The first 300 words of #SweetsForLove…

Are you ready for the first 303 (yes, it’s that precise) words of #SweetsForLove? I’ve changed them around to have a certain someone show up on the page right in the first two pages or so.

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#SweetsForLove – First 300 words

Will anyone notice if I shove Marion Sinclair and her over-the-top Happily-Ever-After BS into the sparkling pool?

“Aisling! Whoo-hoo!” Marion—the influencer of the wedding cakes world waves my way. Wedding Bells Magazine, where she works, is the main sponsor of Let’s Say Yes, the gigantic wedding catering vendor conference of the year.

Marion’s been watching me, waiting for the perfect moment to corner me, shimmying with her butt up in the air like Tiramisu the Cat when he’s ready to pounce on his favorite toy.

My eyes dart to the side. What if I dived under the cocktail table? Too dramatic. I force my PRBF (Permanent Resting Bitch Face) as my sisters call it to relax into a fake smile. “Hi Marion, I’ll be right back. I still need to check in.” I point to my small battered suitcase and rush away before she can pepper me with phony enthusiasm and well-crafted insults that sound like compliments.

The AC and the very particular hotel fragrance—the one full of temptation–blasts in my face as I swerve right into a couple making out in the middle of the lobby.

“I’m sorry.”

No answer—except the man dress as Elvis grunting in approval.

The woman’s wedding veil cascades to the floor and the man’s hands travel down her back. Even though PDA isn’t my thing, there’s a familiar pang in my chest, reminding me that I’ll never have that again. Not that I want it.

“Happily ever after in Sin City,” a deep and smooth voice chuckles next to me. The cologne he’s wearing–one of those bergamot and old spicy wood delicious scents that must come with a warning–entices me to turn to him.

And… Huzzah.

Smoldering dark eyes with a hint of humor and gentleness grab a hold of mine.

Make sure you pre-order #SweetsForLove for only $0.99 on Amazon… You can also add it on Goodreads already.

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My EU VAT Saga As A Self-Published Author: What I Learned (and Got Wrong Info About) from Amazon KDP Support – A self-published author's diary: The Ups and Downs of Self-Publishing (and everything in-between)

If you're an indie author self-publishing wide, or specifically on Amazon KDP, and you're based in the EU, this episode is for you (or at least, it's for you to commiserate with me). I walk through my ongoing, unresolved, and occasionally maddening experience trying to figure out EU VAT reporting for my Amazon royalties as a Belgian-registered sole proprietor and US citizen self-employed author.Topics covered in this episode:Amazon KDP's EU VAT Invoices requirement and the self-billing agreement, and why that option isn't showing up in my accountWhat actually happened during a two-hour Amazon KDP support chat, including an agent who left mid-conversation and wrong information about my tax formsWhy a US citizen living abroad still has to file a W-9, not a W-8BEN, no matter where they liveWhat I found digging through KDP's own (and partly outdated) VAT help pagesThe next step I've identified but haven't tackled yet: submitting VAT invoices to Amazon manuallyA Patreon update: three new paid tiers now live (Emotional Support Crew, Spicy Pickles, and Raccoon Author), and what free members and newsletter subscribers can still expectAn early audiobook release for # Sweets For Love, going out chapter by chapter on PatreonA Barnes & Noble payment update and a quick note on my ongoing TikTok experimentDisclaimer: This episode is not tax, VAT, or legal advice. It's a personal account of one indie author's experience. Please consult a qualified tax advisor, VAT specialist, or your local tax authority for guidance specific to your situation.Stick around for the blooper reel. I still cannot say "EU VAT" cleanly.Links mentioned:Patreon (with the Raccoon Author tier): https://www.patreon.com/c/elodieswritingnook/membershipFAQ VAT (old document I think): https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/GZJMEVQJPYBGJ8Z7FAQ VAT (newer FAQ): https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/GZU8XMCDUGR6PM7FContact: elodie AT elodienow.com

1. My EU VAT Saga As A Self-Published Author: What I Learned (and Got Wrong Info About) from Amazon KDP Support 26:03
2. Numbers: A TikTok Experiment As an Indie Author (the yay, the nay, and what it costs), pre-order numbers and more 29:12
3. Writing and revising, Author Taxes & the Emergency Room: 3 Days in My Self-Published Life 29:48
4. Numbers: Amazon blocked one of my e-books (one that had been live for ten years) 18:33
5. ROMO Or My Reality (Realities) Of Missing Out In the Self-Publishing World… 25:59