Thursday, July 29, 2010

Comic-Con Re-Cap & Giveaway!

Long time no yap! But not to worry, I'm ba-ack! Well...sorta.

I know, I know, I was yapping up a storm on Twitter and at Comic-Con and all that jazz. But I've been missing at the blog, and while I'm still on vacay, there's lots to catch you all up on.

Fist off, in case you haven't hit it yet, or recently, the Parallel Universe is still going on over at The Galaxy Express. Also, if you haven't checked my Alien Diversity Panel, or did and left a message, well, check it again, 'cause Kitty & Company are still there, replying to your questions and comments.

Now, for what you all came for...so to speak: Comic-Con was awesome! My "With Great Powers Come Great Stories" Superhero Superfiction panel went well (at least according to the hubs and the nice gal from Penguin who was there who said I was terrific -- which was both of their jobs to so say, LOL), Mysterious Galaxy sold a lot of my books, and I got to hang with a whole bunch of awesome authors -- Seanan McGuire, Jackie Kessler, Caitlin Kittredge, J.F. Lewis, Diana Rowland, Tanya Huff, Anton Strout, and more!

The movie RED looks cool, and its screenwriters ARE cool, so I have high hopes -- Helen Mirren with a sniper rifle...'nuff said!

Randy Couture isn't all that tall but man is he buff. Other than Mr. The Natural of UFC fame, and actors on panels, my celeb sightings were slim. I saw Dirk Benedict, Morgan Fairchild, and the actor who played Boomer on the Old School Battlestar: Galactica (unless I look at the pic I took, I cannot remember his name). Um...past their prime but, hey, they're still kicking! Morgan and Dirk were touchy about photos being snapped that didn't garner them $20-$25 a pop. It was very "Galaxy Quest" -- them, not the fans, LOL. Val Kilmer was there but he was surrounded by people and I have a strict "no paying for autographs" policy, so I didn't lay eyeballs on him.

Yes there was a stabbing, no we weren't where it was, yes I'm considering suing for copyright infringement -- dude used a PEN to try to take down his seat nemesis? I smell a lawsuit! LOL

We saw the first episode of No Ordinary Family. Cute, sort of like The Incredibles but still different. Michael Chiklis and Julie Benz were really funny, and she's prettier in person than on screen. Both of them desperately want more Twitter followers, btw. (Seriously, they both shouted out their Twitter addies and begged for everyone to follow them.) Got a special t-shirt from that panel.

Didn't make it into the Cowboys & Aliens panel, but ran into their swag guy on the street and got t-shirts from him. Same with Scott Pilgrim. Was in the Green Lantern comics panel, which was remarkably free of Ryan Reynolds, dammit (hence, why we could get seats without waiting in line for 6 hours).

However, we did make it into the Ultimate Panel. No, I'm not talking about any of the movie premieres. We got into the Castle panel! Hubs waited in line 3 hours to ensure this feat (which is yet another reason why I love him). It was hilarious and fun and I got tons of pics (which will be going up on the website once I'm home and can transfer them easily to Team Gini). We also got water bottles as gifts, but neither the hubs nor I got the Golden Tickets which would have let us into a special autographing session. (Which is why I'm not up on charges of kidnapping, so it's probably for the best.) Nathan Fillion is even more adorable in person than you'd expect (and I expected a lot); the whole cast of Castle were fun and funny, excellent panel, lots of clips, quips, and some of the wackiest giveaways (courtesy of Fillion) ever.

Took lots of pics of folks in costume (and, let me tell you, the guys who were dressed as Morpheus and the Sexy Pirate win in the Hottie category, and the Harry Potter Grown Up Dude was, frankly, too cute for words), also to be posted once I'm home.(Oh, and yes, I took pics for the dudes, too, don't fret your bad selves.)

Got some awesome ARCs from the lovely folks at Penguin YA. Got lots of other swag, too.

And, speaking of swag...I know I'm missting tons of Comic-Con highlights, but I just HAVE to get to the next Hook Me Up! exclusive contest! Some of you know about it already, but for those of you who aren't on Twitter and so who, due to my traveling, aren't "in the know" like normal, let's get you up to speed fast.

Check the Win Stuff page to get the full info on my huge Comic-Con Swag Pack Giveaway. The contest starts on Aug. 2nd. Details, as always, will be given as we get a little closer (and when I get home, which is, coincidentally, Aug. 2nd). I was on a mission from the gods of swag and I'm coming home with 4 HUGE bags FILLED with goodies. So many goodies that there are different packs, all loaded.

If you wanted to go to Comic-Con and couldn't, or just want a feel for what it was like, be sure to enter the contest and you could get a whole lot of cool stuff without that messy packing and traveling blah, blah, blah that bogs so many of us down. Not me, of course -- I overpack for ALL occassions and due to that, I'm the best space-planner around. I can make it ALL fit, which is good for you, 'cause I got TONS.

Of course...if you're not on Hook Me Up!, all you'll get to do is watch other people win. Why not rectify that right now? Send an email to gini@ginikoch.com with "Hook Me Up!" in the subject line, and ensure your chance for the swag!

There's more, but this has gone on for a while, and you know I do know how to leave you all wanting more, so until next time, start the anticipation motors rolling, 'cause there's swag in them there packs and it could be heading for YOU!

Love,
Gini

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9 Comments:

Blogger Danielle said...

Welcome back!
ARCs and Swag! And you were a smash hit panelist? Wow, you have had adventures!

July 29, 2010 at 6:04 AM  
Blogger Sullivan McPig said...

Welcome back!
The contest is awesome. I (or my owner) will surely enter!

July 29, 2010 at 12:47 PM  
Blogger Gini Koch said...

ARCs and swag GALORE! Nice to be back, or at least back-ish. Won't be home and really back until the weekend. I was busy and exhausted, but I missed you guys!

BTW, remember to keep on hitting The Galaxy Express...new articles up daily, new comments & replies from Kitty & Co.

July 29, 2010 at 1:10 PM  
Blogger Brandy said...

Yay! You're (kinda sorta) back! I don't twitter so don't much about went on with you at Comic-Con, but have a feeling it was a great time.
Can't wait for your contest! *G*

July 29, 2010 at 7:57 PM  
Blogger Marie Andreas said...

WOOO! Just wanted to say howdy- I'm so glad you enjoyed your first comic con trip! I saw you heading into the line for Castle- but I thought banging on the glass and yelling might be frowned upon by the guards ;). Two of my friends got those signature passes- I thought about pummeling them for them but refrained (didn't have a pen handy ;)). It was great to meet you- for folks who haven't met Gini in person yet- you're in for a treat!

July 31, 2010 at 7:07 PM  
Blogger Gini Koch said...

Contest is gonna be epic, Brandy! The Swag is Epic-licious! LOL

And, it was great getting to meet you in person, too, Marie! The Castle panel was da BOMB! (And I'm happy for your friends, in that really jealous, envious, "would've tackled them if they'd been sitting next to me" way.) (The lawyers say we can continue to use pens as weapons while litigation with Mr. Copycat Moves is underway.)

August 1, 2010 at 2:46 AM  
Blogger Marnie said...

How did you get it all home? You must have had a swag trailer.

August 2, 2010 at 3:20 PM  
Blogger A Buckeye Girl Reads said...

The contest sounds great and Comic Con sounds like a wonderful time.

August 2, 2010 at 4:21 PM  
Blogger Gini Koch said...

I brought the hubs as my personal Sherpa, Marnie, how else? LOL. We have a Scion xB, and I can move an entire house inside that thing! Plus I have always had an eye for space planning. Basically, the bellman and I knew what we were doing!

Yeah, C, we had a great time, but it IS good to be home. And I'm glad you all like the contest...I got a lot of stuff merely by saying, "I'm doing a giveaway contest for my fans when I get back"...many cool things dropped into my bags therefore. ;-D

August 3, 2010 at 4:29 AM  

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