Today we are very lucky to have the author of the Alien Series here with us, Gini Koch.
Gini is published under a few other pen names, but is most known for her Alien Series from DAW books. The third book in the series, Alien in the Family, is out on April 5th.
We here at The Book Pushers are all big fans of Kitty, Martini, Chris and the rest of the gang. Having done a few interviews with the fabulous Gini, we thought we would change things up a bit and see if we could get a little more info about those sexy Alpha Centurian aliens as well as what Gini has in store for us in upcoming books!
Gini: Well, I’ll give you what I can. My agent has a chip in my brain that prevents me from sharing certain things.
Book Pushers: What is the normal day like for an Alpha Centaurian?
Gini: Depends on who you are. If you’re one of the Dazzlers, aka the female A-Cs, you’re probably dealing with something scientific, medical or engineering related. The Dazzlers handle the majority of the math and science work the A-Cs do on Earth. A-Cs are rather old-fashioned in some ways, so many of the Dazzlers are focused on raising their families instead of working, but even those tend to help out with small jobs related to their personal area/s of expertise.
If you’re a male A-C, then if you’re one of the few with math or science aptitude, you’re working alongside the Dazzlers somewhere, usually at NASA Base or the Dulce Science Center. If you have empath, imageer, or dream reading talents, you’re working in an active field role in some way. No talents? Then depending on what you have a natural inclination or interest in, you’re working with Home Base or any of the other bases in some support capacity, or you’re doing a job that most humans could relate to. Husbands with no talents married to Dazzlers of high scientific and/or medical talents tend to be the ones to stay home and raise the kids. (Claudia and Lorraine’s fathers, for example, were the A-C versions of stay-at-home dads, though they both have lower level jobs in the Science Center.)
Troubadours tend to go into “face” type positions, like the Diplomatic Corps or those areas where they’re dealing with humans not in the know about A-Cs actually being on Earth.
Book Pushers: Would the A-Cs rather deal with a big dumb fuglie or a genius human villain?
Gini: Big, dumb fugly. They understand a fugly’s motivations. They’re all far too trusting when it comes to humans, something that Kitty, Chuckie, and Angela worry about all the time.
Book Pushers: If Armani stopped making suites, what type of clothes would the A-Cs wear? (Has votes for Bermuda shorts and bikinis!)
Gini: (Sorry, Has, Kitty can barely get Martini into jeans, let alone something like Bermuda shorts!) You mean after the required period of entire species mourning during which time they‘d all only wear sackcloth and ashes? They would likely switch to Tom Ford or Dolce & Gabbana.
Book Pushers: If the Dazzlers got to create the Top Ten Sexiest Men Alive list, who would be the top three?
Gini: 1. Stephen Hawking
2. Bill Gates
3. Chuck Reynolds
They all also have posters of Albert Einstein up in their rooms. Some of them have what could only be described as a shrine to Einstein. Some are working on how to bring him back from the dead. Yeah, they LOVE brains and brainpower.
Huh? Oh, the lesbian Dazzlers wanted me to mention that the chick who’s the top scoring MENSA person of all time, Marilyn vos Savant, is considered the hottest thing in the entire galaxy. What? Oh, the straight Dazzlers say that if there was one gal they’d race to play for the other team for, it’d be her.
Book Pushers: If the A-C men could create the ultimate weapon, what would it be?
Gini: Something that could control their victim without necessarily killing it. The A-Cs are rather pacifistic at their core, so they’d prefer to not have to kill people. They realize they have to, but if there was a way to make an effective, non-lethal weapon, they’d go for it. Kitty constantly suggests they watch “Mystery Men” for ideas, but so far, even Martini has resisted.
BTW, the likelihood that an A-C man would create this, or any other, weapon is slim, the few A-C males with scientific and mathematical aptitude excluded. The Dazzlers do this kind of work. The men handle the brawn, the women handle the brains. (And, as Lorraine and Claudia would like to point out, the women can handle the brawn portion, too, thank you very much.)
Book Pushers: What part of human culture do the A-Cs like the most? (Minn votes for the awesome rock music!)
Gini: (LOL, sorry, Minn, rock music isn’t their number one — though Lorraine and Claudia both feel it’s up there in terms of it’s greatness). Because the A-Cs are more restricted in their worldview of things, part of what attracts them to human culture is the freedom. They don’t realize that in some ways, they’re freer than humans are. Of course, in other ways, they’re not. The grass is always greener, and that sort of thing.
Book Pushers: Each book hints that war might be inevitable. Will aliens come out of the closet?
Gini: Out of the closet? Well, in sexuality terms, A-Cs have no sexuality hang ups, so they’re all out, so to speak. In terms of letting everyone of the world know aliens walk amongst us? No, they’d never share that information willingly with the general populace. They’ve had the inevitable outcome explained to them, and they don’t want to be run off the planet, in part because it’s their home and also in part because they have nowhere else to go.
Wars are always inevitable. And frequent. And aliens are no more immune to them than humans are.
Book Pushers: Now for some fun questions! *cracks knuckles*
If you had the chance to have drinks with any fictional heroine, who would it be?
Gini: I’m assuming you mean other than my own. There are a lot of fictional heroines I like, but most of them don’t strike me as fun to hang out with; or else I think they‘d annoy me after a short while. So, I think I’d have to go for Elle from Legally Blonde. I think she’d be a blast to hang with.
Book Pushers: What fictional hero would you want to take on a date, and what would you do?
Gini: Again assuming you mean other than my own. And, since I’m happily married, assuming either the hubs approves, doesn’t know, or I’m in an alternate reality. 😀 I have a lot I’d like to go out with. In no particular order: Captain Malcolm Reynolds, Wolverine (and a whole list of comics superheroes), Richard Castle, Neal Caffrey, and any character ever played by Bruce Campbell. As for what we’d do, um…make out. I mean, why ELSE go out with them? If we’re going for an intellectually stimulating date, I’ll go for Sherlock Holmes, because it would undoubtedly be fascinating and I‘m sure we‘d solve a crime. But I could do that with Richard Castle, too, AND we could make out. So, um, I think Castle wins. (This revelation will shock absolutely no one, my husband included, I’m sure.)
Book Pushers: A werewolf, a vampire and an A-C enter a bar. What happens?
Gini: The A-C quickly does a mind control thing to get the human women who still think a vamp or a werewolf sees them as something other than dinner out of the place and to safety. Then he races back, stakes the vamp and shoots the werewolf with silver bullets. Then he heads back to Home Base. A-Cs are deadly allergic to alcohol, so it’s not like he’s gonna stop and toss back a few.
Now, if it’s Martini who goes into the bar…he probably still gets the women out, but he might chat it up with the vamp and the werewolf, asking them for tips on keeping human females enraptured, how they handle sudden fame, and asking if either one of them would be willing to take a contract hit on Chuck Reynolds.
BTW, you didn’t ask, but if it’s Kitty walking into that bar…well, the fangs and fur fly. And then she leads an ‘emancipated women’ rally. Then she recruits whoever seems like a good candidate for fugly fighting and takes them back to the Dulce Science Center for indoctrination.
Gini has been so wonderful, thank you so much for being here today. She also included an excerpt from Alien in the Family for your enjoyment!
“How often is this happening?” Martini asked.
“It’s a pattern. It showed up once last year. We investigated, nothing. Would have pulled Centaurion in but you were dealing with the Mephistopheles situation.” Or, as I called it, my introduction to my new life, since this was how I’d joined up as a Centaurion agent. I also called it Operation Fugly, which caused universal wincing whenever I said it aloud. No idea why — my names for things were always a lot more realistic than what the various government divisions came up with.
“You could have mentioned it when that was through,” Martini said, sarcasm heading to full.
“We could have, but we had other pressing issues. It manifested again six months later.” He let that one hang and us do the math. Six months after was right about when I was flying a stolen Mazda3 through the desert with a scary sociopath who also happened to be a politician after me. Though, from what my mother and Chuckie both said, that description was redundant. Operation Drug Addict only gave me nightmares a few times a month now. Martini, who could pick up emotions even when others were sleeping, was possibly happier about that than I was.
“How soon after?” Martini asked, his voice clipped.
“The next night. Then, it happened again, three months later. To the day.”
I thought about it. “Um…you mean, on my birthday?”
“Yes.”
“Oh, I don’t like where this is going,” Reader said.
“Neither do we,” Chuckie continued. “It showed up again, six weeks later. Then again, one month later. Then three weeks later. Then two weeks. Then one.”
“What’s it on today?” My stomach felt as queasy as if I’d just walked through a gate from Arizona to Moscow.
“It’s been daily for the past week.” Chuckie sighed. “Anyone besides me find the light pattern somewhat familiar?”
“In a way,” I admitted. “But I can’t place it.”
“Same here,” Reader said.
Confirmation of familiar but not recognizable came from everyone other than Martini. His grip on my hand was tighter, though.
Chuckie looked over at him. “Martini? Surely you recognize it?”
“Why the hell didn’t you bring us in on this sooner?” Martini growled.
“We had to verify where it was coming from.”
“That’s bullshit.” Martini sounded ready to get into a physical fight with Chuckie, and I started to get really worried.
Chuckie sighed. “True. We wanted to be sure it wasn’t something your people were doing intentionally. Point of fact, something you, personally, weren’t doing intentionally.”
Gini is also giving away one copy of any book in her Alien Series. Please leave a comment or question for Gini below to be entered in the contest, open internationally. Contest will be open until Friday the 8th, and the winner announced on Saturday.
Ohh I am in I so need book 3! 😀
Lol, great answers. So how far along are they then to bring back Einstein? can it be done? 😉
@blodeuedd – thanks, glad you enjoyed! And the Dazzlers are not as far as they’d like with reviving Einstein from the dead. They don’t want to end up with zombie clones…but there, I’ve said too much…
Umm book 3 for sure 🙂
Loved all the answers! I have to ask about the guys and there love for their Armani Suits. Are they ever going to wear anything other than suits, like for disguses? Id just love to see Martini and Christopher complaining about wearing something then their beloved suits. Bickering is always entertaining lol.
I am so looking forward to Alien in the Family.
Glad to know I’m not the only Bruce Campbell fan out there. (And Nathan Fillion, but I know there’s lots of those.)
What a funny interview! A few days ago I finished Touched by an Alien and loved it!! I’m Team Martini. And I’m dying to read Alien Tango. Thanks for the chance.
Haha, wonderful interview! Thank you Ladies for the truly original and fun questions and thank you Gini for giving us another glimpse into how ACs think. It was a blast, thank you! 🙂
ps: tomorrow is Release Day! Yay!!! Congrats! 😀
Fun interview!
I would really like book one. You made me want to read the series. 😀
oh my, Gini, I absolutely love your interviews!! all of them – I really enjoy reading them and every time I explore something new! and now I can’t wait to start reading 🙂
wish you all the best, Melanie
Great Q & A. I’d love to win.
Great post. I absolutely loved the first two books and I’m dying to read Alien in the Family.
@Kristen – are you reading a draft of Alien Proliferation? 😀 (yes, that does require everyone to go back & look at Kristen’s question. Because I’m evil, that’s why.)
@Anne – Bruce Campbell is the MAN! He’s the main reason we watch Burn Notice. Love him.
@Yelania – so glad you enjoyed Touched by an Alien. Good luck in the contest!
@Stella – weren’t those great questions? Lots of fun. And, yeah, release day…I’m not nervous at ALL. I swear. Really. (ha ha ha ha ha)
@LJM – my work here is done. ;D Good luck!
@Melanie – thanks, I’m really glad you enjoy them. Do my best to say something new in each one (which is a lot harder than it sounds, LOL).
@Viki – thanks, and good luck!
@Barbara – thanks, and good luck to you, too! (I always figure prior winners have a better shot with the Gods of Random than others, since the Gods have smiled on you at least once. ;-D)
I love this series, Gini. Congrats on your newest.
So is Christopher going to find a human of his own anytime soon? Or maybe Chuckie will get a Dazzler? Dish, please.
I am so intrigued! This is the next series to start.
Oh I’d need book 1. Love the covers and DDS and love the interview! Need to read them!
@LSU – now, now, you know I don’t do spoilers ;-D. I can only say — you’ll have to read the books. 😀 (I do expect more love connections to be happening as things roll on, of course…I don’t do spoilers, but I’m all about doing teasers…heh…)
@Katherine – awesome! (You’re not actually Kitty, sneaking in, right? LOL)
@Melissa – aren’t the covers da BOMB? Dan Dos Santos is the best cover artist working today (IMHO).
I’ve been wanting to start this series for month. would like to start with this one please 🙂
@Mariska – good luck! (Though I do recommend you start with Touched by an Alien ;-D)
Hey Gini, Do you believe in Aliens?
Loved book one and two which I resisted for months but as you know it was all futile and now I am Team Martini. Have been waiting for Alien in the Family to find out about the in-laws.
Fabulous interview! I love who Gini picked as the fictional character she would date (if she weren’t with her husband). I would have to agree. 🙂 Castle all the way, baby!
love this interview and your books rock. I am so looking forward to next book in this series. It can’t come soon enough for me.
What a great interview. I’ve had both Touched by an Alien and Alien Tango sitting on my TBR pile for quite some time. I’ve really got to move them closer to the top. I’d love to win book 3 because then I’d have the whole set (at least until book 4 comes out of course).
@Lisa – Do I believe that in the vastness of the universe, there is other life besides that on our planet? Absolutely. Do I believe aliens are here on Earth? Some days yes, most days no.
@Lindsey – yes, we learned that resistance was futile long, long ago. ;-D And Martini is pleased you’ve joined his team. He keeps count.
@Jessica – of course! I know how to choose my dudes!
@Pam – thanks so much! (Alien Proliferation, December 6th. Pre-order now.) (Just sayin’… ;-D)
@Jen – you need to move those puppies up to the top slot! Didn’t you see that Lindsey confirmed that resistance is futile? Whatever are you waiting for? Read! Read! Read! LOL
Hi Gini!
First, congrats for the release date of Alien in The Family. Can’t wait to read this 😀
Just wanna ask, how you can make a hero like Martini? He’s so awesome. I want him for my own, but I guess I must face Kitty first :P.. And then Christopher and Reader.
Any tips to wrote such a wonderful hero with character and personalization that make woman melt? And how you naming your character and create unique term at your books?
Thanks 😀
Ren
@Ren – thanks, hope you enjoy it! BTW, if you want a clone of Martini, or any of the characters, you only have to ask and I’ll send them virtually to you. Best of both worlds! 😀
I wrote a lot before Touched by an Alien. All writers have a certain number of words they need to write before they stop sucking. Some are in the hundreds of thousands, some are in the millions. But we all need to get past the Suck Barrier. Once past that, then it’s a case of refining characterization, action, etc.
I could go on with more lecture-speak (and I do lecture on the how-to’s) but in reality, the characters told me their names, and what they were, and what they were like, and what the other characters were like, as I as writing. I call it Writing from the Hindbrain, and basically, I let go and let my characters tell their stories now. They were made like that, I’m just reporting. ;-D
So, these characters are the result of a lot of years of hard work, really. So that’s my tip — work hard, keep at it, and you’ll get there.
LOL Love the bar answer!
@ Gini
What is your favourite part of writing the series?
And is a series more fun to write than a stand-alone?
Great interview! So hilarious! I already have the bar scenes rolling around in my head like a CW TV show!:))
I haven’t read Gini’s books yet *blush*, but they’ve been on my wishlist since…forever! They seem fantabulous!<3
Thanks for the giveaway and for making it International!
@Edie – thanks, glad you enjoyed! I really like everything about writing this series. Probably the thing I enjoy the most is Kitty’s voice. And, for me, absolutely, series is more fun than stand-alone. A series allows me to explore much more for the characters than a single book ever would.
@Deea – LOL, thanks, glad you enjoyed!