Sally Ember's Blog, page 12

Mazel Tov to all #authors so honored!

#Women ‘s #Fiction #Prize 2021 #Shortlist

This year's #WomensPrize shortlist is about to be revealed!

Tune in NOW for a special virtual announcement with Chair @BernardineEvari and judges Elizabeth Day, Vick Hope, Nesrine Malik and Sarah-Jane Mee pic.twitter.com/41w4yI2Q3x

— Women's Prize (@WomensPrize) April 28, 2021

We Can’t Compromise with Bigots and Haters, Liars and Criminals

In case you don’t know me or my social identities and background, here I am: born and raised Reformed (liberal) Jewish, but not observant by choice since 1970, as a 3rd-generation Ashkenazi (Eastern European, white) Jew; southern and mid-western American; mostly cis-gender female (she/her), but/and bisexual and somewhat varied in my gender displays over the decades (I’m now 66); feminist since age 3; anti-oppression worker and educator/trainer since the 1970s; meditator since 1972, and Buddhist (Tibetan Vajrayana) since 1996); partially disabled (injury-induced mobility issues) for about 25 years (1972 – 1997), and since then, cautious and somewhat limited, physically (due to other injuries and illnesses); Zionist (in favor of Israel’s existence) but anti-Israeli government’s oppression of Palestinians; politically, left of Liberal, voting Democrat, Green or Independent/Progressive in every election since 1972.

I am/have been active in/believe in:
— anti-nuclear power and arms movements
—pro-choice and pro-ERA passage
—pro-justice and -school reforms
—pro-active union membership and support
—pro-USA universal healthcare passage
—pro-Democrats in the majority, especially in the USA Senate, for 2022 and beyond

—anti-racism
—anti-private prisons
—anti-oppression
—anti- incarceration of all non-criminal and minor immigrants and minorities, women, disabled, other targeted groups
—anti-death penalty
—pro-election rights
—anti-capitalism & democratic socialist
—pro-guaranteed annual income and anti-poverty
—pro-forgiving ALL student debt and making USA higher education FREE
—pro-decriminalizing ALL drugs and -releasing all incarcerated recreational drug users and -erasing recreational drug sales convictions
—pro-allowing felons to vote
—pro-changing our environmental policies and other regulations to reduce Carbon emissions and avert worsening Climate Change
—pro-animal rights (e.g., pro-treating animals better, pro-eliminating factory farming, pro-stopping inappropriately housing animals in zoos and theme parks)
—pro-Indigenous peoples’ autonomy and rights
—pro-HUGE police, military and law enforcement reorientation and reform, especially with regard to encountering minorities and women, with harsher penalties and expulsion for those in positions of authority who are violators of human rights.
Hope that gives you a clearer picture of my perspective and intentions, here

So much is wrong with the ways we treat each other, particularly in the USA, since FOREVER, that I can’t possibly cover it all, here. But, I am trying to provide a starting place for those new to social justice and/or looking for reasons, resources, support. Begin by putting your efforts where they most will count.

We must all begin with changing OURSELVES, then widen our scopes. But, some causes and people are not worth our time. Be choosy.

********************************************
Maybe you’ve seen these studies: altruists have enlarged amygdalae (the part of our brains that engender compassion, generosity, empathy and kindness, which have a primary role in the processing of memory, decision-making and emotional responses of all types, including fear, anxiety, and aggression), while psychopaths’, narcissists’ and other sociopaths’ amygdalae are shrunken and deficient. Abigail Marsh‘s research was pivotal in this area. It “has yielded more information about the amygdala, showing that in altruists, the amygdalae tend to be larger, and in psychopaths it tends to be smaller.” This brain part is responsible for determining one’s emotional intelligence (EQ), so it’s no surprise that those adults with long-standing low EQs are usually damaged beyond repair.

For children, there are ameliorating or mediating repairs that could occur: trauma-informed care has many options and some are quite effective. But, for those well into an healed adulthood, not so much can be done.

We can’t negotiate with damaged brains. This means some people are beyond the reach of dialogue: these confused thinkers can’t be persuaded or have their views altered through rational discourse or multiple examples, or even their own experiences. They can’t unlearn their conditioning; they’ve been brainwashed.

But, most people aren’t lost causes. We/they can learn, change for the better, develop into better humans.

We need to put our energy into helping those we can help, and give up on the rest. I mean it. I have spent most of my life ‘trying to help,” with some success. BUT, everyone who attempts to effect change has to know when to give up. There are times to surrender.

************************************
If you already know about the ADL (Anti-Defamation League), good. If not, keep reading:
“ADL is a leading anti-hate organization. Founded in 1913 in response to an escalating climate of antisemitism and bigotry, its timeless mission is to stop the defamation of the Jewish people, and to secure justice and fair treatment to all. Today, ADL continues to fight all forms of hate with the same vigor and passion. ADL is a global leader in exposing extremism and delivering anti-bias education, and is a leading organization in training law enforcement. ADL is the first call when acts of antisemitism occur. ADL’s ultimate goal is a world in which no group or individual suffers from bias, discrimination or hate….

“In 1913, our founders understood that America would only be safe for its Jews if it was safe for all its people.
“And, since then, we have defended American values like dignity. Equality. Justice. And Fair Treatment for us all….
“We will expose bigotry for what it is, whether it’s cloaked in political rhetoric, academic theories or calls for boycotts.
“We don’t care how you vote, but we do care what you value.
“We are principled, not political.
“We choose action, not sides.”
FMI, please visit, here: https://www.adl.org/

************************************************
For those of us and those we know who ARE teachable and willing, here are some ways to discern who is who, and to determine when to discontinue efforts vs. when to utilize resources. Need some methods for making those choices? Here you are:

Excerpts below from a great article, “Civility Won’t End Racism,”
by Alex Zamalin for YES! Magazine
March 2, 2021
©2021 Creative Commons
https://www.yesmagazine.org/opinion/2021/03/02/racial-justice-civility/

“Not only is civility ineffective, but, more often than not, it’s dangerous….

“The first reason civility doesn’t work is because it substitutes the goal of unity and respecting both sides of the aisle over directly confronting systemic racism. This only empowers reactionary forces who want to maintain the status quo….

“The second reason civility doesn’t work is because it provides ammunition for reactionaries to more enthusiastically stifle anti-racist protest. The language of civil and uncivil, good and bad, sets the stage for purported uncivil actors to be punished…. 

“To reject civility isn’t to embrace violence. Far from it. It’s to anchor your political claims in an unapologetic criticism of bad policies and use disruptive public action—strikes, marches, protests—to support emancipatory ones….

“Civility doesn’t work. Justice does.”

Best national resource center for understanding, working to rectify discrimination and collaborate for social justice is the Southern Poverty Law Center: https://www.splcenter.org/ 400 Washington Avenue, Montgomery, AL 36104

“Civil rights lawyers, Morris Dees and Joseph Levin, Jr. founded the SPLC in 1971 to ensure that the promise of the civil rights movement became a reality for all. Since then, we’ve won numerous landmark legal victories on behalf of the exploited, the powerless and the forgotten.

“Our lawsuits have toppled institutional racism and stamped out remnants of Jim Crow segregation; destroyed some of the nation’s most violent white supremacist groups; and protected the civil rights of children, women, the disabled, immigrants and migrant workers, the LGBTQ community, prisoners, and many others who faced discrimination, abuse or exploitation.”
****************************************

What about unlearning racism, and other oppressions ingrained in many of us? “Unlearning requires that we rid ourselves of something that we previously learned that may no longer be serving us or that might truly be hurting us (or others).”
Here are some options and resources that lead to others.

First, and best, is Peggy McIntosh‘s article, “Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack of White Privilege”:
—White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack Peggy McIntosh

For further study:
—https://www.roomofonesown.com/unlearning-racism-learning-antiracism
—https://www.skylightbooks.com/unlearning-racism-recommended-reading
—https://habitsatwork.com/unlearning-racism/

—https://ucanr.edu/sites/anrstaff/Diversity/Anti-racism_resources_884/
—https://www.huffpost.com/entry/how-to-unlearn-racism-and-white-supremacy-as-a-white_b_59985a41e4b033e0fbdec479

#SMASHWORDS is having its 12th Annual “Read An #Ebook Week” NOW!
Final Days: March 12 – 13, 2021!
Many #sales and #discounts, some #free, #ebookweek21
Get any ebook format you want on Smashwords!

The Story Behind “Read an Ebook Week” (RAEW): Read an Ebook Week was created by Canadian Smashwords author, Rita Toews. If you’re interested to learn the story behind her creation of Read an Ebook Week, read the 2010 interview with Rita over at The Huffington Post . Please note that the prior web address mentioned in the interview, www. ebookweek.com, is now controlled by a squatter and is not associated with this promotion, so please don’t link to or promote the old address.

The Smashwords’ RAEW page is: http://smashwords.com/ebookweek or
https://www.smashwords.com/books/category/1/newest/1

The official Read an Ebook Week Facebook page, operated by Rita, is at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Read-an-E-Book-Week/193882590629749
Show your support for RAEW by “Liking” it on Facebook and sharing it.

All three published Volumes of the sci-fi/romance/multiverse/utopian/paranormal (psi) ebooks in The Spanners Series for adults/NA/YA are participating in this great sale! And, if you prefer or want also to have paperbacks, scroll to the end for the Amazon links to utilize Kindle Matchbook discounts to purchase those!

Volume I, This Changes Everything, The Spanners Series, by Sally Ember, Ed.D.
Dr. Clara Ackerman Branon, 58, begins having secret visits from holographic representations of  beings from the Many Worlds Collective, a consortium of planet and star systems in the multiverse. When Earth is invited to join the consortium, the secret visits are made public. Now Earthers must adjust their beliefs and ideas about life, religion, culture, identity and everything they think and are. Clara is selected to be the liaison between Earth and the Many Worlds Collective and she chooses Esperanza Enlaces to be the Media Contact. They team up to provide information to stave off riots and uncertainty. The Many Worlds Collective holos train Clara and the Psi-Warriors for the Psi Wars with the rebelling Psi-Defiers, communicate effectively with many species on Earth and off-planet, eliminate ordinary, elected governments and political boundaries, convene a new group of Global Leaders, and deal with family’s and friends’ reactions.
In what multiple timelines of the ever-expanding multiverse do Clara and her long-time love, Epifanio Dang, get to be together and which leave Clara alone and lonely as the leader of Earth? This Changes Everything begins the 30-year story of Clara’s term as Earth’s first Chief Communicator, continuing in nine more Volumes of The Spanners Series. Are you ready for the changes?

Vol I is PERMA-FREE!
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/376197

Volume II, This Changes My Family and My Life Forever, The Spanners Series, by Sally Ember, Ed.D.
COUPON CODE for 25% off is AS89U

Intrigued by multiple timelines, aliens, psi skills, romance and planetary change? Clara and the alien “Band” are back in Volume II, This Changes My Family and My Life Forever, The Spanners Series. Now as Chief Communicator, Clara leads the way for interspecies communication on- and off-planet. Fighting these changes are the Psi-Defiers, led by one of the oldest friends of the Chief of the Psi-Warriors, its reluctant leader, Rabbi Moran Ackerman. Stories from younger Spanners about the first five years of The Transition fill Volume II. How would you do with the changes?

Usually $3.99; “Read an Ebook Week” Promotional price: $2.99
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/424969
Enter the code prior to completing checkout.
COUPON CODE for Vol II, 25% off is AS89U

Volume III, This Is/Is Not the Way I Want Things to Change, The Spanners Series, by Sally Ember, Ed.D.
COUPON CODE for 50% off is AS89U

Clara, Moran, Espe, Epifanio and the alien Band of holos are back in This Is /Is Not The Way I Want Things to Change of The Spanners Series. Psi-Defiers launch increasingly violent protests during this five-year Transition, attempting to block Earth’s membership into the Many Worlds Collective. To join, Earth’s nations and borders must dissolve and Psi-Warriors must strengthen in their battle against the rebels.
Clara, continuing as Earth’s first Chief Communicator, also juggles family conflicts and danger while creating psi skills training Campuses to help Earth through the Psi-Wars. Clara timults alternate versions of their futures as the leaders’ duties and consciences force them each to make difficult choices across multiple timelines while continuing to train and fight.
Will the Psi-Warriors’ and other leaders’ increasing psi skills, interspecies collaborations and budding alien alliances be enough for Earth to make it through The Transition intact? If there is no clear path for Clara’s and Epifanio’s love, does she partner with Steve or go it alone?
What do you do with wanted/unwanted changes?

Usually $3.99; “Read an Ebook Week” Promotional price, Vol III: $2.00
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/588331
Enter the code prior to completing checkout.
COUPON CODE for 50% off is AS89U

Cover art and logo for The Spanners Series all by Aidana Willowraven: http://www.willowraven-illustration.blogspot.com/

BOOK TRAILERS for all three volumes, here:

Volume I, This Changes Everything
https://youtu.be/QJDEt1O8yQ8?list=PLPbfKicwk4dE_bsvzZO7X8-IIqqLY15uS
or
https://goo.gl/8OLVSr
AND
https://youtu.be/X_8ZFVY9BMg?list=PLPbfKicwk4dE_bsvzZO7X8-IIqqLY15uS
or
https://goo.gl/MvYFH3
AND
https://youtu.be/WL9lPK8IhRk?list=PLPbfKicwk4dE_bsvzZO7X8-IIqqLY15uS
or
https://goo.gl/APrn9P

Volume II, This Changes My Family and My Life Forever
https://youtu.be/WenvYeasiik?list=PLPbfKicwk4dE_bsvzZO7X8-IIqqLY15uS
or
https://goo.gl/ERqLHY

Volume III, This Is/Is Not the Way I Want Things to Change
https://youtu.be/uINdFH0XS18?list=PLPbfKicwk4dE_bsvzZO7X8-IIqqLY15uS
or
https://goo.gl/q9NGsg
AND

Find ALL books participating in the Smashwords’ Read An Ebook Week sale and stock up on your favorite genres, authors and titles OR scout out some new talent! https://www.smashwords.com/books/category/1/newest/1

PAPERBACK LOVERS:
Kindle MatchBook includes all three Volumes of The Spanners Series!
Buy any ebook format and get a discount
on the paperback of the same Volume (or vice-versa).

Amazon’s paperbacks’ links:
Vol I: http://www.amzn.com/B00HFELTG8
Vol II: http://www.amzn.com/B00KU5Q7KC
Vol III: http://www.amzn.com/B0177Z1KRM

Amazon’s ebooks’ pages:
Vol I: http://www.amzn.com/B00HFELTG8
Vol II: http://www.amzn.com/B00KU5Q7KC
Vol III: http://www.amzn.com/B0177Z1KRM

All published by Timult Books

Mazel tov to all semifinal winners!

http://www.womensprizeforfiction.co.uk/features/features/news/revealing-the-2021-longlist

#SMASHWORDS is having its 12th Annual “Read An #Ebook Week” NOW!
March 7 – 13, 2021!
Many #sales and #discounts, some #free, #ebookweek21
Get any ebook format you want on Smashwords!

The Story Behind “Read an Ebook Week” (RAEW): Read an Ebook Week was created by Canadian Smashwords author, Rita Toews. If you’re interested to learn the story behind her creation of Read an Ebook Week, read the 2010 interview with Rita over at The Huffington Post . Please note that the prior web address mentioned in the interview, www. ebookweek.com, is now controlled by a squatter and is not associated with this promotion, so please don’t link to or promote the old address.

The Smashwords’ RAEW page is: http://smashwords.com/ebookweek or
https://www.smashwords.com/books/category/1/newest/1

The official Read an Ebook Week Facebook page, operated by Rita, is at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Read-an-E-Book-Week/193882590629749
Show your support for RAEW by “Liking” it on Facebook and sharing it.

All three published Volumes of the sci-fi/romance/multiverse/utopian/paranormal (psi) ebooks in The Spanners Series for adults/NA/YA are participating in this great sale! And, if you prefer or want also to have paperbacks, scroll to the end for the Amazon links to utilize Kindle Matchbook discounts to purchase those!

Volume I, This Changes Everything, The Spanners Series, by Sally Ember, Ed.D.
Dr. Clara Ackerman Branon, 58, begins having secret visits from holographic representations of  beings from the Many Worlds Collective, a consortium of planet and star systems in the multiverse. When Earth is invited to join the consortium, the secret visits are made public. Now Earthers must adjust their beliefs and ideas about life, religion, culture, identity and everything they think and are. Clara is selected to be the liaison between Earth and the Many Worlds Collective and she chooses Esperanza Enlaces to be the Media Contact. They team up to provide information to stave off riots and uncertainty. The Many Worlds Collective holos train Clara and the Psi-Warriors for the Psi Wars with the rebelling Psi-Defiers, communicate effectively with many species on Earth and off-planet, eliminate ordinary, elected governments and political boundaries, convene a new group of Global Leaders, and deal with family’s and friends’ reactions.
In what multiple timelines of the ever-expanding multiverse do Clara and her long-time love, Epifanio Dang, get to be together and which leave Clara alone and lonely as the leader of Earth? This Changes Everything begins the 30-year story of Clara’s term as Earth’s first Chief Communicator, continuing in nine more Volumes of The Spanners Series. Are you ready for the changes?

Vol I is PERMA-FREE!
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/376197

Volume II, This Changes My Family and My Life Forever, The Spanners Series, by Sally Ember, Ed.D.
COUPON CODE for 25% off is AS89U

Intrigued by multiple timelines, aliens, psi skills, romance and planetary change? Clara and the alien “Band” are back in Volume II, This Changes My Family and My Life Forever, The Spanners Series. Now as Chief Communicator, Clara leads the way for interspecies communication on- and off-planet. Fighting these changes are the Psi-Defiers, led by one of the oldest friends of the Chief of the Psi-Warriors, its reluctant leader, Rabbi Moran Ackerman. Stories from younger Spanners about the first five years of The Transition fill Volume II. How would you do with the changes?

Usually $3.99; “Read an Ebook Week” Promotional price: $2.99
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/424969
Enter the code prior to completing checkout.
COUPON CODE for Vol II, 25% off is AS89U

Volume III, This Is/Is Not the Way I Want Things to Change, The Spanners Series, by Sally Ember, Ed.D.
COUPON CODE for 50% off is AS89U

Clara, Moran, Espe, Epifanio and the alien Band of holos are back in This Is /Is Not The Way I Want Things to Change of The Spanners Series. Psi-Defiers launch increasingly violent protests during this five-year Transition, attempting to block Earth’s membership into the Many Worlds Collective. To join, Earth’s nations and borders must dissolve and Psi-Warriors must strengthen in their battle against the rebels.
Clara, continuing as Earth’s first Chief Communicator, also juggles family conflicts and danger while creating psi skills training Campuses to help Earth through the Psi-Wars. Clara timults alternate versions of their futures as the leaders’ duties and consciences force them each to make difficult choices across multiple timelines while continuing to train and fight.
Will the Psi-Warriors’ and other leaders’ increasing psi skills, interspecies collaborations and budding alien alliances be enough for Earth to make it through The Transition intact? If there is no clear path for Clara’s and Epifanio’s love, does she partner with Steve or go it alone?
What do you do with wanted/unwanted changes?

Usually $3.99; “Read an Ebook Week” Promotional price, Vol III: $2.00
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/588331
Enter the code prior to completing checkout.
COUPON CODE for 50% off is AS89U

Cover art and logo for The Spanners Series all by Aidana Willowraven: http://www.willowraven-illustration.blogspot.com/

BOOK TRAILERS for all three volumes, here:

Volume I, This Changes Everything
https://youtu.be/QJDEt1O8yQ8?list=PLPbfKicwk4dE_bsvzZO7X8-IIqqLY15uS
or
https://goo.gl/8OLVSr
AND
https://youtu.be/X_8ZFVY9BMg?list=PLPbfKicwk4dE_bsvzZO7X8-IIqqLY15uS
or
https://goo.gl/MvYFH3
AND
https://youtu.be/WL9lPK8IhRk?list=PLPbfKicwk4dE_bsvzZO7X8-IIqqLY15uS
or
https://goo.gl/APrn9P

Volume II, This Changes My Family and My Life Forever
https://youtu.be/WenvYeasiik?list=PLPbfKicwk4dE_bsvzZO7X8-IIqqLY15uS
or
https://goo.gl/ERqLHY

Volume III, This Is/Is Not the Way I Want Things to Change
https://youtu.be/uINdFH0XS18?list=PLPbfKicwk4dE_bsvzZO7X8-IIqqLY15uS
or
https://goo.gl/q9NGsg
AND

Find ALL books participating in the Smashwords’ Read An Ebook Week sale and stock up on your favorite genres, authors and titles OR scout out some new talent! https://www.smashwords.com/books/category/1/newest/1

PAPERBACK LOVERS:
Kindle MatchBook includes all three Volumes of The Spanners Series!
Buy any ebook format and get a discount
on the paperback of the same Volume (or vice-versa).

Amazon’s paperbacks’ links:
Vol I: http://www.amzn.com/B00HFELTG8
Vol II: http://www.amzn.com/B00KU5Q7KC
Vol III: http://www.amzn.com/B0177Z1KRM

Amazon’s ebooks’ pages:
Vol I: http://www.amzn.com/B00HFELTG8
Vol II: http://www.amzn.com/B00KU5Q7KC
Vol III: http://www.amzn.com/B0177Z1KRM

All published by Timult Books

#Books by #Authors of Color and #Women, #Nonbinary, #Trans and Gender-Fluid #Writers

I’ve been collecting annotated fiction recommendations, but can’t say I’ve read most of these, myself. I haven’t been doing much fiction reading in the last 20+ years compared to the previous 40+ years; more meditating. BUT, I am an author and do support other authors, especially minority and women writers. There are lists, below, for adults and YA readers. I hope you find books you like!

If you have/do read any of the books on these lists, please comment in this post’s comments! http://www.sallyember.com/books-by-authors-of-color-and-women-nonbinary-trans-and-gender-fluid-writers
and be sure to leave a review on Amazon, Goodreads, EVERYWHERE!

Over 100 LGBTQ Authors Share the Books that Changed Their Lives by Michelle Hart at Oprah Magazine
https://www.oprahmag.com/entertainment/books/g27455697/best-lgbtq-books-ever/

100 MUST-READ BOOKS BY QUEER AUTHORS by Ilana Masad on Book Riot
https://bookriot.com/books-queer-authors/

20 MUST-READ BLACK AUTHORS OF LGBTQ BOOKS by Rachel Brittain on Book Riot
https://bookriot.com/black-authors-of-lgbtq-books/

My Favorite Books by LGBTQ and/or POC Authors by Jaeda Engberg at New Rivers Press
https://www.newriverspress.com/my-favorite-books-by-lgbtq-and-or-poc-authors/

62 great books by Black authors, recommended by TED speakers from TED Talks
https://ideas.ted.com/62-great-books-by-black-authors-recommended-by-ted-speakers/

40 Books by Black Authors in 2020 by Resh Susan on Book Satchel
https://www.thebooksatchel.com/books-black-authors-2020/

45 UPCOMING BOOKS BY BLACK AUTHORS YOU CAN PREORDER RIGHT NOW [June, 2020] by Laura Sackton on Book Riot
https://bookriot.com/upcoming-books-by-black-authors/

Black Science Fiction Authors To Read And Expand Your Horizons

Black Science Fiction Authors To Read And Expand Your Horizons by Emily O’Donnell for Comic Years
https://comicyears.com/books/black-science-fiction-authors/

Black Science Fiction Society is a great site, also.
https://blacksciencefictionsociety.com/

Twelve Books by Trans and Nonbinary Authors to read on Trans Day of Visibility (and any other day)

20 MUST-READ SFF BOOKS BY WOMEN AND NONBINARY AUTHORS by Jaime Herndon for Book Riot
http://bookriot.com/sff-books-by-female-transgender-and-nonbinary-authors/

8 YA Books by Trans and Nonbinary Authors by Jill Grunenwald, Marketing and Communications Specialist for Overdrive
http://company.overdrive.com/2020/06/11/8-ya-books-by-trans-and-nonbinary-authors/

27 Books Written By POC Authors That Might Have You Glued To The Pages All Day by Jasmin Suknanan for BuzzFeed
http://www.buzzfeed.com/jasminsuknanan/books-written-by-poc-authors

Black, Indigenous and People of Color in Books for Teens by Teen Specialists for Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh
https://www.carnegielibrary.org/staff-picks/black-indigenous-and-people-of-color-in-books-for-teens/

2020 Top 10 “New” Latino Latinx Authors You, Your Family, and Teachers Need To Read by Staff at Latino Stories
https://latinostories.com/2020-top-10-latino-latinx-authors/

30 YA Books By Latinx Authors We Can’t Wait To Read In 2020 by Zoraida Cordova for BuzzFeed
https://www.buzzfeed.com/zoraidacordova/ya-books-by-latinx-authors-2020

75 Books by Black Authors We’re Reading in 2020 by MARILYN LA JEUNESSE AND KELSEY BOROVINSKY of Teen Vogue
https://www.teenvogue.com/story/books-by-black-authors-2020

The most anticipated women’s fiction of 2020 by Stephanie Elliot for shereads
https://shereads.com/most-anticipated-womens-fiction-2020/

Suspense, Mystery and Thriller Must-Read Books by Women Writers of Color to Read in 2020 by Jennifer Hillier for Ms. Magazine
https://msmagazine.com/2020/04/25/suspense-mystery-and-thriller-must-read-books-by-women-writers-of-color-to-read-in-2020/

The Future of Fantasy is Female: 10 Contemporary Authors To Read For Women’s History Month by Emily O’Donnell of Comic Years
https://comicyears.com/books/10-contemporary-female-fantasy-authors/

#Ebooks #Smashwords 4th Annual End-of-Year Sales!
#Free, 50 – 75% off! Only Three More Days, Through 1/1/21

The Spanners Series’ first three Volumes of utopian science-fiction/romance
by Sally Ember, Ed.D. are on sale NOW!

Proud member of Clean Indie Reads #CR4U

The Spanners Series‘ cover art and logo are
by WillowRaven: http://www.willowraven-illustration.blogspot.com/

Smashwords is having its 3rd Annual End-of-Year Sale and The Spanners Series‘ ebooks in every format (reader’s choice) are on sale for 3 more days only!
—free (Volume I)
—only $1.99 (Volume II) COUPON CODE for Volume II, good on Smashwords, only, 12/18/20–1/1/21: RG29B
—only $0.99 (Volume III) COUPON CODE for Volume III, good on Smashwords, only, 12/18/19–1/1/21: RG29B

(usually $3.99 each for ebooks)! See below for links and more info.

And, go browse on Smashwords for other great discounts and sales for this great sale!

Whether you’re sweating, freezing, rained or snowed on or anywhere in between, there is still time to READ!
Give ebooks for gifts for birthdays, graduations, holidays, anniversaries, vacations: any time!

The paperbacks of all three Volumes are in the Kindle Match/Kindle Matchbook program at Amazon!
See below for links, details and coupon codes (on Smashwords, only) for each of the Volumes.

This Changes Everything, Vol. I, The Spanners Series

Dr. Clara Ackerman Branon, 58, begins having secret visits from holographic representations of beings from the Many Worlds Collective, a consortium of planet and star systems in the multiverse. When Earth is invited to join the consortium, the secret visits are made public. Now Earthers must adjust their beliefs and ideas about life, religion, culture, identity and everything they think and are.

Clara is selected to be the liaison between Earth and the Many Worlds Collective and she chooses Esperanza Enlaces to be the Chief Media Contact. They team up to provide information to stave off riots and uncertainty. The Many Worlds Collective holos train Clara and the Psi-Warriors for the Psi Wars with the rebelling Psi-Defiers, communicate effectively with many species on Earth and off-planet, eliminate ordinary, elected governments and political boundaries, convene a new group of Global Leaders, and deal with family’s and friends’ reactions.

In what multiple timelines of the ever-expanding multiverse do Clara and her long-time love, Epifanio Dang, get to be together and which leave Clara alone and lonely as the leader of Earth?

This Changes Everything spans the 30-year story of Clara’s term as Earth’s first Chief Communicator, continuing in nine more Volumes of The Spanners Series.

Are YOU ready for the changes?

Volume I, This Changes Everything:
Ebooks are PERMAFREE on Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/376197
and Amazon: http://www.amzn.com/B00HFELTG8 

These paperbacks are in the Kindle Match program on Amazon. This means that if you purchase both the ebook and its paperback counterpart (in this case, download Volume I for free), you get a discount for the total package. Vol I Amazon link: http://www.amzn.com/B00HFELTG8

This Changes My Family and My Life Forever, Vol. II, The Spanners Series

Intrigued by multiple timelines, aliens, psi skills, romance and planetary change? Clara and the alien “Band” are back in Volume II, This Changes My Family and My Life Forever.

Now as Chief Communicator, Clara leads the way for interspecies communication on- and off-planet. Fighting these changes are the Psi-Defiers, led by one of the oldest friends of the Chief of the Psi-Warriors, its reluctant leader, Rabbi Moran Ackerman. Stories from younger Spanners about the first five years of The Transition fill Volume II.

How would YOU do with the changes?

Volume II, This Changes My Family and My Life Forever:
EBOOKS now $1.99, 50% off the regular price of $3.99, using COUPON CODE RG29B
on Smashwords, any ebook format (reader’s choice).

These paperbacks are in the Kindle Match/Kindle Matchbook program on Amazon. This means that if you purchase both the ebook and its paperback counterpart, you get a discount for the total package. Vol II Amazon link:: http://www.amzn.com/B00KU5Q7KC

This Is/Is Not the Way I Want Things to Change, Vol. III, The Spanners Series

Clara, Moran, Espe, Epifanio and the alien Band of holos are back in This Is/Is Not the Way I Want Things to Change, Volume III of The Spanners Series. Psi-Defiers launch increasingly violent protests during this five-year Transition, attempting to block Earth’s membership into the Many Worlds Collective. Earth’s nations and borders must dissolve and Psi-Warriors must strengthen in their battle against the rebels.

Clara, as Earth’s first Chief Communicator, also juggles family conflicts and danger while creating psi skills training Campuses to help Earth through the Psi Wars. Clara timults alternate versions of their futures as the leaders’ duties and consciences force them to make difficult choices across multiple timelines, continuing to train and fight.

Will the Psi-Warriors’ and other leaders’ increasing psi skills, interspecies collaborations and budding alien alliances be enough for Earth to make it through The Transition intact? If there is no clear path for Clara’s and Epifanio’s love, does she partner with Steve or go it alone?

What do YOU do with wanted/unwanted changes?

Volume III, This Is/Is Not the Way I Want Things to Change:
EBOOKS now $0.99, 75% off the regular price of $3.99, using COUPON CODE RG29B
on Smashwords, any ebook format (reader’s choice).

These paperbacks are in the Kindle Match/Kindle Matchbook program on Amazon. This means that if you purchase both the ebook and its paperback counterpart, you get a discount for the total package. Vol III Amazon link:: http://www.amzn.com/B0177Z1KRM

The Spanners Series‘ three paperbacks.

Print editions and ebooks published under Timult Books

REVIEWERS: Ask for FREE Ebook coupon codes for Volumes II and III on Smashwords any time: sallyember AT yahoo DOT com

For more information about Sally Ember, Ed.D., her bio, books, blog, archived YouTube (Sally Sue Ember channel, https://www.youtube.com/c/SallySueEmber/videos) video talk show (CHANGES conversations between authors), guest blog posts and guidelines, links to author interviews, book trailers and more: http://www.sallyember.com

My “Banned Forever” List and What to Support, as of December, 2020

Maybe you’re more tolerant, forgiving, or plain easy-going than I am. That’s fine. I’m not trying to start an argument, here. I’m also not interested in a debate, trying to be convinced otherwise, or changing my list.

BUT, if you have people you think belong here, once you understand my criteria, please put your nominations in the comments of this post, found on: http://www.sallyember.com/blog

I permanently ban artists, writers, actors, directors, producers, AND THEIR WORK/ART who are sexual predators, anti-Semites, racists, misogynists, homophobic/transphobic, anti- Black Lives Matter, pro-Trump and his cronies, now or ever.
Yes, most of these are men.
Unfortunately, it’s not practical to ban all the work of CEOs of large networks or corporations, such as Les Moonves, Roger Ailes and many others, and not fair to those “below” them who are innocent and whose work is fine. but I would if I could.

When someone is banned, I do not watch their films or TV shows, read their books or other writing, and will not ever support anything they do unless it is palliative of/victim-compensating related to their wrongdoing. Then, I might consider a partial reinstatement.

I also womancott (“boycott”) companies who support awful causes, leaders, or politicians (mostly, supporters of the current and recent Republican Party and its horrible leaders and representatives). See below for particulars and lists to explore for avoiding any support of them.

PERMANENTLY BANNED
Media/Arts People: Roman Polanski, Woody Allen, Bill Cosby, Jeremy Piven, Kevin Spacey, Danny Masterson, Louis C.K., Harvey Weinstein, Ben Affleck, Al Franken, Tony Robbins, Mel Gibson, Bill O’Reilly, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Rush Limbaugh, Geraldo Rivera, Tyler Perry, R. Kelly, Fox “News” anchors and commentators (everyone since 1990), (Keith) Rupert Murdoch, the US Military (all branches)
(add yours in comments for this post, please!)

Companies and investors: https://donegood.co/blogs/news/boycott-trump-companies-to-avoid
for another great list, go here: https://www.change.org/p/nationwide-boycott-of-trump-businesses-and-koch-brothers-products
And, here: https://www.eternitynews.com.au/australia/boycott-companies-that-exploit-women-and-girls-this-christmas/
And, here: https://www.vulture.com/2020/07/a-list-of-media-companies-reckoning-with-racism.html
ALWAYS avoid these companies/owners and their products/online stores/locations: Nestles, Minute Maid, Chick-Fil-A; Home Depot; Hobby Lobby; the still-living Koch brother, Charles; Equinox Fitness / Soul Cycle / Blink Fitness, Marvel Entertainment, Goya, AT & T, CVS, Starbucks, Wal*Mart, Sam’s Club, Amazon, MyPillow, Uber, and so many more.

If racial injustice is your focus, use this link to keep up with companies to avoid and companies to support:
https://adage.com/article/cmo-strategy/regularly-updated-blog-tracking-brands-responses-racial-injustice/2260291

If diversity/accessibility are your focus, check this out: https://mydiversability.com/blog/2020/12/17/vote-with-your-wallet-this-holiday-season

ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HIS/HERTORY
Want to be a more ethical consumer in all ways? use this site: https://www.ethicalconsumer.org/food-drink/shopping-guide/bananas

Don’t just avoid baddies! Support good companies/places/people! B Corps are certified as ethical and wonderful in a variety of ways (see italicized section, below, for info).
Check this list out and keep checking for new additions: https://bcorporation.net/

Certified B Corporations are businesses that meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose. B Corps are accelerating a global culture shift to redefine success in business and build a more inclusive and sustainable economy.

Society’s most challenging problems cannot be solved by government and nonprofits alone. The B Corp community works toward reduced inequality, lower levels of poverty, a healthier environment, stronger communities, and the creation of more high quality jobs with dignity and purpose. By harnessing the power of business, B Corps use profits and growth as a means to a greater end: positive impact for their employees, communities, and the environment.

B Corps form a community of leaders and drive a global movement of people using business as a force for good. The values and aspirations of the B Corp community are embedded in the B Corp Declaration of Interdependence.

You can choose to avoid companies that:
—use slave, child or sex-trafficked labor https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ilab/resources/reports/child-labor

—have unsafe working conditions
—do not pay living wages
—pollute
—misuse company funds
—won’t pay workers as actual employees
—won’t give workers regular hours
—bust unions
—overpay upper management/owners
—refuse to deal effectively with any types of workplace harassment or bias
—won’t go “green,” but could
—lie/misrepresent their company’s policies, products, safety, financial status, stock values, etc.
—cheat (don’t pay fair shares of taxes, e.g.)
—contribute to the opioid epidemic
—ruin Native lands for profit
—cause injuries or deaths to employees knowingly and won’t compensate appropriately
—interfere with rather than support social and economic equality and justice
—enable/protect harassers/abusers/liars.
Such as: https://www.ethicalconsumer.org/retailers/five-unethical-companies
And, The Evil List: Which tech companies are really doing the most harm? : https://slate.com/technology/2020/01/evil-list-tech-companies-dangerous-amazon-facebook-google-palantir.html

Learn more here, from Laura Holton: The Ugly Truth About Unethical Business Practices [2020]
https://myva360.com/blog/the-ugly-truth-about-unethical-business-practices-2020
and, here: https://www.businessinsider.com/american-companies-with-the-worst-reputations-2019-6

#Ebooks #Smashwords 4th Annual End-of-Year Sales!
#Free, 50 – 75% off! Through January 1, 2021

The Spanners Series’ first three Volumes of utopian science-fiction/romance
by Sally Ember, Ed.D. are on sale NOW!

Proud member of Clean Indie Reads #CR4U

The Spanners Series‘ cover art and logo are
by WillowRaven: http://www.willowraven-illustration.blogspot.com/

Smashwords is having its 3rd Annual End-of-Year Sale and The Spanners Series‘ ebooks in every format (reader’s choice) are on sale for 3 more days only!
—free (Volume I)
—only $1.99 (Volume II) COUPON CODE for Volume II, good on Smashwords, only, 12/18/20–1/1/21: RG29B
—only $0.99 (Volume III) COUPON CODE for Volume III, good on Smashwords, only, 12/18/19–1/1/21: RG29B

(usually $3.99 each for ebooks)! See below for links and more info.

And, go browse on Smashwords for other great discounts and sales for this great sale!

Whether you’re sweating, freezing, rained or snowed on or anywhere in between, there is still time to READ!
Give ebooks for gifts for birthdays, graduations, holidays, anniversaries, vacations: any time!

The paperbacks of all three Volumes are in the Kindle Match/Kindle Matchbook program at Amazon!
See below for links, details and coupon codes (on Smashwords, only) for each of the Volumes.

This Changes Everything, Vol. I, The Spanners Series

Dr. Clara Ackerman Branon, 58, begins having secret visits from holographic representations of beings from the Many Worlds Collective, a consortium of planet and star systems in the multiverse. When Earth is invited to join the consortium, the secret visits are made public. Now Earthers must adjust their beliefs and ideas about life, religion, culture, identity and everything they think and are.

Clara is selected to be the liaison between Earth and the Many Worlds Collective and she chooses Esperanza Enlaces to be the Chief Media Contact. They team up to provide information to stave off riots and uncertainty. The Many Worlds Collective holos train Clara and the Psi-Warriors for the Psi Wars with the rebelling Psi-Defiers, communicate effectively with many species on Earth and off-planet, eliminate ordinary, elected governments and political boundaries, convene a new group of Global Leaders, and deal with family’s and friends’ reactions.

In what multiple timelines of the ever-expanding multiverse do Clara and her long-time love, Epifanio Dang, get to be together and which leave Clara alone and lonely as the leader of Earth?

This Changes Everything spans the 30-year story of Clara’s term as Earth’s first Chief Communicator, continuing in nine more Volumes of The Spanners Series.

Are YOU ready for the changes?

Volume I, This Changes Everything:
Ebooks are PERMAFREE on Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/376197
and Amazon: http://www.amzn.com/B00HFELTG8 

These paperbacks are in the Kindle Match program on Amazon. This means that if you purchase both the ebook and its paperback counterpart (in this case, download Volume I for free), you get a discount for the total package. Vol I Amazon link: http://www.amzn.com/B00HFELTG8

This Changes My Family and My Life Forever, Vol. II, The Spanners Series

Intrigued by multiple timelines, aliens, psi skills, romance and planetary change? Clara and the alien “Band” are back in Volume II, This Changes My Family and My Life Forever.

Now as Chief Communicator, Clara leads the way for interspecies communication on- and off-planet. Fighting these changes are the Psi-Defiers, led by one of the oldest friends of the Chief of the Psi-Warriors, its reluctant leader, Rabbi Moran Ackerman. Stories from younger Spanners about the first five years of The Transition fill Volume II.

How would YOU do with the changes?

Volume II, This Changes My Family and My Life Forever:
EBOOKS now $1.99, 50% off the regular price of $3.99, using COUPON CODE RG29B
on Smashwords, any ebook format (reader’s choice).

These paperbacks are in the Kindle Match/Kindle Matchbook program on Amazon. This means that if you purchase both the ebook and its paperback counterpart, you get a discount for the total package. Vol II Amazon link:: http://www.amzn.com/B00KU5Q7KC

This Is/Is Not the Way I Want Things to Change, Vol. III, The Spanners Series

Clara, Moran, Espe, Epifanio and the alien Band of holos are back in This Is/Is Not the Way I Want Things to Change, Volume III of The Spanners Series. Psi-Defiers launch increasingly violent protests during this five-year Transition, attempting to block Earth’s membership into the Many Worlds Collective. Earth’s nations and borders must dissolve and Psi-Warriors must strengthen in their battle against the rebels.

Clara, as Earth’s first Chief Communicator, also juggles family conflicts and danger while creating psi skills training Campuses to help Earth through the Psi Wars. Clara timults alternate versions of their futures as the leaders’ duties and consciences force them to make difficult choices across multiple timelines, continuing to train and fight.

Will the Psi-Warriors’ and other leaders’ increasing psi skills, interspecies collaborations and budding alien alliances be enough for Earth to make it through The Transition intact? If there is no clear path for Clara’s and Epifanio’s love, does she partner with Steve or go it alone?

What do YOU do with wanted/unwanted changes?

Volume III, This Is/Is Not the Way I Want Things to Change:
EBOOKS now $0.99, 75% off the regular price of $3.99, using COUPON CODE RG29B
on Smashwords, any ebook format (reader’s choice).

These paperbacks are in the Kindle Match/Kindle Matchbook program on Amazon. This means that if you purchase both the ebook and its paperback counterpart, you get a discount for the total package. Vol III Amazon link:: http://www.amzn.com/B0177Z1KRM

The Spanners Series‘ three paperbacks.

Print editions and ebooks published under Timult Books

REVIEWERS: Ask for FREE Ebook coupon codes for Volumes II and III on Smashwords any time: sallyember AT yahoo DOT com

For more information about Sally Ember, Ed.D., her bio, books, blog, archived YouTube (Sally Sue Ember channel, https://www.youtube.com/c/SallySueEmber/videos) video talk show (CHANGES conversations between authors), guest blog posts and guidelines, links to author interviews, book trailers and more: http://www.sallyember.com

#Ebooks #Smashwords 4th Annual End-of-Year Sales!
#Free, 50 – 75% off! December 18, 2020 – January 1, 2021

The Spanners Series’ first three Volumes of utopian science-fiction/romance
by Sally Ember, Ed.D. are on sale NOW!

Proud member of Clean Indie Reads #CR4U

The Spanners Series‘ cover art and logo are
by WillowRaven: http://www.willowraven-illustration.blogspot.com/

Smashwords is having its 3rd Annual End-of-Year Sale and The Spanners Series‘ ebooks in every format (reader’s choice) are on sale for 3 more days only!
—free (Volume I)
—only $1.99 (Volume II) COUPON CODE for Volume II, good on Smashwords, only, 12/18/20–1/1/21: RG29B
—only $0.99 (Volume III) COUPON CODE for Volume III, good on Smashwords, only, 12/18/19–1/1/21: RG29B

(usually $3.99 each for ebooks)! See below for links and more info.

And, go browse on Smashwords for other great discounts and sales for this great sale!

Whether you’re sweating, freezing, rained or snowed on or anywhere in between, there is still time to READ!
Give ebooks for gifts for birthdays, graduations, holidays, anniversaries, vacations: any time!

The paperbacks of all three Volumes are in the Kindle Match/Kindle Matchbook program at Amazon!
See below for links, details and coupon codes (on Smashwords, only) for each of the Volumes.

This Changes Everything, Vol. I, The Spanners Series

Dr. Clara Ackerman Branon, 58, begins having secret visits from holographic representations of beings from the Many Worlds Collective, a consortium of planet and star systems in the multiverse. When Earth is invited to join the consortium, the secret visits are made public. Now Earthers must adjust their beliefs and ideas about life, religion, culture, identity and everything they think and are.

Clara is selected to be the liaison between Earth and the Many Worlds Collective and she chooses Esperanza Enlaces to be the Chief Media Contact. They team up to provide information to stave off riots and uncertainty. The Many Worlds Collective holos train Clara and the Psi-Warriors for the Psi Wars with the rebelling Psi-Defiers, communicate effectively with many species on Earth and off-planet, eliminate ordinary, elected governments and political boundaries, convene a new group of Global Leaders, and deal with family’s and friends’ reactions.

In what multiple timelines of the ever-expanding multiverse do Clara and her long-time love, Epifanio Dang, get to be together and which leave Clara alone and lonely as the leader of Earth?

This Changes Everything spans the 30-year story of Clara’s term as Earth’s first Chief Communicator, continuing in nine more Volumes of The Spanners Series.

Are YOU ready for the changes?

Volume I, This Changes Everything:
Ebooks are PERMAFREE on Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/376197
and Amazon: http://www.amzn.com/B00HFELTG8 

These paperbacks are in the Kindle Match program on Amazon. This means that if you purchase both the ebook and its paperback counterpart (in this case, download Volume I for free), you get a discount for the total package. Vol I Amazon link: http://www.amzn.com/B00HFELTG8

This Changes My Family and My Life Forever, Vol. II, The Spanners Series

Intrigued by multiple timelines, aliens, psi skills, romance and planetary change? Clara and the alien “Band” are back in Volume II, This Changes My Family and My Life Forever.

Now as Chief Communicator, Clara leads the way for interspecies communication on- and off-planet. Fighting these changes are the Psi-Defiers, led by one of the oldest friends of the Chief of the Psi-Warriors, its reluctant leader, Rabbi Moran Ackerman. Stories from younger Spanners about the first five years of The Transition fill Volume II.

How would YOU do with the changes?

Volume II, This Changes My Family and My Life Forever:
EBOOKS now $1.99, 50% off the regular price of $3.99, using COUPON CODE RG29B
on Smashwords, any ebook format (reader’s choice).

These paperbacks are in the Kindle Match/Kindle Matchbook program on Amazon. This means that if you purchase both the ebook and its paperback counterpart, you get a discount for the total package. Vol II Amazon link:: http://www.amzn.com/B00KU5Q7KC

This Is/Is Not the Way I Want Things to Change, Vol. III, The Spanners Series

Clara, Moran, Espe, Epifanio and the alien Band of holos are back in This Is/Is Not the Way I Want Things to Change, Volume III of The Spanners Series. Psi-Defiers launch increasingly violent protests during this five-year Transition, attempting to block Earth’s membership into the Many Worlds Collective. Earth’s nations and borders must dissolve and Psi-Warriors must strengthen in their battle against the rebels.

Clara, as Earth’s first Chief Communicator, also juggles family conflicts and danger while creating psi skills training Campuses to help Earth through the Psi Wars. Clara timults alternate versions of their futures as the leaders’ duties and consciences force them to make difficult choices across multiple timelines, continuing to train and fight.

Will the Psi-Warriors’ and other leaders’ increasing psi skills, interspecies collaborations and budding alien alliances be enough for Earth to make it through The Transition intact? If there is no clear path for Clara’s and Epifanio’s love, does she partner with Steve or go it alone?

What do YOU do with wanted/unwanted changes?

Volume III, This Is/Is Not the Way I Want Things to Change:
EBOOKS now $0.99, 75% off the regular price of $3.99, using COUPON CODE RG29B
on Smashwords, any ebook format (reader’s choice).

These paperbacks are in the Kindle Match/Kindle Matchbook program on Amazon. This means that if you purchase both the ebook and its paperback counterpart, you get a discount for the total package. Vol III Amazon link:: http://www.amzn.com/B0177Z1KRM

The Spanners Series‘ three paperbacks.

Print editions and ebooks published under Timult Books

REVIEWERS: Ask for FREE Ebook coupon codes for Volumes II and III on Smashwords any time: sallyember AT yahoo DOT com

For more information about Sally Ember, Ed.D., her bio, books, blog, archived YouTube (Sally Sue Ember channel, https://www.youtube.com/c/SallySueEmber/videos) video talk show (CHANGES conversations between authors), guest blog posts and guidelines, links to author interviews, book trailers and more: http://www.sallyember.com