Goodbye, Mr. Old Year

Happy New Year's Eve, New Year's Day, and 2011! While we bid farewell to Mr. Old Year of 2010 and say Hey Sailor to Mr. New Year of 2011, as my Hook Me Up! subscribers already know, I have some reflections going on. (Don't faint. I do, occasionally, reflect, and not just in mirrors or shiny surfaced.)

But first, head over to RT Book Reviews and check out the Women of Urban Fantasy article, featuring our girl Kitty and Jace of the Bloodhound Files series by DD Barant!

Then, let's check out others' 2010 Best Of reviews. Head over to The Book Pushers, Tigris Eden, Nice Girls Don't Read Naughty Books, Mark of the Stars, Birdstar, Yolanda Sfetsos, Opinions of a Wolf, and Love To Read For Fun to see what they liked best in this last year.

Now, it's my turn. 2010 has been quite the year for me, almost all of it chronicled through Hook Me Up! emails and the Blah, Blah, Blah Blog. So, what were the highlights?

Well, obviously, having "Touched by an Alien" debut, and debut well, was awesome. That "Alien Tango" has gotten the same kind of love was a double win. Short stories sold into anthologies, conferences, Comic-Con, speaking engagements, contests, new friends, DAW buying Books 3-6, even Catfest 2010...all of that was great in its own way.

But what I'm most appreciative of, and what I'll really remember 2010 for, is all of you.

From the first fans to ever send me an email praising "Touched by an Alien" (*waves madly to Carien and Erin*) to the folks who listed "Touched by an Alien" and/or "Alien Tango" on their Best Of lists; from the first folks who loyally read the Blah, Blah, Blah Blog when I mostly had nothing of too much import to report (*waves madly to Willie and Adrian*) to those who stumbled upon it today; from the first people to join Hook Me Up! I didn't know personally (*waves madly to Tessa, Wendy, Pam, and Jo*) to the folks who just joined five minutes before I started writing this; from all of those on Hook Me Up!, to all my Twitter followers and Facebook friends -- you guys have been both the biggest surprise and the most joyous part of this roller coaster ride.

To the book review bloggers who've told the world they loved my books and encouraged so many to read them; to those who've interviewed me or had me do guest blogs, have given my books away in contests, as gifts, as "you gotta read this" pass-alongs; to those who've told me my books made you laugh, made you happy, made a difference in your lives; to the fans who came, many times more than once, to see me at a con or a signing; to the other authors who helped, encouraged, pimped my books as much as their own, and supported me -- to all of you I say thank you, for making such a huge, positive impact in my career and my life. You've made all of these things sparkling diamonds in my memories of this year.

Yes, I'd write without all of you. I'm a writer, it's what I do. I've said it before and I know I'll say it again, but that's because it's true -- I'd do it without you all, sure, but it wouldn't be nearly as much fun without my beloved Alien Collective. You, truly, complete me. You bring the process of writing and publishing full circle and make me want to write even more than I thought I did already.

So to you and yours I wish that 2011 will bring you joy, strength, health, contentment, success, and especially love. You absolutely have all of mine.

Love,
Gini

The Last Hump

I, of course, mean the last hump day of 2010, that is. But you knew that, right?

And, as my Hook Me Up! subscribers already know, what a busy day it is, too! First off, we have some new reviews of "Touched by an Alien". Check out Tigris Eden's Forbidden Fruit & Carnal Pleasures, The Book Pimp Blogs, Mark of the Stars, Yolanda Sfetsos' Other Worldly Tales, and An Abundance of Books to see what they had to say about our favorite aliens.

But what would anything be this time of year without more Best Of lists? And we have some great ones today. Hit Reading on the Dark Side, Dren's B-Spot, Reading Amidst the Chaos, and Babbling About Books to see what they liked in 2010 and how much they liked it!

For those of you who also write or are pursuing writing, check out the latest great post from Jacqueline Lichtenberg over at Alien Romances. It's in-depth, but you'd pay money for this info elsewhere, so take advantage of it here for free! Plus, it's interesting, so it's a double win.

Like the rest of the year, Catfest 2010 seems to be winding down. Whether this means it will go out with a bang or a whimper, or a huge caterwaul of a cat fight, remains to be seen. Suffice to say that the Interlopers have appeased He Who Rules All, aka Mr. Fluffykins, and appear to be allowed to live. Dementia Kitty ignores them when she's in the "now" and shrieks and hisses when she's off in kitty la-la land, but otherwise, they're cool. The Interlopers have also discovered the doggy door, and are livin' large by going in and out. And in and out and in and out and...hey, they're babies. The Canine Death Squad, realizing that the kittens are both here to stay and, like the other cats, getting fed first, have all decided that sulking and clinging to Mommy are the way to go, Big Baby in particular. It's not easy to work in a small space with 3 large dogs and 4 demanding cats with you, but I'm making do.

But as 2010 winds down, 2011 gets going! Check out the great 2011 Anticipation list from ALPHA Reader! And there's more -- and I don't just mean the release of "Boondocks Fantasy" (Jan. 4th) and "Alien in the Family" (Apr. 5th).

Tigris Eden's Forbidden Fruits & Carnal Pleasures is doing it up big for my birthday, and lots of lucky folks will be getting the presents. There will be not one but TWO live chats with yours truly on Jan. 24th and Jan. 25th, along with a wickedly huge giveaway you do NOT want to miss! Stay tuned for more as we get closer to the dates, but be sure to mark your calendars -- there shall be winning, and yapping, afoot!

Love,
Gini

Merry Monday

Happy Monday After Christmas! Hoping all who celebrated had a wonderful and very merry, and book-filled, Christmas. While we gear up for New Year's Eve, it's still the full week away, so here's some things to keep you busy and your minds off work and/or party prep. Hey, they're helping me avoid BOTH!

First up, catch some new reviews of "Alien Tango"! Hit Reading Amidst the Chaos, Opinions of a Wolf, and Qualified eBooks for Kindle which has a set of reviews.

Then check out the new Best Of 2010 lists where either "Touched by an Alien", "Alien Tango", or both made the grade. Hit ALPHA Reader, Pearls Cast Before a McPig, Read My Mind, and Alien Romances where you can also enter to win a signed copy of "Enemy Within" by Marcella Burnard. And check out Larissa's Bookish Life where she's listing her top covers of 2010, and then hit Vampire Wire to see what other books author Marta Acosta enjoyed this year.

For a change of pace, check out the alien artwork made especially for moi at Moonwolf's Lair . Nope, I'm not convinced to love the fuglies yet, and neither is Kitty, but it's still a really cool picture.

For another change of pace, check out the interview with the Captain of The Galaxy Express, Heather Massey, over at The Book Smugglers, which has a great and interesting roundup of all the key SFR from 2010.

Winners are announced at Sara's Urban Fantasy Blog for a copy of "Touched by an Alien" and at Larissa's Bookish Life for a copy of "Alien Tango".

For those keeping score at home, Catfest 2010 continues on. The Interlopers are being somewhat accepted by the Killer Kitties, mostly because The Interlopers are extremely food and play driven, and the Killer Kitties are near the food and bigger things to play with. Big Baby continues his so far futile bid to be a kitten playmate -- he's a cat plaything, but not a playmate. He's spent this past week deeply confused and more than a little neurotic. The Spotted Fiend has done the math and realized she's even further down on Treat Giver's personal totem pole, so she's been a tad depressed...for her. And Li'l Leader hasn't decided if extra cats is a good thing or not, and so has chosen to pretend nothing's different, ergo, she's the only one acting normal.

And so it goes...

Love,
Gini

The Christmas Yap

Happy Hump Day Before Christmas!

Well, we're just a few days before the big holiday, and yet, as my Hook Me Up! subscribers already know, there's still tons of stuff going on. The Blogosphere Never Sleeps should be 2010's AND 2011's motto.

First up today, the yap is running at What If Books, where there's a new interview with moi large and in charge. New questions, new info, some sorta "Alien in the Family" spoilers, what's not to love?

I'm also all kinds of excited that there's a great new second review of "Alien Tango" up at Fresh Fiction. Check it out!

Next, check out all the year's best lists that the Alien/Katherine "Kitty" Katt series has landed on! Hit A Buckeye Girl Reads, Hanging With Bells, and My 5 Monkeys to see what they liked best for 2010 and why.

Reminder that the SFR Holiday Blitz is going strong. Start at The Galaxy Express, then be sure to hit Lisa Paitz Spindler and the Spacefreighters Lounge for chances to win "Touched by an Alien" and "Love and Rockets", respectively, along with other awesome books!

For those of you following Catfest 2010, the kittens (Spidercat aka Lapcat and Squirrel) are adjusting nicely but remain freaked out by dogs, the Killer Kitties are crying themselves to sleep and they've switched eating patterns with each other, the Canine Death Squad are all acting like they just came home from the pound and don't know if they really live here or not, and I'm about one cat growl or crashing sound I can't identify away from a nervous breakdown. It's truly the most wonderFUR time of the year.

Merry Christmas to all (who celebrate it and Merry Winter to everyone else) and to all an animal fight free night! Now, excuse me...I hear the spiked eggnog calling...

Love,
Gini

Combo-Con Winners

The Gods of Random have spoken and we have our winners of the Hook Me Up! exclusive Combo-Con Contest!

*drum roll, please*

Winning Pack 3/Sword & Sorcery is:
Katie Dalton!

Winning Pack 2/Horror is:
Becky Boyer!

And Winning Pack 1/Urban Paranormal is:
Vicky Vakouftsi!

Winners: Please send an email to gini@ginikoch.com with your mailing address by Dec. 27th or your prize pack will be forfeit.

Congrats (and Merry Christmas) to the winners, and a big booyah! to all the entrants. Great comments, and I definitely wanna hang with the Alien Collective -- y'all have some great ideas of what to do and where to go!

Merry Catmas

Happy Monday! As my Hook Me Up! subscribers already know, we have a lot going on today, but first, a word from today's sponsor -- Stress.

The chicklet has discovered she's become allergic to cats. This is sad news because she and I both worship cats. It's sadder news because we have 2 cats and she has 2 kittens.

Or rather, she now has no kittens, and we have a feline war of epic proportions going on.

The Canine Death Squad are handling the new additions just fine. They LOVE cats and want to snuggle with the new ones. The Killer Kitties, however, have not yet decided if they've got two new enforcers to add to the mix, or if they have a new contract to search and destroy on their paws.

All in all, not exactly what I was expecting to find under the mistletoe, but I'll channel Gloria Gaynor and survive.

Okay, Stress and its related Whine Commercial are off! What's now on? Well, lots and lots!

First off, we have more great reviews of "Alien Tango" large and in charge! Check out A Buckeye Girl Reads, then jump to What If Books. What If Books will also have a new interview with moi going live on Wednesday, so stay tuned.

After that, hit Larissa's Bookish Life to see what her top 5 best book series were this year! Then check out what Aria's Dark Musings would like to get in her stocking and under her tree. There's a contest connected to it, so don't miss out!

Speaking of contests, head over to The Galaxy Express where the massive SFR Holiday Blitz has begun! You can win tons of great books from a host of great blogs! In fact, you can win a copy of "Love and Rockets" from Spacefreighters Lounge, and a copy of "Touched by an Alien" from Lisa Paitz Spindler. There are scads of books up for grabs, so hit all the blogs for your chances to win!

Speaking of winning, the Gods of Random have chosen the winners of the Combo-Con contest! They'll be listed on the Blog later today. So if you entered, be sure to check back regularly.

I'm sure there's more, but I hear a cat fight starting in one room and a crash in another, so I'll leave you with the knowledge that your lives are currently less frenzied and hectic than mine. Bask in the warm glow of someone else's bedlam, my Alien Collective...bask in the warm glow.

Love,
Gini

Here's the hand drawn card I got from the I Smell Sheep gang. Check out whose book hasn't fallen out of the sleigh. ;-D

Rolling Into the Weekend

Happy Friday! The weekend's upon us! You ready for it? I know, I know...is that a trick question? Well, before we all start the throwing of confetti and, for some of us, the mad dash to finish Christmas shopping, wrapping and packing, mailing, and frantic ecarding, let's round up what we've got going today.

As my Hook Me Up! subscribers already know, there are a bunch of great new reviews for "Alien Tango". Check out the cool joint review from The Book Pushers, then hit That Bookish Girl, and finish up with Babbling About Books. Drop by, check 'em out, leave some Alien Collective love.

DAW Book Reviews Community has started a discussion on "Alien Tango". Please head over and join in!

Remember that you still have a little time to enter to win "Alien Tango" and "Touched by an Alien" from Hanging With Bells, contest ends Dec. 20th. And you have until Dec. 18th to win a copy of "Touched by an Alien" from Book Lovers Inc. And Bea's Book Nook has another good listing of great book giveaways.

That's it for today. Have an awesome weekend, get down with your bad selves, and keep on reading!

Love,
Gini

Humping for the Holidays

Happy Hump Day! (Made you look.)

Well, as my Hook Me Up! subscribers already know, we've got a quieter day going, but not silent by any means. Remember it's the last day to enter my Combo-Con contest, so if you haven't entered yet, now's, literally, the time. It's also your last day to get extra blog entries in. Check out Win Stuff for details on how to enter.

But, there's more than contests going on. Check out a new great review of "Alien Tango" over at Fresh Fiction. Then, for some fun, and to discover that the Alien series has finally hit the "big time", check out the page on the series over at Television Tropes & Idioms. It's fun, funny and mostly accurate.

There's a charity getting a lot of buzz this year, Heifer International. Worldbuilders and Patrick Rothfuss are doing a huge book raffle to raise money, and there are a lot of DAW books (including "Touched by an Alien") in the mix. So, check it out and see if it's something you want to donate to -- the prizes are awesome and the cause is good.

That's all for today. I know! What were the chances? Just think of it as me giving you more time to enter contests and read "Alien Tango".

Love,
Gini

Can't Stop the Yap Signal

Well, here we are, a week after "Alien Tango" has hit the shelves! And while things are a little slower today than they were yesterday, as my Hook Me Up! subscribers already know, the whirlwind is still going strong! There's lots of fun stuff ahead, so let's get to it!

Head over to Hanging With Bells where she has a new interview with yours truly. And, it just so happens, Kitty, Martini, and Reader, too. You also have a chance to win both "Touched by an Alien" AND "Alien Tango", so check out the Share the Love post while you're there. Contest ends Monday, Dec. 20th.

Speaking of winning and end dates, time's running out on some great contests. Today, Dec. 14th, is the last day to enter to win either "Touched by an Alien" or "Alien Tango" from Fiction State of Mind. You have until tomorrow, Dec. 15th, to win a signed copy of "Alien Tango" from The Amber Scott Project, until Friday, Dec. 17th, to win a signed copy of "Alien Tango" from Larissa's Bookish Life, and until Saturday, Dec. 18th, to win a signed copy of "Touched by an Alien" from Book Lovers Inc.

Speaking of which, tomorrow, Dec. 15th, is the last day to enter for the Combo-Con contest. If you haven't gotten your registration entries in, now's the time, and it's also the time to add on some extra blog entries to increase your chances of winning.

Combo-Con Blog 1
Combo-Con Blog 2
Combo-Con Blog 3

That's it for today. Catch you on the flip side, get those contest entries in, enjoy the interview, and keep on reading!

Love,
Gini

Yet More Manic For Our Monday

Happy Monday! Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend! I did, and it was great to see many Alien Collective Members in Very Good Standing over the weekend and at Mysterious Galaxy on Saturday (*waves madly to one and all of my SoCal peeps who were there*). The Holiday Party was great, the other authors were cool, and I got a couple of signed bookmarks to add into one of the Combo-Con Packs...but there, I'm getting ahead of myself.

It was a busy weekend everywhere, at least as far as my inbox shows me. So let's get to it, 'cause, as my Hook Me Up! subscribers already know, there's a lot of Alien action going on!

First up, check out Hanging With Bells, because she's doing an awesome Alien giveaway! Speaking of giveaways, there are some good listings for such at Bea's Book Nook, Contests and Freebies, and Just Contest Stuff.

There are a lot of great new reviews of "Alien Tango"! Start with ALPHA Reader, then go to What Book Is That?, head to The Discriminating Fangirl, hit several at once at Amazon.com, and finish up with 25 Hour Books.

If you missed them, check out my last two Penguin Community blogs, Metamorphosis and Non-Threatening Science Fiction.

Then check out what Pages of Forbidden Love, That Bookish Girl, Escape Between the Pages, and Books, Books and More Books got in their mailboxes.

Get some updates on a variety of things from A Genteel Black Hole, see what true confessions The Order of Smut Vixens has to share, check out which hot characters author KT Grant would want at dinner over at Writings of a Wicked Book Addict, and get a round up of new SF/F releases at SFF Chat.

I mentioned it earlier, but with all that blog hopping, it may have slipped your minds. However, the Combo-Con contest is still going strong, AND I have two autographed bookmarks to add into one of the Packs. The autographs are from Sophie Littlefield and Juliet Blackwell. But if you're not on Hook Me Up!, you can't find out which Pack will get the autographs, let alone have a chance to win them and the other awesome prizes. So rectify! Send an email to gini@ginikoch.com with "Hook Me Up!" in the subject line and get ready to win! Contest ends on Dec. 15th, so you still have time to get on Hook Me Up!, register for the contest, and get extra blog entries to win.

Blogs are all likely off the main page now, so if you want to see what you can win and/or just get some more blog entries in, here are the links (I'm nice that way):
Combo-Con Blog 1
Combo-Con Blog 2
Combo-Con Blog 3

I'll do a better round up on the Mysterious Galaxy Holiday Party later. I think we have more than enough for today! So, enjoy the linking and the hopping, the reading and the entering, and I'll catch all y'all on the flip side!

Love,
Gini

Getting Ready for the Weekend

Happy Thursday! What's on tap for today, you ask? Well, as my Hook Me Up! subscribers already know, we're short and sweet, with a couple of new things and a variety of important reminders. (Hey, I think contests and in-person announcements are important! They're important to ME.)

First up, head over to Mixed Book Bag where there's a new interview with moi up and active. Learn some new info about the moi, support an Alien Collective Member in Very Good Standing, you know the drill.

Then hit the Penguin Community for today's blog, "Metamorphosis". And, if you haven't already, check out the other blogs from this week while you're there! And remember to catch it tomorrow, too, when "Non-Threatening Science Fiction" will be the blog of the day.

Winning Reminders:
There's a nice big comprehensive contest listing at Not-Really-Southern Vamp Chick. You can still enter to win a signed copy of "Alien Tango" at The Amber Scott Project, through Dec. 15th, and at Larissa's Bookish Life, through Dec. 17th; you can enter to win either a copy of "Alien Tango" OR "Touched by an Alien" at Fiction State of Mind, through Dec. 14th; and you can enter to win a copy of "Touched by an Alien" at Sara's Urban Fantasy Blog, through Dec. 19th.

And yes, the Hook Me Up! exclusive Combo-Con Contest is still going strong. There are three book and poster combo packs, all with a signed 2011 Gini Koch/Alien Series calendar. Contest, and the registration thereof, is open through Dec. 15th. The specific blog posts are starting to fall off the main page, but you can access them easily via these links:

Combo-Con Blog 1
Combo-Con Blog 2
Combo-Con Blog 3

Not on Hook Me Up! yet? Then you're not eligible for the contest. Solve the problem by sending an email to gini@ginikoch.com with "Hook Me Up!" in the subject line. You'll get the rules and be able to toss your name into the hat!

Last night's workshop and signing was a lot of fun, thanks to many from the Alien Collective (*waves madly to those in attendance*). It was great to see so many of you last night, and I'm looking forward to seeing others from the Collective on Saturday.

December 11, 2010 -- spotlight author at the Mysterious Galaxy Holiday Party, San Diego, CA, 6PM - 9PM. Come get your copies of "Alien Tango" and "Love and Rockets", get them signed, and hang out with yours truly at the coolest bookstore around.

I leave for San Diego and Mysterious Galaxy tomorrow, so we'll be heading to radio silence, other than Twitter (and possibly Facebook, but don't count on it), starting on Friday and going through Monday, most likely. So, hit the interviews, get your win on, read the Penguin Community blogs, and get down with your bad selves!

Everyone have their copies of "Alien Tango" yet? If not, don't delay, get yours today and enjoy your reading throughout the weekend!

Love,
Gini

Wednesday's Winning Ways

Happy Hump Day! As my Hook Me Up! subscribers already know, it's pretty much all about the win today, and I'm sure you join me in going, "yippee, free!"

So, getting to the business portion first, check out today's blog at the Penguin Community which is large and in charge.

Now, let's get to all they ways you can win things going on right now! First up, for many of your contest needs, hit Just Contest Stuff for a wide listing of much of the free going on.

In terms of specific moi-centric contests, you can still enter to win a signed copy of "Alien Tango" at The Amber Scott Project, through Dec. 15th, and at Larissa's Bookish Life, through Dec. 17th; you can enter to win either a copy of "Alien Tango" OR "Touched by an Alien" at Fiction State of Mind, through Dec. 14th; and you can enter to win a copy of "Touched by an Alien" at Sara's Urban Fantasy Blog, through Dec. 19th.

Of course, the Hook Me Up! exclusive Combo-Con Contest is still going strong. There are three book and poster combo packs, all with a signed 2011 Gini Koch/Alien Series calendar. Contest, and the registration thereof, is open through Dec. 15th, but if you're not on Hook Me Up! it won't matter. So, rectify that situation today and send an email to gini@ginikoch.com with "Hook Me Up!" in the subject line so you'll be all set to win even more!

Combo-Con Blog 1
Combo-Con Blog 2
Combo-Con Blog 3

In Person Event Reminders:
December 8, 2010 (that's TONIGHT) -- Writer's Workshop Wednesdays at Borders Waterfront, Scottsdale, AZ, 7PM-8:30PM; I'll be presenting "Walking the Line in SFR" as well as signing "Alien Tango", "Touched by an Alien" and, as Anita Ensal, "Love and Rockets".
December 11, 2010 -- spotlight author at the Mysterious Galaxy Holiday Party, San Diego, CA, 6PM - 9PM. Come get your copies of "Alien Tango" and "Love and Rockets", get them signed, and hang out with yours truly at the coolest bookstore around.

Hopefully see some of you tonight at the workshop and signing! Until next time, keep it real and keep on reading!

Love,
Gini

Release Day! Release Day!

Happy Release Day! Yes, as no one who knows me could have possibly missed, today is the day "Alien Tango" AND "Love and Rockets" release. Both are available in all book stores and online so be sure to get your copies today!

But that's not all we have going on today. Oh no, far from it! Head on over to Fiction State of Mind for a new interview and an international giveaway -- your choice between "Touched by an Alien" or "Alien Tango"!

Then hit the Penguin Community for today's blog from moi. The newest post *should* be up and if not up right now, then soon.

Speaking of new releases, The Qwillery has a nice listing of what's coming this week.

The Combo-Con Hook Me Up! exclusive contest is still going on. Registration is open until the last day (Dec. 15th), so if you're not on Hook Me Up! now's the time to get on. Send an email to gini@ginikoch.com with "Hook Me Up!" in the subject line and get in on the winning!

Searching for the Combo-Con blog posts? Here you go!

Combo-Con Blog 1
Combo-Con Blog 2
Combo-Con Blog 3

In Person Event Reminders:
December 8, 2010 -- Writer's Workshop Wednesdays at Borders Waterfront, Scottsdale, AZ, 7PM-8:30PM; I'll be presenting "Walking the Line in SFR" as well as signing "Alien Tango", "Touched by an Alien" and, as Anita Ensal, "Love and Rockets".
December 11, 2010 -- spotlight author at the Mysterious Galaxy Holiday Party, San Diego, CA, 6PM - 9PM. Come get your copies of "Alien Tango" and "Love and Rockets", get them signed, and hang out with yours truly at the coolest bookstore around.

So, enjoy "Alien Tango" and remember...it's all about the 'gators, baby!

Love,
Gini

An INCREDIBLY Manic Monday!

Happy Monday! As my Hook Me Up! subscribers already know, WOW, do we have a LOT for you today. A LOT. All of it's fun, cool and interesting, and there's lots of winning involved as well, so get ready to click some links!

First up, we have a new interview with me, and Kitty and Martini as well, at Book Lovers, Inc., along with a chance to win a signed copy of "Touched by an Alien".

I'm blogging all week at the Penguin Community. My first blog, Why Aliens?, is up now. (The blogs tend to go up in the afternoons.) And, all posts should be reachable via this link. Please visit because it's important to show Penguin that we DAW authors bring in the peeps!

Sara's Urban Fantasy Blog has a Holiday Giveaway, which includes "Touched by an Alien." The signed "Alien Tango" giveaway at The Amber Scott Project is still going on through Dec. 15th. The signed "Alien Tango" giveaway at Larissa's Bookish Life is going on through Dec. 17th. And the "Alien Tango" giveaway at Reading on the Dark Side ends TODAY, so get those entries in!

Don't forget that the Hook Me Up! exclusive Combo-Con Contest is still going strong through Dec. 15th. Not on Hook Me Up! yet? Don't delay, send an email to gini@ginikoch.com with "Hook Me Up!" in the subject line and get in while the winning's good!

And now for something completely different. Check out my interview at Coffee With a Canine for lots of intel on me and the Canine Death Squad. Lots of pics, too. (Look! There's parts of my messy house! The hubs' butt! And more! LOL)

Done with the break, let's get back to the books and such! About Happy Books has a lot of Alien related love going on at her blog. Check out her bookmarks, favorite books of the week, AND she sent me the news on the German version of "Touched by an Alien"...coming Oct. 2011 from Piper, I give you..."Aliens in Armani"!

The Iriarte Files has a review of "Alien Tango". DAW Books Review has an interesting comparison between new release "Trolls in the Hamptons" and "Touched by an Alien". Oil Color Palettes has a shout out to the cover for "Alien in the Family" and the awesome Daniel Dos Santos. And a big WOOT! for the fact that Of Science & Swords Bookstore in Melbourne, Australia just announced via Twitter and Facebook that they've already sold out of "Alien Tango"...and it was only on the shelves at noon their time!

In Person Event Reminders:
December 8, 2010 -- Writer's Workshop Wednesdays at Borders Waterfront, Scottsdale, AZ, 7PM-8:30PM; I'll be presenting "Walking the Line in SFR" as well as signing "Alien Tango", "Touched by an Alien" and, as Anita Ensal, "Love and Rockets".
December 11, 2010 -- spotlight author at the Mysterious Galaxy Holiday Party, San Diego, CA, 6PM - 9PM. Come get your copies of "Alien Tango" and "Love and Rockets", get them signed, and hang out with yours truly at the coolest bookstore around.

Oh, and in case you've somehow forgotten..."Alien Tango" releases tomorrow. Do you know where YOUR copy is coming from?

Love,
Gini

Combo-Con Pack 3 - Sword and Sorcery

HOOK ME UP! EXCLUSIVE CONTEST

I went to World Fantasy Con and all I came home with were tons of books. Then I went to TusCon 37 and all I came home with were lots of posters. So I thought to myself, “Self, I think it’s time to do another giveaway. After all, the Swag Hounds expect.”

So, here it is, the Combo-Con Contest, in honor of the release of “Alien Tango” (‘cause, you know, I don’t have nearly enough going on RIGHT NOW).

Combo-Con Pack 3 -- Sword and Sorcery
Again, loaded with posters, from “Resident Evil” to “Sherlock Holmes” to “Tangled” (13 posters in all!) and also containing a full set of “Twilight: Eclipse” posters, this pack is loaded with 4 sword and sorcery and other fantasy books, including “Warbreaker” by Brandon Sanderson, "Night of Knives" by Ian C. Esslemont, "The Sword-Edged Blonde" by Alex Bledsoe, and "Children No More" by Mark L. Van Name. Also comes with a signed Gini Koch 2011 calendar to call your very own -- which, since it's a poster, will make 14 posters in all. Sure it's less posters than the other packs, but you'll be so swept away on these fantastic journeys that you won't notice.

In order to get those needed extra entry points, answer this question: If you could go anywhere with me, where would we go and what would we do when we were there?

Love,
Gini

(Not on Hook Me Up! yet so you don't know what's going on? Hit Win Stuff and get signed up NOW!)

Friday's Winning, and I MEAN Winning, Ways

Happy Friday! Well, as my Hook Me Up! subscribers already know, we're back to the whirlwind again today. But what a whirlwind it is! There are tons of winning opportunities as well as lots of other good stuff. So let's get to it, shall we?

First up, head to Reading on the Dark Side where the yap is running in full force in a new interview, there's an "Alien Tango" excerpt, AND you can win a copy of "Alien Tango".

Then hit Larissa's Bookish Life where there's a classified briefing on the Alien Collective's favorite girl, an excerpt from "Alien Tango", AND a chance to win a signed copy of "Alien Tango". (I'm sensing a trend...)

Yes, the trend's official! Go to The Amber Scott Project because for this week's Project Pay It Forward, she's giving away at least one signed copy of, you guessed it, "Alien Tango".

Speaking of winning, Dren's B-Spot has announced the winner of the "Alien Tango" PLUS either "Touched by an Alien" or "Alien in the Family" prize pack. Congrats!

Now, because "Touched by an Alien" was feeling left out, head to About Happy Books where there's a new great review up.

Want some more reading and book gift ideas? Then, head over to see what author Seanan McGuire is recommending on her holiday shopping list, books-wise. (Have you checked out Seanan's October Daye series yet? If you haven't, rectify! They're awesome books.) The Galaxy Express has a full listing of all the SFR releases coming, including "Alien Tango" and "Love and Rockets". DAW Books Reviews will be telling you what's coming from my beloved publisher all month long as well. (It's run by my pal and fellow author Josh Palmatier, so check it out.) And Romance Dish has a very full listing of what's releasing this month, and they're giving away a book to one lucky commenter.

Is that all? Not quite. The 3rd Combo-Con Pack will be coming later today, for Hook Me Up! subscribers only. Not on Hook Me Up! yet? Time to fix that. Check out Win Stuff for full details on the contest and how to get signed up and in with the in crowd.

Next week, being Release Week and all that, will be just as action packed. As a preview, there are 5 guest blogs from me at The Penguin Community (you need to register for the Community, it's easy, but you might want to do that before Monday...just sayin'), 3 new and different interviews, 2 book signings, and a Martini in an "Alien Tango" releases Dec. 7th tree. Truly, rest up over the weekend -- next week's gonna be HUGE.

Love,
Gini

Combo-Con Pack 2 - Horror

HOOK ME UP! EXCLUSIVE CONTEST

I went to World Fantasy Con and all I came home with were tons of books. Then I went to TusCon 37 and all I came home with were lots of posters. So I thought to myself, “Self, I think it’s time to do another giveaway. After all, the Swag Hounds expect.”

So, here it is, the Combo-Con Contest, in honor of the release of “Alien Tango” (‘cause, you know, I don’t have nearly enough going on RIGHT NOW).

Combo-Con Pack 2 -- Horror
Also loaded with posters, from “Saw” to “Robin Hood” to “RED” (24 posters in all!) and also containing a full set of “Twilight: Eclipse” posters, this pack is loaded with 4 books living on the dark and weird side, including “Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters” by Jane Austen and Ben. H. Winters, "Pallid Light: The Walking Dead" by William Jones, "Living Shadows" by John Shirley, and "The Word of GOD" by Thomas. M. Disch. Also comes with a signed Gini Koch 2011 calendar to call your very own -- which, since it's a poster, will make 25 posters in all...it's only 1 poster less than Combo-Con Pack 1...and who needs the poster for "Devil" when you have these books to cover the creepy?

In order to get those needed extra entry points, answer this question: If you could be on a panel with me at a con, what would our topic be, and why would you be considered expert enough to run the yap with me about it?

Love,
Gini

(Not on Hook Me Up! yet so you don't know what's going on? Hit Win Stuff and get signed up NOW!)

A Quieter Day...Sorta

Well, as my Hook Me Up! subscribers already know, it IS sort of quieter today, though not silent by any means. Tomorrow will be crazed again (as in crazy good -- you don't want to miss what's going on tomorrow!). And next week? Wow. Um. There's a LOT going on next week. But it's all good, exciting stuff! And I'm not just talking about the imminent official release of "Alien Tango". So let's get to it.

First off, a reminder that the Hook Me Up! Exclusive Combo-Con Contest is going strong. All info on it is up at the Win Stuff page. If you're not on Hook Me Up! now's the time to rectify that situation. Send an email to gini@ginikoch.com with "Hook Me Up!" in the subject line. You'll get all the news first, and access to this exclusive contest, and more. So don't delay, register today!

Next up, Pearls Cast Before a McPig has a new review for "Alien Tango". And, not to be outdone, Livre De Amour (Books of Love) has a new review of "Touched by an Alien". Check them out, leave some Alien Collective love, you know the drill.

Bibliognome has some pics of "Alien Tango" for her Wish List. We've also got the "Alien Tango" Sightings in the Wild page going, so take those pics as you spot it, and send 'em in for the book wall! And Love 2 Read for Fun has her November wrap up, so check out which books were her ultimate faves.

BTW, as many in the Alien Collective have told me, "Alien Tango" is on the shelves already in a lot of places. So, if you're near a bookstore this week, stop in and see if it's already there. I mean, why wait if you don't have to?

Love,
Gini

Combo-Con Pack 1 - Urban Paranormal

HOOK ME UP! EXCLUSIVE CONTEST

I went to World Fantasy Con and all I came home with were tons of books. Then I went to TusCon 37 and all I came home with were lots of posters. So I thought to myself, “Self, I think it’s time to do another giveaway. After all, the Swag Hounds expect.”

So, here it is, the Combo-Con Contest, in honor of the release of “Alien Tango” (‘cause, you know, I don’t have nearly enough going on RIGHT NOW).

Combo-Con Pack 1 -- Urban Paranormal
Loaded with posters from “Devil” to “Salt” to “Legion” and MANY more (25 posters in all!) and also containing a full set of “Twilight: Eclipse” posters, this pack is also loaded with 4 Urban Paranormal books, including “Afterlife” by Merrie Destefano, "Shadow Blade" by Seressia Glass, "The Secret History of Moscow" by Ekaterina Sedia, and "White Cat" by Holly Black. Also comes with a signed Gini Koch 2011 calendar to call your very own -- which, since it's a poster, will make 26 posters in all...such a deal, how can you resist?

In order to get those needed extra entry points, answer this question: If you could tag along with moi at any con, which one would you pick and why?

Love,
Gini

(Not on Hook Me Up! yet so you don't know what's going on? Hit Win Stuff and get signed up NOW!)

Another Winning Wednesday

Happy Hump Day! Another day, another whole lot going on. And yes, as you can tell from the subject line, and as my Hook Me Up! subscribers already know, there's winning afoot.

But first, let's check out what's going on around the blogosphere. First off, head over to Pearls Cast Before a McPig and check out what Sullivan picked for Teaser Tuesday. Then check out what books the gang at Breezing Through Books are excited to get this month. Then find out what books Mystifying Paranormal Reviews is Waiting on Wednesday for. Then last but in no way least, check out what DAW Book Reviews is excited to have coming (hint: not just one book that matters to me, but two!)

Blog hopping done, head back here because later today the first blog post for the Combo-Con Hook Me Up! Exclusive Contest will be up and the contest will be officially started. It's open world-wide and for my beloved Hook Me Uppers! ONLY. (And, yes, all those on Team Gini get to play, too.)

Wait...you're not on Hook Me Up! yet? Well, now's the time. Send an email to gini@ginikoch.com with "Hook Me Up!" in the subject line. Then you'll be in, hear all the news first, and be ready to get the winning going!

Love,
Gini