READ THIS! Q&A Deets & a Special Request

Happy Mid-First Month of Not 2020! So, how's 2021 treating all y'all so far? I know...don't answer that. The question really is: is this just a lag from the late and unlamented 2020, or did 2021 really tell 2022 to hold its beer? And do we really want to know the answer? Time's gonna tell, one way or the other. On the plus side, the next READ THIS! Author Q&A is only a couple of days away, meaning you can hang out with moi, January's author of the month, and other cool and fun readers (because if you read my books, that automatically makes you cool and fun, it's in the fine print), and have tons of fun and laughs. Also, I have a personal request for all of you, so read on for all the deets!

January 2021 READ THIS! Author Q&A

January's READ THIS! author Q&A with author Jean Marie Ward will be Thursday, January 21, 2021, from 9pm-10pm Eastern. Access to Discord is available worldwide, and everyone is invited to attend! You do not need to be a Discord member/user to attend: Use this link https://discord.gg/MnQDEKFYjU to go directly to the chat room! (You also don't need to have finished the book to join in the fun. We authors know that everyone reads at their own pace and we just want to hang out with you guys and have some good times!) Once in, you'll get to join in the fun of asking authors about their "process" and more. PLUS, every attendee will be given a coupon code for a special purchase (see below). AND, one lucky winner will get December's READ THIS! selection for FREE! I know! It's too happy to be true! But true it is, so don't miss out! (You must be present in the chat to win. Physical copies U.S. only; ebook copies worldwide.)

January 2021 READ THIS! Selection

The READ THIS! Selection for January 2021 is:  Lost Signals of the Terran Republic anthology Featuring "The Ellsberg Variations" by Jean Marie Ward Gini's Take: "The Ellsberg Variations" -- a political thriller where the term Missing in Action has terrifying consequences for those who ask for answers -- is the closing novella in Chuck Gannon's Caine Riordan expansion 20-story anthology, a great, rousing, and thoughtful military SF read all the way through. About the Author: Jean Marie Ward writes fiction, nonfiction and everything in between, including novels (2008 Indie Book double-finalist With Nine You Get Vanyr) and two art books. Her stories have appeared everywhere from Asimov’s to the anthologies of Zombies Need Brains. The former editor of Crescent Blues and author interviewer for BuzzyMag.com, she co-edited the six-volume, 40th anniversary World Fantasy Con anthology Unconventional Fantasy. Learn more at JeanMarieWard.com.

February's READ THIS! Selection   And Remember: One Lucky Q&A Participant can win it early!

The READ THIS! Selection for February 2021 is:  Bodies in Motion by Liana Brooks

Pssst! You know what the 25th of January is? Well, this year it's a Monday, and it probably has significance in other ways, but it's also my birthday. And, for the first time ever, I'm actually asking all y'all for a birthday present. And that present is... Reviews.  Right after pre-orders and actual sales, nothing is more important to authors (all of us, even the big guys, but particularly the rest of us who are NOT household names) than reviews. Reviews on Amazon, in particular, are vital, because after a title gets 50 reviews, Amazon's algorithms kick in and they start promoting that book...for free. It doesn't matter if the reviews are 5 stars or 1 star reviews, if they're long or short, it just matters that someone took the time to review. Reviews matter on B&N.com, Smashwords, Goodreads, WalMart, Target, and on publisher's websites, too, but if you can only do one, choose Amazon, because it does the most, for free, for every author, not just me. And every new review makes the algorithms kick into gear. Reviews are a wonderful gift you can give to the authors you love. And what do I need reviews on, you ask? Every darned thing I write. Every book in the Alien series. Every book in every other series. Every standalone. All the anthologies. (You can find most - though not all, because Aliens Like Us isn't the only thing that's running behind - on my Bibliography page at my website.) So, do your girl a solid and post reviews of all the bookie wookies. If you loved them, liked them, thought they were meh, or hated them, a review will be a treasured gift, regardless. For those of you who might want to do more, I'm also asking for donations, large or small, to be given to Joshua Tree Feeding Program, which longtime readers know is a charity very close to my heart. Donations are tax deductible and go for a very worthy cause.

So many bookie wookies, so much time to catch up on all of them while waiting for Aliens Like Us and the next READ THIS! selection. Check out my Bookstore and Bibliography for all the things!

That's it for today but, never fear, another Blog, including next month's READ THIS! selection, will be arriving in a couple of weeks! In the meantime, stay safe and healthy, remember we're all in this together, be kind to one another, give love and support to all those who are on the front lines in any capacity, and let's be readers out there. Peace out, my li'l gangstas, and I'll catch some of you at the Q&A and all of you on the flip side! Love, Gini

Summertime Update

Happy Summertime, Everybody! I know, I know, you're all asking yourselves, why did June get "skipped" and combined with July, just when Gini was getting into the swing of things? What gives? This gives: My chicklet just had her own chicklet, and she and my SIL asked me to come out to help with the chickletlet. So I did. I've been in Arizona since mid-May and newborns are quite demanding, so some things kind of had to slide. But not to worry, not all the things. (Yes, I'm writing while I'm out in God's Country.) And for those inquiring minds, I have chosen my Grandmother Name and I am Grams, sometimes Gram-Grams.   Because I get asked this daily (often multiple times daily)... Yes, Aliens Like Us IS coming, but... No, Aliens Like Us still isn't ready for Prime Time, but... I'm using the Virus Troubles to git 'er dun, so... Fear not, Kitty & Company will be back sooner than you think... I promise. P.S. Despite what you'd think, pre-orders are still mattering a whole lot, so even though it SAYS it's coming in 2050, do your girl a solid and pre-order this book as soon as the various retailers allow it, please and thank you! It's a Hamilton July, Innit? Yes, like what seems like the rest of the world, we watched "Hamilton" this weekend. Family reviews were mixed, but it was enjoyed by all of us. Yes, this is my fave characters/actor from the show, aka Daveed Diggs as Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson. (Though, King George was the true show-stealer.) Who did you like? Is "Hamilton" your fave or do you prefer a different musical, or are they all just so much frenetic noise to you? Inquiring minds and all that...(feel free to leave replies on this post, where it's easier for me to find them :-D) It's HE-ERE! Zombies Need Brains has announced the release of Galactic Stew! Featuring a ton of cool stories by awesome authors, it's got "Alien Capers" by moi, which tells the tale of what happened to those "left behind" in the Apatan System while Kitty & Company go to save the galaxy during Aliens Abroad. You know you want it, so don't delay, grab your copy today! 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! Unidentified Funny Objects 8 is Coming! My story - "C.A.T. Squad" - is a standalone original that features, well, the cover model. You know you want to read that one! Click here for the full Table of Contents -- it's gonna be a ton of fun, so keep your eyes peeled for pre-order opportunities and such! Random Randomness Face Masks for a cause! As you know, a charity near and dear to my heart is the Joshua Tree Feeding Program. As a fundraiser, they're selling really great masks for only $10 each. Check it out and get a cool mask for a great cause! That's it for today but, never fear, another update will be showing up next, um, month if I can manage it, and I promise to do my best. In the meantime, stay safe and healthy, remember we're all in this together, be kind to one another, give love and support to all those who are on the front lines in any capacity, and let's be readers out there. Peace out, my li'l gangstas, and I'll catch you on the flip side! Love, Gini

Reminder: Last Days of Disco

Well, not really. But it IS the last days for you to get The Disciple by moi writing as Jemma Chase for a specially reduced Happy Halloween price at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Smashwords. Price goes back up Nov. 1st.

It's also the last days to enter to win the edited galley of Universal Alien. Scroll down or click this link to go to the Blah, Blah, Blah Blog post where the Rafflecopter resides and get entered to win today! Contest is still open internationally and runs until Nov. 4th.

Don't miss out on your next chances to see the me, either! I'll be at Tucson Comic Con with other Amazing Wyked Writers, November 6-8 at the Tucson Convention Center. We'll also be doing a panel, "Writing and Publishing Today" on Saturday, Nov. 7th, at 4pm. Plus we'll have tons of bookie wookies and other fun things, so don't miss out!

On Friday, Nov. 13th, I'll be one of the guest speakers at the Joshua Tree Masquerade Gala, 6-10pm, Elks Lodge, 14424 N 32nd St, Phoenix, Arizona 85032. Great food, great cause, fun fashion show and silent auction, and moi running the yap -- what's not to love?

Then the next day, Saturday, Nov. 14th, I'll be at the Desert Rose RWA FREE Fall Writer’s Workshop. The day runs from 10:00am-4:30pm, and I'm running the yap from 11:30-12:20, sharing "Keeping Romance Fresh & Alive in a Long Running Series". The event is at the Scottsdale Civic Center Library, 3839 N. Drinkwater Boulevard, Scottsdale, AZ. It's a great chance to see not only me but a bunch of other awesome authors, learn things, get books signed, and more, so don't miss it, whether you're an aspiring author or a just a reader who wants to learn more about "the process", it's a great day, and totally free!

Last but not least, check out my 5 Episodes In review of "Moonbeam City" over at Slice of SciFi. Watched it and have an opinion? Not sure if it's worth your time? Join the conversation over at Slice!

That's it for today, but as always, more's on the way. Enjoy the downward slide into the weekend, everyone have a very fun, happy, and SAFE Halloween (and please remember to watch for all the little A-Cs who will be out in the dusk and dark), and let's be winning readers out there. Peace out, my li'l gangstas and I'll catch you on the flip side!

Love,
Gini