It's Release Day!

It's December 6th and Alien Nation is HERE!

The interwebs are talking - it's got great things to say about Gini & the latest in the Alien Series:

Barnes and Noble Bookseller's Picks: The Best Science Fiction & Fantasy Books of December 

"Koch returns to the ongoing saga of Katherine “Kitty” Katt-Martini with her 14th adventure, and it’s packed full of the fast-paced chaos her fans thrive on."

✶✶✶

Kirkus - December Speculative Fiction Delivers: 10 Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror Books You'll Want to Read  

"Koch's Alien series has always maintained an appealing blend of science fiction action and steamy paranormal romance"
✶✶✶

RT Book Reviews: December Top Pick! Paranormal Romance

"It is all hands on deck for the latest crazy, fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants adventure from the twisty mind of the amazing Koch."

✶✶✶

Under the Covers: Recommended Read!

"Once again, Gini Koch has surpassed my expectations. Authors, if you want a lesson in world-building and complex politics, Koch’s books are the ones you need to read"

✶✶✶

Praise from Members of the Alien Collective: 

Aurian from Boeklogboek:  

"The 14th book in the series, and it is still going strong, never predictable or boring"

Thursday Roundup

Just a short and sweet one today, 'cause I have to get ready to head off for the Tucson Festival of Books. Remember to find me if you're gonna be there! (Details are in the blog post below this one.)

As my Hook Me Up! subscribers already know, there's some new stuff up on the Sightings in the Wild page. Have a pic of any of the books or your swag? Send it to me so it can go up for all to see! Reminder that, for those of you who missed the earlier memo, the first chapter of "Alien in the Family" is up on Deathless Prose. Accolades has been updated -- if you've done a review of any of the books and you don't see it linked here, please let me know and send me the url so we can rectify!

Because pre-orders really do matter, have to share that "Alien Proliferation" is available for such now. Several places have it up, including Amazon. No cover yet, but the moment I have it, you KNOW you'll see it!

Want to hang out with me, and some other cool authors? Want to do it in a relaxed atmosphere that doesn't cost an arm and a leg? Have limited time to get away? Check out Arizona Dreamin', and get your reservations in today ('cause it's filling up and we honestly have limited space).

And now, to pack. Well, to consider packing, and then do other things, consider it again, do more other things, and then to panic and pack at 1am. You know, like every other time I travel. What? It's a time-honored tradition! And you wouldn't want me to buck tradition, would you?

Love,
Gini

Busy, Busy, Busy

Well, I was going to do my World Fantasy Con roundup today, but, as my Hook Me Up! subscribers already know, a massive number of deadlines earned at WFC combined with some "fun" computer issues has put me behind, and my roundup isn't ready. I know, I know, crushing disappointment from all, I'm sure, but hey, there's other stuff going on, so let me catch you up quickly on all that, and then, NEXT time, the roundup, cross my heart and hope to be whisked away by an A-C.

What other stuff, you ask? Why our Alien Collective Member in Very Good Standing and "Alien Tango" ARC winner My 5 Monkeys has her review up. And lest anyone think "Touched by an Alien" has been forgotten, Book Crazy Scrapbook Mama has her review going strong. Hit them both, leave some Alien Collective love, you know the drill.

Smootchies and thank yous to Dark Wyrm Reads and Tempting Persephone who are encouraging one and all to take a look at the excerpt from "Alien Tango" that's up on the Deathless Prose page. If you haven't checked it out yet, don't delay! Head over and whet the ol' appetite for Kitty, Martini, and the rest of the gang. And smootchies to all on Twitter and Facebook who are also spreading the excerpt love. Y'all rock!

Speaking of advanced reading opportunities and My 5 Monkeys (ooh, a DOUBLE), check out who's getting to borrow her "Alien Tango" ARC. Congrats to those who are getting to paw the precious! Hope you all enjoy it as much as Julie did!

Site updates are going on all the time in the background. If you've reviewed "Touched by an Alien" or "Alien Tango" (woot!) and don't see your review listed on the Accolades page, let me know so we can rectify.

In Person/Con Reminder: I'll be in Tucson for TusCon 37 from November 12-14th. If you're in or around the Greater Tucson area, try to stop by. I'm doing a large number of panels and, if memory serves, a reading, as well as partaking in the book signing. Plus, many other of my fave awesome authors will be there. You'll be glad you made the trip, I promise.

Also, aspiring authors in the Greater Phoenix Metro Area, don't miss the Fall Writers Workshop at the Scottsdale Public Library on Saturday, Nov. 20th. I'll be there, leading a session with the awesome Erin Quinn on "Two Faces of Paranormal", and there's much, much more. And it's FREE. Chance to meet a ton of authors? Check. Chance to learn a lot? Check. All for free? Double check. So, hope to see you there!

That's it for today. Enjoy the slide to the weekend and keep it alien! Peace out, li'l gangstas!

Love,
Gini

The Yap Strikes Back, Part Deux

Happy Monday! Hope everyone had a fabulous weekend - I know I did! But now, we're back to the old bump and grind and all that jazz, so let's roll into today's update.

As my Hook Me Up! subscribers already know, and as promised, the second part of my two-part article, Promotion at Conventions, is up at 1st Turning Point. Check it out, and if you're an aspiring or newer author, check out the site; lots of good info there.

Around my site, Accolades and Sightings in the Wild have gotten minor face-lifts, Datebook has been updated as have the Bookstore and Deathless Prose pages, and I assigned my 7 Strange Winners at the Blah, Blah, Blah Blog -- check it out and see whose blogs made the Strangeness Cut.

BTW, December's just around the corner...have you pre-ordered your copy of "Alien Tango" yet?

Love,
Gini

The Yap Strikes Back

As my Hook Me Up! subscribers already know, and as if you couldn't guess from the title, I'm running the yap again today!

Fist up, check out my interview at Lilium's Realm where she's also giving away a little prize for one lucky commenter. So head over, have a read, leave some Alien Collective love, get entered to win!

Next, the yap runs in a slightly different way. I need help (I'll wait for all of you to get those jokes off your chests) in the worst way, and, hearing my plea, the Bootcamp for Novelists Online blog has taken up the cry. Check out what I need and why I need it, and if you have any suggestions for who might be my little savior, pass 'em along!

Finally, we have a whole lot of updates on the site (yes, yes, I know, past time for all of them, but I've been busy editing those books y'all seem to want) so check out the Accolades page, the Blog Roll right here at the Blah, Blah, Blah Blog, the Playlist page, the Win Stuff page, and Cool Links to see what's new.

That seems sufficient for today, at least to me. I'm off to edit "Alien Tango" and practice reading aloud -- hey, CopperCon30 is in less than 2 weeks and those there will get an "Alien Tango" preview via my reading, and a chance to see the sketch for the cover of "Alien in the Family". Wish you were going? It's not too late: Hit the CopperCon site to get the details.

Love,
Gini

Sliding Slowly Towards the Weekend

It's Hump Day! Or it was when I started writing this. At the rate I'm going, we're gonna be well on the downward slide before you get to read it. So, since my theme this week appears to be getting info out really late, let's get right to all the news that's fit to print!

First up, as my Hook Me Up! subscribers already know, we have a new lovely review of "Touched by an Alien" from A Buckeye Girl Reads. Check it out, share some Alien Collective love.

Next up, the Accolades page has been updated. If you've done a review, and you don't see it listed here, please let me know and we'll get that rectified immediately, if not sooner!

Last reminder for this -- my author workshop & book signing is tonight:

Writers Workshop Wednesdays
Borders Scottsdale Waterfront
7:00 p.m., July 14
7135 East Camelback Road
Scottsdale, AZ 85251
(Note for AZ folks -- this is at the Waterfront Borders in Scottsdale, NOT the Biltmore Borders in Phoenix)

I'd send you to BookTour.com for all the deets, but the site's been going through a facelift and it's a little wonky right now. If you do use it to keep track of me, never fear, it'll be smoothed out by next week. (I have it on good authority from the nice man over there in tech support who kept me from jumping off the roof when it looked like all, and I do mean ALL, my data had been wiped out.) This is also, therefore, making my Datebook page a little wonky, but again, it'll smooth out soon.

Last, but not least, we've already had requests for additional swag at the Alien Collective Depot. So, we're getting to those and will have something up by the time I'm back from Comic-Con, if not sooner! (Oh, btw...did I mention that I'm going to Comic-Con as a professional?)

BTW, if you're not on Hook Me Up!, get on before I get back from Comic-Con. I'll be doing another Hook Me Up! exclusive contest, and it'll have some great stuff in it, including whatever coolness I come home with from Comic-Con...and there's a lot of cool gonna be there! So, send an email to gini@ginikoch.com with "Hook Me Up!" in the subject line, so you're all set for the winning to come!

Love,
Gini

Playing Catch Up

Happy Friday!

I know, I know...one blog on Monday and then radio silence. Or blog silence. Or something like that. What was I doing? (Note to my editor: I mean, other than editing like a madwoman! Night and day! Day and night! Nose to grindstone! Write, write, edit, edit...no sleep, no food, just editing!)

(Yeah, I don't think she'll buy that, either, but hey, it's worth a shot...)

Well, as my Hook Me Up! subscribers already know, among other things, I had a super book signing at my chiropractor's office. Yeah, no, I really wasn't kidding about that location. And the Programming Director for CopperCon 30 came! Yeah, I'm kind of geeking out about that. She's very cool, and I'm going to be very busy over Labor Day weekend. And I'm totally stoked about it! I'll share my schedule closer to the event, but trust me when I say I'm doing something every single day and night. If you're able to make it, it should be a wicked fun fan convention. And, you know, I'll be on a ton of panels, doing a book signing, and a reading (God help us all...it'll be my first...the comedy value could make the entire trip worthwhile...), so it's a total must attend!

Speaking of attending, I think I may have mentioned, oh, once or twice, that I'll be at Comic-Con (as a professional! Yes, that's still a required add-on) and in SoCal for the latter half of this month. And I'm warning you now...expect a lot more radio silence when I'm gone, 'cause I've been warned that Comic-Con itself is going to redefine the term "overwhelming" and we're combining a vacation in there, too, and the hubs gets all touchy about my spending a lot of vacation time online (instead of having fun with him or writing, which is an expected activity when we're on vacation...the man is a taskmaster! I think my editor bribes him.).

But we have weeks (2) before then! Filled with plenty of stuff to come. And, thanks to The Galaxy Express, there'll be things to do while I'm gone. But there...I've said too much too early...

So, to distract you from the not-quite-ready-for-prime-time previews, let's check out a new awesome review for "Touched by an Alien" over at Fresh Fiction! Head on over and share some Alien Collective love -- they love the pink as much as I do!

Speaking of love, as some of you know, I do love my Twitter. I love it a lot. And I'm on a mission. I want more followers! So, when I hit 200, I'm going to be giving away a signed copy of "Touched by an Alien". Ergo, ipsum factum, ig-pay atin-lay, if you're on Twitter and somehow not following me, there's more incentive to do so. And to get your friends to do so. The sooner I hit 200, the sooner a signed copy goes out, randomly chosen from among my Twitter followers.

Of course, there are other contests coming up. But they'll be, as is right and proper, for my Hook Me Up! subscribers exclusively. But wait, you're not on Hook Me Up! yet? Rectify immediately -- send an email to gini@ginikoch.com with "Hook Me Up!" in the subject line. Because when I'm back from Comic-Con the new Hook Me Up! exclusive contest will kick off. (Yes, again. What? I love them best of all, and if you want to be in that special circle, join the list!) I'm not saying an autographed pic of the cast of "Castle" will be part of the prize (because, let's face it, I think we should have a betting pool going for how far away from the cast of "Castle" I'm going to end up being), but I'm sure there will be some form of Comic-Con goodness involved, along with other cool goodies I have that y'all don't know about. Yet.

Short updates: the Accolades page is updated again -- if you've done a review of "Touched by an Alien" and don't see it listed here, let me know and we'll get that rectified immediately. Our own Ex Libris has some lovely things to say about where "Touched by an Alien" falls in her reads list.

So, head on into the weekend (other than those on the Aussie/NZ/Asia-Pacific side for whom it already IS the weekend) with anticipation. For our Canadian friends, Happy Belated Canada Day! For the Americans, have a fun, happy, and above all SAFE Independence Day celebration. For everyone else, have a good whatever wherever.

Love,
Gini

The Weekend's in Sight!

We're on the downward slide of the week! Whoo hoo!

As my Hook Me Up! subscribers already know, after the whirlwind that was the beginning of the week, we're back to calm and relaxed in Gini Land. Well, sort of. Team Gini might argue, 'cause they've been busy little worker bees.

Check out the updated Accolades page for the latest and link to any reviews of "Touched by an Alien" you might have missed. Have a review I haven't linked to somehow? Let me know and we'll rectify that pronto!

The Datebook also has yet more new events on it. My BookTour.com page is all up to date. And if you missed the fun interview with Erin Quinn we did here at the Blah, Blah, Blah Blog from a few weeks ago, it's now live on Spotlight.

Speaking of interviews, if you haven't checked out my latest, head over to The Book Addict and do it right now. She's giving away cool prizes all week long but you have to comment to win!

Also speaking of interviews, don't forget that we have Alien Collective member Amber Scott here on Monday to discuss her latest release, "Play Fling", as well as a giveaway! Amber's also got some cool news about an upcoming 1st Turning Point interview, with someone I consider a mentor, so check out The Amber Scott Project and mark your calendars! Authors aspiring to publication in particular should check this out.

I'm heading out to see Dream Theater and Iron Maiden. Hope you all have something equally fun and awesome planned for your weekends!

Love,
Gini

Hopping All Over

Happy Hump Day! Summer's here, and the livin' is easy. Or at least hot. Trust me, I'm here in Hell's Orientation Area where we're supposed to hit 110 degrees Fahrenheit by the weekend. Hot is now my operative word!

But enough on the heat, let's hop into today's news! As my Hook Me Up! subscribers already know, we've got "Touched by an Alien" sightings all over the web.

First up, check out the Teaser Tuesday post (yeah, okay, so I'm a day late and probably a dollar short...but who's counting?) at Rabid Reader. Then head over to The Amber Scott Project and see what's happening with the latest on Project Pay it Forward. After that, jump over to Goodreads, where I've finally got a presence (thanks to Nicole demanding I get said presence...hey, I can be taught!). If you're also on Goodreads, please fan and friend me...my friends list is even smaller than my fans list there (so aloooooone). Finally, if you didn't hit the "Touched by an Alien" review over at Queen of the Frozen North, check out her five reasons to read "Touched by an Alien" and see if you agree with them, or have others to add!

New to the Blah, Blah, Blah Blog and the Alien Collective and want to get all caught up, but don't feel like reading every single blog post? (What's wrong with you?) Bookmark my page at BookTour.com. It's got all my reviews and interviews and more listed, as well as my "tour dates". Want to find out what conferences I'll be attending? My Datebook page now has my tour listings link from BookTour.com on it, too. Between the two, you'll know where I am at any given moment! (Um, usually here, but many times I'm there, too.)

Not on Hook Me Up! yet? What are you waiting for? This is the last week of the Hook Me Up! Exclusive contest...but that doesn't mean that there aren't more contests coming, and if you're on Hook Me Up! you know about them first and get special consideration other members of the Alien Collective don't. Check out the Win Stuff page for what you're missing. Our Week Three winner, Brooke Nelissen, chose the $10 iTunes gift card. What will the Week Four winner choose? Tune in Monday to find out. And sign up on Hook Me Up! today (send an email to gini@ginikoch.com with "Hook Me Up!" in the subject line) so you don't miss out on anything else!

Website updates: New freebies are in and listed on Free Stuff and more are coming soon; more reviews are up on the Accolades page; and the Goodreads widget is up on the Cool Links page for ease of adding "Touched by an Alien" to your Goodreads shelf if it's not already there.

That's it for today, but don't worry. There's more on the horizon, so stay tuned!


Love,
Gini

We Have Winner Liftoff!

As my Hook Me Up! subscribers already know, we've finally achieved a respectable majority vote on the Alien Collective Badge of Honor. *drum roll, please...*

Option 2 is the big winnah!














(Option 3 lovers: the support group is in place.)

Check out the Free Stuff page over the next few days to get access to the Badge as well as other avatars and freebies...and, now that we have an official Badge selection, more will be coming (just as soon as we at Team Gini get them printed up and ready.)

In other website news, the Accolades page is up and running -- keep the cards and letters coming! Remember, Sightings in the Wild is always looking for new pics of "Touched by an Alien" in its various natural habitats. And if you haven't read it yet, we have a great Spotlight interview with author Deborah LeBlanc.

Coming Thursday will be the Blah, Blah, Blah interview with author Erin Quinn, along with a giveaway, so you won't want to miss it!

Love,
Gini

Another Friday = More Yap

Happy Friday to one and all! As my Hook Me Up! subscribers already know, it's a cheerful, and busy, Friday over here in Gini Land! Let's get right to it!

The Yap Runneth Again, over at 1st Turning Point, where authors teach other authors. See what I have to say about Generating the All-Important Buzz and feel free to offer up any tips yourselves.

After you check that out, race on over to The Amber Scott Project where she's got the P.P.I.F. Party (Project Pay it Forward) on the launch pad. See what's happening with the copies of "Touched by an Alien" that are heading out into the world. And, for those of you who've already joined in, please share what you've done with the copy/s you've sent out into the wild. This is such an amazing and awesome thing -- I'm thrilled with the idea itself, and beside myself that "Touched by an Alien" was chosen to be the inaugural book, so please share some Alien Collective love and all your various stories!

But wait, there's more. The polls are still open on the official Badge of Honor for the Alien Collective and we need all your votes coming in! Option 2 is only slightly ahead of Option 3 this morning, so if you love one more than the other (or just like one more than the other), please cast your vote ASAP. Do it on the Blah, Blah, Blah Blog, on my Facebook Fan Page (Hairspray and Rock 'n' Roll), or by sending me an e-mail (gini@ginikoch.com). Because we're in a dead heat, polls will likely stay open throughout the weekend, but the sooner you vote and we have a clear winner, the sooner I can announce the NEXT cool stuff coming down the pike. So, see? There's some incentive for you!









Haven't checked out the latest reviews? Well, what are you waiting for? Give Hanging with Bells some Alien Collective love (and, you know, while you're there, she puts up some LOVELY shots of hunks on a very regular basis...just saying'...), and give the DAW Books Discussion on "Touched by an Alien" some love and support.

And that's not all! Check out the Bookstore for an awesome quote about "Touched by an Alien" from my new most favorite bookseller. Then, after refreshing your pages (trust me, if you can't see what I'm saying, refreshing is your friend), check out the two NEW pages -- Accolades and Free Stuff. Not much there yet, you say? Well, just wait...we're going to be busy at Team Gini, and those pages are going to be filled with stuff, and that soon!

Not on Hook Me Up! yet? You just don't want to have a shot at exclusive contests, offers, and info? Well, for those who DO, just send an email to gini@ginikoch.com with "Hook Me Up!" in the subject line and you'll be all set. And you want to do it soon...'cause the Hook Me Up! only contest is just around the corner.

There's more, so much more, but I'm going to make you wait until next week for it, just 'cause I can.

Love,
Gini