Setup and Configuration Steps:

1. Create Your Skill	Create a custom skill from the Build tab of the Alexa Developer Portal. Add Intents, Sample Utterances, any Slots, etc. Click SAVE & BUILD.
2. Copy the Skill Interaction Model	Within the Build tab, click on the 'JSON Editor' tab on the bottom left. Copy the entire model JSON text, return to this page, and paste it into the first box called 'Language Model JSON'. Review the Options panel and update as necessary. Click the 'Generate Code' button to generate your Node.JS scaffolding code. This is the minimal code to create a working Alexa skill. Default handler functions will be created for each of your Intents.
3. Create new AWS Lambda function using the ask-sdk version 2	You can use the AWS Serverless Application Repository to quickly setup a Lambda function pre-configured with the latest ask-sdk, the required Alexa Skill Kit trigger, and an IAM security role. * Note, the code generated here will not work with Version 1 of the SDK, which was called alexa-sdk. Simply deploy the alexa-skills-kit-nodejs-factskill serverless application. Choose a name for your application, replacing the default: alexa-skills-kit-nodejs-factskill Wait while AWS creates a new "stack" for you within CloudFormation When the stack is complete, you can navigate to the AWS Lambda Console and open your new function.
4. Update your Function's Code	Return to this page, Select-All of the code in the generated code panel, and Copy. Go back to your Lambda function, scroll down to the Function Code panel. Select-All the contents of the source file, and delete it! Paste the new code into the Lambda code editor, and click SAVE.
5. Configure the Endpoint	Scroll to the top of the Lambda page, and locate the long ARN. It will look something like this: arn:aws:lambda:us-east-1:589662381990:function:aws-serverless-repository-alexaskillskitnodejsfact-N70B824JA7UK Carefully copy the ARN Return your skill in the Developer Portal, and click the Endpoint tab at the bottom left. Click the AWS Lambda ARN radio button, and paste the ARN into the Default Region textbox that appears. Scroll up and click the SAVE Endpoints button. Click the Invocation tab from the top left. Click the Build Model button at the top, to update your skill.
6. Test	Your skill is now ready to test! The Launch phrase is shown above. You can try it on your Echo device if you have one, or follow these steps to test within the Developer Portal. Click from the Build tab to the Test tab at the top of the skill page. The test page may ask you to Allow Sharing of your microphone. Near the top left, type or speak your Launch phrase into the test text box. You do not have to say "Alexa" but you do have to ask for your skill by name. You should say "Stop" when you are done in order to end each test session. Try saying a sample phrase for each of your Intents. The skill will repeat back to you the intent name, and any slot values that were heard. Try saying Help, Cancel, and Stop. These are required intents.
7. Customize	Return to the Lambda Console, and browse your function code in the editor. Locate the Launch Request handler block. Make some changes to the "say" variable and click Save. Launch the skill again and hear Alexa speak your words! Add logic to other handlers to provide useful or entertaining responses to the user.
7. Publish!	When you are ready, submit your skill for certification. Read the Submit an Alexa Skill for Certification guide from the Developer Portal.