The READ THIS! BotM, More Releases Now & Coming Soon, Alien Series Updates, and More!

Happy August!

It's also Happy Anniversary to me and the Hubs. And, as seems like almost always, we're not together - he's at the Manse and I'm at Gen Con. But such is the glamorous life of an author, right?

No con recap yet - that'll happen once I'm back from Gen Con. But the next READ THIS! Book of the Month is here, along with two new releases - one coming in a few days, one coming in two weeks, so let's get to it, shall we? We shall!

It's Alive! Book 7, aka Alien in the House, is available now from Ginger Blue Publishing! As per usual, it'll be easiest to go to Ginger Blue's website and choose your own adventure to get to the right version for you. While the B&N reviews appear to have stuck on this one,  the Amazon reviews have not. So, as for Alien Tango and Alien in the House, please remember that reviews (just stars without comment is enough, brief comments are fine, long comments are fine, whatever suits you) really matter to moi and to every other author you like, so please leave reviews for all the bookie wookies, particularly those whose reviews are few or, in this case, whose reviews are no longer there. Reviews or not, get your copy today from your distributor of choice!

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!

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 2025 READ THIS! Selection

The READ THIS! Selection for August 2025 is:  Magica 1: Rise of the Cult by E.S. Magill Gini's Take: A different take on magic and how it works, in a fascinating contemporary setting, loaded with family drama and characters you'll root for. About the Author: E.S. Magill is a dark fiction and fantasy author, best known for the Magica series about a powerful witch protecting her family from supernatural threats. Her work includes published short stories and edited horror anthologies. Magill holds B.A. and M.A. degrees in English. Now a retired middle school English teacher, she spends her days working with her writing group Wily Writers. Magill is also a mental health advocate and nonfiction author. She currently lives in Phoenix with her also-retired husband. Visit www.esmagill.com for book info and to sign up for her newsletter.

August 2025 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 E.S. Magill will be on Thursday, August 21, 2024 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 2025 is:  Injustice Push Chronicles #2 By J.B. Garner

And don't forget to pre-order the next book in the Martian Alliance Chronicles series, releasing in two weeks, on August 12th!

Is the cost of a few innocent lives worth risking everything? When the crew of the Hummingbird discovers Pilla Colony recently destroyed by the Diamante Families, they’re faced with the smart choice of leaving or the dangerous one of searching for survivors – and Roy and DeeDee aren’t in agreement about their course of action. But the real question is: why would anyone be going out of their way to destroy the most helpless, fragile, and noncombative race in the galaxy? Preorder from your preferred retailer via Ginger Blue Publishing.

In case you missed it, Touched by an Alien, Alien Tango, Alien in the Family, Alien Proliferation, Alien Diplomacy, and Alien vs. Alien are now available from Ginger Blue Publishing in ebook, trade paperback, hardback, and trophy hardback!

Ginger Blue is trucking along and getting the Alien Series re-released just as fast as they can. The situation with how the hardbacks go out is still the same - you can get the new versions in ebook, trade paperback, hardback, and trophy hardback complete with a snazzy dust cover! The trophy hardback is from B&N.com only, as a reminder, and the regular hardback is from Amazon only. The searching via Amazon and B&N.com remains spotty, in no small part because those two distributors still have some mass market copies they're determined to sell. So, as suggested for Touched and Tango, and as recommended for every book coming through 16/Aliens Abroad, go to the Ginger Blue Releases page, click on the cover of your choosing, and choose which option or options you want. The links on GBP's website will take you to the right spots at B&N and Amazon to get the version you want. Confusing? Yes. Ultimately manageable? Sure. It's only adding a step to what you'd normally do. Now for the old reviews status. On B&N all the review seem to have stuck. Not so on  Amazon -- they were there for all and, suddenly, they were not. SO, Alien Tango, Alien in the Family, and Alien in the House do not have all their reviews connected to the new versions. We have no idea why. Yes, they may connect at a later date, we have no idea if that will or won't happen, and if they do connect, if they'll actually remain. SO, please review early and often on either site, but particularly on Amazon, since, as we well know, reviews matter, especially at Amazon, B&N, and Goodreads. So, officially, now the first seven books are live everywhere! Huzzah!

The Belters Volume 1 A mosaic novel set in my Belters universe, by moi writing as Anita Ensal.  In the far future, humanity has colonized the solar system, but only because the Belt - and those who live and do the dangerous work there - always provides... Preorder now via Ginger Blue Publishing. Releasing super soon on August 5th.

Con Season Continues My con season is in full swing. Keep checking this space for where I'll be and all the different ways and places where you can see the me! Gen Con Writers Symposium July 31-August 3 Indianapolis, IN Thursday, July 31st 4:00-5:00 PM, Marriott Ballroom 2, Panel: Finding Your Character's Voice 5:00-6:00 PM EDT, Marriott Ballroom 2, Panel: The Panel That Gets Everybody Sued 6:00-9:00 PM, ICC: 144-145, Signing Event: Meet the Pros ($4 entry fee, ticketed event) Saturday, August 2nd 1:00-2:00 PM, ICC-Exhibit Hall I, Authors Avenue Marketing 101, against the back wall, Book Signing and Meet and Greet with Erik Scott de Bie, Gini Koch, and J.B. Garner 3:00-4:00 PM, Marriott Ballroom 3, Panel: Marketing 101 DragonCon August 28-September 1 Atlanta, GA Bouchercon September 3-7 New Orleans, LA Saturday, September 6th 9:00-9:55 AM, Galerie 3, Panel: Humor - Laughter in the Midst of Chaos 10:00-10:25 AM, Acadia, Signing: immediately following  panel

So many bookie wookies, so much time to catch up on all of them while waiting for The Alien Collection, Aliens Like Us, Aliens Like Them, 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

The READ THIS! Author Q&A, A New Preorder, Cover Reveals, and More!

It's Almost San Diego Comic-Con Time! I'm literally about to be leavin' on a jet plane from Hotlanta for the far less humid climes of San Diego. And then come home. And immediately leave again for Indianapolis and Gen Con.  But before then, we have the READ THIS! Author Q&A which is, as always, gonna be a good one!  We also have my SDCC schedule, and my Gen Con schedule, and my BoucherCon schedule. Can my DragonCon schedule be far behind? (No, no it cannot. LOL) Along with other cool things like cover reveals, lots of new Yap, and a preorder. So, let's get to it, shall we? We shall!

It's Preorder Time! The Belters, Volume 1, a mosaic novel by moi writing as Anita Ensal, is almost here and can now be preordered from your preferred distributor via Ginger Blue Publishing. Don't delay, preorder today! Releasing on August 5th.

Speaking Of Preorders... The next installment of The Martian Alliance Chronicles is available for preorder now! Order your copies so you can fly with the crew of the Hummingbird while they take on the galaxy's most awful crime family, one con, caper, and rescue at a time! Preorder from your preferred retailer via Ginger Blue Publishing.

Is the cost of a few innocent lives worth risking everything? When the crew of the Hummingbird discovers a Pilla Colony recently destroyed by the Diamante Families, they’re faced with the smart choice of leaving or the dangerous one of searching for survivors – and Roy and DeeDee aren’t in agreement about their course of action. But the real question is – why would anyone be going out of their way to destroy the most helpless, fragile, and noncombative race in the galaxy? Coming August 12, 2025.

THE YAP IN CHARGE! We've got some new yapping over at ConTinual! Check out Advice for New Writers, Social Media in 2025, Fantasy Civilizations, SciFi Westerns, 80's Cartoons, Hot Off the Press #139,  Favorite Movie Monsters, Lovecraftian Horror, and Beating Writers Block wherein my fellow panelists and I have a lot of fun while sharing a lot of learning and our wild and varied opinions! And don't miss the other Yaps over at The Yap In Charge.

It's Cover Reveal Time Again!

Kitty vs. the PTA -- It's Clobberin' Time! Learn as much as possible about every alien race in the galaxy, fend off the advances both business & personal from a variety of Hollywood types, deal with the assimilation of various alien races, navigate the Embassy Daycare kids' first day of "real" school -- oh, and deal with new attacks, nastier enemies, and a variety of murders, all while dealing with a new nemesis. Kitty's got this. Sorta. Coming soon from Ginger Blue Publishing.

Time for an Impromptu Galactic Road Trip. Don't worry -- Kitty's Driving. The President and First Lady, aka Jeff and Kitty Katt-Martini, aren't supposed to be on the Distant Voyager spaceship’s maiden mission, but what looks like a snafu during a political photo op turns out to be a call for help from a planet that might be Earth's salvation...or its destruction. Coming soon from Ginger Blue Publishing.

Speaking of Getting Bookie Wookies... All of these are available now from Ginger Blue Publishing and available at your preferred retailer. If you haven't grabbed these yet, now's the time!

The Jumping Game is on! Come for the scandal, stay for the explosions.

Welcome to Washington, check your Poofs at the door... The future looks utopian...until you look just a bit closer...

And baby makes...the bad guys rue the day they made Mama Kitty angry... Love, engagement, Poofs...and intergalactic war. What happens in Vegas doesn't stay in Vegas...

More Kitty, and don't miss the gators! The Book That Started It All is alive again! Meet Kitty...all over again!

My first book of movie and TV reviews, and, as I may have mentioned a few times, it's an Amazon #1 bestseller, too! (Hey, a girl likes to share the coolness when she can!) The re-release of the first book in The Martian Alliance Chronicles. Things aren't what they seem when Princess Olivia of Andromeda jumps aboard a spaceship to escape a loveless marriage.

A group of mystery-solving grandmothers, a daring granddaughter, a surf bum, homeless men, and a mysterious stranger all involved in a series of brutal murders in a sleepy seaside town... The re-release of my first humor collection, now with bonus funny! Despite what you may have heard or believe, all the stories are true...well, almost all...

The story of the Old West's most notorious female outlaw, the infamous Belladonna. Available in Hardback, trade paperback, and ebook. Read the story that started it all... Stacey Weir didn't mean to become an amateur sleuth. But when her adoptive father's accused of murder, there was only one thing for her to do...

Friends to lovers romantic suspense set in and around New Orleans, now with an (extended) epilogue! (Re-release.) Mosaic post-apocalyptic novel set in the far future that's reverted to Old West ways, where love, friends, and family are what get you through.

A collection of paranormal tales, with new bonus stories and an introduction from the author of BITE CLUB. (Re-release.) A collection of all my humorous SF/F/P (non-Alien series) stories, together in one place for the first time!

July 2025 READ THIS! Author Q&A

July's READ THIS! author Q&A with  Author Jose Pablo Iriarte will be on Thursday, July 17, 2025 from 9pm-10pm Eastern. Access to Discord is available worldwide, and everyone is invited to attend! You do not need to be a Discord member/user to attend: Use this link https://discord.gg/GYpzD25JvW to go directly to the chat room! (You also don't need to have finished the book to join in the fun. We authors know that everyone reads at their own pace and we just want to hang out with you guys and have some good times!) Once in, you'll get to join in the fun of asking authors about their "process" and more. PLUS, one lucky winner will get August's READ THIS! selection for FREE! I know! It's too happy to be true! But true it is, so don't miss out! (You must be present in the chat to win. Physical copies U.S. only; ebook copies worldwide.)

July 2025 READ THIS! Selection

The READ THIS! Selection for July 2025 is:  AJ Torres and the Treasure of Captain Grayshark by Jose Pablo Iriarte Gini's Take: Another fun and charming Middle Grade adventure from an author quickly becoming a real force in this age category. About the Author: José Pablo Iriarte is a fantasy and science fiction author. Their fiction has been finalist for the Nebula, Hugo, Locus and Sturgeon Awards and reprinted in various Year's Best compilations. Their debut novel, Benny Ramirez and the Nearly Departed, was published in April 2024 by Knopf Books for Young Readers and was a finalist for the Andre Norton Award. The follow up, AJ Torres and the Treasure of Captain Grayshark, is available now.

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

The READ THIS! Selection for August 2025 is:        Magica: Rise of the Cult By E.S. Magill

Con Season Continues My con season is in full swing. Keep checking this space for where I'll be and all the different ways and places where you can see the me! San Diego Comic-Con July 23-27 San Diego, CA Wednesday through Sunday, Dealer's Hall Hours, Booth D-9, in the 600 Section of the Dealer's Hall, selling the bookie wookies and handing out hugs! Sunday, July 27 2:00PM - 3:00PM, Room: 29AB Panel: The Intersection of Words & Art Writers create the words and the worlds, artists bring those to visual life, and nowhere does this happen more than in comics and graphic novels. Our panelists Jonathan Maberry (Burn to Shine, NecroTek), Deborah Daughetee (Gates of Midnight), Robert Roach (The Roach, Menthu), Gary Montalbano (Memories Within Dreams), Johnny C (Surrounded by Death), and J.B. Garner (3 Seconds to Legend, Push Chronicles) discuss the unique challenges and joys of their collaborations and give you tips for how you can break in and get started. Moderated by Gini Koch (Alien/Katherine “Kitty” Katt, Media & Me). Gen Con Writers Symposium July 31-August 3 Indianapolis, IN I'm featured at the Gen Con Blog! Take a look and read my interview and check out the other awesome authors who were also interviewed! Thursday, July 31st 4:00-5:00 PM, Marriott Ballroom 2, Panel: Finding Your Character's Voice 5:00-6:00 PM EDT, Marriott Ballroom 2, Panel: The Panel That Gets Everybody Sued 6:00-9:00 PM, ICC: 144-145, Signing Event: Meet the Pros ($4 entry fee, ticketed event) Saturday, August 2nd 1:00-2:00 PM, ICC-Exhibit Hall I, Authors Avenue Marketing 101, against the back wall, Book Signing and Meet and Greet with Erik Scott de Bie, Gini Koch, and J.B. Garner 3:00-4:00 PM, Marriott Ballroom 3, Panel: Marketing 101 DragonCon August 28-September 1 Atlanta, GA Bouchercon September 3-7 New Orleans, LA Saturday, September 6th 9:00-9:55 AM, Galerie 3, Panel: Humor - Laughter in the Midst of Chaos 10:00-10:25 AM, Acadia, Signing: immediately following  panel

A Big-Little FYI... Due to all the things happening with the Alien Series and other things, Deck the Falls is going to be a little late. Sadly it's more than a little late now, but the end is near and I'm currently hoping for a September release. But Book 3 (Cruise the Falls) should be right back on schedule for March 2026. And, as soon as Deck the Falls is finalized, all y'all will, as always, be the first to know!

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!

So many bookie wookies, so much time to catch up on all of them while waiting for The Alien Collection, Aliens Like Us, Aliens Like Them, 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 details for the next READ THIS! selection, 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, hope this year continues to give all of you much joy and goodness, and let's be readers out there. Peace out, my li'l gangstas, and I'll catch all y'all on the flip side! Love, Gini