Happy Everythings

Happy Hump Day!

For those of us in the US, and those who are from the US but are elsewhere, tomorrow is Thanksgiving. Other countries do this, too, and something that's great about this holiday is that we try to stop and remember what we're thankful for. I'll get to my list in a bit, but before that, there's some things to catch all y'all up on, so let's get to those!

First up, the first review of Alien Research is in! See what Larissa's Bookish Life thought of it. (And it's still not too late to pre-order your copy, either online or from your local bookstore, including any bookstore I'm going to be visiting in the next few weeks.)

Next up, In Medias Res is doing a big, month-long giveaway that includes a lot of authors, including yours truly. Check it out and, good news, there are plenty of prizes that are open to international winners! Check every Friday in December for new authors (my giveaways will be on Dec. 20th) and more chances to win!

Speaking of winning, you still have time to enter to win an Alien Research two-fer from Project Paranormal. Don't miss out on this great contest!

Speaking again of winning, more winners were announced (in the blog entries below), so if you even think you've entered something, scroll down and check them out. And while you're wandering, the website has had some more things done to it (that's the technical term, per what Team Gini tells me), so check it out, too!

My ePublisher, Musa Publishing, is doing some huge deals over this coming week, so check early and often to see what great books you can get for even greater prices!

Alert Member of the Alien Collective in Very Good Standing Shawn spotted these two articles at Tor.com that I thought were quite interesting -- Sleeps With Monsters and Can We Stop Sorting Ourselves.

On to some things I'm thankful for. I'm thankful my house didn't burn down with everything I own, including everything I was writing, in it. But my friend, and Member of the Alien Collective in Very Good Standing, Beth Bartlett wasn't so lucky. She and her husband, and their pets, are all okay, but they have nothing left. If you are able to make any monetary donations to help, a fund has been set up for the family at Community First Bank through Karen Halper (479.253.0566), or directly to Beth via Paypal to egbartlett@earthlink.net.

What else am I thankful for? Many things, most of the usual -- family, friends, health, career. But I'm also very thankful for all of you. You're all, hands down, the best fans in the world, and I'm thankful every day that you all chose to come along on the wild rides that Kitty & Company, and all my other characters, like to take you on. Sure, I'd still do it without you, but it just wouldn't be nearly as much fun.

Peace out and Happy Thanksgiving to all my li'l gangstas who celebrate, happy rest of the week and weekend to everyone else, those who indulge in Black Friday madness enjoy yourselves, thanks to those who are working at whatever jobs tomorrow and this weekend, and let's all have a safe and wonderful end to November. Be happy readers out there, and I'll catch you on the flip side! And I leave you with this...a picture of Kitty's cat... ;-D

Love,
Gini

P.S. Happy Hanukkah! Yeah, yeah, I'm a bad Jew. I forgot. BUT I remembered BEFORE it started. So that's something, right? Right? Happy 8 Crazy Nights to all, from Sol, Angela, and Kitty & Company!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving to all my beloved blog followers and readers. You're the best fans in the world, and you make the Alien Collective even better because you're a part of it. Whether you celebrate Thanksgiving or not, have a wonderful day and a fabulous weekend!

Love,
Gini

"Sin" City -- Yeah...RIGHT

So, you wouldn't think that anything wouldn't go in Vegas, would you? You know their big slogan -- what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas? Gives the impression that this place is WILD, baby! Well, I'm here to tell you that you'd be wrong.

The hubs and I got to Vegas in record time...I think it may have taken us longer than anyone else this year. But, we got in, and raced right off to a bar. Because that's how we roll, okay?

So, there we are, in Red Square in the Mandalay Bay complex, having some kick-butt and scary expensive martinis. A couple of fun guys sit down next to us, and soon, it's a party for four -- sharing booze and jokes and generally having fun.

It's a Sunday night in Las Vegas -- the Sunday before Thanksgiving, I must mention -- in the middle of a scary crappy economic situation, so you'd FIGURE that they'd be thrilled we were there, drinking and laughing and generally showing their place to be a hip, happening spot. And you would be wrong.

One of the guys -- who I'll call John, since that's his name -- was telling ribald jokes in a loud and ribald manner. And he was told to keep it down. And to stop cursing. (This just in: Loud voices no longer allowed in Vegas.)

So, he tried. But we were drinking a LOT of vodka, and, well, fun folks get loud, okay? So, he got told, again, to stop talking loudly and, above all, to stop using "foul language". (This just in: Dirty words no longer allowed in Vegas.)

He tried. As God is my witness, he tried. But, you know, the jokes were good dirty jokes and, as will happen when a man is drinking $350 a bottle vodka (no freaking lie), he got loud again. And we were told, in no uncertain terms, to stifle John or get the hell out.

Yes, it's true. The hubs and I were kicked out of a bar in Vegas for being too loud and ribald. And the bar in Vegas kicked out two men who were -- up until our group shunning by the apparently Amish folks running this particular bar -- planning to try each and every vodka in the place. And the place has hundreds of vodkas. (This just in: Making money on the overpriced sale of alcohol no longer as important as decorum in Vegas.)

So, we went to another bar, where the DJ was rolling hot 70's tunes and John and I disco danced and were loud and obnoxious because no one could hear us while the other guy (name protected so his wife doesn't think he was doing anything untoward -- which he wasn't, since he wasn't being loud or using dirty words) and the hubs chatted business (sorta) and the other guy convinced the hubs that dancing with one's own wife is a good way to keep said wife happy.

I had a great time. I loved these two guys...at least, what I can remember of them. We all had a LOT of vodka. My only regret is that our new friends live in Texas and so I can't party with them on a regular basis. (This just in: It's apparently more fun in Texas than in Las Vegas.)

And remember if you're going to Vegas, you behave yourselves and keep the noise, and especially the dirty words, down. Decorum, that's the new Vegas slogan. And above all, do NOT, under any circumstances, order the $350 a bottle vodka and expect to be treated well by the bar staff.

Love,
Gini

Holiday Tip #2: If you buy Gini a bottle of $350 a bottle vodka, she will love you no matter what else you do.

Off...to Las Vegas...

...go north, the hunt is on. (A little something for you Johnny Horton fans out there. You know who you are.)

It's on. The man and I are heading for the City of Lights, the City That Never Sleeps, the City That Takes Your Money -- we're going to Vegas, baby!

I don't expect to win (much), but I do expect to eat, drink and be merry. And then go to SoCal and visit the 'rents and cook the turkey (yes, it's true, they leave the bird to me...why ask why?). And then come merrily home to collapse. And, possibly, write about it.

Conveniently, I need to go location scouting for books, and in both cities, too. So I'm sure this will all be tax deductible, right? Right? ESPECIALLY if we win big. Then that MUST be tax deductible, right? Right? (Of course, the chances of us winning big are in direct proportion to the likelihood that we will gamble enough to make winning a possibility. And we won't. So, for all you CPAs out there, no worries, we're cool.)

So, on the (likely) chance I don't 'see' all of you until after the big day, have a Happy Thanksgiving!

I leave you with Gini's Holiday Tip #1: If you put in enough wine, everything -- the turkey, the vacation, that boring relative who won't leave you alone, driving all over creation with your spouse, visiting your parents, boredom, the dessert -- comes out great. So, live by the motto of, "More wine!"

Love,
Gini