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

Reviews, Anticipations and Yaps, Oh My!

Miss me while I was gone? Well, I missed all of you during the weekend, but TusCon was awesome! I'll do a recap later, 'cause, as my Hook Me Up! subscribers already know, so much went on while I was gone that I have a lot to catch you up on.

First off, we have a new review of "Touched by an Alien". Check out Dren's B-Spot and what she liked best about our fave aliens.

Then, head over to the Bibliophilic Book Blog and see how strong (ARMY strong!) "Alien Tango" actually is. Then, hit Books, According to Nicole and share in the anticipation. And check out what My Need to Read thought of "Touched by an Alien" as well.

Think that's all? No way! The yap is running again! Check out The Book Pushers interview and learn yet more about what we laughingly call "my process". Oh, and *cough cough* there might be an excerpt from "Alien Tango" there, too. Might be. Just sayin'. Could happen.

Next on the hit parade, if you want a chance to see moi in person, you've got more opportunities coming up.

Friday, Nov. 19th -- Author Book Signing, Borders Waterfront, Scottsdale, AZ, 5PM - 7PM. 8 authors, lots of books, yours truly, signing like mad. (Attention Local Alien Collective Members: I might have copies of "Alien Tango" with me, and if I do, I might be persuaded to sell them to you, all early-like. Just sayin' it's a possibility...)
Saturday, Nov. 20th -- Desert Rose Annual Fall Writer's Workshop, Scottsdale, AZ, 9AM - 4:30PM. FREE all day seminar with tracks for all aspiring and new authors on all the aspects of how to and why to write. Scottsdale Public Library.
Saturday, Dec. 11th -- spotlight author at the Mysterious Galaxy Holiday Party, San Diego, CA, 6PM - 8PM. Come get your copy of "Alien Tango", get it signed, and hang out with yours truly at the coolest bookstore around.

That's it for today, but I promise...more is coming, including a Combo Con Swag Giveaway! So stay tuned, live large, and read on!

Love,
Gini

Holy Whirlwind, Batman!

Well, as you all know, I released my beautiful cover for "Alien in the Family" yesterday. And as my Hook Me Up! subscribers already know -- wow, the internet is hopping now, and not just about the cover!

First up, we have a new wonderful review of "Touched by an Alien" over at Book Noise. Have a read, leave a comment, show the Alien Collective love!

Then, check out Alien Collective Members in Very Good Standing Dark Wrym Reads and Books, According to Nicole for their take on the new cover for "Alien in the Family".

Now, head on over to 1st Turning Point and check out my latest article, Twitter Right. A lot of you use Twitter, and use it well, so please add any comments or suggestions you might have!

Reminder that my interview over at I Smell Sheep is still going strong, as is the chance to enter to win the "Sheeped by an Alien" t-shirt, so if you haven't hit the interview to get a chance to win, rectify that omission now!

Not enough? Well, if you want to promote the new "Alien in the Family" cover, or just look at it more up close and personal, send me an email and we'll send it right over so you can. Want more? "Alien in the Family" avatars and such will be up on the Free Stuff page soon!

Still not enough? Well...it'll have to be...'cause tomorrow is Friday, and we all know what Friday is, right? That's right -- it's the start of the "Alien Tango" ARC Giveaway, for Hook Me Up! only! What? You're not on Hook Me Up! yet? You don't want to win the ARC of "Alien Tango" along with a ton of other totally awesome goodies? What's wrong with you? Oh, wait...you DO want to win? Then sign up for Hook Me Up! Send an email to gini@ginikoch.com with "Hook Me Up!" in the subject line, and do it today, 'cause Friday's coming up fast!

Love,
Gini

Ready for the Weekend?

Well, as you can see, I'm late again, but hey, this way, you get your Friday Roundup AND Weekend Update all in one! Such a deal, cheap at twice the price!

As promised, and as my Hook Me Up! subscribers already know, Part 3 of my 3-part series is up on That's QUEEN Bitch to You. Head over, have a read, leave a question or a comment!

Next up, we have a couple of nice shout-outs to "Touched by an Alien". At Stacy's Place on Earth guest SpazP (aka Pamela) shares how she's enjoying the book, and over at Books, According to Nicole "Touched by an Alien" has made her list for the 2010 Science Fiction Romance Challenge!

Haven't heard of this challenge, you say? Well, hit The Galaxy Express for more details. Or go straight to the source at A Writer's Dream where the challenge originated! (Oh, and remember to add "Touched by an Alien" and "Alien Tango" to your challenge list -- hey, "Alien Tango" comes out in early December, it's doable!)

My 300 Twitter Followers contest continues on. Tell your friends, tell your family, tell complete strangers -- when I hit 300, 2 more signed copies of "Touched by an Alien" go out to two lucky followers chosen at random.

But, as always, my heart belongs most to all of my Hook Me Up! subscribers. So don't worry...when it's time to do a contest for an ARC for "Alien Tango", never fear, only those on Hook Me Up! will be eligible.

Wait...you're not on Hook Me Up! you say? Well, now's the time, innit? I mean, with more and more contests on the way, isn't it time you bit the bullet and joined? It's free and easy: just send an email to gini@ginikoch.com with "Hook Me Up!" in the subject line and there you go, you're in and all set for the winning to come!

Meaning you'll also be eligible for my After Comic-Con Contest coming up...wait for it...after Comic-Con! (Where, in case you didn't know, I'll be going as a professional!)

Should you or anyone you know be at Comic-Con San Diego later this month, my panel is on Friday, July 23rd: 10:00-11:00 With Great Power Come Great Stories — Authors discuss creating superhero superfiction, including novels and stories in anthologies like Masked and Wild Cards. Authors include Lou Anders (Masked), Jackie Kessler (the Icarus Project novels), Caitlin Kittredge (the Icarus Project novels), Gini Koch (Touched by an Alien, the Katherine "Kitty" Katt series), Kevin Andrew Murphy (the Wild Cards series), Chris Roberson (Book of Secrets), Caroline Spector (Wild Cards contributor), and Matt Sturges (Justice Society of America). Moderated by Maryelizabeth Hart of Mysterious Galaxy. Room 32AB.

If you'd like to see the full Comic-Con line-up, and be awed at the amount of things to do over four and a half days, hit the main site: http://www.comic-con.org/cci/index.php. Remember, returned memberships are still available. So, if you're going, be sure to let me know so we can meet up! (And yes, I'll take autograph requests for any of the other authors or moderator on my panel...just get 'em to me by Friday, July 16th. Those wanting "Castle" autographs can merely get in their long line and keep the digits crossed that I'll be able to get close enough to score a visual, let alone a signature.)

Last but not least, stay alert, the new "stuff" should be announcement-ready by sometime next week. But until then, have yourselves a wonderful weekend and I'll catch you on the flip side!

Love,
Gini