Artist, Author of Sci-Fi, Space Opera, and Romance

Creating concept art for A Stolen Heart #SciFi #SciFiArt

Kayelle Allen 05/11/2020 Sci-Fi Art

I'm a visual person. I like having an image of something I'm writing about. In fact, I frequently comission the book cover before I've finished writing the story. Sci-Fi concept art is a must for me, and I have a ton of it.

Sci-Fi Concept Art

The ring in this image belongs to Pietas, the immortal king in A Stolen Heart and the Bringer of Chaos books. Here's how it looked in its various stages of design. Music in the video is Video Game Blockbuster, licensed via Dual Horns Media Ltd. The concept art is by Nano-Core.

In this scene, the immortal king Pietas and his general, Luc Saint-Cyr, are hashing out an issue. This is the first mention in the book of the ring Pietas so often wears.

The Dragon Ring

"I'm touched." A playful smile lit Pietas's face. "You worried about me?"

"I worry whenever you do something different."

"Different how?"

"Let's see." Luc ticked items off his fingers. "Send troops over a border. Incite a riot. Invade a planet. Invade some king's daughters. Or his sons... Shall I go on?"

Pietas chuckled. "You worry a lot."

To increase his personal space, Luc adjusted the hang of his jacket. "You're in a good mood."

"Yes, yes." Pietas brushed a dismissive hand through the air. "I haven't triggered a war, if that's what you're fretting about. I'm not sending you out of the Empire, and I'm not planning to feed you to my cat."

"Not planning."

"No," Pietas agreed, with a bemused expression. "Although if there's someone you want to be rid of..." He lifted one brow.

"No, no, quite capable of making people disappear on my own, my lord, but I'll keep a personal dose of panther justice in mind."

"Panther justice!" Laughing, Pietas laid a hand on his chest. "How I've missed your sense of humor. I don't recall the last time I laughed out loud." He looked down, toying with a turquoise ring.

The fat nugget of fractured stone occupied his left forefinger. The silver setting evoked a dragon's open mouth, a gift from Luc hundreds of years ago. Pietas rarely removed it.

Did he cling to their past relationship, or wear it to show Luc he hoped for the future? Either way, Luc could not reconcile being with this man with the desire for freedom. To give birth to one meant the death of the other.

"You know," Pietas twisted the ring, "I think the last time I laughed, I was with you."

Pick up a copy of A Stolen Heart, now live on Amazon.

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Invading the shower #Excerpt from A Stolen Heart #SciFi #MFRWhooks

Kayelle Allen 05/06/2020 Character Insights 13 Comments

Inside his room, Luc shut the door, activated locks and set full privacy settings. It took three seconds to choose a bottle of Skovron Blush '37. Light, delicate and sweet. He opened the bottle to let the wine breathe while he set about stripping. Everything but the shoes went into the recycler, although he considered ditching those too. If his house-droids couldn't whisk them clean, he'd let them get rid of the shoes. Not his problem.

Luc chose a wineglass, poured, then carried it into the bathing area. After a sip, he set the glass on a marble countertop and slid open the smoky-gray glass door of the shower.

Pietas stepped into view, fully clothed. "I do not need a shower, thank you."

Luc snatched a towel and whipped it around himself. "My lord--" An explosive sigh burst from him. "What are you doing in my shower?"

"I wanted to see you."

"In the shower?"

With a flirty smile, Pietas leaned one shoulder against the wall. "You must admit, it is a good place to see you."

A headache shoved its way forward. "Not happening, Pietas."

"Spoilsport."

"Again, what are you doing here?"

"I portaled into your room and heard the door open, so I came in here, and--" He lifted his chin. "I am your king. I go where I please."

"I asked you not to portal here, my lord. My Deshai are home."

"Which is why--" With a groan, Pietas clenched his fists. "Only you would expect me to explain myself." He gestured toward Luc. "You explain. Where have you been? Are you showering because you're going out, or..." He trailed a look down Luc's length. "...going to bed?" He ended the question with a smile.

"Bed. Alone. I've dealt with drama for days." Luc picked up the wine and drank it in one gulp. "I need a refill." Without waiting for a response, he marched himself back to his room, retrieved the bottle and poured, then splashed wine into a second glass.

Drinking alcohol had no effect on Sempervians, but the act itself soothed. It offered tradition. Comfort. And when needed, a means of stalling while you decided how much truth you could afford to tell.

He offered the second glass.

His king lifted it, sniffed, sipped. "This is good. From one of your wineries?"

"Yes. One of the Skovron locations." Luc swirled his wine, waiting until Pietas took another sip. "It's your sister's favorite."

Mouth twisting, Pietas set down his glass with a click.

Please check out the other authors in this blog hop, linked below.

The banners in today's post are part of the bonus book, Behind the Scenes of A Stolen Heart. In it, I'll share secrets with you about the characters -- things that aren't revealed in the book. There is also exclusive and original art created for the series.

Reviews

I'm hoping to find reviews and reviewers. Is that you? I have advanced pre-edited copies in epub, mobi, and pdf waiting for you to download on Story Origin and BookSprout.

The book is on Goodreads, and you can leave a review there now. You can leave a review on Amazon the day the book goes live, May 11th.

This version is self-edited and will be sent out for its final edit next week. I'd be happy to get questions if you have any, or if you were confused by anything. An early review would be a great help. Thank you!

Download the early review copy on Story Origin
Download the early review copy on BookSprout

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When a mean bully attacks, Luc jumps into action #Excerpt from A Stolen Heart #SciFi

Kayelle Allen 04/29/2020 Character Insights 12 Comments

Set up: A Deshai is a student in the Thieves' Guild. A teacher is a Sen'dai. In the Tarthian Empire, training often begins at age three. Luc has taken Senthys shopping in an exclusive store. A human client inside with her young child takes offense at the presence of a "dirty halfbreed" like Senthys. When the woman demands that management throw Luc and Senthys out, she gets what's coming to her and is herself asked to leave. As this opens, she has picked up her child, who'd been standing next to Senthys, and gone out the door in a huff.

"I'm so sorry, Mr. Saint-Cyr." The manager touched his arm.

"Thank you, but I'm more concerned about my Deshai. Excuse me." He turned toward Senthys and held out his arms.

The boy ran to him.

Luc scooped Senthys up. "Did she hurt you?"

The boy's eyes glittered with tears. One slipped down his cheek. "I took a bath."

"Oh, Senthys." Luc hugged him close. "That woman was mean. You are not dirty. Not one bit." He cupped his hand around the child's head, lacing his fingers through the long curls. "I'm sorry she hurt your feelings."

With his head on Luc's shoulder, Senthys sniffled. "It's okay."

"No, it's not. It's never okay to be mean." He traced small circles on the boy's back. "Can you look at me?"

Senthys lifted his head.

"It's okay to admit when you're hurt or feel bad." He wiped the boy's tears. "You don't have to pretend you're okay."

"I don't?" Senthys played with Luc's tie.

The manager and assistant both hovered nearby, adjusting stacks of clothing yet he felt their surreptitious attention as if it were touches. This had turned into a far more public outing than he'd anticipated. Nothing to do but wade in and clean up the mess.

"It's okay to be sad. Everyone is sad sometimes. You don't have to hide pain." Here he was saying the words, when he couldn't do the same thing with Pietas.

"Wili says only babies care about feelings."

"Does he?" Luc adjusted Senthys in his arms, and tugged down the hem of the boy's shirt. "Wili is wrong. It's okay to cry. It's also okay to tell people when they hurt your feelings. Remember how you told your brother he hurt my feelings?"

"Yes, sir."

"If an adult is mean to you, you can come to me and I will defend you. I will try to keep mean people away from you, but if they say anything to you, it's okay to tell me. It's okay to be scared and it's okay to be mad. What is it that we don't do?"

"We don't hit or claw."

"That's right! Good job, Senthys." He hugged him. "You played nicely. Nothing you did was wrong. None of her yelling was for anything you did. You were a good boy."

"I was?" The boy looked so pleased with himself that Luc couldn't help but laugh.

"Yes, you were." He gave him a small squeeze. "Would you like to help me shop now? And then we'll get ice cream."

Senthys wiggled, trying to get down, so Luc put him back on the floor. The boy took his hand and looked up at the manager. "Ma'am, I would like some new clothes, please."

Luc could have burst, he was so proud.

The woman bent toward him. "I'd be happy to help you."

"Thank you." Senthys turned his blue-eyed gaze up at her, offering a blazing smile. "You're pretty," he declared, with a boy's innocent charm.

She blushed. "Why, thank you."

"You make my Sen'dai happy. He likes you." He tugged Luc's hand. "Right?"

"Senthys!"

"What?" He blinked up at Luc, the image of a perfect angel.

"Kids." Standing, the woman looked up at Luc through her lashes. "What can you do?" With a flirtatious smile, she beckoned to them.

Who knew having a child offered such a distinct advantage with women? With a new appreciation for his young Deshai, Luc followed.

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My characters may be found in multiple books in my story universe. Pietas images Nik Nitsvetov as Pietas cosplay.

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Luc explains the arcane rules of theft to a 3 yr old #Excerpt from A Stolen Heart #SciFi #MFRWhooks

Kayelle Allen 04/22/2020 Character Insights 14 Comments

The word arcane conjures up magic and sorcery, but its definition is "requiring secret or mysterious knowledge." To Luc, who's an Arcane Master in the Thieves' Guild, those secrets are the lifeblood of the skill. Here, he explains one of the basic rules to Senthys, who is three.

Arcane Secrets

In this scene, Luc and Senthys are riding in Luc's hoversine, a limousine that flies right above the ground.
(banner image - Luc's hoversine, art by Nano-Core. I commissioned a vehicle immediately recognizable as a limo, but futuristic.)

Senthys swung his feet, which, on the short rise of the hoversine's safety seat, meant he kicked the main seat with his heels.

That was already old and it had just started. Luc leaned down close to distract him. "Let's learn some thief rules."

"Why?" Senthys tilted his head. "Don't you already know them?"

Luc stopped himself from reacting. After all, he was talking to a child, not that different from talking to Pietas. "Yes, I do, and I'm going to teach them to you. I told you there would be two rules inside the store and if you obeyed them, you could pick out a toy."

"Oh. I 'member." Like Luc, Senthys folded his hands before him. "Ready."

"You are to stay next to me at all times. You may hold my hand if you like, but do not leave me to look at things, or to see things unless I give you permission. Is that clear?"

"Yes, sir."

"Say it back to me."

"Um..." The boy fidgeted. "All of it?"

Luc decided against counting--to any number. "Tell me what you understood."

"Stay with you."

"Good! That's perfect."

The child bounced in his seat.

How delighted this boy was to do well. Luc must encourage that. "The other rule is not to steal anything in this store. Say it back to me."

"Don't steal in the store?"

"That's right!" Luc patted his hands together. "What a good job."

Senthys clapped, grinning.

"I'm going to tell you something and I want you to always remember it. Honorable thieves do not steal unless under contract. If an honorable thief cannot afford something, then he must work a regular job to earn the money." Luc placed a hand on the boy's arm. "My Deshai are honorable. They do not take things without a contract. Understand?"

"Yes, sir. Can I have a contract?"

"You can have one when you reach level thirteen. At that level, you can be hired professionally."

"Are you level thirteen?"

Luc brushed at his sleeve. "I'm level forty-eight."

"Oh." The boy nodded as if impressed. "Is that better than thirteen?"

Amusing, however deflating that might be. "Quite a bit better," Luc told him. "It's the highest in the Guild. Arcane Master."

Senthys cocked his head. "Then that's what I want to be. A Arcane Mister."

"Master," Luc corrected, smiling. "Arcane Master."

"Arcane Master. I want to be that. Brinn says I can be anything."

True words. Luc held up a hand, reached across the seat, and Senthys high-fived him. "Your brother is absolutely right."

Please check out the other authors in this blog hop, linked below.

The story is complete, and when published, will include a bonus book, Behind the Scenes of A Stolen Heart. In it, I'll share secrets with you about the characters -- things that aren't revealed in the book.

I'm hoping to find reviews and reviewers. Is that you? I have advanced pre-edited copies in epub, mobi, and pdf waiting for you to download on Story Origin and BookSprout.

The book is on Goodreads, and you can leave a review there now. You can leave a review on Amazon the day the book goes live, May 11th.

This version is self-edited and will be sent out for its final edit next week. I'd be happy to get questions if you have any, or if you were confused by anything. An early review would be a great help. Thank you!

Download the early review copy on Story Origin
Download the early review copy on BookSprout

Read more →

Play Ball: Oops. Luc should not have done that #Excerpt from A Stolen Heart #SciFi #MFRWhooks

Kayelle Allen 04/15/2020 Character Insights 10 Comments

Play Ball

Eager to see Senthys, Luc hurried upstairs, but the practice room was empty. A faint sound drew Luc to a tall pair of windows overlooking the back.

Like other houses in the neighborhood, a wooded and fenced yard allowed room for sports and exercise. The house had its own gym but no pool. The boys swam in the jointly-shared neighborhood pool a block over, or at the Academy.

In a sunny area, four of the guys had formed two teams and were hitting a ball over a high net. The Thieves' Guild considered hand-contact sports good for developing muscle, but also dangerous. To avoid injury, while the ball was physically soft, the Tyran technology inside made it react as if it were harder. It turned blue when a point was scored and red when lost. Yellow indicated out of bounds.

Nikko was not down there, which meant he must be taking finals. So where was Senthys?

Luc changed to the other window.

A rigid pole with a lead clipped to its top had a ball attached at the end. When activated, the ball could be hit by one player, and it would react as if being struck back by another. Two could play against one another, or vie with the tech, trying to score more hits. Depending on the setting, it could dodge above their heads or swoop lower.

Though too short to hit the ball properly, Senthys could reach it, and he hit it hard enough for it to wrap around the pole and come back. More of a push, but it spun around the pole, far too high for him to touch. He jumped toward the moving ball.

Why weren't the others involving him? If they wouldn't, he would. Luc threaded his way down the stairs, out through the kitchen and into the backyard.

As Luc arrived, Nikko opened a gate in the fence and walked through, drawing everyone's attention. When he pumped both fists in the air, Luc and the others cheered.

Senthys did too. The ball came back around, struck him in the forehead and laid him out flat on his back.

Luc raced to the boy and knelt.

The child blinked, a bright spot in the middle of his forehead.

"Are you hurt?" Afraid to move him, Luc touched the boy's foot.

Senthys looked up at all the Deshai, who had gathered around him, then at Luc. He grinned. "Do it again!"

A collective groan of relief from the Deshai mixed with their pained laughter.

Luc sank to the ground.

"Did you see Luc run?" Andel asked.

Brinn laughed. "Yeah, you don't ever want to make him come after you!"

In his haste to reach Senthys, he'd set aside thousands of years of training and reflex and used his powers without a single thought.

The Deshai went back to their game, and Luc held out his hands to the boy. When Senthys came to him, Luc pulled the boy close and hugged him like he would never let go.

Please check out the other authors in this blog hop, linked below.

The story is complete, and when published, will include a bonus book, Behind the Scenes of A Stolen Heart. In it, I'll share secrets with you about the characters -- things that aren't revealed in the book.

I'm hoping to find reviews and reviewers. Is that you? I have advanced pre-edited copies in epub, mobi, and pdf waiting for you to download on Story Origin and BookSprout.

This version is self-edited and will be sent out for its final edit next week. I'd be happy to get questions if you have any, or if you were confused by anything. An early review would be a great help. Thank you!

Download the early review copy on Story Origin
Download the early review copy on BookSprout

Read more →

How to Upload to Instagram from your PC #tips from LA Sartor @LesannSartor #Instagram

Kayelle Allen 04/10/2020 Cosplay

This tip is one I doubt I'd ever have discovered on my own. How to upload to Instagram from my PC. What a timesaver. My thanks to author LA Sartor for this one!

Sometimes I'm on my pc and have things I want to share on Instagram. Sometimes I save images from my phone to the cloud and then want to download and use them. Wouldn't it be nice if there was a way to upload to Instagram from my PC?

Guess what? You can.

There might be other ways to upload to Instagram but this one, using Chrome, is one of the easiest, and for me the best.

Upload to Instagram

My friend, author LA Sartor, shared her tip with my writer marketing group, Marketing for Romance Writers. It was so helpful that I asked LA if I could share it on my blog as well. Happily for us, she agreed. So I'm also sharing her book, Prince Of Granola. Wait till you see how that title came about!

A picture is worth 1000 words, they say. In this case I agree.

Here's the infographic on how to upload to Instagram that made the rounds on MFRW.

Prince Of Granola by LA Sartor

Cacao. Long a symbol of wealth, love, and power – now the center of a powerful rivalry.

The fabled Costa Rican Plantation of White Treasure, source of the rarest form of the cacao bean, is up for sale. Though two fierce competitors have been invited to bid on it, only one can win.

For Drew Hopkins, purchasing the plantation is the perfect solution to escape a life she never wanted.

For Robert Prince, it's the perfect route to revenge.

Drew, the founder's daughter and now CEO of HH Chocolate, heads a company whose sales are waning. Robert, CEO of Prince Organics, a man driven by excellence, despises everything and everyone labeled Hopkins.

But it wasn't always that way.

Will their forced proximity at the lush and exotic plantation rekindle old flames or will it fan the fires of antagonism?

Free on Kindle Unlimited https://amzn.to/2RcSEum

LA Sartor

LA Sartor is a bestselling, award-winning author. She began telling stories around the age of 4 when her mother, at LA's insistence, wrote them down and LA illustrated them. As an adult, she writes suspense and action-adventure novels with a dash of romance, and screenplays--she's had a contracted adaptation! She lives in Colorado with her husband whom she met on a blind date. LA loves to travel and thinks life is an adventure and we should embrace the journey.
Website https://lesliesartor.com/

Please stop by and check out my Instagram. I follow cosplay and some seriously awesome cosplayers. My favorite is Nik Nitsvetov, who cosplays my character Pietas. That totally focused and intense blond on the right is Nik as Pietas, from my Bringer of Chaos series.

My interests in archaeology, geology, and astronomy are reflected in stories I share on Instagram. I also follow many of the national parks in the US and share their images. Right now, I need a reminder of the majesty and beauty of our amazing world. Don't you?

I rarely post anything about my books, but if you want to know more about me as a person, Instagram is a good place to start.

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You make one visit to Toy Planet and the media goes wild #Excerpt from A Stolen Heart #SciFi #MFRWhooks

Kayelle Allen 04/08/2020 Character Insights 14 Comments

In this scene, Luc is arriving home after shopping for clothes with Senthys, the young boy he rescued earlier. He had taken the child to Toy Planet as a reward for good behavior. When they arrive home, Luc discovers the trip has made the tabloids, where he is a constant source of attention. Luc is a fashion maven in the Tarthian Empire, and his shopping habits have spilled over into his trip.

Toy Planet

Set up: Luc had joked that he would fire his liaison, Shohn. Not long after, he mentioned that he planned to send flowers to the manager of the children's clothing store.

Toy Planet and the Media Darling

When Luc walked in the front door with Senthys, he found Andel and Brinn moving big boxes from the foyer to the living area.

Senthys released Luc's hand and ran to them. "I got a new bear! See?" He held up a bear a hundred years junior to his current model.

"Cute!" Brinn tousled the boy's hair.

"This guy has fur and everything." Andel sat on the floor and gathered Senthys onto his lap. "What's his name?"

While the two chatted, Luc examined the boxes. "What's in these?"

"This?" Brinn indicated the chest-high stacks. "I think this is what 'a few things to wear' looks like to Luc Saint-Cyr."

Walking around the boxes, Luc checked out the labels. "Kelthian Kids delivered already."

Brinn braced a hand on one box. "There was a note on this one. It was meant for your eyes only, but I unsealed it, thinking it was a packing slip." He handed Luc the handwritten note. "Sorry."

"No problem." He skimmed it, then re-read the words written by the Kelthian Kids manager. "Thank you for the flowers. Roses are my favorite. Yes, I'd love to meet for dinner." She'd signed it with her name and mobile contact.

Apparently, Shohn had decided to play matchmaker. Depending on how dinner went, she might be fired after all. "Or promoted."

"Sir?"

"Nothing. Now you know one reason why I bought out the store."

"After seeing this, I half expected a truck from Toy Planet to back into the driveway. Guess their manager wasn't as cute." Brinn tapped the box.

"Imagine how entertaining I find that."

Brinn bit his lips too late to hide a smile.

Luc tucked the note into a pocket. "I'm curious, however, how you knew I took the boy to Toy Planet. The manager told me those bears are sold everywhere. Easy to replace if damaged." Although, considering the boy's attachment to his other bear, wear made no difference.

"I saw you guys on the news." Brinn pulled out his mobile device and scrolled. "Here."

Two tabloid media celebrities from Idle Time Ezine were chatting. His name scrolled across a banner at the bottom. They'd made their fortune exploiting him for news. "Luc Saint-Cyr, the 'retired'," the woman made air quotes, "Grand Master of the Thieves' Guild has sold name rights to the Bank of Tarth. The banking conglomerate, which controls branches throughout the empire, will feature the Harbinger's likeness in advertising, showing he backs the company as a solid investment."

"Does that mean," the male asked, "that he'll never rob it?"

"Robbery? Of a bank?" Luc stopped the video. "Honestly, do these people research nothing? Bank robbery! As if I'd remain at that level. That is so far beneath my skill. Brinn," he turned to him, "what does this have to do with Toy Planet?"

Brinn gave him a cryptic smile. "Keep watching."

With an aggravated sigh, he tapped play.

"What do you suppose he'll do with all that money?" the male asked.

With a snide smile, the woman responded, "It might buy one of his less expensive suits." The two laughed at their own joke.

"Brinn..."

"Trust me. It's coming."

"Apparently, though," she continued, "he might need some of that money for toys." An amateur shot of him stooping beside Senthys at Toy Planet popped up. "Saint-Cyr's support of Kin businesses is well documented. Perhaps this HalfKin child is a by-product of that 'support.'" Again, she made air quotes and the two exchanged a knowing look.

Luc jabbed the stop icon. "I will kill them both."

"If I didn't know you better, I'd say you were serious."

Luc slid his unsmiling gaze in the young man's direction.

"Umm... Okay, then." Brinn tucked away the mobile. "I'll finish here while you... uh... Whatever."

Luc tried counting to force down his anger. "Not enough numbers."

Please check out the other authors in this blog hop, linked below.

The story is complete, and when published, will include a bonus book, Behind the Scenes of A Stolen Heart. In it, I'll share secrets with you about the characters -- things that aren't revealed in the book.

I'm hoping to find reviews and reviewers. Is that you? I have advanced pre-edited copies in epub, mobi, and pdf waiting for you to download on Story Origin and BookSprout.

This version is self-edited and will be sent out for its final edit next week. I'd be happy to get questions if you have any, or if you were confused by anything. An early review would be a great help. Thank you!

Download the early review copy on Story Origin
Download the early review copy on BookSprout

Read more →

He was not equipped to deal with “scary raisins” #Excerpt from A Stolen Heart by Kayelle Allen #SciFi #MFRWhooks

Kayelle Allen 04/01/2020 Character Insights 12 Comments

(A Deshai is a trainee in the Thieves' Guild, where Luc is a teacher - a Sen'dai.)

From A Stolen Heart

At lunch, Luc finished a sandwich and pulled out his mobile while the boy gobbled up his own sandwich, crunched all his carrot sticks and drank all his milk. But then Senthys stuffed his mouth with apple slices as if he thought someone would take away whatever he didn't eat. Perhaps at the Academy, they had.

"Take those out of your mouth." Luc held the plate for him. "One bite at a time, please."

Head down, Senthys obeyed. "Can I still eat them?"

"You may." Luc wiped the boy's mouth. "In this house, no one will take away your food. Not ever." He had never disciplined his Deshai by denying them meals. How could anyone do such a thing to a child?

When imprisoned, Pietas had been chained in the dark and starved for over a year. If Luc couldn't bear the thought of his king going hungry, how could he tolerate it for a boy?

Once Senthys finished the apple, he pointed to a small bowl. "What's that?"

Luc tipped it toward himself. "Raisins."

The boy wrinkled up his nose. "They look scary."

"Raisins?" He tilted the bowl again. How did one convince a child raisins weren't scary? How had he convinced recruits to try things they balked at? Familiarity. He'd made them carry unloaded weapons for days before training them on the devices. Luc picked up a raisin and held it out to Senthys. "Here, smell." Before the boy could, luc pulled back his hand.

Senthys blinked and looked up at him.

"Remember," Luc told him. "Smell. Not eat."

"Okay." As Luc held it for him, Senthys leaned closer, sniffing. "It's sweet."

"That's because there's magic inside them."

The boy's eyes widened. "There is? Can I see the magic?"

Stifling a smile, Luc chose another and offered it. "You try. Squeeze it. Like this." He pressed it between first finger and thumb.

Senthys pressed, frowning in concentration. "Ew! Brown stuff came out." He dropped it and wiped that hand on his shirt.

"The squishy part is the magic."

"It is?" Senthys picked the raisin back up, peering at it.

Now came the part Luc liked. Showing recruits the benefits and seeing them embrace the challenge. "Raisins give you magic energy to run and hit a ball. They help you play hide and seek."

"Can they help me get magic coins out of my hair?"

"Hmm." The sleight of hand had been Luc's attempt to distract him from crying. "If you eat them long enough and study how to do it."

"Can I have a raisin?"

"I don't know." Luc pretended to consider it. "You'd have to eat the whole bowl to get enough magic. I don't know if you can eat that many."

"Oh, I can!" Senthys clapped, bouncing in his seat. "I can eat them!"

"I squished this one, so I'll eat it. Okay with you?" Luc held it up to his own mouth.

Senthys opened his.

"You want this?" Luc offered it.

The boy nodded.

"Okay, here we go." Using slow motions, Luc reached toward him as Senthys leaned forward. At the last second, Luc yanked it back and popped the raisin in his own mouth. He opened his eyes wide, teasing the boy. "Mine."

With a peal of laughter, Senthys grabbed a raisin and offered it to Luc, but yanked it back and made the same face.

Luc clacked his teeth together, pretending to bite the air.

Senthys stuck the raisin in his own mouth and threw out his arms toward Luc.

When Luc hugged him, the boy kissed his cheek and put his head on Luc's shoulder. "I love you, Sen'dai."

He hugged the boy tight. How could vows be right if they forced him to say good-bye?

Senthys lifted his head. "Why are you sad?"

Luc brushed back the boy's hair. "Because I never want you to grow up. I want you to stay little like you are right now, forever."

Senthys wrinkled his nose. "That's silly."

He tapped the boy on the nose. "It is indeed."

The story is complete, and when published, will include a bonus book, Behind the Scenes of A Stolen Heart. In it, I'll share secrets with you about the characters -- things that aren't revealed in the book.

I'm hoping to find reviews and reviewers. Is that you? I have advanced pre-edited copies in epub, mobi, and pdf waiting for you to download on Story Origin and BookSprout.

This version is self-edited and will be sent out for its final edit next week. I'd be happy to get questions if you have any, or if you were confused by anything. An early review would be a great help. Thank you!

Download the early review copy on Story Origin
Download the early review copy on BookSprout

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Find a kid. That’s it? Right… #Excerpt from A Stolen Heart by Kayelle Allen #SciFi #MFRWhooks

Kayelle Allen 03/25/2020 Character Insights 8 Comments

A Stolen Heart

"Locate the girl." Pietas stroked the panther. "Once you tell me where she is, you'll be free. I don't need you to rescue her. Just inform me."

"I see." Luc did not. "Find this ten year-old missing girl. Tell you where she is. That's it."

"Yes. Then after your Deshai graduates, you can move to Tarth and start that building you've been planning."

"Hmm." This was far too easy. Obviously, he'd missed something. Mentally, Luc walked back through the last bits of conversation. "To clarify, you don't want me to bring her to you. You want me to find her and tell you where she is."

"Asked and answered." Pietas studied him. "Why is this so hard for you? Find her. Tell me. Not difficult. But it is urgent."

"What's so important about her?"

Pietas kissed the panther on the nose. "It's not her so much as her parents. If we find her and then take her to them, we'll have more influence."

Now they were getting somewhere. "And who are they?"

"My sister told you about the FTA, didn't she?"

"FTA." Acronyms filled his world, but this one? New to him. Why did that earlier dread raise its ugly head again? He'd probably be better off not knowing, but Pietas seemed to be waiting for an answer. "Not a word. What is it?"

"She didn't?" Pietas frowned. "Oh, I thought... Never mind." He tugged on the panther's ears. "The FTA is the Forgotten Technologies Arena."

"Forgotten by whom?"

"The ancients. It's secret tech. Forbidden."

"Forbidden." The headache he'd faced for the last hour spiked through his brain. He rubbed his temples. Why him? Why now? "Pietas..."

"Oh, will you stop worrying?" The man looked over at him. "No one's going to get sucked into a wormhole this time."

Luc forced himself to take a deep breath and let it all the way out. "That's what you said the last time."

The story is complete, and when published, will include a bonus book, Behind the Scenes of A Stolen Heart. In it, I'll share secrets with you about the characters -- things that aren't revealed in the book.

I'm hoping to find reviews and reviewers. Is that you? I have advanced pre-edited copies in epub, mobi, and pdf waiting for you to download on Story Origin.

This version is self-edited and will be sent out for its final edit next week. I'd be happy to get questions if you have any, or if you were confused by anything. An early review would be a great help.

Download the early review copy on Story Origin

Read more →

Review A Stolen Heart, please? A heart-warming and humorous space opera #SciFi #SpaceOpera #MFRWhooks

Kayelle Allen 03/18/2020 Immortal Empires 10 Comments

The version available for review on Story Origin is self-edited and will be sent out for its final edit next week. I'd be happy to get questions if you have any, or if you were confused by anything. An early review would be a great help.

Download the early review copy on Story Origin

A Stolen Heart

He saved a half-human child from a big bad monster, but now, who is rescuing whom?

After rescuing a half-alien / half-human child who's running for his life, warrior-turned-entrepreneur Luc Saint-Cyr stumbles onto a conspiracy at the highest levels of the powerful Thieves' Guild.

Complicating matters, Luc's immortal ex might be involved.

Now Luc must deal with his ex, find a home for the child, squelch the flames of conspiracy and eradicate its perpetrators.

As if that's not enough, an unseen enemy is undoing every good thing Luc accomplishes.

But when it comes time to give up the child to a family who can care for him, how will Luc bear to part with the adorable little boy who has stolen his heart...

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Author: Kayelle Allen

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