Breath of Memory Contest for $25 Amazon Gift Card!

So what’s this contest I’m hearing about? Well—let me explain. :D

This summer, a choir (of which I’m a member), the Utah Valley Children’s Choir, is going on a really fun, outrageous, once-in-a-lifetime tour back East. We’re going to be visiting a number of tourists sights—such as Mt. Rushmore—and singing our teen hearts out. But. I need money.

To help with that (since I am, after all, a writer), I wrote a short story called Breath of Memory.  The story focuses on Kendra Anderson, a sixty-year-old woman who’s been called to St. Louis because she’s the only one who can decide whether or not Hugh—who, after a horrendous car accident, is on life support—should live or die. The problem is she can’t remember who he is. He’s a complete stranger, and his life is in her hands.

I’ve spent the last three weeks of my life meticulously crafting it, and I’m actually very proud of the outcome. I put it up on Amazon.com through their KDP Select program, and now I need to sell some copies. I did the math—and, after going through every option possible—I decided to go with the one in which I sell 500 copies at $2.99 each. Which really isn’t that bad.

I’ve set up a meticulous Twitter campaign, and I’ve contacted some of my author friends in an attempt to get the word out. So what does this have to do with you?

Well, if you couldn’t tell, I need you to by my story. :) Haha.

To say “THANK YOU SO MUCH”, and to give you an incentive, I’ve set up a contest. Everybody jump for joy at the word contest!!! Hurray—a contest! For an Amazon gift card!

How does said contest work? Let me tell you.

Take a picture, with your phone or whatever, of your kindle (or other device with Kindle app) as proof of purchase. I wish I could be less complicated, but, unfortunately, you never know how honest people actually are. Then—and this is where I really need your help—Tweet or Facebook, or E-mail, or whatever else, somebody or somebodies (yes that’s a word) about the story and about this contest. Using the same method as above, take a picture of the page on your computer with said social media promotion.

So, you have two pictures: one of your proof-of-purchase, the other with your proof-of-promotion. As we’re now calling it. Haha. :D Send both pictures to me: jbpetersoncontest(at)gmail(dot)com. Include your full name and e-mail address in the body of the email along with the two pictures.

It’s that simple!!!

The contest ends March 31, 2014, so hurry fast! On April 1, I will choose a winner from the contest entrants and send he/she and announce it on twitter! He/she will then be sent a $25 Amazon gift card with which they can buy whatever they want. Like books. Also: Only enter if you live within the United States of America.

Thank you guys so much for being a participant in this! It’s been a blast so far. :D And, when you buy Breath of Memory, make sure to point out all the typos in the Author’s Note. Yeah. I’m an idiot and didn’t think to double-check the Author’s Note—of all things—before hitting publish. The text of the story: perfect. The text people see first when opening it: not so perfect. So you can all laugh for me. I give you absolute permission!!!

With your help, I know we can sell 500. You’re all amazing!

Until next time,

Happy Writing:

~Jared Peterson/J.B. Peterson

In Which LTUE and Oral Surgery Are Found Guilty

Titansday once more, and here we are back at the blogging. If you hadn't noticed, three days a week for blogging proved to be too hard. It kept me from doing what I love doing. I discovered I was better off blogging once a week and writing good stories than blogging thrice weekly and let my writing suffer. Than why, you ask, hasn't there been a blog post for the past two weeks. I'll give you two reasons: "Life, the Universe & Everything," and wisdom teeth extraction.

Two weeks ago, I attended Life, the Universe, & Everything, a Science-fiction and Fantasy symposium for writers. Basically, it's a writing conference I go to every year. After three years of going, however, it felt like they were going over much of the same topics, and I ended up working on my WIP instead. But--there were a couple times, especially when Brandon Sanderson was on the panel, that I learned some things. The most important thing I took away from the entire experience was this: ultimately, in every case, the thing that will sell your book is your book; the most important things you can do as a writer are focus on the craft, do your best (always getting better), and living your life. Marketing comes fourth. And depending on some people's lives, marketing is actually fifth or sixth.

So what does this have to do with the absent blog post? Well, you see, when I was supposed to be blogging, I was actually out having dinner with J. Scott Savage, Chad Morris, Mark Forman, and two of my best writing friends, Jackson Porter and Mathew Hayes, at an amazing authentic Japanese restaurant called Osaka. Also, I was getting books signed by Brandon Sanderson. (The guy kept carried around Words of Radiance so nonchalantly, I though for sure someone was going to steal it. Oh well, it comes out in three days; I've already got mine pre-ordered. I'm excited just a little. As is the rest of the world.)


In other news, I got my wisdom teeth out just over a week ago and as a result was only able to eat peach sherbet, drink orange soda, moan, rub by then ten-pound cheeks, watch Inception, and sleep. Yeah. There was no way I was doing a blog post. Did I mention this went on for four days? I strongly dislike the people who get over it in just over 24 hours.

Anyway, I've got to get writing. Next week, I'll let you know how the Words of Radiance midnight book release went. And hopefully my computer will let me upload pictures. I was going to have one of my friends and I at Brandon's book signing at LTUE (WoR was in the pic. :D Ah!), but, you know . . . computers and technology. . . .

Until next time!

What is your favorite flavor of sherbet? Post it in the comments below.