)

Way to go, Tom!


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## Genevieve Mckay (Jan 19, 2015)

Okay, the first suggestion from my writer's group was the Surrey International Writer's Conference.

http://www.siwc.ca/

Apparently, it is top-notch. 

The second venue is also in Vancouver. It's a fantasy/science fiction and gaming convention. So if you're into Speculative Fiction this might be for you.

http://www.vcon.ca/



doolittle03 said:


> The problem I found with Book Fairs or Festivals or Author/Writing events was that they were limited to trade published books. Small press has regular fairs all over. There was a poetry fest in Nanaimo in May. Indie authors ... I don't know ... I've never tried to get into one. Our local farmer's market is hosting an Authors' Day and I was invited along with trade pubbed authors. So that might be a route you could take.
> 
> I know a few authors with Crime Writers of Canada on the Island. The Writers Union of Canada is also a good place to check for events.
> 
> Good luck!


----------



## Penang (Jun 28, 2011)

Genevieve Mckay said:


> Okay, the first suggestion from my writer's group was the Surrey International Writer's Conference.
> 
> http://www.siwc.ca/
> 
> ...


Thanks! The VCon is more of what I'm looking for in terms of conventions, although I'm not sure my books fall into the right genre . The Surrey conference sound great, but there's no way I can afford it now. It's nice to know there are things out there and that I just need to keep looking.


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## LoriP (Jun 2, 2014)

Is it horrible to be happy with the crappy state of the Canadian dollar when getting my pay out from Amazon US and Amazon UK?


----------



## doolittle03 (Feb 13, 2015)

Yes, but it's exactly the same thing I feel when I watch the news. (whoot!)


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## Sever Bronny (May 13, 2013)

LorrainePaton said:


> Is it horrible to be happy with the crappy state of the Canadian dollar when getting my pay out from Amazon US and Amazon UK?


Might be a good time to open up an American bank account with the bank and have all the checks direct-deposited into it


----------



## Fictionista (Sep 14, 2012)

Anyone know how much Canada Post charges for a PO Box?


----------



## LoriP (Jun 2, 2014)

Fictionista said:


> Anyone know how much Canada Post charges for a PO Box?


My Canada Post rental at a local drug store last year was $189.95 for 12 months.


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## LoriP (Jun 2, 2014)

Sever Bronny said:


> Might be a good time to open up an American bank account with the bank and have all the checks direct-deposited into it


I've thought about opening a US bank account... but haven't done it yet.


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

LorrainePaton said:


> I've thought about opening a US bank account... but haven't done it yet.


Do it!

RBC and TD Canada Trust (and another one--Scotiabank? HSBC? Can't recall now) have branches in the US. You don't have to set foot out of the country to get an account! 

And, yes, I definitely feel a keen sense of guilty pleasure when I hit the transfer button every month... 

Rue


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## Jenna_Elle (Mar 15, 2015)

ruecole said:


> Do it!
> 
> RBC and TD Canada Trust (and another one--Scotiabank? HSBC? Can't recall now) have branches in the US. You don't have to set foot out of the country to get an account!
> 
> ...


Hi Rue

How were you able to set up your bank account? I visited both rbc and td and both told me I had to go to the states to get the bank account set up.

Thanks!
Jenna


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

Not sure why they couldn't help you. I walked into my branch (RBC), told them what I wanted and they had me signed up in maybe fifteen minutes.

Here are some links to the banks offering US accounts (BMO was the third):

http://www.rbcbank.com/

http://www.tdcanadatrust.com/m/products-services/banking/cross-border-banking/index.jsp

https://www.bmoharris.com/main/personal

Hope that helps!

Rue


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## Fictionista (Sep 14, 2012)

LorrainePaton said:


> My Canada Post rental at a local drug store last year was $189.95 for 12 months.


Wow...that much? Thanks for the info.


----------



## bookaholic123 (Sep 22, 2014)

Hi Everyone,

I just opened a business account and received a letter from td requesting SCE-W8 for non-US business. Since I am incorporated in Canada, I will provide SCE-W8 for non-US business. But the problem is whether the royalties an author received is active income or passive income.

Can someone please help?


----------



## JVRudnick (Sep 12, 2014)

Just wanted to say "hi" to you Canucks here and to thank you for the support over the past few months...

Published my first ever sciFi novel - Pirates - http://bitly.com/1De0PMg ...

And sales are fine for a first timer, plus all my promos start next week!


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## Philip Harris (Dec 15, 2013)

Hi All. Just dropping in to introduce myself as I hadn't spotted this thread. I'm a ex-Brit now living in (currently) very sunny Vancouver, BC. I mostly write speculative fiction, tending towards the darker end of the scale.


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## Dennis E. Taylor (Feb 10, 2015)

LorrainePaton said:


> My Canada Post rental at a local drug store last year was $189.95 for 12 months.


I've got a box at a UPS store. It's something like $129 a year.


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## Fictionista (Sep 14, 2012)

bizmuth said:


> I've got a box at a UPS store. It's something like $129 a year.


Well that's a little bit better.


----------



## P.T. Phronk (Jun 6, 2014)

LorrainePaton said:


> I've thought about opening a US bank account... but haven't done it yet.


Apologies if I missed it, but what's the advantage of doing this? Don't we get paid in US dollars to our Canadian accounts? Why the extra step?


----------



## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

Read this thread:


[URL=http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,198289]http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,198289.html[/url]

Then go back to the beginning of this thread (the Canadian Support thread) and read the first few pages. We talk about the problem quite in depth.

Basically because Amazon pays electronically by wire transfer instead of direct deposit, we get screwed. By setting up a US account with a US branch of a Canadian bank, you don't lose a dime.

I have an RBC account that costs me $3.95 per month plus the $1.50 email transfer fee (since I transfer from RBC to TD). Far less than I'd lose by electronic transfer direct from Amazon.

Hope that helps!

Rue


----------



## Mafalda Writes (Jul 25, 2015)

Hi Rue
I am getting ready to get a US Bank account, but when I went to the RBC branch I was told I had to go to the US RBC branch to open the account there, AND I had to prove i was a US resident!! WTHeck!

How did you get to open yours with RBC? maybe I need to try TD or HSBC....sigh... getting more complicated than I thought. 
Any input / feedback/help tips would be appreciated from those who have done it successfully.
thank you.

L.A.



ruecole said:


> Read this thread:
> 
> 
> [URL=http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,198289]http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,198289.html[/url]
> ...


----------



## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

L.A. Grace said:


> Hi Rue
> I am getting ready to get a US Bank account, but when I went to the RBC branch I was told I had to go to the US RBC branch to open the account there, AND I had to prove i was a US resident!! WTHeck!
> 
> How did you get to open yours with RBC? maybe I need to try TD or HSBC....sigh... getting more complicated than I thought.
> ...


Not sure why they couldn't help you. I walked into my branch (RBC), told them what I wanted and they had me signed up in maybe fifteen minutes!

Try this link:

http://www.rbcbank.com/

Or if you want to try a different bank, here are the two others offering US banking accounts to Canadian citizens:

http://www.tdcanadatrust.com/m/products-services/banking/cross-border-banking/index.jsp

https://www.bmoharris.com/main/personal

Hope that helps!

Rue


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## pdworkman (Jan 17, 2015)

Are you asking for a US dollar account, or an account in the US?


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## P.T. Phronk (Jun 6, 2014)

ruecole said:


> Read this thread:
> 
> 
> [URL=http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,198289]http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,198289.html[/url]
> ...


Ahh, I missed that thread. That helps very much. Thanks Rue!

I've been ignoring these money issues for a while, since a percentage taken off of a small number is still a small number, but as I make more, I'll have to put more work into it. I guess the Notorious B.I.G. was right about that more money more problems thing.


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## bwcolborne (Jun 11, 2014)

Re: jumping through hoops. From the TD side of things I believe they require you to be a TD customer in Canada then you can set up a US based account but only online.
If you are a non customer of the Canadian institution they probably would have told you to take a road trip down south.


----------



## doolittle03 (Feb 13, 2015)

I found setting up a US account a problem too. One concern I had was the fine print said deposits to these accounts weren't insured against bank collapse as they are in Canada. At the time, banks were failing pretty bad so I chickened out of doing all the legwork to get it set up. I have no idea how Rue got one so easily. Maybe it's different now? I don't earn enough right now to put it at the top of my To-Do list.
Hi to all the new Canucks in the house and congrats JV on the new book! I read your CS thread and was cheering you on. I love CS. Can't say enough good things about them.


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

bwcolborne said:


> Re: jumping through hoops. From the TD side of things I believe they require you to be a TD customer in Canada then you can set up a US based account but only online.
> If you are a non customer of the Canadian institution they probably would have told you to take a road trip down south.


Good point. I did have to open a Canadian savings account and a USD account at the RBC branch this side of the border. But neither have fees. And with email transfer, I don't have to leave the house to get my money.

The link to the RBC bank says to visit your kocal branch if you're a Canadian citizen.

I got my account in 2012, so not sure what would change between then and now. :-/

Hope that helps!

Rue


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## RhondaW (Mar 31, 2012)

I did this in February of this year, so just a few months ago. I walked into the RBC bank here in Edmonton and told them I wanted a US account at the RBC bank in Georgia. I met with a rep and they filled out all the forms. 

I needed to set up a CDN savings account so money could be transferred. A few weeks later the US RBC debit card arrived in the mail and instructions on how to access everything online. I now have my US and Cdn accounts linked so I can do everything online.

Maybe there is a misunderstanding when you are talking to them. Thanks to Rue  I knew to say 'RBC Bank in Georgia, US' when I went in to the bank. It would really suck if you can't do this anymore. Maybe it is just the small branches that aren't aware this can be done. Try the main branch or the larger one in your city.

Good luck!


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## tommy gun (May 3, 2015)

Cool Thanks!

I am going to have to get that set up in the next few weeks before everything gets busy again.

Of course I won't transfer anything until the tax rate goes to 0%.


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## Mafalda Writes (Jul 25, 2015)

Hello fellow Canadians,

I am prepping to publish my first book in a series this Fall/Winter, but before I do so I wanted to make sure I do the basics of the business side right. I saw here someone mentioned that is best to incorporate form the begining, instead of when you are 'successful', as it will affect some things (The RSP episode was mentioned) financially.

My question to the Canadian published authors here is; have you incorporated and why/why not, and how many are still working as an individual or sole proprietor? 
I am thinking of doing the name registration for my business, which will include publishing, this month. as well as looking into sole prop or Inc registration. 

Any feedback, tips, etc would be appreciated. As much as I will be looking for an experienced accountant, it is already challenging to find a good one in my small city who is experienced with authors, not just home based businesses. I may have to look in Vancouver (I'm in the interior of BC).

Thank you!
L.A.


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## tommy gun (May 3, 2015)

That has been brought up several times in KB (if I remember correctly it is even earlier in this thread but I could be off).
Incorporating costs and has ongoing costs and responsibilities.
I am a Realtor and we are all contractors (most are just registered as individual businesses) but not all of us.
So I stayed with that.
Research it and figure out how much you are going to make to make incorporation worthwhile.  
Perhaps I should say how much you HAVE to make to make incorporation worthwhile?

No matter what talk to a tax expert in the industry who understands the write off and deductions..........  Talk to an expert.


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## Heather Hamilton-Senter (May 25, 2013)

Incorporation - we have another incorporated business - is not to be done lightly and has many particular financial and legal repercussions. The company, not the person, is incorporated and you  name a president, treasurer if others are involved in the business, etc. Most creative professionals don't need to incorporate. As an actor, singer, artist and photographer, there was never any need for me to incorporate in any of these professions. In all those capacities, I was a self employed professional and did my taxes that way.

However, if your writing ever gets so big that you become a business entity unto yourself, it isn't difficult to incorporate mid-stream. My husband had a successful consulting business for years and was a contractor. Then his biggest client wanted him to incorporate so he created a company, registered a name, etc. There was no problem doing it when it became necessary and no repercussions that he hadn't done it before - he hadn't needed to.....


----------



## Mafalda Writes (Jul 25, 2015)

Heather Hamilton-Senter said:


> Incorporation - we have another incorporated business - is not to be done lightly and has many particular financial and legal repercussions. The company, not the person, is incorporated and you name a president, treasurer if others are involved in the business, etc. Most creative professionals don't need to incorporate. As an actor, singer, artist and photographer, there was never any need for me to incorporate in any of these professions. In all those capacities, I was a self employed professional and did my taxes that way.
> 
> However, if your writing ever gets so big that you become a business entity unto yourself, it isn't difficult to incorporate mid-stream. My husband had a successful consulting business for years and was a contractor. Then his biggest client wanted him to incorporate so he created a company, registered a name, etc. There was no problem doing it when it became necessary and no repercussions that he hadn't done it before - he hadn't needed to.....


Thank you Heather,
I understand that part about the incorporation and your husband's experience with it. Now, when it comes to your experience as an author doing business, are you doing it under your legal name as an individual, or sole prop? or?


----------



## Heather Hamilton-Senter (May 25, 2013)

L.A. Grace said:


> Thank you Heather,
> I understand that part about the incorporation and your husband's experience with it. Now, when it comes to your experience as an author doing business, are you doing it under your legal name as an individual, or sole prop? or?


I set up a sole proprietorship so I could create a publishing company in case I ever wanted to help others with publishing - but mostly because I wanted to have an actual publishing company listed in my books and on Amazon, and for getting isbns. But as far as authoring, getting paid, and doing taxes, I'm doing it as I've always done in all the various creative fields I've worked in - as a self employed individual artist.

The incorporation in our other business, quite honestly, has been a royal pain. It would be fine if he had employees or kept money in the company for the lower tax rate, but all the money that goes in just comes out LOL. And basically all the office etc deductions that the company can claim, are the same ones that you can claim as an individual working out of a home office.

I'm sure there are times when incorp makes sense, but I certainly wouldn't jump the gun on it. And when you do your taxes, you can use either the self employed income from a business or a self employed professional form - they both work. I think with my photography, I used the business one because I did business under the business name. For writing, I do it under professional. But the forms are basically identical if I remember correctly.

YMMV


----------



## Stephanie Marks (Feb 16, 2015)

Sole proprietorship baby! Easy for taxes and I was able to set up my publishing company in a snap!


----------



## tommy gun (May 3, 2015)

Hey everyone!

I was told that we should set up author pages for each country we well in.
Has anyone else sold in different countries and set up different author pages?

I have been looking but no luck.

If you did can you let me know how?


----------



## tommy gun (May 3, 2015)

I am setting up payment options (finally!).
For my fellow canucks.  I find the fees to support and maintain a US bank account high at this point.  Do you still get hosed by exchange rates if you get a US dollar account in a canadian bank and get direct deposit?

As always I know what I am trying to say, to everyone else this will be clear as mud!


----------



## Jo Clendening (Apr 9, 2011)

Hi Everybody! I'm Canadian too! Good to meet everybody. 
I write a little bit, but I'm mostly a cover designer for my super small press, Morning Rain Publishing.

Did you ever arrange a meet-up? I live in the GTA so I'd be interested in that.


----------



## Eva Chase (Aug 8, 2015)

Just dropping in to say hi! I'm in Ontario, just getting started with self pubbing under this name, have trad pubbed books out under another. This thread has already been incredibly helpful because I hadn't been aware of the exchange rate issue!



L.A. Grace said:


> My question to the Canadian published authors here is; have you incorporated and why/why not, and how many are still working as an individual or sole proprietor?


I'm incorporated, but only because my trad pub career was going well enough for a while that there were a couple years I'd have paid a ton of individual taxes if I couldn't have spread out the income so I stayed in the lowest bracket. Also, both my husband and I are self employed in our day jobs, so we made the corporation a sort of joint operation that covers all our activities and all our income, not just from writing, goes in there. So far I have saved much more than it's cost me to set up and maintain. But I wouldn't have done it if it wasn't for those high income years.


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## Rachel Anne (Apr 18, 2015)

Hello, fellow Canadians!
I'm new(ish) to the boards -- 'ish' in the sense that I've been lurking for awhile before I finally decided it was time to come out of the shadows and introduce myself.

I'm hoping to have my first self-published book out this autumn and have been trying to do research on the advantages of registering a self publishing company, vs. not, etc. I haven't come up with much, and thus far, haven't been getting many answers either when I ask people on the phone.

The largest advantage I could find for actually registering my business would be possible tax benefits. Maybe someone else here has some insight that Google and government employees haven't offered me yet?

Also.. if I'm to pick up a pen name as well, does this need to go under my publishing company? It sort of defeats the purpose of using a pen name, doesn't it?


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## Eva Chase (Aug 8, 2015)

Rachel Anne said:



> Also.. if I'm to pick up a pen name as well, does this need to go under my publishing company? It sort of defeats the purpose of using a pen name, doesn't it?


I don't know if I'm doing this correctly, but the way I have it set up is that my KDP and Createspace payments go to my company. But I'm using a different publisher name for the actual book listing that the public sees (since you can enter whatever you want in that field). Because the books are still associated with the company on the payment side of things, I don't see why anyone should have a problem with it. And there's no way any reader should be able to connect this pen name to my other publishing name.


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## TavishAllaway (Sep 2, 2015)

Hello fellow Canucks! Great to see such a thriving Canadian community


----------



## doolittle03 (Feb 13, 2015)

For writers in the Ottawa/National Capital area there's a writers' retreat happening Sept. 25 to 27 in Venosta, Quebec, about 40 min from Ottawa.

The Alchemy of Fiction: A Weekend Writing Workshop with Mark Frutkin
September 25-27, 2015, in Venosta, Québec

A writing workshop is a great way to hone that short story or polish that first chapter of your novel ... under the direction of Mark Frutkin (author of fifteen books), who will examine your earlier submitted short stories and discuss writing in general, including inspiration, plot, character, the writing and editing process, and publishing. 
The workshop will include writing exercises, much conversation about good writing, and personal meetings to discuss your work with the author-in-residence. Workshops are held around a hundred-year-old oak table in a centennial homestead house. For extra meeting spaces or getaway, living & dining rooms, porch, verandas, and 400 acres with lake are available to you at your leisure. 
For more information about the retreat and workshop, please go to our website http://www.venostawritersretreat.com/

I've signed up to dig into a new novel. It's the first writers' retreat I've found in driving distance.

Have a good weekend all!


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

Edward, yes, they streamlined/simplified it in the past year or so.

Question regarding CreateSpace shipping for proof copies: 

I've got a couple paperbacks that are in the proof stage and I'm wondering if I should ship them to Canada or to my shipping address south of the border. Has anyone shipped a proof to Canada recently? How long did it take using Standard shipping? Did they use UPS?

I shipped a book to Canada in May and it arrived in three days via UPS, shocking the socks off me.   I was expecting it to take two weeks! However, I can't take two weeks with these proofs. I'd really like them in three days, but I don't want to pay the Priority shipping if there's a good chance they'll get it to me in three days again using the Standard shipping.

Thanks!

Rue


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## Eva Chase (Aug 8, 2015)

ruecole said:


> Question regarding CreateSpace shipping for proof copies:
> 
> I've got a couple paperbacks that are in the proof stage and I'm wondering if I should ship them to Canada or to my shipping address south of the border. Has anyone shipped a proof to Canada recently? How long did it take using Standard shipping? Did they use UPS?


Every time I've ordered a proof from CS it's taken no more than a week, as recently as last month. That said, I'm in a major city, so if you're in a smaller town or rural area, might take longer.

I'll also note that the one time I've had CS send a book to someone in the US (last month), it actually took _longer_ than getting one here--like, ten days. I think maybe they use expedited shipping to Canada but only the cheapest option within the States.


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## Rayven T. Hill (Jul 24, 2013)

With Amazon soon to start shipping Canadian paperback orders from Amazon.ca, I'm hoping they will set up a POD press here as well. Too much to hope for?


----------



## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

Eva Chase said:


> Every time I've ordered a proof from CS it's taken no more than a week, as recently as last month. That said, I'm in a major city, so if you're in a smaller town or rural area, might take longer.
> 
> I'll also note that the one time I've had CS send a book to someone in the US (last month), it actually took _longer_ than getting one here--like, ten days. I think maybe they use expedited shipping to Canada but only the cheapest option within the States.


Thanks, Eva!

Fortunately, I'm in Greater Vancouver, so not rural at all. 



Rayven T. Hill said:


> With Amazon soon to start shipping Canadian paperback orders from Amazon.ca, I'm hoping they will set up a POD press here as well. Too much to hope for?


We can hope! But you raise a good point. Perhaps the reason shipping has sped up recently is because they're now going to be shipping print orders from the .ca site?

Rue


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## ShadyWolfBoy (Sep 23, 2015)

Missed this thread when I joined up!  Hi Canucks!  *waves*

Question for the thread (as some of this is specific to Canada): has anyone else incorporated after already having been self-published for a while?  How did you go about transferring copyrights and amazon accounts etc?


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## pdworkman (Jan 17, 2015)

ruecole said:


> I've got a couple paperbacks that are in the proof stage and I'm wondering if I should ship them to Canada or to my shipping address south of the border. Has anyone shipped a proof to Canada recently? How long did it take using Standard shipping? Did they use UPS?
> 
> I shipped a book to Canada in May and it arrived in three days via UPS, shocking the socks off me.  I was expecting it to take two weeks! However, I can't take two weeks with these proofs. I'd really like them in three days, but I don't want to pay the Priority shipping if there's a good chance they'll get it to me in three days again using the Standard shipping.


There have been recent improvements. My proofs generally get here in 2-3 days. Even my bigger orders tend to arrive within two days of printing (though printing sometimes takes 2-3 days after ordering.

Pam


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## Sever Bronny (May 13, 2013)

I get dinged by border fees every time, but because I live on an island, I have no choice but to take it :\


----------



## Maia Sepp Ross (May 10, 2013)

LorrainePaton said:


> Is it horrible to be happy with the crappy state of the Canadian dollar when getting my pay out from Amazon US and Amazon UK?


Nope


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## Maia Sepp Ross (May 10, 2013)

pdworkman said:


> There have been recent improvements. My proofs generally get here in 2-3 days. Even my bigger orders tend to arrive within two days of printing (though printing sometimes takes 2-3 days after ordering.
> 
> Pam


Are you sending those expedited? I normally get mine in 2-3 days. I'm in Toronto.


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## pdworkman (Jan 17, 2015)

Sever Bronny said:


> I get dinged by border fees every time, but because I live on an island, I have no choice but to take it :\


We all do!


----------



## Spin52 (Sep 6, 2015)

Maia Sepp said:


> Are you sending those expedited? I normally get mine in 2-3 days. I'm in Toronto.


Now that's impressive, considering that where I am, about 150 miles south of Vancouver, it took nearly two weeks to get proof copies. Tell me, Canadians, what's the secret?


----------



## pdworkman (Jan 17, 2015)

Maia Sepp said:


> Are you sending those expedited? I normally get mine in 2-3 days. I'm in Toronto.


No, that's standard!


----------



## Maia Sepp Ross (May 10, 2013)

pdworkman said:


> No, that's standard!


Eeeeeeeeeeeenteresting. Where are you?


----------



## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

Thanks for weighing in, everyone! 

I decided I didn't want to risk it and sent it expedited. Hopefully I don't get dinged for any fees getting across the border. When I'm not on such a tight deadline, I'll try the standard shipping again and see if it's still as fast.

Rue


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## cwashburn (May 20, 2013)

Like many Canadians I live  close to the border.  I pick up my Amazon (and other orders) at a Mail box a couple of kilometres away in a U.S. border town  (Blaine).  Now if they could just do away with the border line ups . . .


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## Sever Bronny (May 13, 2013)

cwashburn said:


> Like many Canadians I live close to the border. I pick up my Amazon (and other orders) at a Mail box a couple of kilometres away in a U.S. border town (Blaine). Now if they could just do away with the border line ups . . .


Ugh, so jealous =P


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## Spin52 (Sep 6, 2015)

cwashburn said:


> Like many Canadians I live close to the border. I pick up my Amazon (and other orders) at a Mail box a couple of kilometres away in a U.S. border town (Blaine). Now if they could just do away with the border line ups . . .


Oh, I hear you. It can take nearly as long to get across the border as it does to drive from Seattle TO the border. Do you have one of those fast track passes (I forget what they're called) for people who go back and forth frequently?


----------



## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

cwashburn said:


> Like many Canadians I live close to the border. I pick up my Amazon (and other orders) at a Mail box a couple of kilometres away in a U.S. border town (Blaine). Now if they could just do away with the border line ups . . .


That is most likely what I will be doing when I put in my book order, but for proofs it's just so much more convenient to have it mailed to my house. And really not that much more expensive when you factor in cost of gas and time etc.



Spin52 said:


> Oh, I hear you. It can take nearly as long to get across the border as it does to drive from Seattle TO the border. Do you have one of those fast track passes (I forget what they're called) for people who go back and forth frequently?


You're thinking of a Nexus pass. I was tempted to get one when we shopped a lot in the US, but since the dollar dropped, I only go down maybe a couple times a year now. :/

Rue


----------



## pdworkman (Jan 17, 2015)

Maia Sepp said:


> Eeeeeeeeeeeenteresting. Where are you?


I'm in Calgary, Alberta.


----------



## Maia Sepp Ross (May 10, 2013)

pdworkman said:


> I'm in Calgary, Alberta.


Well, you've inspired me to order some of my books. I'm uber curious to see how long they'll take to get here. Thanks!


----------



## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

Got my proofs tonight. That was faster than fast!   Next time I'm going to try standard shipping and compare.

Rue


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## Penang (Jun 28, 2011)

For all of my previous books I published in the US using Bowker isbn's. Now that I'm in Canada I thought I'd go for the free Canadian #. I have yet to be "approved" for an account. Does anyone know how long that takes? I need to order my proof, but can't until I get the isbn :/


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## doolittle03 (Feb 13, 2015)

My CS order arrived yesterday, 30 books via DHL: 22.67 CAD. I'm in rural Quebec. I always choose standard shipping and get the order within the week. CS is ... well, I love them. 

ISBN account approval didn't take too long as I recall. I think they sent me an email.


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## Eva Chase (Aug 8, 2015)

Penang said:


> For all of my previous books I published in the US using Bowker isbn's. Now that I'm in Canada I thought I'd go for the free Canadian #. I have yet to be "approved" for an account. Does anyone know how long that takes? I need to order my proof, but can't until I get the isbn :/


When I applied for an account this August, I got an automated email saying it could take up to ten business days to be approved. Looking at my records, it actually took twelve business days (sixteen days overall) before I got my login info. So they can be a bit slow.

The good news is that as soon as you have your account, you can create ISBNs instantly!


----------



## JVRudnick (Sep 12, 2014)

Not hijacking this thread - but did want to know - what can anyone tell me about the Toronto based SciFI 6 Convention in November this year?

Worth the visit? Dealer room is good or bad or ? What about sessions...the folks who run the website have nada up to see...makes me think that the whole enterprise is a waste of time...but am willing to temper my first impressions...

Site is here btw - http://sfcontario.ca/


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## Brevoort (Jan 27, 2014)

Penang said:


> Does anyone know how long that takes? I need to order my proof, but can't until I get the isbn :/


Just checked mine. Applied on Thursday Sept 4 2014, received email approval on the following Tuesday. So, four business days total


----------



## Penang (Jun 28, 2011)

Thanks for the feedback on the isbn's  Guess I just need to be patient!


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## Eva Chase (Aug 8, 2015)

JVRudnick said:


> Not hijacking this thread - but did want to know - what can anyone tell me about the Toronto based SciFI 6 Convention in November this year?
> 
> Worth the visit? Dealer room is good or bad or ? What about sessions...the folks who run the website have nada up to see...makes me think that the whole enterprise is a waste of time...but am willing to temper my first impressions...
> 
> Site is here btw - http://sfcontario.ca/


I haven't been myself, but I know a few authors who've been, and they seemed mostly disappointed, particularly with the level of disorganization they saw, but there was enough potential that they were willing to give it another shot. My impression is that if you're already in Toronto, it might be worth a look, but not worth the expense of making a trip to the city for it.


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## Penang (Jun 28, 2011)

Well, tomorrow is 10 business days since I applied for the ISBN and I have yet to hear anything :/ I think I'll try and call them tomorrow. I'm wishing now I had just used one of the ISBNs from Bower that I had, but since I had to put in my book info for the Canadian one, I'm stuck.


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## Penang (Jun 28, 2011)

Well, I woke up this morning to an email saying because I live in Colorado they are not giving me an ISBN. I haven't lived in Colorado for over 2 years! Apparently, they read my outdated bio on Author Center and used that to verify my residence instead of all of my other profiles, including the bio on my website!


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

Call them with your current address. I had to call once and the girl there was very nice and helpful.

Rue


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## Penang (Jun 28, 2011)

Thanks  I did call and leave a message and then emailed as well yesterday. They were very quick to respond and got everything sorted out.


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

Great! Glad to hear it! 

I have a POD question. Has anyone here used a printer in Canada to print up books? I brought some books across the border last week and what a hassle! Got directed to commercial goods and had my car searched! That was a first!

Anyway, with the drop in the dollar, I'm wondering if it would be more cost effective (and time-saving!) just to print books here in Canada? And anyone know if there are any companies here in Vancouver? I could pick them up. LOL

Thanks!

Rue


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## Midnight Whimsy (Jun 25, 2013)

ruecole said:


> Great! Glad to hear it!
> 
> I have a POD question. Has anyone here used a printer in Canada to print up books? I brought some books across the border last week and what a hassle! Got directed to commercial goods and had my car searched! That was a first!
> 
> ...


I _heard _that CS will be opening a Canadian facility soon. If it happens and how soon I have no idea, but I'm not sure if there are viable non-POD printing options for very small print runs (i.e. 100 books). 

M.W


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

Yeah that CS rumour has been floating around for a while.  

I did some Googling and contacted two places.  One does a minimum of 10 copies, the other 25.

I will report back with the results. 

Thanks!

Rue


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## Steve Vernon (Feb 18, 2011)

ruecole said:


> Yeah that CS rumour has been floating around for a while.
> 
> I did some Googling and contacted two places. One does a minimum of 10 copies, the other 25.
> 
> ...


One thing to figure on. Now that CS is distributing through amazon.ca it MIGHT be cheap enough to order enough copies of your book to qualify for free shipping from Amazon.ca and have them delivered right to your door.


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

Steve Vernon said:


> One thing to figure on. Now that CS is distributing through amazon.ca it MIGHT be cheap enough to order enough copies of your book to qualify for free shipping from Amazon.ca and have them delivered right to your door.


Thanks, Steve. Got a quote back from the first printer. I'd be looking at $7 per copy. That's a dollar less than ordering from Amazon. Hoping one of the others will come back with a quote for less. If I can get them done for $6 or even $6.50 a copy (without having to order 100s!), I'll be good. 

Thanks!

Rue


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

Ooh! Just got a quote from these guys: http://printoriumbookworks.islandblue.com/

$5.37 per copy. That's more like it! Now hopefully shipping isn't stupid expensive.

Just waiting to here back from a company here in Burnaby. If they're quote is close to the guys in Victoria, I'll probably go with them since I should be able to pick the books up and save on the shipping.

Anyway, I will report back with more info for anyone else who does fairs or consigns their books or whatever and is looking for affordable printing options this side of the border.

Rue


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

Ugh. Shipping is not going to be cheap. Almost as much as the cost of printing on a run of 12 books. Not sure what shipping method they're using? Gold-plated limousine? LOL

Anyway, I still haven't heard back from the company in Burnaby so nothing to relate there. If I lived over in Victoria, I'd probably use the Printorium company as the cost is very, very close to what it works out to bringing in books from the US (with shipping and the exchange rate).

One question: has anyone brought in books from IngramSpark before? Have you been hit with brokerage fees using them? According to their shipping information page, all taxes, duty, customs fees, etc. are included in the shipping fees when you use Canada Ground. I'll be calling them on Monday to verify that and will report back. Could be another advantage to using IS instead of CS! 

Rue


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## pdworkman (Jan 17, 2015)

ruecole said:


> One question: has anyone brought in books from IngramSpark before? Have you been hit with brokerage fees using them? According to their shipping information page, all taxes, duty, customs fees, etc. are included in the shipping fees when you use Canada Ground. I'll be calling them on Monday to verify that and will report back. Could be another advantage to using IS instead of CS!


Hmm, yes. How much is their shipping? I usually pay another $40 in GST/brokerage for Createspace, so that would make the $50 setup fee with Ingram easier to swallow. (Although I still have problems with them charging $25 every time you want to change something.)


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

pdworkman said:


> Hmm, yes. How much is their shipping? I usually pay another $40 in GST/brokerage for Createspace, so that would make the $50 setup fee with Ingram easier to swallow. (Although I still have problems with them charging $25 every time you want to change something.)


Shipping varies, but for 15 books, I'm looking at $23 USD.

It also bothers me that they charge you $25 to make changes, but that's about the only complaint I have with them. Well, that and their customer service is next to impossible to get ahold of. I spent half an hour on hold to them yesterday, then sent an email and have yet to hear back. I'll be calling again in the morning. :/

Rue


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## pdworkman (Jan 17, 2015)

ruecole said:


> Shipping varies, but for 15 books, I'm looking at $23 USD.
> 
> It also bothers me that they charge you $25 to make changes, but that's about the only complaint I have with them. Well, that and their customer service is next to impossible to get ahold of. I spent half an hour on hold to them yesterday, then sent an email and have yet to hear back. I'll be calling again in the morning. :/
> 
> Rue


They are not user friendly. I think I've got the process down now, but it definitely isn't as easy as Createspace.


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## bwcolborne (Jun 11, 2014)

ruecole said:


> One question: has anyone brought in books from IngramSpark before? Have you been hit with brokerage fees using them? According to their shipping information page, all taxes, duty, customs fees, etc. are included in the shipping fees when you use Canada Ground. I'll be calling them on Monday to verify that and will report back. Could be another advantage to using IS instead of CS!
> 
> Rue


Just had a shipment and didn't get any duty/brokerage fees from IS. although i wasn't home and the visiting in-laws might have just paid it and not told me...

unlikely.


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

bwcolborne said:


> Just had a shipment and didn't get any duty/brokerage fees from IS. although i wasn't home and the visiting in-laws might have just paid it and not told me...
> 
> unlikely.


Thanks, Brian! This gives me hope!  Still haven't got in touch with their customer service. I think I need to call earlier in the day to get through? :/



pdworkman said:


> They are not user friendly. I think I've got the process down now, but it definitely isn't as easy as Createspace.


Yes, there is definitely a STEEP learning curve there, but the quality of the books makes it worthwhile, in my opinion. Especially if it will save us on brokerage fees!

Rue


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## doolittle03 (Feb 13, 2015)

I saw a book on a free promotion that I wanted to download but was redirected to the .ca site--fine--I log in and instead of being brought to the book's product page, I had to search the .ca store to find it--which I didn't, of course. 

This makes me think I'm not getting my books in the hands of Canadians when I'm running free promos. I need to use the .ca link for any Canadian-specific promotions--would that solve the problem? I'm thinking of Canadian Bookbub specifically. I'd want the link to go directly to the freebie product page.

Seeing this in action explains so much about Canadian sales IMO. It's too inconvenient to log in and then have to go and search for the book. Just not going to happen. If our promotions don't reach the Canadian market seamlessly, it's tough to grow sales here.

/rant


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## @Suzanna (Mar 14, 2011)

I buy my Kindle books on the .com site. It annoys me to no end when authors use smart link urls that redirect Canadians to the .ca site. If I'm doing a one-click impulse buy and am redirected to the .ca site, I usually won't bother going to the .com site and looking up the book. The author has lost that sale.

Unfortunately, there are no easy answers when it comes to Canadian sales. I can tell you that I have two bookaholic sisters who go through ebooks like tissue paper - they're the quintessential voracious reader that all authors want for fans. Neither one uses amazon at all - they purchase their books from Kobo. :shrug:


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## pdworkman (Jan 17, 2015)

[tt]


~Suzanna~ said:


> 3486#msg3163486 date=1447977510]
> I buy my Kindle books on the .com site. It annoys me to no end when authors use smart link urls that redirect Canadians to the .ca site. If I'm doing a one-click impulse buy and am redirected to the .ca site, I usually won't bother going to the .com site and looking up the book. The author has lost that sale.


Yes, I find it annoying when authors use smart links that redirect me to the Canada site, but guess what, I still use them for my promos.

You don't have to search for the book if you land on the .ca site. Just click on your location bar, change the .ca to a .com, and press enter. Hey, presto, there you are. The opposite works if you land on the .com site and need the .ca, provided it is available for sale in Canada.


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## Anna_ (Jan 18, 2015)

I'm looking to create a simple, low cost website. I'm not technologically sophisticated to do my own. I see there are some kboarders who do it, but given the horrendous Canadian dollar right now, it's like paying double.

Does anyone know of any Canadian contacts that accept payment in Canadian dollars? I've looked locally and haven't found anything remotely affordable.


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## Kate Lowell (Apr 18, 2015)

Have you thought about doing Wordpress? Lots of themes, easy to work with, and if you go self-hosted, you have a choice of a lot of different plugins that you can use. It's not the same as being able to decide how everything will work, but it's a pretty good deal for really cheap. I use it for both my romance website and my sff website, despite the fact that I could probably have done one up for myself. But it's so nice to be able to say "I want it to snow on my website", install a plugin, and boom. 

Leaves a lot more time to write.


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## Steve Vernon (Feb 18, 2011)

Wordpress works well for me, as well - although it is easier to set up a Kindle Affiliate Widget on a Blogger website.


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## Anna_ (Jan 18, 2015)

Kate Lowell said:


> Have you thought about doing Wordpress? Lots of themes, easy to work with, and if you go self-hosted, you have a choice of a lot of different plugins that you can use. It's not the same as being able to decide how everything will work, but it's a pretty good deal for really cheap. I use it for both my romance website and my sff website, despite the fact that I could probably have done one up for myself. But it's so nice to be able to say "I want it to snow on my website", install a plugin, and boom.
> 
> Leaves a lot more time to write.


Was your website relatively easy to set up? I wouldn't know where to begin, but if it's not complicated, I'm sure I can figure it out.


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## Cal Lumney (Dec 8, 2015)

AnnaA204 said:


> I'm looking to create a simple, low cost website. I'm not technologically sophisticated to do my own. I see there are some kboarders who do it, but given the horrendous Canadian dollar right now, it's like paying double.
> 
> Does anyone know of any Canadian contacts that accept payment in Canadian dollars? I've looked locally and haven't found anything remotely affordable.


I know the principal behind Fusion Online (based in Regina) has done a lot of work in WordPress. http://www.fusiononline.ca/


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## Kate Lowell (Apr 18, 2015)

AnnaA204 said:


> Was your website relatively easy to set up? I wouldn't know where to begin, but if it's not complicated, I'm sure I can figure it out.


Amazingly easy. http://katelowell.com is the one I've spent the most time on. The theme I'm using is Coraline, which lets you have a main column, then one or two or no side colums, as you prefer. You can have the side columns anywhere you want as well. For plugins, I'm using Clair Ryan's Buy This Book Extended to display books (which is great, because you only have to make changes in one spot to have them propagate everywhere, but if you want a post to go to Facebook and have your images show up, then you need to insert images, etc, the regular way.) I have a plugin as well for the coming events that runs right from the Dashboard. (My header image is literally the bottom part of one of my books uploaded) And, of course, my oh so classy Christmas lights. The snow is pretty though. I really like this theme, it's very easy to work with and allows you to put an amazing amount of information on the screen.

http://katloe.com is a newer one. You can see I'm still coming up with content. The theme here is Gravida. I picked this one because it has a slider header and I wanted a different look. I'm not sure I like it, though, but if I find one I like better, I can just install and activate it and do some tweaking behind the scenes. So this one will probably change, but for now, it's not bad. I don't find it as intuitive a theme as Coraline to work with, but it's more visual, so I think it balances.

You're absolutely welcome to pester me with questions at [email protected] .  Or here. But I'm a hit or miss kboarder, so the email is likely more reliable.


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## Anna_ (Jan 18, 2015)

You're absolutely welcome to pester me with questions at [email protected] .  Or here. But I'm a hit or miss kboarder, so the email is likely more reliable.
[/quote]

Thank,you so much for the info. I'm going to tackle this today. And I appreciate you offering further help. I'll try not to bug you.


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## Midnight Whimsy (Jun 25, 2013)

Hey there fellow Canucks! Tax season is upon us and I'm having a miserable time finding an accountant who is familiar with authors, royalties, Amazon, and e-commerce. Can anyone recommend their accountant? At this point, I'm not as concerned with where they're located (within Canada) as I am with how much experience they have working with authors. Any suggestions welcome! Feel free to PM if that's better for you. 

Thank you!!
M.W


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## N. D. Iverson (Feb 1, 2016)

Albertan here! Not many of us that I can see... 

I won't have to deal with royalty taxes on my income this year (next year though ), but for next year, I was wondering if anyone had some really good resources for do-it-yourself taxes? Like a helpful website or blob post? I do my own Canadian taxes, but I am unfamiliar with adding US paid royalty taxes. 

Thanks!


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## Steve Vernon (Feb 18, 2011)

This might help some of you folks out there trying to figure all that US/Canada tax situation.

http://dianetibert.com/2014/11/07/update-on-canada-tax-information-with-the-united-states/


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## ShadyWolfBoy (Sep 23, 2015)

N. D. Iverson said:


> Albertan here! Not many of us that I can see...
> 
> I won't have to deal with royalty taxes on my income this year (next year though ), but for next year, I was wondering if anyone had some really good resources for do-it-yourself taxes? Like a helpful website or blob post? I do my own Canadian taxes, but I am unfamiliar with adding US paid royalty taxes.
> 
> Thanks!


If you file your W8 correctly, you shouldn't have any US paid taxes. If not, it's a line item you include in your 'unincorporated business income' section in your tax filing. Most tax software you see in Canada is pretty hold-your-hand on these topics and should be able to walk you through it.
I use UFile. Turbotax is a bit more non-accountant friendly.

If you're really not sure about what to do with it, this is one of the (very, very, *very* few) cases where I would recommend someone like H&R Block (just make sure that you aren't getting the base level people, as they would have no more idea than you!) Depending on where you are in Alberta, there are some people (Sandy Fitzpatrick of http://www.achieve-dreams.ca/ for example) who specialize in taxes for authors and creatives.

Mostly, its just a matter of running it through the sole proprietorship income section in the tax software and recording the income and expenses there. But every situation is unique and if you have concerns you should always consult a tax specialist on your specific case.


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## Midnight Whimsy (Jun 25, 2013)

Thanks for the suggestions! I did end up finding an accounting firm (mostly by fluke) that knew the drill and they'll be handling my taxes for 2015 and onward. Whew!

M.W


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## hunterone (Feb 6, 2013)

Sever Bronny said:


> Oooo, I'm a Canadian, eh!
> 
> But I got no tips really. Other than check is best. Oh and I used to know this clever way to get an ITIN number, but they changed their policies, so ...
> 
> ...


Sever how did you get your book in audio format if you are canadian? acx isn't open to canadians?


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## NoLongerPosting (Apr 5, 2014)

Removed due to site owner's change of TOS.


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## Heather Hamilton-Senter (May 25, 2013)

hunterone said:


> Sever how did you get your book in audio format if you are canadian? acx isn't open to canadians?


Joe Nobody offers a go between service through his company. There's a thread on kboards on it somewhere.


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## Steve Vernon (Feb 18, 2011)

Okay - so hands up - how many of you Canadian author's feel spoiled

http://www.savvybookwriters.com/canadian-writers-and-publishers-are-spoiled/


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## Some Random Guy (Jan 16, 2016)

Steve Vernon said:


> Okay - so hands up - how many of you Canadian author's feel spoiled
> 
> http://www.savvybookwriters.com/canadian-writers-and-publishers-are-spoiled/


*Doesn't raise his hand*

My numbers in Canada are also the worst of the five countries in which I have steady sales/borrows.


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

I benefit from PLRC cheques and Access Copyright, and given how many time my books are probably read for free, I feel I've earned the money. (By the way, a number of other countries offer a similar program). I write and edit 7 days a week between the day job, raising a family, and taking care of our home. I earn far below minimum wage.

I'm currently trying to get my rights back from my publisher who's not particularly interested in selling my books (I do more handselling than they do through stores) but she wants the books to sit in their warehouse apparently for years until she one day deems that they'r out of print. And yes, she benefits from Canada Council Grants, but I didn't get one penny in an advance. If I want to hand sell my books I have to buy them from her at at 40-50% discount on the Canadian price, which is undoubtedly higher than American trade paperbacks. I'm asked to attend many events for free, (publisher doesn't pay a dime for that either) and occasionally give workshops for a small fee, which works out to about $4 an hour in prep time.  So, no, I don't feel spoiled. But this is the life I chose. I do what I can with whatever time, energy and skill I have.

Americans have many more bookstores, libraries, conferences, and a U.S. postal address which makes doing business on Amazon easier. Nor do they have to pay the high postal costs and shipping charges that we do to have books shipped across the border. At the end of the day, I really don't think we're much better off. I'm sure I've missed some points. But really...is any writer who isn't James Patterson spoiled?


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## Steve Vernon (Feb 18, 2011)

I do know that I truly envy the amount of bookstores, libraries, conferences, festivals and reading opportunities that Southern Ontario has, compared to Nova Scotia. There is absolutely nowhere where I can go here in Nova Scotia to make an appearance as a horror author.


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## doolittle03 (Feb 13, 2015)

Steve Vernon said:


> Okay - so hands up - how many of you Canadian author's feel spoiled
> 
> http://www.savvybookwriters.com/canadian-writers-and-publishers-are-spoiled/


I think this explains why we have trouble reaching the Canadian market. These "perks" are great for trade publishers but Indie authors can't get in the door at the major (or minor) writers' festivals and book fairs. My trade publishing experience closely resembles Debra's and it's not one I want to repeat. Ever. But if I want to get into those book fairs and readings Steve is talking about I need a trade publisher. At least, that's been my experience since I jumped ship.


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

doolittle03 said:


> I think this explains why we have trouble reaching the Canadian market. These "perks" are great for trade publishers but Indie authors can't get in the door at the major (or minor) writers' festivals and book fairs. My trade publishing experience closely resembles Debra's and it's not one I want to repeat. Ever. But if I want to get into those book fairs and readings Steve is talking about I need a trade publisher. At least, that's been my experience since I jumped ship.


Yes, that's why I'm debating about whether to remain a hybrid author, but work with a more tech savvy traditional publisher. Self-publishing actually opens opportunities by selling my self-published books at local Christmas craft fairs. Some of them let me sell the traditional published books as well. Regardless of the type of event I attend, my business card features both series. The point is, that Canadians are still expected to do all of the work, as is true for Americans and anyone else. Hard to feel spoiled in that regard....


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## Sever Bronny (May 13, 2013)

I have absolutely nothing of value to add. I just love seeing our Canadian thread resurrected. *Cheers with maple syrup.* *Burps.* Well, it's been fun.


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## JVRudnick (Sep 12, 2014)

I'm with Sever here....like the thread to re-appear more often too!

Oh - and as long as the US buck is so strong compared to our Canuck loonie....I'm SO SO happy to get royalties !!!!


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## ShadyWolfBoy (Sep 23, 2015)

D.S. said:


> Given the current poor exchange rate going from CND to USD, can anyone recommend me a good Canadian cover artist?


I think we're booking into June or July at this point, but my wife does my covers and takes contracts as she's available:
jackgiesen.com/sci-fi-book-covers


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## Lisa Blackwood (Feb 1, 2015)

Waves to fellow Canadians. (Nothing important to add, either.) I just smile when I see this thread pop up every so often.


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## Penang (Jun 28, 2011)

My taxes are driving me crazy! I prefer to do my taxes myself because I need to file in both the US and CA, but Turbotax sucks, and H&R Bock is only mildly better.


----------



## ShadyWolfBoy (Sep 23, 2015)

Penang said:


> My taxes are driving me crazy! I prefer to do my taxes myself because I need to file in both the US and CA, but Turbotax sucks, and H&R Bock is only mildly better.


H&R Block is a bloody scam. Their front-line staff aren't trained to handle anything the average person can't handle with the interview mode of turbotax and a bit of will.

Once you're into self-employment income, though, the tax softwares aren't nearly as good and H&R Blockheads don't have a clue. I use UFile, personally, but that's because it does LESS hand-holding than Turbo (I'm a CGA, so the hand-holding irritates me).

If you can fumble through it with the tax software, you're probably best off. If not, try and find a local small business specialist. Much as it pains me to say it, you probably don't (unless you're a six-figure-plus author) need a designated accountant, just someone used to doing the self-employment section of a tax form.


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## Penang (Jun 28, 2011)

Glynn Stewart said:


> H&R Block is a bloody scam.  Their front-line staff aren't trained to handle anything the average person can't handle with the interview mode of turbotax and a bit of will.
> 
> Once you're into self-employment income, though, the tax softwares aren't nearly as good and H&R Blockheads don't have a clue. I use UFile, personally, but that's because it does LESS hand-holding than Turbo (I'm a CGA, so the hand-holding irritates me).
> 
> If you can fumble through it with the tax software, you're probably best off. If not, try and find a local small business specialist. Much as it pains me to say it, you probably don't (unless you're a six-figure-plus author) need a designated accountant, just someone used to doing the self-employment section of a tax form.


Yeah, I thought H&R was going to work better than Turbo tax, but now it's telling me I'm an immigrant and shouldn't report any of my foreign earned income (from my US job not my writing) except under some exemption. As much as I'd love how simple that would make things, I'm a returning citizen, not an immigrant. :/ I may just check out UFile. Thanks!


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## William Meikle (Apr 19, 2010)

Nothing to add ATM except to wave from Newfoundland, where it's still winter. It's always still winter...


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## Lisa Blackwood (Feb 1, 2015)

williammeikle said:


> Nothing to add ATM except to wave from Newfoundland, where it's still winter. It's always still winter...


You have my condolences.

I live in Southern Ontario and we didn't get winter these year (Not rubbing it in), but I always am like  when the news covers winter storms that slam you guys. It would cripple southern Ontario (well us country folk would dig ourselves out eventually, but Toronto would have to call in the army.)

The regularly scheduled Canadian's are Taxed to Death Show will now resume.


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## pdworkman (Jan 17, 2015)

williammeikle said:


> Nothing to add ATM except to wave from Newfoundland, where it's still winter. It's always still winter...


We had such a mild winter this year in Calgary that I'm not even sure we had one. Didn't often get below -10, and when I went to Raymond mid-February, the pussy willows were out! Crazy! Robins have been singing for a couple of weeks now.


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## SomethingClever (Mar 9, 2014)

Lisa_Blackwood said:


> You have my condolences.
> 
> I live in Southern Ontario and we didn't get winter these year (Not rubbing it in), but I always am like  when the news covers winter storms that slam you guys. It would cripple southern Ontario (well us country folk would dig ourselves out eventually, but Toronto would have to call in the army.)
> 
> The regularly scheduled Canadian's are Taxed to Death Show will now resume.


Where in Southern Ontario are you? I'm about 30 minutes away from Kitchener.

I have a writing group here, D.S. but if you're located in Toronto it would be a little far for you to go.


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## ShadyWolfBoy (Sep 23, 2015)

pdworkman said:


> We had such a mild winter this year in Calgary that I'm not even sure we had one. Didn't often get below -10, and when I went to Raymond mid-February, the [kitten] willows were out! Crazy! Robins have been singing for a couple of weeks now.


We put winter tires on one of the cars for the first time this year. Our fault.

(Such a weird winter)


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## doolittle03 (Feb 13, 2015)

pdworkman said:


> We had such a mild winter this year in Calgary that I'm not even sure we had one. Didn't often get below -10, and when I went to Raymond mid-February, the [kitten] willows were out! Crazy! Robins have been singing for a couple of weeks now.


Oh my gosh, that's so cute. They filtered out "blank" willows and replaced it with "kitten." My mind is too old to go there. We still have snow on the ground here in Quebec but the big anxiety is over maple syrup production. We need warm days and cold nights for the sap to run. Not that I ever go out, but that's what I hear.


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## Maia Sepp Ross (May 10, 2013)

Lisa_Blackwood said:


> ...but Toronto would have to call in the army.)


We manage ok, actually.


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## Edwin Downward (Apr 30, 2011)

Relative newcomer when it comes to paying attention to my kboards account. Stuck on the West Coast where we're still waiting for winter to arrive. Pathetic number of sub zero days and no snow below the mountain line. As for the tax question, the sales of my debut novel in 2015 have been so low I'm simply writing off the tax portion.


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## Steve Vernon (Feb 18, 2011)

We had a nice mild winter here in Nova Scotia. It's sprinkling today and about ten or twelve above zero. Almost Speedo weather.


Last winter we got hit so very hard. Our car was snowed in the first week of blizzards, right after we had bought new snow tires, and I was flat on my back with pneumonia. A week later I was feeling healthier but by then the snow had turned to ice and the car tires were frozen into about six or eight inches of ice. The car stayed there all winter long until last May. Rusted the bottom and needed body work and the danged snow tires didn't get a bit of use all winter long.

I'm ready for the deserts of New Mexico...


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## Andrew Dorn (Dec 30, 2015)

Hi, fellow Canadians and winter tire experts 

Last January 1st, I introduced myself to KBoards but missed this specific thread for Canadians. So to remedy that, here is the text I wrote on that cold day a few months ago...

Hi,

New KBoarder here. I didn't want to finish 2015 without joining your inspiring forums so here I am. First off, I discovered the Boards a few months ago and have learned a lot already just from hiding below decks, absorbing what I could. I hail from Montreal, aka the beautiful city with lousy weather //little wave to fellow Canadians and Tim Horton's devotees//. (Yes, we did get a foot of snow today, thanks for asking). 2 years ago I became a rather young semiretired guy (woohoo!) but with half-pay (doh). With a lot of time on my hands since I work 2.5 days a week, I decided to try my hand at creating an iOS game from scratch. After a year of effort, sinking countless hours learning Unity, Xcode, etc, I finally put my game on the app store... and made 15 fifteen bucks! Still, I learned something doing this. I learned I could finish a project that at first seemed daunting and second, that I enjoyed writing. For those of you wondering, the game was a text-based puzzle where you had to read a story and with the clues offered in the narrative, find the solution. I have since removed the game from the store but it lives on in my iPhone and perhaps a in few others as well (strangely enough most of my sales were in Sri Lanka!).

Since I had enjoyed the writing required for the game, much, much more than the programming or debugging, I decided to try my hand at writing a book. So I purchased Scrivener and started writing. I am now 30k in of my goal of 90k for my SF Adventure book. //Vulcan salute to all SF writers out there//. As you might have guessed, my goal with this new endeavor is to make more than 15 bucks (bwahaha) but also to be part of an ensemble of fellow artisans of the written form.

Thank you for plowing thru my long(ish) post and with this I bid you adieu, farewell!

Now that we are in April, my WIP is at almost 70K of a targeted 80K... but it still -6C in Montreal


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## edgeofspeech (Apr 9, 2016)

Hi there!

I just wanted to say hi *waves*. My husband and I are in Calgary. I'm definitely coming back to this thread to read all the pages at some point in the future. (but not before I've finished my tasks for the day, haha - I've spent my 60 minute kboards quota twofold already this morning)

Cheers,

E


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## pdworkman (Jan 17, 2015)

edgeofspeech said:


> Hi there!
> 
> I just wanted to say hi *waves*. My husband and I are in Calgary. I'm definitely coming back to this thread to read all the pages at some point in the future. (but not before I've finished my tasks for the day, haha - I've spent my 60 minute kboards quota twofold already this morning)
> 
> ...


I'm in Calgary too! Welcome!


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## ShadyWolfBoy (Sep 23, 2015)

pdworkman said:


> I'm in Calgary too! Welcome!


*waves* Must be something in the air around here?


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## LoriP (Jun 2, 2014)

Hi! *waves* I'm in Calgary too.


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## pdworkman (Jan 17, 2015)

Calgary writers, I go to the Just Write Calgary meetups just about every Saturday. If you're looking to get together with other Calgary writers, look for me there!

http://www.meetup.com/Just-Write-Calgary/


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## LoriP (Jun 2, 2014)

Great! Thanks! I don't know if I can swing it, but it's good to know about.

Is anyone going to Calgary's When Words Collide in August? (http://www.whenwordscollide.org/) I missed last year and am trying to figure out if I can swing it this year.


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## ShadyWolfBoy (Sep 23, 2015)

LorrainePaton said:


> Great! Thanks! I don't know if I can swing it, but it's good to know about.
> 
> Is anyone going to Calgary's When Words Collide in August? (http://www.whenwordscollide.org/) I missed last year and am trying to figure out if I can swing it this year.


I'll be on a few panels at WWC. It's a pretty quiet con, but its got a good self-publishing track and is mostly focused on writers.


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## BrentNichols (Mar 18, 2011)

> Is anyone going to Calgary's When Words Collide in August?


I'll be there. Look for the big nerdy guy. I love WWC.


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## LoriP (Jun 2, 2014)

I've been on panels at WWC in the past too (romance related topics)! It was fun. This year, I think I'd like to do more behind the scenes networking and chats. 

Maybe we should plan a kboards meet up for drinks or something?


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## pdworkman (Jan 17, 2015)

I haven't been to WWC. What's the audience like? The only people I've heard about it from are university students. 

Some of the panels that are still looking for speakers look interesting. What have your panels been like? Boost in visibility? Any books sales or new connections?

Do panelists still have to pay the registration fee?


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## NoLongerPosting (Apr 5, 2014)

Removed due to site owner's change of TOS.


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## ShadyWolfBoy (Sep 23, 2015)

pdworkman said:


> I haven't been to WWC. What's the audience like? The only people I've heard about it from are university students.
> 
> Some of the panels that are still looking for speakers look interesting. What have your panels been like? Boost in visibility? Any books sales or new connections?
> 
> Do panelists still have to pay the registration fee?


I've been a few times, several of my friends are on the organizing committee.

The audience seems to mostly be aspiring writers. It's primarily a craft convention for writers, as opposed to a convention for fans - much like KBoards in that sense.

I haven't done any panels prior to this year, so I'm not sure what benefit I'll get from doing the panels other than paying forward the advice and value I got previously.

I believe you have to be registered to even sign up for panels, but I'm not certain.


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## LoriP (Jun 2, 2014)

pdworkman said:


> I haven't been to WWC. What's the audience like? The only people I've heard about it from are university students.
> 
> Some of the panels that are still looking for speakers look interesting. What have your panels been like? Boost in visibility? Any books sales or new connections?
> 
> Do panelists still have to pay the registration fee?


There is a wide range of people and publishing experience. I know quite a few people who attend and my writing organization participates every year, so it is fun to hang out with friends for the weekend and talk about writing. One year a friend and I presented a pre-conference workshop on sexual tension on the Friday morning. That was my most successful participation in terms of sales / marketing benefits - I had several sign ups for my newsletter. The other panels I've sat on were fun and I still, sometimes years later, will have people coming up and chatting to me about a panel they saw me on but it hasn't translated into many sales. As Glynn says, there are a lot of writers and not as many readers. For me, it is more about networking and paying it back to the community. And, it is local and relatively inexpensive, which is nice. The last time I attended, panelists had to be registered for the conference.


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## pdworkman (Jan 17, 2015)

Thanks, guys. I'm thinking I'll probably register and maybe see about doing a couple of panels. Always good to make a few local contacts.

It's funny, because when I started going to organized 'writer stuff', I was still a teenager, and the adults were always making a big deal about how young I was and giving me advice as to what I should do. Having mostly raised my family and now publishing and going back to some organized events, I'm now an oldster. I went to see Veronica Roth at an event a year or two ago, and the audience was all teen girls. The local nano events and the writer's meet-up that I go to is almost entirely composed of university students, just a couple years older than my son. I feel like I time travelled here, because I don't feel any older!


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## Aero (Jan 17, 2014)

Opportunity to complete a government of Canada survey on Canadian creators (including authors). I specified the need to update the grant program to include self publishers.

http://canada.pch.gc.ca/eng/1460573328032/1460573377482


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## PAMELAH (Jul 3, 2015)

I see there are lots of people from Ontario and the west.  Are there any New Brunswickers? I would love to have a meet up with some like-minded souls. 

Pam


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## Genevieve Mckay (Jan 19, 2015)

Aero said:


> Opportunity to complete a government of Canada survey on Canadian creators (including authors). I specified the need to update the grant program to include self publishers.
> 
> http://canada.pch.gc.ca/eng/1460573328032/1460573377482


That was a great survey!! Very important questions. Thanks.


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## Kate Lowell (Apr 18, 2015)

Lol. They let you tell them you write books, then the rest of the darn thing is all about TV and Film. I actually wrote in one of the boxes that there was more to Canadian culture than film. Jeepers.

Sadly, I don't think this is going to make any difference to publishing here. It's not sexy enough, not like film.


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## Some Random Guy (Jan 16, 2016)

Kate Lowell said:


> Lol. They let you tell them you write books, then the rest of the darn thing is all about TV and Film. I actually wrote in one of the boxes that there was more to Canadian culture than film. Jeepers.
> 
> Sadly, I don't think this is going to make any difference to publishing here. It's not sexy enough, not like film.


The cynic in me is seeing this as them paving the way for a massive increase in the CBC's funding.


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## Margery Scott (Jul 13, 2011)

So glad to find this group. I'm a Canadian, too, bouncing between the Durham Region and Kawarthas.


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## MKK (Jun 9, 2015)

I never threw my hat in the ring...Ottawa area.


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## Chris Ifill (Jun 12, 2015)

I'm new to kboards as a whole. I'm glad I found this thread. I'm from Ottawa as well. Maybe us Ottawa users can meet up sometime?


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## Some Random Guy (Jan 16, 2016)

Ottawa - or as I like to call it, Sodom on the Rideau - here as well


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## MKK (Jun 9, 2015)

Yeah—maybe we should try and organize an Ottawa patio meet-up after the temperature goes above freezing for longer than twenty minutes.


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## KateSparkes (May 6, 2013)

Hey, Canadians! I have a question about GST, but I'm not sure whether I should post here or in a new thread. I guess I'll try here first and see if anyone sees it, then move on. 

Revenue Canada gave me a GST number (how nice of them), but I have no idea what I owe GST on, exactly. It's my understanding that Amazon.ca charges all taxes at point of purchase, correct? So we don't owe sales taxes on anything sold through them (or Kobo, etc). As I understand it, it's just owing on any paperbacks I sell personally.

I asked Revenue Canada when they called about giving me a number, and I tried KDP help, and no one has been able to answer this for me. I figured that authors are way smarter than either of them, so I'd see what you guys pay GST on if you have numbers.

Thanks so much!


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## SomethingClever (Mar 9, 2014)

Margery Scott said:


> So glad to find this group. I'm a Canadian, too, bouncing between the Durham Region and Kawarthas.


Margery! You're finally here! There's tons of great information here. You will get sucked in reading for hours.


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## Some Random Guy (Jan 16, 2016)

KateSparkes said:


> Hey, Canadians! I have a question about GST, but I'm not sure whether I should post here or in a new thread. I guess I'll try here first and see if anyone sees it, then move on.
> 
> Revenue Canada gave me a GST number (how nice of them), but I have no idea what I owe GST on, exactly. It's my understanding that Amazon.ca charges all taxes at point of purchase, correct? So we don't owe sales taxes on anything sold through them (or Kobo, etc). As I understand it, it's just owing on any paperbacks I sell personally.
> 
> ...


If a distributor like Amazon or Kobo is selling your books, then they collect and remit GST. If you're selling directly, then you're responsible for GST, but there's a threshold of $30,000 on worldwide sales before CRA expects you to collect and remit GST.


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## KateSparkes (May 6, 2013)

Eric Thomson said:


> If a distributor like Amazon or Kobo is selling your books, then they collect and remit GST. If you're selling directly, then you're responsible for GST, but there's a threshold of $30,000 on worldwide sales before CRA expects you to collect and remit GST.


Thanks, Eric! That answers my question SO much better than anyone else has in any official capacity. So if my personal sales (not through Amazon, etc) are only about $500, I shouldn't have to submit no matter what I sell through Amazon?


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## Margery Scott (Jul 13, 2011)

CindyCarroll said:


> Margery! You're finally here! There's tons of great information here. You will get sucked in reading for hours.


As if I don't get distracted enough <g>


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## Steve Vernon (Feb 18, 2011)

PAMELAH said:


> I see there are lots of people from Ontario and the west. Are there any New Brunswickers? I would love to have a meet up with some like-minded souls.
> 
> Pam


How about a Nova Scotia fellow?


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## ShadyWolfBoy (Sep 23, 2015)

KateSparkes said:


> Thanks, Eric! That answers my question SO much better than anyone else has in any official capacity. So if my personal sales (not through Amazon, etc) are only about $500, I shouldn't have to submit no matter what I sell through Amazon?


Eric said much what I would have said. With under $30,000 of GST-applicable sales (which would only include sales you made yourself, not sales through Amazon or Kobo), you did not need to apply for a GST number.

However. You said you already had one, which puts you in a fun boat: I believe you now DO need to file.

On the other hand, you now also get to _claim_ the GST on any expenses related to writing in Canada. This means:
1) Any expenses you are claiming against your income tax need to be reported net of GST.
2) The GST from those expenses should now be claimed on your GST return as 'Input Tax Credits' (ie, GST you spent to create the product you are selling)

Most likely, if you only have $500 in GST applicable sales, you will have more in ITCs than you owe in GST and will get a small cheque from the government.

(also note that a GST number will also help you to sell directly to local bookstores. A couple of stores around here won't talk to me without one).


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## hunterone (Feb 6, 2013)

7,000 today.


----------



## Terry Bon (Jun 27, 2014)

Hey there Canadians, Vancouver here. I can't find the answer to this but I'm pretty sure someone here can help me out. Do we need to include the 1042-S with our tax return? Or just keep it for our own records?


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## pdworkman (Jan 17, 2015)

Glynn Stewart said:


> However. You said you already had one, which puts you in a fun boat: I believe you now DO need to file.


You do have the option to call them and cancel it if you wish.


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## pdworkman (Jan 17, 2015)

Terry Bon said:


> Hey there Canadians, Vancouver here. I can't find the answer to this but I'm pretty sure someone here can help me out. Do we need to include the 1042-S with our tax return? Or just keep it for our own records?


I am not a tax consultant. Or anyone with any training at all. I did just finish filing my taxes. So it is fresh in my mind right now. 
(a) If you have reported the income already under self-employment income, don't report it twice. One place or the other, but not both. 
(b) If they withheld 30%, then I think you do want to claim those tax credits.


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## ShadyWolfBoy (Sep 23, 2015)

Terry Bon said:


> Hey there Canadians, Vancouver here. I can't find the answer to this but I'm pretty sure someone here can help me out. Do we need to include the 1042-S with our tax return? Or just keep it for our own records?


I am an accountant (or was, anyway) though not a tax specialist.

Unless you had tax withheld on those amounts, your Amazon 1042 is functionally useless to you. It reports in USD so has no easy comparability to your Canadian income. The amount you include in your self-employment income should be based on the actual CAD amounts that Amazon has paid you.
(Basically, pull your bank statements, total up the amount Amazon paid you over the year and put that in your T2125).

If you had tax withheld that you're claiming as an expense, you _may_ want to include the 1042 as proof of deduction. I'm not certain, though, so in that case you may want to find a local tax specialist.

In all cases, if you're unsure about anything with regards to your taxes you should either contact the CRA directly (their call center staff is pretty good at basic questions of 'do I need to send you this?') or retain a local tax specialist.


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## Terry Bon (Jun 27, 2014)

Thanks for the replies.

I figured as much, just wasn't sure if I needed to show that I earned US income. Guess that really doesn't matter.

I've had mixed experiences with calling the CRA. Most times they're good, but sometimes they're very much the opposite.


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## A.M.Offenwanger (Jan 27, 2016)

Hi all, BC person here (Okanagan Valley). I'm commenting so I can follow this thread (there's probably a button to do that, but I can't find it at the moment).

Oh, also wanting to let everyone know that I'm a newly-hatched editor, so if you're looking for a Canadian editor, I'm available - [email protected]

Angelica


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## Anna_ (Jan 18, 2015)

There is a thread about setting up a business account for your self-publishing career. As I'm ready to make the plunge and plan to do it this fall, what do my fellow Canadians recommend?

Have you set yourself up as a business? I'm assuming there are CRA forms to fill out. I have no idea where to begin other than setting up my US account with the RBC in Georgia.


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## ShadyWolfBoy (Sep 23, 2015)

AnnaA204 said:


> There is a thread about setting up a business account for your self-publishing career. As I'm ready to make the plunge and plan to do it this fall, what do my fellow Canadians recommend?
> 
> Have you set yourself up as a business? I'm assuming there are CRA forms to fill out. I have no idea where to begin other than setting up my US account with the RBC in Georgia.


Starting off, you basically need...umm... nothing.

Seriously.

Your Canadian tax ID can now be submitted to everyone except Smashwords for W8 purposes.
Your Canadian bank account can accept EFTs from all but two markets (I think? That's how many I don't get) from Amazon and everyone else will pay you via PayPal anyway. 
The exchange rate Amazon uses for their deposits is generally better than you would get bringing the money up to Canada yourself. The rate PayPal uses is painful, just hold that money there to pay USD expenses like advertising, cover artists and editors (who conveniently all take PayPal).

You DO need to track all of your revenue and expenses and keep receipts and keep track of your EFT deposits. The tax forms you get from Amazon are meaningless to you as they're in USD, what you have to report to CRA is your deposit amounts. You do this with a T2125 as part of your ordinary taxes (Ufile or Turbotax can both walk you through this form if you are eFiling. H&R Block might, but if you do hire someone, I'd suggest finding an actual tax specialist, preferably with small business experience).

If you want to keep things separate, set up a second personal chequing or saving account with your bank to start and hook that up to Amazon. 
You can also get an 'Operating As' trade name from your registry relatively easily, but this isn't necessary.

I made over a hundred grand before I set up the corporation. So long as you keep solid records, you don't need to do any real set up now, and only a little bit of extra work come tax time.

(Note: I am an accountant, but everyone's individual tax situation is different. If you have particular concerns or issues regarding your own situation, always consult a professional on your specific needs)


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## Anna_ (Jan 18, 2015)

Glynn Stewart said:


> Starting off, you basically need...umm... nothing.
> 
> Seriously.


Thank you, Glynn.

It's nice to have an accountant on the Canadian side of things! 

As for setting up the personal account, it may have been in this thread or another that suggested setting up the US RBC account because Amazon tends to fudge the exchange rate. I'm not sure that's true, but that was sole reason for setting up the US account.


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## ShadyWolfBoy (Sep 23, 2015)

AnnaA204 said:


> Thank you, Glynn.
> 
> It's nice to have an accountant on the Canadian side of things!
> 
> As for setting up the personal account, it may have been in this thread or another that suggested setting up the US RBC account because Amazon tends to fudge the exchange rate. I'm not sure that's true, but that was sole reason for setting up the US account.


I've heard this before and I have no idea where it comes from. In two and a half years of watching Amazon's rates, they've generally been exactly where I would expect them or slightly to my advantage.

They've definitely been better than you'll get from your bank!


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## Rayven T. Hill (Jul 24, 2013)

Glynn Stewart said:


> I've heard this before and I have no idea where it comes from. In two and a half years of watching Amazon's rates, they've generally been exactly where I would expect them or slightly to my advantage.
> 
> They've definitely been better than you'll get from your bank!


I reported on this in February 2014.

http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,179076.msg2523997.html

At that time, there was a 4-5% loss via EFT. That's just about 2-1/2 years ago, so perhaps they fixed things up about the time you starting monitoring it. I opted in to checks at that time rather than take the loss, and I haven't looked at it since.

If anyone is now getting U.S. sales via EFT, I'd be interested in knowing the exchange rate Amazon is giving you. I'd like to compare it against the current sell rate. As of today, it's 1.2625%.


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## SomethingClever (Mar 9, 2014)

Nothing to see here. Post removed because I don't agree with the changes VerticalScope made to the TOS, without notification, which are overreaching and troublesome.


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## Michael Chatfield (May 16, 2016)

Rayven T. Hill said:


> I reported on this in February 2014.
> 
> http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,179076.msg2523997.html
> 
> ...


I looked through my rates an my highest came out at 1.45, lowest 1.25. Definitely better than a bank, I know CIBC is something like .05 or higher ontop of Amazon's exchange rate, I think Scotia bank is similiar


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## editorialeyes (May 8, 2016)

Go Canada! Great to see so many active indie authors here  I'm from Winnipeg originally but haved called Toronto home for nearly a decade, with family spread out across northern Ontario and a long-lost branch somewhere in Newfoundland. Gonna have to go visit those guys some time.


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## Michael Chatfield (May 16, 2016)

Glynn Stewart said:


> Starting off, you basically need...umm... nothing.
> 
> Seriously.
> 
> ...


To add, in September all our payments from Amazon will be done by EFT.
Also, and this is a personal note, take from it what you will. 
I set up a sole proprietor business with the Onatrio government (registration is $60 for 5 years or something like that) this allows you to get a GST/HST number which you can then use to claim back on expenses (From laptops, keyboards, those adverts you ran, to that cellphone you check your books on). 
If you do not have a Sole Propreitership, or a Corporation as Glynn does, then I don't believe you can claim on expenses. For the love of all things holy, CLAIM EXPENSES, they can reduce the amount of tax you pay. If you start claiming them one year but not the first two years of operations, CRA will probably like to have a looksie at your books.


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## ShadyWolfBoy (Sep 23, 2015)

michaelchatfield said:


> To add, in September all our payments from Amazon will be done by EFT.
> Also, and this is a personal note, take from it what you will.
> I set up a sole proprietor business with the Onatrio government (registration is $60 for 5 years or something like that) this allows you to get a GST/HST number which you can then use to claim back on expenses (From laptops, keyboards, those adverts you ran, to that cellphone you check your books on).
> If you do not have a Sole Propreitership, or a Corporation as Glynn does, then I don't believe you can claim on expenses. For the love of all things holy, CLAIM EXPENSES, they can reduce the amount of tax you pay. If you start claiming them one year but not the first two years of operations, CRA will probably like to have a looksie at your books.


I don't know Ontario tax and business set up, but the CRA does NOT require you to register anything to act as a sole proprietor and claim expenses. 
(a quick google suggests what Michael is paying is the 'Operating As' registration fee. This allows you to use a business name instead of your own for your operations.)

Your income from the various vendors is not GST applicable (the vendors are responsible for collecting it at point of sale) so you do not need a GST/HST number unless you have $30,000 of direct book sales (though local bookstores will usually require one for their own purposes)

The CRA will simply require you to file a form T2125 including your income and expenses (those laptops, adverts, etc, etc) and pay taxes on the difference.


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## ShadyWolfBoy (Sep 23, 2015)

Rayven T. Hill said:


> I reported on this in February 2014.
> 
> http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,179076.msg2523997.html
> 
> ...


Let's see how this comes through:

Now, I'm pulling end of month mid-market rates since I don't have exact payment dates in my files. For most of these, Amazon is well within the normal trading band, and significantly better than either of my banks (which are usually 5 to 6 cents below the mid-market rate).
Variance from the month end rates is usually under 2, and has occasionally been in our favor.

They may have been chopping at one point, but I've seen NO evidence of it in the years I've been tracking the data. My banks chop a LOT more off when I deposit checks.

(also as was pointed out up-thread, as of September, I don't believe Amazon is offering a check option in Canada)

Year	Month	Currency Rate Month End rate Per Bank of Canada 
2015	1	USD 1.24196 1.27170 2.34%
2015	2	USD 1.24414 1.25080 0.53%
2015	3	USD 1.24455 1.26830 1.87%
2015	4	USD 1.20449 1.21190 0.61%
2015	5	USD 1.23965 1.24650 0.55%
2015	6	USD 1.22826 1.24740 1.53%
2015	7	USD 1.29919 1.30470 0.42%
2015	8	USD 1.31977 1.32230 0.19%
2015	9	USD 1.32766 1.33940 0.88%
2015	10	USD 1.32127 1.30830 -0.99%
2015	11	USD 1.32546 1.33330 0.59%
2015	12	USD 1.38051 1.38400 0.25%
2016	1	USD 1.40558 1.40800 0.17%
2016	2	USD 1.35124 1.35230 0.08%
2016	3	USD 1.32447 1.29710 -2.11%
2016	4	USD 1.25454 1.25490 0.03%


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## Glenna (Dec 1, 2014)

Glynn Stewart,  when you incorporated, did the Corp have to purchase from you titles published before incorporating, in order to receive corporation tax rates on those titles?  Mark Dawson mentioned this was an issue in the UK. and used it as a point supporting incorporating from the beginning - he said,  "plan to succeed."


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

Glynn Stewart said:


> Let's see how this comes through:
> 
> Now, I'm pulling end of month mid-market rates since I don't have exact payment dates in my files. For most of these, Amazon is well within the normal trading band, and significantly better than either of my banks (which are usually 5 to 6 cents below the mid-market rate).
> Variance from the month end rates is usually under 2, and has occasionally been in our favor.
> ...


Not sure where you got the rate on the left, but the exchange rate that KDP was posting in the reports didn't match the money that was actually being deposited. You need to pull up your deposits and compare those to see if they match or not.

I opened an RBC Georgia account back before EFT was even offered to Canada, so I haven't experienced it myself. But enough KDPers have posted about that I always recommend getting either an RBC Georgia account or one offered by tone of he other banks (BMO, TD) just so you have more control of your payments.

Rue


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## ShadyWolfBoy (Sep 23, 2015)

ruecole said:


> Not sure where you got the rate on the left, but the exchange rate that KDP was posting in the reports didn't match the money that was actually being deposited. You need to pull up your deposits and compare those to see if they match or not.
> 
> I opened an RBC Georgia account back before EFT was even offered to Canada, so I haven't experienced it myself. But enough KDPers have posted about that I always recommend getting either an RBC Georgia account or one offered by tone of he other banks (BMO, TD) just so you have more control of your payments.
> 
> Rue


That is the exact rate that was deposited in my account. I've never even looked at what KDP reports for that number.

You're all welcome to your own decisions, but I've never seen ANY data to support the claim that the exchange rate is being manipulated by Amazon. It may have been true once, but at this point it's pretty clearly a myth. Amazon's rates are better than my bank offers, which is why I haven't bothered with a USD account. (I use RBC for this and their USD deposit exchange rate is basically robbery).


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## ShadyWolfBoy (Sep 23, 2015)

Glenna said:


> Glynn Stewart, when you incorporated, did the Corp have to purchase from you titles published before incorporating, in order to receive corporation tax rates on those titles? Mark Dawson mentioned this was an issue in the UK. and used it as a point supporting incorporating from the beginning - he said, "plan to succeed."


Technically, there was a verbal purchase agreement between myself and the corporation (represented by myself) with regards to the transfer of ownership, including unpaid royalties, as at a specific date in exchange for shares in the corporation.

The UK may require a more formal document (and I could certainly draft something up here if I needed it) but that's certainly not a requirement I'm aware of under Canadian law.


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

Glynn Stewart said:


> That is the exact rate that was deposited in my account. I've never even looked at what KDP reports for that number.
> 
> You're all welcome to your own decisions, but I've never seen ANY data to support the claim that the exchange rate is being manipulated by Amazon. It may have been true once, but at this point it's pretty clearly a myth. Amazon's rates are better than my bank offers, which is why I haven't bothered with a USD account. (I use RBC for this and their USD deposit exchange rate is basically robbery).


It would be awesome if they've quit doing it. I just wanted to be sure you were comparing your actual bank deposits and not the deposits reported by KDP because the latter numbers would seem to match the Bank of Canada rates, but the former would not and hence the discrepancy.

Rue


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## Anna_ (Jan 18, 2015)

Glynn Stewart said:


> That is the exact rate that was deposited in my account. I've never even looked at what KDP reports for that number.
> 
> You're all welcome to your own decisions, but I've never seen ANY data to support the claim that the exchange rate is being manipulated by Amazon. It may have been true once, but at this point it's pretty clearly a myth. Amazon's rates are better than my bank offers, which is why I haven't bothered with a USD account. (I use RBC for this and their USD deposit exchange rate is basically robbery).


I appreciate all your information! I'll say it again, it's nice to have someone Canadian who has accounting information that applies to us.


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## Rayven T. Hill (Jul 24, 2013)

ruecole said:


> It would be awesome if they've quit doing it. I just wanted to be sure you were comparing your actual bank deposits and not the deposits reported by KDP because the latter numbers would seem to match the Bank of Canada rates, but the former would not and hence the discrepancy.
> 
> Rue


I hope you're right. Since they are forcing us all to use EFT starting in September, I am assuming they have it ironed out. When I contacted them 2+ years ago, they said they were aware of the problem at that time and were working on it. Perhaps they fixed it, since Glynn says there's been no problem lately.

It's easy enough to prove. For anyone getting paid by EFT, the money should hit your account in the next couple of days. Multiply the U.S. amount by the bank's current client sell rate, and see if it matches the deposit.


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## Glenna (Dec 1, 2014)

Glynn Stewart said:


> Technically, there was a verbal purchase agreement between myself and the corporation (represented by myself) with regards to the transfer of ownership, including unpaid royalties, as at a specific date in exchange for shares in the corporation.
> 
> The UK may require a more formal document (and I could certainly draft something up here if I needed it) but that's certainly not a requirement I'm aware of under Canadian law.


 Thanks. This does seems a viable option, although I'm still thinking to incorporate from the start.


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## britrocker (May 16, 2011)

Rayven T. Hill said:


> I hope you're right. Since they are forcing us all to use EFT starting in September, I am assuming they have it ironed out. When I contacted them 2+ years ago, they said they were aware of the problem at that time and were working on it. Perhaps they fixed it, since Glynn says there's been no problem lately.
> 
> It's easy enough to prove. For anyone getting paid by EFT, the money should hit your account in the next couple of days. Multiply the U.S. amount by the bank's current client sell rate, and see if it matches the deposit.


I can tell you there has been a problem at least for me this month.

1. Every month I receive PAYMENT NOTIFICATIONS via email by around 20-25th ( this month i didn't)
2. Every month I can see the amounts that will be deposited into my account listed under REPORTS>PAYMENTS with the date of when they will arrive and the word PENDING before they go into my account ( this month i didn't)

I emailed support they never replied in 3 days.

After contacting JEFF BEZOS at the end of the 3rd day ( yesterday )

I finally got an email back on the 4th day with an answer that they process payments every 60 days and they are going to process the payment into my account in the first week of JUNE because the 31st is the last day of the month ( yes you heard me right, the first week of JUNE) Never has that happened to me.

I always have it arrive on the 29th or 30 or 31st ( it never arrives in the following month )

But regardless what is really concerning me is that.

Yet this month they have screwed something up because today is the 29th and as it stands I still DO NOT see the amounts i am owed for March listed under reports>payments as pending. There is nothing there.

I am keen to know if other Canadians have received their income for march yet or if there are some of you still waiting? AND if you are still waiting did you receive payment notification emails and do you see the amounts under reports>payments?

As my answer is NO to all three.

I think JEFF may have asked them to contact me but even when they did they never answered me about WHY i had NOT received payment notifications this month or WHY i don't have the amounts i am owed showing under reports>payments. Those amounts ALWAYS appear BEFORE payment into my bank they are not showing.

So even though i haven't been paid yet. I should still be seeing them under my account. I'm not. I only see them inside the excel file under prior months.

This is very concerning.


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## Michael Chatfield (May 16, 2016)

britrocker said:


> I am keen to know if other Canadians have received their income for march yet or if there are some of you still waiting? AND if you are still waiting did you receive payment notification emails and do you see the amounts under reports>payments?


Right now in payments on KDP I'm getting 'Pending confirmation from Bank'. Not sure what's going on here... Checked my accounts and no deposit has been shown. It might be done in the next three days so I'm not that worried. I'll let you know if it doesn't go through.


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## Rayven T. Hill (Jul 24, 2013)

britrocker said:


> I am keen to know if other Canadians have received their income for march yet or if there are some of you still waiting? AND if you are still waiting did you receive payment notification emails and do you see the amounts under reports>payments?


I received my EFT notifications on the 20th and the amount under reports>payments showed up at the same time. The check notification appeared in my account a couple of days later, and I assume the check is in the mail. The EFT payments always happens on the 29th if it's a weekday. Today is Sunday, so I won't know until tomorrow for sure.

Hope you get your problem straightened out.


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## ShadyWolfBoy (Sep 23, 2015)

My dashboard says the 29th. Historically that means it will show up the next day.

My account already shows the CAD payment (which always arrives first) with a date stamp of May 30, so that's when I expect to be paid.


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## britrocker (May 16, 2011)

michaelchatfield said:


> Right now in payments on KDP I'm getting 'Pending confirmation from Bank'. Not sure what's going on here... Checked my accounts and no deposit has been shown. It might be done in the next three days so I'm not that worried. I'll let you know if it doesn't go through.


At least you can see a PENDING. I don't even have a pending. I never received payment notifications via email either. Yet in my excel file its clear that i am owed money.


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## TheLemontree (Sep 12, 2015)

Apparently it's a holiday weekend in the states, so a few payments are still 'pending' over the weekend, rather than just being paid.

I've received my Amazon US and Createspace income, but payments from CA and UK are pending.


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## Lisa Blackwood (Feb 1, 2015)

As mentioned earlier, being a holiday weekend in the states, I'm not that worried. But it's curious that my CA one came through already with no issue, but everything else is still 'Waiting on info from bank'. [Or some such wording] Yet, Lemontree, you already received your US royalties?

I know trying to apply logic to Amazon is, well, pointless...but still. I would have thought everyone would get/or not get their payment at the same time if they lived in the same country.


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

I've got an RBC Georgia account, and I haven't got my payment yet (any of them). It's a holiday in the US today, so things are going to move slower. Plus it will depend on your bank here in Canada, too. Some will process earlier than others.

Hope that helps!

Rue


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## TheLemontree (Sep 12, 2015)

I have a US bank account, so will be different to those getting payment by international eft.


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## Rayven T. Hill (Jul 24, 2013)

Lisa_Blackwood said:


> As mentioned earlier, being a holiday weekend in the states, I'm not that worried. But it's curious that my CA one came through already with no issue, but everything else is still 'Waiting on info from bank'. [Or some such wording] Yet, Lemontree, you already received your US royalties?
> 
> I know trying to apply logic to Amazon is, well, pointless...but still. I would have thought everyone would get/or not get their payment at the same time if they lived in the same country.


My status is currently the same as yours - Canadian funds received, the rest awaiting information. TheLemontree is from New Zealand, where Amazon may do things with a different timing.


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## britrocker (May 16, 2011)

ruecole said:


> I've got an RBC Georgia account, and I haven't got my payment yet (any of them). It's a holiday in the US today, so things are going to move slower. Plus it will depend on your bank here in Canada, too. Some will process earlier than others.
> 
> Hope that helps!
> 
> Rue


Same here I haven't got mine yet and its the 31st. I have contacted Amazon because i also don't see mine listed under payments and i never got payment notification emails. I heard back from a rep yesterday who is looking into it for me. I'm hoping i hear back today. Frustrating really that some Canadians have received theirs while others haven't.


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## Michael Chatfield (May 16, 2016)

Has anyone experimented with audio books here? 
As ACX is unavailable to us have you tried any other services? What was your experience like?


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## ImaWriter (Aug 12, 2015)

michaelchatfield said:


> Has anyone experimented with audio books here?
> As ACX is unavailable to us have you tried any other services? What was your experience like?


There is a workaround for us. Check out this thread. http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,173413.0.html


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## MJ Stark (Jun 24, 2016)

Happy to connect with other Canadian authors! I'm just getting started with the whole Kindle thing - publishing my first book next week.

I'm currently in Ottawa, but will be returning to Vancouver next year. 

Nice to meet you all!


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## Renard (Jun 21, 2016)

New to kboards, and saw this thread so I thought I'd do the intro here. Just published the first book in a series that's set in Vancouver, and it annoyed me to know end that I couldn't shake the feeling I might be running the risk of alienating US readers by not setting in a more cliche American city. Just another part of the Canadian writer adventure, I suppose.


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## Rayven T. Hill (Jul 24, 2013)

MarkFeenstra said:


> New to kboards, and saw this thread so I thought I'd do the intro here. Just published the first book in a series that's set in Vancouver, and it annoyed me to know end that I couldn't shake the feeling I might be running the risk of alienating US readers by not setting in a more cliche American city. Just another part of the Canadian writer adventure, I suppose.


Nothing to worry about. Mine are set in small town/city, Ontario, and no one complains. Their biggest complaint is that my PIs don't carry weapons.


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## Renard (Jun 21, 2016)

beep boop


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## Lisa Blackwood (Feb 1, 2015)

MarkFeenstra said:


> New to kboards, and saw this thread so I thought I'd do the intro here. Just published the first book in a series that's set in Vancouver, and it annoyed me to know end that I couldn't shake the feeling I might be running the risk of alienating US readers by not setting in a more cliche American city. Just another part of the Canadian writer adventure, I suppose.


Hi,

I'm just getting ready to relaunch my one series (it's Urban Fantasy) that takes place in small town Ontario, a few hours north of Toronto, and 98% of my readers are American. I tried not to hit them over the head with Canadianisms, but overall they were fine with the location. However, the Canadian spelling bugged the cr*p out of them, so I switched to American English and have an American editor going over it again before I promote the relaunch. Other than the spelling, they seemed okay with everything else. Interestingly enough, I couldn't even give books away in Canada. (I'm exclusive to Amazon and I think most/lots of Canadians read using Kobo and Ibooks more than kindle.

So really, it's a YMMV kind of thing. But good luck and have fun.


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## Lisa Blackwood (Feb 1, 2015)

MarkFeenstra said:


> Good to hear. Which town? I grew up in Hamilton.


Do you know Dunnville by chance? I work in a library here and am familiar with your last name.


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## Rayven T. Hill (Jul 24, 2013)

MarkFeenstra said:


> Good to hear. Which town? I grew up in Hamilton.


Richmond Hill. But I've taken great geographical liberty. And like Lisa, I use strictly American spelling and no Canadianisms. My editor and proofreader is American on purpose.


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## Renard (Jun 21, 2016)

beep boop


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## Lisa Blackwood (Feb 1, 2015)

MarkFeenstra said:


> I know Dunnville by name, but I can't say I've spent any time there. I don't have a lot of family in that region either.
> 
> On the spelling thing, I made the decision early to stick with American spelling. I've worked with enough American clients on other projects to have learned that it just seems like the smartest thing to do for me.


Figured the world probably wasn't that small, but thought I should ask.

And yeah, wish I had done American spelling form the get-go. Live and learn.


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## MJ Stark (Jun 24, 2016)

I have a question for everyone! What style of English do you write in? I've always just written with Canadian spelling, but given that Kindle US is so huge... does it make sense to cater to that audience?


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## doolittle03 (Feb 13, 2015)

I write in British/Canadian for those settings and American spellings for books set in the US. Most of my sales are in the US and no complaints so far. 

But my big AHA! moment today was to lower the prices of my books for the Canadian market. What a dope. I had set them to the USD because it was easy and never thought about it. The prices were WAY too high for Canada. I hope this jogs Canadians into summer reading.
Why oh why is it so hard to reach them?


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## MJ Stark (Jun 24, 2016)

doolittle03 said:


> I write in British/Canadian for those settings and American spellings for books set in the US. Most of my sales are in the US and no complaints so far.
> 
> But my big AHA! moment today was to lower the prices of my books for the Canadian market. What a dope. I had set them to the USD because it was easy and never thought about it. The prices were WAY too high for Canada. I hope this jogs Canadians into summer reading.
> Why oh why is it so hard to reach them?


Brilliant - thanks for the input! Makes perfect sense.

However - tricky little situation with my romance I'll be uploading this week. It's set in modern day Seattle, but then she travels to Scotland and falls in love with a man living in an ancient Highlander village (think Amish). It's sort of 50/50 US and UK. SO US English? UK English? I'm inclined to stick with US - but their spelling just seems SO DAMN WRONG to me. haha


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## Renard (Jun 21, 2016)

doolittle03 said:


> But my big AHA! moment today was to lower the prices of my books for the Canadian market. What a dope. I had set them to the USD because it was easy and never thought about it. The prices were WAY too high for Canada. I hope this jogs Canadians into summer reading.
> Why oh why is it so hard to reach them?


I did this too. An acquaintance launched a book earlier this year when our dollar was really terrible, and I was shocked to see that $4.99 equated to $6.99 in the Canadian store. I made a mental note to always price match Canadian books since that's where my face to face network is.


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## doolittle03 (Feb 13, 2015)

MJ Stark said:


> However - tricky little situation with my romance I'll be uploading this week. It's set in modern day Seattle, but then she travels to Scotland and falls in love with a man living in an ancient Highlander village (think Amish). It's sort of 50/50 US and UK. SO US English? UK English? I'm inclined to stick with US - but their spelling just seems SO DAMN WRONG to me. haha


I'd go with the American spelling in this case. Sounds like a great book! We're sort of hybrid up here. I prefer "realize" to "realise" but "color" is just wrong to me.

Hi Mark! My books were at 6.99 USD which became 9.99 CAD in some places. I changed it at D2D, KDP and GP. The longer I do this this, the more I think like a publisher. I'm going to adjust Australian and New Zealand prices as well.


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## Chris Ifill (Jun 12, 2015)

Would anyone have interest in putting together some kind of "Stores on the Go" style of book with it being Canadian Authors?


----------



## Renard (Jun 21, 2016)

doolittle03 said:


> I'm going to adjust Australian and New Zealand prices as well.


That's my next step. I'm running a scaled pricing launch this week, then I'm going to adjust those markets down to a reasonable price for their dollar.


----------



## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

I'm a Canadian publisher, therefore I use Canadian spelling. Outside of critiquers I've never had a complaint about the spelling.

Rue


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## pdworkman (Jan 17, 2015)

I use American spellings and avoid Canadianisms as much as possible. My betas catch some of the stuff that I don't ("what does that mean?") 

Most of my books are set in USA rather than Canada. One is set in Canada, and my biggest challenge was writing about the weather in a way that was equally understandable to US/Canadians without having to make temperature conversions!

I always price match my Canadian and Australian prices to my US.


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## 鬼 (Sep 30, 2012)

Lisa_Blackwood said:


> Do you know Dunnville by chance? I work in a library here and am familiar with your last name.


Dunnville? You're pretty close to me. St. Catharines. Do you know Gord Rollo, by any chance? He's from Dunnville.


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## cggaudet (Apr 27, 2016)

Hi Jen! Welcome! (Though since I'm new to this board too, I don't know if I'm the best welcoming committee. haha)

Congrats on getting the books you have out there and good luck with your future book. I just want to say, my thoughts on American vs. Canadian spelling is you should probably use the spelling most comfortable for your buyers. Especially if your book is going to be based in the US. I know, I'm resistant to US spelling sometimes too, but people might see it as errors if they aren't used to the different spelling. Anyway, just my two cents. (Not that we have those anymore.)

Also, hi everyone! I'm Christina from Prince Edward Island. Nice to meet you.


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## Sever Bronny (May 13, 2013)

Welcome, Jen!

I'd advise using American spelling, since that's where the majority of sales usually come from. Kobo owns a big chunk of the Canadian market anyhow. I've never had a problem with it, since Canadians are so used to reading American spelling anyway


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## editorialeyes (May 8, 2016)

Happy Canada Day, everyone!


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## pdworkman (Jan 17, 2015)

Happy Canada Day!

If you're looking for some new books and prizes, check out the Crazy Canuck Blog Hop today!

https://pdworkman.com/crazy-canuck-blog-hop-summer-is-short-on-the-prairies/

And I have a giveaway going on with Canadiana prizes:

https://pdworkman.com/giveaways/prairies/


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## doolittle03 (Feb 13, 2015)

Just got back from our small town Canada Day parade and the Snow Birds flew over. Still thrilling! We're just north of Ottawa and they take time out to pass over our fete every year. Happy Canada Day, guys. Nice pic of our PM editorialeyes!


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## because (Jul 9, 2014)

Happy Canada Day, folks! 

We're been having rain/sunshine moments in Toronto all day so far. Have a great weekend, everyone.


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## tommy gun (May 3, 2015)

Been forever since I read the thread..... but I don't have time to read all of it!  
MUST WRITE!

and figure out audio books and is it worthwhile to go to an event with books?  Argh.  Not enough time in the day.

'waves bye'


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## Megan Crewe (Oct 8, 2015)

Hello all! I'm hoping to get a question answered by a fellow Canadian who's used Ingram Spark. I noticed when I was checking pricing to order copies for myself that the IS website automatically charges me taxes. Does that mean they're collecting taxes on behalf of customs, and I won't have to worry about an additional customs fee when the package arrives?

I'm guessing that's the case and not that they're randomly charging me US taxes, but I wanted to make sure.


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## Dragon (May 9, 2016)

I can't tell you how glad I am to have found this thread. I have mostly short stories to my name, no reams and reams of novels like some, but I'm okay with that. For years, I was chasing after the dream of having a raft of short stories published by magazines and so forth. Enough of that. Besides, most of my short stories seem to be growing into works much bigger, so that's what I've been working on.

So here's my thoughts that are keeping me up at night...the writing related ones anyway.
- we've all been advised to 'aim wide' with distribution. But I've read that even to use Smashwords we need to get a tax identifier number. There's no way my sales are going to be anywhere near thousands a month at any time soon. I'll be lucky if I sell a hundred copies a month. (A hard fact that frustrates me constantly) Do I still need that number, for all the crap I'm going to have to wade through to make it feasible?
-how in the world is an author living below the poverty line supposed to make it in this flooded world? I'm all for hard work, I have no problem with putting in the time, I've already been writing and working on improving my work for years. I believe in my stories and my characters, but if it comes down to paying my power bill (and we all know how high those can get!) or paying for a professional cover...the power bill is gonna win. So I've been putting in the time and effort to learn what makes a standout cover. Paying attention to what catches my eye, what makes up a genre-appropriate image, and what readers in my genre are now sick of seeing. 

So with all that said, what do YOU recommend a fellow Canuck do to make a splash in this huge ocean of fiction?


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## JVRudnick (Sep 12, 2014)

Have to say your post is so much a downer...when the answer is -- to write!

If you don't do that, then quit now....either you're a writer or not...let your Muse decide...all else will fall into place...

Least that's how I see it!


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## Dragon (May 9, 2016)

JVRudnick said:


> Have to say your post is so much a downer...when the answer is -- to write!
> 
> If you don't do that, then quit now....either you're a writer or not...let your Muse decide...all else will fall into place...
> 
> Least that's how I see it!


I'm writing! I'm writing!


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## ShadyWolfBoy (Sep 23, 2015)

Dragon said:


> - we've all been advised to 'aim wide' with distribution. But I've read that even to use Smashwords we need to get a tax identifier number. There's no way my sales are going to be anywhere near thousands a month at any time soon. I'll be lucky if I sell a hundred copies a month. (A hard fact that frustrates me constantly) Do I still need that number, for all the crap I'm going to have to wade through to make it feasible?
> -how in the world is an author living below the poverty line supposed to make it in this flooded world? I'm all for hard work, I have no problem with putting in the time, I've already been writing and working on improving my work for years. I believe in my stories and my characters, but if it comes down to paying my power bill (and we all know how high those can get!) or paying for a professional cover...the power bill is gonna win. So I've been putting in the time and effort to learn what makes a standout cover. Paying attention to what catches my eye, what makes up a genre-appropriate image, and what readers in my genre are now sick of seeing.


I'm not good at sweeping writing advice, but I can touch on these two points pretty directly.

1) the 'tax identification number' you need for Smashwords and Amazon and everywhere else is your Canadian SIN. 
... well, everywhere except Smashwords who haven't caught up to that three-year-old change in US law yet. Use Draft2Digital instead. They have some flaws, but overall are a better service if you're pinching your pennies and your time.

2) It sounds like you're following exactly the right path on the covers. GIMP, royalty-free images, lots of study and lots of practice.
In terms of general writing advice, studying your genre's books the way you're studying the covers and the same logic will always help.


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## ShadyWolfBoy (Sep 23, 2015)

Is anyone else going to When Words Collide in a couple of weeks?

I'm on a few panels, its quite literally my last hurrah in Calgary before I move (my flight is at 7am the morning after it ends )


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## Dennis E. Taylor (Feb 10, 2015)

Dragon said:


> I'm writing! I'm writing!


Okay, here's the thing. My first book was produced for a total of $140 Cdn. That was the cost of getting someone to make a cover for me. I used Amazon for the e-book, Createspace for the hardcopy, and (eventually) D2D for wider distribution.

The first book sales were meh, mostly because I did sweet diddly poop in terms of marketing. Marketing _does_ work, though. When my cover artist put my book up on a blog where she was interviewed, my sales quadrupled for a month.

My second book was picked up by an agent, so I'll be trad pubbing (due out Sept 20th). We'll see how that goes, but the important thing is that I won't have to market.

The point here is that it's all about putting in the hours. You can pay someone to do stuff in order to shortcut things, or you can put in the labour. Spend the time writing; put your stuff up on critiquecircle.com and/or scribophile.com to get crits and improve your writing; get beta readers when you're at that point (scrib is also a good place for that); learn to do basic covers yourself, or find an inexpensive photomanipulation artist; edit; format for Amazon and createspace yourself (it's not hard, it's jus grunt-work).

And most important, realize that it's a long game. The first or second book probably won't do it. The third might not. But once you have a backlist going, if you're any good at all, you should start to see results.


----------



## doolittle03 (Feb 13, 2015)

Dragon, I didn't think your post was a downer. Your concerns are pretty realistic for entering the Indie market or for selling books in general. I self-published in 2014 and spent the year trying to figure out what I was doing. 100 sales a month was a dream. More like 5...? Maybe it was better than that. I dunno, I was in shock and tears most of the time. 2015 was the learning curve and now in 2016, I'm moving units of books under a pen name and paying the mortgage.

As Glynn says, do your own covers to keep costs low. I use Canva for graphics and iStock for photos. iStock is Canadian and I love the interface.

Use inexpensive promo sites who will take your books without reviews. Threads on KBoards will direct you.

I publish at Smashwords and D2D. I get sales on the SW site directly so for me it's like another bookstore. Use your SIN as Glynn said. SW has free tools and books to help you learn how to format and market. To keep costs down, use all the free stuff you can get and learn from it. Baby steps.

If it makes sense depending on where you live, get your books in print and approach local retailers or bookstores to carry your print copies. I made more money in print than digital in my first year.

My Sweeping Writer Advice:

Write long. Shorts are a tougher sell.
Pay the power bill. 
Write the most marketable book in your heart.
Make up a publishing schedule and do your best to stick to it. 
Think in terms of 5 years, not 30 days and you won't be discouraged.


----------



## LoriP (Jun 2, 2014)

Glynn Stewart said:


> Is anyone else going to When Words Collide in a couple of weeks?
> 
> I'm on a few panels, its quite literally my last hurrah in Calgary before I move (my flight is at 7am the morning after it ends )


I'll be there! I'm also on a few panels. It'd be great to do a little Kboards meet up.


----------



## Dragon (May 9, 2016)

Glynn Stewart said:


> I'm not good at sweeping writing advice, but I can touch on these two points pretty directly.
> 
> 1) the 'tax identification number' you need for Smashwords and Amazon and everywhere else is your Canadian SIN.
> ... well, everywhere except Smashwords who haven't caught up to that three-year-old change in US law yet. Use Draft2Digital instead. They have some flaws, but overall are a better service if you're pinching your pennies and your time.
> ...


Thank you for the advice, Glynn. I'll check out D2D tonight!


----------



## Dragon (May 9, 2016)

arieswriting said:


> I had to get an ITIN because I published pre-law change allowing us to use SINs. If you really want to use Smashwords you'll need one. I had to fill out an IRS form, get a letter from Lulu and then I went in person to the IRS tax office in Washington (I was lucky it's only an hour and a half away). It was easier going in person because they required original documents that I didn't feel comfortable mailing and they didn't accept notarized copies.
> 
> They now apparently have acceptance agents in Canada where you can take your stuff - list is here https://www.irs.gov/individuals/acceptance-agents-canada
> 
> ...


That was why I looked into the ITIN, so I could aim for Kobo, iBooks, GooglePlay, etc. Not everyone has or likes a Kindle or the app (sorry Amazon), and it's good to widen the aim. Thanks for the advice!


----------



## Dragon (May 9, 2016)

bizmuth said:


> Okay, here's the thing. My first book was produced for a total of $140 Cdn. That was the cost of getting someone to make a cover for me. I used Amazon for the e-book, Createspace for the hardcopy, and (eventually) D2D for wider distribution.
> 
> The first book sales were meh, mostly because I did sweet diddly poop in terms of marketing. Marketing _does_ work, though. When my cover artist put my book up on a blog where she was interviewed, my sales quadrupled for a month.
> 
> ...


Thank you for the advice. I'm aiming for that backlist someday. Soon.


----------



## Dragon (May 9, 2016)

doolittle03 said:


> Dragon, I didn't think your post was a downer. Your concerns are pretty realistic for entering the Indie market or for selling books in general. I self-published in 2014 and spent the year trying to figure out what I was doing. 100 sales a month was a dream. More like 5...? Maybe it was better than that. I dunno, I was in shock and tears most of the time. 2015 was the learning curve and now in 2016, I'm moving units of books under a pen name and paying the mortgage.
> 
> As Glynn says, do your own covers to keep costs low. I use Canva for graphics and iStock for photos. iStock is Canadian and I love the interface.
> 
> ...


Thank you for understanding. It truly does mean a lot that someone else out there felt as I feel in the dark of night sometimes, and I didn't mean for my original post to be depressing. I had to chucklle at your second point in your sweeping writer advice. Pay the power bill. Heh. It's important. 
Believe it or not, I write down everyone's advice and read it all over before bed.
Really.
It helps keep my eye on the long term.
And I do love writing, so I'm not going to give it up until they pry my pen/keyboard from my frozen fingers.
Thank you for the encouragement.


----------



## pdworkman (Jan 17, 2015)

Glynn Stewart said:


> Is anyone else going to When Words Collide in a couple of weeks?
> 
> I'm on a few panels, its quite literally my last hurrah in Calgary before I move (my flight is at 7am the morning after it ends )


Yes, I'm on three panels as well.


----------



## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

Megan Crewe said:


> Hello all! I'm hoping to get a question answered by a fellow Canadian who's used Ingram Spark. I noticed when I was checking pricing to order copies for myself that the IS website automatically charges me taxes. Does that mean they're collecting taxes on behalf of customs, and I won't have to worry about an additional customs fee when the package arrives?
> 
> I'm guessing that's the case and not that they're randomly charging me US taxes, but I wanted to make sure.


Yes, that's right. You won't get charged fees when your order crosses the border (unlike Createspace).

Hope that helps!

Rue


----------



## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

Dragon said:


> That was why I looked into the ITIN, so I could aim for Kobo, iBooks, GooglePlay, etc. Not everyone has or likes a Kindle or the app (sorry Amazon), and it's good to widen the aim. Thanks for the advice!


You don't need an ITIN. You can get an EIN, which is much easier to get (10 min on the phone with the IRS). You shouldn't need one for Kobo, though, unless you go through D2D or Smashwords. But why jump through extra hoops? Plus if you go direct to Kobo you'll get access to their promotions.

Hope that helps!

Rue


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## Steve Vernon (Feb 18, 2011)

Yup - go direct through Kobo. They're great to work with.


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## Wendy Jenae (Feb 18, 2011)

ruecole said:


> You don't need an ITIN. You can get an EIN, which is much easier to get (10 min on the phone with the IRS). You shouldn't need one for Kobo, though, unless you go through D2D or Smashwords. But why jump through extra hoops? Plus if you go direct to Kobo you'll get access to their promotions.
> 
> Hope that helps!
> 
> Rue


I can confirm this. I got my EIN number over the phone from the IRS and have used it with Amazon and elsewhere over the years.

Glad this thread got bumped up! I didn't know it existed!

I'm living in Toronto making a transition from the publishing and marketing side of things to the writing side. I wish we had more writers' conferences in this country.


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## Dragon (May 9, 2016)

doolittle03 said:


> Dragon I use Canva for graphics and iStock for photos. iStock is Canadian and I love the interface.
> 
> My Sweeping Writer Advice:
> 
> ...


I'm checking out iStock now, thank you. Looks pretty good!


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## Steve Vernon (Feb 18, 2011)

Wendy Jenae said:


> I can confirm this. I got my EIN number over the phone from the IRS and have used it with Amazon and elsewhere over the years.
> 
> Glad this thread got bumped up! I didn't know it existed!
> 
> I'm living in Toronto making a transition from the publishing and marketing side of things to the writing side. I wish we had more writers' conferences in this country.


You ought to try finding some in Nova Scotia. Compared to Halifax, Toronto is booming.

Still, I try and keep busy.

Next weekend I've been invited to tell my ghost stories and sell some books at the Liverpool Para-con.

August 20th I'll be taking part in a local indie book fair.

Early September I'll be speaking at our local Word on the Street Festival as well as setting up a book table at the Antigonish Winter Fair. The table fee is being paid for by my publisher.

October I'll be telling ghost stories at White Point Lodge and at our new Central Library.

November I'll have the book table set up at two HUGE Christmas fairs, again thanks to my publisher.

I'm hoping to sell a lot of books over the fall.


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## Dragon (May 9, 2016)

Wendy Jenae said:


> I can confirm this. I got my EIN number over the phone from the IRS and have used it with Amazon and elsewhere over the years.
> 
> Glad this thread got bumped up! I didn't know it existed!
> 
> I'm living in Toronto making a transition from the publishing and marketing side of things to the writing side. I wish we had more writers' conferences in this country.


Good to know that something can still be procured over the phone! I hear you about the writer's conferences too.


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## Dragon (May 9, 2016)

ruecole said:


> You don't need an ITIN. You can get an EIN, which is much easier to get (10 min on the phone with the IRS). You shouldn't need one for Kobo, though, unless you go through D2D or Smashwords. But why jump through extra hoops? Plus if you go direct to Kobo you'll get access to their promotions.
> 
> Hope that helps!
> 
> Rue


Off to check out Kobo, thanks for the tip!


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## Wendy Jenae (Feb 18, 2011)

Steve Vernon said:


> You ought to try finding some in Nova Scotia. Compared to Halifax, Toronto is booming.
> 
> Still, I try and keep busy.


Whoah! Steve! You are really hustling! Not many people talk about "selling books from the back of the room" much anymore. How has it been going for you--selling books at events?


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## ShadyWolfBoy (Sep 23, 2015)

ruecole said:


> You don't need an ITIN. You can get an EIN, which is much easier to get (10 min on the phone with the IRS). You shouldn't need one for Kobo, though, unless you go through D2D or Smashwords. But why jump through extra hoops? Plus if you go direct to Kobo you'll get access to their promotions.


While an EIN is much easier to get than an ITIN (though there are some concerns around using it for us as it is specifically an EMPLOYER Identification Number), you don't need a US Tax ID number at all anymore.

This changed several years back, but the information doesn't seem to have made its way around the Indie community (or, admittedly, to Smashwords who still used the old version of the W8 form in January, at least. This was the final straw to my preferring them over D2D :-/).

You now have the option to include your 'Foreign Tax Identification Number" on the W8 form. Your Canadian SIN or Corporate Tax Number will both work for this.

It's about the only positive part of FATCA as far as Canadians are concerned, so use it!


----------



## Dragon (May 9, 2016)

So I'm thinking about Draft2Digital as I go off to work. Those of you who use them, have they been good to you? Do you like them? What should I know before I sign on the dotted line? (so to speak)


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## Steve Vernon (Feb 18, 2011)

Wendy Jenae said:


> Whoah! Steve! You are really hustling! Not many people talk about "selling books from the back of the room" much anymore. How has it been going for you--selling books at events?


Hey Wendy.

Quite modestly, I rock at it.

I learned how to deal with waves a people when I worked for many years as a sidewalk fortuneteller. I had a little table with a hand painted sign with a hand on it that you could see from the waterfront just as soon as you were within a few hundred feet. I learned how to catch people's eye and get them talking and get them interested in what you are selling without ever having to resort to being pushy.

It's funny, because in many ways I am painfully shy.

BUT - when I get an audience in front of me - and a potential customer IS an audience - then I feel right at home.

I sit at my table and I look in one direction and I nod to everyone who walks by and if they stop then I talk to them. And if I talk to them they are going to hear about my books.

I can move 5 to 50 paperbacks in any given day, more if there is a buying crowd. I am REALLY looking forward to those two big Christmas events. I figure on selling about two hundred books each weekend. That's my hope, anyway. You never know in this kind of a racket.

I got sent to sit in front of a bookstore in Sackville, Nova Scotia in a mall that was undergoing construction, on a REALLY sleepy Sunday.

I saw maybe a dozen people.

When I realized how dead things were going to be I started offering a free palm reading with every purchase and I moved four books that day. That was a victory against defeat.

Another time I attended a REALLY poorly advertised country book fair. About twenty authors, and maybe (no word of a lie) three customers all day long!

I could have allowed myself to get depressed or angry or just pack up and go home but instead I stood up and I told me a ghost story, I told a story so powerful and compelling that three of the authors got up and walked across the room and they each bought a copy of one my ghost story collections.

You go to an event you can do really well, Wendy, or else you might totally bomb out but you just can't let yourself get depressed about it.










Here's a link to a blog entry I wrote about working these kind of events. It explains how to do it a whole lot more eloquently than I am right now.
https://stevevernonstoryteller.wordpress.com/2015/10/25/hand-selling-your-paperbacks/

Hope that helps.


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## Heather Hamilton-Senter (May 25, 2013)

Glynn Stewart said:


> While an EIN is much easier to get than an ITIN (though there are some concerns around using it for us as it is specifically an EMPLOYER Identification Number), you don't need a US Tax ID number at all anymore.
> 
> This changed several years back, but the information doesn't seem to have made its way around the Indie community (or, admittedly, to Smashwords who still used the old version of the W8 form in January, at least. This was the final straw to my preferring them over D2D :-/).
> 
> ...


I keep telling people that things changed recently and no one believes me LOL. People who had to jump through hoops before keep teaching people in my local writers community to do the same. You can just use your SIN now everyone!


----------



## Steve Vernon (Feb 18, 2011)

Dragon said:


> So I'm thinking about Draft2Digital as I go off to work. Those of you who use them, have they been good to you? Do you like them? What should I know before I sign on the dotted line? (so to speak)


Draft2Digital are great to work. Their system is a lot smoother than Smashwords, in my opinion.

The only thing Smashwords has that Draft2Digital doesn't is access to a few more outlets, particularly Overdrive, who can help get some of you work into libraries and such. In spite of that, I prefer Draft2Digital. I find Smashwords just a little too clunky and unmanageable for my liking.


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## Renard (Jun 21, 2016)

Heather Hamilton-Senter said:


> I keep telling people that things changed recently and no one believes me LOL. People who had to jump through hoops before keep teaching people in my local writers community to do the same. You can just use your SIN now everyone!


I did a lot of research on EINs and ITINs a couple of years ago, but by the time I was ready to publish only a SIN was required. I've heard from a few Canadian authors that getting an EIN was relatively painless, but I'm still very happy I didn't have jump through any more hoops.


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## Steve Vernon (Feb 18, 2011)

arieswriting said:


> So can anyone here that's on Smashwords confirm that they DO allow the SIN despite the website saying you need an ITIN?


I can help a little bit.

I got my tax information from Smashwords and I do NOT have an ITIN. I used my SIN somehow. My memory sucks out loud or else I'd tell you exactly how I did it - but I do clearly remember going out of my way a few years ago trying to get an ITIN and then just last year finding out that I didn't have to go through all of that foolishness anymore. The SIN did the trick.


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## Steve Vernon (Feb 18, 2011)

I remember that THIS link helped.

https://dianetibert.com/2012/06/20/canadians-stop-paying-30-to-the-irs/

This link might help as well. It's a little more current.

http://cherylktardif.blogspot.ca/2010/10/amazons-dtp-smashwords-withholding-tax.html

And this third link has a HECK of a lot of useful information for Canadian authors just in general.

http://www.arieswriting.com/2016/01/07/self-publishing-for-canadians/


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## Dragon (May 9, 2016)

Steve Vernon said:


> I remember that THIS link helped.
> 
> https://dianetibert.com/2012/06/20/canadians-stop-paying-30-to-the-irs/
> 
> ...


Thanks very much, Steve, I appreciate the help and links. By the way, I read one of your stories a few months back (damned if I remember which one it was now, I'll have to look it up), and I remember sitting back in my chair stunned at how entertaining and unique it was.
High five!


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## Dragon (May 9, 2016)

Heather Hamilton-Senter said:


> I keep telling people that things changed recently and no one believes me LOL. People who had to jump through hoops before keep teaching people in my local writers community to do the same. You can just use your SIN now everyone!


Happy dance!


----------



## Dragon (May 9, 2016)

Glynn Stewart said:


> You now have the option to include your 'Foreign Tax Identification Number" on the W8 form. Your Canadian SIN or Corporate Tax Number will both work for this.
> It's about the only positive part of FATCA as far as Canadians are concerned, so use it!


Freaking out the dog, but doin' the happy dance, regardless!


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## Steve Vernon (Feb 18, 2011)

Dragon said:


> Thanks very much, Steve, I appreciate the help and links. By the way, I read one of your stories a few months back (damned if I remember which one it was now, I'll have to look it up), and I remember sitting back in my chair stunned at how entertaining and unique it was.
> High five!


Ha!

Now you can't tease a fella that way. 

I know what you mean, all kidding aside. I read so much things begin to blur in my memory after awhile. Glad you dug it, just the same.


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## Lisa Blackwood (Feb 1, 2015)

I love when this thread pops up.

::Waves at fellow Canadians::


Btw, does anyone want to do some newsletter exchanges? I have a new release that 99c for the next week that I'd like to get more eyeballs on when it's on sale. It's Urban Fantasy, but me readers go for paranormal/Fantasy Romance/Sci-fi Romance/Sword and Sorceress with romance subplot. Pretty much anything with speculative fiction + romance.

My august newsletter schedule is pretty full, but end of the month and september have openings, so if you have any new releases or older titles you think would be a good match, PM me with the link to your book.


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## ruecole (Jun 13, 2012)

Heather Hamilton-Senter said:


> I keep telling people that things changed recently and no one believes me LOL. People who had to jump through hoops before keep teaching people in my local writers community to do the same. You can just use your SIN now everyone!


I believe you.  I'm glad to hear that the rest of the retailers/distributors have got onboard with the new W8 form and we just need to use our SINs. I will be passing this info on from now on. 

Rue


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## James_T (May 15, 2012)

I've never introduced myself... I'm in Northern Ontario and haven't seen many post from up here.


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## Michael Chatfield (May 16, 2016)

Anyone know of book events and conferences in Toronto? I don't really know the writing scene around here much!


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## BrentNichols (Mar 18, 2011)

> Anyone know of book events and conferences in Toronto?


Ad Astra, for SF/F. http://www.ad-astra.org/


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## doolittle03 (Feb 13, 2015)

Lisa_Blackwood said:


> I love when this thread pops up.
> 
> ::Waves at fellow Canadians::
> 
> ...


That's an amazing idea Lisa. I'm not a good fit for the newsletter but it sounds great for others. It'd be cool to get some Canadian cross-promotion going but I don't have a mailing list so I'm screwed. I just couldn't face starting one. 

*Hi, James_T from Northern Ontario! (now I have that song going through my head...) What do you write?


----------



## Dragon (May 9, 2016)

James_T said:


> I've never introduced myself... I'm in Northern Ontario and haven't seen many post from up here.


Let's hear it for Northern Ontario! Land of the blood-sucking bugs, bears and wolves!


----------



## bcokas (Mar 12, 2012)

I don't see how to start a new topic in this thread, so I'll just tag onto this one! I'm an American author writing a book set in Quebec. Can you recommend any online resources that will give me an overview (don't need excruciating detail, just going for authenticity) on how Canadian law enforcement works? I'm specifically interested in the police's use of firearms, the role of the mounted police force (and if there's overlap/conflict with the "main" police) and who has jurisdiction in the First Nations reserves and a bit of how that works. Thanks!


----------



## Awasin (Aug 7, 2015)

Here's a link about the RCMP in Quebec. Montreal has the SPVM. Quebec City has the SPVQ. Police in Canada carry guns just like the police in the States; they just don't use them quite as much.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Royal_Canadian_Mounted_Police_in_Quebec#Aboriginal_Combined_forces_Special_Enforcement_Unit_.28A-CFSEU.29


----------



## doolittle03 (Feb 13, 2015)

bcokas said:


> I don't see how to start a new topic in this thread, so I'll just tag onto this one! I'm an American author writing a book set in Quebec. Can you recommend any online resources that will give me an overview (don't need excruciating detail, just going for authenticity) on how Canadian law enforcement works? I'm specifically interested in the police's use of firearms, the role of the mounted police force (and if there's overlap/conflict with the "main" police) and who has jurisdiction in the First Nations reserves and a bit of how that works. Thanks!


You could also Google "mrc surete du quebec" for the police force in the region you are setting your novel. Each municipality (MRC) has its own police force (if they have the budget) or they use the provincial police, *surete du quebec*. Google these terms and have the pages translated for info. Some offer English on the website. Crime Writers of Canada is also a good resource for research leads. R J Harlick sets her books in Quebec and knows more about First Nations.

Let us know when your book comes out. There are some seriously rabid Quebec readers in my town and they love stories set here.


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## bcokas (Mar 12, 2012)

Thank you for the leads!!


----------



## Steve Vernon (Feb 18, 2011)

James_T said:


> I've never introduced myself... I'm in Northern Ontario and haven't seen many post from up here.


Hi James. I've lived in Halifax, Nova Scotia for about forty years but I grew up about twenty miles north of Sudbury. I remember the black flies and the mosquitoes.


----------



## Some Random Guy (Jan 16, 2016)

Dragon said:


> Let's hear it for Northern Ontario! Land of the blood-sucking bugs, bears and wolves!


Or Southern Ontario, land of the blood-sucking politicians infesting Queen's Park


----------



## ShadyWolfBoy (Sep 23, 2015)

Eric Thomson said:


> Or Southern Ontario, land of the blood-sucking politicians infesting Queen's Park


I like Southern Ontario so far, based on ten days of adult experience *grin*

Moving to Kitchener on Monday.


----------



## JVRudnick (Sep 12, 2014)

KW is a great town! My youngest is finishing up his MA at UofW....so we've visited him up there for like years....

VERY much a plugged-in town too....lots of startups and innovation and Govt funding of new biz too....AND a great couple of bookstores too....Old Goat and Words Worth...

Drop by--say hi to the Mgr and ask about author book signing opportunities too!


----------



## ShadyWolfBoy (Sep 23, 2015)

JVRudnick said:


> KW is a great town! My youngest is finishing up his MA at UofW....so we've visited him up there for like years....
> 
> VERY much a plugged-in town too....lots of startups and innovation and Govt funding of new biz too....AND a great couple of bookstores too....Old Goat and Words Worth...
> 
> Drop by--say hi to the Mgr and ask about author book signing opportunities too!


Will have to do that. The bookstores here aren't great for SFF.
Mostly, I'm happy my wife has less headaches there, houses are cheaper there, and I can get GB/s internet XD


----------



## PrairieGirl (Aug 12, 2016)

This is my first post, as I finally hit that publish button. I am from Winnipeg MB, and this summer has been a hot one. I have to say that after months of lurking here, I have learned a lot. This thread in particular has opened my eyes on a few unique issues.
I don't recall any mention of the requirement for Canadian Publishers, including self published, to send their book to Library and Archives Canada - Legal Deposit. I am wondering if anyone can comment on this. I registered to receive my ISBN and was told I have a legal obligation to send them a copy. I called and am waiting to hear back about this. I am just wondering if this will have any impact on KDP select? 
Thanks again to everyone for sharing their knowledge.


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## pdworkman (Jan 17, 2015)

PrairieGirl said:


> This is my first post, as I finally hit that publish button. I am from Winnipeg MB, and this summer has been a hot one. I have to say that after months of lurking here, I have learned a lot. This thread in particular has opened my eyes on a few unique issues.
> I don't recall any mention of the requirement for Canadian Publishers, including self published, to send their book to Library and Archives Canada - Legal Deposit. I am wondering if anyone can comment on this. I registered to receive my ISBN and was told I have a legal obligation to send them a copy. I called and am waiting to hear back about this. I am just wondering if this will have any impact on KDP select?
> Thanks again to everyone for sharing their knowledge.


Yes it is a legal requirement, and no it doesn't have anything to do with KDP. Legal Deposit is not selling your ebook.


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## Renard (Jun 21, 2016)

I've been meaning to look this up. Is it required to send them one copy of every version published? Ie: one copy per ISBN?

I did a short run of paperbacks that I don't plan to re-release, and I'm not sure if I have to send them one of that format plus the next version of the paperback that will go out under a different ISBN. It'd be great if I could just send along a digital file and be done with it. Otherwise, I suppose I'll drag it out until the next paperback format is ready so I can save some postage by sending two at once.


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## Michael Chatfield (May 16, 2016)

Finally signed on the dotted line, sent my payments, moving to Guelph in ON, anyone in the area?


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## Guest (Aug 26, 2016)

Awesome that this thread appeared.

I'd love to connect with some Canadian folks (I'm Canadian).

If anyone wants I'm on Twitter (@robmcleanauthor) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/robmcleanauthor).

It's so odd being a Canadian and almost all my sales are coming out of the UK, US and Germany (go figure, the Germans find my stuff interesting I guess). 

I really need to pick some brains on how to promote myself within Canada.


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## SomethingClever (Mar 9, 2014)

michaelchatfield said:


> Finally signed on the dotted line, sent my payments, moving to Guelph in ON, anyone in the area?


I run a local writing group there! When are you moving to Guelph?


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## ShadyWolfBoy (Sep 23, 2015)

michaelchatfield said:


> Finally signed on the dotted line, sent my payments, moving to Guelph in ON, anyone in the area?


Recently moved into Kitchener myself. Nice area.


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## ShadyWolfBoy (Sep 23, 2015)

pdworkman said:


> Yes it is a legal requirement, and no it doesn't have anything to do with KDP. Legal Deposit is not selling your ebook.


*looks at pile of books he's never sent in*

oops. I'm guessing postage on nine books is gonna hurt...


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## ImaWriter (Aug 12, 2015)

Glynn Stewart said:


> *looks at pile of books he's never sent in*
> 
> oops. I'm guessing postage on nine books is gonna hurt...


According to the news today, it looks like you'll have time to save up some postage. That looming Canada Post strike is close to a reality now.


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## @Suzanna (Mar 14, 2011)

Glynn Stewart said:


> *looks at pile of books he's never sent in*
> 
> oops. I'm guessing postage on nine books is gonna hurt...


I did this in the beginning but it slipped my mind for the last couple of books. I'm going to have to get on that! However, you don't have to send them a physical copy. Unless the requirement has changed recently, they allowed me to upload a pdf file.


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## ImaWriter (Aug 12, 2015)

~Suzanna~ said:


> However, you don't have to send them a physical copy. Unless the requirement has changed recently, they allowed me to upload a pdf file.


You have to send both--assuming you publish both. 



> Digital publications should not be printed and sent. Instead, the digital format in which the publication was published should be deposited.
> LAC currently prefers Adobe PDF and EPUB formats for digital publications. Publications are archived in the portable format in which they are received.
> Where publications exist in both digital and physical formats, both mediums should be deposited.


----------



## Dennis E. Taylor (Feb 10, 2015)

Any Canadian authors getting direct deposits from the US? I'm trying to get something set up right now, and Chase Manhattan wants to charge $50 for a wire transfer. Destination account is with RBC.


----------



## Michael Chatfield (May 16, 2016)

CindyCarroll said:


> I run a local writing group there! When are you moving to Guelph?


Moving in 3rd Sept  Near College and 6




Glynn Stewart said:


> Recently moved into Kitchener myself. Nice area.


Agreed! Lively as well, there always seems to be something going on.


----------



## Michael Chatfield (May 16, 2016)

bizmuth said:


> Any Canadian authors getting direct deposits from the US? I'm trying to get something set up right now, and Chase Manhattan wants to charge $50 for a wire transfer. Destination account is with RBC.


Who are you distributing with? I'm all in with Amazon and I've used direct deposits with no extra charges except my banks for transfers. Other dist. companies do it differently.


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## ImaWriter (Aug 12, 2015)

bizmuth said:


> Any Canadian authors getting direct deposits from the US? I'm trying to get something set up right now, and Chase Manhattan wants to charge $50 for a wire transfer. Destination account is with RBC.


Yes. For ages. First to TD and most recently to RBC.


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## SomethingClever (Mar 9, 2014)

michaelchatfield said:


> Moving in 3rd Sept  Near College and 6


That's move in day for the University. Some streets will be closed. We stay in the house that day.  The writing group's regular Tuesday and Wednesday meetings are at the Williams Cafe near Stone Road Mall.

Welcome! Guelph is a great city.


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## Dennis E. Taylor (Feb 10, 2015)

michaelchatfield said:


> Who are you distributing with? I'm all in with Amazon and I've used direct deposits with no extra charges except my banks for transfers. Other dist. companies do it differently.


I have DD with Amazon as well, for my self-pubbed book, and it works fine. But I think that's processed in Canada, so it's not int'l. I'm trying to set up DD with my agent in NY, and the stuff RBC gave me only sets up a wire transfer apparently. I'll talk to RBC, but I'm wondering right now if DD is possible internationally.


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## Dennis E. Taylor (Feb 10, 2015)

ImaWriter said:


> Yes. For ages. First to TD and most recently to RBC.


And it's a DD instead of wire transfer? And no $50 charge?


----------



## ImaWriter (Aug 12, 2015)

bizmuth said:


> And it's a DD instead of wire transfer? And no $50 charge?


Yes. I get DDs from Amazon and other US sources into my Canadian bank account. First TD, but I recently changed banks to RBC. All you need is the info from a cheque. IIRC.


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## RhondaW (Mar 31, 2012)

I walked into the RBC bank here in Edmonton and told them I wanted a US account at the RBC bank in Georgia, US. I met with a rep and they filled out all the forms and gave me the info I needed to link the US and CDN accounts online so now I can transfer money between the accounts. You also get a US RBC Visa debit card in the mail.

Amazon deposits my royalties in US funds to this account with no charge. The US bank charges a $3.95 monthly service charge that comes out of the account automatically.

I think you can also do it at the TD bank but I already had an account at RBC.


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## Renard (Jun 21, 2016)

Ugh. I went to RBC today to set up a US account and somehow walked out of there with the $2/month US Funds account instead of the Georgia-based account. Had I read the last bit of this thread again, I likely would not have made that mistake.


----------



## ImaWriter (Aug 12, 2015)

FYI.  I know many on this thread say you should have the US account, and I used to, but while changing banks in the last year I had my amazon deposits going into a regular Canadian account. I've tracked payments for nearly a year and have never got hosed by an exchange discrepancy, so have decided to leave things as they are instead of opening another US account.  Others in the thread have had the same experience.


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## JVRudnick (Sep 12, 2014)

There's quite a list of Canuck libraries, promoting the Oct 8th Independent Authors Day...

Are any of you taking part? Really seems like a great opportunity for us to meet readers!

Oh - indieauthors.com to see the list!

Oh -


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## RhondaW (Mar 31, 2012)

ImaWriter said:


> FYI. I know many on this thread say you should have the US account, and I used to, but while changing banks in the last year I had my amazon deposits going into a regular Canadian account. I've tracked payments for nearly a year and have never got hosed by an exchange discrepancy, so have decided to leave things as they are instead of opening another US account. Others in the thread have had the same experience.


I set mine up before we could direct deposit into our Cdn bank account. Also I imagine it would be good to have if you are paying people for covers, etc. and you are paying in US dollars. By having the US account there is no currency changes so would save some money.


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## Renard (Jun 21, 2016)

ImaWriter said:


> FYI. I know many on this thread say you should have the US account, and I used to, but while changing banks in the last year I had my amazon deposits going into a regular Canadian account. I've tracked payments for nearly a year and have never got hosed by an exchange discrepancy, so have decided to leave things as they are instead of opening another US account. Others in the thread have had the same experience.


Having money stuck in CreateSpace from a friends and family limited edition is what prompted me to set it up. I figured $24 CAD a year was also a worthwhile investment for being able to move US funds into my Canadian bank account when the exchange rate was favourable. $3.95 USD/month is about $62 a year at current exchange, which is less convenient for how much I'm making. I'll probably just wait out the CreateSpace thing until I issue an updated print version and have copies back up for sale. CreateSpace should do Canadian EFT eventually, right?


----------



## Renard (Jun 21, 2016)

JVRudnick said:


> There's quite a list of Canuck libraries, promoting the Oct 8th Independent Authors Day...
> 
> Are any of you taking part? Really seems like a great opportunity for us to meet readers!
> 
> Oh - indieauthors.com to see the list!


I think the url you were looking for is actually indieauthorday.com


----------



## because (Jul 9, 2014)

JVRudnick said:


> There's quite a list of Canuck libraries, promoting the Oct 8th Independent Authors Day...
> 
> Are any of you taking part? Really seems like a great opportunity for us to meet readers!
> 
> ...


Thanks for sharing the info, Jim. It does seem like a great opportunity, especially when mine is in a few of these libraries  Are you going to take part?


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## JVRudnick (Sep 12, 2014)

@Mark....yup, sorry....copied the wrong URL off my open tabs....sigh....

But yeah that's the spot...

@because -- I have contacted my own library to ask why they're NOT involved..but a small town nearby is and I've asked for more info on the event programs and have yes, offered to help....

And let me just say--if you've never sat and talked to real live readers in your own genre--then you're truly missing some great feedback and marketing tips....it works SO SO well for me.....


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## because (Jul 9, 2014)

JVRudnick said:


> @because -- I have contacted my own library to ask why they're NOT involved..but a small town nearby is and I've asked for more info on the event programs and have yes, offered to help....
> 
> And let me just say--if you've never sat and talked to real live readers in your own genre--then you're truly missing some great feedback and marketing tips....it works SO SO well for me.....


Jim, thanks for the tip. I will contact the Toronto Public Library as so far I haven't found anything on their website as yet.

Btw, do you know the Hamilton Public Library acquisition contact/process? Thanks.


----------



## JVRudnick (Sep 12, 2014)

@because....yup, I know the HPL well...

The person there that I deal with for my own books getting into their catalog-- is one Gina Minelli, the Collection Librarian person....the deal I have with her is pretty simple. I just deliver my books to the local branch, they get shipped via their own internal couriers to their head branch. Then put in the catalog, scan the cover and release them for use across the whole HPL branch network....nothing feels better than to go to the HPL site, search for my books and see that they're all out being read....woohoo!

Oh, I'm also attempting to get into their "Author Events" program too....and for that I'm dealing with Caitlin Fralick, Manager of Program Development. Thing is, they're like way ahead time-line-wise so earliest chance I've been told is for next Spring--but I did make myself available for any Pop-Up events or cancellations too...

You can contact either too....I have no proprietary hold on them...go for it!



Jim


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## because (Jul 9, 2014)

Thanks for allowing me to contact them 

Virginia has contacted almost all libraries in Ontario and emails to HPL went unanswered so we really appreciate the contacts you gave.

She managed to get the book into a list of libraries (to be updated with more). You are absolutely right at it feels good to see the books being checked out/read.

If anyone wants the list of library contacts Virginia uses, please let me know and I'd get it to you.


----------



## JVRudnick (Sep 12, 2014)

@because...one thing?

that as most libraries (ALAFAIK) tend to favor the traditional pub model, they at least are now considering we self-pub Authors...it's often a series of emails that slowly gets them to see, that no matter HOW the book is produced, the reader ends up with a great tale....

so I always go real easy up front....pitch wise...offering often to be the "holy cow, author XYZ just cancelled, who'n the heck can we get to fill in for that talk/panel/workshop" type guy....having more than 40 years of marketing exp means that yup, I can do it....

YMMV...but please yes do contact HPL...they're in the 'throes' of finding out that we self-pub dudes are okay....


----------



## Mzchill (Aug 7, 2016)

just want to introduce myself 
From Calgary area, in alberta. 
Getting ready to attempt to self publish my first book!!!!


----------



## ShadyWolfBoy (Sep 23, 2015)

Mzchill said:


> just want to introduce myself
> From Calgary area, in alberta.
> Getting ready to attempt to self publish my first book!!!!


Just moved away from Calgary. Great city (though migraine inducing, hence the move)

Good luck!


----------



## pdworkman (Jan 17, 2015)

Mzchill said:


> just want to introduce myself
> From Calgary area, in alberta.
> Getting ready to attempt to self publish my first book!!!!


Waving from Calgary!


----------



## Howtoguru (Dec 12, 2015)

Canadian here as well. My experience with Create Space and Amazon. Less than a week for my book to appear in the USA and a few other countries but about a month in Canada. Direct deposit to bank account on payments working fine though...

Regards,
- Dan Grijzenhout


----------



## BrentNichols (Mar 18, 2011)

> Waving from Calgary!


Me, too.


----------



## Steve W. (Feb 23, 2011)

I lived in Calgary for 4 years, but live in Victoria now... Ahhhhhhh I don't miss the snow at all!


----------



## Dennis E. Taylor (Feb 10, 2015)

Hey, quick question: for those who have Canadian agents, do they charge GST on top of their commission?


----------



## Dragon (May 9, 2016)

Just wanted to pop in here and first off say hello. Still alive out here in Northern Ontario.

I also wanted to thank everyone who had given me advice regarding SIN and Amazon and Draft 2 Digital. You all helped me more than you know.
Also, I wanted to share my happy dance with you because I sold books, guys!  
I have learned so much about marketing, newsletters, connecting with like-minded potential readers, and I'm proud to say I continue to learn about our craft. I am still extremely proud of the book I put out, and I intend to make it's sequel just as good, if not better.

_Raising a mug to salute you all on this foggy morning._

If It's Easy


----------



## Ethan Jones (Jan 20, 2012)

Hi folks:

I'm a Canadian spy and suspense thriller author, and I'm looking for some help from fellow Canadian authors with my new release.

The Secret Blush, the second book in the Jennifer Morgan romantic suspense series, just came out on Amazon Kindle Unlimited. It has 38 reviews with a rating of 4.3 stars. Grab your copy now for only 99 cents, and enjoy a BIG surprise at the end of the book.

I've included an exclusive link at the Bonus Material section, on the last page of the book. This exclusive link will allow you to enjoy The Central Connection (Justin Hall #9), the newest spy thriller in this series absolutely FREE. This spy thriller is priced at $6.99, but if you buy a copy of The Secret Blush, you can enjoy it for free. 

If you can’t buy it, please give me a hand by sharing the news about this release on your mailing list and/or social media. And let me know about it, so that I can share those posts and also return the favor when you have a new release or sale.

Thanks,

Ethan


----------



## tommy gun (May 3, 2015)

Congrats Dragon!  Selling a book is a great way to feel that you are having some success and not doing everything wrong.  (way more to it than that but it is an awesome feeling!)

I haven't posted here forever.  I need some help, or at least advice.
I have been using D2D and realize how much money will be leaving long term.
I started looking into B&N and need to look at the rest but I am already confused (some articles are very old and the website is not the best)
If anyone else here is registered with them, do they have the tax treaty set up like D2D does or do you have to get all those forms and send them in?

anything you know should help!


----------



## SomethingClever (Mar 9, 2014)

Nothing to see here. Post removed because I don't agree with the changes VerticalScope made to the TOS, without notification, which are overreaching and troublesome.


----------



## Dragon (May 9, 2016)

I'll be honest with you, I used my SIN number to settle the withholding tax treaty issue at both D2D and Amazon. One of their digital store partners is B&N. Once you wade through all the "paperwork" with D2D, you don't need to do it again for all their partners. If you can make it through their 'tax interview' (and if I did, you can), there's far less to worry about.
I've been very, very happy with D2D.
***​


tomgermann said:


> Congrats Dragon! Selling a book is a great way to feel that you are having some success and not doing everything wrong. (way more to it than that but it is an awesome feeling!)
> 
> I haven't posted here forever. I need some help, or at least advice.
> I have been using D2D and realize how much money will be leaving long term.
> ...


----------



## Genevieve Mckay (Jan 19, 2015)

Good morning, Canada!  I was wondering if any of you had entered your e-books in any contests for Canadian authors. I am looking for some new ways to do promotions and was looking for Canlit blogs or contests that might be a good match for my YA series.  Also, anyone going to the Surrey Writers Conference?


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## Dennis E. Taylor (Feb 10, 2015)

Genevieve Mckay said:


> Good morning, Canada!  I was wondering if any of you had entered your e-books in any contests for Canadian authors. I am looking for some new ways to do promotions and was looking for Canlit blogs or contests that might be a good match for my YA series. Also, anyone going to the Surrey Writers Conference?


I'm going. First one. Woot!


----------



## Genevieve Mckay (Jan 19, 2015)

bizmuth said:


> I'm going. First one. Woot!


Mine too!  Should be fun.


----------



## Stephanie Marks (Feb 16, 2015)

I don't get to go! Say hi to Diana Gabaldon for me. I'm hoping to go next year.


----------



## Carey Lewis (Oct 1, 2016)

Hello fellow Canucks!

Originally from the Niagara Region, moved to Toronto, now living in Thailand. 

It's great seeing so many Canadian authors!


----------



## Genevieve Mckay (Jan 19, 2015)

Stephanie Marks said:


> I don't get to go! Say hi to Diana Gabaldon for me. I'm hoping to go next year.


Will do! lol. There are so many great authors here and everyone is so dang nice and helpful. I don't think I've seen one grumpy person all day... okay, well maybe one in the epic line for the elevator ha ha.

Super lectures and workshops. Jasper Fforde is here and did a nice workshop this morning. I've really been enjoying the lectures from Daniel Jose Older. He did a stellar workshop on diversity in writing. And I loved the panel on Sci-Fi/Fantasy. Everyone is so passionate about writing; it's contagious!

This conference is definitely worth attending!


----------



## Amity Lassiter (Nov 28, 2014)

It's been a while since I popped in but I am a contemporary western romance author hailing from NB. I'm wondering if anyone has gone on maternity leave during their publishing career and how they went about it. I'm totally behind the ball on this one as my little guy is 8 weeks old now. I also have a full time job which awarded me the max EI benefits for maternity leave anyways.


----------



## ImaWriter (Aug 12, 2015)

Not maternity leave, but my understanding is that mat leave benefits work the same as IE. So if you're making money from your books, whatever you earn has to be declared, and if it's over a certain amount, it gets deducted from your benefits. At least that's the way I think it works.  A quick Google should give you the answer.


----------



## Stephanie Marks (Feb 16, 2015)

Genevieve Mckay said:


> Will do! lol. There are so many great authors here and everyone is so dang nice and helpful. I don't think I've seen one grumpy person all day... okay, well maybe one in the epic line for the elevator ha ha.
> 
> Super lectures and workshops. Jasper Fforde is here and did a nice workshop this morning. I've really been enjoying the lectures from Daniel Jose Older. He did a stellar workshop on diversity in writing. And I loved the panel on Sci-Fi/Fantasy. Everyone is so passionate about writing; it's contagious!
> 
> This conference is definitely worth attending!


Awesome. I've wanted to go for the last couple of years but something always came up. Next year I'm going. No distractions!


----------



## Dragon (May 9, 2016)

Good morning my friends!
How is everyone?
We're chilly up here in Northern Ontario, we got our first snow of the season yesterday. 
What is everyone working on? Are you cannonballing your way through NaNoWriMo or did you take a pass on it this year? 
Aside from the month of crazy word counts-- Are you writing as you can, or are you able to dedicate X number of hours to it each day?
Check in...sound off...let us know you're still out there and writing!


----------



## ShadyWolfBoy (Sep 23, 2015)

Got the first snow in Southern Ontario too.  I was starting to wonder if the Great Lakes triangle GOT snow  

Hoping to finish the current WIP today. *turns on anti-SAD bulbs, pours coffee, and puts on music*

Let's do this.


----------



## Geoff North (Apr 2, 2011)

Hello everyone. First time poster on this thread, but it seems the place to be considering I live in Canada's keystone province! First snow yesterday, not much, but it's cooling off rapidly. Heading to Cuba in eleven days for a two-week vacation. I love it when the cold sets in and I can escape for a little while.


----------



## BlouBryant (Jun 18, 2016)

Dragon said:


> Check in...sound off...let us know you're still out there and writing!


Touch of ice on the ground in Peterborough this morning, I hope that's all we got, I'm driving to Smiths Falls tomorrow.

Writing? I've told my characters to take a break - they were getting unruly - and am spending a few days on plot before jumping back in to finish up this trilogy. If the characters don't get in line, I'm taking one of them out back and old-yeller'ing him or her. That should make the rest of them understand who's boss.

Happy stay-inside-where-it's-warm day, Ontario-based Canucks. Godspeed, NaNoWriMo folks. I can't write (or think) fast enough to join you.

BB


----------



## pdworkman (Jan 17, 2015)

Only a skiff of snow in Calgary this week, and above zero today.

Finished my Nano project last week.


----------



## doolittle03 (Feb 13, 2015)

Massive snow dump here in Quebec/National Capital Region. I finished the first draft of a new book in record time. Sort of got sucked into the Nano vibe. Now I have to begin revising. Snow helps. Less guilt for not going outside.

Hi to all the new joiners on the thread!


----------



## Dennis E. Taylor (Feb 10, 2015)

arieswriting said:


> Just rain here in Vancouver ... of course lol. I actually miss snow. I could always count on a couple days each winter, but I don't think we've had snow on the ground for over a year or more. I really want to write some Christmas books, and the ambience isn't doing it for me here lol.


It should be snowing on the locals, this week, though. At least according to snow-forecast.com . You can always take a drive up to Seymour.


----------



## Renard (Jun 21, 2016)

Sun and patchy blue skies in Vancouver today! Time to ignore all the rain in the forecast and pretend it's like this all the time.

I actually don't mind the rain. It makes it easier to sit inside staring at my computer screen all day.


----------



## Stephanie Marks (Feb 16, 2015)

I'm still running around with no socks on here in the BC Interior. I hope the weather stays this way all winter.


----------



## Steve Vernon (Feb 18, 2011)

Snow in Ontario.

Snow in Quebec.

We're hanging on to wet and warm here in Nova Scotia, but I don't like the sounds of this trend one little bit.


----------



## Dragon (May 9, 2016)

Good morning everyone!
I hope you all enjoyed decent holidays.
The weather up here in Northern Ontario has been typical winter. Snow, snow, snow, 5 minutes of sun, snow, snow...you get the idea.
Over the past couple of months, I've been busy with words. 
* I decided to give in to a couple of my characters that wouldn't leave me alone, and I've dusted off a 4 year old manuscript and am overhauling that. Even have a potential publisher in mind!
* A friend in Wales and I have started up a web mag that will focus on and spotlight work from the SF/Dark Fantasy/Weird/Horror markets. I've been tracking down sources of funding, grants and possibly patrons so that we can pay authors a decent fee for their words.
* I've also been looking into what it would take to start up my own Canadian publishing company. (Any advice/resources would be welcome)  
* Decided that I'll also actively pursue membership in the Canadian Authors Association

What's new with all of you?


----------



## tommy gun (May 3, 2015)

Hi all!  income tax question.
does amazon or D2D send electronic or any type of T4 equivalent?  I can go and pull what i made  but it would be nice to get the nice one or 2 page report.

Please lmk if you know!


----------



## ShadyWolfBoy (Sep 23, 2015)

tommy gun said:


> Hi all! income tax question.
> does amazon or D2D send electronic or any type of T4 equivalent? I can go and pull what i made but it would be nice to get the nice one or 2 page report.
> 
> Please lmk if you know!


Both will send you a 1099, which will be in US dollars and all-but useless to you.

Your best bet is to sum up the deposits in your account and include that number on your taxes.

(Did my corporate T2 today. OW. A nice ow to have, but still OW.)


----------



## Jaine Diamond (Feb 19, 2016)

Any Canadian authors here have any experience with starting a petition? This proposed tax change could be very bad news for us Canadian authors.

Proposed changes to deny tax deductions for foreign digital advertising (Facebook Ad's, Google Ad's, etc.)

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/google-fights-proposed-tax-change-to-canadian-online-advertising/article33767092/


----------



## @Suzanna (Mar 14, 2011)

Jaine Diamond said:


> Any Canadian authors here have any experience with starting a petition? This proposed tax change could be very bad news for us Canadian authors.
> 
> Proposed changes to deny tax deductions for foreign digital advertising (Facebook Ad's, Google Ad's, etc.)
> 
> http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/google-fights-proposed-tax-change-to-canadian-online-advertising/article33767092/


OK, I'm all riled up now. If you hear about a petition, I'd definitely be willing to sign it. I have no experience setting up my own, though.

The reality is that I make the majority of my income in the US so of course I'm going to advertise on sites that reach those readers. Ugh.


----------



## Some Random Guy (Jan 16, 2016)

Typical BS coming from the dinosaur media.  They can't die soon enough for all I care.  Funnily enough, I have the radio on right now and the news are running exactly this item.


----------



## Joe Vercillo (Jan 21, 2017)

Hey, I'm J. Addams, a Canadian author from Port Elgin, Ontario. I now live in Toronto, and part-time in New Jersey (I'm engaged to another KBoards author, Imogen Rose). Glad to see a Canadian thread!


----------



## Awasin (Aug 7, 2015)

Jaine Diamond said:


> Any Canadian authors here have any experience with starting a petition? This proposed tax change could be very bad news for us Canadian authors.
> 
> Proposed changes to deny tax deductions for foreign digital advertising (Facebook Ad's, Google Ad's, etc.)
> 
> http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/google-fights-proposed-tax-change-to-canadian-online-advertising/article33767092/


I'm going to bet this doesn't have much to do with most of us as it is unlikely to be applied to deductions from foreign income for foreign advertising.

I think it's aimed at businesses using foreign advertising to sell to Canadians.


----------



## Jaine Diamond (Feb 19, 2016)

Awasin said:


> I'm going to bet this doesn't have much to do with most of us as it is unlikely to be applied to deductions from foreign income for foreign advertising.
> 
> I think it's aimed at businesses using foreign advertising to sell to Canadians.


Thanks for the clarification Awasin. If that is the case I feel a lot better.


----------



## N. D. Iverson (Feb 1, 2016)

Any one have a "how-to" link for doing Canadian taxes with royalties from the US? Or even an accountant that's experienced in this that they would recommend? 

This is the first year I won't have straight forward taxes and I really want to maximize my deductions (cover, editing, formatting costs, etc.). It's so overwhelming for the first time...

P.S. I'm in Alberta so an accountant close-ish to me would be a bonus!


----------



## pdworkman (Jan 17, 2015)

N. D. Iverson said:


> Any one have a "how-to" link for doing Canadian taxes with royalties from the US? Or even an accountant that's experienced in this that they would recommend?
> 
> This is the first year I won't have straight forward taxes and I really want to maximize my deductions (cover, editing, formatting costs, etc.). It's so overwhelming for the first time...
> 
> P.S. I'm in Alberta so an accountant close-ish to me would be a bonus!


So, last year I took my US tax forms and reported the royalties as foreign income and the withholdings as foreign taxes. CRA audited the slips and informs me that I cannot claim the withholdings as foreign tax payments, since under the US/Canada tax treaty, we are not required to pay them. Instead, I need to go back to the IRS to get a refund of those withholdings that were made.

This is because Smashwords had problems with their tax forms which, if filled out correctly, would calculate a 30% withholding for Canadians. They have now been corrected so you can claim your 0% withholding level.

All other publishing platforms that I have dealt with will properly calculate your 0% treaty withholdings level if you fill it out properly, identifying yourself as a non-resident, giving your SIN as your tax identification number, etc.

I am in Alberta too!


----------



## N. D. Iverson (Feb 1, 2016)

pdworkman said:


> So, last year I took my US tax forms and reported the royalties as foreign income and the withholdings as foreign taxes. CRA audited the slips and informs me that I cannot claim the withholdings as foreign tax payments, since under the US/Canada tax treaty, we are not required to pay them. Instead, I need to go back to the IRS to get a refund of those withholdings that were made.
> 
> This is because Smashwords had problems with their tax forms which, if filled out correctly, would calculate a 30% withholding for Canadians. They have now been corrected so you can claim your 0% withholding level.
> 
> ...


Yay, a fellow Albertan!

Thank you for replying. I too have the 0% tax withholding in effect, but we still have to claim self publishing income with the Canadian government. Does it just go down as business income and expenses when filling out Canadian taxes? So much to do to prepare...


----------



## BlouBryant (Jun 18, 2016)

N. D. Iverson said:


> Any one have a "how-to" link for doing Canadian taxes with royalties from the US? Or even an accountant that's experienced in this that they would recommend?
> 
> This is the first year I won't have straight forward taxes and I really want to maximize my deductions (cover, editing, formatting costs, etc.). It's so overwhelming for the first time...
> 
> P.S. I'm in Alberta so an accountant close-ish to me would be a bonus!


Good morning, Alberta. I did my own, using online software and CRA guides - it was quite easy. I used StudioTax free software, put everything under Business Income - lines 162-135 (well, losses in the end) and filled out the statement of business activities. http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/E/pbg/tf/t2125/README.html. You as well should read the guide for business and professional activities - available at http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/E/pub/tg/t4002/t4002-e.html. There is as well information in a bulletin - http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/E/pub/tp/it504r2-consolid/README.html.

My return sailed through without any trouble, refund back in ... 6 or 7 days. I do have some experience with this - my wife and I were both tax advisers with CRA in the past, but don't count this as professional advice. If the guide and the return published by CRA aren't clear to you, consult any good accountant or call CRA itself for help.

BB


----------



## plumstead (Dec 22, 2016)

Can anyone recommend a Canadian PO Box rental that complies with CAN-SPAM? Perhaps a virtual PO Box? Canada Post and the UPS store are a little out of my budget right now. Thanks!


----------



## Lucky Luke (Nov 25, 2014)

Hi everyone,
I'm switching banks and have gone to VanCity. Does anyone else have this institution? I'm having trouble switching the Amazon payment over. It won't take the last two numbers.

Thanks


----------



## Lucky Luke (Nov 25, 2014)

Ellie Lynn said:


> Good morning from chilly, snowy High River, AB!
> I use PC Financial, and it was super easy to set up.
> 
> Ellie


Thanks Ellie!


----------



## MMHC102 (Jul 29, 2016)

I am trying to organize my taxes. I have income from multiple jobs, then stuff relating to writing and my freelance editing. I need to find a way to balance all my receipts and what not without costing a whole lot paying an accountant to organize and balance everything. Trying to make it as easy as possible. Any recommendations for programs or excel spreadsheets or affordable accountants? 

Any help would be greatly appreciated.


----------



## ShadyWolfBoy (Sep 23, 2015)

MMHC102 said:


> I am trying to organize my taxes. I have income from multiple jobs, then stuff relating to writing and my freelance editing. I need to find a way to balance all my receipts and what not without costing a whole lot paying an accountant to organize and balance everything. Trying to make it as easy as possible. Any recommendations for programs or excel spreadsheets or affordable accountants?
> 
> Any help would be greatly appreciated.


It's hard to send someone to a spreadsheet because any kind of excel sheet would have to be customized to your needs. I'm told both QuickBooks and Simply Accounting are straightforward bookkeeping software (I've never used either, I was always either operating at too small or too large a level).

Something to note, though, is that you're not talking about accounting here. You're talking about bookkeeping, and bookkeepers usually work for a lot less than accountants (ie, $15-20/hour instead of $70-/100 - smart accountants either have a bookkeeper on staff or one to recommend as we HATE doing this stuff XD).

I'd suggest taking a glance through your local google for bookkeepers and get a few quotes. If you're doing the return yourself and all you need from them is an organized file of receipts with everything in a spreadsheet, that should be pretty easy - though note that everyone else is trying to do the same thing right now!


----------



## Dennis E. Taylor (Feb 10, 2015)

A question for the more accounting-savvy: If you receive an advance on a book, do you have to record it as immediate revenue, or can you record it as a liability and "recognize" the revenue based on statements from the publisher? Has anyone ever tried this? It would be great for spreading out income, and from a strictly accounting POV, it makes sense. But Revenue Canada may not agree.


----------



## doolittle03 (Feb 13, 2015)

I'm not an accountant but I think an advance would be declared as Income from Self-Employment in the year it was received--as in the portion that was deposited in your bank account. Royalties are declared in the year they are earned. If it's revenue, it's revenue and taxable in the year it was received. To the best of my knowledge. 

Lots of snow here. Again. Canada's 150th birthday, I'm going to make a bigger push to reach Canadian readers by running ads in print media *gasp!* Old school but still effective and cheaper than a Bookbub.


----------



## lincolnjcole (Mar 15, 2016)

doolittle03 said:


> I'm not an accountant but I think an advance would be declared as Income from Self-Employment in the year it was received--as in the portion that was deposited in your bank account. Royalties are declared in the year they are earned. If it's revenue, it's revenue and taxable in the year it was received. To the best of my knowledge.
> 
> Lots of snow here. Again. Canada's 150th birthday, I'm going to make a bigger push to reach Canadian readers by running ads in print media *gasp!* Old school but still effective and cheaper than a Bookbub.


Taxes are no fun at all.


----------



## doolittle03 (Feb 13, 2015)

Ellie Lynn said:


> Beautiful day here in southern Alberta. Anything above freezing and snow-melting is a beautiful day it seems!
> 
> Depending on your subject, the International Bookbub's are actually pretty reasonable for pricing. I paid 30.00 for mine and am looking forward to seeing how that goes on Sunday.


I guess I should have said the newspaper never rejects me!  But yes, 30 bucks is very reasonable. I'd love to hear how it went.


----------



## MarionMyles (Oct 1, 2015)

BlouBryant said:


> Good morning, Alberta. I did my own, using online software and CRA guides - it was quite easy. I used StudioTax free software, put everything under Business Income - lines 162-135 (well, losses in the end) and filled out the statement of business activities. http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/E/pbg/tf/t2125/README.html. You as well should read the guide for business and professional activities - available at http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/E/pub/tg/t4002/t4002-e.html. There is as well information in a bulletin - http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/E/pub/tp/it504r2-consolid/README.html.


Hi BlouBryant - I have quick question: Did you have to use an industry code when you reported your writing under Business Income? This is my first year of publishing and I've reported self-employment income in the past for other things I've done. Always had to download other forms and include them with my taxes. I've looked through all the various self-employment codes and couldn't find one that fit exactly. The closest seems to be - _Newspaper, periodical, book and directory publishers_ Code #511100.

Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks.

Marion


----------



## NoLongerPosting (Apr 5, 2014)

Removed due to site owner's change to TOS.


----------



## MarionMyles (Oct 1, 2015)

Rickie Blair - thanks so much for reply, I really appreciate it!  Well, I guess I have no more excuses to put off doing my taxes?!


----------



## ceejay13 (Apr 3, 2017)

Hi all,

edited personal info


----------



## ldparker (May 6, 2017)

Hello all,

living in the west end of the Toronto area.  I currently have one novel mostly finished and working on the second.  Hope to publish at least a trilogy one day.

I look forward to participating on this Board!

LD


----------



## BiancaSommerland (Mar 8, 2011)

Love that this popped up just as I was reading through! Don't have any advice to offer at the moment that's Canadian specific.

Well, unless you're in the East. Then stay safe and dry. I'm not in the areas affected right now, thank the Gods.

Now I'm gonna go back and read over the thread and see if I can be useful in any way!


----------



## Steve Vernon (Feb 18, 2011)

BiancaSommerland said:


> Love that this popped up just as I was reading through! Don't have any advice to offer at the moment that's Canadian specific.
> 
> Well, unless you're in the East. Then stay safe and dry. I'm not in the areas affected right now, thank the Gods.
> 
> Now I'm gonna go back and read over the thread and see if I can be useful in any way!


I'm in the East. It's not too bad here in Halifax. We've had a lot of rain, but nothing too extreme.


----------



## BiancaSommerland (Mar 8, 2011)

Steve Vernon said:


> I'm in the East. It's not too bad here in Halifax. We've had a lot of rain, but nothing too extreme.


 That's awesome! I always assume you guys get it worse.

Actually looking at a place in Dartmouth. <g>


----------



## LSBurton (Jan 31, 2014)

Steve Vernon said:


> I'm in the East. It's not too bad here in Halifax. We've had a lot of rain, but nothing too extreme.


Beautiful day here in St. John's. Out to throw some Frisbee in the park, walking about enjoying some sunshine in the cool evening.

EDIT: Not often I get to say that, lemme tell ya. Figured I'd toss it out there while I could.


----------



## Valerie A. (Dec 31, 2016)

Good, I don't have to feel guilty about living in sunny BC. Since we're talking about the weather   

I lived in Ontario (Toronto, Amherstburg, Thunder Bay, Guelph) before moving to the Best and Most Overpriced Place on Earth. It's good to see so many fellow Canadians on these boards.  My expertise for research purposes is in veterinary medicine, linguistics, Russian language and literature. I don't earn enough from my books to pay taxes on royalties, so I'm useless in that respect. 

A lovely rest of the weekend to all!


----------



## Steve Vernon (Feb 18, 2011)

BiancaSommerland said:


> That's awesome! I always assume you guys get it worse.
> 
> Actually looking at a place in Dartmouth. <g>


I spoke too soon. We have got a real frog-drowner going out there this morning. The rain is just bucketing down.

Dartmouth can be a nice area, although some spots are nicer than others. We've also got a fairly active Writers Federation, as well as an active Romance writing group.


----------



## doolittle03 (Feb 13, 2015)

We're sandbagging here as they're opening the dams. The Gatineau is rising like I've never seen. 

Hi to all the newcomers on this thread! I was wide with my stuff through D2D then found out Kobo had special promos I could use if I went direct (which Steve talked about in more detail on another thread, I think). I applied for their Mother's Day special (Canada only) with my mystery and I got accepted! Maybe this is no big deal and everyone is accepted but I'm pretty dang happy.


----------



## NoLongerPosting (Apr 5, 2014)

Removed due to site owner's change to TOS.


----------



## doolittle03 (Feb 13, 2015)

Rickie Blair said:


> Southern Ontario here and a lot of rivers are flooding.
> 
> Congrats on the Kobo promo!
> I'm direct on Kobo but I'd never heard of those. Where on the Writing Life site do you apply for those?


When you log in to your account, along the top, click on the "Promotions" tab and scroll down to see a list of promo opportunities available for various genres. Some cost but the price is really reasonable and some like mine take a percentage off my royalty. So, no money upfront.

getting out our hip waders here....


----------



## ShadyWolfBoy (Sep 23, 2015)

Damp and soaked but finally sunny here in Kitchener 
We're on top of a hill though, Im worried about some.of the areas around the rivers!


----------



## BiancaSommerland (Mar 8, 2011)

doolittle03 said:


> When you log in to your account, along the top, click on the "Promotions" tab and scroll down to see a list of promo opportunities available for various genres. Some cost but the price is really reasonable and some like mine take a percentage off my royalty. So, no money upfront.
> 
> getting out our hip waders here....


It's AWESOME that you got the promo!  I've noticed the option, but I haven't used it yet.

Can you share how well it does when you can? I've been wanting to focus a bit more on Kobo, so I'll be looking through this thread for tips.


----------



## faea (May 7, 2017)

Hi All,

I am excited to say that I'm moving to Vancouver BC.  After ten years of living in the USA my husband and I figure we have better job options, and medical options for our daughter, in my home country.  I've published my first book in March and book 2 is already to the editors.  Any advise on what I need to do to switch everything to Canada, or not?


----------



## doolittle03 (Feb 13, 2015)

BiancaSommerland said:


> It's AWESOME that you got the promo!  I've noticed the option, but I haven't used it yet.
> 
> Can you share how well it does when you can? I've been wanting to focus a bit more on Kobo, so I'll be looking through this thread for tips.


Thanks! Kobo has been a tough nut to crack for me. Steve Vernon has done well there, if memory serves. Will post results when I have them!

Hi faea! As far as I know, moving from US to Canada--I think banking info would change and tax info with your distributors. Use your SIN to register for 0% tax withholding on the forms. And you can get your ISBNs from Library and Archives Canada for free.


----------



## Ellie L (Aug 6, 2016)

NOTHING TO SEE HERE


----------



## SomethingClever (Mar 9, 2014)

Nothing to see here. Post removed because I don't agree with the changes VerticalScope made to the TOS, without notification, which are overreaching and troublesome.


----------



## BiancaSommerland (Mar 8, 2011)

CindyCarroll said:


> I don't have a promotions tab.  I remember when they were talking about implementing it. Is it still in beta and only for some authors?


 If you don't have it, write to them. They're very responsive and had it up on mine very quickly. It might still be in beta, I'm not sure.


----------



## Ellie L (Aug 6, 2016)

NOTHING TO SEE HERE


----------



## Steve Vernon (Feb 18, 2011)

Yup, I do fairly well on Kobo - although the bulk of my sales are still from Kindle.

I've been working with one of my books in StoryBundle over the last few weeks and I have done REALLY well with one book bundle of theirs.

You can read about it over at my blog, if you'd like.

https://stevevernonstoryteller.wordpress.com/2017/05/02/selling-books-through-storybundle/


----------



## BiancaSommerland (Mar 8, 2011)

Steve Vernon said:


> Yup, I do fairly well on Kobo - although the bulk of my sales are still from Kindle.
> 
> I've been working with one of my books in StoryBundle over the last few weeks and I have done REALLY well with one book bundle of theirs.
> 
> ...


Wow, thank you for sharing, this is so cool!

I'm going to be watching for storybundles my books might fit with like a hawk. I'm also going to write to Kobo and see if I can organize something. Have you tried to get one started yourself?


----------



## Steve Vernon (Feb 18, 2011)

BiancaSommerland said:


> I'm going to be watching for storybundles my books might fit with like a hawk. I'm also going to write to Kobo and see if I can organize something. Have you tried to get one started yourself?


Frankly, I don't trust my own organizational skills just yet.


----------



## BiancaSommerland (Mar 8, 2011)

Steve Vernon said:


> Frankly, I don't trust my own organizational skills just yet.


 lol! Fair enough.

I'll see what they have to say. If it's not to complicated, I'll post here about how I didn't screw it up!

Or how I found someone better at being in charge to take over.


----------



## NoLongerPosting (Apr 5, 2014)

Removed due to site owner's change to TOS.


----------



## doolittle03 (Feb 13, 2015)

Happy Canada day, guys! I'll be on a pontoon boat in the middle of a lake in the Gatineau Hills celebrating 150 years with wine and bad food. I remember when Canada turned 100--we went to Expo 67 in Montreal and celebrated with pop and bad food. So ... full circle.
Happy 150 all!


----------



## Trina Lee (May 4, 2011)

Happy Canada Day fellow Canadians!! I'll be hanging out at a classic car show with my family. Probably enjoying some BBQ too. Hope you all have a good one.


----------



## Anna_ (Jan 18, 2015)

Happy Canada Day, everyone! Hoping you all have a great day!

My plans are to head to a street fair, participate in the largest living flag then watch the fireworks from the park. I've got a busy day.


----------



## ShadyWolfBoy (Sep 23, 2015)

Happy Canada Day!

I'm working on my new book


----------



## Tulonsae (Apr 12, 2015)

Content removed due to TOS Change of 2018. I do not agree to the terms.


----------



## Geoff North (Apr 2, 2011)

So who out there is dreading winter in the prairies? Yesterday was -20, today -3. The cruel tease has begun...


----------



## Anna_ (Jan 18, 2015)

Geoff North said:


> So who out there is dreading winter in the prairies? Yesterday was -20, today -3. The cruel tease has begun...


I'm a Manitoban too, and maybe I'm in the minority, but I love winter. Would I love one less month of it? Sure, but I still love it.


----------



## Trina Lee (May 4, 2011)

Getting a warm streak here in Alberta. Was plus 5 today. Supposed to be plus temps for another week or so. Going to enjoy it while I can.


----------



## Brevoort (Jan 27, 2014)

The five day forecast for Calgary shows 10 degrees Celsius and higher for each day. I can't help but fear that we will pay a fearful price for this freakish weather in the coming weeks. What goes way up in Alberta has a nasty habit of crashing far down within hours.


----------



## doolittle03 (Feb 13, 2015)

Dusting of snow here and holding out hope for more. There is nothing to do in the winter without snow and I have five grandsons coming for the holidays all under the age of five. LET. IT. SNOW.


----------



## Dragon (May 9, 2016)

Wow, has this thread been quiet!  
Anyone still around?


----------



## ImaWriter (Aug 12, 2015)

Waving!  

Still here--at least a bit. 

Since the forum was sold to the grim reaper of forums, it's mostly dead here.


----------



## Anna_ (Jan 18, 2015)

I'm here too!

I have a question for my Canadian friends: Since ISBNs are free, do you always do a paperback version? I'm starting a new series and thinking about doing it, but then I need to get a copy to send to LAC. 

And on the subject of paperbacks, I ordered copies of my previous two books and plan to pick them up at the border (parcel pickup facility), but I'm starting to wonder if this was worth it. The gas to get to the border and back, paying the parcel pickup people, then hanging around in the US a few days (by choice). I'm starting to think it would have been cheaper to have Amazon ship direct.

What have others done?


----------



## William Meikle (Apr 19, 2010)

Still here in Newfoundland too, where it reached 26C today, about as hot as it ever gets here on the eastern coast.

Found out today that there's a teacher in Quebec using one of my novellas in his class this year to teach the kids how to mix folklore into their fiction. Which is nice...

As for the paperbacks, I've done one for everything, even the short chapbooks at 60-80 pages. Sold over 100 pbs last month, so it's been worth it.


----------



## ImaWriter (Aug 12, 2015)

Anna_ said:


> I'm here too!
> 
> I have a question for my Canadian friends: Since ISBNs are free, do you always do a paperback version? I'm starting a new series and thinking about doing it, but then I need to get a copy to send to LAC.
> 
> ...


Yes, I do paperbacks. Sending them to LAC just involves filling in the form they provide them mailing them your copies. They give you a receipt and your costs are a write off. Cost of the book and delivery to them.

The last time I checked the cost to have 50 books shipped to me directly was about the same as the cost of gas alone. I'm about 2 hours from the Niagara Falls border crossing, and I think the price of gas was higher last time I looked, but in all, the difference wasn't enough for me to overlook the convenience of having them shipped direct.


----------



## Anna_ (Jan 18, 2015)

ImaWriter said:


> Yes, I do paperbacks. Sending them to LAC just involves filling in the form they provide them mailing them your copies. They give you a receipt and your costs are a write off. Cost of the book and delivery to them.
> 
> The last time I checked the cost to have 50 books shipped to me directly was about the same as the cost of gas alone. I'm about 2 hours from the Niagara Falls border crossing, and I think the price of gas was higher last time I looked, but in all, the difference wasn't enough for me to overlook the convenience of having them shipped direct.


I'm 75 minutes away and we decided to make it a 2-day trip just because we do go down to the States once a year. I've also purchased other things to pick up at the border, so it's not just for the books. But since we won't be going out again for at least a year, I'll have any other paperbacks delivered directly to my door. I don't see any real savings otherwise.


----------



## Anna_ (Jan 18, 2015)

Has anyone been able to go direct on Google Play recently? Say, the last month or so? I was using D2D but now that option is no longer available. Some fellow Canucks in Facebook groups I belong to have said they've had difficulty filling out the tax forms. 

ETA - with the patience of a Google Play rep I think I figured it out.


----------



## ShayneRutherford (Mar 24, 2014)

Anna_ said:


> Has anyone been able to go direct on Google Play recently? Say, the last month or so? I was using D2D but now that option is no longer available. Some fellow Canucks in Facebook groups I belong to have said they've had difficulty filling out the tax forms.
> 
> ETA - with the patience of a Google Play rep I think I figured it out.


I signed up for an account but never got to the point of figuring out the tax form. Which option do you choose? I could never figure out which form to use to get the sole proprietor option.


----------



## Anna_ (Jan 18, 2015)

They don't make it easy!

Go to Payment Center

Under Settings select Manage Settings

Go to United States Tax Info

After selecting that you aren't a US citizen, it will ask what best describes you. Select Corporation. (This is where i kept going wrong)

Next question asks something about is this product's income effectively connected with you own business operations in the US.

Answer no.

You will finally be directed to the the right form -- the coveted W8-BEN. 

Fill that out and you're done. I don't know if they send any sort of confirmation because I haven't received that yet, but it looks all right in my settings.

Hope this helps.


----------



## ShayneRutherford (Mar 24, 2014)

Anna_ said:


> They don't make it easy!
> 
> Go to Payment Center
> 
> ...


Thank you!!! I'll give that a try when I get back to my computer.


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## sela (Nov 2, 2014)

Bumping this. 

I am a Canadian and should be exempt from tax on royalties based on the Tax Treaty between Canada and the US. 

I keep trying to fill this new tax form out but I keep getting tax taken off. I have had a Google Play account for several years -- I was one of the first to be offered an account as an author. I never had tax taken off until this year, after they changed their forms. Now I am getting tax taken off. 

I have contacted them about it several times but they keep giving me the runaround. I'm so damn frustrated. No matter how many times I contact them, they keep sending me the same damned canned response.

Has any other Canadian indie author figured this out?


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## Anna_ (Jan 18, 2015)

sela said:


> Bumping this.
> 
> I am a Canadian and should be exempt from tax on royalties based on the Tax Treaty between Canada and the US.
> 
> ...


Are you able to fill the tax form out again? Is that an option? If so, two posts above I detailed how I did it. To be fair, it was the first time signing up for me.

Also, I went through their chat option. I didn't bother with email.


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## Dragon (May 9, 2016)

*taps mic* Hello? Is anyone still here?


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## tired1680 (Sep 24, 2017)

Yup


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## Dragon (May 9, 2016)

Hey there! Good to see you!


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## Moe D (Dec 6, 2017)

Not sure if I've said hello, but I'm from Canada.

I came across this. In case there is the off chance anyone can benefit from it. They don't make it easy and joining the writers union of Canada seems difficult, but who knows. Thought I'd throw it out there.

https://www.writersunion.ca/news/emergency-relief-fund


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## tired1680 (Sep 24, 2017)

Yeah... they're a bunch of elitists there. I've had a few friends turned down and so did I. Because our books weren't 'up to quality'. Whatever that means, since they don't tell us. We've had our books professionally edited, the covers are as good if not better than most trad pubs, and we certainly have sold a decent number. But... *shrugs*

So, I am happy to ignore them from now on.


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## Moe D (Dec 6, 2017)

tired1680 said:


> Yeah... they're a bunch of elitists there. I've had a few friends turned down and so did I. Because our books weren't 'up to quality'. Whatever that means, since they don't tell us. We've had our books professionally edited, the covers are as good if not better than most trad pubs, and we certainly have sold a decent number. But... *shrugs*
> 
> So, I am happy to ignore them from now on.


If their numbers are any indication, I agree. For a countrywide org to have only 2600 members, that tells me unless you fall into a very narrow category, you're not invited. But maybe we have a few members who belong. You never know.


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## Dragon (May 9, 2016)

I checked into that organization a couple of months ago and remember being very disappointed. But thanks for the heads up just the same!


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## markpauloleksiw (Jan 15, 2019)

Hi Everyone!

My observations coming into the publishing world only a couple of years back. As a Canadian, here are some of the things that have surprised me.

- Canada is elitist when it comes to self-publishers. Good luck trying to apply for grants/awards etc... or even try to be in a Writer's Union. Canada seems not have realized that self-publishers are the future and there are great independent Canadian made works produced regularly.
- Shocked that you cannot run a sponsored AD through using KDP on amazon.ca


Mark


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## Moe D (Dec 6, 2017)

markpauloleksiw said:


> Hi Everyone!
> 
> My observations coming into the publishing world only a couple of years back. As a Canadian, here are some of the things that have surprised me.
> 
> ...


There seems to be two groups of writers in Canada: the ones who will only ever see a traditional deal as a measure of success and will pursue that relentlessly, and then the self-publishers who tend to be more practical and also see writing as a business. There seems to be little crossover between these groups.

I recently met a man who has been trying to get a trad deal for 20+ years. When I told him how much I made on my first trad deal versus what I make self-publishing, his jaw dropped.

Until the attitudes of the old guard of writers changes, this thumbing the nose at self-publishers will continue. It also may be true in the US, but since I've never lived there, I have no idea if their writing communities are the same.


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## Dragon (May 9, 2016)

Good morning, afternoon or evening, depending on where you are!

I've been away, nose to the grindstone working on a new project for a number of months, and when not doing that, trying to build up my author platform.

But enough about me...what have _you_ been working on?


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## markpauloleksiw (Jan 15, 2019)

I have been procrastinating on the fourth novel, Rain for Puddle Splashers and creating "boxed" ebook set for my first three.

Still trying to figure out how to market to Canadian readers which is damn frustrating for a Canadian author!  I sell more in UK than Canada (once you back out friends/family).

Mark


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## viper9826 (Oct 18, 2012)

I just found this thread. I'm a few of hours north of Toronto, close to Sudbury if anyone is close to my area. Every year my 1042-S are much lower than what I've actually made through kdp. Has anyone figured out why this is happening?


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## Desmond X. Torres (Mar 16, 2013)

viper9826 said:


> I just found this thread. I'm a few of hours north of Toronto, close to Sudbury if anyone is close to my area. Every year my 1042-S are much lower than what I've actually made through kdp. Has anyone figured out why this is happening?


Helloooo from Kingston! Been to Sudbury a couple of times; it's a nice town. 
The 1042-S is not helpful. We tried to get a straight answer from Zon (good luck w/ that...emailing someone in India to discuss US tax rules earned from Canada.... lol) The best I could come up with is that it only reflects actual books sold, not KU income, and only in the USA. IDK... For us we did a work around that makes our tax people happy...
ANYWAY... 
1. We run our biz as owner/operated. Basically we just add Zon's $ to our other income (old farts, so it's pensions and a little rental income). We're FT in it and do about US $80-100K/year before advertising (about 30-35% or so). 

For income we just give our tax people a total of all the deposits received from Zon. NOTE: if you advertise, make sure you convert that to CAD when you file! LOL
Hope this helps.


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## viper9826 (Oct 18, 2012)

Desmond X. Torres said:


> For us we did a work around that makes our tax people happy...
> ANYWAY...
> 1. We run our biz as owner/operated. Basically we just add Zon's $ to our other income (old farts, so it's pensions and a little rental income). We're FT in it and do about US $80-100K/year before advertising (about 30-35% or so).
> 
> Hope this helps.


Thanks so much for the reply! Last year for example, I made (combined - ebooks/print) a little over 169k USA but my 1052 only reported 96k. That's off by over 70k. That's huge.. All this time I've only ever submitted the 1052 to my accountant and go from there - (yes, I convert all from usa to ca including all expenses). I submit my profit and loss sheet but it's been bugging me now that I'm making more to really dig deep into this.. 

We should be able to have a straight answer. I just assumed the 1052 reported all income made world wide considering they are collecting world wide.


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## Desmond X. Torres (Mar 16, 2013)

OK, w/ those numbers you sure ain't a noob! LOL (Hope you don't get audited!) 
Since we've both been around the block, we both know getting a straight answer that's understandable is a challenge. 
If you have better luck w/ Zon than I did, could you post the results here?


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## @Suzanna (Mar 14, 2011)

I'm also Canadian (from Toronto) and I've never bothered with the US tax forms. I have two bank accounts for my US income (most of my income goes into a Canadian account, but I do have a US RBC account so B&N doesn't hit me with the $17 wire transfer fee every month.) I print off my bank account statements for those two accounts and use the numbers reported there as my income.


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## viper9826 (Oct 18, 2012)

@Suzanna said:


> I'm also Canadian (from Toronto) and I've never bothered with the US tax forms. I have two bank accounts for my US income (most of my income goes into a Canadian account, but I do have a US RBC account so B&N doesn't hit me with the $17 wire transfer fee every month.) I print off my bank account statements for those two accounts and use the numbers reported there as my income.


Thanks so much, Suzanna! I think this might be the new way for this year...


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## viper9826 (Oct 18, 2012)

@Desmond X. Torres @Suzanna 

My new accountant called stating that he has to register me for a HST number for me. That this is a good thing because more than likely I'll be getting money back. Never, in all of my publishing did my old accountant mention anything about registering for an HST number. I honestly don't understand why I would need to considering zon does all of this. Have you guys registered one?

Any clarification would be greatly appreciated.


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## Old_Writer (11 mo ago)

I'm a former Chartered Professional Accountant in the province of Ontario, and I can tell you without a shred of doubt you do not need an HST number if you're merely selling your books via retailers such as Amazon, Kobo, etc. They are responsible for collecting sales taxes. How do I know? I actually spoke with an agent in CRA's GST division on the matter a few years ago. Your accountant is wrong. I currently run my own incorporated publishing business and sell only via retailers. I don't have an HST number. Do not let the accountant register for an HST number for you. Otherwise you'll be stuck submitting a report to CRA every year for as long as you live (not quite, but close). Or rather your accountant will, and then charge you for the privilege.


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## viper9826 (Oct 18, 2012)

@Old_Writer thanks for this information. I was thinking the same thing. I found it kind of odd but he adiment ath I must have one. He claimed he called the HST department and tried to explain my scenario and this is what he's stating because I am a small business and making over 30k per year. Also, I'm not referring to GST department or a gst number...I'm referring to hst. 

Is there a way I can clearly explain why I don't need one to him? My damn head hurts after all of this switching accountants.


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## Old_Writer (11 mo ago)

viper9826 said:


> @Old_Writer thanks for this information. I was thinking the same thing. I found it kind of odd but he adiment ath I must have one. He claimed he called the HST department and tried to explain my scenario and this is what he's stating because I am a small business and making over 30k per year. Also, I'm not referring to GST department or a gst number...I'm referring to hst.
> 
> Is there a way I can clearly explain why I don't need one to him? My damn head hurts after all of this switching accountants.


_Sigh_ You're better off firing him and finding someone else. An accountant who doesn't understand that the retailers are responsible for sales taxes, not the publisher because you the publisher aren't selling anything is a tad dense. And sadly the profession is full of accountants who can't figure out simple logic, let alone interpret tax regulations. The closest analogy I can think of, and that's how I explained it to CRA, is that the retailers are selling our books on consignment. We don't sell them to the retailer or the end user. The retailer sells them and gives us a portion of the proceeds. But seriously, fire the accountant. This is stupid beyond belief. He's probably lying to you about speaking with CRA anyhow. BTW, HST is GST+PST in provinces where the provincial government harmonized provinicial sales tax with federal sales tax, so federal GST rules cover HST as well.


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## @Suzanna (Mar 14, 2011)

If you've earned more than $30,000, you'll need an HST number. I don't know if that's after the first year or the second year. I will say that after the second year of earning more than $30,000, the CRA sent me a letter and assigned me an HST number. Yes, even though the majority of my income is foreign source income and I earn very little through Kobo, I still have to fill out reports every year stating that I haven't collected or remitted any GST.

Edited to add:

I published my first book in December 2012 and the CRA assigned me an HST number (which they call a Business Number) in June 2015. 

And it's not just accountants that have an issue with this. CRA has been known to hit up authors and ask them to submit HST. They don't seem to understand this either.


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## Old_Writer (11 mo ago)

@Suzanna said:


> If you've earned more than $30,000, you'll need an HST number. I don't know if that's after the first year or the second year. I will say that after the second year of earning more than $30,000, the CRA sent me a letter and assigned me an HST number. Yes, even though the majority of my income is foreign source income and I earn very little through Kobo, I still have to fill out reports every year stating that I haven't collected or remitted any GST.


Wrong. I've been pulling in six figure incomes for years and was at the time I spoke with CRA. If your books are sold by retailers and not your own store, you have no taxable supplies, as per the relevant GST regulations. But hey, I'm just a former CPA who understands the tax regulations. No need to believe me. And with that, I'm bailing on this discussion. Y'all may do as you please.


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## @Suzanna (Mar 14, 2011)

I'm not wrong in saying that the CRA gave me an HST number in 2015 ... that's a fact. And I've spoken to authors who have gone round and round with the CRA on this issue. Just because you've been lucky so far doesn't mean that I'm living in an imaginary world where I was given an HST number. I know one romance author from BC who makes 7 figures a year. She was lucky for years ... told someone at the CRA that she wasn't actually selling the books and they were fine with that answer ... until they weren't. Another agent starting giving her all sorts of grief about this.


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## @Suzanna (Mar 14, 2011)

All that aside, I certainly wouldn't apply for a business number unless you could claim back a lot of GST on legit office/writing expenses and you figure it's worth the hassle. Wait for the CRA to come to you and ask you what's up. I was unsuccessful in getting the CRA to revoke the number they assigned me. Sigh.


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## Desmond X. Torres (Mar 16, 2013)

Old_Writer said:


> Wrong. I've been pulling in six figure incomes for years and was at the time I spoke with CRA. If your books are sold by retailers and not your own store, you have no taxable supplies, as per the relevant GST regulations. But hey, I'm just a former CPA who understands the tax regulations. No need to believe me. And with that, I'm bailing on this discussion. Y'all may do as you please.


Yup to all you posted on this matter. 
We had a similar situation; changed accountants and went to a new firm that's run by former CRA employees about six years ago. Our accountant also wanted us to get an HST #.and we refused. I 'suggested' she contact her former colleagues on this matter. She was a little miffed that a schmoe like me was so insistent, but we held our ground (my wife & I are partners in this whole writing thing).

Here's the payoff.
She phoned us about 2 (3?) days later to tell us we were right (I was basing my opinion on stuff on Kboards back in '13 or so). What it boiled down to was something about how we do not handle any retail sales at all. Her phoning us on this matter as soon as she realized she was wrong locked us in as clients. We trust her. 

For the poster who's having the problems w/ his accountant, I second the motion to find another to do the work. Yeah, it's a fireable offense as far as I'm concerned:
1. Lack of knowledge of the tax code, but 
2. More importantly an unwillingness to listen to their client. 

Susana, I have no idea how the CRA could have unilaterally assigned a 'Business Number' or HST number. That confuses me. But I'll take your word for it (I guess).


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