Educational Preview

Happy Monday!

Alien Education's not all that far away. In fact, just about a month away. And you know what that means?

As my Hook Me Up! subscribers already know, that means it's time for all y'all to hit the Deathless Prose page for the prologue and first chapter, that's what it means!

Enjoy the "pre-read" and, while you're at it, please remember to do the other "pre" and pre-order Alien Education (and Aliens Abroad), too, 'cause those pre-orders matter.

Know what else matters? Cool Kickstarters getting funded. It's basically the last days of disco for the Unidentified Funny Objects 6 Kickstarter. There's no book if it doesn't fund and, much to my dismay, this one's still got a ways to go to fully make it.

So please take a look, check out all the great backer rewards, and help this cool, fun, and funny anthology see the light of day!

Next up, while the Tuscon Festival of Books seems so far away now (you know, 3 weeks), it's right here, because the HBS Author's Spotlight has done a lovely write-up of the Dreams booth where I and a ton of other awesome authors were based. We routinely get voted the best author booth at the Festival, so check out why! Candid photos, book blurbs, and more for your perusing -- and new book/author finding -- pleasure! (And I think the candid taken of moi is very good, too!)

Remember that I'm going to be all over the place in the coming months, so hit the Datebook early and often to be sure that you don't miss seeing the me!

And, while you're at it, check out Newsy Stuff for top headlines, the Bibliography for new (or old) releases you may have missed, Extra Me! for interviews, reviews, and all that jazz, and the Alien Collective Depot for all your cool swag needs!

That's it for today but, as always, more's on the way. Enjoy the first week of April and let's be readers out there! Peace out, my li'l gangstas, and I'll catch you on the flip side!

Love,
Gini

It's All About the Book

Happy Friday! Wowza, hearing from me twice in a week. I know, it's shocking, right? It's like the old days of, you know, last year. But today it's a short and sweet one, so let's get to it so we can all get to the weekend!

The yap is large and in charge over at Tome Tender where not only am I sharing three never-before-revealed things about moi, but there's also a chance to win your choice of one of the first ten books in the Alien series (Touched by an Alien, Alien Tango, Alien in the Family, Alien Proliferation, Alien Diplomacy, Alien vs. Alien, Alien in the House, Alien Research, Alien Collective, or Universal Alien). And of course it's open internationally. Contest runs through May 4th, so get your entries in today!

And why is this happening? Leading up to the release of Alien Separation on May 5th, of course! And, to see what's coming -- and why RT Book Reviews made Alien Separation a Top Pick -- check out the review of said bookie wookie over at Larissa's Bookish Life.

After that, check out the headers (look up) all over the website, including Newsy Stuff that has new, um, newsy stuff. There's also a new Playlist to check out as well. And, while you're at it, hit Deathless Prose where the prologue and first chapter of Alien Separation are there for your reading pleasure and enticement.

BTW, I hear tell that a Hook Me Up! exclusive contest is on the horizon. Not on Hook Me Up! yet? Now's the time. Just send an email to gini@ginikoch.com with "Hook Me Up!" in the subject line and you'll be in with the in-crowd and all set for the winning.

That's it for today, but as always, more's on the way. So enjoy the downward slide into 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

It's Another Winning Day!

Hope everyone's had a good start to the week and all's going well. I'm girding my loins (what DOES that actually mean, anyway?) and prepping for this weekend, aka the Tucson Festival of Books. I'm all over the place, so don't miss your chance to see the me, hear the yap, and get bookie wookies signed! Yes, I will be the one in the pink, sparkly cowgirl hat. Yes, that actually does make me impossible to miss.

But before the weekend we have a lot going on, so let's get to today's installments! First off, the Tidy My office contest is over, and I'll be announcing the winner of the Alexander Outland: Space Pirate marked up galley in just a few moments. I'll also be sharing who won the Honorable Mention prize, so it's two winners today!

Speaking of winning, there's still time to get your entries in to win any ebook from Erin Kellison, so don't miss out -- click the link or scroll down a bit and get your entry in! Contest closes tomorrow, March 6th.

And speaking of tomorrow, in honor of one of my booth mates at the Tucson Festival of Books, who also happens to be a good pal of mine, we'll have the creator of the "Spacetrawler" comic, Christopher Baldwin, as tomorrow's Spotlight guest. And yes, there will be a giveaway. I know! We are just ALL about the winning this week!

Next on the hit parade, check out my latest column, The Ides of Meh, over at It's Comic Book Day. Then hit Larissa's Bookish Life and see who her favorite book duos are -- and they're not necessarily romantic.

Back at the website, don't faint, but we have a new Playlist up, Newsy Stuff has somewhat new news, and to answer a burning question a whole lot of you have asked me recently, YES, there will be more Creation Agent coming, I swears it upon the memory of the Big Fella and Dementia Kitty. (We now know I mean it.) Team Gini also swears that Sightings in the Wild will be updated before Alien in the House releases (but they didn't swear it on anything, so I remain somewhat skeptical...hopeful, but skeptical...).

And now for what many of you have been waiting for...the winner of the marked up galley of Alexander Outland: Space Pirate by moi writing as G.J. Koch is:

Elizabeth Vrabel

Note to our winner: You have until Sunday, March 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.

And now, for our Honorable Mention Winner. While all participants made me laugh or go awww, and some of you were darned creative in your various answers, this Member of the Alien Collective in Very Good Standing went out of their way to consistently make me snort tea out of my nose through all seven weeks. Said winner will get a choice of one signed and personalized book of any of the 7 offered this week, a totebag with the cover of any of the 7 titles offered this week on it, OR an I Heart the Poofs T-shirt (size 2-1XL). 

So, ratkin, baby, come on down and tell mamma what to send in the Care Package to The Home!

Well, that's it for today, but as we know, there's more on the way. So peace out my li'l gangstas, and I'll catch you on the flip side!

Love,
Gini

Friday Wrap-Up

Happy Friday! It's been a busy week over here. What's been going on, you ask? Well, as my Hook Me Up! subscribers already know -- lots! So let's get to it!

Team Gini's been particularly busy. Check out the new live links at the Author Splash page, the Extra Me! page has been revamped including a new question (and answer!) under Ask Gini!, and Newsy Stuff has new news.

But wait -- there's more! Pre-orders are open for "The Royal Scam" over at Musa Publishing. It releases October 1, 2011, and now that the cover's premiered over at the Alien Collective Virtual HQ, check it out even larger and more in charge at my Ta-Daaaa! page.

Also, the Powers That Be have been kind and granted me an intern. Will he last? We can but hope. So, for however long, help me welcome Chris who has already started saving tiny bits of my sanity. (No, he's not "that" Christopher, though he said it was okay if y'all thought of him that way. ;-D) Check out Blogging with Badger where Chris shares his untold joy with his new position, particularly with his introduction to the Canine Death Squad. (Okay, that may just be how I'm choosing to see it, but it's my party and I'll fantasize if I want to.)

That's it for this week, though there's lots more coming on the horizon. So, get down with your bad selves, have as much fun as possible over the weekend, and I'll catch you on the flip side!

Love,
Gini

Live Chat!

To make it even easier to join the live chats, we have a lovely linky to said chatroom on the Newsy Stuff page.

Scroll down below the counter for "Alien in the Family" and click on Gini's Chatroom. The registration box will pop up -- if you've registered already, put in your name and password. If you haven't, just click the Connect button. Once in the chat, you can select the Options tab at the lower right, and choose Change Nickname. As long as the name you've chosen isn't already taken, you'll be able to change your nickname to whatever you want.

See you there, where the Yap Runs Live!

Love,
Gini

A VERY Manic Monday!

Happy Monday, well, what's left of it!

I know this is coming out on practically Tuesday for most of you, but as my Hook Me Up! subscribers already know, it's been a busy, BUSY day! So, let's just dive in, 'cause, as you can imagine, this is a chock-full update!

First off, we have a LOT of new reviews of "Touched by an Alien"! First up, check out the review at an Alien Collective blog, Ex Libris. Then head over to Parajunkee's View. After that, head to What Book Is That?. Then hop over to My 5 Monkeys. Then last but in no way least, check out the Bibliophile Book Blog. Remember to leave some Alien Collective love at each stop!

Next on our packed agenda? Well, it's a preview of sorts. Next Monday I'll be interviewing author and Alien Collective member Amber Scott regarding her latest release, "Play Fling". Will there be a giveaway, I hear you ask? Well, of course! Stay tuned, and be sure to be here all bright-eyed and Alien-tailed (well, so to speak) for the fun and chance to win! And check out The Amber Scott Project for a preview of "Play Fling"!

Is there more? Did I mention manic today? I did? Then yes, of course, there's more!

Check out Win Stuff, Sightings in the Wild both top and bottom, and Free Stuff for new additions.

AND, check out Newsy Stuff for...*drum roll*...the final cover for "Alien Tango"! This is what you'll find on the shelves on December 7th! (Note: If you'd like to use the final cover at your blog or website, send me an email, gini@ginikoch.com, and I'll send the image to you.)

Are we done yet? Well, we're done for TODAY. But there's more coming tomorrow, so stay tuned!

Love,
Gini

Whole Lotta Shakin' Going on

As my Hook Me Up! readers already know, there's a lot going on in Gini's Web Wonderland.

First off, my fabulous editor has confirmed that "Touched by an Alien" will be DAW Publishing's April 2010 release. And there was much rejoicing! All that info's up on Bookstore, Deathless Prose and Newsy Stuff. I also have a new Playlist up.

AND, because my life isn't complete without it, we have more news from the world of Kiki. "Alas, Poor Pigdin" is up on Expanded Universes, under The Misadventures of Kiki. Read and enjoy.

So, tiptoe through the web pages and have a look!

Love,
Gini