It's over: The Will of the Magi funded on Indiegogo!

Campaign reached goal two weeks early on author's birthday

The two-month-long Indiegogo campaign to fund the editing and cover design of The Will of the Magi has ended! We are happy to announce that the campaign exceeded its goal and raised $1,786 in total from 43 contributors.
Due to the success of the campaign, the page remains live as an "InDemand" campaign though all of the perks have changed. I you missed out, you can still preorder your copy of The Will of the Magi, in eBook, paperback, or hardcover, or even claim a color print of the cover art, now through release this summer.
Author Paul Dickinson Russell has been sharing his thanks on Facebook and through the Publish Me! podcast for the past month. On the next edition, Keith and Paul will review the campaign and map out the timeline for the months to come. They will also welcome designer Rana Gainer for an update on the cover design process and a discussion of how to create a gripping book cover. That episode will be available February 7th.
For now we would like to thank each of the 43 backers, in order of their donations:

• Brad Walchuk

• Megan Lacey

• David Silberman (2)

• Ghysleim Rivas

• Professor Candy

• Sollunam

• Dana L. Dickinson

• Lisa Arpino

• Rachel Walsh (2)

• Barbara J. Dickinson

• Michele Melendez

• William Walton

• Christian Alfaro

• Sarah Leach

• The Griffin Family

• Thad Russell

• Michael Spiesbach

• Rhys Fussell

• Amy Anjum

• Daniel Rufolo

• Natalie Knickerbocker

• Bob and Tina Kahle

• Ramadansm

• Samuel Russell

• Doris Dickinson

• Vinnie Reo

• Lauri Dewar

• Lord Reginald Forthwerthy III

• Robert Wood

• Brendan Schaffer

• Justin MacPherson

• Danielle Bisson

• Matt Olsen

• John Idlor

• P'atallie, and

• 6 Anonymous donors

If you still want to be part of it but missed out on the campaign, visit Indiegogo.comor the Publish Me! page for a link and preorder your copy today!

We are thankful for . . .

2016 is coming to a close and we are taking this holiday to look back at the many wonderful opportunities we've had over the past year:

• We are thankful to a our new Creatives Michael B. Judkins and Thomas P. Athridge, entrusting us with their stories.
• We are thankful to James D. King and Bianca Palmisano, for working with us on their second books.
• We are thankful to Aylin Vega, Ian Roberts, and A.C. Charlap, for working with us on new podcast series.
• We are thankful to Paul Dickinson Russell, for completing his fantasy epic, The Will of the Magi, so we can share it with the world.
• We are thankful to Shiella Bowler, Deepan Chatterjee, Joshua M. Morgan, Shayla Morris, and Philip J. Sipkov, along with our other Creatives for continuing to help us succeed.
• We are thankful to all of the wonderful members of our audio, design, and editorial staffs for all of their hard work on the many projects that have come our way.
• We are thankful to all the of the contributors to this year's aois21 annual, our first all digital literary magazine.
• We are thankful to Pablo Sierra of Walls of Books in DC, our new retail partner.
• We are thankful to Allen Robinson of Books and Other Found Things in Leesburg, for continuing to support our authors and events.
• We are thankful for every challenge and every opportunity, for it is only through them that we can really grow, and
• We are thankful for the new year to keep on growing and sharing our stories with the world!

From the aois21 staff . . .

Editor in Chief Corey Parker
"I am thankful for a job I like and a loving wife.
 I am thankful for all the authors who choose to share their stories with the world.
 I am thankful for good friends and good family relationships"

Tech Specialist Joshua Silberman
"I've often talked about how thankful I am for my family and friends, but this year I also want to include my girlfriend who I moved in with in August.  Simply put, she's inspired me to be more empathetic to the world around me."

Creative Adjacent Adam Wallick
"I'm thankful for the many opportunities I've had this year to spend time with my family."

Publisher Keith F. Shovlin
"I'm thankful for my wife and children, and all the opportunities I've had over the past year. I am also thankful for every new challenge that I've faced, and for those to come."

aois21 publishing announces two new podcast series

Audio-only series will promote work and authors of new kind of publisher 

MOUNT VERNON, VA – aois21 publishing, LLC announced today their first foray into audio promotion with the launch of two podcast series, Publish Me! and Passion on the Page. 

Publish Me! is a process podcast series following the publication of the fantasy novel, The Will of the Magi, by Paul Dickinson Russell. Released on the 7th of each month, it will be hosted by aois21 executive officer Keith F. Shovlin and Russell, a new aois21 Creative. Each episode, Keith and Paul will discuss the writing process and share details about the book, including new passages and character development. Once Paul’s manuscript is complete, the podcast will welcome guests to discuss next steps. Guests will include aois21 editor in chief Corey Parker on the editing process and chief of development Camie Rodan on marketing strategy. Subscribe to get insight into everything that goes into turning an idea into a thrilling fantasy novel.

Passion on the Page is a poetry podcast featuring aois21 Creatives and guest poets. To be released every 21 days, it will feature the voice work of aois21 advisor Maphon Ashmon introducing each poet. The poets themselves, or a selected reader, will then read a select poem and give insight into its background or deeper meaning. The podcast will regularly feature the work of aois21 Creatives Shiella Bowler (What This Black Woman Knows), Bianca Palmisano (The Empty Spaces), and Philip J. Sipkov (Early Thoughts of a Young Man). Guest poets will also be invited to submit, with preference first given to those that contribute to the aois21 annual literary magazine. 

Both podcasts are being hosted by Soundcloud and will be available on iTunes, Stitcher radio, and online at media.aois21.com. To keep up with Keith and Paul about the Publish Me! podcast, aois21 has launched a Facebook page (Facebook.com/PublishPodcast) and a twitter feed (@PublishPodcast). 

“This podcast is an amazing opportunity and one that I am looking forward to diving into with Keith and the rest of the team at aois21,” said Paul Dickinson Russell. “I am ecstatic for everything that this process represents and humbly thank Keith and the rest of the team at aois21 for everything that they have done, and will do, while we go on this journey together.”

“We’ve been preparing for this next step for some time now,” said Keith F. Shovlin, aois21’s executive officer. “We believe these two podcasts fill a niche in the podcasting world and will help spread the message about our wonderful authors and also bring us closer to other writers out there looking for a publisher that embraces all opportunities.”

aois21 publishing signs new author Paul Dickinson Russell

Author will develop first novel and cohost monthly podcast about the publishing process.

MOUNT VERNON, VA – aois21 publishing, LLC announced today the signing of Paul Dickinson Russell as an aois21 Creative. Russell is working on his first novel, the fantasy story, The Will of the Magi. Though still in the writing phase, Russell will be part of an experimental podcast series following the publishing process and the first aois21 Creative to use a Pubslush crowdfunding project.

The Will of the Magi is the story of Aiden, one born to fire, his father a peasant, his mother gone shortly after his birth. Born with the ability of the Magi, to channel and control one of the great elements; Fire. Born to a small, insignificant village, far away from the politics and realities of the kingdom he has been thrust into. His journey through this world will allow him, a man thought to be of no destiny, to have one greater than those of Kings and Magi. If only he can survive the perils of blood, flame, and magic.

This is Paul’s first novel, though he has been writing his whole life, having self-published a collection of short stories and poetry when he was in high school. Now in his late 20’s, Paul lives in the backwoods of New Jersey, making a living educating and entertaining children.

Paul has been developing his story over the past year with the guidance of aois21 Editor in Chief Corey Parker. Now with his manuscript coming closer to completion, his experiences will become a guide for other authors as part of the new podcast series, Publish Me. This monthly podcast, hosted by aois21 Executive Officer Keith F. Shovlin and Paul, will follow the process step by step from writing, to editing, to cover design, to market strategy, to release. In concert with the podcast, aois21 will conduct a campaign through the literary crowdfunding site Pubslush to help cover the costs of production and wide release of this new fantasy tale.

"Working with Paul will be the experience that makes this whole enterprise worthwhile," said Keith F. Shovlin, aois21’s executive officer. "We know that his book has the potential to be a success so we are giving him every chance to get the attention he deserves. The podcast and the Pubslush campaign just come together as a natural fit."