October's READ THIS! BotM, New Releases, Spooky Fun, and More!

Happy Spooky Month!

October is upon us and I'm here for it as I know a lot of you are as well! Unsure if we're decorating the Manse this year or just hiding in the dark watching Rocky Horror, Shock Treatment, Phantom of the Paradise, and/or Sleepy Hollow. Maybe we'll do both. Time's gonna tell on that one...

Speaking of time, it's a-wastin' since we have lots of cool things for you today, including a new release and the READ THIS! Book of the Month, so let's get right 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!

Speaking of Reading Out Loud... Graphic Audio has renewed the contract for The Legend of Belladonna, Part 1: Natural Born Outlaws, by moi writing as A.E. Stanton. If you haven't grabbed this fantastic audiobook, don't delay, grab it today!

It's Alive! The mosaic novel The Dawning of the New West by moi writing as A.E. Stanton released last Tuesday. So grab your copies today and find out how the New West came to be as well as how the survivors are managing (not as well as they'd like...). This series is post-apocalyptic but with hope, and the belief that love -- romantic, familial, and of/for pets -- will get you through.

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!

October 2023 READ THIS! Selection

The READ THIS! Selection for October 2023 is:  Farpoint Awakened By Vincent Bek Gini's Take: A new voice in military science fiction gives us a great story and setting. And, yes, it's a series! About the Author: Vincent Bek grew up in the Appalachian Mountains dreaming up stories while making trails through the woodlands. He has since been seduced by science and technology and now spends his days dreaming about where humanity's creativity will someday lead. Vincent has been writing for several decades in both the Fantasy and Science Fiction genres while working in the technology sector to pay the bills. Blessed with an amazing wife and two beautiful children, he is currently living happily in Pennsylvania and loves to hear from his readers. https://www.vincentbek.com/

October 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.)

October's READ THIS! author Q&A  featuring author Vincent Bek will be on Thursday, October 19, 2023 from 9pm-10pm Eastern. Access to Discord is available worldwide, and everyone is invited to attend!

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

The READ THIS! Selection for November 2023 is:  Siren Bridge By Jean Marie Ward

There's a new small press out there, and I'm their first author! (Though I doubt I'll be their last.) Ginger Blue Publishing has launched and has taken three of my books! One is already out (as mentioned above) and the other two are available for pre-order right now, and will be on sale soon. You can pre-order the books on the Coming Soon page, so take advantage of this today so you don't miss out! And yes, all the books will be available in both electronic and physical formats.

Pre-Order NOW!   Get The Happy Acres Haunted Hotel for Active Seniors & Other Stories pre-ordered today! This is a collection of my no-Alien series shorts and novelettes, all in one place! Includes the Missy the Were-Pomeranian stories, The Vampire's Apprentice, and MORE! Don't delay, get it pre-ordered today! (Releases October 10, 2023)   Get The Disciple and Other Stories of the Paranormal by moi writing as Jemma Chase pre-ordered today! This is a re-release collection, featuring new stories and an introduction, so don't delay, get it pre-ordered today! (Releases October 24, 2023)

Speaking of The Disciple and Other Stories of the Paranormal, there's a cool event going on this month over at Funk-N-Fiction -- their Halloween Flash Fiction Blog Event! My day is Friday, October 27th, but there's coolness going on every day of the event. AND there are lots of giveaways, including an ebook copy of The Disciple and Other Stories of the Paranormal! So mark your calendars and don't miss all the spooky fun!

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. Like, really soon.

SEE THE ME! My last con on the schedule for the rest of this year awaits. This list is no longer likely to change, but my last schedule and such is still to come. So make your plans to come see the me for the last chance this year! World Fantasy Con Kansas City, MO October 26-29, 2023

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