2014's Starting Off Busy

Happy New Year! I know, that was so last week ago, right? However, as long as it's January, it's still new in my book. And speaking of my books, there's much going on, so let's get caught up, shall we? We shall.

First, a reminder that I'll be the Local Author Guest of Honor at DarkCon this weekend. For those dropping by, or still considering dropping by, here's my schedule: 

 

VIP Party & Raffle, Thursday 6p-10p, DarkSuite room #1014
Grand Opening Gala, Thursday, 9pm – ??, Yuma 
Kaffee Klatsche, Friday 3p-4p, Terrace
Self-Publishing Tips from the Trenches, Friday 5p-6p, Sagebrush
SF vs. Fantasy in Literature,Friday 6p-7p, Yuma
VIP Brunch, Saturday, 11a-12:30p, Yuma
Autographing, Saturday, 1p-2p, Merchant’s Room, my table
Kaffee Klatsche, Saturday, 3p-4p, Terrace
Dr. Who vs. Serenity Smackdown, Saturday, 4p-6p, Sagebrush
Evening Erotica w/Gini & Tina, Saturday, 6p-8p, Sagebrush
Aliens Among Us, Sunday 10a-11a, Sagebrush
Autographing, Sunday, 11a-Noon, Foyer
Worlds of Gini Koch, Sunday, Noon-1:30p, Sagebrush
Writing Different Lengths in Multiple Genres, Sunday 1:30p-2:30p, Sagebrush

I will also have a table in the Merchant's Room: 
Friday, 10a-7p
Saturday, 10a-7p
Sunday, 10a-4p

Right after DarkCon I head to San Diego for the SDSU Writers' Conference, January 24-26. I'll be on these panels -- all on Saturday, January 25th (happy birthday to me! LOL), times and rooms still TBD:
Science Fiction/Fantasy--To Infinity and Beyond
The Hybrid Author--Publishing in Both Traditional and Indy Arenas
Speculative Fiction: The Weird, The Wild and the Scare-You-to-Death

Once I'm back from that, I head out again in February to Coastal Magic, Feb. 6-9; Tucson Festival of Books, Mar. 15-16; my Mini Book Tour for the release of Alien Collective, most dates TBD but I'll be at Mysterious Galaxy San Diego on Saturday, May 10 for their 21st Annual Birthday Bash, and at Mysterious Galaxy Redondo Beach doing a signing at 7:30 on Monday, May 12, for sure; Phoenix Comicon, June 5-8; and San Diego Comic-Con, July 23-27. So far.

Now, on to some things that don't require travel! See what Bibliognome, Gizmo's Reviews, and Seeing Night Reviews thought of Alien Research. Then see what klondykewriter thought of Touched by an Alien.

Then check out what Larissa's Bookish Life thinks are the best books of 2013. And see which are the top 10 books that Gizmo's Reviews wishes Santa had brought her.

That's it for today, but as always, more's on the way. See some of you at DarkCon this weekend. The rest of you enjoy the downward slide towards the weekend, and let's be readers out there! Peace out, my li'l gangstas, and I'll catch you on the flip side!

Love,
Gini

Halloween Humping

Made you look.

Happy Hump Day! I know, I know, I've been essentially silent and not around much. Been busy, mostly because Alien Collective is due and is (shocking no one) not done yet. So I've been focused. FOCUSED I TELL YOU. And I swear that focus has not been on Halloween candy. Much.

But, because things pile up and all that, figured it was about time (high time, past time, and half time) to catch all y'all up on the various happenings going on. So let's get to it, shall we? We shall.

First up and speaking of Alien Collective, have you done your girl a solid and pre-ordered Alien Research yet? (Did you see what I did there? Heh.) You have? I lurves you. You haven't yet? Why ever not? Pre-orders are vitally important, and if we want to keep DAW wanting to keep the series going, they matter even more. You don't want to pre-order because you plan to come see the me at a signing? Then pre-order from that bookstore, my darlings. It makes the bookstore, the publisher, AND the author happy. You get a triple! Such a deal.

Speaking of bookstores and signings and other in-person events, oh my, mark the calendars now:
--Saturday, November 9, 8th Annual FREE Fall Writer's Workshop, Scottsdale Civic Center Library, Scottsdale, AZ, 9:30am-4:30pm, presenting Finding Your Voice 11:15am-12:00noon; What Does It Take To Get Happily Published Today? 1:30-2:15pm
--Saturday, December 7, Mysterious Galaxy San Diego, CA, Eat! Read! Party! Holiday Event, 3-5pm
--Sunday, December 8, Mysterious Galaxy Redondo Beach, CA, Holiday Party, 3-5pm
--Thursday, December 12, The Poisoned Pen, Scottsdale, AZ, 7-8:30pm. There may also be another LiveStream event along with the in-store signing, so stay tuned
--January 9-12, 2014, DarkCon, Phoenix, AZ, where I'm the Local Author Guest of Honor, don't miss this one, it's gonna be huge
--January 24-26, 2014, San Diego State 30th Anniversary Writer's Conference, San Diego, CA; I'm on the faculty, panels to be announced
--February 6-9, 2014, Coastal Magic Con, Daytona Beach, FL, panels, signings, dinners, laser tag, what's not to love
--March 15-16, 2014, Tucson Festival of Books, Tucson, AZ; panels, signings, and lots of booth hours

After making plans to see the me in the coming months, head over to Larissa's Bookish Life and see who her top male book characters are. Then see what Autograph Hound thought of seeing me again at WorldCon. And last but in no way least, see who The Writer Librarian has in her mutual admiration society.

Looking for some Halloween reading? Why not check out The Night Beat or The Happy Acres Haunted Hotel for Active Seniors? Or take a stab at The Disciple, Amazing & Waiting: Two Novelettes, or Hotter Than Hell by me writing as Jemma Chase.Want more? Check out the Bibliography page for all the reading matter that's fit to print!

Last but not least, I have some friends doing a variety of Kickstarter projects you may want to check out (in order of soonest to funding's end):
Neverland's Library
Noble Ark
Publish Masochists

That's it for today, but as always, more's on the way. So enjoy the downward slide towards the weekend, hope those who indulge have a safe and Happy Halloween, and let's be readers out there! Peace out, my li'l gangstas, and I'll catch you on the flip side!

Love,
Gini

Yappin' with McPigs & Kaiju

Happy Monday! Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend and that your weeks are starting out well. Mine's starting out busy, so let's get to it, shall we?

First up, as my Hook Me Up! subscribers already know, the yap is large and in charge over at Pearls Cast Before a McPig, where there's not only an interview with moi, but also two chances to win a copy of either Alien Proliferation, Alien Diplomacy, or Alien vs. Alien. Be sure to leave a comment at the blog to get entered for the second contest!


And that's not all. Hit Between Dreams and Reality to see what she thought of Alien Tango AND to get entered to win either Touched by an Alien, Alien Tango, or Alien in the Family. And if you'd like, check out her review in French.

Speaking of reviews, head over and see what Bitten By Books thought of Alien vs. Alien and Alien in the House.




Have you backed the Kaiju Rising: Age of Monsters Kickstarter yet? If not, what are you waiting for? Lots of great horror authors, including moi writing as J.C. Koch, will be in this one, and there are fantastic stretch goal prizes as well. And, whether or not you've funded, check out the latest coolness -- Kaiju Plushies! AND there's a Backer Badge on the same page -- we just keep on with the giving! If you've already pledged, don't worry, it's simple to add on "Cookie Monster". If you haven't, well, don't delay, fund today! Godzilla, Cookie Monster, and their cronies say it's the right thing to do!

In Person Stuff & Upcoming Events:
For all Central and Northern Arizona peeps, I'll be presenting Writing from the Hindbrain and Archetypes, Stereotypes & Cliches at the NARWA meeting on this Saturday, September 21, from 11am-2pm, at the Prescott Golf & Country Club, 1030 Prescott Country Club Blvd., Dewey, AZ 86327.

Free Fall Writers Workshop, Saturday, November 9th, from 9:30-4:30
Come hear a dozen successful, published authors, including moi, talk about the how-tos and the why-tos of writing. I'll be presenting Finding Your Voice, and also be part of the What Does it Take to Get Happily Published Today? panel. This is a must attend for all aspiring authors and readers who just want to know more about the process and the business...and, seriously, while we could easily charge hundreds of dollars for this event and it would be more than worth it, we mean it when we say that it's FREE. At the Scottsdale Civic Center Library, Scottsdale, AZ.

Mysterious Galaxy Eat! Read! Party! Holiday Event in San Diego
I'll be running the yap and signing Alien Research at the annual Mysterious Galaxy San Diego Holiday Party on Saturday, December 7th, from 3pm-6pm.

Mysterious Galaxy Holiday Event in Redondo Beach
I'll be running the yap and signing Alien Research at the Mysterious Galaxy Redondo Beach Holiday Party on Sunday, December 8th, from 3pm-5pm. (First ever RB appearance, btw, so don't miss it!)

I'll be the Local Author Guest of Honor at DarkCon, in Phoenix, AZ, January 9-12, 2014. Don't miss out on my first real official and not last minute Guest of Honor stint. There are a few more VIP tickets left, and there's going to be a whole Mini Gini Con at this event, so, truly, don't miss this one!

I'll be one of the authors at Coastal Magic, in Daytona Beach, FL, February 6-9, 2014. This will be one of my only, if not THE only, southern & east coast appearances in 2014, so don't miss the chance to come see the me, along with a TROVE of other awesome paranormal and urban fantasy authors.

I have another January announcement coming up in the near future, and many more appearances in 2014, but for now, that's it for today 'cause, well, I have all that writing to get back to. But, in addition to that other announcement, as always, there's more on the way. So, enjoy the week ahead and let's be readers out there. Peace out, my li'l gangstas, and I'll catch you on the flip side!

Love,
Gini

Slicing up the 4th

Happy Hump Day! Hope everyone's having a great week! For those in the U.S., enjoy the 4th of July celebrations and weekend. For those outside the U.S., um, enjoy YOUR 4th of July week and weekend, too. It's a nice time of year, no matter where you are. But we have things to get to, so let's get to them, so we can all race to the weekend.

First up, I have two new reviews up at Slice of SciFi. So go check out what I thought of Despicable Me 2 and The Lone Ranger. I'm also planning to be in the Slice studio next Thursday -- make plans now to watch us tape live, because that's where you get to see everyone acting totally goofy. (Is that a draw? It is for me...)

Next up, see what Books-n-Kisses thought of Alien in the House.

And now, let's see where you can see the me in the coming months, shall we? We shall.

Next week I'll have all the details on where I'll be when at San Diego Comic-Con. And you have lots of chances to see the me if you're going to be there. Here's what I know so far:

PANEL: WITH GREAT POWERS COME GREAT STORIES
Friday, July 19, 1:00 - 2:00pm, Room 28DE
With Great Powers Come Great Stories -- Authors
incorporate superhuman, supernatural, mythological and magical elements
into their novels to weave wonderful tales. Maryelizabeth Hart of
Mysterious Galaxy plays "Aunt May" to authors Thomas Sniegoski (the Remy
Chandler novels), SJ Rozan / Sam Cabot (Blood of the Lamb), Mark Siegel
(Sailor Twain), Mark Kruger (Overpowered), Veronica Wolff (The Watchers
series), Peter Clines (Ex-Heroes), and Gini Koch (The Alien Series).

BOOKSIGNING: Friday AA09 02:30 PM - 03:30 PM

PANEL: STORY TELLING AND WORLD BUILDING
Saturday, July 20, 8:00-9:00pm, Room TBA

Going to SDCC? Be sure to let me know so we can hook up and hang out!

DarkCon 2014 is heating up, and you don't want to miss it. Not only am I a Local Guest of Honor, but they're making one whole day GiniCon, so you want to be sure to attend. It's gonna be huge. Phoenix, AZ, January 9-12, 2014. If you can only go to one con in 2014, make it this one!

For those of you in or around the Florida area, I'll be one of the Featured Authors at Coastal Magic in Daytona Beach, FL, February 6-9, 2014. Tons of awesome authors, great hotel, it's gonna be a blast!

That's it for today, but as always, more's on the way. So enjoy the downward slide to the (for some of us, much sooner) weekend, and let's be readers out there! Peace out, my li'l gangstas, and I'll catch you on the flip side!

Love,
Gini

Names and Other Strangers

Happy Hump Day! Well, Arizona Dreamin' was a lot of fun, and coming right after Phoenix Comicon means I was also a lot of tired. LOL But I'm done with cons until San Diego Comic-Con next month, so revving back up. My con wrap up is coming (still), but there's again so much going on that it'll have to wait while we get to all the new!

First off, head over to Shadowhawk's Shade where the yap is large and in charge, talking about names and how I create and use them.

Next, head over to The SF Site and see what they thought of Alien vs. Alien.

Others have managed to get their Phoenix Comicon recaps done. So, head over to I Smell Sheep for some fun con pics, to They're Biodegradeable for Marcy Rockwell's take on things, and to More Geek Than Gay  for a full blown (2.5 hours!) worth of podcast mostly about the con, complete with clips.

Some of you have asked, and Team Gini has answered. There's now a complete, easy-to-read Bibliography  at the website, linked off of the Bookstore page. So, check out what deathless prose of mine you might be missing.

Change to the information on DarkCon -- I was told the wrong dates, so here are the REAL dates for this con: January 9-12, 2014. SO, please alter the plans made and make plans to attend -- I'm the Local Author Guest of Honor and it's gonna be a big party you don't want to miss!

And now, for something kind of completely different. Two somethings, really. First, for those of you who've been asking me when the next Alexander Outland book would be coming, I direct you to Media Bistro and A View From Corona for the explanations of why there's been no sign of Book 2 and why I can't tell you when Book 2 will be coming. But I do plan on writing at least two more books in the Alexander Outland series...I just can't yet tell you when to expect them.

Second, there's another kind of drama going on related to SFWA. For a good recap, check out this article at Adweek. Then check out the plethora of author responses, nicely collected by author Jim Hines. Then...I wasn't going to actually participate in all of this, feeling that Kitty and Victoria and my other female characters already speak my thoughts clearly, but author Stuart Sharp has pulled me into it, with the Huffington Post coming down firmly on the side of women authors being allowed to write whatever they want, and Sharp giving his rebuttal of same.

My response to this will be my June column at Slice of SciFi/It's Comic Book Day!, going up somewhere in the very near future, just as soon as my editor there can find the appropriate beefcake and women in uniform shots.

That's it for today, but as always, more's on the way, hopefully but not limited to my con recaps. So, enjoy the downward slide towards the weekend and let's be readers out there! Peace out, my li'l gangstas, and I'll catch you on the flip side!

Love,
Gini

Name Yapping

Happy Hump Day! It's Week 6 of the Tidy My Office contest, and yes, I still can't believe how fast the weeks have flown. Less than two weeks of galley winning to go, so make them count and get your entries in! After all, there's only one marked up galley of Alien vs. Alien, and there's only one way to win it!

Ah, but it's for Hook Me Up! only. So if you're not on that exclusive list yet, now's the time. Send an email with "Hook Me Up!" in the subject line to gini@ginikoch.com and you'll be in the club and get the rules sent to you.

Speaking of which, we'll be announcing the winner of the marked up galley for Alien Diplomacy in just a little bit so, if you entered, keep your eyeballs peeled.

But there's more going on than just winning, so let's check the rest of it out, shall we? We shall! First off, head over to Yummy Men & Kick Ass Chicks where moi, Jennifer Estep, Gena Showalter, Jenn Bennett, and Cecy Robson are all discussing our characters' names and how we came up with them. Yes indeed, it's another chance to learn more about my so-called "process", so don't miss it!

Then, see what Into the Dreaming thought of Alien Proliferation.

Reminders of Upcoming Events, or Where to See the Me All Over, or Mark Your Calendars for Alien Collective Interactions:

Tucson Festival of Books: Saturday & Sunday, March 9-10, Tucson, AZ
PANELS: Both my panels are on Saturday, March 9
10-11am -- Science Fiction: Romance, the Last Frontier in SciFi & Fantasy, Integrated Learning Center - Room 140, Book Signing immediately after, 11:00-11:30
11:30am-12:30pm -- Romance: It's not all Demons, Death and Destruction, Koffler - Room 216, Book Signing immediately after, 12:30-1:00
BOOK SIGNINGS: Both my official book signings are on Sunday, March 10
1:30-2:30pm Mysterious Galaxy/Penguin Booth #s301-302
3:00-4:00 Poisoned Pen Booth #s230-231
I will be at the Arizona Dreamin' Booth, Booth #s 125-126, 131-132, all the rest of the time, selling and signing books and generally running the yap, so come on by!

The Poisoned Pen: Wednesday, May 8, 7:00-8:30pm, Scottsdale, AZ BOOK SIGNING for Alien in the House (and any/all the other bookie wookies, too).

Mysterious Galaxy 20th Birthday Bash: Saturday, May 11, 10am-5pm, San Diego, CA BOOK SIGNING for Alien in the House (and any/all the other bookie wookies, too). LOTS of authors attending this event!

Phoenix Comicon: May 23-26, Phoenix, AZ

Arizona Dreamin': May 31-June 2, Chandler, AZ
SPECIAL AZD OFFER: The first two Members of the Alien Collective in Very Good Standing who respond and request will be able to buy a more-than-half-price ticket to this event. Right now tickets are going for $79/each, but you can get one from me for $35.00. I only have 2 of these puppies, so don't dither or dally. 20 authors will be at this event, focused solely on readers and why we love them!

San Diego Comic-Con: July 17-21, San Diego, CA

DarkCon 2014/Gini Con: January 16-19, 2014 (Gini Con Jan. 19th), Mesa, AZ. I'm the Local Author Guest of Honor AND they're making special programming around all my worlds. SO, for those of you who've asked for Gini Con, it's time. MAKE YOUR PLANS NOW to attend this coming January...it's gonna be huge.

And now it's time to announce the winner of the marked up galley of Alien Diplomacy:

Dragonbreathe

Note to our winner: You have until Sunday, February 24th to check in by sending me an email with your name (first and last) and your full mailing address. If I don't hear from you, the Gods of Random will demand a sacrifice and a new winner will be chosen.

That's it for today, but as always, more's on the way. So enjoy the downward slide to the weekend, and let's be readers out there! Peace out, my li'l gangstas, and I'll catch you on the flip side!

Love,
Gini

Slicing Up the Public Appearances

Happy Hump Day! The winner of the marked up Alien in the Family galley has been chosen, and we'll get to that in a bit. But first, live(ish) from the Slice of SciFi studio, it's time for Geek Nation Tours: 2013, featuring moi as a guest commentator. Check it out, and leave comments on the Slice website and/or call in (206-339-8735) -- the Slice gang love both! (Calls or comments mentioning how much you love that new girl guest commentator especially appreciated. ;-D)

But wait, there's more! Just in, yet another webcast over at Slice, this one featuring a lot of  moi yapping about Comic Book Biz Bashing. Check it out and add your thoughts or call them in!

Speaking of Slice of SciFi, my February column is up at It's Comic Book Day!, so check it out and, again, leave comments if you're so in the mood.

Next up, my "con season" is about to start, so we all know what time it is, now, right? Right! It's time for a Public Appearance Roundup!

Tucson Festival of Books: Saturday & Sunday March 9 & 10, 9:00am-5:30pm both days, Tucson, AZ. I'll be signing at the Mysterious Galaxy/Penguin Booth (Main Area #301-302), the Poisoned Pen Booth (Main Area #230-231) -- times and date TBA -- and at the Arizona Dreamin' Romance Books Booth (Main Area #125-126, 131-132) whenever I'm not at MG or PP or on panels. My panels are -- SF/F: Romance, the Last Frontier, and Rom: It's not all Demons, Death and Destruction. My panels will be on Saturday the 9th, but times are still in flux and will be announced later. This is the 4th largest book fair in the country, so don't miss out!

Mysterious Galaxy 20th Birthday Bash: Saturday, May 11, 10am-5pm, San Diego, CA. Come see the me and a ton of other awesome authors and get Alien in the House and all your other bookie wookies signed!

Phoenix Comicon: Thursday-Sunday, May 23-26, Th. 4:00pm-9:00pm, Fri. 9am-7:00pm, Sat., 8:00am-7:00pm, Sun. 9:00am-5:30pm, Phoenix Convention Center, Phoenix, AZ. Still the best little convention that could -- big enough to draw huge names, small enough for you to be able to meet them all. Great panels, awesome exhibit hall, and moi. What more incentive do you need? Panels, signings, and exhibit hall location TBD.

Arizona Dreamin': Friday-Sunday, May 31-June 2, Chandler, AZ. Heavy duty reader focused event that gets you up close and personal with a lot of cool authors including moi. Keep the eyeballs peeled -- I'll be offering special ticket deals starting next week. Final schedule TBD.

San Diego Comic-Con: Wednesday-Sunday, July, 18-12, San Diego Convention Center, San Diego, CA. Don't miss out on seeing the me at the granddaddy of them all! Panels and signings TBD.

DarkCon 2014: Thursday-Sunday, January 16-19, 2014, Mesa, AZ. I'm the Local Guest of Honor at this one, and they've already declared Jan. 19, 2014 the official day of GiniCon. It's gonna be HUGE! So you need to start saving the money now, get the time off work now, and get it all scheduled in now, so that next January we can party like it's 15 years after 1999!

As always, as more events add in, you'll be the first to know. But now, let's get to what you want to know today -- who won Alien in the House's galley.

Our winner is:

Shrouded Heart

Note to our winner: You have until Sunday, February 10th to check in by sending me an email with your name (first and last) and your full mailing address. If I don't hear from you, the Gods of Random will demand a sacrifice and a new winner will be chosen.

The contest for Alien Proliferation's galley is going on now. It's for Hook Me Up! subscribers only, so if you're not on, now's the time to change that. Send an email with "Hook Me Up!" in the subject line to gini@ginikoch.com and you'll be in and sent the contest rules.

That's it for today, but as always, more's on the way. So enjoy the downward slide towards the weekend, and let's be readers out there! Peace out, my li'l gangstas, and I'll catch you on the flip side!

Love,
Gini

Here, There, and Everywhere

Happy Hump Day! Hope everyone's weeks are going nicely and that everyone's healthy. I say that because pretty much everyone I know is sick (other than moi, and I'm trying hard to hold the illness hordes at bay). Sick is never fun, so sending get well thoughts out to any who are under the weather, and stay healthy thoughts to everyone else!

There's much going on, of course, so let's get to it! First off, awesome DAW author Patrick Rothfuss is doing a huge fundraiser with some seriously huge prizes, including a prize of a copy of every book published by DAW Books in 2012. That's BIG, gang, and the cause is a great one (Heifer International), so if you're able, give a little and get entered to win a lot.

Next up, see what Larissa's Bookish Life thinks are the top 5 covers coming in 2013 so far. Then head over to see what Medusa's Library has started the year off reading, and rereading, and The Writer Librarian is showing off Alien in the House.

Now, let's check out some of the places where you can see the me, and many other awesome authors, in the upcoming months! First off, I'll be in Eureka Springs, Arkansas later this month for the Other Worlds Fantasy Fest, January 25th through 27th. This is likely the only time I'm going to be in this part of the country this year, so if you can make it, this is the con to make it for.

I'll also be at the Tucson Festival of Books, March 9th & 10th. The TFoB is the 4th largest book fair in the country. And I won't be alone. Check out the listing of authors confirmed to attend, and then see the list broken out by genre and activity. Make your plans to attend, it's gonna be huge.

Speaking of huge, I'll also be at Phoenix Comicon over Memorial Day Weekend, May 23-26. This is a great con because it's big enough to attract huge media guests (cast of Babylon 5, anyone?) and small enough that you can meet and interact with those guests. If you can only hit one this year, this is the one.

But if you want a more intimate experience that's more reader focused than anything else, hit Arizona Dreamin', May 31st through June 2nd. And, for the opposite of intimate but the granddaddy of cool, of course I plan to be at San Diego Comic-Con from July 18th through July 21st.

Speaking of huge...if you can only go to one con in 2014, make sure that it's DarkCon 2014, January 16th through 19th, where at I will be the Local Author Guest of Honor AND we will be having GiniCon on the last day of the con on the 19th, with extra activities all the way through for all Members of the Alien Collective in Very Good Standing. This is a full See The Me situation where you'll get access like never before and lots of it, PLUS there will be other awesome authors and media guests in attendance as well. Seriously, start saving up and getting the time off work now, because it's gonna be huge.

If you didn't catch my inaugural review column over at Slice of SciFi and It's Comic Book Day now's the time. Feel free to leave comments at the sites if you enjoy my reviews of all things nerd -- it makes the folks at Slice of SciFi feel warm and fuzzy, and we all like to feel warm and fuzzy, don't we?

Last but not least, the Preditors & Editors Readers Poll is still going on, and Alien Diplomacy and I both still need your votes. So do your girl a solid and cast your votes, please and thank you. And while we're on the subject of solids, remember to pre-order Alien in the House, please and thank you again. Yes, those pre-orders matter, matter, matter, and I love you all for doing so!

Well, that's it for today, but as always, more's on the way. So enjoy the downward slide to the weekend, and let's be readers out there! Peace out, my li'l gangstas, and I'll catch you on the flip side!

Love,
Gini

Mega-Announcement Monday

Happy Monday! Hope everyone had a fabulous weekend! I sure did. It was great seeing so many of you at Barnes & Noble Desert Ridge on Friday -- made me want to do signings every night. I also got to hang out with awesome author Weston Ochse at his signing for SEAL Team 666 at the Poisoned Pen the next day. So a busy weekend was had by moi. But, as my Hook Me Up! subscribers already know, there's a LOT going on, especially in terms of announcements -- some I've been dying to tell you, some just discovered -- so let's get to it!

Where to start, where to start...well, let's start with this: Alien vs. Alien made the Barnes & Noble Bestseller list in its first week of release! Whoo double Hoo! And THAT is all because of all of you! Thank you for pre-ordering and buying -- all y'all rock above all others!

Speaking of which, see what A Buckeye Girl Reads and Night Owl Reviews thought of Alien vs. Alien. And if you somehow haven't gotten your copy yet -- rectify!

Speaking of rocking above all others, the Alien Collective Virtual HQ has something I think you're all gonna love -- and that's the world premiere of the cover for Alien in the House! I love this cover, and I'm pretty sure you all will, too. I can't wait until it's on the entire bookie wookie, either, can you? (Required reminder: It's never too early to pre-order -- Alien in the House, coming May 7, 2013.)

Since we've mentioned upcoming books, it's time to share something new about new upcoming books. Turned out that as I was finishing Alien in the House, I realized that the characters had a lot to do. Lots and lots and lots to do. So much to do, in fact, that it's requiring another book. And because I have the best editor in the world and DAW is the best publisher in the world, I'm getting to do that additional book. SO, officially, Alien Research will now be Book 8, coming December 2013, with Alien Collective/Book 9 coming May 2014, Universal Alien/Book 10 coming December 2014, and Alien Separation/Book 11, coming May 2015. (And there was much rejoicing, at least by me and the characters. Trust me, the characters and I NEED Alien Research.) 

Right now you're all thinking, "Wow, those are some epic announcements. Bet she's about to say that's it for today." And right now I can tell you -- you're wrong. Because...wait for it...there's MORE.

Because I'm not busy enough (apparently) and feel that even an hour of sleep is too much (really apparently), when Slice of SciFi and It's Comic Book Day graciously asked me to become their featured guest columnist and frequent yet random podcast guest/commentator, I said, "Yes! Yes! Me! Pick me!" So, beginning in January, you'll get more doses of moi sharing my thoughts on all things comics and related at regularly random intervals. I know, like you don't hear from me enough already. But now, you get MORE. I'm a giver, me.

Again you think I'm done, and again I say I'm not. As with the others, this announcement is pretty darned huge. As with the others, I could have doled them out, one per day. But no. No, I decided to do it ALL today and overwhelm and astound, 'cause that's the kind of girl I am. So...here it comes...Mega-Announcment #5...

DarkCon 2014, Jan. 16-19, 2014/Thurs.-Sun. of MLK Weekend, has asked me to be the Local Author Guest of Honor! And that's not all. They've also heard your pleas for a Gini Con of some kind. Well, when my fans cry out in the darkness, the Dark Ones listen. Not only will I be the Local GoH, but they're officially making all day Sunday of the con Gini Con -- all about the me and all about the you! So, start saving up, book the time off of work right now, lock those babysitting arrangements in place, plan to vacation where the weather's always better in the winter, and come to the Dark Side with me in 2014! Details will continue to follow, but truly, this is going to be a stellar opportunity, and the other Guests of Honor are gonna be awesome, too. You don't want to miss this one!

Whew. Well, finally, we reach the end of the Epic Announcements of Epicness. Enjoy the start of what's likely to be a hectic, but hopefully joyous, week, and I'll catch you on the flip side. Peace out, my li'l gangstas, and let's be readers out there!

Love,
Gini