Monday, September 30, 2013

Sky Jumpers: The Launch Party, Water on Mars, Real Lightsabers?, and Introducing - Dauntless Authors!


Last Thursday, I received an unexpected email from a fellow author/ local friend, Erin Summerill, asking if I would like to join her and our old critique group if I'd like to help introduce Peggy Eddleman for her Sky Jumpers launch party. How could I possibly turn that down?

*following images courtesy of Ilima Todd.

So there we were, Rob, Erin, and myself, waiting to introduce our good friend when people started to show up. Clearly, I had no idea what I was getting myself into (and it's a miracle that I managed to get out of the building unscathed). You may be asking, why? Well, I'll tell you why! Just take a look at who showed up!


The library had no sitting room and there were people standing outside! I can't remember the last launch party I've been to - for a debut author - that was this categorically amazing! This is what happens when you reach out to your base by visiting three schools before your launch party (I'm taking notes, as should you). My space helmet goes off to Peggy for her avalanche of a successful book lunch, with prizes and goodies for all. My only regret is not getting my copy signed that night (if you saw the line, you'd understand).

I'll get your signature soon, my pretty ... and a little photo with you, too! Congratulations, Peggy!

If you haven't already discovered Sky Jumpers yet, click here!

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Have you heard the news? There's been a couple of cool discoveries!

First, Curiosity, our operating rover on Mars, has discovered water in it's surface layers. That's right. Water! With the fact that traces of carbon were also discovered previously, this makes space geeks like me excited about the possibilities of what Mars used to be, and could be. We led a robot to water and it sipped every drop. Who's thirsty for more?

And, if that isn't exciting enough, MIT researchers have recently claimed that they have created (or discovered) a new form of (photonic) matter that would make it possible for light to, literally, "push against and deflect" other sources of light. Say what! It may be some time before we'll have actual light sabers to slice our toast with, but this is nonetheless exciting news. Wouldn't you agree, Mr. Spock?

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 We are authors. We are entrepreneurs. We are Dauntless!


A few weeks back, I was invited to contribute to a new and exciting online presence that is bound to take the indie publishing world by storm: Dauntless Authors! What's Dauntless Authors? A group of leading independent authors, banding together, to share news and their experiences in the world of all things self-publishing. We're still getting our feet wet, but I have to tell you, there are some real powerhouse names behind this thing, which may become a major resource for writers everywhere. Go have a look around here!

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Updates: This is it ... the last day of September. This means we're going into the final quarter of 2013. I must admit, this year has been a wild ride - but enough of that later. I'm still trucking away at The Undead Road, and taking into account a few personal setbacks and life-stuff, I still have about 15K left to go. It's time to finish this!

No new news on the Woven front, but rest assured, I'll blog about something the moment I'm able. Great things are happening!

Things will be getting back on track here on The Laire this month, so keep coming back for another installment of IWSG and a game review that's been a long time in the making. Keep serving awesomesauce!

Who's ready to "dive" into Sky Jumpers? Heard any cool science news lately? What do you think of this new Dauntless operation?

I'm David, and "the snow queen cometh!"

20 comments:

  1. That's a heck of a launch party!
    Will have to add Dauntless Authors to the IWSG site. Need to do that very soon! You'll know why on Wednesday.

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  2. That looks like a gargantuan launch party. Looking forward to hearing more news on Woven.

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  3. You did great up there introducing Peggy. Crazy I didn't have a chance to say hi that night. That place was a madhouse! So excited for Sky Jumpers.

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  4. Wow, so much to comment on!

    Congrats to Peggy!, I'm so excited for Frozen. And yes, I'm super excited, and very terrified, of the possibility of owning my own lightsabre.

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  5. So excited for Peggy! That was an awesome debut party.

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  6. I'm thrilled Peggy's book launch was a huge success and that you got a chance to participate. Sweet!

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  7. Excited for Peggy! That's a great launch and sounds like you have a lot of great things going on yourself.

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  8. Cool launch party, but whoa...water on Mars? I just read the article, and that's super rad. I'm a big Kim Stanely Robinson fan, so water on Mars means it's time to get my interplanetary passport ready;)

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  9. Holy cow, that launch party is hoppin'! Look at all of those people. So very cool for Peggy, and her book sounds amazing!

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  10. Wow - that looks like a really fun launch party! Glad you made it out alive too and didn't get trampled by kids.

    Water on Mars sounds really cool! Not sure I'd wanna live there someday, but still cool. :)

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  11. When I heard about the real light saber thing, you were the first blogger I expected to post about it.
    Great launch party. Wow!

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  12. Whoa, look at that crowd! And then you joined Dauntless! So brave of you, David.

    Congrats to Peggy!

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  13. Crazy launch party, congrats Peggy and loved your book as an e-galley. Frozen trailer was great and fun. Water on Mars? Even my mom was amazed when I told her. Light sabers are now a strong maybe....awesome! Great post today David and Woven will rise like a phoenix, I just know it.

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  14. I tried to comment earlier, but (correct me if I'm wrong) someone put the "sign out" button where the "submit" button used to be and I pressed the wrong one without looking.

    I think it's awesome that Peggy had such a tremendous turn-out -- an kudos to the schools that spread the word!

    As a teacher of fifth grade students, one might thing I could aspire to a launch like that next summer for my MG premiere -- except my school district hasn't allowed me to share my author events with students.

    If my students find out about the launch of my MG book -- the publication process of which they've heard so much about -- it will have to be by accident and outside of school. I can tell them about my experiences as an author, but I cannot advertise any of my events.

    Carefully pressing the right button now ...

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  15. i saw the facebook pics and was pointing out bloggers, lol!! she is going to do so awesome!

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  16. That is so exciting your friend got such a nice gathering for her book! I bet that was really fun for her!

    Water on Mars? This makes me happy and wary all at the same time. (Doctor Who. The only Science Fiction show to turn something like this into something scary and dangerous.)

    If they do make light sabers I am buying one. It's about time they started doing things like that. Now if they would get on the hover cars.

    I saw the Frozen trailer the other day and can't wait to go and see the movie. It looks so funny!

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  17. Peggy's release looks awesome! I love that so many people came! I cannot wait for Frozen!! I think it's going to be adorable!

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  18. Peggy has done an awesome job! Couldn't have happened to a sweeter person.

    Headed off to check out the new author spot!

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  19. Inflatable bounce houses is amazing houses for kids, Adult and you. If you really want to relaxing your mind, please bounce in bounce houses.If you do, you will be with your childhood back.

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