Goodreads Giveaway of SKINSHIFT–ends September 13, 2015!

I’m giving away a signed, limited edition hardcover copy of SKINSHIFT on Goodreads!

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Skinshift by Lisa von Biela

Skinshift

by Lisa von Biela

Giveaway ends September 13, 2015.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

“Comfort Woman”: A Vision of the Future?

DarkFuse Magazine published my newest short story, “Comfort Woman,” last week.  I wanted to post a little about the inspiration behind it…

Stylistically, the story is a homage to a darker form of Twilight Zone, as well as to vintage scifi, in that, while it incorporates cutting edge technology, the story isn’t about the tech.  It’s about what we as humans do with it, how we live with it, react to it.

Charlie, an elderly widower, lives alone, then suffers some health setbacks that affect his ability to live independently.  In the future portrayed in the story, the government has mandated robotic in-home companions for people in Charlie’s situation.  The idea is to provide cheaper–and more effective–home care instead of putting people in nursing homes.

These robots are very advanced, very lifelike.  So much so, they are manufactured to resemble the lost spouse/companion physically–and they’re implanted with the deceased’s memories, so they come as close as possible to the real thing.

Charlie’s an independent sort, and he’s not buying it.  But he’s given no choice.  He either accepts Gracie, or he will be confined in a nursing home to the end of his days.

“Comfort Woman” is the story of Charlie’s journey with the new Gracie, where life takes them both, as individuals and in their relationship together.

I hope you enjoy it!

Lisa

My newest title, BLOCKBUSTER, released!

I’m excited to announce that my fourth book to date, a BigPharma medical thriller entitled BLOCKBUSTER, was released this week in both eBook and paperback editions. It’s available on Amazon:

Synopsis:

In the year 2025, survival of the fittest takes on new importance. Hungry for market share and driven by greed, BigPharma companies battle to produce the next blockbuster drug. And they will go to any length to win—and survive.

Dan Tremaine has found the secret to success for Denali Labs. Phil Horton is desperate to save his family firm, Horton Drugs. When they’re put in a head-to-head competition to find the cure for a deadly flesh-eating disease, who will win?

And at what cost?

The clock is ticking. The body count is rising.

And someone has created a monster.

Honorable Mention in Year’s Top 10!

I am honored and thrilled to receive honorable mention in the Examiner’s list of 10 Best Books of 2014. Congratulations to those who made the Top 10, and to DarkFuse for having published so many of those top books!

http://www.examiner.com/article/the-best-10-books-of-2014

As 2014 Steps Aside for 2015…

I always like to ruminate on the year just passed, and this year especially so.

2014 was a good one. In a couple of ways, it was the year of accomplishing what I really hoped for, but didn’t think would happen, or at least not yet.

In my law practice, I achieved something in a case that I hoped for, but didn’t think would happen–and for that I received the Excellence in Advocacy Award. Didn’t see that coming. Truly I did not.

In my writing, I had two books come out: THE JANUS LEGACY and ASH AND BONE. I knew they’d be coming because they were accepted the prior year. I had two books accepted for publication in 2015: BLOCKBUSTER (coming out mere days from now) and SKINSHIFT (coming in June 2015).

The big surprise to me was signing the 3-year/3-book deal with DarkFuse. This falls into the category of what I wished and hoped for, but didn’t think would happen, or at least not yet. I remember the day I got the email. I was doing my usual stuff on my PC in the early morning before leaving for work, and there it came, offering the deal and with it, the opportunity to be a DarkFuse Roster Author. I actually squealed when I read it!

And so here we are in 2015. I turned in the first novel under the book deal several days ago, and am already beginning to work on the concept for the next one.

Here’s hoping for an even better 2015! Happy New Year! And to my readers, a special thank-you!

Cheers,

Lisa