Votes for Proliferating Aliens!

Happy Tuesday! It's election day in the U.S. (And the rest of the world yawns, we know.) And you know what that means, Americans? Tomorrow the mass mailings, email demanding and begging, and constant recorded telephone calls encouraging us to give money, money, money will STOP! And there will be much rejoicing.

But we remain an election-results-free zone here at the Alien Collective! And while I feel that everyone with the right and the ability should vote, regardless of who or how they're voting, the only specific voting I'm asking you to do is to head over to cast your votes at the Goodreads Choice Awards where Alien Proliferation is up in the science fiction category against some real heavy hitters.

Today's also the last day to get entered to win an ARC of Alien vs. Alien over at ALPHA Reader. Don't miss out on your chance to read the bookie wookie before everyone else, get entered right now!

Speaking of winning, if you read German, head over to Lazy Literature and get entered to win a signed copy of Alien Tango (in German or English, winner's choice). And, while you're there, see what Lazy Literature thought of Alien Tango, also in German. We like to broaden horizons here!

Speaking of reviews, we have more of those, too. Check out what Fantasy Book Review thought of Touched by an Alien. Then hope over to see what boeklogboek thought of Three Card Monte. And last but in no way least, see what Lecture toute un Adventure and Larissa's Bookish Life thought of The Night Beat.

This weekend, don't miss out on a great opportunity to see the me as well as twelve other awesome, multi-published authors at the 7th Annual FREE Fall Writer's Workshop. Free really does mean free here, and you'll get a chance to learn and have fun all day.

For those in the Southwest with a heavy emphasis on Arizona (where so many of the coolest authors live), check out the Author Appearances listing over at The AZSF Blog. It's also got the details on my upcoming local signings.

Now, I must get back to Alien in the House and ignoring election "results". But not to worry -- we have something really cool coming for you later this week, and you won't want to miss it. (And hopefully it won't be my nervous breakdown from not having Alien in the House done yet.) So, until then, peace out my li'l gangstas, and let's be voting readers out there!

Love,
Gini

Ghostly Yapping

Happy Halloween! I actually have a lot of Halloween stories -- my fave being when I was in NYC, in a cab, with a cabbie who'd been in the U.S. exactly 2 weeks...you try explaining what Halloween is to someone who barely speaks your native tongue and thinks it's the most bizarre religious practice he's ever seen -- but today's story will be a tad more recent.

However, before we get to that, there's other things to get to first! The yap is yapping in not one but TWO interviews, and one of those interviews is bi-lingual, so it's almost like three interviews, if two of them said the same thing but in different tongues. Which they do.

So, head over to Lazy Literature where you can catch the latest interview with moi. For those who read German you can enjoy the same and let me know if the jokes translate.

Then head over to ALPHA Reader where Kitty and Martini are offering their tips for a healthy relationship.

Didn't win an ARC of Alien vs. Alien? Not to despair -- ALPHA Reader has you covered, with a contest to win an ARC of, you guessed it, Alien vs. Alien. Short window, so get entered to win today! And if you missed it from yesterday, check out ALPHA Reader's review of Alien vs. Alien while you're there.

Last but not least, hit My 5 Monkeys to see another great shot of how to be Kitty for Halloween. (Is this THE most comfortable costume ever? My vote is yes.)

Speaking of voting, a reminder that Alien Proliferation is nominated for the Goodreads Choice Awards for Best Science Fiction and it needs all your votes to have a chance against the really impressive competition. Thanks to all of you whose reviews of the bookie wookie gave it this honor in the first place, and thanks to all of you who have or will vote.

And now, the ghost story I promised you.

As you know, I was in Douglas, AZ earlier this month at the Hotel Gadsden. The Gadsden has a rep as a haunted hotel. I've been to many haunted hotels. Never been haunted. Perhaps because I was never alone in a room at these hotels, perhaps because they're not all that haunted. Perhaps because they're not the freaking most haunted joint around.

The Hotel Gadsden is gorgeous -- marble columns, stained glass windows, very Old West and Roaring 20's feel. Elevator has to be operated or you take the stairs. I'm given Room 334. (This will be important later, so remember it.) I get onto the hall and it just feels creepy. The lobby did not feel creepy. But I'm on the 3rd floor waiting for a kid on a tricycle to come by saying "Redrum, redrum." I decide my active imagination is in overdrive and ignore.

Get into my room. As many (aka anyone who's ever stayed in a hotel room with me) can attest, even if I'm only there for 1 night, I hang stuff up and put it away. It's just my "thing". I'm here for 2 nights. I open the closet, decide it feels creepier than the hallway, shut the door and hang nothing up. I don't put things into the chest of drawers, either. Realize I need an extra pillow, check the creepy closet, there's one in there, grab it, and slam the closet door shut again.

The bathroom is directly across from the closet. I don't like being in this bathroom. I tell myself this is just because it's small and that imagination of mine is in hyperdrive. Of course, the creepy closet is across from the bathroom and you can see it in the mirror. I watch that closet in the mirror every time I'm in the bathroom.

It's a 4+ hour drive from Phoenix to Douglas and I was up late every night the week before. I decide I'm tired as hell and go to bed early. Not too much trouble falling asleep. Somewhere after midnight but before 4am, I wake up, feeling pressure and a tingling all over my body, but especially from the waist up and on my face. Come fully awake and realize the feeling is real.

I manage to say, "Shove off, this is my bed." Nothing changes. I then say, "NO. Get OFF. This is MY bed now." And the pressure stops. Yahoo. I roll over and go back to sleep.

I'm all jazzed about this the next day -- I've been haunted! Whoo! I figure it was someone lying down to go to bed; maybe two someone's because the pressure was REALLY strong. But whatever.

Now, Weston Ochse and Yvonne Navarro are also at this event. We have dinner together and are hanging out after in their suite on the 4th floor. The 4th floor is not creepy. At all. It's cozy. Wes and Yvonne have just gotten back from a Haunted Writer's Retreat in a confirmed as VERY haunted mansion. We're discussing this, and Wes shares that he's extremely affected physically by the paranormal.

As we go on, we realize Yvonne's seen what we're fairly sure is a full body apparition. On the 3rd floor. I mention my experiences. Yvonne says I can sleep on their pullout bed. Wes and I chuckle. I mean, nothing bad happened and it could still have been my imagination. But, to ease my mind, Wes offers to take a looksee.

Keep in mind that Wes has spent a career in Covert Ops. This is the man you want to be near whenever stuff gets real, because he's the most calm, in command, and unflappable person around. So, I figure, Wes will check out my floor and room, declare me a Silly Writer Girl, and we all go to bed.

We get onto the 3rd floor, and Wes agrees this place feels creepy, but we both think it's the tile on the floor and the lighting. And then Wes gets near my room. "WHOA!" He's covered with goose-pimples. "There's something here."

We get into my room, and Wes gets into the Closet of Creepiness. And turns white. And more goose-pimply. "There is something in here. And it's malevolent."

You do NOT need to tell me twice. When the guy who is the least likely person in ANY room and ANY situation to be scared is scared for you and suggesting you come right back up and ensure he and the wife cannot have sexy times because he'd rather you were alive the next day, you freaking back your bags and RUN.

I do just that -- run into the bathroom that's a lot less scary 'cause Wes is here, change into my nightclothes, grab my pillows and grab what I need for the night, while Wes grabs the blankets. I mention that I've taken the one pillow out of the closet. Wes grabs the pillow, tosses it back IN the closet, and says these words to live by, "When you open a closet and feel Satan inside, do NOT take a pillow out of it and put it on your bed!"

Up in the safety of the cozy 4th floor with Wes & Yvonne, it dawns on me that there's one other thing that could have been why I felt so much pressure -- if someone was on top of me, smothering me with a pillow. I'm an asthmatic. It doesn't take much to stop us from breathing.

Fully creeped out, the next day, Yvonne goes down with me. It's daylight, and she opens the curtains so sunlight's streaming in. She feels nothing. Could sleep in the closet it's so nothing. So, I have her trot off while I get dressed and pack. She's not gone 10 minutes when the creepy feeling comes back. "Aha," I say with false bravado. "You're afraid of Yvonne. She's a ray of light. Well, leave me alone or SHE'LL BE BACK!"

When I check out, I tell this story. They LOVE to hear how you've been haunted at the Hotel Gadsden because everyone gets haunted there. It turns out that the most haunted room in this place is Room 333. You know, RIGHT NEXT DOOR to my room. And all the closets in that area creep out everyone who stays there. "Could the closets be a portal?" the desk clerk asks me. "Maybe to Hell or another dimension?"

I was too busy running to my car to reply.

For those who indulge, have a happy, fun, and above all safe Halloween. And let's be readers of ghost stories and monster stories and things that go bump in the night stories out there!

Love,
Gini

Aliens vs. Sandy

Happy Day After Tomorrow, Everyone!

First off, hoping that all Members in Very Good Standing of the Alien Collective and their families and friends weathered, and will weather, the Tropical Cyclone Formerly Known as Hurricane Sandy and her BFFs Frankenstorm and Bride of Frankenstorm. Let us know you're okay, you know how we worry. (We worry a LOT.) And thanks to Twitter, where the news came first, fastest, and despite some fake pics, accurately.

For those of you with power and the urge for distraction, fun, games, and voting (not that kind of voting), there's a lot going on, and I was gonna wait until tomorrow but there's just too much, too much I say! So we're going to get to some of it today.

I mentioned voting. Yes, yes, everyone who's registered should vote in the upcoming elections, for whoever you like or dislike the least, but that's not what I'm talking about. I'm thrilled to announce that Alien Proliferation has been nominated in the Science Fiction category for the Goodreads Choice Awards! It's got some stiff competition, so any votes given will be greatly appreciated!

After you cast your votes, head over to Pearls Cast Before a McPig and get a teaser from Alien vs. Alien. Then see what ALPHA Reader and boeklogboek thought of Alien vs. Alien. Rumor also has it (with many thanks to Alert Member of the Alien Collective Lori W.) that RT Book Reviews has given Alien vs. Alien 4.5 stars and named it a Top Pick! Only those with physical copies of the magazine can confirm this rumor, but Mr. Joel Oliver says it's true.

But wait, there's more! See what DAW Books Review thought of Alien Proliferation (ooh look, a tie-in to the voting part...and it wasn't even planned!). Then check out what Fantasy Book Reviews and Nocturnal Book Reviews thought of Alexander Outland: Space Pirate, by G.J. Koch (yes, that's moi).

Then head over to Midnyte Reader and see what My 5 Monkeys says Halloween is to her.

In Person Reminder: I'll be one of the 13 multi-published authors speaking on various aspects of writing and the publishing business at the 7th Annual Free Fall Writer's Workshop on Saturday, Nov. 10th, in Scottsdale, AZ. The program runs from 9:30-4:30 and is always a fabulous, learning-filled day well spent. And yes, despite us having NYT Bestselling authors and all sorts of other bestselling authors there, it's really and truly FREE. Such a deal. Hope to see a lot of you there, too!

That's it for today, but more's on the way. So sit tight, everyone stay safe (we really do worry a lot), and let's be readers, even if we must be readers by candlelight, out there!

Love,
Gini

Happy Valentine's Day!

First off, wanted to wish each and every one of you a wonderful Valentine's Day. Whether you're in a new relationship or old, or looking at today proudly as Singles Awareness Day, I just wanted you to know that, to me, my readers are da BOMB and I love you all.

Now, on to the rest of all that is going on...and it's a lot, so let's get to it!

First up, Night Shade Books is officially announcing the publication of Alexander Outland: Space Pirate, by G.J. Koch. But that's not all. There's a brand new short story from G.J. Koch (yes, aka moi) up as well. So, enjoy a Valentine's gift from Night Shade and moi to all of you!

Then, it's Alien Diplomacy time! First off, the first reviews are in! See what ALPHA Reader, and Larissa's Bookish Life have to say about April's upcoming release. Then, head over to Muddy Colors to learn about the process the awesome Daniel Dos Santos used...and just who he had collaborate with him on this particular cover.

Next, see what Long and Short Reviews thought of The Disciple by Jemma Chase (aka moi, in case you've forgotten somehow ;-D).

Last but in no way least, for those attending the Tucson Festival of Books, I've got my schedule. I'll be doing panels at 10am on Saturday, March 10 AND at 10am on Sunday, March 11. I'll be signing right after both panels, and also doing a signing in the Mysterious Galaxy booth, #255, at 3pm on Saturday, March 10. Hope to see you there, and please let me know if you'll be going! (I'll be the one in the pink, sparkly, cowgirl hat. :-D)

That's it for today. Go out and have a great one and let's remember to be readers out there!

Love,
Gini

Kitty Yaps Holidays

Happy Monday! Well, with the release of "Alien Proliferation" only one (ONE!) day away, we're still wildly busy this week. There's tons going on (including the start of the long-awaited Combo-Con Contest), so let's get on with the countdown!

First up, Kitty, with Martini's help, will be talking about the Holidays over at Mark of the Stars as part of the SFR Light up the Holidays celebration. Check out all the other cool stuff going on while you're there!

Next, head over to ALPHA Reader to see what her top books of 2011 were. Then see what Larissa's Bookish Life chose as her top book covers of 2011.

Next up on the hit parade, see what I and a lot of other proud geek-girls said about being, well, proud geek girls over at The Galaxy Express. Share what it means for you to be a geek girl (or guy!), too.

Did you enter the Alien Proliferation Extravaganza over at the Alien Collective Virtual HQ? If you did, hurry on over, because the winners are announced and need to claim their prizes by the 9th, or the Gods of Random will be choosing again! Even if you didn't enter, check it out and congratulate the winners, register for the Forum, hang out and chat a bit with other Alien Collective Members in Very Good Standing.

After that, see what Ramblings from a Chaotic Mind thought of "Alien Proliferation", what A Buckeye Girl Reads thought of "Hotter Than Hell" by Jemma Chase, and what Cybermage thought of "Touched by an Alien".

Then, head over to Living Dangerously the website for author Weston Ochse, and check out some more of the fun we had at TusCon (there's also a cool pic of me, Wes, Patty Briggs and Marcy Rockwell).

This Wednesday, Dec. 7th, in addition to many other goings-ons, I'll be doing a live chat with Book Monster and Literal Addiction, from 6-8pm Mountain time (8pm start Eastern, 7pm start Central, 5pm start Pacific, open internationally but you'll have to figure out the times on your own, sorry, LOL). Here are the details, join if you can!

LINK FOR LIVE CHAT - http://www.literaladdiction.com/author-chat.php#/general/

NOTE: This Chatroom works best with Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome and Safari web browsers. It does work with older versions of I.E, though it has been known to have issues. The newer versions of Internet Explorer (I.E) do not work at all! Please use Firefox or Chrome for best results, and make sure that your Java is up-to-date!

Last but not least, a reminder that I'll be in San Diego at Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore for their Eat! Read! Party! Holiday Event on Saturday, December 10th, from 3-5pm, signing "Alien Proliferation" and anything else attendees want. Hope to see some of you there!

Remember that you must be on Hook Me Up! in order to participate in the Comb0-Con Contest. If you're not on, now's the time. Send an email to gini@ginikoch.com with "Hook Me Up!" in the subject line...and do it today, because the contest WILL start this week.

That's all for today, but don't worry -- we have more coming this week, including, oh, as mentioned before, the release of "Alien Proliferation". Hope your weeks have all started well, and let's be readers out there!

Love,
Gini

It's Just Another Clucky Monday

Happy Monday! Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. I had a great time at the Fall Writer's Workshop, running the yap and listening to the wonderful Amber Scott and Caris Roane, and it was great to see some of you there as well! It's a short (in the U.S.) but busy week, though, so enough of the past, let's get back to the future!

First up, Kitty, Martini, Christopher and Chuckie are all sharing secrets over at ALPHA Reader that you don't want to miss. Check it out, leave a comment, show some Alien Collective love. (Oh, and as my Hook Me Up! subscribers already know, you WILL have to read the interview to find out how my subject line actually makes sense.)

Then, head over to see what Bibliognome, one of the lucky ARC winners, has to say about "Alien Proliferation". Then check out the review of "Alien in the Family" from Book Spot Central.

Next up, Fictitious Musings has some great things in their mail. They'll also have a character interview tomorrow (and not with who you'd expect). In honor of this, they're re-running their reviews of "Touched by an Alien" and "Alien Tango", and you can also find their review of "Alien in the Family" as well. They also have quite the Gratitude Giveaway going strong, so if you haven't entered for that, do it now!

Speaking of awesome things to win, the Alien Collective Virtual HQ is offering not one, not two, but FIVE copies of "Alien Proliferation" in their latest contest. Check out the Alien Proliferation Extravaganza and get entered to win today! Swept Away Again also has a nice little listing of some cool things to win.

Speaking of winning and all that jazz, "Alien in the Family" is in the semifinals at the 2011 Goodreads Choice Awards for best science fiction. The competition is tough, so take a moment and vote for it again, please and thank you, so it has a chance to make it to the next round.

Speaking of "Alien in the Family" and voting and such, All Things Urban Fantasy is running a cover art contest for best cover of 2011. I've been alerted that some members of the Alien Collective have already nominated "Alien in the Family" to be in the running, so if anyone else feels like tossing their votes in as well, I'm sure Kitty and Company, not to mention the amazing Daniel Dos Santos, would be most appreciative.

Is that it? Not quite! Check out who Larissa's Bookish Life thinks are the best hero and heroines of 2011.

I know I owe you all a TusCon recap (and boy, do I have one!), but that'll have to wait for tomorrow. So, until then, be good and enjoy all the blog and website hopping!

Love,
Gini

Manic Monday with the Yap

Happy Monday! Hope everyone had a great weekend. As my Hook Me Up! subscribers already know, mine was the usual bedlam as viewed from the air that is pretty much my standard operating procedure these days. But enough about "my process" -- let's get on with what's shakin' today!

First off, check out the great reviews "Alien Proliferation" has garnered from Publisher's Weekly and ALPHA Reader.

Then head over to catch the yap in full steam over at A Buckeye Girl Reads, talking about "The Royal Scam" and how it is and isn't like the Alien Series.

Speaking of "The Royal Scam", check out what My 5 Monkeys thought of it.

After that, check out who Larissa's Bookish Life picks as the Top 5 Rejected Love Interests (hint: yes, some of your fave men made that cut).

"Hotter Than Hell", my first release from my Jemma Chase pen name, is available now from Musa Publishing. Get your copy today!

In Person Reminders:
Mysterious Galaxy Book Store Informal Author Meet & Greet - October 26, 6:30-8:30, San Diego, CA
World Fantasy Con - October 27-30, San Diego, CA
Changing Hands Bookstore, Group Book Signing - November 2, 7:00pm-8:00pm, Mesa, AZ
TusCon - November 11-13, Tucson, AZ
Free Fall Writer's Workshop - November 19, 9am-4pm, Scottsdale, AZ
Mysterious Galaxy Holiday Party - December 10, 6pm-8pm, San Diego, CA
Tucson Festival of Books - March 10-11, Tucson, AZ
Desert Dreams Writer's Conference - April 27-29, Scottsdale, AZ

Contest Reminder:
Results for the Alien Proliferation ARC Giveaway contest will be coming out this week. Not feeling lucky enough to be sure you'll score one of the copies? It's not too late to tag in to the Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger blog contest. Check out Win Stuff and tag in as Team Blah, get another chance to win an ARC as well as other cool prizes.

Last but in no way least, check out the world premiere of the cover for "When Josie Comes Home", over at the Alien Collective Virtual HQ. It's the first in the novella series, The New West, from (my pen name) A.E. Stanton. Available from Musa Publishing Friday, October 28th.

That's plenty for today. But fear not, more's always on the way! Until next time, peace out, li'l gangstas, and let's remember to be readers out there!

Love,
Gini

Duh, Winning!

Made ya look.

No, no worries, Charlie Sheen is not guest blogging today. (I'll wait while you all release that collective sigh of relief.) But, as my Hook Me Up! subscribers already know, we do have a LOT of winning going on!

First off, though, check out the latest review for "Alien in the Family" at ALPHA Reader! While you're there, hop over and enter to win a copy of "Alien Tango" and check out my interview.

Speaking of winning, you still have a few hours to get in on it over at Bitten By Books where my interview with giveaway is still active through midnight Central time tonight.

Absorbed in a Book has started an ARC Blog Tour for "Alien in the Family". Escape Between the Pages has a fun little caption contest going on with the "Alien in the Family" cover. And All About Romance has a great listing of new releases.

The Tucson Festival of Books was great. In addition to getting to do two cool signings with my fave bookstore, Mysterious Galaxy, I got to hang out with members of the Alien Collective (waves madly to Stephanie, Nicole, Therese, Michael, Sheryl, Cyndi, Fran, and Clancy), as well as awesome authors Jeff Mariotte, My Winston/Weston Ochse, The Lovely Miss Yvonne/Yvonne Navarro, James Rollins, Kris Tualla, and Sandra Lee Smith.

I was on a panel with the lovely and talented Erin Quinn, Erin Kellison, and Caris Roane, and also on one with the handsome and talented Dennis McKiernan, Timothy Zahn, and John Vornholt. Both panels ROCKED, I must say! Many thanks also to the Saguaro Romance chapter of the RWA who were amazing and wonderful hosts (and extra love to Amy, Kelly, Rose, Elaine, Michael, and Jackie.)

But I didn't just hang out. Oh no. I gathered. I gathered swag. And books. Signed books. All in a lovely, sturdy, sleek yet hefty Penguin Classics totebag. In addition to buttons and bookmarks and keychains (oh my!) there are signed books from authors Erin Quinn, Erin Kellison, Caris Roane, Carrie Weaver, and Darrell James. Plus MORE. How much more? Well, one lucky winner is gonna find out! Check back for the next blog (coming right after this one) for the details!

This is a short and sweet contest, and yes, it's international and of course for Hook Me Up! only. Not on? Send an email to gini@ginikoch.com with "Hook Me Up!" in the subject line, and do it now. This contest only runs through Sunday, March 20th, midnight Hawaii time (or whenever I wake up on Monday, March 21st ;-D). Winner will be announced in the week of March 21.

So, click some links, go get your win on, and I'll catch you on the flip side!

Love,
Gini

The Yap Has Quite the Week Goin' On

Happy Tuesday!

The Tucson Festival of Books was made of awesome, and I have a full recap to share and a lovely stuffed Penguin Classics totebag filled with books and goodies to give away -- for Hook Me Up! subscribers only, of course. (Not on? Send an email to gini@ginikoch.com with "Hook Me Up!" in the subject line, and do it today!) But not at this precise time. Why not? Well, as my Hook Me Up! subscribers already know, it's because we are loaded with so much of the cool and exciting today that I need to catch you up on all of that, much of which also contains some serious winning. So, enough prelude, right? Let's see the goods!

First up, head over to ALPHA Reader where the yap is running wild and free. There's a new excerpt up from "Alien in the Family", too. AND, there's also a chance to win a copy of "Alien Tango". Truly, there's a lot going on in ALPHA Land!

There's also a heck of a lot going on over at Bitten By Books. The yap will be on call there tomorrow, for yet another interview and Q&A session. RSVP NOW, so you don't miss out. Miss out on what? On some more awesome winning -- a lovely pack of Penguin books, or an Alien Collective Pack. Then check out the reviews for "Touched by an Alien" and "Alien Tango".

Books, According to Nicole has a nice little recap of the first day of the Tucson Festival of Books. My fave bookstore in the world, Mysterious Galaxy, has a lovely set of brand new things in for April. The Antick Musings of G.B.H. Hornswoggler, Gent. has some nice things in his mailbox. Likewise SF Scope also has some good things received. And Literary Escapism has a great listing of upcoming releases.

Remember that it's never too early to pre-order "Alien Proliferation" or too late to pre-order "Alien in the Family".

Many congrats to my good friend, and Alien Collective Member in Very Good Standing, author Lynn Crain, for her EPIC win for her eBook, "The Haunting of Maggie Grey"!

Is there more? Yes, there is. But I'm gonna let you get all caught up with this flurry of info and contests and such first. Then I'll hit you with the rest. So keep your eyeballs peeled, get your contest entries in, check out all the yap, and I'll catch my li'l gangstas on the flip side!

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

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

Maniacal Monday

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend! I did a lot of editing on "Alien in the Family" and a whole lot of needless stressing about getting ready to head to SoCal and Comic-Con.

But that's all in the past! Yes! It IS! I SWEAR! Ahahahahahahaha! *cough*

So, what do we have for you today? Well, as my Hook Me Up! subscribers already know, we have a lot! First up, there's a question I've been getting somewhat frequently and one of our newest Hook Me Up! subscribers just asked it again. So, hit the Extra Me! page and check out Ask Gini for an answer about Kitty and how she does what she does so well.

Next up, in case you've somehow missed it, I have another Twitter contest going, my 300 Followers contest. For full details, hit Dark Wyrm Reads where the contest is more clearly stated than I've managed to do yet. Check out the reviews of other books while you're there, too! (BTW, while I'm gone, Twitter may be the best place to hear from me, keep in touch with me, etc. Because that Blackberry of mine will be with me at all times, and my netbook will not.)

In other news, ALPHA Reader has a nice shout out to "Touched by an Alien" as well as a lot of other books you might want to check out and put on your summer reading list. And my 3-part guest blog about the 3 P's to Writing Success is up at That's QUEEN Bitch to You so check it, and the reviews (and the Robot Chicken!), out there.

As I think I've mentioned (oh, once or twice), I'll be gone the latter half of this month at Comic-Con (where I'm going as a professional! Yeah, I know, you thought I was over that, based on the opening paragraph, but you were wrong, it's still a required addendum). If you've also somehow missed what my session there will be about and who I'll be on the panel with, check out Super Freaks are Super Freaky for a quick overview. And if you'll be at Comic-Con, let me know!

Last but not least, a reminder for those in the general vicinity of Phoenix/Scottsdale -- I'll be doing an author workshop and book signing this Wednesday, July 14th (you know, instead of packing...'cause I like to make the stress really WORK for me). Would love to see you there!

Writers Workshop Wednesdays
Borders Scottsdale Waterfront
7:00 p.m., July 14
7135 East Camelback Road
Scottsdale, AZ 85251

Stay tuned. Tomorrow the stuff I've been telling you about that we've all be waiting for will be announced...well, that you've all been waiting for me to actually coherently tell you about and I've been waiting to get all ready before I coherently tell you about it. That stuff. It'll be here. Tomorrow. Promise.

Love,
Gini

Tango Tuesday

As my Hook Me Up! subscribers already know and you've undoubtedly guessed from the title of the blog post, we're focusing on "Alien Tango" today.

The Galaxy Express is featuring the most awesome cover, so head over and share your Alien Collective love about all that is the wicked cool Daniel Dos Santos artwork!

Heather Massey from TGE also has an article up at Tor.com for those of you who are interested in the science fiction versus romance versus Science Fiction Romance debate. It's a good message, and the comments so far are very interesting. (Would particularly love the male Alien Collective members to chime in on this one.)

Our own ALPHA Reader has a great "Where are they now" column that's featuring "Alien Tango" as well as some other great, upcoming releases. Head over, check it out, share what books you can't wait for!

The new "Alien Tango" freebies are in and available! Check out the Free Stuff page for details and get your requests in! (BTW, they look AWESOME, possibly more awesome than the TBAA ones, which is saying a LOT.)

Lest "Touched by an Alien" feel left out, it's still popping up all over the web. Here are some mentions to check out: Fun interview with our own Lynn Crain at Midnight Seductions; author Audra Wyatt has a good explanatory piece up about the workshop series I'm a part of; cute post up at the Random Book Girl site about her initial impressions of "Touched by an Alien" based on cover and title.

Remember that the giveaway for Amber Scott's "Play Fling" is still going on. Hit yesterday's Blah, Blah, Blah Blog post, leave a comment or a question, and you're entered to win! Also, for those of you participating in the Project Pay It Forward, don't miss the latest updates.

Speaking of winning, it's not too late to win over at The Book Addict -- not only is there a "Touched by an Alien" giveaway, but there are lots of other great giveaway chances, too! Don't miss out, head over there today!

I'd share more, but I have to get certain descriptions of certain key things from "Alien in the Family" over to awesome artist Daniel Dos Santos, so must dash. (Yeah, I DO like to tease all of you...what's your point?)

Love,
Gini

Another Happy Friday!

I have no idea how it's Friday again already, but I hope everyone's ready for the weekend! But, before we head off, as my Hook Me Up! subscribers already know, there's a lot going on. So let's get to it!

First up, we have another new review of "Touched by an Alien". Head over to Life, According to Nicole and check out her take on the book. And, while you're there, spread some Alien Collective love to one of our own.

There's a short but sweet review up at the Jean Little Library site, and we all know we love our librarians, particularly those who love our books! So, check it out and leave some Alien Collective love.

But wait, there's more! The winner of ALPHA Reader's "Touched by an Alien" giveaway has been announced! Check out who the lucky winner is and offer your congrats (or envy, depending)!

Today's also the last day to get an entry in for The Book Pusher's "Touched by an Alien" giveaway -- this contest closes today, May 21. There's also still time to get entries in for the "Touched by an Alien" giveaways at That's QUEEN Bitch to You, contest ends Monday, May 24, and at Tempting Persephone, contest ends Friday, May 28.

Remember that you have until Sunday, May 23, to send in your answer for this week's Hook Me Up! Exclusive contest to be entered to win cool, free prizes. Winner and their winning 'choice' will be announced on Monday the 24th. Week 3's question will come out Monday as well. So don't miss out, enter today!


Love,
Gini

The Neverending Yap Story

As my Hook Me Up! subscribers already know, another day brings another interview on the way! That's right, this time, our own Tempting Persephone has an interview with yours truly going, and she asked some cool questions you'll want my answers to. So head on over, have a read, and show the blog some Alien Collective love. She's also giving away a copy of "Touched by an Alien", so if you want another copy or have friends who haven't read the book yet, head them over to leave a comment and get entered to win! Contest ends May 28.

Speaking of winning a copy of "Touched by an Alien", we have three other Collective blogs giving away a copy. ALPHA Reader's giveaway ends May 20. The Book Pusher's giveaway ends May 21. That's QUEEN Bitch to You's giveaway ends May 24. Hit 'em all!

And, speaking of interviews, and reviews, if you haven't checked out both at Dark Wyrm Reads, as in the review of "Touched by an Alien" and my first ever interview, what are you waiting for? New views, different questions, and other good stuff equals a must-read, so don't wait, head over now!

Speaking of don't wait -- if you're not on Hook Me Up! right now, get on the bandwagon. Send an email to gini@ginikoch.com with "Hook Me Up!" in the subject line. You'll be eligible for the Hook Me Up! Exclusive contest, get all the news that's fit to print first, and more! Don't delay, sign up today!

Love,
Gini

Alien-Filled Friday

It's been a roller coaster ride this week here in Gini Land, and it's not over yet!

First up, As my Hook Me Up! subscribers already know, I insinuated in yesterday's blog, and KB flat out said at the start of yesterday's interview, Babbling About Books has a review of "Touched by an Alien" large and in charge. Head over and show BAB some Alien Collective love! And if you missed yesterday's interview, well, it's not too late to catch up right now.

Speaking of catching up, it's time to check in with The Amber Scott Project about the current status of Project Pay It Forward. Check out the progress and let Amber know what you think of the Project!

Next up, it's preview time at Dark Wyrm Reads. We have it from the Dark Wyrm himself that another review of "Touched by an Alien" will be live there this coming Monday, as well as some other reviews coming. Check it out and bookmark the site, we'll be back there next week!

Last but in no way least, Tempting Persephone's lovely owner let me know some exciting news: "Touched by an Alien" is one of Booklist's top 10 adult SF/Fantasy books of 2010! Check it out...I still can't quite believe it's true, but there it is, all in print and everything!

Reminder time:

Week One's Hook Me Up! Exclusive contest ends on Sunday. Send the answer to the question to gini@ginikoch.com by Sunday, May 16. Winner and Week Two's question will be announced separately on Monday, May 17. Check out the Win Stuff page for all the prizes you could win...as long as you enter!

The Brenda Novak 2010 Online Auction to benefit Diabetes Research rolls on through the end of the month. There's lots up there, including my Fight the Fuglies Starter Kit, so hit the auction and place a bid or two.

ALPHA Reader's "Touched by an Alien" Giveaway runs through May 20. That's QUEEN Bitch to You's "Touched by an Alien" Giveaway runs through May 24.

There's more up at Free Stuff including print-them-yourself bookmarks. Head over, grab some freebies!

Whew! That's it for today, peeps! Have a fun time reading, browsing, and blog-hopping, and have an alien-tastic weekend!

Love,
Gini

Fugly Fighting for a Cause

As my Hook Me Up! subscribers already know, and as you may already know as well, author Brenda Novak does a yearly auction benefiting diabetes research. And this year I have a donation in the mix as well -- and it just went up! Head on over to the 2010 Online Auction to benefit Diabetes Research and check out the great stuff there, including a Fight the Fuglies Starter Kit. It's item #1793487, located in the Gift Baskets and Collections section.

We've also got another Sighting in the Wild up, and, if you check out either the Bookstore or Deathless Prose pages and scroll down a bit on each, you'll see what, so far, no one else has yet to see. And, the bookplates are in! Check out Free Stuff and see what all you can get for the price of a stamp or the click of a mouse!

Speaking of free, ALPHA Reader's "Touched by an Alien" giveaway goes through May 20th, and That's QUEEEN Bitch to You's "Touched by an Alien" giveaway goes through May 24th.

And of course, the Hook Me Up! Exclusive contest is rolling. All Hook Me Up! subscribers, remember to send your answer to Week One's question to me -- gini@ginikoch.com -- by Sunday, May 16, for your chance to win!

More to come, so as always, watch this space!

Love,
Gini

So Much To Choose From...

...Do 'Em All!

Happy Friday! As we head into another fabulous weekend and as my Hook Me Up! subscribers already know, we have more going on in Gini Land. First up, The Galaxy Express has a great piece on humor in science fiction/science fiction romance. Head on over, have a read, and leave a comment, because, clearly, if you're part of the Alien Collective, you appreciate the funny and undoubtedly have views about it. (Y'all had views about the Badge of Honor, now, didn't you?)

Our own Amber Scott has the latest on the status of Project Pay It Forward up at The Amber Scott Project. Head over, show her blog some Alien Collective love, see what's happening so far with the copies of "Touched by an Alien" heading out on their journeys, and, for those of you doing similar, share what's been happening for you, too!

Remember that the "Haunting Beauty" giveaway runs through Sunday, so if you haven't hit yesterday's Blah, Blah, Blah Blog interview with Erin Quinn and left a message, get one up there, pronto, so you can be entered to win. Yes, international readers, this means you, too.

Another reminder -- our own ALPHA Reader's "Touched by an Alien" giveaway is still open as well. Head over and leave a comment, and send over those who haven't read "Touched by an Alien" yet, so they can sign up for a chance to win, too!

Finally, remember to check out the Free Stuff page to see what you might want to get. Some quantities are really limited (cover flats of "Touched by an Alien" in particular), so if you think you want one, send an email right away to gini@ginikoch.com and get yours reserved. All details are now on the Free Stuff page.

By the way -- if you're going to be at Comic-Con in San Diego, California this year, drop me a line at gini@ginikoch.com so we can coordinate a meet-up! Same again if you'll be hitting CopperCon30 in Mesa, Arizona. Or World Fantasy Con in Columbus, Ohio. (Yeah, I'm gonna be a busy girl.)

Still not on Hook Me Up!? Why not? The Hook Me Up! Exclusive contest starts next week. So, send an email to gini@ginikoch.com with "Hook Me Up!" in the subject line so you can be on the list and entered into the contest. You'll be glad you did!

Love,
Gini

New Spotlight Interview!

As my Hook Me Up! subscribers already know, we've got an action-packed week for you here in Gini Land, so fasten your seatbelts, it's gonna be an exciting ride.

First up, we've got a new interview with wicked cool author Deborah LeBlanc. Head on over to my Spotlight page and check it out!

For those of you who missed the Weekend Update, our own ALPHA Reader has an interview with moi live and kicking. She's also giving away a copy of "Touched by an Alien" to one lucky blog follower. So stop on by and give her blog some Alien Collective love! And if you or someone you know doesn't have a copy of "Touched by an Alien" yet, start following her blog, post a comment, and you'll be entered to win.

And, a reminder that an informative blog post from yours truly (I know, I know, what were the odds?) is up at 1st Turning Point and our own Amber Scott's got "Touched by an Alien" paying forward via her P.P.I.F. Launch Party, so stop by and give those some Alien Collective attention, too!

Is there more? By golly, there's more! On Thursday, May 6th, I'll be interviewing awesome author Erin Quinn right here on the Blah, Blah, Blah Blog about her latest release, "Haunting Warrior", which hits the shelves tomorrow. There will be something special going along with all the yap, so plan to stop by, say hi, ask those probing questions we authors love, and find out what all the fuss is about!

And...the Hook Me Up! Exclusive Contest is going to start next week. So, if you're somehow still not on Hook Me Up!, now's the time to get hooked up. Just send an email to gini@ginikoch.com with "Hook Me Up!" in the subject line, and you'll be all set to have a chance to score an exclusive prize...maybe more than one prize...

Love,
Gini