Author Guest Post: Laura Bickle + Giveaway!

How Collecting Action Figures Made Me a Better Writer

By: Laura Bickle

Yeah. I never really grew up.

I give a good impression of being a responsible adult, though. I’m happily married, pay my bills, and remember to clean out the fridge before fuzzy green civilizations start hailing me as the Bringer of Light.

Yet, I collect action figures. I had some when I was a little girl, to be sure. I had the 1970’s Lynda Carter Wonder Woman doll. I had a handful of GI Joes that wound up using Barbie’s Dream House as their command center. But the things that I most avidly collected were He-Man and She-Ra action figures. My brother and I staged epic wars on snow days when we tore the cushions off the couch and set them up as forts and canyons on the floor. We turned the dog into an armored personnel carrier (he was a very patient Good Dog). And the Christmas that Castle Greyskull arrived under the tree…OMG. Epic rejoicing.

This was my first exposure to fantasy as a genre. Seriously! I grew up in a pretty rural area, a place where there were no sci-fi conventions or channels beyond basic cable. Magic swords and green tigers and winged horses…oh, my. This was completely accessible to kids, and I reveled in it.

Especially She-Ra. I already owned Teela, Evil-Lyn, and many of the male figures from the He-Man group. But I was super-excited to see a line of female figures. She-Ra was their leader, the sister of He-Man and the most powerful woman in the universe. This was pretty revolutionary for the time – powerful girls in charge of the storyline and saving the world! I tuned in to watch She-Ra’s adventures ever day after school, wishing that I had my own flying horse and magic sword. But I made do with my pink plastic sword and the family dog (again, the long-suffering dog who was less than thrilled about being dressed in construction-paper wings).

These toys helped me think about the world in a different “what-if” way. What if life and adventure were really unlimited, and I could create and defend the ideals I chose? What kinds of heroines could I develop with my own crayons, magic markers, and pens? What if there really were no rules about how a heroine “should” be?

I remembered that, the feeling of no limits. And I keep some reminders around. Through the miracle of eBay, I’ve gathered together quite a few action figures. I remember a lot of them from my past, but others are new to me. Having them around forces me not to take myself too seriously.

And they also remind me that there aren’t any limits. They keep me in touch with that childlike wonder. And the possibilities are all mine…even if they are covered in pink glitter.

The Hallowed Ones

 One sale NOW for $1.99 during the month of August 2013! 

Click on the AMAZON LINK to get your copy.

The Outside

Pre-order HERE on sale September 3rd 2013

Author Bio

Laura Bickle’s professional background is in criminal justice and library science, and when she’s not patrolling the stacks at the public library she’s dreaming up stories about the monsters under the stairs (she also writes contemporary fantasy novels under the name Alayna Williams). Laura lives in Ohio with her husband and five mostly-reformed feral cats. The latest updates on her work are available at http://www.laurabickle.com/.

 ***GIVEAWAY***

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Urban Fantasy author Laura Bickle- Guest Post & Giveaway!

Today the Sheep are honored to have Laura Bickle back on the blog. She wrote up a fantastic guest post and is giving away a copy of one of her books to a lucky commenter! Fun taking place below.

The Price of Magic

By Laura Bickle

For me, the most exciting thing about urban fantasy is the idea of magic intertwined with the everyday world. Imagining that there’s a secret supernatural world thriving just beneath the skin of our mundane existence leads to a rich world of “what if’s.” What if humans could bend the elements to their will? What if ghosts wandered, unseen, through hospital corridors? What if oracles can tell the future by looking into a flame or shuffling a deck of cards?

I especially love the idea of magic, of humans being able to touch and manipulate unseen powers. But wielding power would make our heroes and heroines gods, unless the magic has a price. Most epic fantasy literature requires that the exercise of unnatural power has a cost to the user, and that idea has permeated urban fantasy, as well.

Vampires, for example, are given immortality. But they sacrifice the day, and must submit to the bestial act of taking blood from another to gain that power (most of them, anyway). Werewolves fall sway to the unreasoning spell of the beast in moonlight, in exchange for physical power and healing. These costs apply to nonhuman creatures, and we’re familiar with that trading of life and magic.

But what about human heroes and heroines? Does bending the fabric of reality to suit their goals also bring suffering upon them? What do they trade to be able to work magic?

I think that human protagonists must also make a trade; there’s no free lunch in the universe. Even if a magical heritage is forced on them, and not something sought out willingly.

With that in mind, I created my heroines with an ambivalent relationship toward their magical powers. In EMBERS and SPARKS, Anya Kalinczyk is the rarest kind of psychic medium, a Lantern. Where other mediums allow spirits to use their hands and voices to communicate, Anya devours ghosts. It’s a talent she had no choice in - she’s always been a Lantern. And it comes in handy in her nocturnal work as a ghost hunter. But she wrestles with the costs.

The first cost is physical. Devouring a spirit leaves a burn, a scar, on her body. The second is psychological - Anya feels apart from ordinary humans, and can’t make a connection with her fellow ghost hunters. And the last one is spiritual. Anya wrestles with the idea of what happens to a ghost after she incinerates it. Does it go forward into an Afterworld? Or has she killed it entirely?

In DARK ORACLE and ROGUE ORACLE, Tara Sheridan has a more subtle magical ability, but it’s brought her more pain. Tara is an oracle, a criminal profiler who uses Tarot cards to solve crimes. Like Anya, she had no choice in it - it’s a gift given to her by her mother. While pursuing a serial killer with her talents, she was attacked and left for dead. Tara survived, but she was scarred for life and left barren - a very dear physical cost. She exiled herself from society, swore of the cards, and seeks tranquility in swearing off magic - until duty comes knocking. A scientist working with dark matter has gone missing, and the society of oracles to which she belonged desperately needs her help to locate him. Tara must decide whether to pick up the mantle of magic again, to assume the role of oracle, and endure further costs.

Without a price to magic, our heroes and heroines would be gods, immune from the consequences of their actions. We’d all like to think that we’d embrace the reins of power willingly. But I don’t think it would be that simple. By adding a bit of magical karma and conflict to the story, their humanity shines through more clearly.

I'm giving away a copy of EMBERS, SPARKS, DARK ORACLE, or ROGUE ORACLE (reader's choice) to one random winner. More info and free excerpts of the books are here: http://www.salamanderstales.com/index_files/novels.htm

***Giveaway***

To enter, please answer the following questions in the comments below:

1. If you could choose a magical power, what would it be? Would you foresee any costs to having a hidden power in your own life?

2. Please also mention which book you'd like to win and an e-mail address.

The contest closes 12:00 PM EST on Sunday, Februrary 5. Thanks for stopping by!

Laura Bickle (also writing as Alayna Williams) writes urban and young adult fantasy. She’s written four novels for Pocket Books: EMBERS, SPARKS, DARK ORACLE, and ROGUE ORACLE. Both DARK ORACLE and ROGUE ORACLE are National Novel Writing Month books. She has two upcoming YA novels with Houghton Mifflin’s Graphia line in 2012 and 2013, beginning with THE HALLOWED ONES in fall. More information on her work is here: http://www.salamanderstales.com/

Interview with author Alayna Williams + giveaway!

Today the Sheep welcome UF author Alayna Williams to the site! If you have yet to check out her amazing books NOW would be a great time to start. Truly a wonderful mix of fantasy, mystery and magic! Stay tuned till the end folks because Alayna has been kind enough to offer up a signed copy of her latest book Rogue Oracle!

Russia. Chernobyl. 2 Sheep and 1 Oracle meet.

Katie: Hello Alayna, thank you so much for taking the time to chat with us today. For those that don't know about your latest book Rogue Oracle can you tell them a bit about it?

Alayna: Thanks so much for chatting with me today! I'm super-excited to get the chance to talk with you and your readers.

ROGUE ORACLE is about a criminal profiler, Tara Sheridan, who uses Tarot cards to solve crimes. These books are a mashup of science and magic - similar to Fringe and the X-Files. Tara's a reluctant member of an ancient society of oracles tracing their lineage back to the Oracle of Delphi. In ROGUE ORACLE, Tara and her skeptic partner, federal agent Harry Li, are on the trail of a Chernobyl survivor who's selling nuclear secrets on the international black market.

Katie: So would you say that your mainly a fan of shows like Fringe and X-Files?

Alayna: I love contemporary sci-fi. Shows like Fringe and X-Files are my all-time favorites.

Amber: You classify yourself as an Urban Fantasy writer; can you tell us what is the difference between Urban Fantasy and Paranormal?

Alayna: I've always been taught that the difference between UF and PNR lies in how much the plot focuses on the romantic elements. For PNR, the primary conflict in the story surrounds the relationship, while UF focuses more on an external conflict. There also tend to be more happily ever after endings in paranormal romance. I like having the endings open, and to keep myself guessing about whether or not the characters will or will not be victorious.

Katie: You also write under the pseudonym of Laura Bickle, I have yet to start those books but I am very curious about the stories and why you chose to write under a different name?

Alayna: My editor recommended that I use a different pseudonym for the ORACLE books. My first book, EMBERS, came out in April, 2010, under my Laura Bickle pseudonym. The books I've written as Laura, EMBERS and SPARKS, are best described as "Ghostbusters in Detroit with dragons and arson."

DARK ORACLE was scheduled for June of that year, with ROGUE ORACLE coming out in 2011. We thought it would be confusing for readers to have two UF series going on under the same name, with alternating release dates. For that purpose, it made sense to create "Alayna." In that sense, it was a branding decision.

Both series are urban fantasy. But a little different. EMBERS and SPARKS are very much gritty urban fantasy, while the ORACLE books almost border on science fiction

Amber: What is your favorite childhood memory?

Alayna: My mom was a school librarian. I used to go to the library with her in the summer and curl up in a sunshine-filled corner where the mythology books were shelved. I read every book in that section, I think.

Amber: As a kid that’s how I spent all of my summers. I made my mom sign me up for every library event/class that was available. Lol. My sisters always called me a geek. It’s a name I proudly claim. Lol.

Alayna: Geek sisters unite! Books make wonderful friends. I think I've had my nose in a book ever since I was old enough to hold one.

Katie: What is a typical day like for you?

Alayna: I suspect my days are very much like those of other writers...I still have a day job. I'm fortunate in that I get to work at a library (the apple didn't fall far from that tree). Most of my writing gets done late at night, when the cats and husband are asleep and everything is quiet. Sometimes, the dreaded Inner Editor goes to sleep, and then I really get things done.

Amber: Did you go to college? If yes, what was the most interesting class you took?

Alayna: I'm an odd duck. I went to college for criminology and also library science. Probably the most interesting classes that I took involved spending time riding around with cops.

Amber: That’s awesome! What was the most exciting thing that happened while riding around with the cops? And where any of them especially good looking in their uniforms?

Alayna: Hee. Of course, there were some good-looking ones!

Probably the saddest thing that happened when I was out riding around was coming up on a single-car accident. The car had been abandoned, but there were a lot of kids' toys in the car. I was sure that they were missing them.

Katie: Tarot cards play a big role in the Oracle novels, are you personally able to read cards?

Alayna: I read cards for myself for fun and use them for story prompts. The ORACLE books were written with a deck at hand. Whenever I got stuck on a character or plot point, I'd pick a card. Some of the spreads I used made their way into the final version of the book. It was a fun way to visually outline a story, since there's a Hero's Journey already included in the cards.

Katie: I would love to have you do a reading for me after the interview! I hope you see vampires in my future! lol

Alayna: Sure! I'd be happy to give it a shot. Fair warning - I'm not a professional, so expect entirely random and nonsensical results for entertainment only.

And the reading will probably be interrupted by a random cat parking herself in the middle of the cards. My feline friends are highly amused by my efforts.

Amber: Where did you learn to read Tarot cards?

Alayna: I've been puttering with cards since I was a teenager. Like many other things, I learned from books and by doing readings for myself.

Amber: If you could own your dream car what would it be and why?

Alayna: Oh, my. I'd love to have a new car that doesn't need new tires.

But in the world of EMBERS and SPARKS, the heroine, Anya, drives a 1974 Dodge Dart. It's a big green tank. She got it because her fire salamander familiar, Sparky, tends to screw up electronic gadgetry.

I guess that would be my dream car, because it would make me think of fire elementals on the rampage.

Katie: Harry and Tara have had this on again off again thing going on for a while now. Will they ever finally be together permanently?

Alayna: Harry and Tara are polar opposites: he's Scully to Tara's Mulder. But I think that they understand and respect each other on a very deep level. And that's the most important contributing factor to a "happily ever after" ending. Even in books.

So, yes...I would love for them to be together, and have more adventures. But I will still throw obstacles in their path. ;-)

Katie: Oh blast it! lol I am waiting for the day when these two really settle down.

Alayna: Hee. They won't be far apart, don't worry! They are pretty destined to be together. ;-)

Amber: I know you write under at least two different names; do you have a specific series or character that is your favorite?

Alayna: I don't know that I can really play favorites; they're all my children.

I love Sparky the fire salamander from EMBERS and SPARKS because he's a composite of all the pets I've owned. I love Tara from the ORACLE books because she's a very rational heroine, in her way - she always considers a situation before going in with guns blazing.

ROGUE ORACLE is my newest release, and the latest apple in my eye. A lot of the story deals with the outcome of the Chernobyl disaster. Though I was half a world away, the story of that frightened me very much as a child. This was a tough book to write, but very rewarding.

Katie: When did you first know you wanted to be a writer?

Alayna: I've always been scrawling stories, every since I've been old enough to hold a crayon. It still seems a bit surreal to be able to see my work in print. It was a long road, but I'm thrilled to be on it. I'm excited that other people want to read what I've written...it's the best feeling in the world.

Amber: Who has been your biggest inspiration when it comes to your writing career and life in general?

Alayna: I read Robin McKinley's HERO AND THE CROWN when I was a kid, and it really made an indelible impression on me. It was the first fantasy I'd read in which the heroine slew her own dragons. It opened up a whole world of possibilities for me.

Katie: If you could be any Superhero who would you want to be and why?

Alayna: Wonder Woman. I have an insanely out-of-control Wonder Woman knick knack collection. She's got it all: power, beauty, strength, and wisdom.

Katie: As a Marvel fan, I will respect your choice and say no more. *evil laugh*

Alayna: Will you forgive me if I tell you that I dress up as Phoenix for Halloween?

Katie: YES! lol

Amber: What is your movie and food of choice on a lazy night?

Alanya: Pasta and chocolate. And maybe a movie of some supernatural flavor. One of my perennial favorites is CONSTANTINE. I also saw HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON and fell in love with Toothless the dragon.

Amber: You are a woman after my own heart! Carbs and chocolate are the best. My movie of choice is either Love Actually (cuz we all need a little sap in our lives, lol) or League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.

Alanya: I haven't seen LOVE ACTUALLY, but I adored LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN.

Katie: As Forest Gump’s Mamma said "life is like a box of chocolates…" what kind of chocolate would you say you are?

Alanya: Vanilla creme. Quiet, hanging out demurely in the corner of the box.

Amber: What is the best part of being a writer?

Alayna: I've always been intrigued by the idea of a hidden supernatural world existing beneath our own. Writing allows me to explore the "what if's": What if a criminal profiler turned to Tarot card divination? What if the Oracle of Delphi survived into the modern day...and what would they have been up to? What if the future could be told through the use of magic...and how would we try to change what we saw?

And the most fun part is getting to research those ideas. Writing gives me an excuse to dig through theories on everything from alchemy to spontaneous human combustion.

Amber: The idea of a hidden supernatural world is what makes reading such an escape for me. I love all the possibilities that are presented when reading. It’s an entirely new world. Thank you for creating worlds like this for people like me! Lol.

Alayna: Thank YOU for reading and coming along the journey with me!

I firmly believe that creating a world requires both a writer and a reader - it's a collaborative process.

Katie: Where can folks find you in the coming months?

Alayna: I just got back from RWA Nationals in New York, which was my big trip for the year. My internet whereabouts are here: http://www.salamanderstales.com/index_files/blogtour.htm

Katie: Now it's time to move into our ever loved Rapid Fire round! Clear your mind and answer with the first thing that pops up. Are you ready?…….Set……GO!

Katie: Hershey Syrup or Nesquik powder

Alayna: Oooh. Hershey Syrup!

Amber: Kitten or Puppy

Alayna: Kitten

Katie: Throwing Stars or Throwing Knifes

Alayna: Knives. I've never tried stars!

Katie: I have a very fine set of throwing knifes we can play with after we wrap. *winks*

Alayna: Awesome!

Amber: Europe or Asia

Alayna: Europe

Katie: Monkey or Koala

Alayna: Koala

Amber: Lipstick or Lipgloss

Alayna: Lipstick

Katie: Coke or Pepsi

Alayna: Coke

Katie: Yes! More points for team Coke!!!!

Amber: You can have this one. Team Pepsi is still smokin your behind! Hahahaha ;)

Alayna: Coca-Cola is the breakfast of champions.

Amber: Thunderstorm or Sunshine

Alayna: Sunshine

Katie: Hansel and Gretel or Little Red Riding Hood

Alayna: Little Red Riding Hood

Amber: Zoo or Aquarium

Alayna: Zoo

Katie: The Borg or Vulcans

Alayna: Vulcans

Katie: Live long and prosper!

Alayna: Love the new Spock from the Star Trek reboot - glad to see that he got the girl!

Katie: Silver or Gold

Alayna: Silver

Katie: I swear other then the DC choice it's like we got separated at birth! lol

Alayna: LMAO!

Katie: Quantum Leap or Knight Rider

Alayna: Knight Rider

Katie: Harrison Ford or Sean Connery

Alayna: Harrison Ford

Amber: What? You’re crazy! The sound of Sean Connery’s voice alone makes him the clear winner…. I’d marry this man as long as he promised to read me a story every night before bed! Lol.

Alayna: But...Harrison Ford was Indiana Jones! That hat!

Katie: Thank you again for taking the time to chat with us Alayna, would you like to add anything before we wrap?

Alayna: The latest news on releases and what I'm working on is on my website: www.alaynawilliams.com

Thanks so much for the chance to chat with you both! I had a lot of fun.

While Alayna gets our Tarot card reading all set up we'll move on to the giveaway! One lucky commenter is going to walk away with a signed copy of Rogue Oracle AND some fun Sheep swag items. Make sure to double your chances of winning by following our blog! In the comments below please give us:

1. Your Email Address

2. Have you ever had a Tarot card reading? If so what did it say and if not would you ever consider getting one?

Contest runs until July 31st at midnight.

Good luck!

Rogue Oracle, crime fantasy fun!

Rogue Oracle, by author Alayna Williams, is the second book her UF series. While I didn't get a chance to read book one, Dark Oracle, I didn't feel lost in any areas; this book did a really great job as a stand alone. Outside of my usual PNR I was a bit leery about trying something new as I have often been let down in the past. Fortunately, this book contained a really intriguing story that held me until the climatic end. :)

Plot:

Tara Sheridan is the best criminal profiler around—and the most unconventional. Trained as a forensic psychologist, Tara also specializes in Tarot card reading. But Tara doesn’t need her divination skills to realize that the new assignment from her friend and sometime lover, Agent Harry Li, is a dangerous proposition in every way.

Former Cold War operatives, all linked to a top-secret operation tracking the disposal of nuclear weapons in Russia, are disappearing. There are no bodies and no clues to their whereabouts. Harry suspects a conspiracy to sell arms to the highest bidder. The cards—and Tara’s increasingly ominous dreams—suggest something darker. Even as Tara sorts through her feelings for Harry and her fractured relationship with the mysterious order known as Delphi’s Daughters, a killer is growing more ruthless by the day. Soon, a nightmare that began decades ago in Chernobyl will reach a terrifying endgame that not even Tara could have foreseen. . . .

Throughout Rogue Oracle, Tara is dealing with emotional and physical scars from her previous case which almost ended her life. Left torn and battered, she takes a much need break, but her lover boy Harry steps back into her life in dire need of her help. She can't refuse, and frankly neither could I. Harry is quiet strength wrapped up in power and sex appeal, throw this sexy agent in a suit and call it a day. The sparks between Harry and Tara are incredibly tangible, combined with her painful past and a killer on the loose the sexual tension rises dramatically.

The storyline itself is amazing; all the nuclear events revolve around Chernobyl, making this book feel very present. If you like murder and mystery wrapped up in an UF package you will REALLY enjoy this story. Just a few downsides for me first being, not enough sex. lol. Hey, I like my sex and I'm not ashamed to admit it! With all the sexual tension I wanted more details and felt a tad ripped off when I couldn't get the play by play. And the tarot cards, I get that Tara is an Oracle AND I get that the cards are her "power" BUT too much time was dedicated to going over each card and what they meant throughout the entire story. One or two times is fine by me but the repetitive explanations of the cards got to me a bit.

Aside from the things I mentioned, this was a really good story, you do get completely sucked into the plot. If I had to put into words, the story feels a lot like if CSI/NCIS met Charmed on the set of Bones. :)

Getting 4 Kahuna Sheep.

KD