Tuesday 27 December 2011

Top Pearls Revisited (+ giveaway) - Laura Bickle

Last year I made a list of my top favorite reads of 2010.
4 debut authors ended up on that list and they kept on writing and impressing me with their books. I decided to revisit last year's list and tell you about what these awesome authors have been up to, what we can expect from them in the future, ask them some questions and to give away some books.

First up is Laura Bickle.


Last year Laura ended up on my Top Pearls list twice, under both of her pen-names: Laura Bickle and Alayna Williams

In 2010 she had 2 releases as Laura Bickle and 1 as Alayna Williams:
Released under the pen-name Laura Bickle were Embers and Sparks, which are book 1 and 2 in the Anya Kalinczyk series and they feature psychic medium Anya and her awesome familiar Sparky, a fire salamander.

And released under the pen-name Alayna Williams: Dark Oracle, book 1 in the thrilling Delphic Oracle series, which features Tara Sheridan, a criminal profile who uses tarot cards to guide her in her investigations.


2011 brought book 2 in the Delphic Oracle series: Rogue Oracle.
Rogue Oracle is an amazing read. It’s grim, gritty, scary, intense and in my opinion utterly awesome. If you haven’t read it yet, I can only advice you to remedy that situation as soon as possible.


What’s next:
At the moment it’s looking grim for the Anya Kalinczyk and the Delphic Oracle series. So far there’s been no word that Pocket Books will contract Laura Bickle for more books in both series. A real shame as both series are awesome.

But there is good news as well!

2012 will bring a new series by Laura Bickle:
THE HALLOWED ONES, pitched as "Witness" meets "28 Days Later" in which an Amish girl must protect her family from a violent contagion, even as fear and denial threaten to erode her community from within.

Doesn’t that sound awesome!?

Book 1 will release in the fall of 2012 and book 2 will release in the spring of 2013.

Be sure to keep an eye out for these books and if you don’t, you can be sure I will remind you ;-)


And now for a short Q&A with Laura Bickle:

- What was your favorite moment of 2011?

I got to spend a week this summer hiking with my husband. We found a little waterfall in the bottom of a gorge that tasted like iron. I took my shoes and socks off and waded in that little pool. The sun was shining, and it was really a lovely time, being that close to nature.

We also adopted a new cat, Luna. She's a big sack of sugar - all love and snuggles. Bringing her home was a true joy.


- What will you be doing on New Year's Eve?

Ah, I'm not much of a partier. I'll be ensconced at home in fuzzy jammies, probably reading a book or watching TV. Maybe I'll be writing. There will be a cat draped on me, I'm quite sure.

I might contemplate a list of New Year's resolutions. All the standard stuff: increase word count, lose that last ten pounds, clean out the closets, etc.


- What are you looking forward to in 2012?

2012 is going to be an exciting year for me. In fall, my first YA book will be released by Houghton Mifflin's Graphia line. It's called THE HALLOWED ONES, and it's pitched as "WITNESS meets 28 DAYS LATER." I'm working on the sequel now, and that will be released the following spring.

I'm also looking forward to attending RT Booklover's Convention in April in Chicago. My critique partners, Marcella Burnard and Jeffe Kennedy, will be hosting a reader party with me called: Sidekicks - The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. It'll be wonderful to reconnect with my fellow authors and meet new readers.


------

Laura, thanks for dropping by and I wish you a wonderful New Year's Eve and a great 2012!

------

Haven’t read any of Laura’s book yet, or still missing one of them?

Now is your chance to win a signed copy of one of Laura’s books (Embers, Sparks, Dark Oracle or Rogue Oracle)
Rules:
- leave a comment for Laura
- don’t forget to mention what book you would want to win
- leave a way for me to contact you

This giveaway is international and will run until the 9th of January 2012. A winner will be randomly chosen soon after that date.

Don’t forget to check back the next couple of days for news about my other Top Pearls authors of 2010 and for more cool giveaways.

23 comments:

Laura Bickle said...

Thanks so much for hosting me today and for taking the time to read my books!

Many *hugs* and good wishes for a wonderful New Year!

Jeffe Kennedy said...

Excellent taste!

JoanneR said...

Laura, I read Embers and it was my first time reading that genre. You were so kind and when I submitted a review done for Romance Junkies, you forwarded a copy of Sparks to me and it is in my TBR pile. I would absolutely love to win a copy of Rogue Oracle from you! I absolutely love your work and hope that you can find a publisher who will allow you to finish the Anya Kalinczyk series. Happy New Year to you!

Mel said...

Don't enter me in the giveaway as I already have all Laura's books but I have to agree that all four books are fantastic (and in my personal top favourite reads for 2011). I want to urge as many people as possible to read them as I adore them and would love to read more books set in their worlds!!! And no. Laura isn't paying me! ;-)

Sullivan McPig said...

@Laura: Thank you for writing them! *hugs*
@Mel: I believe you!

Laura Bickle said...

@Jeffe - Many hugs!

@Joanne, I'm so happy that you enjoyed! Drop me a line anytime I can send you a book - I'm happy to do it! :-)

@Mel, thank you so much! *hugs*

@Sullivan, you're the best!

M.A.D. said...

Laura - I'd like to add that, living here in Amish country, I'm very excited about The Hallowed Ones!! You are such an incredibly talented author, I cannot WAIT to see what you do with this concept! :)

Mary DeBorde [M.A.D.]

ArtemisG said...

I haven't read any book of Laura Bickle yet. I searched her books on goodreads and they seem very interesting. I would love Dark Oracle.
Thank you for the giveaway and Happy Holidays!

artgiote at gmail dot com

Laura Bickle said...

Thanks, M.A.D.! I grew up not too far from Amish country myself, and it's always held a fascination for me. ;-)

Thanks so much for stopping in and checking out my books, Diana. Happy holidays!

Melliane said...

I really like Dark Oracle and Rogue Oracle, it's a really nice series... I'm ashamed I didn't even know Embers was written by the same author. But now I'm very curious about this series too, and I can't wait the release of the YA book. So thank you for the giveaway, I would love to win Embers.

ellana_(at)hotmail(dot)fr

Laura Bickle said...

I'm thrilled that you enjoyed the Oracle books, Melliane! Thanks so much for the good wishes, and I appreciate you taking the time to read my stories!

Anonymous said...

URGH I am still so frustrated that I haven't found a copy yet of Dark Oracle. Half Price Books, you are failing me! haha.

Anyway, I haven't yet had a chance to read Sparks, but I still hope there will be more to come from Anya, because I love Embers so much! Probably my favorite read of the year. :)

Laura Bickle said...

Thanks so much, Colleen! I'm so thrilled that you enjoyed. :-) *Hugs*

Barbara E. said...

I enjoyed the interview, and even though I'd love to read more books about Anya and Sparky, I'm looking forward to the new series. I'd love to win a copy of Dark Oracle, since that's the only book out of the four that I'm missing.

Barbed1951 at aol dot com

Tamsyn said...

Happy New Year! I hope 2012 will be a great year for all. I've not read any of Laura Bickle's books yet and would love the chance to win one. I checked Laura's website and can't decide which series to try first. I think I would like to try Embers first. Many thanks for making the giveaway international.
tamsyn5@yahoo.com

Laura Bickle said...

Thanks so much for trying out my books, Barbara E!

Happy New Year, Tamsyn, and thanks for entering! :-)

alainala said...

ohhh i didnt know you wrote under another name!!! i have read and loved embers and sparks (dying for more Sparky)... would love to win Dark Oracle so i can try that series as well!!

alainala At hotmail DOT ca

Anonymous said...

I've read Embers and would love to have Rogue Oracle.

ainfinger@comcastDOTnet

Anna (herding cats-burning soup) said...

Ack! Another new to me author. I have SO much reading to do :)

Just looked up Embers and would love it! Sounds so good.

acade29 @gmail.com

Anonymous said...

I first read Embers on ebook. But after reading Sparks, the series was put on my "need paper book for rereading and loaning" list. So I would LOVE a signed copy of Sparks!

Thanks.

lawdog at sigmadog dot com

Filia Oktarina said...

I haven't read any book of Laura Bickle yet, but I want give a try. You are another new author to me, but I'd love to win a copy of Dark Oracle.
Thank you for the giveaway and Happy Holidays!

filiafantasy at gmail dot com

Denise Z said...

I have not had the pleasure of reading Laura's books yet, but have have the Oracle series on my wishlist. I would love to win a copy of Book one of either series, as they both intrigue me, especially Dark Oracle. Thank you for sharing with us a little of yourself today and for the awesome giveaway opportunity.

dz59001[at]gmail[dot]com

Laura Bickle said...

alainala, I do have a sekrit identity! It's sort of like getting to be Diana Prince AND Wonder Woman, LOL!

Thanks for stopping in, Andrea I. I appreciate you taking the time to read EMBERS!

Red, I hope you enjoy! You probably have a hugely-out-of-control TBR list like I do! ;-)

draconismoi, I'm so glad that you enjoyed Sparky! I'm very honored to be in your rereading and loaning list!

Thanks so much for entering, Filia! Happy holidays to you, too. :-)

Thank you for including me on your wishlist, Denise! I'm a huge fan of Tarot cards, and they were a lot of fun to write about...and use as writing prompts.