Join us at Comicon and save

Attendees will get a special code for 25% off at the aois21 market

aois21 is excited to be taking part in the first Virginia Comicon in Northern Virginia as it comes to George Mason University on June 9th and 10th. To celebrate, we will be handing out special discount cards to anyone that stops by our table. Use the special code on the card and save 25% at the aois21 market on all aois21 titles.
We always love connecting with the audiences at the various events and Comicons are a unique opportunity to reach a wider audience. We regularly offer special edition items, merchandise, and bundles for attendees. We'll also be filming cosplayers for our aois21 live series, talking about how they put their costumes together.
Attendees will also be invited to talk fantasy for the July edition of the Publish Me! podcast. Share their favorite fantasy series, world, or first love in all things fantastical.
We'll be joined on Saturday by James D. King, promoting the HIVE series. The first two books will be available in bundle for $7 in eBook or $15 in print. Buy the bundle and get a special gift. On Sunday we're hoping to have several people joining us throughout the day.
All in all, there will be several opportunities for anyone to stop by the aois21 table and share their story! Visit events.aois21.com or VAComicon.com for more information!

aois21 presents to bring podcasts to internet radio

BlogTalkRadio will feature syndicated aois21 podcasts

As we announced in our birthday webcast, we will soon be syndicating aois21 podcasts to the internet radio station, BlogTalkRadio. This partnership will also allow us to do occasional live episodes where we can take callers and interview guests.
The full lineup will be rolled out over the next few weeks, with the exact time to be announced, but here is when you'll be able to find your favorite aois21 shows:

• Monday - Literally This Week, broadcasting that week's episode, no reruns.
• Tuesday - Passion on the Page, special 30 minute episodes combining multiple episodes by featured poets.
• Wednesday - Monthly replays, this will feature our monthly podcasts, coming out the week after release. In order that will be The World's Only Podcast, Publish Me!, Between the Beltways, and I Stand. 
• Thursday - It's Not Even Past, starting with past episodes and moving forward, in 30 minute chunks.
• Friday - Evan Tucker Presents, we'll feature one of Evan's other podcasts, either History of the Symphony or Tales from the Old New Land.
• Saturday - the Modern Whore half hour, past episodes of Sexed Vexed Perplexed and new episodes of Two Girls, One Joint.
• Sunday - Monthly Replay Redux, Continued parts from the Wednesday shows, including past episodes of Publish Me! Possible time slot for live broadcast as well.

All aois21 podcasts will be featured over the course of the 90 day test run on BlogTalkRadio. Be sure to sign up today to be a listener and become a follower of aois21!
And remember to help support the aois21 podcast network by becoming a patron on Patreon or buying an ad through Advertisecast!

It's Gaithersburg time for aois21

Plus additional events in DC area featuring Michael B. Judkins

Poet Michael B. Judkins is the star of this weekend for aois21. Not only will he be joining us all day at the Gaithersburg Book Festival, but he will also be headlining two other events across the DC Metro area.
It starts Friday night at Walls of Books in Washington, DC, where Judkins will serve as emcee for this month's poetry open mic. Join us from 6 to 8 pm in Park View to hear local poets take the stage and share their talent.
On Saturday, we'll be on the city hall grounds for our fourth Gaithersburg Book Festival. In addition to aois21 staff, aois21 Creatives James D. King, Philip J. Sipkov, and Judkins will be on hand throughout the day. The weather is looking wet, so come prepared.
The weekend ends on Sunday with Judkins costarring in a poetry reading at the Duende District Pop-up Bookstore in it's new temporary location at the Torpedo Factory in Old Town Alexandria, VA. Join us from 4 to 5 pm for our first event with this new, innovative DC Bookseller.
Visit events.aois21.com for more about each of these events!

aois21 announces new partnerships on birthday

Details for 5th and final aois21 annual revealed

aois21 held a birthday webcast on Tuesday night to make all the announcements we usually hold for our birthday celebration, and this year was no different. While last year saw the major change of name, logo, and focus for the company, this year's affair was more muted, opting for focused moves forward. In time, these changes should lead to major leaps for staff and Creatives alike.
In aois21's fourth year, we added two new Creatives, two new books, three new podcasts series, two new video series, went to two new book fairs, and launched a series of events at Walls of Books in Washington, DC. It has been a year of opportunity and growth, and a renewed focus, going beyond the book, but staying true to the story.
In our fifth year, we will be reassessing and refocusing our energies where we have found success. To that end, our major success has been podcast series with thousands of ears turning in to our 11 series and more on the way. This past year we added Spotify customers, thanks to their partnership with Podomatic. We're taking a further step by syndicating aois21 podcasts to the internet radio station BlogTalkRadio. Our daily program, aois21 presents, will replay past episodes as well as the new releases as they come out. The full schedule will be announced at the end of the month and may include special live episodes.
Part of moving forward means looking at what we've done in the past and realizing when it is time to move on. After dwindling sales and a large drop in submissions, we have decided that this year's aois21 annual will be the last. The lack of support from the larger literary community versus the effort necessary to complete the magazine has made it untenable. The final condition of this final annual will be up to you. Go to our Facebook page anytime before the end of the month and vote. If you want a return to a printed annual, then vote and we will launch a crowdfunding campaign to cover the cost in June. If you prefer it to stay digital, then we will move forward as planned.
As we have dealt with a number of issues over the past four years, we have always had to step lightly in certain directions as we lacked legal support to provide guidance. That is no longer a problem as we are now partnering with the Washington Alliance of Lawyers for the Arts. As a participating organization, their lawyers will be available to us for guidance and support. Also, we will be able to call on them to appear on aois21 podcasts as subject matter experts. We can only succeed if we have a strong team working together. With WALA joining our team, we can aim even higher!
To find out more about these announcements and look back at our past year, visit our news.aois21.com!

aois21 media partners with Washington Area Lawyers for the Arts

Alliance of local lawyers supports DC-area artists with classes and pro bono work

MOUNT VERNON, VA – aois21 media, LLC announced today a partnership with Washington Area Lawyers for the Arts, which will provide the company with legal guidance and support as well as law experts for aois21 podcasts and events.

From their website, waladc.com:

Washington Area Lawyers for the Arts began in 1983 as a unique collaboration of lawyers and artists to fulfill a mission to serve artists in need of legal knowledge and assistance. Since then, WALA has supported artistic expression and creative innovation serving the legal needs of the arts and cultural communities in Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia.

As our company has grown and expanded into new markets, we have had reason to need legal advice. Additionally, there are many topics we have had interest in covering on our various podcast series that would benefit from the legal subject matter experts who are part of the WALA alliance. As aois21 maps out the coming months, having the legal guidance of WALA will help make sure the staff and Creatives get the support they need.

"It is always amazing to me that we can find exactly what we’re looking for exactly when we need it,” said Keith F. Shovlin, aois21’s publisher. "We met Executive Director John C. Good at the DC Author Fest and were eager to sign up, not only for the good of our company, but also for our Creatives and those who will benefit from the information we will help them share."

aois21 media taking podcast to internet radio

BlogTalkRadio will make aois21 podcasts available daily with new “aois21 presents”

MOUNT VERNON, VA – aois21 media, LLC is happy to announce a pilot program to syndicate aois21 podcasts to an internet radio station in a daily, 30-minute format. The partnership with BlogTalkRadio will allow aois21 to reach a new market and share some of our evergreen audio content again.

Launching in late May, aois21 presents will be a half-hour audio show showcasing new and old podcast episodes. A full schedule will be announced soon, anchored by Literally This Week each Monday. Tuesday night will be poetry night, with bundled episodes of Passion on the Page. Over the course of 90 days, no content will be repeated.

New content from The World’s Only Podcast and Between the Beltways will be released just after regular release, while other aois21 podcasts will be released on a set schedule, mixing old and new episodes. Expect to find audio from aois21 Creatives Evan Tucker and Aylin Vega on a weekly schedule, with regular contributions from other Creatives and shows.

This will be our second attempt at working with online radio after a six-month agreement for weekly release of Aylin Vega’s Sexed, Vexed, Perplexed on WDLS Internet Radio. This new agreement will not currently include any live shows, but may in the future, depending on listener feedback. All aois21 podcasts will continue to post as scheduled on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher Radio, TuneIn, and Spotify.

“Our audio content has been our strongest growth area, and this just allows it to grow even more,” said Keith F. Shovlin, aois21’s publisher. “This gives us the opportunity to not only share past programming, but also create new innovative audio for a live audience.”

aois21 announces fifth and final aois21 annual

Literary magazine has suffered from failing sales, interest

MOUNT VERNON, VA – aois21 media, LLC is happy to announce that the fifth aois21 annual will be released this fall, but it will be the last due to weak sales and falling submission rates.

For the past four years, the aois21 annual has brought literary and art works from around the globe together in a concise magazine that we have assembled with great pride. Rising print costs and low sales necessitated a move to an all-digital release the past two years. This allowed us to experiment with different digital presentations and include audio and video submissions. This change, though, also led to an even starker decrease in sales and a 40% decrease in submissions from the previous year.

Past contributors to the aois21 annual have gone on to much success. Michael B. Judkins became an aois21 Creative after submitting material for the 2015 aois21 annual. Brendan Loper drew an original comic for the 2015 annual and now appears regularly in the New Yorker. Dr. Deepan Chatterjee shared some new work beyond his poetry and short fiction and now writes regularly for Huffington Post. And beyond the contributors, two videos recorded for the 2017 annual led to the launch of a new aois21 video series, 21 seconds, capturing real life 21 seconds at a time.

“It is with a heavy heart that we decided it was time to let the annual go,” said Keith F. Shovlin, aois21’s publisher. “When you consider the amount of time and effort that went into creating the magazine, the community reaction was not worth it. Those who submitted their work deserve better, and this will allow them to pursue other journals that can suit them better.”

This year’s annual will be released in October. It has not yet been decided whether it will return to print for this final edition. If so, a crowdfunding campaign would launch in June to help cover the costs of printing. After its release, a launch event will be held at Walls of Books in Washington, DC.

aois21 media celebrates 4th birthday with long list of accomplishments

A strong shift toward new media marked fourth year

MOUNT VERNON, VA – aois21 media, LLC celebrates its fourth birthday on May 8th and looked back at the accomplishments of the past year in an event at Walls of Books in Washington, DC on May 4th. The independent media company’s fourth year included these accomplishments:

• Changed course from books to expanded media under a new name. At last year’s birthday party, we officially became aois21 media, signaling our growth beyond books and increased focus on audio and video content. We are a storytelling company and want to help others tell their stories.
• Released the fourth aois21 annual. After forgoing another crowdfunding campaign, we continued the annual in an all-digital format. The launch event was held at Walls of Books in Washington, DC, and broadcast on Periscope and later on YouTube.
• Signed two new Creatives. We announced a moratorium on new Creatives, allowing for only those we were currently in negotiations with, including Tommy Reynolds, author of a forthcoming novel telling the story of an American family told through the history of baseball. We also signed podcast host and writer Evan Tucker as a Creative, showing our shift in focus away from books alone.
• Released new titles. We released the third book in the HIVE series, HIVE: A Matter of Gravity, by James D. King, as well as the long-awaited American Presidents at War, by Thomas P. Athridge, which led aois21 sales for several months.
• Launched three new podcast series and joined new networks. Our audio series continued to grow, first with a new website, audio.aois21.com. aois21 Creative Evan Tucker launched his third podcast series, the first educational series from aois21, History of the Symphony, recorded live at Grace Methodist Church in Baltimore, MD. This 10-week course will be running monthly through 2018. After putting her original podcast on ice last May, aois21 Creative Aylin Vega returned to the airwaves with cohost Drusilla Vincent in the new sexuality podcast Two Girls, One Joint. Stepping into the world of politics in this midterm election year, aois21 Creative Deepan Chatterjee, PhD, and his wife, Shreyasi Deb, PhD, launched Between the Beltways, sharing political news from the central Maryland counties of Howard, Montgomery, and Prince George’s. Several series are also now available on Spotify.
• Organized and participated in many events. We hit the road and took part in book fairs in Fairfax, Falls Church, and Charlottesville, VA; Gaithersburg and Kensington, MD; and in DC for DC Author Fest. We partnered with Walls of Books in DC for a series of popular events in December as part of our #GiveABook campaign. The most popular of those events are now held monthly at the independent used bookstore, with aois21 Creatives and staff stopping by.
• Hired new staff. With the increased podcast production, we welcomed Gareth Phillips as audio consultant, helping to produce History of the Symphony and Between the Beltways. John Mulcahy, Chief of Visual Design, has also taken on some duties for video production.
• Explored new opportunities. We worked with a new vendor, National Pen Company, to acquire three popular giveaway items: pens, monthly planners, and phone stands. We took part in the Fairfax County Book Club Conference and met prospective readers. We also helped with the launch of the Possibilities Conference in April, organized by the Possibilities Publishing Company and Social Media Rescue.

"Each accomplishment is an opportunity to do something more," said Keith F. Shovlin, aois21’s publisher. "I’m amazed by everything we’ve been able to achieve, and excited by everything that is yet to come. Here’s to a fifth lap around the sun!"

Vega's Dating takes April

Sexual memoir leads other titles after steady sales for months

Aylin Vega's "Dating" as told by the Modern Whore lead all aois21 titles in April, taking the overall sales lead among out catalog. Previously, it had lead eBook sales for the previous five months. Sales may have seen a boost from Vega's recent return to the podcast airwaves with her new show Two Girls, One Joint, coming out monthly.
Overall sales were steady for aois21, though three book fairs were not major contributors. While usually a key market, the prohibition on sales at DC AuthorFest was unexpected.
May looks to be a strong month with a number of events across the DC area. This Friday we'll be at Walls of Books for our 4th birthday party. We'll be back there on the 18th for Poetry Open Mic, emceed by aois21 Creative Michael B. Judkins. On Saturday, the 19th is the Gaithersburg Book Festival in Gaithersburg, MD. Judkins will be appearing at Gaithersburg along with other aois21 Creatives. He will then have a third appearance in Northern Virginia, TBA.
As we finish off our fourth year of operations, we are grateful for the support you all have shown to our authors, podcasters, and overall storytellers. Hopefully you will come celebrate with us on Friday as we start the next year strong!
Visit events.aois21.com for more information!

aois21 prepares for fourth birthday celebration

Join us at Walls of Books on May the 4th as we look back

aois21 will be celebrating it's fourth birthday on Star Wars Day, May the 4th, as part of the First Friday event at Walls of Books in Washington, DC. Join us from 6 to 9 pm for an evening of merriment and reflection as we look back at the past year. Unlike previous years, we will not be making a bunch of new announcements, but instead commemorating all we have done so far.
Food and drinks will be provided and the event will be live streamed on the aois21 Periscope feed. The video will be posted to the aois21 YouTube channel andvideo.aois21.com afterward.
In four years we have released 20 books, launched 11 podcasts series encompassing hundreds of hours of audio content, and five video series sharing out Creatives and other video stories with the world on YouTube. We have shared out stories with you, and we would like you to help us celebrate on the Fourth!
In addition, take this opportunity to show your appreciation. Rate and review your favorite aois21 titles, podcasts, and videos. Visit the aois21 market and make a purchase. Support our Patreon page to help sustain the aois21 podcast network. Reach out to us and let us know your thoughts, criticisms, or suggestions. We have built this company through collaboration, and in that spirit of togetherness, we invite you to be a part of our story.
Visit aois21.com today to find out how!
 

Busy weekend for aois21

Last minute addition means multiple opportunities

aois21 is excited for this weekend and the numerous events we are fortunate to be a part of. On Monday we were honored to be chosen to exhibit at this year's DC AuthorFest, being held at the Library of Congress James Madison Memorial Building. Taking place from 10 am to 4:30 pm on Saturday, the event brings together authors and literary organizations from across the city to discuss all things books! This event is sure to be enticing and no book sales will be taking place, so come prepared to ask questions and share stories!
Before we head to Capitol Hill, our weekend starts at Walls of Books in DC for our Poetry Open Mic. aois21 Publisher Keith F. Shovlin will serve as emcee on Friday 4/20. He'll be reading classic poetry between local poets standing up and sharing their talent. To find out more visit wallsofbooksdc.com.
Saturday night is the ePress21 webinar and the ask aois21 on the 21st webcast. Click on the links to the right for more information.
Then the weekend closes on the main street of Kensington, MD, for the International Day of the Book festival! We're happy to be taking part for the fourth year in a row and will be joined by several aois21 Creatives including James D. King and Thomas P. Athridge.
Visit events.aois21.com for more information on this jam-packed literary weekend!

Podcast schedule change

Poetry podcast now to be released monthly in busy schedule

The Passion on the Page poetry podcast will now be coming out less frequently, not because we are lacking in content, but in order to accommodate the growth of the overall aois21 podcast network. Starting in May, episodes will be released on the second Tuesday of each month. That way it's release will not interfere with other podcasts release, or cause a week to be stuffed with and overabundance of aois21 content, like last week was.
There will be one more episode this month as aois21 Creative Michael B. Judkins reads his poem So Amazing You're. Then it will be back two weeks later in it's new monthly position with a guest episode.
If you enjoy Passion on the Page, please remember to help "Rekindle the Passion" by pledging today at Patreon. We have been hesitant to run ads on this podcast so it needs your support to keep it going. A pledge of just $3 a month will help keep it going for the immediate future and give you access to special podcast episodes and a patrons' only blog.
Click on the orange box below to show your support for great poetry and keep the Passion burning for years to come!

aois21 going to Gaithersburg

Fourth year in the row for May premiere book event

aois21 is happy to announce that we have been selected to exhibit once again at the premiere book event in the DC area during the Spring. The last two years have found us set up near an author tent not far from the children's area and playground. Who knows where we'll be this year, but we are more than excited to take part once again.
The festival will by May 19th on the grounds of the Gaithersburg City Hall. Guests are currently being announced at www.gaithersburgbookfestival.org. We'll update you the week of the event with what aois21 Creatives and staff will be on hand.

Athridge, Vega lead again

Both authors continue to dominate as festival season begins

American Presidents at War by Thomas P. Athridge has lead aois21's print sales for the seventh straight month while "Dating" as told by the Modern Whore by Aylin Vega has lead digital sales for five months in a row. Both books have generated increased interest and lead to new opportunities and speaking engagements for both authors.
Festival season started in Charlottesville two weeks ago and moves to Falls Church, VA, this weekend for the Possibilities Conference. It continues in two weeks with DC AuthorFest on the 21st and Kensington Day of the Book on the 21st. That means a lot of travel and a lot of chances to pick up your next great read!
Pick up any aois21 title today from the aois21 market or find out about festival season atevents.aois21.com!
 

Time for us to hit the road

aois21 starts the month in Falls Church, ends in Kensington

Spring has finally arrived (though the weather doesn't seem to have a calendar), and we are getting ready to hit the road. The 2018 book festival season officially kicked off this past week in Charlottesville with the Festival of the Book.
We didn't make it down but we're more than ready for the next festival, the first annual Possibilities Conference at The Clark House in Falls Church on Saturday, April 7th. It is a full-day ticketed event starting with Pancakes with Publishers and ending with a book swap with drinks. To find out more about this unique event for authors, visit ThePossibilitiesConference.com and events.aois21.com.
On April 22, we return to Kensington, MD, for the Day of the Book. We're be set up on the main street of Kensington once again and bringing several of our authors with us. We are fortunate to take part for the fourth straight year and expect excellent weather once again. For more about the event, visit dayofthebook.com.
Don't forget you'll also find us at Walls of Books in Washington, DC, on the first and third Friday's of the month. April 6, publisher Keith F. Shovlin will be on hand for Literary Game Night. Then on April 20th, the Modern Whore herself, Aylin Vega, will be hosting the Poetry Open-Mic.
Overall, we have a lot going on, and we're expecting more. With Gaithersburg coming up in May and Virginia Comicon coming up to George Mason University in June.
Keep up with all our comings and goings by visiting events.aois21.com!
 

Select aois21 podcasts now on Spotify

New partnership between Podomatic and streaming service expands possible audience

Listeners to the Literally This Week podcast heard it first. Podomatic has partnered with Spotify and LTW was one of the first podcasts shared with Spotify's 159 million listeners. Now other aois21 podcasts have been given the opportunity as well. Most of our currently running podcasts will be listed, per the submission policy to Spotify, and the webpages for each podcast ataudio.aois21.com will be updated accordingly.
Publish Me!, It's Not Even Past, The World's Only, Between the Beltways, and our newest series, Two Girls, One Joint, will all be available on the service shortly. You will be able to mix the aois21 content that you love with popular music feeds, videos, and concert performances. Spotify offers a free service in addition to a paid ad-free subscription.
Visit audio.aois21.com to check out all of our great audio content, including the new Two Girls, One Joint, who's introductory episode is dropping today!

The Modern Whore returns to the airwaves this month

Top-rated sexuality podcast relaunches with new name, cohost

aois21 is happy to announce a return to the podcast network by aois21 Creative Aylin Vega, reviving her top-rated sexuality podcast under a new title, and with a regular cohost. Two Girls, One Joint will follow in the digital footsteps of Sexed, Vexed, Perplexed and feature the regular contributions of cohost Drusilla Vincent.
 
The Modern Whore returns to the airwaves, and this time with company! Frequent Sexed, Vexed, Perplexed guest Drusilla Vincent joins Aylin Vega to share a joint. The dynamic duo will continue to shoot the shit, smoke the weed, and keep it real as they discuss a new topic each episode. From the inappropriate, R-rated sex-related experience to general hilarious observations about people and life, you will fall in love with these witty, raunchy ladies.
 
Regularly rated in the top 20 of sexuality podcasts on Podomatic, even after a nine-month absence, Two Girls, One Joint plans to pick up where the action left off on Sexed, Vexed, Perplexed. Subscribers to the original podcast will automatically be subscribed to Two Girls, One Joint, as it uses the same podcast feed.
 
The podcast is hosted by Podomatic and will be available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher Radio, Google Play, TuneIn, and at audio.aois21.com. It will be produced by Zach C. Cohen, chief of audio production, and executive produced by aois21 Publisher Keith F. Shovlin. While technically continuing a previous podcast property, this is the eleventh podcast offering from the aois21 podcast network.

Subscribe today wherever you get your podcasts and audio.aois21.com!

Athridge & Vega stay on top

Sales streaks continue for American Presidents and Dating

Another month is in the books and American Presidents at War by Thomas P. Athridge continues to be aois21's top selling book. "Dating" as told by the Modern Whore by Aylin Vega has also continued its domination of eBook sales, continuing a trend since its first release.
Both books, the first written by their respective authors, have continued to be sought out by audiences. Additional sales of other aois21 titles combined with these two have made this the best February in sales for aois21. With numerous events just around the corner and some additional formats due to be released of both bestselling titles, aois21 expects these strong sales to continue throughout 2018.
Now is the time to visit the aois21 market and get your copies and find out what everyone else is reading!

Survey deadline extended!

Participate be entered in a drawing for a $25 Visa Gift Card

One month ago we asked for your help and you have responded, but we want to know more! Do you miss Sexed Vexed Perplexed? Do you enjoy the commentary of The World's Only Podcast? Are you champing at the bit to read The Will of the Magi? Now is the time to let your voice be heard!
We're extending the deadline for another month and sweetening the deal. Not only will all participants be given 21% off their purchase from the aois21 market, but your name will also be entered in a drawing for a $25 Visa Gift Card, useable at retailers worldwide!

aois21 going to VA Comicon

Special two-day convention in Fairfax at GMU campus

aois21 is excited to announce that we will be returning to Virginia Comicon this summer as the convention leaves Richmond for a tw0-day special show in Fairfax!
As of this week, this event has already have the highest amount of interest of any Virginia Comicon so the floor will be packed with comics fans, cosplayers, and sci-fi and fantasy aficionados. We have enjoyed all of our past trips to Va Comicon in Richmond, including a two-day show last June, and we are excited for the type of show the Northern Virginia audience will find.
The Comicon will be June 9th and 10th at Dewberry Hall on the George Mason University campus. This event is paid admission so plan ahead if you want to come out. We expect the cosplay to be first class and we'll be on the lookout for literary cosplay as well.
Featured aois21 guests will be announced closer to the event. For more information, visit VaComicon.comand events.aois21.com!