The Next READ THIS! BotM is Official, I'm off to GenCon, and Lots More!

Happy August!

August is a big month for moi. Today is my anniversary (36 years with the hubs and still going strong), then the chicklet's birthday is next week, and the hubs' bday the week after. Then a ton of other friends and relatives later in the month. And, since last year, now I have GenCon in the mix as well (I'm leavin' on an airplane tomorrow, as a matter of fact). As I said, it's a BIG month for me.

Speaking of big, San Diego Comic-Con was great in all ways and my recap is below, along with the next READ THIS! selection, my GenCon schedule, and a whole lot more! So let's get to it, shall we? We shall!

Read Out Loud! Do you have your copy of the Touched by an Alien audiobook yet? If not, don't wait! Grab yours today and start your year right!

READ THIS! A Book Club by Moi for All Y'all Welcome to READ THIS! A Book Club by Gini Koch. This is my chance to introduce you to some great authors that I love and know you will, too. Every month I'll spotlight a book and, even better...every month I'll host a live discussion with the author, that all y'all can join! I know, it's too happy to be true, but true it is!

August 2023 READ THIS! Selection

The READ THIS! Selection for August 2023 is:  Indomitable By J.B. Garner Gini's Take: A great new take on superhero superfiction with a heroine Kitty would love, in a world that feels familar and yet brand new. About the Author: Z-tier author/S-class editor, but generally awesome, Jamie Beth (J. B.) Garner has written over a dozen novels across multiple genres and edited hundreds more. Born near Baltimore, MD in 1976, J.B's seen and done many things in her life, from honors student to factory worker to garbage collector to construction worker, but her true passion has always been the written word. She writes fantasy, sci-fi, and pro-wrestling epics among other things, and is always out to entertain and amaze! https://www.amazon.com/stores/J.-B.-Garner/author/B00KCPRKX8

August 2023 READ THIS! Author Q&A

So, you've read the READ THIS! selection and you want to share what you thought with the author, hang out with them and Gini, and generally talk books for an hour. Well, guess what? You can! The third Thursday of every month will be READ THIS! Author Q&A time. The event will be held utilizing Discord, and the invitation to Gini's READ THIS! room will come out in the week prior to the chat. And that's not all! Near the end of each Q&A session, we'll be doing a raffle and one lucky winner will get a copy of the next month's READ THIS! selection! (You must be present in the Q&A to win. Physical book prizes will be U.S. only. Ebook prizes will be worldwide.)

August's READ THIS! author Q&A  featuring author J.B. Garner will be on Thursday, August 17, 2022 from 9pm-10pm Eastern. Access to Discord is available worldwide, and everyone is invited to attend!

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

The READ THIS! Selection for September 2023 is:  Blood From A Rose By Sharon Skinner

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 on Version 5 of the rewrite process. Does every book take me this long? No. Will all the others in the series take this long? Likely no. Life has tossed a lot at me and mine and that's made some things a struggle, but... Kitty is always with me, and she's not going to let the bad things win, in any universe. So...Watch this space for more updates as I have them. And keep those digits crossed for the hope that my shouting "the end!" comes sooner as opposed to later. P.S. I am definitely heading towards the end game. I realize that's vague, but it means that I think we'll be shouting "hurrah" somewhere in the nearish term. Digits crossed, at any rate... P.P.S. Watch this space, I'm hoping to share happy news soon.

SEE THE ME! It's my current con schedule for the rest of this year. This list is definitely subject to change, with schedules to come and other events added on. So make your plans to come see the me!   GenCon 2023 Indianapolis, IN August 3-6, 2023 I'm a Symposium Author again this year, so make your plans to make it to this fun con now! All Symposium activities other than signings will be at the Indianapolis Marriott Downtown.   Thursday, August 3 12-2pm, Atlanta - Finding Your Voice Workshop, Part 1, Atlanta Room 2-3pm, Ballroom 2 - Fostering Great Writer-Editor Relationships 6-7pm, Wabash 1 - Meet The Pros Friday, August 4 12-2pm, Atlanta - Finding Your Voice Workshop, Part 2 5-6pm, Ballroom 4 - Writing Comprehensive Intimate Scenes Panel 7-11pm, Ballroom 1 - Special Event: D&D With Writers Saturday, August 5 11am-12pm, Boston - Humor in Speculative Fiction 1-2pm, ICC, Back Wall by Artists Alley - Signing Gini Koch & Bradley P. Beaulieu Sunday, August 7 9-10am, Ballroom 3 - Worldbuilding: Entertainment at the End of the World Panel DragonCon 2023 Atlanta, GA August 31 - September 4, 2023 I'm an Author Guest this year AND we'll be back in the booth, so lots of ways to see the me! World Fantasy Con Kansas City, MO October 26-29, 2023

SAN DIEGO COMIC-CON ROCKED, AS ALWAYS!

San Diego Comic-Con was great as always!  My table started out laden as you can see above, but by the time the con was over we'd sold out of at least half of our titles and were very depleted on all the others. So a big yahoo right there! The other vendors in our section were all truly nice and awesome, and I can't wait to see them again next year! The Mary Shelley panel was super and really well-attended, and the Scribes panel was fun and informative. Got to hang out with a variety of author friends including Jonathan Maberry and Carrie Vaughn, got to see and hug several beloved Members of the Alien Collective in Very Good Standing (all y'all know who you are and how much I love you!), and got to meet new author pals and new readers, too.

<--- Cosplay was, as it always is here, fantastic, but this was my favorite seeing as I'm a gigantic Terry Pratchett fan and "Good Omens" is my #1 favorite book in the world that I didn't write.   <--- One of the may new Members of the Alien Collective with the Pink Poof Tote.

---> One of the Members of the Alien Collective in Very Good Standing and I discussing many things next to the lingerie models, because that's Comic-Con. ---> The picture that dared not speak its name...basically I sent this out, um, HOURS before I was supposed to according to the SDCC Powers That Be. Sorry, my bad. But the excitement of the youths who were working my and T.L. Smith's booths was so adorbs. And yes, this is what it looks like BEFORE everyone gets inside the convention center. One of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence stopped by and blessed our booth! Could be why we did so well. :-D | | V

The team worked hard, played hard, ate hard, and slept hard. All in all, another great SDCC in the books! Make plans to come see the me there next year!

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 for all the things!

That's it for today but, never fear, another Update, including the Discord Q&A chat invitation, 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 you on the flip side! Love, Gini