It's Time for August's READ THIS! Book of the Month and Lots More!

Happy August! It's my wedding anniversary today (yes, really) -- 35 years married to the hubs. And they said it wouldn't last a year (yes, they really did).  August is a very big month in my family with this anniversary, and lots of birthdays (other than mine), AND I'm heading to GenCon in a matter of days, so in honor of all things moi, we have a moi-centric choice for this month's READ THIS! And there's more than that in the newsletter, too, so read on for all the things!

READ THIS! A Book Club by Moi for All Y'all Welcome to READ THIS! A Book Club by Gini Koch. This is my chance to introduce you to some great authors that I love and know you will, too. Every month I'll spotlight a book and, even better...every month I'll host a live discussion with the author, that all y'all can join! I know, it's too happy to be true, but true it is!

August 2022 READ THIS! Selection

The READ THIS! Selection for August 2022 is:  The Happy Acres Haunted Hotel for Active Seniors By Gini Koch Gini's Take: The title says it all for this funny paranormal set in a senior living facility that used to be many other things, especially haunted. The little story that could: outside of requests for the next novels in any of my series, a sequel to this story is the #1 request I get. Find out why, and come find out about the upcoming sequel! About the Author: It's me! But in case you've missed my bio somehow...Gini Koch writes the fast, fresh and funny Alien/Katherine “Kitty” Katt series for DAW Books, the Necropolis Enforcement Files series, the Martian Alliance Chronicles series, and has a humor collection, Random Musings from the Funny Girl.  She’s made the most of multiple personality disorder by writing in every length and genre and under a variety of other pen names as well, including G.J. Koch (the Alexander Outland series), Anita Ensal, Jemma Chase, A.E. Stanton (the New West Series and the Legend of Belladonna series), and J.C. Koch, all with stories featured in excellent anthologies, available now and upcoming from publishers such as DAW Books, Baen Books, Zombies Need Brains, UFO Publishing, Abaddon Books, IDW Publishing, Titan Books, JorunalStone, CAEZIK SF & Fantasy, Founders House Publishing, Audio Publishing, Prime Books, Eposic, and Cold Fusion Media. Reach her at www.ginikoch.com.

August 2022 READ THIS! Author Q&A

So, you've read the READ THIS! selection and you want to share what you thought with the author, hang out with them and Gini, and generally talk books for an hour. Well, guess what? You can! The third Thursday of every month will be READ THIS! Author Q&A time. The event will be held utilizing Discord, and the invitation to Gini's READ THIS! room will come out in the week prior to the chat. And that's not all! Near the end of each Q&A session, we'll be doing a raffle and one lucky winner will get a copy of the next month's READ THIS! selection! (You must be present in the Q&A to win. Physical book prizes will be U.S. only. Ebook prizes will be worldwide.)

August's READ THIS! author Q&A with Guest Host Hal Bodner featuring Moi aka Gini Koch will be on Thursday, August 18, 2022 from 9pm-10pm Eastern. Access to Discord is available worldwide, and everyone is invited to attend!

September's READ THIS! Selection   And Remember: One Lucky Q&A Participant can win it early!

The READ THIS! Selection for September 2022 is:  Sylvermoon Chronicles #1 By Confederacy of the Quill

Because I get asked this daily (often multiple times daily)... Yes, Aliens Like Us IS coming, but... No, Aliens Like Us still isn't ready for Prime Time, but... I'm on Version 5 of the rewrite process. Does every book take me this long? No. Will all the others in the series take this long? Likely no. Life has tossed a lot at me and mine and that's made some things a struggle, but... Kitty is always with me, and she's not going to let the bad things win, in any universe. So...Watch this space for more updates as I have them. And keep those digits crossed for the hope that my shouting "the end!" comes sooner as opposed to later. P.S. I am definitely heading towards the end game. I realize that's vague, but it means that I think we'll be shouting "hurrah" somewhere in the nearish term. Digits crossed, at any rate... P.P.S. Watch this space, I'm hoping to share happy news soon.

More Yapping!   That's right, more yapping from me and other awesome authors over at ConTinual. The latest offerings are Hot off the Press #76, where the talk is all about cool new anthologies, and Space Opera, another topic of which I think we all know I know a lot about. So head over and watch and have some fun along with the rest of us at ConTinual! And don't miss these other cool panels I've run the yap on: Breaking Down the Genres Economics in World Building Horror and Romance Sherlockian Mystery Sherlock Returns Christmas in July Holiday Short Reads Hot off the Press #54 Characters in the Public Domain Zombies! Holiday Special Event 2021 Christmas & New Years in Film Holidays Real and Imagined Favorite Holiday Episodes in SciFi and Fantasy Series Holiday Action-Adventure Hot Off the Press #64 Weird Westerns Pets and Familiars Intellectual Property for Creatives Separating Problematic Creators from Their Work Selling At Conventions Scarred For Life How To Write Animals Hot off the Press #72 Unicorns And Other Fantastic Creatures Tinkerers and Inventors A ConTinual Special Mystery Event: The Game is Afoot - Sherlockian Universes There's a whole lot more over at the ConTinual YouTube page, so browse around and get your panel fixes in!

See The Me! The Hermitage Is Over! Here are the upcoming cons I am confirmed to be going to this year. Panels, readings, signings, and such will be updated as I have the info, but I will definitely be at these places and hope to see some of or all y'all there!  San Diego Comic-Con So you weren't able to attend the con? Well, some of that has been rectified. Check out my panel, Writers on the Best Advice They Ever Got over at SDCC's YouTube Channel!   GenCon Indianapolis, IN August 4-7, 2022 Thursday, August 4 9-10am - Opening Ceremonies, Marriott Ballroom 2. 10-11am - Workshop: Finding Your Voice, Marriott Ballroom 2. Come let me teach you how to discover your writer's voice or voices! 1-2pm - Panel: Blurbs, Marriott Ballroom 4. What is a good blurb, where does it go, and how do you get one? Gini Koch, Michael R. Underwood, C. S. E. Cooney 2-3pm - Panel: Rated R, Marriott Atlanta. Writing Sex Scenes. Jennifer Brozek, Gini Koch, Chris A. Jackson 3-4pm - Panel: POV Pandemonium, Marriott Ballroom 1. How many points of view does your story really need? Katherine Monasterio, Richard Byers, Gini Koch, Erin M. Evans, Bryan Young 4-5 pm - Panel: Trouble...Or Paradise?, Marriott Ballroom 4. Dystopia vs. utopia, which is better/more fun to write and why? Gini Koch, Erik de Bie, Nick Martell 5-6pm - Panel: Empathy for Your Other, Marriott Austin/Boston. Dan Jolley, Gini Koch, Chris A. Jackson, Richard Byers, John Wiswell 8pm-Midnight, Meet the Pros Author Signing Extravaganza, ICC Wabash Ballroom 1. Come see the me and get your FREE copy of Touched by an Alien! (While supplies last.) Friday, August 5 10-11am - Workshop: Writing the Dreaded Synopsis, Marriott Ballroom 2. Let me teach you how to write the thing most authors dread: a good synopsis. 11am-12pm - Panel: Picking Your Path as a Creator, Marriott Austin/Boston. Michael R. Underwood, Gini Koch, Gregory A. Wilson, Marie Bilodeau 1-2pm - Signing with Gregory A. Wilson, Exhibit Hall behind Entertainer's Avenue. Come see the me and get your FREE copy of Touched by an Alien! (While supplies last.) 2-3pm - Panel: My Book Has a Soundtrack, Marriott Austin/Boston. Toiya Kristen Finley, Gini Koch, David Mack 4-5pm - Panel: Writing in 3D, Marriott Austin/Boston. How to make sure your scenes have a feeling of physical space Jennifer Brozek, Gini Koch, Erin M. Evans, Patrick S. Tomlinson 6-10pm - D&D with Authors Liveplay Event, Marriott Ballrooms. Saturday, August 6 1-2pm - Signing with Bradley P. Beaulieu, Exhibit Hall behind Entertainer's Avenue. Come see the me and get your FREE copy of Touched by an Alien! (While supplies last.) 2-3pm - Panel: Quiet Fantasy, Marriott Atlanta. What are the stakes in a low-violence story? Brandon O'Brien, Cat Rambo, Gini Koch, John Wiswell, Karen Bovenmyer 3-4pm - Panel: NTFs, Marriott Atlanta. NFTs and the future of fiction. Can writers benefit from trying to introduce NFTs into their fiction writing? Cat Rambo, Gini Koch, Lucien Soulban, Jason Sanford, Chris Bell (M) 4-5pm -  Panel: Imagining Alternate Futures, Marriott Atlanta. How to extrapolate a future for your setting Gini Koch, Donald J. Bingle, Paul Weimer, Jason Sanford 8-11pm - Writers Symposium Social Event, ICC Wabash Ballroom 1. Sunday, August 7 12-1pm - Closing Ceremonies, Marriott Ballroom 1.   DragonCon Atlanta, GA September 1-5, 2022 Thursday, September 1 Hyatt International South Ballroom is the location for the Page to Stage Costume Contest, and check out which character of mine is going to be up for cosplaying (probably not who you're expecting)! Prejudging starts at 5:30, judging at 8:30, and yes, I plan to be there! Register to participate in this cosplay event here. Friday, September 2 8pm-12am, Fantasy Gather, Hyatt Hanover C-E Come hang out with me and a plethora of other authors. Find books and have fun!   *Note: this is not my full DragonCon schedule. As events confirm, I'll list them here, so watch this space!   World Fantasy Con New Orleans, LA November 3-6, 2022

IT'S FINALLY (almost!) HEAR! (And no, that's not a typo...)

As you may recall, there were a lot of issues with the first (awful) audio version of Touched by an Alien that was out, and then buried, many moons ago now. It's taken a lot to find a company, and a voice actress, who I'm happy with, but we have done it!  I'm super excited to announce that there's a great audiobook version of Touched by an Alien on the way -- and you can pre-order your copy right now! New cover art to come, BTW, but I couldn't wait for it to tell all y'all about this!

So many bookie wookies, so much time to catch up on all of them while waiting for Aliens Like Us and the next READ THIS! selection. Check out my Bookstore and Bibliography for all the things!

That's it for today but, never fear, another Update, including the Discord Q&A chat invitation, will be arriving in a couple of weeks! In the meantime, stay safe and healthy, remember we're all in this together, be kind to one another, give love and support to all those who are on the front lines in any capacity, and let's be readers out there. Peace out, my li'l gangstas, and I'll catch you on the flip side! Love, Gini