Welcome TOUCHED BY AN ALIEN author, Gini Koch!

I'm really excited to have Gini Koch as my guest today.  Gini's debut novel, TOUCHED BY AN ALIEN releases on Tuesday, April 6 from DAW books.  TOUCHED BY AN ALIEN is the first in a series that looks like it will be dynamite.

Here's what it's about: 

How can a sexy marketing manager join forces with an Alpha Centauri male in Armani to save the planet-using hairspray, a Mont Blanc pen, and rock n' roll?

Easy...

She's Touched by an Alien

Marketing manager Katherine "Kitty" Katt steps into the middle of what appears to be a domestic dispute turned ugly. And it only gets uglier when the man turns into a winged monster, straight out of a grade-Z horror movie, and goes on a killing spree. Though Kitty should probably run away, she springs into action to take the monster down.

In the middle of the chaos a handsome hunk named Jeff Martini appears, sent by the "agency" to perform crowd control. He's Kitty's kind of guy, no matter what planet he's from. And from now on, for Kitty, things are going to be sexy, dangerous, wild, and out of this world.

I asked Gini some questions when she stopped by and this is what she had to say:

Erin:  I always love to hear the story behind the story.  Tell me, what was the original idea that inspired you to write TOUCHED BY AN ALIEN?

Gini:  The original idea was from a dream (I get about half of my story ideas from my dreams). The story was supposed to be a dark short story -- the original working title was "Killing Superman". I'd envisioned it much like the opening dialog between my heroine, Kitty, and the reader that starts TOUCHED BY AN ALIEN, only a lot darker and with no humor. In my dream and when I started writing it, it was like I was channeling the first person narrator, but had no idea who they were, or even if they were a man or a woman. By page 3, however, the character asserted herself, and when the male lead waltzed onto the page, he took over, told me his name, charmed me AND the heroine, and away it went.

This was the most organic thing I'd ever written to that date. I really felt like every single character, no matter how small, was telling me their part and I was merely writing it down as fast as I could. The characters even told me their names -- to the point where I literally stopped writing, looked away from the monitor, and said, "Really? Kitty Katt? Really?" To which the character replied, "My parents have a sense of humor. Keep writing." It was exhilarating, fun and exciting, and once the first book was done, I just couldn't leave the characters behind, so I rolled on and the rest is history.




Erin:  I love it when that happens.  I get a lot of ideas from dreams too.  I have VERY vivid dreams.  My husband is waking me up all the time because I'm running (scream, jumping, laughing, crying....)  Okay, next question:  What is your favorite part of the writing these stories?

Gini:  How much fun the characters are for me. To me they're very real, with personality quirks, likes and dislikes, and it makes writing about them a joy. I like that I can have them grow while still maintaining what they are at their cores. And, let's face it, writing about gorgeous aliens hanging out with fun, kickass humans who get involved in saving the world on a regular basis isn't exactly a painful way to spend your day.


Erin:  Gorgeous aliens saving the world does have its appeal.  :)  Okay, next question:  tell me something you're really excited about with the release of TOUCHED BY AN ALIEN?

Gini:  What I'm excited about?  My cover artist is amazing and captured the essence of  TOUCHED BY AN ALIEN in one image. Same with what he's done for Book 2 in this series, ALIEN TANGO. I'm incredibly lucky to have gotten one of the top artists, and a Hugo nominee, working in SF/F today (of course, since he's my artist, I naturally think he's THE best). Also, a reader in the Netherlands already got a copy of  TOUCHED BY AN ALIEN from her local bookstore, read it immediately, sent me an email telling me she loved it and can't wait for "Alien Tango", and did a great review of it on her blog as well. That made it all 'real' for me.

Erin:  That is such a great feeling when readers connect with your writing.  I can't wait to read your book!  Okay, last question:  Tell us why you think readers will love it?


Gini:  It's fun, fresh and funny, and a deal at twice the price! ;-D

Erin:  Oh, good answer!

Gini:  I think the characters are people readers will want to spend time with, and would spend time with in real life if it were possible. It's being referred to in a variety of ways in reviews and such, but I think of it as science fiction/fantasy romance, with a lot of action and humor tossed into the mix. You've got a regular girl who channels her inner accidental badass for a heroine, gorgeous and scientifically proficient aliens who don't have all the answers, tossed in with some wickedly cool villains on top of a lot of action and intrigue. Besides, who doesn't want to hang with a girl who can use hairspray and rock and roll to save the day, even when falling from a great height?

If you'd like to learn more about Gini and her great books, visit her site at http://www.ginikoch.com/.  You can order your copy of TOUCHED BY AN ALIEN at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Borders (Borders even has the preorder link for ALIEN TANGO!) or run -- don't walk -- to your local bookstore beginning Tuesday, April 6!

Want to win?  Tell us what you think of aliens--real or not?  Have you ever seen one?  Leave a comment and you'll be entered to win a $10 amazon gift card!

Happy April!