The Yap Strikes Back, Part Deux

Happy Monday! Hope everyone had a fabulous weekend - I know I did! But now, we're back to the old bump and grind and all that jazz, so let's roll into today's update.

As my Hook Me Up! subscribers already know, and as promised, the second part of my two-part article, Promotion at Conventions, is up at 1st Turning Point. Check it out, and if you're an aspiring or newer author, check out the site; lots of good info there.

Around my site, Accolades and Sightings in the Wild have gotten minor face-lifts, Datebook has been updated as have the Bookstore and Deathless Prose pages, and I assigned my 7 Strange Winners at the Blah, Blah, Blah Blog -- check it out and see whose blogs made the Strangeness Cut.

BTW, December's just around the corner...have you pre-ordered your copy of "Alien Tango" yet?

Love,
Gini

Ready for the Weekend?

Well, as you can see, I'm late again, but hey, this way, you get your Friday Roundup AND Weekend Update all in one! Such a deal, cheap at twice the price!

As promised, and as my Hook Me Up! subscribers already know, Part 3 of my 3-part series is up on That's QUEEN Bitch to You. Head over, have a read, leave a question or a comment!

Next up, we have a couple of nice shout-outs to "Touched by an Alien". At Stacy's Place on Earth guest SpazP (aka Pamela) shares how she's enjoying the book, and over at Books, According to Nicole "Touched by an Alien" has made her list for the 2010 Science Fiction Romance Challenge!

Haven't heard of this challenge, you say? Well, hit The Galaxy Express for more details. Or go straight to the source at A Writer's Dream where the challenge originated! (Oh, and remember to add "Touched by an Alien" and "Alien Tango" to your challenge list -- hey, "Alien Tango" comes out in early December, it's doable!)

My 300 Twitter Followers contest continues on. Tell your friends, tell your family, tell complete strangers -- when I hit 300, 2 more signed copies of "Touched by an Alien" go out to two lucky followers chosen at random.

But, as always, my heart belongs most to all of my Hook Me Up! subscribers. So don't worry...when it's time to do a contest for an ARC for "Alien Tango", never fear, only those on Hook Me Up! will be eligible.

Wait...you're not on Hook Me Up! you say? Well, now's the time, innit? I mean, with more and more contests on the way, isn't it time you bit the bullet and joined? It's free and easy: just send an email to gini@ginikoch.com with "Hook Me Up!" in the subject line and there you go, you're in and all set for the winning to come!

Meaning you'll also be eligible for my After Comic-Con Contest coming up...wait for it...after Comic-Con! (Where, in case you didn't know, I'll be going as a professional!)

Should you or anyone you know be at Comic-Con San Diego later this month, my panel is on Friday, July 23rd: 10:00-11:00 With Great Power Come Great Stories — Authors discuss creating superhero superfiction, including novels and stories in anthologies like Masked and Wild Cards. Authors include Lou Anders (Masked), Jackie Kessler (the Icarus Project novels), Caitlin Kittredge (the Icarus Project novels), Gini Koch (Touched by an Alien, the Katherine "Kitty" Katt series), Kevin Andrew Murphy (the Wild Cards series), Chris Roberson (Book of Secrets), Caroline Spector (Wild Cards contributor), and Matt Sturges (Justice Society of America). Moderated by Maryelizabeth Hart of Mysterious Galaxy. Room 32AB.

If you'd like to see the full Comic-Con line-up, and be awed at the amount of things to do over four and a half days, hit the main site: http://www.comic-con.org/cci/index.php. Remember, returned memberships are still available. So, if you're going, be sure to let me know so we can meet up! (And yes, I'll take autograph requests for any of the other authors or moderator on my panel...just get 'em to me by Friday, July 16th. Those wanting "Castle" autographs can merely get in their long line and keep the digits crossed that I'll be able to get close enough to score a visual, let alone a signature.)

Last but not least, stay alert, the new "stuff" should be announcement-ready by sometime next week. But until then, have yourselves a wonderful weekend and I'll catch you on the flip side!

Love,
Gini

Jumpin' July!

Well, as my Hook Me Up! subscribers already know, it's a busy week. Which, of course, you know, too, 'cause I've blogged every day. (Making you nostalgic for last week? LOL)

Getting right down to business, there's a great new review of "Touched by an Alien" up at Lala's Book Corner. Head over, have a read, leave some Alien Collective love.

Parts 1 & 2 of my 3-part guest blog are still large and in charge over at That's QUEEN Bitch to You. If you haven't checked them out, why not rectify that right now? Part 3 is coming on Friday, so stay tuned!

Reminder for those who are in or around the Greater Phoenix Metro Area (aka Welcome to Hell's Orientation Party!), I'll be doing a workshop and book signing at the Border's Scottsdale Waterfront on Wed., July 14th. Details here, The Arizona SF/F Blog and here, BookTour.com. Please come by if you can, would love to see you there!

In other news, "Touched by an Alien" is a Locus runner up bestseller! And my Twitter contest is still going strong -- if you're not following me yet, head over and start (http://twitter.com/GiniKoch), 'cause when I hit 300 followers, I'm giving away 2 signed copies of "Touched by an Alien". There's more "stuff" coming, and I think you're going to like it, but it's not quite ready for prime time...hopefully before I go to Comic-Con...so keep your eyes on the website!

And finally, it's time to start the drumbeat -- please pre-order "Alien Tango" (releasing Dec. 7th, as if you didn't know) and encourage all you run across to pre-order, too! (Yes, for those of you who were with me before "Touched by an Alien" released, you ARE going to hear this a lot...but what can a girl do? Pre-orders matter. So, you know, pre-order today so you can be all proud of your bad selves and lord it over the slower folks.)

Not on Hook Me Up! yet? Believe me, you want to change that status, and soon. When I'm back from Comic-Con, there will be another Hook Me Up! exclusive contest coming...and when I get ARCs for "Alien Tango", guess who's going to have a shot at them? Right you are, my Hook Me Up! subscribers ONLY. So, send an email to gini@ginikoch.com with "Hook Me Up!" in the subject line TODAY, so you're all set and don't miss out on anything!

Love,
Gini

Drive By Update

Happy Hump Day to all!

As my Hook Me Up! subscribers already know, it's short and sweet today. Part 2 of my 3 part guest blog over at That's QUEEN Bitch to You is up. Head on over, have a read, leave a comment or question, you know the drill.

Now I'm racing back to editing "Alien in the Family". You enjoy the downward slide towards the weekend!

Love, Gini

The Yap Runs Again!

Well, as my Hook Me Up! subscribers already know, there's no radio silence for THIS week. We're revved up and getting things done before I take off for the less sunny and cooler climes of lovely San Diego. (Trust me. It's summer. There is NO place sunnier and hotter than my portion of Arizona. Feel free to compare temperatures with us...we Phoenicians merely say, "Bring it. The only ones who can beat us are in Yuma.")

So, weather domination aside, let's get on to the good stuff! Our own Queen Bitch asked me to do a guest blog for aspiring authors, which, being that it was MY yap that was running, is going out in three parts. (I know, what were the odds?) Part One is live on That's QUEEN Bitch To You right now. Head over, have a read, potentially be inspired. Feel free to ask a question or leave a comment, I'll be happy to answer!

We have a winner of my 200 Twitter Followers contest -- Neil O'Donnell! I enjoyed this little contest so much that I'm going to keep it going AND up the ante. When I hit 300 Twitter followers, I'm going to give away two signed copies of "Touched by an Alien" via random drawing. So, if you're not yet following me on Twitter, hurry up, more winning's afoot! (Team Gini's Twitter Expert says that the direct line to me on Twitter is http://twitter.com/GiniKoch - yes, everyone's back from their long weekend...you can tell, things are working right.)

In other news, The Perils of Pauline had some nice things to say about "Touched by an Alien". And we've revamped the Deathless Prose page. Why, you ask? Well, so when I put up excerpts from "Alien Tango", they'll be easy to find...

Love,
Gini

Yet Another Interview, With a Prize Attached!

As my Hook Me Up! subscribers already know, it's a very good Friday for me, because I'm running the yap again, this time over at Erin Quinn's blog. Head over and see what Erin and I are talking about, and feel free to comment and ask questions! And you'll WANT to comment because Erin's offering a $10 Amazon gift certificate to one lucky winner who comments about aliens on the blog. My readers should be experts, so head over and try to win!

Speaking of winning, as you all know, one of Erin's books will be going to my grand prize winner, along with a special treat from me. The contest is closed now for everyone but those on Hook Me Up! Contest winner will be announced on Monday, April 5, right here on the Blah, Blah, Blah blog and the Win Stuff page.

Oh, and in case you've somehow forgotten, "Touched by an Alien" officially releases on Tuesday, April 6th. So if you don't have your copies yet, you will soon!

Love,
Gini

Another Day, Another Guest Blog

As my Hook Me Up! subscribers already know, I'm running the yap again as a guest blogger at yet another cool site. This one is Kris Tualla's Author & Writing Blog (http://kristualla.wordpress.com/) where I'm sharing that 'I Give You Permission!'

Hope you enjoy it!

Not on Hook Me Up! yet? Well, why the heck not? You get all the Gini News first and fastest, get notified about contests and other cool things first, and generally get to be in with the in crowd. It's easy to join -- just send an email to gini@ginikoch.com with Hook Me Up! in the subject line, and there you are, a member of the coolest gang in cyberspace (if I do say so myself...which I do).

Love,
Gini

Archetypes, Stereotypes & Cliches

As my Hook Me Up! subscribers already know, I was invited to do a guest blog over at the totally cool Dark Faerie Tales website (http://darkfaerietales.com/guest-post-author-gini-koch.html#respond). Topic is my take on Archetypes, Stereotypes & Cliches.

So, head on over there and have a read, and, while you're there, check their site out. It's wicked in all the good ways!

Love,
Gini