Just a couple quick notes this week!

So we are actually out backpacking right now, but I realized Sunday morning that I hadn't written my post for this week yet! Oops.

This week I've been attending LitFest at the Lighthouse Writers Workshop in Denver, and it has been fabulous.  You all should come next year! We have a lovely guest bedroom ;) Since I don't have much time, I figured I'd just share a couple things that I've learned and experienced, so others can learn them as well:

• A panel of agents ALL said that they don't care what kind of online platform an author has. They only care about the work, and will worry about platform later. This flies in the face of a lot of things I have read, and I've been chewing on it for several days.
• Some agents are, indeed, really intimidating. Others are super sweet.
• Authors are some of the best people out there. I have found my flock. I haven't felt so 'with my people' since summer camp.
• The Jesus story fits almost perfectly into the Three Act Structure that Aristotle wrote about. (draw your own conclusions from that)
• One of the women who taught a writing session did so one hour after finding out her father had passed away. She stole wine from the party downstairs and turned the session into a celebration of her father, who was known as a great teacher. I am glad that kind of beautiful act happens in our world.
• Stories are everywhere if we know where to look for them. Occasionally getting the full story will require getting out of our introvert caves, but it's so worth it.
• On a related note, I think I really do want to try some freelancing. Eek.
• A reminder: write the damn words. You can edit later. If you realize you need to edit something, make a note and write the rest of the piece as though you've already changed it. Will save your mind now, and time later.
• Imposter syndrome: We all have it. Even people whose books have made NY Times bestseller lists.
• It is possible to run 10 miles in the morning and sit through class all afternoon. But... you probably want some caffeine to do that.

Ok I have to go! I will check in with the blogging world this week, I promise!

Yeah.. I'm on #Instagram..

(Armageddon is still on sale!)

So I don't have anything to tell you about pirates this week, because my in-laws were in town and I haven't read even a page of anything. But! I have been learning how to use Instagram.

I still kinda feel like this about it:

Oh dear. I have joined Instagram...

A photo posted by AJ Lauer (@ayjaylauer) on May 26, 2015 at 4:28pm PDT

But I'm enjoying sharing pictures like this, so it might not be so bad:

Ominous crow is ominous #rmnp #100years

A photo posted by AJ Lauer (@ayjaylauer) on Jun 1, 2015 at 8:15pm PDT

If you use Instagram, come find me and we'll hang out :)

Kindle Countdown deal for Armageddon!

Our Kindle Countdown Deal is ON!
For the next couple days, Armageddon: Pick Your Plot is only $0.99!
And you can sign up for my email list to get a FREE copy of Percy's Armageddon: Pick Your Plot Prequel. That's a lot of awesome reading all at once :)

Find out why reviewers are saying:

Already got your copy? Just a really nice person who wants to help out indie authors? Click these links to help share about our sale:
Tweet about it!
Post to Facebook!
*heart* our picture on Instagram!
or Share the link on G+!

Next week we will return to our regularly scheduled pirates, mountains, and writing ramblings :) Have a great weekend, everyone!

June IWSG!

Haha it seems that the month of June is catching me by surprise this year! My in-laws have been here for a week and I was checking email yesterday when I suddenly realized that the first Wednesday of June is NOW. The first Wednesday of every month is Insecure Writer's Support Group day. It's a day for lovely people to bop around and support one another through this crazy thing we call 'being writers'. If you consider yourself to be a writer I highly suggest checking it out :)

This Friday is our first Kindle Countdown sale. We published Armageddon two years ago, but due to my crazy previous job, I didn't have any time to do much publicity beyond the initial 'omg I published a book look at me!!!' push. Now I'm writing full time and somehow still don't feel like I had enough time to publicize this sale. Scheduled tweets and FB and blog posts, yes. But we'd decided to go backpacking this weekend so I won't even be around to help continue the boost (priorities, I know...). And I can think of a TON of other things I could have/should have done to boost visibility of the sale, but just didn't get to.

Somehow I feel like life keeps getting in the way of doing this right. I consider it my job but there's so much LIFE happening (in-laws visiting, health stuff, running and enjoying our CO spring weather). It's so easy to just do the life stuff and not focus so much on my job. But then I also find myself thinking that isn't necessarily the worst thing at this point, as I'm still very much recovering from the insanity of my previous job. So, I should be taking time for myself, and I should be enjoying the weather. It's only been a little over two months since I quit and Rome wasn't built in a day, right? Especially if that day was during the beautiful springtime...

What are your biggest distractors? How do you bring yourself back around to focusing? What is your favorite way to advertise for an impending book sale?

Kindle Countdown Deal Starts Friday!!

First of all, how in the WORLD is it possible that it's already June??

Now that that's out of my system, this week's thing I learned about Pirates:

If you ever need to know anything about pirates (or dinosaurs, or space, or rocks, or bugs..) ask a mother who has a kid that is interested in the topic. They can tell you more in less time than even a visit to the library!

And, the big news in the Armageddon: Pick Your Plot world! We are having our very first Kindle Countdown Deal starting this Friday, June 5th! If you haven't already gotten a Kindle copy of Armageddon, this is a great opportunity. On June 5 and 6, Armageddon will be on sale for only $0.99!! I'm so excited. Check out some reviews and quotes:

And lastly, if you haven't already, please sign up for my email list here! When you sign up you'll be able to download a FREE copy of Percy's Armageddon: Pick Your Plot Prequel, which is perfect to whet your whistle for the sale on Friday!

I'll post a reminder on Friday. Have a great week, everyone :)

Muse Party Blogfest, and A Change of Mind book launch!

Happy Memorial Day!
A couple things for everyone today! The awesome Nick Wilford has a book being released today, and Sarah is hosting the Muse Party Blogfest! But first, your pirate fact of the week:

The Confederate army enlisted Privateers (aka Pirates!) to help bring down the North. Jefferson Davis issued a proclamation inviting, "all those who may desire, by service in private-armed vessels on the high seas, to aid this Government in resisting [Northern] aggression, to make application for commissions or letters of marque and reprisal to be issued under the seal of these Confederate States." And they came, and they did conquer some Northern ships!  -- information from Pirates: A Worldwide Illustrated History 

Nick Wilford has a book coming out today!

Title: A Change of Mind and Other Stories

Author: Nick Wilford

Genre: Speculative fiction

Format: Ebook only

Would you change something about your personality if you had the chance? Reuben Timsbury is ready to say yes to that question, but what is the cost? Read A Change of Mind and Other Stories to find out. This collection of dark, speculative fiction contains a novella and five accompanying stories. The pieces include four previously published in Writer’s Muse magazine. 

It's available today, at an introductory price of only $0.99. I'll be getting my copy soon - will you?

Purchase Links:

Amazon US / Amazon UK / Smashwords / B&N / Kobo

My buddy Sarah, whom I met during A-Z this year, is having a blogfest to celebrate her blog's 4 year anniversary! So please join us for the Muse Party Blogfest :)

1. Who is your muse (or character)? Tell us a little bit about him/her and why you brought them. I don't really have a muse, so I brought a character from one of my works in progress: Ringer. He is a small business owner whose life has been taken over by searching for people who have mysteriously gone missing from his antique phone shop, so he doesn't get out much. And he needs some stress relief, so I thought a party might be a good distraction!

2. What are you guys wearing? Dressing up or keeping it casual? I'm wearing skinny jeans and cute heels. Ringer is wearing khakis and a button down shirt. Couldn't get him to shave, but he actually cleans up pretty nice in that scruffy sort of way :)

3. It's a potluck! Did you bring something yummy? Of course! I brought some gluten-free hazelnut bread, and Ringer brought meat for burgers. He's... not much of a cook, but always has burger meat on hand to feed his pet raven.

4. Open bar! What are you both drinking (booze or otherwise)? Ringer'll have a G&T and I'd like a dark & stormy, please! We like ampersands.

5. Wallflowers or social butterflies? We're probably both halfway in between. Conversations with a small group over to the side of the room are best, that way you can talk about real things. Also that will allow Ringer a chance to see if you know anything helpful...

6. What song(s) will you and your muse sing for karaoke? For karaoke I'm a fan of anything from Rent. Female country singers are good too. Anti-war ballads from the 70s are more Ringer's style. Maybe some Fortunate Son as performed by CCR, or Give Peace a Chance by John Lennon?
7. What's your favorite party game? Telephone, naturally. *snicker*

8. Which one of you is more likely to end up dancing on a table top? Definitely me. Preferably sans high heels.
9. Has your muse been a good date and would you ever hang out with them again? For sure! It was fun to get him out and give him a chance to loosen up a bit. And I always love a party...

Linky: