It's a Valentine's Blog! (Don't Faint)

Happy Valentine's Day and I hope the shock of an actual blog post doesn't throw off your celebratory groove! Speaking of  a celebratory groove, I have some awesome news. Vicki K has come aboard onto Team Gini as my Communications Manager, to help ensure that you hear from me more than once in what seems like an epoch. So please give her a big Alien Collective Welcome (she's why this is actually showing up today)! Now, read on for all the news about all the things, including the exciting news that I'm leaving the Writing Cave in the Manse to make a personal appearance soon... Touched by an Alien turns 10! Hard as it is to believe, the 10th anniversary of the publication of Touched by an Alien, aka The Book That Started It All, happens this April. And I'm doing something sort of special for it...I'm heading home to party with my peeps. I'll be at The Poisoned Pen bookstore in Scottsdale, Arizona on Friday, April 10th, from 7pm to close, partying with the staff, the bookie wookies, and any of y'all that can join me! (There may be a LiveStream, so stay tuned if you're too far to come in person.) Yes, we plan to have a Food With Fans event prior, so watch this space, so to speak. Can't wait to see everyone and feel the desert air again! There's a big question it seems like all y'all have been asking me -- why has Aliens Like Us disappeared from everyone's preorders? And the follow-up question -- why isn't it yet BACK on everyone's pre-orders? The bookie wookie is still off the schedule so that I can make it the awesome book I see in my head and have described to my editor. And that's going a little slower than we'd all like, but it IS coming and before we're into a new decade, promise. (Hopefully before we're into a new year, too.) So, hang tough and hang tight -- Kitty and Company have not deserted you, and, despite how little you've heard from me in the past year or so, neither have I.  BTW...these days, pre-orders matter more and more, and I want to thank EVERYONE who pre-ordered only to get weird "coming in the year 3000" and similar notices. Please do your girl a solid and either keep your pre-orders of Aliens Like Us going, re-pre-order if you canceled in despair, either now or when it's once again scheduled (and anything else from me and your other favorite authors) from your favorite bookstore or online retailer. Kitty & Company will appreciate it, and so will I, particularly since my publisher really and truly cares about this, especially for books that are, shall we say, a tad or *cough* more overdue. Speaking of Valentine's Day, here's a little poem I share every year because it's true... Roses are red, violets are blue, my fans are the best, and I love all of you. Communications Manager Moment Hello! I'm Vicki K and I've joined Team Gini as her Communications Manager, helping Gini share all the news and updates we fans love to hear. Yep, I'm a fan too, and I'm delighted to be working with my favorite living author. Team Gini Forever! Facebook Twitter Instagram Pinterest Need More Things to Keep You Occupied Until I Get Aliens Like Us Over to DAW?   We've got you covered.   The Latest Anthologies Featuring "Pickman's Daughter" by moi writing as J.C. Koch Featuring "The Last Day on Earth" by moi writing as Anita Ensal, coming April 15, 2020 Featuring "Portal Pirates" by moi writing as Anita Ensal Featuring "Missy the Were-Pomeranian vs. The Lord of Time" Featuring "A Lawman, an Outlaw, and a Gambler Walk Into a Bar..." by moi writing as A.E. Stanton Featuring "The Three Assassins of Lord Slaughter" by moi writing as Anita Ensal Featuring "H.P. and Me", a Necropolis Enforcement Files prequel. Featuring "The Vampire's Apprentice"...one of Tangent Online's 3 Star Short Stories for 2018! So many bookie wookies, so much time to catch up on all of them while waiting for Aliens Like Us. Check out my Bookstore and Bibliography for all the things! Audio Books Official Selection HEAR Now: The Audio Fiction and Arts Festival 2018 By moi writing as G.J. Koch Because I know some of you are going to ask...we are still working to get the Alien series onto audio. As with so many things, hang tight, it'll happen (if we all clap really hard and believe a pixie can fly and all that jazz...). That's it for today but, despite all the evidence to the contrary, more's on the way. Have great weekends, whether you're going out with a special someone, a group, or just doing your own thing with your own bad self, stay warm and dry or cool and comfy, depending on where you are in the world, and let's be readers out there! Peace out, my li'l gangstas, and I'll catch you on the flip side! Love,  Gini

Workin' for the Weekend

I'm ba-ack! From the first two thirds of book tour and for less than a week before Phoenix Comicon starts, but back I am. And boy, do we have a LOT that's been going on. So let's get right to it, shall we? We shall!

First up, book tour has been great so far. But I know many of you couldn't make it. So, here's a listing of ALL the places where you can currently find the bookie wookies all signed and waiting for you.

Mysterious Galaxy in San Diego, CA where they will also ship to you anywhere in the world. I got to sign with new author Steve Pantazis, who also joined us for Food With Fans and who is a totally cool dude.

Barnes and Noble in Henderson, NV (567 North Stephanie, Henderson, NV 89014, 702-434-1533). All three Barnes and Noble bookstores in Henderson (Rainbow Promenade, 2191 N Rainbow Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89108, 702-631-1775 and Crossroads Commons, 8915 W. Charleston, Las Vegas, NV 89117, 702-242-1987 ) will have signed copies of the Alien series, BTW. However, only this main one will have signed copies of all the other bookie wookies (including Two Hundred and Twenty-One Baker Streets, and read on for why that matters a lot) as well as signed books from awesome authors T.L. Smith, Alan Black, Sharon Skinner, Marsheila Rockwell, and Jeff Mariotte.

But those aren't all. My awesome Personal Assistant and moi stopped at a variety of Barnes and Noble bookstores along the way. So, in no particular order, you can also find the bookie wookies signed at:

Bookstar/Barnes and Noble Point Loma (Loma Theater, 3150 Rosecrans Place, San Diego, CA 92110, 619-225-0465). This bookstore is a converted movie theater and it is da BOMB in terms of both its staff and it's architectural design both inside and out. You HAVE to check it out if you're anywhere close to Point Loma, signed bookie wookies or no signed bookie wookies. This was, hands down, the coolest bookstore we saw on the trip. Tell the staff Gini sent you, BTW -- they were totes excited to have me drop by and are incredibly nice folks.

Barnes and Noble Hazard Center (7610 Hazard Center Dr Ste 315, San Diego, CA 92108, 619-220-0175).

Barnes and Noble Yuma (819 W 32nd St, Yuma, AZ 85364, 928-317-1466).

Barnes and Noble Oceanside (El Camino North Shopping Center, 2615 Vista Way, Oceanside, CA 92054, 760-529-0106 ). Say hi to Rachel if you go in there and ask her how she liked Touched by an Alien.

Barnes and Noble Irvine Spectrum (Irvine Spectrum Center, 728 Spectrum Center Drive, Irvine, CA 92618, 949-585-0233).

Barnes and Noble at the Grove at Farmer's Market (189 The Grove Drive Suite K 30, Los Angeles, CA 90036, 323-525-0270). By far the most "Celebrity" of all the bookstores, but staffed with truly nice and competent folks. It was the largest bookstore we saw (three gigantic stories) and it still managed to be welcoming.

Barnes and Noble Canyon Country/Valencia (Creekside Place, 23630 Valencia Blvd., Santa Clarita, CA 91355, 661-254-6604).

Barnes and Noble Palm Desert (Westfield Shoppingtown Palm Desert, 72-840 Highway 111, Suite 425, Palm Desert, CA 92260, 760-346-0725). Best food at a Food With Fans event was at this mall, which looks underwhelming from the outside but is fantabulous on the inside. Bobby Mao's is utterly fantastic, and our waitress turned out to be a fan! (Waves to Juley.)

I'll be hitting stores in the Greater Phoenix Metro Area over the next few weeks, but if you're here, you know you need to see the me live, up close, and in person at Phoenix Comicon, May 28-31, Table 14133, and/or at The Poisoned Pen on Monday, June 8 at 7pm. Prizes and goodies will be provided at the Pen, and we'll be broadcasting the event live via LiveStream so this is the way all of you who aren't nearby can see the me and join in the fun and prize winning! BTW, you can register for the LiveStream event now, so that you get a reminder alert and such and don't miss it. Hey, I'm a giver, me.

For those who always come to the annual Phoenix Comicon Food With Fans event, that will be on Friday, May 29th (outside the con, no PCC badge needed), and the Evening Erotica event will be on Saturday, May 30th (con badge required). We will most likely be sending out FWF updates via Facebook and Twitter so follow moi (@GiniKoch), Joseph (@jag4a), and/or Team Gini (@RealTeamGini) for Twitter updates, and friend moi, Joseph Gaxiola, and/or Kelsey Rowe on Facebook to stay abreast of all the deets.

Took pics of moi or the bookie wookies during book tour or just whenever? Taking pics of moi or the bookie wookies at PCC or whenever? Send 'em to our Super Sightings Girl Kelsey (kelsey@ginikoch.com) so she can get the up onto Sightings in the Wild!

And now it's time for that big announcement I've been mentioning that you've all been waiting for. (You have, I promise, you have.) Check out what Abaddon Books has just announced -- that's right, more Holmes stories, including a new one from moi! Get ready for the Two Hundred and Twenty One Baker Streets B series! My novella, "A Study in Starlets", is coming later this year!

Speaking of announcements, check out one of the two awesome covers for the MECH: Age of Steel anthology coming soon to Kickstarter from Ragnarok Publications. This cover image could be for my story, "Jaegermeister", writing as J.C. Koch, though it isn't (my story gets a two page illustration spread, though!) and there will be tuckerizarions available and, trust me, you WANT to be in this story of mine (or in any of the others that will be available). So, keep the eyeballs peeled for when this Kickstarter will go live (later in the year) and start saving up now!

Not sure about getting in on a Kickstarter? See what SFF Audio thought of the audio version of Ragnarok's first book, Kaiju Rising: Age of Monsters, which includes my short story, "With Bright Shining Faces", written as J.C. Koch.

Speaking of announcements, the Table of Contents is up for the Temporally Out of Order anthology! You can also click through from the TOC announcement to get to the Zombies Need Brains page, where you can still pre-order this puppy! This is the anthology that has "Alien Time Warp" in it, which takes place during Alien Separation. So you know you need it.

The DAW Books Review has all the new DAW releases for May listed -- gotta get 'em all! --and they also has a discussion about Alien Separation started as well. Have comments, theories, or just want to share what you think? Do it here!

Speaking of Alien Separation, we have a lot of reviews in. So, check out what, in no particular order, these reviewers all thought of it: Under the Covers, Just Talking Books, Feeling Fictional, Word of the Nerd, Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell, Books in Brogan, Literary Addicts Book Community, Musings and Ramblings, La Crimson Femme, Alternative Worlds II, and Gizmo's Reviews.

Books 'n' Kisses features the Alien series for its SINsational Saturday Series, About Entertainment lists Little Known Keeper Shelf Books which includes a certain series ;-D, and Fresh Fiction talks about Genre Blending, highlighting the Alien series as well.

On a very personal note, we lost two of the Members of the Alien Collective in Very Good Standing while I was on tour. Janet Rhudy lost her fight with ALS/Lou Gehrig's Disease, and Robert Palsma's mother, Mary, lost her battle with leukemia due to a variety of complications. Please send good thoughts out to their families -- both were wonderful ladies and will be sorely missed.

Amazingly enough, that's all for today. And the past two and a half weeks. But, as always, more's on the way. You have a few hours to get entered for the contests going on -- one here at the Blah, Blah, Blah Blog (just look at the post below this one) and one for Hook Me Up! subscribers only. (Not on Hook Me Up! yet? Rectify fast by sending an email with "Hook Me Up!" in the subject line to gini@ginikoch.com.) Both contests end at midnight tonight. Winners will be announced next week. Prizes will go out after Phoenix Comicon, so sometime in June.

So, everyone have fantastic weekends and let's be readers out there. Peace out, my li'l gangstas, and I'll catch you on the flip side!

Love,
Gini

Psst, Wanna Be In One of My Stories?

Happy Tuesday! Well, it's another short and sweet one today! So hang onto your hats and away we go!

First up, the Kickstarter anthology, Unidentified Funny Objects 4 is live and in less than 24 hours two out of my 3 tuckerizations are gone! My story, "Support Your Local Alien", will be an Alien series short, set in my steampunk world, giving you the next adventures of the characters you met in my story in the Clockwork Universe: Steampunk vs. Aliens anthology, "A Clockwork Alien". So, if you want to get in on this and be a character in one of my stories (and unlike many, I tend to not kill off my tuckers but turn them into long-term supporting characters), now's the time!

The UFO4 anthology will also have stories from Neil Gaiman, George R.R. Martin, Jody Lynn Nye, Piers Anthony, and more. So don't miss out, get in on this one today! (Also authors, aspiring and otherwise -- UFO4 is accepting submissions for this antho, too, so scroll down to see what they're offering and looking for.)

After you check out this new fun anthology, take a look at what The Bookie Monster thought of one of the first Kickstarter anthos I've been in -- Kaiju Rising: Age of Monsters, featuring "With Bright Shining Faces" by moi writing as J.C. Koch.

And last but not least, since we're yapping anthologies, you can still get a pre-order in for the Temporally Out of Order anthology, featuring my Alien series short, "Alien Time Warp", which takes place during Alien Separation. Pre-orders are from Zombies Need Brains -- scroll all the way to the bottom of the page to find the TOoO pre-order info.

That's it for today, but as always, more's on the way. So let's be anthology and Alien series short story reading readers out there!

Love,
Gini

Yappin' Live

Happy Monday!

I know! It's an amazing surprise that I've managed to actually, you know, do an update on a Monday. (Don't get used to it. LOL) It's a reasonably short and sweet one today, too. I know again! What were the odds, right?

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend -- I certainly did, getting to hang out with awesome author and cartoonist Christopher Baldwin and awesome author Marsheila Rockwell. And today, I'll get to virtually hang out with some over you, over at Night Owl Reviews where the Paranormal Romance Dream Team -- Erin Kellison, Erin Quinn, Caris Roane, and moi -- will be doing a live chat at 8pm ET/7pm CT/6pm MT/5pm PT. You still have time to RSVP in order to win lots of prizes! When you RSVP you'll also get a reminder about the live chat. I can't wait to be able to talk (and talk, and, as all those who were on before remember, talk) to all of you!

Speaking of paranormal, a reminder that I have a collection of paranormal stories, written as Jemma Chase, available for pre-order from Amazon right now. The Disciple and Other Stories of the Paranormal will be on sale at all outlets on March 20th.

After you get all set to yap with me this evening, head over to the Nameless Digest where they're spotlighting stories from the epic A Darke Phantastique anthology. You'll get a taste of mine, "Outsiders", written as J.C. Koch, so check it out and find out why I wrote this particular story.

Then see what DAW Books Reviews thought of Alien Collective. And join the conversation about the bookie wookie, too!

Don't forget this upcoming weekend, Saturday, March 14 and Sunday, March 15, I'll be at the Tucson Festival of Books. It's the fourth largest Book Fair in the country, so you don't want to miss out. When I'm not doing panels or signings, you can find me at The Dreams Booth, Booth #106.  Yes, I'll be signing all the bookie wookies, including Universal Alien, so come out, say hi, and bring all your books to get 'em signed or buy them from me when you're there -- I'm easy that way!

My current TFoB schedule: 
--Saturday, March 14, 4-5pm - Making Magic Real: Suspending Reader Disbelief, Integrated Learning Center Room 130; signing immediately after Sales and Signing Area - Integrated Learning Center  
--Sunday, March 15, 11:30am-12:30 pm - I Got Nuthin' – Battling Writer's Block, Integrated Learning Center Room 141; signing immediately after Sales and Signing Area - Integrated Learning Center  
--Sunday, March 15, 2:30-3:30pm - Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, and Sci-Fi, Koffler Room 216; signing immediately after Sales and Signing Area - Koffler Patio


The Alien Separation book tour in May is shaping up. I'll be at Mysterious Galaxy in San Diego, CA on Saturday, May 9th, Barnes and Noble in Henderson, NV on Sunday, May 17th, and The Poisoned Pen in Scottsdale, AZ on Monday, June 8th. The chicklet is graduating from law school in the midst of all that and Phoenix Comicon is the last weekend in May, so full details and more dates will be announced as we have time and sanity to announce them! Keep an eye out here and on the Datebook for updates and for alerts for which events we have Food With Fans planned.

Have you taken a picture with moi? Of the bookie wookies in the wild? Of any Gini Swag you've gotten your paws on? Then send those pics to Team Gini's most enthusiastic member, our Super Sightings Girl, Kelsey (kelsey@ginikoch.com), so she can get them up at Sightings in the Wild. She's been doing tons of updates, so if you sent in a pic a while ago, check out the redesign of the Sightings pages and see where your pic's ended up (and let her know if you don't see it there so we can hunt it down and rectify!).

Believe it or not that's it for today. But never fear, more's on the way. So enjoy the week and let's be live chatting readers out there!

Love,
Gini

Cover Premiere Friday

Happy Friday! Hope everyone had a great week. It's been busy over here in Gini Land, and, as our title suggests, we have a cover premiere for all y'all. So let's get to it, shall we? We shall! 

Leah Cannon attended all of the workshops I taught at the SDSU Writer's Workshop in January and she blogged about it, too, over at Leah Can Science. Check it out and discover some of the wisdom I extolled.
 
Then check out Heroes and Heartbreakers to see why they recommend Touched By An Alien as one of their book to read as well as re-read.
 
After that, author Henry Hertz's newest book, Monster Goose Nursery Rhymes from Birch Tree Publishing is now available. It's full of fun stuff for all of us into geek and nerd culture, so have a looksee!

Next up, check out a new review of Kaiju Rising: Age of Monsters from United Federation of Charles to see what he thought of all the stories, including With Bright Shinning Faces by moi writing as J.C. Koch.
 
Now for some science! Per IFL Science, mathematician and Father of the Computer Alan Turing’s code-breaking papers were recently discovered by some workers at the multimillion pound restoration project of Bletchley Park. These papers will be going on display soon, right after the Dazzlers have a look at them.
 
Universal Alien is turning out to be fact and not fiction according to a report from The Spirit Science. I'm sure all y'all will agree with me when I say that I told you about it first!  

A reminder for my upcoming in-person schedule of events:

Monday, March 9, 5-6pm PST/8-9 EST - I and the rest of the Paranormal Romance Dream Team will be be participating in another Night Owl Reviews live chat. Last time we gave out lots of prezzies, and I'm sure this time will be no different. The chat will run from 5-6 pm PST/8-9 EST. Don't miss out, it's sure to be a blast and a half!

Saturday, March 14 and Sunday, March 15 - I'll be at the Tucson Festival of Books. It's the fourth largest Book Fair in the country, so you don't want to miss out. When I'm not doing panels or signings, you can find me at The Dreams Booth, Booth #106. 

My current TFoB Schedule: 

Saturday, March 14, 4-5pm - Making Magic Real: Suspending Reader Disbelief, Integrated Learning Center Room 130; signing immediately after Sales & Signing Area - Integrated Learning Center 

Sunday, March 15, 11:30am-12:30 pm - I Got Nuthin' – Battling Writer's Block, Integrated Learning Center Room 141; signing immediately after Sales & Signing Area - Integrated Learning Center 

Sunday, March 15, 2:30-3:30pm - Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, and Sci-Fi, Koffler Room 216; signing immediately after Sales & Signing Area - Koffler Patio

Saturday, March 28, 12-4 pm - mass author signing at the Book Vault, 2055 S. Power Road, Entrance #3 in Mesa AZ, featuring moi along with awesome authors Alan Black, Kris Tualla, Deena Remiel, and Melanie Tighe. 

New Sightings in the Wild are up at the website. Have pics to send in? Send 'em to our SuperSightingsGirl, Kelsey, at kelsey@ginikoch.com. She LIVES to get your pics, yes she does!

Last but not least, it's time for what you've been waiting for. Yes! The cover for Alien Separation is here! Check it out over at my Premieres page and revel in its awesome beauty!

That's it for today, but as always, more's on the way. So, enjoy your weekends, for those of you watching the Oscars like I'll be, enjoy the fashions and the fashion disasters, and let's be cover adoring readers out there. Peace out, my li'l gangstas, and I'll catch you on the flip side!

Love,
Gini