planetjimbot

Next Saturday is the first Saturday of July, which can only mean one thing. I’ll be at Dunoon Comic Con. Come along and say hello.

I was a guest of a podcast. Not any old podcast, but a Brewgooders podcast; one that chats about beer and comics. I spoke with Geoff, Colin, Andrew and Dave and as you might expect there was lots of random chat. I even managed to combine the two, beer and comics, by asking what’s the connection with the beer Schiehallion and one of my stories? All is revealed here:

The Brewgooders Episode 134: Special Guest Jim Alexander

Available on podomatic:

https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/thebrewgooders/episodes/2022-05-12T11_04_22-07_00

and Apple:

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-brewgooders/id1459795422

and all those other places where podcasts are available.

In other news, there is more love for Savant, this time from Katherine Kleffner of TheNerdyGirlExpress. In her review, commenting on the lead character, she says, ‘I love her character design and honestly kept wondering how she would look translated to the screen.’

You and me both Katherine 😊 You can read the whole review here:

https://thenerdygirlexpress.com/2022/04/15/savant-graphic-novel-review-from-kleffnotes/

I’ll also be out and about at the start of June, starting with being a guest at Ayr Comic Con on Saturday 4th June.

Time: 10am-4pm

Venue:  Ayr Citadel Leisure Centre, South Harbour St, KA7 1JB

Details here:

I’m not done that weekend as I’ll be at the Creators Hall on Sunday 5th June for Cymera in Edinburgh. Cymera is Scotland’s Festival of Science-Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Writing, and is really worth a visit. Events are ticketed but the Creators Hall (where I’ll be all day Sunday) is free entry.

Time: 10am-5pm

Venue:  The Pleasance, 60 Pleasance, Edinburgh, EH8 9TJ

Details here:

https://www.cymerafestival.co.uk/Cymera2022

Reviews for Savant are in. John Freeman of Down the Tubes says, “For me, Savant is one of Jim Alexander’s best SF stories.”

Emerald Book Reviews says, “Highly recommended and a well-deserved five stars from me.” While David Higgins says on his blog, “Under the joyously full-on aesthetic is an emotionally complex plot on the madness of war reminiscent of classics such as Conrad’s Heart of Darkness.”

Perhaps the pick of the bunch is from Michael Lennox of BGCP who says, “This comic is operatic in scale and depth with emotional troughs and action peaks that leave you breathless at the end.” You can read the whole review here:

Savant is available here:

Print (Amazon):

Print (Etsy):

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1174702078

Digital (Etsy):

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1174687984

In other news I’m a guest at Greenock Comic Con on Saturday 30^th April. Time is 10am-4pm. Venue is The Oak Mall, 1A Hamilton Gate, Greenock PA15 1JW. Maybe see you there if you’re in the Greenock area. Details here:

Plenty of things going on, so without further ado:

Ororo: Before the Storm

Out today

It’s no small thing being part of a Marvel book these days. I occupy the tiniest corner of the Marvel Universe and contribute a story recounting how an orphaned, abandoned child named Ororo became the goddess Storm of the X-Men. Called ‘The Song of Storm’, this isn’t its first outing. In fact, I wrote it some time ago, but I grow prouder of this story with every passing year. The book is released today, 15th February 2022.

https://www.marvel.com/comics/creators/13986/jim_alexander

Paisley Book Festival

Tues 22 Feb, 6-7pm

Just a wee reminder that I’m appearing at Paisley Central Library on Mill Street on the evening of the 22nd February. The library is located next to the Lagoon Leisure Centre, or as I like to call it ‘The Creature from the Black Lagoon Leisure Centre’. Tickets are £8/£6 and I’ll be joined by writer Seamus Connolly. There will be readings, anecdotes, a Q&A, what’s not to like?

Tickets available here:

Cumbernauld Comic Con

Sat 26 Feb, 10am-4pm

I’m a guest at the Cumbernauld Comic Con, which will take place on the last Saturday in February. Come on by and say hello. There are free tickets available via the website.

Tickets available here:

I’m doing a talk at the Paisley Book Festival on Tuesday 22nd Feb at 6pm. Tickets are £8/£6. Venue is Paisley central library and I share the bill with writer Seamus Connolly.

Maybe see you on the night?

Tickets available here, below all the white space:

I’m out and about this February.

I’m a guest at Dundee Comic Con on Saturday 5 February. Pop in and have a chat. I’ll have all my books on sale. Location is Bonar Hall and the time is 10am-4pm.

Tickets available here:

https://www.bigglasgowcomicpage.com/product/dundee-comic-con-bgcp-comic-con/

The live event ‘A Guide to Getting Started with Jim Alexander and Seamus Connolly’ is part of the Paisley Book Festival. Date is Tuesday 22^nd February and time is 6pm. Location is Paisley Central Library, 15 Mill Street. Some promotional material to follow, but I’m looking forward to sitting down with Seamus for a right good natter.

Tickets available here:

https://paisleybookfest.com/programme/a-guide-to-getting-started-with-jim-alexander-and-seamus-connolly/

Join this conversation about kick starting your career as a writer with two local authors who’ve done just that. Jim Alexander’s background is in comic creation, having written for DC, Marvel and Dark Horse amongst others. Having recently turned his hand to fiction, Jim’s third novel, Good Cop, has just been released. Born and raised in Paisley, Seamus Connolly finally found time to pen his debut novel, Black is the Colour, during lockdown, whilst continuing to work full time at Glasgow City Council. He’s been thrilled by the reception his book has had, and joins Jim on stage to share his experience.

Hope to see you at one or the other (or maybe even both)!

I’ll be in Edinburgh on Sunday as part of the Cymera Roxy Takeover. I’ll be there all day (10am-5pm) with a table at the Dealer’s Hall. Come on by if you fancy a chat.   

Venue: Assembly Roxy, 2 Roxburgh Pl, Edinburgh EH8 9SU. You can read more about the event here:

https://www.cymerafestival.co.uk/roxy-takeover

I’ll actually be venturing past the back door in November. I have a table in the Creators Hall at the Cymera Festival all day Sunday 28 Nov at the Assembly Roxy in Edinburgh. If you’re around, why not drop by and have a natter. I’ll have copies of my new novel Good Cop, alongside GoodCopBadCop and the Light. Plus Graphic Novels Gabriel and Wolf Country. Full details here:
https://www.cymerafestival.co.uk/roxy-takeover

A new review of Good Cop is in and it’s another beauty. Reviewer David Higgins describes the book hence:”Overall, I enjoyed this novel greatly. I recommend it to readers seeking a gritty crime thriller that doesn’t shy away from the mental and physical unpleasantness of human immorality.”  So now you know. You can read the full review here:
https://davidjhiggins.wordpress.com/2021/10/15/good-cop-by-jim-alexander/

I did a promotional piece for Good Cop for Teddy Jamieson and the Herald online. Also, I list five Graphic Novels that you might not have heard of, but you should have. (If  you’re interested these are 1.A History of Violence 2.Bad Company 3.Halo Jones 4.The O Men 5.Chief O’Brien At Work.) You can read the whole article here:
https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/19650084.best-graphic-novels-havent-heard/

I have to say it is something of a relief to be able to talk about a new book. I’m delighted to announce that Good Cop is scheduled for release sometime in the second half of the year (October probably). Not only that, it’s the follow-up to my novel GoodCopBadCop.

In Good Cop, Detective Inspector Brian Fisher seeks to put the past behind him, and free himself for once and for all of his ‘Bad Cop’ persona. But that part of him refuses to go down; not without a fight.

To mark the occasion, I’m delighted to say we are offering the first two novels GoodCopBadCop and the Light for £15 the pair postage free.

The offer is for a limited time only on Etsy. See the following link:

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1045977904

As part of the Cymera Festival held online, I read from my novel the Light. I did the reading at the Walled Garden in King’s Park in Glasgow. King’s Park is my favourite park in Glasgow, brimming with all types of stunning flora and trees so tall they give you a sore neck when you try to look all the way to the top of them.

The Cymera technical team (Ann and Sandy) did the recording. Everything was Covid-compliant, and it being Glasgow in May we also had a few rain showers to contend with. All in all, I did about seven takes, although one of them was definitely my fault as I realised mid-way through the reading my reading glasses were still hoisted up on my forehead. I’d never done anything like it. It was a tremendous experience.

The reading itself is from Chapter 3 of the book and is about five minutes long. It’s now up on YouTube. You can check it out in all its glory by following the link:

the Light’ explores a world where you wake up and know this is the day you die. How would such a world shape the way we think, our views on each other and society, how we conduct our personal and financial affairs; how we live and how we will die? There are definite parallels with the world we’re living in now.

It’s available on Etsy:

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/793031489

And Amazon:

And almost everywhere else online.