Spacefreighters Lounge

MISSION SUCCESS
Laurie's Journal

I switched blog dates this week, so I could do a short post to let everyone know my debut cover reveal for Farewell Andromeda went up on the Science Fiction Romance Brigade blog today. Woohoo!

The announcement also includes the blurb for Farewell Andromeda. Since it's an exclusive reveal, I can't post the cover here just yet, but I'd love for you to jump on over and check it out:

Farewell Andromeda--Exclusive Cover Reveal!

Really love the artwork (I will hug it and pet it and squeeze it and call it George), but let me know what YOU think!

ON BEING "ALMOST THERE"

Now that I'm finally coming up on my debut, I wanted to share some thoughts as a pre-published author with others in that status. Believe me, I know how discouraging it is not to get that invitation to the big dance.

You watch the published authors celebrate their debuts and launches and successes and you wonder when it's going to be your turn--your time.

Your published friends have their kinships with other authors from their publishing houses or presses, or their group of published peers, and you're often left feeling like you're on the outside looking in.

My advice to you is nothing you haven't heard a hundred times before. Don't give up! The good great new is there's never been a better time for writers--and with more options for being published--than there are today. But it also comes with a bit of advice to use this time to educate yourself. There's access to more information and how-to's than ever before, and now is the time to learn the ropes.

I want to mention a recently discovered a self-help book (recommended by SFR author Pauline Baird Jones) for writers called Write. Publish. Repeat. It's full of great advice and practical information, because--trust me--this whole debut author experience comes with a huge learning curve. I'm learning about product funnels and promo strategies and all sorts of new information. This may be a brave new publishing world, but it's a brave new promotional world, as well!

If you do choose to go independent (or some form of it), there's a wealth of information, advice and ideas for strategic promotion in this book. Even authors that publish traditionally through large or small presses may find it a valuable tool, since many authors are pretty much left on their own to promote their work.

Current Goodreads Rating: 4.39 from 859 Ratings and 268 Reviews

UPCOMING EVENTS

We're just starting to put together an exciting list of upcoming dates here at Spacefreighters Lounge! 2015 is looking to be a HUGE year for us!

Watch for these dates:

January 19 - Release of Farewell Andromeda (my authorly debut!) and SFR series launch

January 21 - Title and cover reveal of my SFR novel (and series) on SFR Brigade blog

February 2 - Release of Sharon Lynn Fisher's long-anticipated SFR ECHO 8

February 22 - Release date of my debut SFR novel

February 24 - Launch of Donna S. Frelick's debut novel, UNCHAINED MEMORY

And may I humbly mention that each of the above three upcoming SFR novels were all RWA Golden Heart Finalists!

PING-PONG

Many, many congrats to Pippa Jay for being a finalist in the prestigious EPIC Awards with her SFR novel, GETHYON, in the Science Fiction category. 2015 EPIC AWARD FINALISTS. BTW, the EPIC Awards is one (and possibly only) competition that not only has a specific Science Fiction category, it also has a separate and distinct Science Fiction Romance category! Hurrah for EPIC!

Congrats Donna, for launching your Facebook Author Page. If you'd like to follow Donna, you can "like" her page here: Donna S. Frelick/Author

Sharon, as one of the biggest fans of this fabulous novel, you know I've been waiting f-o-r-e-v-e-r for the release of ECHO 8! So excited it's almost here!