Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Humping Towards the Weekend

Happy Hump Day! Hope everyone's weeks are going well. As my Hook Me Up! subscribers already know, it's still bedlam as viewed from the air over here, but I did want to stick my head up out of the pile to update you on the latest. So let's get to it!

First off, keep your eyes on the website, since, with all the recent new sales, things are adding on all over the place. Playlist, Accolades, and Author Splash have all been updated, and there's more to come!

Next, head over to Fictitious Musings and check out what they're waiting on.

I'll be at CopperCon this weekend. If you're nearby, stop in! I'm on panels, doing a reading, doing a signing, and running the Sidekick Smackdown. Truly, you don't want to miss it!

Other upcoming appearances:
Sept. 13 - Queen Creek Writer's Group, Queen Creek Library
Sept. 21 - Foxy Dahlings Book Club
Oct. 27-31 - World Fantasy Con
Nov. 11-13 - TusCon 38
Nov. 19 - Desert Rose Fall Writer's Workshop, Scottsdale Civic Center Library
Apr. 27-29 - Desert Dreams Writer's Conference

Last days to enter the Cravings contest over at the Alien Collective Virtual HQ. Don't miss out on the overall Big Arrival contest, because there are lots of awesome prizes to be won!

Both "Alien Proliferation" and "Alien Diplomacy" are available for pre-order. Yes, pre-orders matter, a lot, so do your girl a solid and pre-order both today.

Enjoy the downward slide towards the (long in the U.S.) weekend, and let's be readers out there!

Love,
Gini

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Thursday, August 25, 2011

Bodaciously Awesome Winners!

Yes, it's true. It's the moment you've all been waiting for. Well, at least all of you who entered my Comic-Con Swag Packs of Bodacious Awesomeness contest. And there were a LOT of you, and it took some time to get everything set up in and around writing and editing and all that.

But the wait is over! So, with no further ado, let's congratulate our winners!

The Hall H Swag Pack
The big cheese. Something from everything, including the most exclusive of exclusives: a Comic-Con keepsake program signed by me and every other author on my Speculative Fiction panel. No one else in the world will have this with these 8 autographs. There will be other signed goodies, including a set of Alien Series posters, all signed by moi (yes, including a poster for “Alien Proliferation”), buttons, posters, T-shirt, sunglasses, cap, line chair, books, and more. And when I say more, I MEAN more. This is the Swag Pack all others want to be when they grow up.
The Lucky All Access Winner is: Maria Atkinson

The Room 20 Swag Pack
Close to the Hall H, but featuring a focus on Covert Affairs, Psych and Ringer, along with signed goodies, including a set of Alien Series posters, all signed by moi (yes, including a poster for “Alien Proliferation”), buttons, posters, T-shirt, sunglasses, books, and more. And again, I MEAN more.
The Psyched Winner is:
Van Pham


The Exhibit Hall Swag Pack
Posters, posters, and more posters, many signed, all cool. If it can curl up and fit into a mailing tube, it’s in here. Includes a set of Alien Series posters, all signed by moi (yes, including a poster for “Alien Proliferation”). You’ll be able to wallpaper at least one room with the contents of this Pack, maybe your whole house.
The Wallpaper Forever Winner is: Anna O'Brien

The Mysterious Galaxy Swag Pack
This is the pack particularly loaded with books, sample chapters, other reading matter, as well as a sampling of other awesome Comic-Con stuff, and both an exclusive Jim Butcher/Dresden Files T-shirt and an exclusive Brenda Novak scarf (which I wanted to keep for myself BUT am handing over to this Pack’s winner because I’m a giver, me).
The Books, Books and More Books Winner is: Cheryl Lloyd

The Allan Gregory Swag Pack
Focused more on the little ones, this Pack features an exclusive Allan Gregory baseball cap, masks, and other coolness focused on the kids, and those of us who will remain kids forever. Includes a set of Alien Series posters, all signed by moi (yes, including a poster for “Alien Proliferation”), buttons, and all manner of other fun stuff.
The Young Forever Winner is: Camille Minor

The Val Kilmer Swag Pack
Val was a surprise attendee at the con this year, and what’s in this Pack will be a surprise, too. Trust me when I say that you’ll get signed stuff, cool stuff, and other stuff. This one goes to the contest entrant whose witty, urbane, and all around awesome smack talk on the Blog either makes me snort Coke through my nose or go “awww” the most often. Yes, this is the only pack chosen by moi instead of the Gods of Random.
The Winner of Awww is: Julie Jones

Honorary Mentions: For continuous blog comments 'til the bitter end, a small pack of surprises will go to: Becky Boyer and Tara Winther

WINNERS: You MUST contact me (gini@ginikoch.com) with your full name, full mailing address, information for how you want things from me personalized to you (name, nickname, etc.), and, if you're international, if you're okay sharing postage costs if needed. You MUST contact me by Thursday, Sept. 1, 2011, or the Gods of Random will demand a new sacrifice and your Swag Pack will go to someone else.

Didn't win? Don't worry. Another contest is around the corner -- in honor of the upcoming release of "The Royal Scam". And, trust me, you'll like the prizes. For Hook Me Up! only, of course!

So, until next time, have a wonderful weekend, winners, don't bounce up and down TOO much, and non-winners, don't hate the winners too much. Your time will come!

Love,
Gini

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Monday, August 22, 2011

Author Splash

Happy Monday! Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. As my Hook Me Up! subscribers already know, I was busy. Busy, busy, busy. Busy doing what, you ask? Busy doing things that will, hopefully, help tide you over until "Alien Proliferation" releases. What would that be, you ask?

I've been signing contracts.

As I've hinted around a little on Twitter, I have some exciting news to share! I've just sold several works to Musa Publishing. The first one, "The Royal Scam" will release October 1st. More to come on this, including blurb and cover art as they're available, but please mark the calendars now!

As many of you know, I write under a variety of pen names. So, to make it easy to keep track of what's coming from whom and when, allow me to introduce the Author Splash Page. Now when you enter the website, you'll choose where you want to go and what you want to look at, but, never fear, all roads lead back to the main site.

We also have some new reviews. Check out what All-Consuming Books thought of "Touched by an Alien", "Alien Tango", and "Alien in the Family".

The Comic-Con Swag Pack Winners will be announced later this week. Winners WILL have to check in with me to confirm their prizes. So, if you entered, be paying attention, because you'll have limited time to claim your prize before the Gods of Random demand a new sacrifice.

Reminder that the Alien Collective Virtual HQ is doing a series of awesome contests leading up to the release of "Alien Proliferation". Check out the Big Arrival contest information and rules, then get yourselves entered into the Cravings contest.

Have a great week, and let's remember to be readers out there!

Love,
Gini

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Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Contest Humping

Happy Hump Day! There's lots of winning going on, as well as other things, so let's get right to it, so everyone gets their chance to share in lots of loot!

First off, this is the last day to enter my Comic-Con Swag Packs giveaway. If you've somehow put it off until the last minute, well, it IS the last minute right NOW. It's for Hook Me Up! only, so if you're not on, rectify that omission immediately by sending an email to gini@ginikoch.com with "Hook Me Up!" in the subject line, so you can get in with the in-crowd and score directions for how to enter the Contest of Contests.

Next up, the Alien Collective Virtual HQ is doing an awesome series of contests running up to the release of "Alien Proliferation". Head over and check out the Big Arrival details, prizes, and rules. Then get yourself going on the first contest, Cravings.

Lots of you are happily chatting about other author's books and such while earning yourselves extra Swag Pack entries over at the Blah, Blah, Blah Blog. But the contest is about to end. What's a bunch of fun loving yappers to do? Well, head over to the AC Virtual HQ's Forum and check out all the threads, INCLUDING the thread on Suggestions on Similar Authors. Don't let the yappiness die! Carry over to the Forum, where I actually participate (well, on occasion, LOL), and carry on!

Next up, check out the lovely review of "Alien in the Family" from Fresh Fiction.

Reminder that you can still get entered to win a signed, personalized copy of either "Touched by an Alien" or "Alien Tango" over at Were Vamps Romance.

In Person Schedule:
CopperCon 31, Sept. 2-5
Queen Creek Writer's Group, Queen Creek Brank Library, Sept. 13
Foxy Dahlings Book Club, Phoenix, AZ, Sept. 21

I have some cool announcements coming, that I'm desperate to share with all of you...but I have to wait a day or two. Maybe three or four. But soon, very, very soon, will be sharing more exciting stuff from the Land O' Moi. Until then, have a good rest of your weeks, remember to pre-order both "Alien Proliferation" and "Alien Diplomacy" (yes, these days, pre-orders MATTER), and stay as cool as all y'all always are!

Love,
Gini

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Monday, August 15, 2011

The Yap Carries On

Happy Monday! I know, I once again fell off the face of the Earth last week. Well, as my Hook Me Up! subscribers already know, I was busy. Working on various projects including "Alien vs. Alien". And discovering that "Alien Diplomacy" is, like "Alien Proliferation", available for pre-ordering right NOW. *coughhinthintcough* But the game's afoot, so let's catch up on all that's going on!

First off, head over to Were Vamps Romance and check out the latest interview with moi. Leave a comment, get entered to win a signed, personalized copy of either "Touched by an Alien" or "Alien Tango". And for those of you who somehow haven't read "Alien in the Family" yet, there's a new excerpt of it within the interview as well.

Next, go to Swept Away Again and check out their review of "Alien Tango".

Those of you in-state or planning to be in or around the Greater Phoenix Metro Area over Labor Day Weekend should check out CopperCon 31 where I'll be on panels, doing a reading, signing books, and generally hanging out.

Reminder that you still have time to enter the Comic-Con Swag Pack Giveaway. Entries can be received as late as midnight Hawaii time on Wednesday, August 17th. It's for Hook Me Up! only, though, so if you're not on, send an email to gini@ginikoch.com with "Hook Me Up!" in the subject line, so you don't miss out!

There's more coming, so stay tuned, have fun, stay cool (unless it's cold where you are, and then, stay warm), and let's remember to be readers out there!

Love,
Gini

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Friday, August 5, 2011

The Yap's Back in Action!

Happy Friday! As my Hook Me Up! subscribers already know, we have a relatively short and sweet one for you today, so let's get to it!

First off, head over to Worlds of Possibilities and check out the latest interview with moi (with NEW info). Leave a comment and get entered to win a signed copy of either "Touched by an Alien" or "Alien Tango".

Next, check out what Three Crow Press has to say about "Alien in the Family". Then go to Romance at Random and check out their Romance in Urban Fantasy giveaway.

Reminder that the Comic-Con Giveaway is in full swing - check out the Swag Packs in the blog post below. Of course, it's for Hook Me Up! only. Not on? Now would truly be the time. 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 get the info for how to enter the Contest of Contests.

Speaking of Comic-Con, I'd be remiss if I didn't give a shout out to some awesome Alien Collective Members in Very Good Standing who were able to visit me around the con itself. So big *waves*, many {HUGS}, and much love to Brooke & Tim, Glen & Allison, Ollie & Blanca, Penni, and all the kiddos who came along and faked not being bored out of their minds (all the kids deserve Angelic Behavior Medals, trust me). Love you all and thanks for taking time out to let me and the hubs have some actual fun and down time in San Diego. Seeing all of you was truly the best highlight of the trip.

Hope everyone has a great weekend planned. I'll be busy logging contest entries, working on "Alien vs. Alien" and "The Creation Agent", and tossing confetti for the chicklet's birthday. Whatever you do, do it with gusto, and I'll catch you on the flip side!

Love,
Gini

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Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Comic-Con Swag Packs of Bodacious Awesomeness Giveaway!

FOR HOOK ME UP! ONLY -- INTERNATIONAL CONTEST

I went to Comic-Con 2011, got to be on a panel with awesome authors, meet fans, act like a huge fangirl, and generally have a blast…and all you’re getting is…a chance to win a literal cornucopia of goodies! Contest is for Hook Me Up! subscribers only, is international in scope, and will run through Wednesday, August 17, 2011.

And Here Come the Packs…*
…cleverly named for actual Comic-Con events and attendees. ‘Cause we bring the full entertainment experience, baby!

The Hall H Swag Pack
The big cheese. Something from everything, including the most exclusive of exclusives: a Comic-Con keepsake program signed by me and every other author on my Speculative Fiction panel. No one else in the world will have this with these 8 autographs. There will be other signed goodies, including a set of Alien Series posters, all signed by moi (yes, including a poster for “Alien Proliferation”), buttons, posters, T-shirt, sunglasses, cap, line chair, books, and more. And when I say more, I MEAN more. This is the Swag Pack all others want to be when they grow up.

The Room 20 Swag Pack
Close to the Hall H, but featuring a focus on Covert Affairs, Psych and Ringer, along with signed goodies, including a set of Alien Series posters, all signed by moi (yes, including a poster for “Alien Proliferation”), buttons, posters, T-shirt, sunglasses, books, and more. And again, I MEAN more.

The Exhibit Hall Swag Pack
Posters, posters, and more posters, many signed, all cool. If it can curl up and fit into a mailing tube, it’s in here. Includes a set of Alien Series posters, all signed by moi (yes, including a poster for “Alien Proliferation”). You’ll be able to wallpaper at least one room with the contents of this Pack, maybe your whole house.

The Mysterious Galaxy Swag Pack
This is the pack particularly loaded with books, sample chapters, other reading matter, as well as a sampling of other awesome Comic-Con stuff, and both an exclusive Jim Butcher/Dresden Files T-shirt and an exclusive Brenda Novak scarf (which I wanted to keep for myself BUT am handing over to this Pack’s winner because I’m a giver, me).

The Allen Gregory Swag Pack
Focused more on the little ones, this Pack features an exclusive Allan Gregory baseball cap, masks, and other coolness focused on the kids, and those of us who will remain kids forever. Includes a set of Alien Series posters, all signed by moi (yes, including a poster for “Alien Proliferation”), buttons, and all manner of other fun stuff.

The Val Kilmer Swag Pack
Val was a surprise attendee at the con this year, and what’s in this Pack will be a surprise, too. Trust me when I say that you’ll get signed stuff, cool stuff, and other stuff. This one goes to the contest entrant whose witty, urbane, and all around awesome smack talk on the Blog either makes me snort Coke through my nose or go “awww” the most often. Yes, this is the only pack chosen by moi instead of the Gods of Random.

By the way, when I say “Pack” I MEAN “PACK” and when I say “stuff” I mean “awesomeness”. Each winner will get an exclusive Comic-Con Swag Bag (some may get more than one) chosen at random by me, along with other Comic-Con firsts and exclusives. All the Bags are cool, most are huge, all were handled by moi and probably used to get swag home, so they’re REAL, baby! All the Bags are Comic-Con exclusives, too, making them bodaciously awesome.

How to Enter to Win:
1. Be a registered Hook Me Up! subscriber. (Not on? Send an email to gini@ginikoch.com with “Hook Me Up!” in the subject line.)
2. Respond as instructed by the secret, Hook Me Up! messages that will go out from August 3rd through August 17th.
3. Cross the digits that you’re one of the winners selected by the Gods of Random!

*Some Packs will include swag from Thriller Fest and RWA Nationals.

Catch-22s, Gotchas, Legalese

Due to sheer weight and volume, international winners may be asked to help cover postage (depends on what you win and where you are). Therefore, if you reside outside the U.S. and you’re not willing to potentially share in postage costs, please don’t enter.

Swag Pack contents subject to change, based on what might not have made it home safely without being trashed. Packs also subject to being increased and/or doubled in availability, ‘cause I’m not kidding when I say I got a LOT of swag.

Contest runs from Wednesday, August 3rd through Wednesday, August 17th. This is an international contest -- as long as you’re on Planet Earth, have a deliverable address (no P.O. Boxes, please), and are a registered Hook Me Up! subscriber, you can enter and win. Winners will be announced in the week of August 22nd. Prizes may take 2-4 weeks to ship; it may take 6-8 weeks for international.

That's it! So, Hook Me Up! entrants, answer these questions three: Which Swag Pack do you most want to win and why, and if you were going to San Diego Comic-Con with me, what one thing would we HAVE to do?

Love,
Gini

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Monday, August 1, 2011

Honies, I'm Ho-ome!

Happy Monday! I know, I know, it's been ages. But hey, Comic-Con takes a lot of time and focus because it's hard to get all the swag without a plan. And, as my Hook Me Up! subscribers already know, boy, did I come home with swag. Loads of swag, bags of swag, cascades of swag. So much swag that I can't launch the Comic-Con Swag Packs contest today...because I'm still trying to figure out how many packs, what's going where, and how much awesome in one box will cause bodacious combustion.

So, until later this week (and yes, my Swag Hounds, the contest WILL launch this week - for Hook Me Up! only, so if you're not on, now's the time!), let's get caught up on all that's been missed while I was in San Diego.

First up, this went live while I was in the midst of the Comic-Con madness, so it's too late to enter for the Birthday Bash giveaway, but still, check out the interview with Kitty over at On a Book Bender. Be sure and wish OaBB a happy belated birthday while you're there!

Next, see what Vampire Book Club thinks of "Touched by an Alien". Then check out what Mama Kitty Reviews has to say about "Alien in the Family". Last but in no way least, check out the which covers Bibliognome deems Swoon-Worthy.

I'm sure I missed a plethora of other things going on these past two weeks, but here's why. Comic-Con. 'Nuff said, right? No? You want more? Okay, here goes...

First, if you haven't checked out the majority of my pics from the event, hit the Alien Collective Virtual HQ. If you're not a member of the official fan site yet, well, why not sign up and start yapping on the Forum?

In brief, this was my schedule:

Wednesday: We hit Preview Night and scored some cool stuff from Penguin. Got more stuff from and cased the Exhibit Hall.

Thursday: We made it into the Covert Affairs, Psych and Ringer panels in Room 20, and scored some cool swag. Hit more of the exhibit floor, and got much in the way of swag, including signed things. Lunch with excellent authors S.G. Browne and Savannah Kline (buy their awesome books!) and the rest of what I've dubbed The Cool Crew (*waves to Dan, Tim, Antonio, Casey & Rose*). Toured Conan O'Brien's art show dedicated to...himself. (This was essentially for Coco fans only. Those of us who swing Leno, Letterman, Kimmel, Fallon, McHale, Handler, or Tosh 2.0 were left a little, um, nauseated.) Back to the exhibit hall for, yes, more swag.

Friday: Screwed up and missed Blue Blazes, which I'd been looking forward to seeing; but did make it into Kung Fu Panda where James "Lo Pan" Hong stole the show and the entire audience's hearts. Then saw the launch episodes of the new Thundercats which was, in a word, AWESOME and which had, hands down THE most excited, invested audience of anything we saw. More exhibit hall then off to the Penguin party which was very cool. Then Ghiradelli's with The Cool Crew.

Saturday: We scored Hall H! Which was awesome, but derailed any plans to see anything else, in part because, thanks to AC Member in VERY Good Standing Shelly, we got 2nd row seats, front and center. So we saw Francis Ford Coppola and Val Kilmer showing Twixt; gazed upon the full gorgeous cast of The Immortals (Kellan Lutz should never speak his own lines, seriously, and it really seemed that Stephen Dorff was on very close terms with a lot of pot, but Freida Pinto was lovely, Luke Evans was both hot and bright, and Henry Cavill will make an awesome Superman as long as he can manage an American accent) and, yes, it's true -- for some reason, I took no pics during this panel, and I can't tell you why, but they were all picture-worthy, so you'll have to see The Immortals to make up for my lack. We then saw the awesome cast of The Knights of Badassdom which included Ryan Kwanten, Summer Glau, and (my fave!) Peter Dinklage -- this movie is my "must see" from the Con, because it looks hilarious and speaks to my D&D, LARP, fangirl soul. We also saw the full cast of Snow White and the Huntsmen which included Kristen Stewart, Charlize Theron, Chris Hemsworth (who, sadly, kept his shirt on), and Sam Claflin; Charlize is hilarious and this movie looks very interesting. Next was Dorothy of Oz which boasted Patrick "Capt. Picard" Stewart's first visit to Comic-Con AND we got to sing Happy Birthday to him, led by Megan "Wicked" Hilty (this panel also featured the most inappropriate "question" of the Con, which I won't repeat, but I guarantee the asker was bodily removed and potentially beaten). Last, but not least, we got to end our Hall H time with Kevin Smith, who is hilarious and thoughtful and incredibly, undeniably cool without trying to be cool (and yes, I was, and still am, in total fangirl mode).

Sunday: We visited the exhibit hall because we didn't have enough swag to choke a herd of elephants yet; caught the Allen Gregory panel that included Jonah Hill and French Stewart (everyone was hilarious so I recommend giving the show a try); then it was time for my panel, and I got to sit in between Vernor Vinge and Timothy Zahn -- our panel was packed, and it was great fun, PLUS I got to sit between Greg Bear and Michael Cassutt for the signing! (All of them are lovely, awesome gentlemen and I heartily recommend their books.) Major love to all who came by to say hi and/or get books signed, including Sasha, Kai, and Dan, with a special shout-out to Corey, whose luggage was lost and who not only bought new clothes, but a new set of my books to be signed (Corey -- you...complete me :-D). Then it was back to the exhibit hall yet again. And then...it was over, done, kaput, so long until next year.

I realize upon reading this over that it seems like we were nonstop. We were. But the sad part is, I KNOW I'm forgetting things we did, stuff we saw, and people we ran into. But that's how it goes when you're hanging with 125-160K of your nearest and dearest. Was it awesome? It was. Is it nice to be home? It is. Can I hardly wait for next year? You even have to ask?

So, until I can get the Swag Packs of Awesomeness in order, peace out, my li'l gangstas and remember, let's be readers out there!

Love,
Gini

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