Annabelle Update + Patreon Update (May 2020) (Patreon)

Hi all!

Okay, just a quick update from me about the usual stuff, and then a heads up regarding Patreon changes (like, Patreon itself, not stuff I am doing here).

Rewards: I will try to get these sent out in the next few days, I am running behind due to life (nothing bad, just, you know, real life gets busy). It takes me about 45 minutes to an hour to get the appropriate links sent out, and all I have time for today is this post, but you will get the Rewards Sent post by Monday at the latest (sorry about the delay). It just all depends on how the weekend proceeds.

Book 2: Developmental edits are completed. This is the hardest/longest part, because it meant some rewrites. For those of you curious about what changed, here are a few examples:

Rewrote Elizabeth's POV sequence (her only one) from Daryl's POV, since he actually has more scenes in the book. Brought in more motivation for his actions, etc.

Rewrote Beth's thoughts/actions to make her more of a planner/thinker than someone who loses her head over monster dick. In the words of the editor "She's very one-dimensional in this book" (editor hasn't read the first book, so that was part of it)

Rewrote some key Dana scenes to round out her character and make the issue with eating sperm less creepy at the end. You've seen her develop as a character thru D&H, but you have the advantage of being a year ahead of new readers.

A lot of other changes were minor. Hopefully by the time it comes out, you will get to see a more finished story. Editor will have next round of edits done by mid-June, and those will be a lot faster to get to (copy edits, line edits, etc).

Last Arachne: The manuscript is complete, but the artist totally got Covid and was hospitalized for two weeks and then quarantined at a relative's home afterword (he lives in another country, I don't know which one because I didn't want to be nosy). However, the country he lives in has police walking the streets who will check to make sure you aren't dodging quarantine, so he couldn't even get his art rig from his own home to keep working.

He plans to start work again in a week when he is allowed to go home.

AudioBook: Amber sent me the final three chapters in the last week, and I just need time to review them for errors and such. Once that is done, she will send me edited versions of each chapter for a final review. Once we agree on all the changes...BAM! Finished audiobook!

Keep in mind that by the time you get a chance to listen to the audiobook, I have listened to each chapter at least twice. Finished length will be around ten-ish hours (will let you know when I have the real number), typically takes me twice as long to listen, pause, write notes, then keep going. I'm really hoping that early June will be when this finally releases!

Okay, that's my stuff, now on to something different.

PATREON CHANGES: Okay, so don't shoot the messenger, but I got an email that said that Patreon, in order to comply with the law, will start charging sales tax on pledges in July. Here is what I've learned.

1) You will be taxed based on where you live. EU people already have this as VAT, but US people haven't had to pay sales tax (that I'm aware of). Please don't ask me what your sales tax will be, because apparently what they charge is based on your own local laws, so check below.

https://www.avalara.com/us/en/learn/guides/state-by-state-guide-to-marketplace-facilitator-laws.html

2) Whether or not you get charged a sales tax will be based on what is being offered. Hypothetically speaking, many of you may not be charged a sales tax at all because of how I run this page. Patreon's algorithms are scanning through tier descriptions to determine what is taxable and what is not.

For example, on a page that builds a game, a pledge that just says "Thanks for your support" does not get taxed. A pledge that says "Thanks for your support, get a free copy of the game" will be taxed. Currently, the only perk my pledges offer are polls, which are not taxable. All of my "extras" that I offer are in a gray area because I never mention them in the polls.

The Takeaway on Taxes: If I learn anything more, I will fill you in. I have my fingers crossed that because I don't give you an actual product based on your pledges (like autographed art or whatever) that you won't get charged sales tax. But since the process is automated, I really don't know, especially because every state/country has different guidelines. I am, however, pestering Patreon people in a special Creator Discord for better answers. In short, I have no idea what might count as taxes, but I will let you know.

That's it, that's my post! I'm off to do real world things, I hope everyone is gearing up for a fantastic weekend!