Can you introduce yourself to my readers a little?
I’m Laura Bickle, also writing as Alayna Williams. I write urban and young adult fantasy. I’ve written four novels for Pocket Books (EMBERS, SPARKS, DARK ORACLE, and ROGUE ORACLE) and have two upcoming YA novels with Houghton Mifflin’s Graphia line. THE HALLOWED ONES will release in September 25, 2012, with a sequel to follow in spring 2013.

I can be found at: website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter

Can you introduce us to the world that you have created?
I love mixing reality and magic, whether it’s the haunted world of Detroit in EMBERS and SPARKS or mashing up magic and science in the ORACLE books.

THE HALLOWED ONES is my YA thriller about an Amish girl who must confront not only a massive disaster unfolding in society at large, but also the darkness brewing in her own community – think “Witness” meets “28 Days Later.

Will this be your first RT or are you a veteran? Any advice for those who are going for the first time?
I’ve attended RT once before, and had a wonderful time. My best advice for those who are going for the first time is to relax and have fun. It’s impossible to see everything, but every time I go, I learn a lot and meet some great folks.

Are you speaking on any panels during RT? Are there any you are looking forward to?
Marcella Burnard, Jeffe Kennedy and I will be hosting a reader’s program called: The Good, the Bad, the Sidekick. Sidekicks reveal the soft gooey underbelly of our heroes and heroines, whether they serve as mentors, allies, or tricksters. We’ll have a competition to test readers’ knowledge about famous sidekicks and plenty of prizes!

If someone were wanting to meet up with you at RT, who should they look for?
Look for a thirty-something woman dragging around a life-size cutout of Han Solo and a giant granny purse with a plush salamander peeking out of it.