Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Blogiversary Day 2: Interview and Giveaway with Gini Koch!

(Cover art copyright Daniel Dos Santos)

So, I recently read and LOVED Gini Koch's Touched by an Alien (my review here). I liked it so much I decided I had to give away a copy for my 1 year blogiversary celebration. When I asked Gini for some of her "free stuff" to give away, she also kindly agreed to do an interview!


Book Addict: Where did you get the idea for a race of super-hot guys? (And I love that the women are not impressed!) Anyone in particular you used for “inspiration”?

Gini: This book was very organic for me -- it felt like it wrote itself. Therefore, I wrote down what the characters told me. And, really, it’s my world, my rules. Why NOT have them be super-gorgeous to Earthlings? I’d rather spend time with a whole lot of gorgeous than not and figure most readers are going to agree.

Also, remember that, to the female A-Cs, the men just look ordinary. The A-C women are brains, not looks, focused, and they’re all gorgeous, men and women alike, so it’s not any big thing to them. Which is, you know, lucky for Earth folk everywhere.

In a lot of cases I do use good looking actors as models, but not for this book. Kitty looks like Kitty, Jeff looks like Jeff, Christopher like Christopher, etc., in my mind. They don’t look like anyone else out there. While there are people who could play them in a movie or on TV, it would still be an impersonation, not “them”.

Book Addict: I also love that the hero, Jeff Martini, is a super nice guy right from the beginning and not some jerk who treats Kitty badly and has to be redeemed. Speaking of Jeff (rowr!), did you chose his name for the irony or did it just sound good at the time? If you don’t want to give anything away, just check Y or N:

_____Y _______N

(just like in grade school, right?)

Gini: ROFL. His name is Jeff Martini because that’s what he told me his name was. I’m not kidding, the characters are in full control. I’m merely reporting. ;-D (I didn’t know his middle name until Terry, channeling through Kitty, said it, either. Welcome to the party that is my mind!) So, no irony consciously intended.

I’m really glad that there’s so much love for Martini. Because I fully expected to get a lot of complaints that Kitty didn’t end up with Christopher. But Martini’s the right guy for her, and I’m glad that came through and the readers seem to have embraced it.

And, I’m not a fan of the idea that the guy who treats you like dirt is, somehow, the right guy for you and that you should, therefore, kick the nice guy to the curb for the awful crime of treating you well and caring about you. There’s brooding and then there’s being a dick. I can take some brooding, but really, the dicks don’t get my chicks, at least not permanently.

Book Addict: Which leads us to Christopher – will we get to see a romantic storyline for him? All in all I did like him (and if Kitty’s mom likes him he must be an okay guy, right?)

Gini: Yes, but not immediately. I’m not going to say when, where, or how, but Christopher will score some action.

I like Christopher, too. He’s a great guy, a hero, just not the right guy for Kitty, in part because of how he acts when he realizes he likes her. In this world, there are three “right guys” for her, essentially, but Christopher isn’t one of them.

Book Addict: Is this a tease? 3 guys that are right for her? Have we met them yet? You’re killing me!

Gini: LOL, yes, it IS a teaser. All will be revealed (well, at least somewhat) in “Alien Tango”. And, technically, you have all the clues for who these three are in “Touched by an Alien”… *evil snicker*

And, yes, Angela does like Christopher very much. And she was pushing Kitty towards him, but more so that Kitty might possibly become aware that Christopher was interested in more than exchanging insults. Angela has a lot of experience with Kitty’s density, and Christopher is indeed more of what Kitty’s physical ‘type’ used to be.

Book Addict: With that in mind, will we see some side romance for the other characters? I like Reader and Gower, and a lot of romance readers enjoy a bit of m/m with their romance – will we see more of their relationship?

Gini: In terms of seeing more of Reader and Gower in the books, absolutely, and you’ll see more of them, and since they are a couple, you’ll see their interactions as Kitty sees them. But while I adore Reader and Gower, they’re an established couple, and this series is in first person POV, so you’re not going to see them in any intimate way.

I’m willing to do what I call a one-off, something that’s not “part” of the official series (like Janet Evanovich’s “between the numbers” books) but the series has to become very big before things like that are allowed.

But, you never know. If there’s enough interest from fans, I might do something special for fans only. We’ll just have to see. (Yes, I *am* being vague. It’s part of my mysterious charm. ;-D)

Book Addict: This is your first book – how did you score Daniel Dos Santos to do the cover? Do you have an amazing agent or did you just get lucky?

Gini: DAW likes me, they really, really like me! That’s the reason -- my editor rocks, and so forth. My agent IS amazing, but she didn’t affect the cover, that was my editor who is, admittedly, totally awesome.

Book Addict: I see you've been contracted for 4 books - will that be it? Do you have a set point to end the series or are you just going to run with it until you run out of ideas? Which leads to: are you a pantster or plotter?

Gini: No, 4 isn’t it, and I don’t have a set ending point. I can, and hope to, write these characters’ stories for a long time to come. I look at it this way -- I’m not the same person I was at 20 (and thank God, really), but I’m still interesting, and still have interesting things happening to me. I resent the idea that someone would think I’d always keep Kitty 27. She’s going to age and grow, just like everyone else, and just like everyone else in the series. And I think what you do when you’re 27 and single versus 30 and married with children is different, but still interesting. Plus, I’ll put a mini-van up against a sports car in terms of weapons toting and ramming effectiveness any day.

I don’t really run out of ideas. I don’t have writer’s block. I have the opposite -- more ideas than I may get to in my lifetime (and my family lives a long time). But, once I begin the writing process, I’m very much a linear writer (or pantster) -- I start with the title, then the first line, then write until the end. And I know when it’s the end. It makes it hard on my agent, because I literally need to finish a book before I can tell her what’s going to happen and how it’s going to end. But hey, it’s working for me.

You know, it dawned on me while writing this that I can’t stand the terms “plotter” and “pantster -- because the insinuation I take away from those is that a linear writer doesn’t plot and an outline writer never goes off course, and I know both of those to be false. (This qualifies as a deep insight out of me right now, btw, so take it for whatever that’s worth.)

Book Addict: What did you do to pay the bills before becoming an author? Or are you still working a day job and writing in your off time?

Gini: I worked in Corporate America in marketing. And, like many others, as of last year, I don’t work in Corporate America any more. It worked out -- writing’s been my real life for a long time now, and promotion’s a full time job once your book comes out. Plus, there are those other books to get finished. Oh, and the bills get paid by the hubs who is still one with Corporate America. No, I’m nowhere close to being able to live off my writing income. (Um, there IS income with this, right? Just checking…)

Book Addict: One of the recurring themes in this book is tolerance, and you address it without being “preachy”. Did you intend to include that theme as you were writing or did it just happen that way?

Gini: I’m glad it doesn’t come across as preachy, because I don’t want it to be. But intolerance, prejudice and bigotry exist in the world, and a whole lot of evil is done because of them. So they make for interesting themes to me, because they’re always going to be relatable in some way.

I was raised as a Quaker (Ben Franklin/Quaker Oats, not the Puritans) and found out as an adult that I’m actually Jewish. Quakers believe in tolerance and acceptance for all people and anti-Semitism’s been around for thousands of years. Both sides are an integral part of me as a person, so they’re an integral part of me as an author, too. It wasn’t a conscious thing, it’s just a part of the overall story the characters told me.

Book Addict: You’ve got a lot of great music interspersed throughout the book – just out of curiosity, how many Aerosmith concerts have you been to? (Or concerts in general, if you’d prefer)

Gini: Hmmm…well, not as many as I’d like. LOL. I think I’ve only seen Aerosmith 5 times live (and, yeah, I consider 5 times to be “only”…I could see Aerosmith every week and not feel like I’d had enough). I’ve been to a lot of concerts…at least 100 in the last 10 years. I love going to concerts and I have the same wide musical tastes as Kitty does, meaning I’ll go to almost anything. In one year I went to Steely Dan and Iron Maiden, and hit everything in between, too. That was a GREAT year, concerts-wise. As I think of it, that was also the year I sold “Touched by an Alien” and “Alien Tango”. Hmmm…I need to hit more concerts this year…

Book Addict: Any bits of yourself written into the book? Do you have any strange writing habits?

Gini: LOL. I love this question -- someone has asked me that at least once a year ever since I started writing -- and every other day since “Touched by an Alien” came out. I honestly don’t know how any author could answer any other way than, “Yes, of course I’m in the book.” The stories come from my head, I’m the god, I’m in there. I’m in Kitty, yes. But I’m also in Mephistopheles and all the other villains. And every other character and thing in the book.

All your experiences, thoughts, feelings, ideas, etc., join together to help you create. Some authors bleed ink, some, like me, love the process, but all of us put all of ourselves into what we write. The trick is doing it in a way that still leaves you, the author, separate from your creation. Otherwise, you’re writing an autobiography.

I don’t think any of my writing habits are strange, though the hubs did, until he discovered that for any habit I have there are at least a third of the writing population doing the same thing. I’m lucky, I can and do write in chaos. I need music more than anything else, though pictures of “the hunk du jour” always help, too. (Oh, and my current Hunk du Jour is Nathan Fillion, but he’s certainly not alone…my Hunks List is a very, very long list.) But music is the most important.

Otherwise, I don’t think I do anything massively out of the ordinary. I find silence very hard to work in, and I’m not one of those “lock myself away in a cabin with nothing but me and the laptop” kind of writers. You lock me up in some cabin with no distractions, no music, no nothing but “the work and the silence” and I won’t come out with a book -- I’ll come out with a straightjacket.

Book Addict: You mention in the book Jeff and Christopher “swap” personalities – will this be important in later books?

Gini: To clarify, you’re talking about how the mutual trauma they went through as young boys caused them to flip personalities, in that sense. It’s important more in that it helps you see how each of them reacted to it because it helped shape the characters into who they are today.

Honestly, if Christopher’s personality was what it had been as a boy, he’d indeed have landed Kitty. But, such is not the way of the world, and he’s been how he “is” for 20 years versus 10, so it’s pretty set in stone. However, will there be flashes of the “old” Christopher and Jeff? Sure, but at this time they’re not huge plot points, more like character moments.

Book Addict: Any chance TBAA will be made into a movie?

Gini: Always a chance, girlfriend. I got immediate Hollywood interest when we sold “Touched by an Alien” and “Alien Tango” two years ago, but they wanted male-driven, not female-driven. (Yeah, I know, apparently every successful female-driven movie is an anomaly to those who run Hollywood. But I digress…) At this time, there’s none that I know of, but you never can tell what’s right around the corner.


Book Addict: Kirk or Picard?
Gini: Oh, this is a trick question…because there is Old Kirk (William Shatner) and New Kirk (Chris Pine).

Between Old Kirk and Picard, I take Picard. Between Old Kirk, Picard, and New Kirk, I take New Kirk. (But my grandmother would have taken William Shatner in a New York Minute. Shatner was to her as Ben Affleck and Chris Evans are to me -- total hotness.)

Book Addict: Movie Adaptions of Comics – yea or nay?
Gini: For the most part yea. They don’t all work, but when they do, they’re awesome. And I think I like more of the ones that supposedly didn’t work than most, too. (Gives the LOVE to “Daredevil” and “Fantastic Four”…Affleck was DA BOMB in “Daredevil” and Chris Evans IS Johnny Storm! And, now, apparently, also Captain America. Which, yes, of COURSE I’m going to see. Yes, yes, you rightly sense a trend. They aren’t the only two Hollywood hotties I love, but they’re in my top 10.)

Book Addict: Edward or Jacob? (sorry, had to squeeze that one in there, LOL!)
Gini: Jacob. Give me the hottie fur boy over the fanged brooder any time.


AND, yesterday the official cover was revealed for the next book - Alien Tango (release date Dec 7!)! Isn't it gorgeous? I cannot wait to read this book!

(Cover art copyright Daniel Dos Santos)

Thanks so much Gini for being my first interview - it was a lot of fun!!!

If you'd like to learn more about Gini or her books, check out her website here!

________________________________


Giveaway:

I have one copy of Touched by an Alien, along with a signed bookplate, signed cover flat, and Alien collective magnets to give away!

Here's the deets:

Open to all but you MUST follow this blog. Because Touched by an Alien has such a rockin' soundtrack - leave a comment and tell me your favorite band or a concert you've been to! Or, if you have a question for Gini, ask away!

+1 tweet (leave link)
+1 post or sidebar mention (leave link)
+3 put my button on your blog (so I don't feel like that kid on the side of the playground in the funny clothes who brings an onion for lunch every day)

Ends June 29 at midnight central time.

62 comments:

  1. Woot woot I love the covers for this series! The best I've seen so far.

    My favorite band is Nine Inch Nails , I went to see them in Paris a few years ago and it was just perfect!! Ahh I so wish I could see them again *dreaming*

    I tweeted this Interview : http://twitter.com/pattepoilue/status/16218704215

    and I've got your pretty button on my right side bar : http://pattepoilue.blogspot.com/
    And of course I already follow you =)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Fun interview!! I'm not entering, but you know I'll mention it Friday. :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Enjoyed the post and my favorite band is AC/DC! tWarner419@aol.com

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hey! I'm not entering, since I have this on my TBR stack and really looking forward to reading it, but woohoo! Happy Blogaversary!!!! What fun, and what a great interview!

    ReplyDelete
  5. So excited, just got this book yesterday to read - can't wait!!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. That is a very pretty cover. Happy Blogaversary!

    My favorite concert was MUSE they were awesome!

    Cassandra C

    +1 tweet http://twitter.com/CassayC

    ReplyDelete
  7. Wow that new cover looks totally kickass :D (ok the word kickass used for the day, goal met ;)

    Sounds like such a fun book.

    Music...right now I would say...it changes daily, but I have been listening to Glasvegas lately

    ReplyDelete
  8. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  9. This looks like a great read...I already have it on my TBB list.

    One of my fave bands is The Script.

    *posted button on blog sidebar
    http://s7anna.blogspot.com/

    *hugs*
    Anna
    s7anna@yahoo.ca
    GFC follower

    ReplyDelete
  10. Great interview!
    And Gini: if you do write something special for the fans, don't forget to add the McPig advisory warning if needed!!

    My favourite band: Corvus Corax!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Thank goodness Gini doesn't get writer's blocked!
    My favorite band right now is Vampire Weekend. LOVE them. But my all time backup go to is Weezer.

    ReplyDelete
  12. OMG --- Gini really are we going to have to start a bribe pool here... "And, technically, you have all the clues for who these three are in “Touched by an Alien”… *evil snicker*" --- I think I might now the other 2 NOW I am going to have to re-read it for the umpteenth time.

    I am one that will never complain about Jeff over Christopher. I am not a fan of - I like you so let me be nasty and mean to you to show my affection - okay at least most of the time.

    ReplyDelete
  13. oops... I am in love with Muse.

    Concerts -- I am going to Lady Gaga 4th of July weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hey all! Stopping by to check out who likes what musically! 'Cause that's just the kind of girl I am...

    @pattepoilue - glad you like the covers, Daniel Dos Santos is the best, isn't he? The hubs loves NIN and I really like them; they're awesome in concert, too, aren't they? Great choice!

    @Chris - glad you enjoyed the interview, it was fun to do!

    @tetewa - I love AC/DC! One of the bands I've never seen live, though. :-(

    @Carolyn & @Smokinghot - hope you enjoy Touched by an Alien when you get to it!

    @Cassie - saw Muse when they were in Phoenix a month or so ago; great concert (and yes, Stephanie was there).

    @Blodeuedd - I LOVE the Alien Tango cover, possibly more than I love the Touched by an Alien cover (though it's hard to pick, really). I've never heard of Glasvegas (new band!). What's their sound like?

    @s7anna - hope you enjoy TBAA when you get to it. I haven't heard much from The Script yet, but I like what I've heard.

    @Sully - definitely, Sully, there will be a McPig Advisory Warning on any and all one-offs! LOL And, another new band! Never heard of Corvus Corax, what's their sound like?

    @Amber - Love Weezer, but haven't actually listened to Vampire Weekend yet. Will I love them?

    @Marnie -- LOL, well, sure. Your ante is already a good one, but I'm really open to the whole bribery idea. ;-D Oh, and you have my total envy -- I wanted to see Gaga but the timing when she was here didn't allow it. I'm still bummed. (I missed Lifehouse when they were here, too. As bitter about that as missing Gaga...BUT I'm seeing Iron Maiden on Thursday! And the Goo Goo Dolls in August! So it's all good...)

    ReplyDelete
  15. @Patti: forgot to wish you a happy blogoversary!
    @Gini: Corvus Corax is a German band that plays medieval music. we'll send you some links on facebook!

    ReplyDelete
  16. I'm so bad when it comes to music. I can never remember artists and songs titles. I am definitely a little bit more hardcore, I like the edgier stuff. but I also like some pop and happy stuff.

    Happy Blogaversary!

    And this book had definitely caught my attention!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Great interview! I can't wait to read this book - it's been getting such great reviews! For my fav concerts I saw Beck once and it was pretty awesome - I also used to go to shows of an all female cover group called AC/Dshe - love AC/DC!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Don't enter me :)

    GREAT interview.

    "I’m really glad that there’s so much love for Martini. Because I fully expected to get a lot of complaints that Kitty didn’t end up with Christopher."

    Ummmm.... what?! Martini is awesome. Christopher is too but Martini is.... MARTINI! He's so pretty and sweet! I wuv him!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Happy Blogoversary Patti!

    Excellent interview with Ms. Koch - wonderful cover. Please enter me, this novel sounds really interesting. I am a follower and have tweeted your contest a couple of times Patti. :-)

    Favorite band: Nickelback (at the moment lol)

    Thanks Patti

    ReplyDelete
  20. Nice interview. This book sounds really interesting.
    The best concert I've been to was a day in Rock in Rio Madrid. I saw 3 of my favourite artists all in one day!

    +1 Tweet: http://twitter.com/Sparima/status/16264026539
    +1 Sidebar: http://fictionkingdom.blogspot.com/
    +3 Button: http://fictionkingdom.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  21. @Sully - ooh, thanks! Will give them a listen shortly!

    @Natasha - I hope you enjoy it! I'm all over the place with music, too. I like something in almost every musical genre and from any and all ages.

    @Heather - Odelay! (Not only is that a great album, but there's a pic of a Komondor on it!) And I'm with you on AC/DC, too.

    @Danielle - I'm with you, but Team Christopher is in da house, girlfriend! LOL, check out the recent reviews...Team Christopher showed up a little late, but they're here in force now.

    @Lea - love Nickelback! Great band. Glad you enjoyed the interview, Patti asked some great questions.

    ReplyDelete
  22. I'm not a big concert girl, but I keep hearing about how amazing this book is from EVERYONE. I don't normally read aliens either, but I loved the Roswell TV show...so I'm hoping this one will be a good fit :)

    I'm a follower and I linked this on the Contests & Giveaways section on my sidebar
    http://allthingsurbanfantasy.blogspot.com/

    and I will post this on my Win on Wed post every week until the giveaway ends

    http://allthingsurbanfantasy.blogspot.com

    allthingsurbanfantasy[at]gmail[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  23. @Spav - glad you enjoyed the interview! Which bands were at Rock in Rio? (Wondering if Iron Maiden was one of them.)

    @Abigail - I'd say Touched by an Alien is far more like Roswell (or Men in Black and Galaxy Quest) than, say, Close Encounters, E.T., or War of the Worlds. Hope you enjoy it!

    ReplyDelete
  24. This book sounds awesome!! I'd love to win it.

    Favorite group is: Nickelback..

    I follow on gfc

    mlawson17 at hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  25. I must be getting old because recently I have returned to the music of my childhood and am listening to a ridiculous amount of ABBA.
    I'm also enjoying the comeback of Sade.

    +1 tweeted
    https://twitter.com/EVA_n_essence/status/16285194034

    +1 I posted to my sidebar
    http://evasblackspot.blogspot.com

    +3 I put your button on my blog
    http://evasblackspot.blogspot.com

    eva.s.black[@]gmail[.]com

    ReplyDelete
  26. Thank you for posting this! I'm dying to read this book!
    My favorite band? Muse!
    Thank you for making this awesome contest international!:)

    I'm an old follower.

    Giada M.

    fabgiada (at) gmail (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
  27. My favorite band is Muse but it is really hard to get to a concert since they are based in Europe and just don't have that kinda money! LOL

    I'm a follower.
    I mentioned your contest on my blog today.

    Thanks! Miranda
    mdwartistry at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  28. Great interview! My favorite band is 3OH!3. =)

    ReplyDelete
  29. I've heard several funny and fun things about this book and would really love to read it. My favorite concert I've been to is Concrete Blonde. They were awesome.

    angiegirl (at) gmail (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
  30. tell me your favorite band

    type o negative is one of my favorite bands - i'm still sad about peter steele's passing - and i will add ozzy osbourne, the doors, deftones, and the rolling stones to the list....but it grows every day!

    k_sunshine1977 at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  31. @Martha - Good luck, great band choice!

    @Eva - Oooh, I love Abba and Sade, too. Nice choices, and hey, great pop and a fab voice never go out of style!

    @Giada - Muse were great in concert! Have you seen them live?

    @SVZ - Another Muse lover! Some of my BFFs were why I went to their recent concert; they were on a U.S. tour, so keep your eyes peeled, they may come near you.

    @Bailey - Glad you liked the interview, and that's another band I haven't heard of! What's their sound like?

    @Angiegirl - I'm envious, Concrete Blonde must have been awesome live.

    @k_sunshine - You have awesome musical taste! But, what, no Aerosmith? ;-D

    ReplyDelete
  32. I've been to tons of concerts so it's hard to pick a favorite, but the concert I had the most FUN at was Slipknot...very high energy.

    +3 button:
    http://throuthehaze-reads.blogspot.com/

    throuthehaze at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  33. I like country music and Lady Antebellum is my favorite group right now.

    Follower.
    Tweeted.
    http://twitter.com/lillieblue613/status/16347806454

    ReplyDelete
  34. Great interview.
    I enjoyed the Toby Keith concert. he was just awesome.
    I am a follower.

    lizzi0915 at aol dot com

    ReplyDelete
  35. I've been wanting to read this book !

    My favorite band Foo Fighters :)

    +1 tweet http://twitter.com/becunique/status/16356128543

    uniquas at ymail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  36. My favorite band is the Fray.

    I'm a new follower

    Skk25@aol.com

    ReplyDelete
  37. Enjoyed the interview and my favorite band is Lady Antebellum.

    ReplyDelete
  38. @Throuthehaze - I've heard Slipknot is a great concert but haven't seen them yet. Love seeing high energy bands in concert, so much fun!

    @Andrea - I like country, too, and Lady Antebellum is a great band!

    @Bethie - Oooh, the country followers are here! Toby Keith's awesome, I'd love to see him in concert.

    @Mariska - Oh, I LOVE the Foo's! Dave Grohl is so fun and talented, I love seeing them live, they rock and they're fun and so fan-friendly.

    @Layla - And I LOVE the Fray, too. Missed them in concert when they were here...deadlines have really impacted my concert-going!

    @Estella - Lady A again! Love the musical choices!

    ReplyDelete
  39. I hate to admit this, but it's been a loooong time since I've been to a concert. Back when I used to go to them, my all-time fav band was (and still is) U2.

    ReplyDelete
  40. @Jen - really, you cannot go wrong with U2 and they still put on an awesome show. Glad Bono's back in action.

    ReplyDelete
  41. I am a hardcore music lover, so I can't narrow it down!

    Jamiroquai because I've never been to a show that was so diverse and everyone was dancing.

    The Prodigy was awesome, the ENTIRE venue was singing along and dancing.

    Static-X everytime I had seen them it was an awesome show.

    I could go on! lol

    ReplyDelete
  42. I kind of like Lady Gaga, at least her music. Never been to one of her concerts because she usually has them in locations that are a long way from where I live but I would like to go to one.
    +1 tweet http://twitter.com/ston3/status/16561236550

    +1 post http://layoutonmyspace.blogspot.com/2010/06/book-addict-blogiversary-giveaways.html

    +3 button on my sidebar http://layoutonmyspace.blogspot.com

    neagudeea[at]gmail[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  43. Yet another book I want to read now! Gah, I need more money!

    The only concert I've been to is Weird Al. Not much of a concert person. I think my favorite music at the moment is Holly Conlan.

    +3 button of awesomeness! (http://readerfeederblog.blogspot.com/)

    ReplyDelete
  44. Don't worry Jennifer R, I haven't been to many concerts either. I like lots of bands and singers, more I like certain songs. Now I'm obsessed with Kansas - carry on my wayward son. :P

    +1 tweet: http://twitter.com/AminaBlack/status/16567605790

    +1 posted: http://aminablack.blogspot.com/2010/06/great-huge-giveaway-on-book-addict.html

    +3 your cute pink button is on my sidebar: http://aminablack.blogspot.com

    kaguya2000[at]gmail[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  45. My favorite band is Maroon 5!

    +1 tweeted: http://twitter.com/luvingchu/status/16703989143

    +1 sidebar link: http://incontrolableme.blogspot.com/

    +1 button on blog: http://incontrolableme.blogspot.com/

    ilovearevolution (at) live (dot) com

    and Gini, I am simply in love with the idea of a race of super-hot guys although they are aliens :D I can't wait for your next installments too.

    ReplyDelete
  46. @Giada - Muse were great in concert! Have you seen them live?


    Not yet, unfortunately. But I hope soon! :)

    ReplyDelete
  47. @WLP - LOVE your choices! And, wow, I haven't seen any of these bands live...I'm jealous!

    @Stony - I love Gaga and I'm not afraid to admit it. LOL. I hear her concerts are awseome.

    @Jennifer - I have a lot of friends who've seen Weird Al live. True, not a "rock" concert, but still, he's a funny, funny man. Don't know Holly Conlan, what's her sound like?

    @Michikit - Kansas! Wow, 70's hard rock, nice choice!

    @Grace - Maroon 5 are really good in concert, lots of good energy. And, hey, not my fault the Alpha Centaurians are all hotties (men and women alike) to human eyes. Not my fault at all... ;-D

    @Giada - Muse puts on a huge laser light show, it's very cool. Their sets for this tour were great, too, and included an elevator/platform "thing" (yes, that's the technical term!) that was pretty neat.

    ReplyDelete
  48. My favourite soundtrack tends to change with what is currently popular and/or my mood, etc... right now, I like Taylor Swift...

    I'm an old follower. My Google Friend Connect name is Cherry.

    Re-posted your contest at: http://contests-freebies.blogspot.com/2010/06/win-touched-by-alien-at-book-addict.html

    Twitted: http://twitter.com/cherrymischivus/status/16801122022

    Your blog badge is in my BlogLinks at http://www.cherrymischievous.com/p/friends.html

    Cherry Mischievous
    mischivus101-warrior [at] yahoo [dot] com

    ReplyDelete
  49. I am a new Follower.

    Thanks for opening the giveaway up to worldwide entries.

    My favourite band at the moment is Green Bay but that does change ever so often.

    On a long term basis I am a great fan of U2.

    Thanks

    Carol T

    buddytho {at} gmail DOT com

    ReplyDelete
  50. Great interview (and review) this book looks awesome!
    The coolest concert I've been to must be Barack Obama's Inaguration concert - definitely a cool experience!:)

    sara
    yavampire(at)hotmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  51. The only concert that I have been to was a Kenny Chensey concert in Nashville, TN.

    I am a follower

    jellybelly82158 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  52. Favorite singer: Imogen Heap
    Favorite band (atm): Paramore

    Already a follower :)

    +1 http://twitter.com/Book_Faery/status/16908522774

    xlilangeltorix[at]gmail[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  53. They look so determined on the cover. Look like a fun series.


    +1 tweet (http://twitter.com/ReenaJacobs/status/17044567873)
    +1 post or sidebar mention (http://reenajacobs.com/blog/)
    +3 put my button on your blog

    +5

    Thanks for the great contests! reenajacobs@reenajacobs.com

    ReplyDelete
  54. @Cherry - hey, great name (my agent's name is Cherry, so I'm very partial to it ;-D), and I'm with you on the every changing music mood, and Taylor Swift has some awesome songs.

    @Buddy - Green Day are awesome but I have to give you credit for your long term choice, 'cause U2 never goes out of style.

    @YA Vamp - oooh, you were at the inauguration? Totally jealous here!

    @Jelly - I hear Kenny puts on a fabulous show. Haven't convinced the hubs to go yet (I love Country, him, not so much), but it's on my list!

    @Tori - Have to admit I haven't heard much of Imogen Heap, but I do love Paramore. I guess I'll need to check Heap out.

    @Reena - They are determined, but you'll have to read the book to find out all they're determined to do. ;-D I know I say it a lot, but it's true -- Daniel Dos Santos does amazing work.

    ReplyDelete
  55. I went to Linkin Park's concert before. It was so freaking awesome!

    +1 tweet
    http://twitter.com/aikchien/status/17166308442

    +1 post or sidebar mention
    http://aik-friendsnfamily.blogspot.com/

    +3 put my button on your blog
    http://aik-friendsnfamily.blogspot.com/

    aikychien at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  56. Call me stuck in the 80's, but my favorite band is Survivor. I haven't been to any concerts of bands that I'm a fan of!

    meredithfl at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  57. My favorite band is Skillet. It Christian Rock.

    +3 button on blog sidebar:
    http://ashleybook.blogspot.com/

    I am now a follower of yours will you please return the favor?

    Email: ashleycsy_09@yahoo.com

    Check out my blog and giveaway: Live for this World by Sonya Chung!
    http://ashleybook.blogspot.com/

    **Please sign up for my giveaway: low entries=easier chance of winning**

    Happy reading!
    Ashley C.

    ReplyDelete
  58. One of my faves is Taylor Swift. I recently went to her concert and it was great! :)

    Thanks,
    Elisabeth

    ebethsaves[@]yahoo[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  59. @Aik - I've never seen LP, and I should, since their lead singer is from the Phoenix area. Next tour!

    @Meredith - 80's music rocked then and rocks now! And Survivor's still great, too! Bummer on not hitting a concert you want to go to.

    @Ashley - I haven't heard Skillet. What's their sound like, more U2, more Live, or totally different?

    @Elisabeth - really like Taylor Swift and the chicklet is becoming a huge fan of hers. I sense a TS concert in my future (which is great with me!).

    ReplyDelete
  60. Ive never been to a concert but my fave band is the japanes band called UVERworld! They rock!

    ana13kl@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  61. @Anne - wow, another band I've never heard of (I feel so out of it now! lOL). What's their sound like? And give it time, you'll make some concerts!

    ReplyDelete
  62. This contest is closed. Thanks Gini for all your comments and thanks everyone for entering!

    ReplyDelete