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Author: Kayelle Allen

Kayelle Allen writes Sci Fi with misbehaving robots, mythic heroes, role-playing immortal gamers, and warriors who purr. She is the author of multiple books, novellas, and short stories. She’s also a US Navy veteran and has been married so long she’s tenured.

Color it Yourself – try a free coloring book #Coloring #MFRWhooks #SciFi

Kayelle Allen 6 Comments

I’m sharing giveaways that I developed with my son Jamin, who’s a graphic designer. Do you like to color? You are in luck. Together, Jamin and I created coloring books for my various books and characters. You can download seven of them for free right on this website and color it yourself.

The first, Unstoppable Heroes and Heroines, features characters found in almost every one of my books. The Antonello Brothers has characters found in At the Mercy of Her Pleasure and For Women Only.

Peril — the Immortal’s Game is a unique coloring book. It has characters but also a maze and multi-sided dice to color.

Pietas — the Bringer of Chaos has over a dozen dragons. Pietas dreams about dragons and their symbolism appears in his stories. In a future book, he will bond with one. Do you like flowers and butterflies? There are two coloring books that showcase those.

Why Coloring is Good for You

Anxiety and stress is controlled by the amygdala, a center of the brain that deals with motivation and emotion. The act of creating with color calms this portion of the brain. This part of the brain also controls the “fight or flight” response. Intense focus on a simple activity, like coloring, can calm the body and brain.

When people get together to color, the activity relieves stress, improves mood, promotes socialization, and provides an outlet for self-expression. In seniors, it can also improve dexterity and hand-eye coordination.

How odd that an activity once considered just a means to keep kids busy has become such a valued commodity in the mental health community. Coloring exercises both sides of the brain, because it uses logic as well as creativity. That adds value in terms of cognitive health and can assist with problem-solving.

But one big reason is because it’s fun to do! How long has it been since you sat down and colored? What’s stopping you? If it’s that you don’t have anything to color, I’ve got a fix for that. I offer seven free coloring books. Click, download, and print.

Color It Yourself

You can pick up inexpensive boxes of crayons and take yourself back to your childhood. I have several sets of colored pencils and pens. My favorite type is gel because the colors are so rich and bright. The Eparon gel pen set has 40 unique colors and they’re only $6.99. If you have Amazon Prime you can get them without shipping fees. There are 4 standard coloring pens, 6 neon, 5 mixed pastels, 5 solid pastels, 10 glitter, and 10 metallic. They are acid-free, non-toxic, and environmentally friendly. My advice is to get this set in addition to another. You’ll see suggestions for other types on my coloring book download page.

Want to know when more free coloring books are added? Join one of my reader groups and you’ll have first dibs on new ones. You’ll be first to know when my next book is released, plus you’ll get access to exclusive content limited to members.

Thank you for stopping by. Do you like coloring? What is your favorite thing to color?

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Book Hooks is a weekly meme hosted by Marketing for Romance Writers as part of the MFRW Authors Blog. It’s a chance each week for you the reader to discover current works in progress or previously published books by possibly new-to-you authors. Thank you for stopping by. Please say hello or leave a note in the comments.

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Tell yourself it is only fable, if that will help you sleep #SciFi #MFRWhooks #SpaceOpera

Kayelle Allen 9 Comments

Tell yourself it is only fable, if that will help you sleep #SciFi #MFRWhooks #SpaceOperaFable: A deliberately false or improbable account, a story about mythical or supernatural beings or events.

When the Chancellor of the Ultras, an immortal race, says he is coming for you, that’s a promise you can write in stone. In this foreward from the book, Bringer of Chaos: the Origin of Pietas, he lays out that promise. The twist of these words won’t become apparent until the end of book 3, Watch Your Six, but it has its beginnings here.

Fable, that’s all it is (from Pietas)

This book you hold is being presented as fiction, but it did happen. It is as real as the air you breathe. While this is not a first-person story, it follows my point of view.

I would never have allowed a human to know these things, but a friend persuaded me there can be no vengeance unless those in the wrong know what they did. When one has wronged another, one must face the consequences.

Having been persuaded to tell the story, I now allow it to be placed into your hands. I want you to know the truth. Why? Because other Ultras have hidden the truth. Buried it beneath fables and false retellings, as if you were a child unable to bear harsh reality. Unwilling to face the consequences of what your kind has done.

Above all, because I will not lie to you.

When I come for you, I want the satisfaction of seeing your regret for what your ancestors did to my kind. I want to see your fear, and taste your terror.

This is no horror story. It’s merely science fiction. Tell yourself it is only fable, if that will help you sleep. By all means, human, do sleep.

Read this, if you dare to know the truth.

Bringer of Chaos: the Origin of Pietas

A captive of the people he loathes, the immortal Pietas is left for dead on the planet Sempervia. Six, a human soldier who is abandoned with him, offers food and water. Is this man worthy of friendship? Or is this another trap?

Either way, Pietas must do the one thing he detests. Trust a human…

Universal book link https://books2read.com/u/4DovO7

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Book Hooks is a weekly meme hosted by Marketing for Romance Writers as part of the MFRW Authors Blog. It’s a chance each week for you the reader to discover current works in progress or previously published books by possibly new-to-you authors. Thank you for stopping by. Please say hello or leave a note in the comments.

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Charon’s Blade and Watch Your Six #SpaceOpera #SciFi #MFRWhooks

Kayelle Allen 12 Comments

Charon's Blade and Watch Your Six #SpaceOpera #SciFi #MFRWhooksThere were surprises as I started putting together Bringer of Chaos: Watch Your Six. This is the final book of the Bringer of Chaos trilogy, so tying up loose ends is important. I went to great lengths to ensure everything was covered, right down to creating weapons like Charon’s Blade (shown here).

As I wrote, I got to thinking, what would humans need ghosts for with all the Ultras in exile? How many ghosts had there been? Would the Ultras who’d been captured be released? How many Ultras were there? What were the powers they imparted to the various ghosts? Why didn’t Six get much of those powers?

The biggest surprise to me was discovering Pietas’s real agenda for humans. I’d always known he wanted to destroy them, but why would he after coming to respect and love Six? And if he wanted to kill them, why hadn’t he already done it? After all, he holds the title Destroyer of Worlds. He could do it. What’s stopping him?

I wrote a spinoff short story about Ghost Corps. Lights Out will release in mid September inside The Expanding Universe Vol 4, edited by Craig Martelle. The anthology will feature multiple authors, all with stories in the sci fi and space opera genres. It’s going to be a real treat for fans of the genre.

Charon’s Blade

I hired an artist to create images of the Ghost Corps weapons. They were designed to kill Ultras, so they’re formidable (and nasty). Livius designs scifi weapons as art. I found him on DeviantArt.com. Having the images and the technical aspects of these helps me create the people who wield them.

What kind of person would carry a weapon called Charon’s Blade designed to stab and then inject the victim with poison? Why such an extreme weapon?

Considering it was designed to wound creatures who come back from the dead, it’s at least a little bit understandable. Even so, Charon was the mythical guide to the underworld in ancient mythology. This knife has quite a legacy just in its name.

I know the answers to all these questions and have the basics of the journey plotted. But as I write, this story reveals more and more. I plan many more books featuring Pietas, his family and fellow immortals.

To see all the art, join one of my reader groups. You’ll get four free books and news about books coming soon. I’ll be sharing a member-only first peek at the art, plus other inside secrets about the Ghost Corps.
Sci Fi, Space Opera and Fantasy ONLY
Sci Fi, Space Opera and Fantasy PLUS Romance
You can unsubscribe at any time.

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Book Hooks is a weekly meme hosted by Marketing for Romance Writers as part of the MFRW Authors Blog. It’s a chance each week for you the reader to discover current works in progress or previously published books by possibly new-to-you authors. Thank you for stopping by. Please say hello or leave a note in the comments.

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Fighting the Dark and Dreaded King #SpaceOpera #Pietas #MFRWhooks

Kayelle Allen 6 Comments

Fighting the Dark and Dreaded King #SpaceOpera #Pietas #MFRWhooksFound in almost all my other scifi stories, Pietas has always been portrayed as the dark and dreaded king no one dares to cross. How did he become such a fearsome creature? Bringer of Chaos: the Origin of Pietas reveals the origin of his journey into the bleak shadows of his soul.

In the fight scene that follows, Pietas had been given two options. Surrender or die a horrible final death by fire. Defiant even in defeat, he created a third option of his own, and that is what sets the scene.

Writing a fight means writing fast movement. The dark and dreaded king is decisive. He doesn’t hesitate to do whatever it takes to win. This section shows his incredible speed. Pietas is on the ground and the soldiers who enter are hoping he’s unconscious due to lack of air. But this immortal can hold his breath ten to fifteen times longer than a human.

Fighting the Dark and Dreaded King

Crowded as the space was between his pod and the wall, two ghosts crept into it. Six spots of light showed on the other side. Eight ghosts then. That would be a much better fight. One nudged him with a foot.

Suppressing a smile, Pietas continued to play dead.

Ghost One bent down, turned him onto his back.

Pietas let his body flop.

The guy came in closer, checked for a pulse.

He opened his eyes.

The ghost’s alarm fed Pietas energy.

He yanked him down, hard, while jamming the heel of his hand up. The ghost’s head snapped back, and Pietas felt his bones crack. He shoved him aside and went after Ghost Two.

Pietas gripped his leg and tripped him. He jammed an elbow down onto the man’s neck. Bones broke. The ghost’s stab of dying fear spiked the energy from the first, and Pietas mixed it with his gift of chaos. He flung the vortex of emotions outward, broadcasting confusion and terror.

He activated his ability called zip. The pseudo speed meant he could move at a regular pace, but humans perceived him as a blur. They could not focus on him long enough to get close. To him, everyone moved in slow motion.

He flipped onto his feet, braced both hands on his pod, and kicked Three and Four square in the chest.

He pushed off the pod, and the momentum carried him straight into the arms of Five and Six. They stumbled backward, tumbling Seven and Eight onto the floor.

Pietas rolled, grabbing Seven. One quick twist of the neck, and another down. Five to go.

Six and Eight flipped themselves to their feet. Three and Four struggled to rise.

Pietas took a running leap and crushed Three’s neck. Four raised his hands to shield his face. A swift kick to the head–gone.

Pietas dropped, rolled, came up behind Eight. Broke his neck.

The burning need for air hurt, but there were two to go.

He turned, and a fist caught him in the mouth. Thrown off balance, he danced sideways. Pietas touched his lip, and frowned at the spot of blood. He met the gaze of Ghost Six, who’d punched him.

No human had ever hit him before. Pietas gave a nod.

Five and Six rushed him.

Turning into Five’s momentum, Pietas hurled him into the wall, jamming the ghost’s head down onto his spine.

He whirled back to find Six standing beside Helia’s pod, working the code on a control panel. The ghost held up a warning hand, and poised his other over a bar with flashing red letters: Immolate.

He could kill the ghost without killing his mother. Pietas darted toward him.

Six shook his head. “Don’t make me,” he mouthed. He patted a set of wristlocks at his waist, and then pointed to the floor.

For no reason would he grovel. Not even for his mother.

Pietas considered creating an illusion, and then killing him, but they had cameras on him and would know. Illusions could not be photographed. They took energy to hold, and the dark and dreaded king was running out. Fast.

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Book Hooks is a weekly meme hosted by Marketing for Romance Writers as part of the MFRW Authors Blog. It’s a chance each week for you the reader to discover current works in progress or previously published books by possibly new-to-you authors. Thank you for stopping by. Please say hello or leave a note in the comments.

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Do you love dragons? @Nano_Core #MFRWauthor #MFRWhooks #SpaceOpera

Kayelle Allen 8 Comments

Do You Love Dragons?

I love dragons. Funny thing, several of my characters love dragons too. Gee, how about that? *wink* How about you?

In the Bringer of Chaos series, the character Six has a dragon tattoo that covers his entire back. Pietas keeps dragon statues in his quarters, everything from small egg-sized ones to larger pieces. His sister wears a pendant with a blood-red dragon that has gold wings. The dragon symbol is throughout the story. After all, who wouldn’t love dragons?

The Drachensturm Dagger (dragon-storm) on the left belongs to Pietas. In the first Bringer of Chaos book, he performs a ritual with it. I wrote only that the dagger was new and that it had turquise stones the same color as his own eyes.  I decided to commission Nano-Core (aka Livius) on DeviantArt to create the dagger. He listened to my description, then spent nearly a day playing with designs. He would show me dragon pictures and get my feedback. Because he’s in Germany and I live in Georgia in the US, we had a time difference. Livius is a night owl, so it worked out well for us.

If you want something unique for your scifi world, from dragons to ships, I recommend him. He is super easy to work with. You can find him on this page: Nano-Core on DeviantArt.  While you’re there, check out other art Livius has done. This is the sixth sci fi weapon he’s created for me that show on his page. He’s creating a special weapon series for the Kin that will be revealed in my next newsletter. You won’t find them anywhere else until then. And wait till you hear the origin story of this dagger! Meanwhile… here’s a snippet for you.

Excerpt from Bringer of Chaos: Origin of Pietas
Pietas and his sister, Dessy, are about to complete a ritual using the dragon dagger pictured.

I’ve been dreaming about dragons.” His sister unzipped her leathers down to her rounded bosom, and pulled out a fine chain dangling a dragon charm. “In the dreams, yours are teal and silver. Mine are ruby and gold.”

He took the pendant in hand. The golden creature sparkled, its eyes glistening as if wet with blood. “Beautiful.” He rubbed a thumb over it, and the dragon warmed to his touch. He smiled into Dessy’s pale eyes. “How often do you dream them?”

“Every night. Tas, what does it mean?”

At hearing her childhood name for him, he dropped the pendant. “Dragons are primal protectors. They symbolize defeat of the beast within and show selfless courage.”

She tucked the chain back inside her top. “How do you know that?”

“How do you not?”

Dessy called him a rude name, and shoved him

 

 

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Sneak peek: Lights Out (a Ghost Corps story) #SpaceOpera #MFRWauthor #MFRWhooks

Kayelle Allen 2 Comments

I just signed a contract for Lights Out, a new short story set in the Bringer of Chaos series, to appear in The Expanding Universe (#4) edited by Craig Martelle. It will be out by the end of September 2018.  I loved the character Six in this series and thought it would be cool to show how he ended up guarding Pietas.

Sneak Peek at Lights Out

Sneak peek: Lights Out (a Ghost Corps story) #SpaceOpera #MFRWauthorJoin the Ghost Corps, they said. You’ll live forever, they said. You’ll save mankind, they said. They didn’t say that to do it, first you had to die.

When Tornahdo signs on the dotted line, he puts his life into the steady hands of the mighty Ghost Corps. Three grisly deaths and three agonizing resurrections later, he’s assigned duty on the space station Enderium Six.

He’s facing his most dangerous mission yet, the very reason the Ghost Corps exists.

Tornahdo and a team of ghosts must take out the man responsible for every war between humans and Ultras since the origin of the Ultra bloodline: the immortal king, Pietas.

If they succeed, the war is over.

If they don’t, the Ultras will rule mankind for another thousand years.

Pietas regenerates from every wound. He’s so fast, no human has ever laid a hand on him. As a precaution, they’re sending in Tornahdo’s squad only after evacuating the station and trapping the king in a chamber emptied of air. The immortal will have to fight in a vacuum.

So will Tornahdo and his crew.

Do they expect Tornahdo to win? Fat chance. He and his team are already dead men and this mission is codenamed “Lights Out.” No, there’s more to this than he can see.

To discover the truth, he must face an unbeatable, unkillable enemy, and this time–somehow–find a way to keep himself alive…

[bctt tweet=”Join the Ghost Corps, they said. You’ll live forever, they said. You’ll save mankind, they said. They didn’t say that to do it, first you had to die. #SpaceOpera” username=”kayelleallen”]

Fans of the Bringer of Chaos series will know that “Tornahdo” ends up with the name Six, once he meets Pietas. But who was he before then? You’ll discover his story in Lights Out. Come by next Wednesday for a chance to read snippets from the first chapter. Want advance notice when this book is out? Enter your email here.

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Book Hooks is a weekly meme hosted by Marketing for Romance Writers as part of the MFRW Authors Blog. It’s a chance each week for you the reader to discover current works in progress or previously published books by possibly new-to-you authors. Thank you for stopping by. Please say hello or leave a note in the comments.

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Meeting her thief at the starport #SciFi #MFRWauthor #MFRWhooks

Kayelle Allen 8 Comments

Meeting her thief at the starport #SciFi #SpaceOpera #MFRWhooksThis scene was deleted from At the Mercy of Her Pleasure.

In the published book, Captain NarrAy Jorlan meets with Senth at a coffee shop adjacent to the Thieves’ Guild. But in this version, she met him at the Starport.

Inside secret: the starport on Kelthia is named Starhaven Leojnimaj. Those are my sons names combined, backward (Joel and Jamin). NarrAy’s last name, Jorlan, was chosen in honor of the hero of Dara Joy’s book Ritual of Proof.

Kelthia, Miraj City, Starhaven Leojnimaj
Coffee Shop, Concourse D

NarrAy sat, holding a cup of coffee she didn’t want and had no interest in tasting. A plain dress hid beneath her black hooded cape, covering every inch of skin as the law required for Betters. How long would it be before they forced her to hide her face too? She blew on the coffee. Where was her thief?

“Anything yet?”

“Nothing.” Broxus answered from the south terminal.

“No sign.” Encie made ticking sounds into the transmitter. “Your pretty boy thief is late.”

“We’ll give him two more minutes.”

“You’re too easy, boss.” More ticking.

What was that noise? NarrAy scanned the area. “Encie, I thought you quit biting your nails.”

“I’m not bi– Hey. How’d you know I was doing that?”

“You may be on the north side of the concourse, but I can see you between the lockers.” She blew on the coffee.

Her assistant stood up straight and glanced around. “I forgot about those eyes of yours.”

“Yes, well, it was my ears that heard you nibbling.”

“Nibbling what?” Senth asked, dropping into a chair.

NarrAy set down her coffee so fast it spilled. “Where did you come from?”

“Cohorts didn’t see me?” His inviting mouth stretched into a smile. “Level nineteen thief, remember? If those two could spot me, I wouldn’t be worth what you’re paying.” He used her napkin to sop up the coffee.

Brox’s and Encie’s questioning voices broke into her concentration.

“He’s here. We’re leaving.” When she rose, Senth assisted her with her chair.

Not that she wanted or needed help, but imagine a thief with manners. Well, well… This could be interesting.

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Book Hooks is a weekly meme hosted by Marketing for Romance Writers as part of the MFRW Authors Blog. It’s a chance each week for you the reader to discover current works in progress or previously published books by possibly new-to-you authors. Thank you for stopping by. Please say hello or leave a note in the comments.

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Search the dark side of Miraj City: Crooktown #SciFi #SpaceOpera #MFRWhooks

Kayelle Allen 10 Comments

Search the dark side of Miraj City: Crooktown #SciFi #SpaceOpera #MFRWhooksIn this scene from At the Mercy of Her Pleasure, the story opens with Senth searching for his brother through the darkest side of Miraj City. The area known only as Crooktown…

Somewhere in Miraj City

Deep in the shadows outside a ruined warehouse, Senth Antonello shoved back the hood of his sensor-blocking cloak and fanned himself. The Thieves’ Guild tech let him hide from copbot scans, but it didn’t cool him. Sweat beaded on his skin. Using his fangs, he unfastened first one glove, then the other, and peeled them off. He tucked them into one of dozens of hidden pockets in the cloak, and wiped his face.

The faint sound of gang chant carried in the chilled night air. Gangs in the Crooktown District of Miraj City hunted mixed breeds like him. At first glance, Senth appeared human, but with his catlike eyes and fangs, no one could miss his Kin nature. In moonlight, his eyes would glow.

The chant grew louder, along with the sound of breaking glass. The deeper darkness that followed meant two things: another streetlight had met its end, and that gang was closer than Senth had thought.

“You come down here, I skin you.” Senth flattened himself against the brick wall. “I skin you, the Grand Master skins me. Let’s do each other a favor, huh, boys?”

Worse, the Grand Master would inform Senth’s Sen’dai. His guild master. The crime lord all the other crime lords feared. The Man. The Harbinger. Luc Saint-Cyr.

The Guild didn’t accept non-humans, unless they were enslaved to a human member. No one could rise past level ten, unless related to a human member. Guild-arranged marriages and adoptions happened regularly. To keep the Guild happy, Saint-Cyr was Senth’s lord and master and his adoptive father.

No way Senth wanted the Man angry with him. The last time, he’d almost…

Senth shook off the thought, drew his hood forward again, and edged around the corner into a darker alley. “Ffffftt!” The Kin cuss word hissed past his fangs. Where was Khyff? He had to be close. Senth had looked for hours. His HalfKin sense of smell caught a faint whiff of male, mixed with… He took another sniff. Someone–or something–else.

Pressed against the wall, Senth slipped around a corner, and hunkered down. He melted into the concealing darkness behind a barrel, and narrowed night-sensitive eyes.

His human half-brother leaned against the opposite wall of the trash-strewn alley. Khyffen Antonello’s blond hair shone in the muted light. A female pinned him, arms around his neck. She tore open Khyff’s shirt and ran her hands over his chest.

Senth folded himself into the tight space behind the barrel and settled in to wait. Protection of his brother went before any assignment. Family came first. At least tonight. And Khyff would need it in Crooktown, Miraj City’s worst district.

Senth’s mother had died after birthing him. Khyff, who’d been three, had been told Senth was dead, and Khyff had been sold into slavery. Neither of them knew the other lived until a month ago. Neither had a clue about their biological fathers. Until Khyff found him, Senth’s “family” consisted of the Man.

Pulling out a square of paper, Senth angled it to catch the dim light and read the words he’d copied from Saint-Cyr’s note once more. You and Khyffen meet me at The Ghost. I have a job for you. Do it and I’ll buy and free your brother, but it’s going to cost you.

Of course it would. The Man didn’t do anything for free. But if it got Khyff out of that hellhole, Senth would do it.

He tucked away the note, and slipped on his gloves.

Senth’s master had raised him to believe that no one should have to sell his body to survive. Saint-Cyr owned one slave, Senth, and only so he could rise within the Guild.

Senth and Saint-Cyr might not agree on much, but they both believed Khyff needed his freedom. With Khyff’s record, freeing him wouldn’t be cheap, and it sure wouldn’t be easy.

[bctt tweet=”Check out this sweet Sci Fi romance with a kick: At the Mercy of Her Pleasure” username=”kayelleallen”]

At the Mercy of Her Pleasure

Antonello Brothers 1: a Scifi Romance
At the Mercy of Her Pleasure is a military science fiction romance set in a dystopian world. The standalone story has a heat level of sweet and has a happy ending.

Hired to steal back a prototype taken by the imperial armada, Senth Antonello retrieves it, but his brother is kidnapped to force Senth to surrender the device.
Now he has to rescue his brother, outsmart the armada, and keep the item out of imperial hands. All doable, except for one small problem. He must do it in the company of NarrAy Jorlan, a genetically altered woman whose pheromones could enhance the mission or crumble it into dust with a single siren kiss.
He’s a thief. She’s a soldier. Do opposites attract? Oh, mercy!
—
Genre: Sweet Romance, Science Fiction Romance, Scifi
Heat level: PG – sweet romance with a kick
Book length: 59,650 words (full novel)
Publisher: Romance Lives Forever Books
Series: Antonello Brothers (standalone books)
Universal buy link https://books2read.com/u/m2o9P1

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Book Hooks is a weekly meme hosted by Marketing for Romance Writers as part of the MFRW Authors Blog. It’s a chance each week for you the reader to discover current works in progress or previously published books by possibly new-to-you authors. Thank you for stopping by. Please say hello or leave a note in the comments.

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He’s a thief. She’s a soldier. Do opposites attract? Oh, mercy #SciFi #Romance #MFRWauthor

Kayelle Allen 20 Comments

In this scene from At the Mercy of Her Pleasure, NarrAy Jorlan has just met Senth Antonello for the first time. She’s taking it slow, sizing him up for the job at hand. Usually, men are distracted by her pheromones, but on this occasion, she finds herself on the distracted side.

Do Opposites Attract?

NarrAy crossed her legs, exposing a good portion of her skin under the short dress. If she’d been sitting opposite Senth, the length might have been welcome. But his father lounged in that chair and Senth sat beside her on the couch. Her position put her a little closer to him.

“Empress Destoiya murdered my parents,” NarrAy continued her story, “as surely as if she’d been the one who shot them in the back. They were scientists working on secret technology. When rumors got out that they were planning to give their findings to the rebellion, the Conqueror had them killed and then confiscated everything, including their personal belongings. There was a locket my mother inherited from my grandmother, which my grandmother inherited from her grandmother. It’s mine and I want it back.”

She met Senth’s penetrating gaze and held it. She heard rather than saw Encie enter the room and take up a place near the door. Broxus moved to stand beside her. NarrAy couldn’t take her gaze off Senth. How did I ever see him as a boy?

He had a man’s hands, well-groomed nails and sinewy forearms that revealed power and strength. His biceps bulged. Angular jaw, a firm mouth with lips made for kissing. A hot flutter rose within her and she tamped it down at once, refusing to let her pheromones get the upper hand.

Senth watched her, gaze narrowed, head tilted. He gave a sniff and then eased into a smile. His proximity heightened her desire. He smelled clean, fresh and ruggedly male. A tingle signaled the imminent letdown of her pheromones and she clenched her hands into fists, fighting to calm the spike of lust flickering through her like a torch about to combust.

Senth’s faint smile revealed nothing, but he lifted his head, sniffing the air. Kin could smell emotion and desire. Could HalfKin?

He asked me something. Pay attention to business and not your body. She sat up straighter. “I’m sorry. Would you repeat that, please?”

“What I said was no one hires a level-nineteen thief, transports him to another world to break into a government building and then wants him to steal back a locket with sentimental value. Especially one in the custody of the Conqueror. What’s it really worth?”

“It’s a priceless heirloom.” She set a hand against her bosom.

Senth didn’t follow her hand movement. Instead he tilted his head as he leaned back against the couch. “I’m more skilled at this job than you are beautiful, NarrAy and that’s saying something. Tell me the truth.”

Her cheeks warmed. When had she ever blushed over an offhand compliment?

At the Mercy of Her Pleasure

Antonello Brothers 1: a Scifi Romance
At the Mercy of Her Pleasure is a military science fiction romance set in a dystopian world. The standalone story has a heat level of PG13 and a happy ending.
Hired to steal back a prototype taken by the imperial armada, Senth Antonello retrieves it, but his brother is kidnapped to force Senth to surrender the device.
Now he has to rescue his brother, outsmart the armada, and keep the item out of imperial hands. All doable, except for one small problem. He must do it in the company of NarrAy Jorlan, a genetically altered woman whose pheromones could enhance the mission or crumble it into dust with a single siren kiss.
He’s a thief. She’s a soldier. Do opposites attract? Oh, mercy!
—
Genre: Sweet Romance, Science Fiction Romance, Sci Fi
Heat level: PG13 – sweet romance with kick
Publisher: Romance Lives Forever Books
Series: Antonello Brothers (standalone books)
Universal book link https://books2read.com/ab-at-mercy

The sequel for this book is For Women Only.

Giveaway

Download the free printable Antonello Brothers Coloring Book
https://kayelleallen.com/media/coloring-book-antonello.pdf

JOIN US FOR BOOKHOOKS
Book Hooks is a weekly meme hosted by Marketing for Romance Writers as part of the MFRW Authors Blog. It’s a chance each week for you the reader to discover current works in progress or previously published books by possibly new-to-you authors. Thank you for stopping by. Please say hello or leave a note in the comments.

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Heroes Using Weapons: writing a story with guns #Pietas #SciFi #MFRWhooks

Kayelle Allen 11 Comments

Heroes Using Weapons: writing a story with guns #Pietas #SciFi #MFRWhooks In today’s society with arguments for and against gun control, is it smart to write a story in which weapons play a large part? What if heroes using weapons is the wrong thing to write about?

I’m working on a short story that might never see the light of day. The hero keeps hiding his motives from me, which makes it difficult to write about him. But if it does manage to burst into being, Lights Out will have a lot to do with weapons, guns, soldiers, and war. It’s the tale of a soldier who dies and is brought back to fight again.

Heroes Using Weapons

In the Bringer of Chaos series, the sidekick of the immortal hero is a human warrior who’d been killed in action and then revived.

To accomplish the rebirth, all the blood in the soldier’s body is replaced with the blood of an immortal. When he or she comes back to life, the training and natural abilities are all still present, but so are abilities of the immortal. If they were telepathic, so is the soldier. If they possessed enhanced speed, so does the soldier. There are dozens of “gifts” and each has both a benefit and a drawback. If you can hear the thoughts of others but can’t forget them, life could get uncomfortable fast.

With my heroes using weapons it meant I needed to understand what they do. As I prepared to write this new short story as well as book three in the Chaos trilogy, I had to understand how these weapons were used. To do that, I researched weapons of today and weapon concepts of the future.

I have a military background and enlisted in the Navy during the Viet Nam era. When I write a military sci fi or romance, I’m speaking from experience. My heroes using weapons is a result of that experience.

I’m going to take shooting lessons and learn how to use weapons myself. I want to write from experience with this as well.

Rather than shy away from the topic, I thought I’d see what my readers think about stories concerning guns. Do you read them? What do you think about stories concerning them? Do you look for stories that have a moral implication or do you prefer a rock-em-sock-em robot sort of tale?

Image credit: Nano-Core (commission for KayelleAllen.com)

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Book Hooks is a weekly meme hosted by Marketing for Romance Writers as part of the MFRW Authors Blog. It’s a chance each week for you the reader to discover current works in progress or previously published books by possibly new-to-you authors. Thank you for stopping by. Please say hello or leave a note in the comments.

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