Book Lovers Inc.
Romance Novel Reviews, Author Interviews, Commentary
How I Got Where I Am by Gini Koch +Giveaway
We are very happy to welcome the wonderful author Gini Koch here at the Book Lovers United Event today. She is the creator of the fabulous and hilarious Katherine Kitty Kat series and just recently released the first novel The Royal Scam in her new science fiction series The Martian Alliance. Today she will tell us how she became an author and she also got a wonderful giveaway prepared. So give Gini a warm welcome.
I got my love of reading from my mother and grandmother. As a little girl, they used to read to me all the time, and I loved it. (I still love to have someone read aloud to me — the hubs does this regularly, usually what we call News of the Weird, which, knowing me, should surprise no one.)
My mother’s solution was to start reading “Charlotte’s Web” to me. The arrangement was that she’d read every other chapter aloud and I’d read the others silently. The sneaky woman got me hooked and when it was time for her to read Chapter 5, she was “too busy”. She was “too busy” until I got so frustrated I ended up reading the book myself, and realized that I could read it faster this way and I could also read more this way.
From there I delved into biographies and autobiographies. I read everyone, from Annie Sullivan to Bing Crosby and all points in between. The beauty of this was that many biographies I read were of comedians, so I got the funny AND the poop and scoop, a double, so to speak. Then, sated on the lifestyles of the rich, famous, noble, and influential, I looked for something else.
In addition to ensuring that I spent the 80’s on the winning Trivial Pursuit team with one of my BFFs, what else did a love of reading do for me? It made me an author.
Places to find Gini:
twitter, facebook, website, blog, Alien Collective HQ
About the book:
Things aren’t what they seem to be when Princess Olivia of Andromeda jumps aboard a spaceship to escape a loveless marriage.
Join the crew of the Hummingbird as they take on the rich, famous and sleazy of the galaxy. They’re also on a long-term secret mission, so it’s a good thing they’re the best con artists, spacers, and roughnecks in the Milky Way, because they need all their skills to pull off this particular Royal Scam.
Gini generously offered a digital copy of The Royal Scam and an Alien Collective tote bag to one lucky commenter!
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Oh, first comment, cool!
I loved reading so early I don't even remember why any more. I kept with as a child it because I needed something to jump start my imagination.
thanks! jason (at) jasonkivela (dot) com
I don't know how it happened, it just did very early on. I remember at first I had slight troubles learnign to read and then *bang* from one day to the next no book was save from me.
+1 Entered the Big 1000 too
GFC follower
danaan at gmx dot at
I remember my dad would always read to me before bed… I eventually started reading the books back to him!
KirstenF
Cowgurlz_14@hotmail.com
The first romance book I read my mom gave to me from her stash. I always thought romance books were for little old ladies waiting in the doctors office..LOL hey, I was just 20 years old what did I know. But I picked up Once in Paris by Diana Palmer and just loved it. There was an actual storyline *Yeah I was an idiot and thought all there was were sex scenes* that I could follow and I loved the book. I bought more from her and then branched out from there and history was made..lol
miztik_rose@yahoo.com
My grandmother and mother are guilty of my reading addiction as well. From the moment I could understand what a book was they took me to the library every Wednesday and soon I was just as addicted to reading as the two of them.
I started stealing my Dad's James Bond books and my mom's historical romances when I was an early teen. I think that's why I like urban fantasy so much, because it's usually got a mix romanace and action
My parents were a big influence for me learning to love books. Being read to, being brought to the library, getting books for gifts, and especially watching them both read for pleasure, all were factors in me becoming the Book Lover that I am!
Thanks for your column, Gini.
Mochfly(at)swbell(dot)com
I first starting loving to read when I was in the second grade. I came home from school crying all the way because the teacher gave me a poor grade on my report card for reading. My mother told me not to worry, but I set out to prove them wrong and started with the Box Car Kids and have not stopped to this day 🙂 Thank you for the fun today and for the lovely giveaway opportunity.
dz59001[at]gmail[dot]com
I started out honestly enough, a teacher recommended Sherlock Holmes and Agatha Christie and I was hooked!!! Thanks for the giveaway.
+1 1,000 member giveaway
jepebATverizonDOTnet
I started to love books when I was in the third grade and realized there were all these great stories out there to enjoy. Years later, whenever I ran into my teacher, she'd ask me if I still loved to read and the answer was always yes!
I love the Katherine Kitty Kat series, and I can't wait to check out anything else Gini writes – I love her sense of humor.
Barbed1951 at aol dot com
I started reading regularly once my mom said NO TV UNTIL 6:30.
I already loved to read at that point….but all of sudden there was NOTHING ELSE TO DO. So I read every book in the house in the course of a week (including Cujo. But don't tell. I wasn't supposed to read Stephen King until middle school) and started hoarding my allowance for books instead of candy the week after.
cas at sigmadog dot com
I started reading early and loved it. I've had asthma since I was 5, so reading became a way for me to have adventures when I wasn't feeling well. I still read voraciously. Thanks for the opp for a giveaway!
Sorry if this is a duplicate post, but my computer went nuts on me.
I started reading early and loved it. I've had asthma since I was 5, so reading became a way for me to have adventures when I wasn't feeling well. I still read voraciously. Thanks for the opp for a giveaway!
lisa dot k dot mann at gmail dot com
My Mother read to me every night. The story I loved best was the Story of Ping. From there I learned to read and read every day. I still do read every day.
I grew up in a family that devours books, so it was just natural that I read from an early age.
marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com
I've loved reading for as long as I remember. Oddly I don't think my parents read to me. I LOVED reading to my kids– my daughter is the youngest and she's 11. She likes to read to me now:) I remember loving mysteries first like Nancy Drew, Encyclopedia Brown…and I read biographies too. My daughter brought home a new book based on Anne Sullivan's diary. She read it out loud to me, and it was so cool because I loved her biography when I was her age. I basically read all the same things you did– weird! I think for me I just loved traveling to different places in my head. I was kind of the odd, emotional one in the family–the one no one understood O_O –so it was great to pick up a book and be in my own little world!
wayfaringwriter at gmail dot come
I do not really know…I just always loved to read. Mum did tell me that she had read a lot to me when i was little, but I wanted that so, I guess I was a born reader from start
blodeuedd83
I am not sure when I really started loving books. I think it might have been in my teens but ever since I am a book lover. Please enter me in contest. Tore923@aol.com
Well to be honest I hated reading when I was little because I have dyslexia and everything was hard. But my Mom had been read a book on it (this was back before it was well known) and I over heard her talking to my Dad. She said that in some cases it could get better if the person worked at it. I went back to my room and thought about that; About how nice it would be if the teachers would stop talking about me in low whispers, be it in pity or frustration. Or how the kids would stop giggling or groaning when I was asked to come to the black board, read out loud, or explain an answer. I vowed to at least read. It was something I could fix on my own. So began reading and looking up words I didn't know. Before long I realized I had been picking up books that looked interesting. I wasn't stumbling over my words. I was getting better, I WANTED to read. So even years later I would rather read than do anything else! It's fun & impowering for me. (Sorry for any spelling errors, its one of the 3 things I just can't master)
Honestly, I can't remember I time when I wasn't reading. I learned the alphabet when I was 3 or so because I clearly remember being able to write my name when I was four. I also don't really remember reading children's books (other than Dr. Seuss), because I was already reading at a middle grade level by the time I was in second grade. My mom was a huge reader, so I guess that's where I get it from.
jen at delux dot com
I've loved reading ever since I learned how. Went to the library almost daily. My love for romance started with historical romances by Jude Deveraux, Catherine Coulter, Elizabeth Lowell, Bertrice Small, who were translated into Dutch. Still have them in my attick, but am now reading and collecting them in English.
1000 followers giveaway
auriansbooks at gmail dot com
thanks for the give away
I have to confess I had a similar experience to Gini…my mum was a huge reader and used to take me with her to the library every sat. I can remember sitting on her lap as we went through boxes of pictures trying to decide which ones to take home with us. As I grew I moved onto older books like Enid Bylton and then Judy Blume before discovering Sweet Valley and finally finding my favourites with Point Horror and Christopher Pike. I think it might be in the female gene and my Gran's a big reader too as are all my female cousins! 🙂
Mel S
notanotherbookblog(at)hotmail(dot)co(dot)uk
i remember the day i started to love reading. that was when the school made us visit the library and i got a library card. it was love at first sight for me 😉 so many shelfs with books and our library looked really good – though or because it was so small. and i loved the kids section. it was decorated cutely.
witchvela at web dot de
I started reading for enjoyment as early as second grade (even won a short story contest lol) but it wasn't until my father found the book, Integral Trees by Larry Niven on a dirt road on his way to work, (he gave it to me in 5th grade) that I truly started collecting books & devoured books! 😉
kansgroove (at) hotmail (dot) com
http://www.kandiedelley.com
@kankan929 twitter
The truth is I don't really remember how I started to love books but ever since I can remember my self I always had a book in my hand.
Thank you for the giveaway!
artgiote at gmail dot com
ive always loved books! i have ADD and have found that the only time i can really concentrate is while reading.. used to hide archie comics in my desk at school (still read em too!!) and in grade 3 i remember having a reading hour.. i used to hide under the teachers desk to read!
(ii entered the 1000 follower contest!)
alainala AT hotmail DOT ca
LOL! Thanks for sharing about your childhood reading – those sneaky Moms 😉 I grew up reading Nancy Drews as well and have tried every genre at least once but SF/Fantasy and mysteries are my first loves.
smaccall AT comcast.net
I used to read when I was younger but then had kids and well life happended. Then when my oldest daughter started reading Twilight a few years ago I thought I should see what she was reading…it was vampires after all. I started reading it and fell in love and have been addicted to books again since. It also helps that my kids are a bit older and more independent again!
mmafsmith at gmail dot com
My love of reading sort of started with Harry Potter, which was one of the first books I read, and was definitely helped along by my mother, who would take me to the library every few weeks and occasionally buy me books (usually I either had to use my own money or get them as birthday present). So I pretty much grew up loving to read and still do.
Thanks for the giveaway!
jessicamariesutton(at)msn(dot)com
Thanks for the great giveaway:)
Would you believe it- I've never read Charlotte's Web!
I've heard so much about it but had no idea it existed when I was younger.
I started reading thorugh Roald Dahl's books. I loved Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and soon wnet to the library to get more of his titles. Before I knew it, I'd read all of his titles my library had to offer. Then I graduated to Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys (with greater preference for the former) and I never looked back.
Sarah
sarah.setar@gmail.com
GINII!!!!! *glomps*
I have yet to pick up Royal Scam so glad for the opportunity to win 😀
You got your reading from your maternal side, I got mine from my grandad- my dad's dad (though my dad himself isn't a reader). Mum however was the one to teach me to read. Reading was from grandpa and my healthy curiosity for books (we had quite a few, grandad was an English teacher- maths as well but that's a whole other nightmare LOL)
It was a la Princess Bride, he would tell my sister and a story or two before bed depending on whether we were still awake or not lol then I kind of just started picking up books on local folk-tales and Brothers Grimm, later on Hans Christian Andersen so I guess you can say it all started in fairytales for me and the rest as the cliche goes, is history ^_^
@Envyious
midnite dot fantasy at gmail dot com
Oh man. I don't know how early I started reading, just knew that on pretty much most of my report cards, the only negative comment I would get would be "reads during class". I was even given special permission to go to the library b/c I was such an avid reader. To this day, that's the first thing that people comment about me. That and the huuuuuge library that I've collected (not hoarded!) over the years.
I really love Gini's series and she's on my autobuy list.
Thanks for the awesome post and giveaway!
efender1(at)gmail(dot)com
I've loved to read, ever since I was very young, especially since I lived in the country and could only pick up 3 tv stations.
I enjoy the escape to different and interesting worlds and books is just one medium I can do just that. And not to mention that if I didn't enjoy escaping to other worlds I would have never discovered the absolute delight of Kitty and Martini!
whitewolfreads AT gmail DOT com