March 29, 2019

How to Create an Awesome Author Website with These Basics

March 29, 2019/ Michelle Cornish

Have you ever found a new author you're really excited about and search for them online only to find... nothing? No author website. This has happened to me quite a few times and it left me feeling pretty disappointed. I wanted to sign up for their newsletter and be the first to know when they had a new book coming out. Sure, I can follow their Amazon author page, but that's just not the same to me.

Do you really need an author website?

There are certainly other ways to connect with your readers online: social media platforms and sites like BookBub and Bublish are great places to connect with readers, but what happens if those sites are suddenly gone one day?

March 21, 2019

Happy World Poetry Day 2019!

March 21, 2019/ Michelle Cornish

When people think of poems, they often go straight to love poems, but there are many different forms of poetry. You could say there’s something for everyone! I thought it would be fun to share the beginning of my rhyming picture book designed to teach kids the value of budgeting and taking good care of their money. It will also be fun to look back on this post and see how much my illustrations have changed!

Enjoy!

March 16, 2019

Sales Taxes for Canadian Authors

March 16, 2019/ Michelle Cornish

Noooo... Not sales taxes! Ugh!!

I have been hearing a lot about the sales tax changes in the US lately, and I thought it would be helpful to discuss how things work in Canada when it comes to sales taxes and your book sales. This is for Canadian authors who sell their books directly to customers, whether that is through a website or in person.

Good news if you’re in Canada…

March 08, 2019

Want to Write a Book? This Online Group Coaching Program Will Help You Do It

March 08, 2019/ Michelle Cornish

Many people dream of writing and publishing a book ‘someday’, but statistics show only about 2% of those people actually realize their dream. I’m going to share a secret weapon with you that’s helped me with my books, and I know it will help you too!

It’s very fitting that I’m writing this post on March 8, 2019, International Women’s Day. It’s the final day of the Women In Publishing Summit, hosted by one of my favourite women in publishing, Alexa Bigwarfe.

Two years ago, I met Alexa after I won a spot in her group coaching program for writers as part of an online summit I was speaking at. Talk about divine intervention—I didn’t even know there were prizes for speakers or that one of them was for writers. I had just published my first book and had started working on my first novel, so I was super excited to meet Alexa and learn about her program.

March 01, 2019

Do You Need an Accountant?

March 01, 2019/ Michelle Cornish

It depends!

I know that’s probably not the answer you were hoping for, but like most things when it comes to taxes, the answer to the question, “Do I need an accountant?” isn’t a simple one.

Because most people hire an accountant to do their taxes, let’s look at taxes first. Taxes can be grouped into two broad categories: personal and business.

February 18, 2019

Busting Common Myths About Accountants

February 18, 2019/ Michelle Cornish

As a writer, it’s hard for me to ignore stereotypes. They serve a purpose in stories and it’s easy to fall back on them when I need a character who is a “typical” Canadian, stay at home mom, or fill-in-the-blank. But, what makes a story (and life) really interesting is when the characters defy the stereotype.

Since I come from an accounting background, I thought it would be fun to look at what people think is “typical” of accountants. When I typed “stereotypical accountant personality” into Google, words like dependable, structured, and practical came up.

February 08, 2019

The Role of an Accountant in Your Business

February 08, 2019/ Michelle Cornish

Some entrepreneurs feel like working with an accountant is expensive, but when you think of everything a professional accountant can do for you, they’re actually priceless! Some of these things include staying current on tax changes so you can save the most tax, filing paperwork on time so you don’t get charged unnecessary penalties, and analyzing your business income and expenses to help improve your bottom line. In this post, you will learn how to find an accountant who will become your trusted business advisor.

February 01, 2019

Auditing Jane Doe Chapter 1: Jane Doe

February 01, 2019/ Michelle Cornish

*The following scene contains nudity, violence, and profanity. You’ve been warned!

“Take off your clothes.” The gun was barely a few inches from her face. She glared directly into his eyes as she slowly unbuttoned her blouse. She took her time, still trying to think of a way out of this. She looked over her shoulder at the street below. “Don’t get any ideas,” he warned. “There’s nowhere for you to go.”

As she stripped down to her bra and panties, she closed her eyes, trying to escape to another place. The hair on her arms was starting to rise as she felt the cool air of the spring night. The man in front of her stepped up to her, and she felt his hot breath in her face. She felt the cold metal of the gun touch her skin and she jolted her eyes open, pleading with her assaulter. He leaned in and tried to kiss her. She fought as hard as she could to turn away and she felt the barrel of the gun dig harder into the side of her neck. She gave in.

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