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

Are you attending EPICON 2014 Conference for #Authors #Readers #EPICorg

Kayelle Allen 01/07/2014 Kayelle Allen

EPIC

Announcing some great opportunities to meet authors, readers, publishers, and for authors to share their books, brand or platform at the Electronic Publishing Industry Coalition Conference (EPICON) in March 13-15, 2014.

Advertise in the Conference Program

Grab some of the attention for your service, platform, website or new release by advertising in the 2014 EPIC Programs. Market yourself to our over 200 conference and luncheon attendees. PLUS, after the conference, the program will be placed on EPIC’s website to get you even MORE exposure! Advertising space is limited. Ads will be accepted on a first-come first-served basis. Placement is dependent on providing suitable content and payment by February 24, 2014.

Please visit http://epicorg.com/epicon.html and visit the Ad Rates to see the relative ad sizes and other information.

Goodie Bags Items

Share your promo material with 200 attendees. Sorry, no non-bound paper materials accepted. If you have questions about the items you would like to send, please contact Sabrina York. For details and shipping addresses or to ask questions about the items you would like to send, contact Sabrina York at sabrinayorkhrhATgmailDOTcom with EPICON in the subject line.

Swag Table Items

In addition to goodie bag items you can send items for the swag table which will be displayed all weekend in the registration area. For details and shipping addresses or to ask questions about the items you would like to send, contact Sabrina York at sabrinayorkhrhATgmailDOTcom with EPICON in the subject line.

Door Prizes/Gift Baskets

Get special attention by donating door prizes or gift baskets. Items will be displayed all weekend and given away throughout the conference. Donors should be sure to attached a business card and, in the case of a basket, a list of the items Please let us know what you are sending and how you would like it shared. For details and shipping addresses or to ask questions about the items you would like to send, contact Sabrina York at sabrinayorkhrhATgmailDOTcom with EPICON in the subject line.

DEADLINES

Deadline to receive items and ad materials: February 24, 2014. Advertising space is limited. Ads will be accepted on a first-come first-served basis.

ABOUT EPIC

EPIC, the Electronic Publishing Industry Coalition, was incorporated in 1998 to provide a strong voice for electronic publishing. Once an authors’ organization, EPIC has expanded to include hundreds of professionals from all facets of the electronic publishing industry: authors, publishers, editors, artists, and others. Our members work together in a unique collaboration to further the industry.

EPIC is not a publisher, but aspiring authors are invited to look at our member publishers. Check out “Our Members” for listings of our author, publisher, and other industry members.

ABOUT EPICON 2014

It’s all about the relationships…

Authors and authors.
Authors and readers.
Authors and publishers.
Authors publishers and the media.
Authors, publishers and the digital world.

This exciting conference includes fabulous workshops covering business and craft; opportunities to network with industry professionals; social events to see old friends and make new ones; opportunities to connect with readers at eFiesta!; and a gala eBook Awards Banquet.

Special features include San Antonio River Cruise, ghost tour of the historic–and haunted–Menger Hotel, great food, fun, all in the center of beautiful San Antonio, Texas, March 13-15, 2014.

Questions? Email epicon@epicorg.com

An Alien’s View of #Christmas #scifi

Kayelle Allen 12/21/2013 Humorous Stories 2 Comments

An Alien's View of Christmas A few years ago I saw a comment about the oddness of Christmas that has stuck with me. It said, “At what other time of year do you sit in front of a dead tree and eat candy out of your socks?”

Too true. We see Christmas cards of cute guys wearing Santa outfits while holding puppies. There are cards with our kids on them, or our grandkids. Pictures of decorated trees. Snow-scenes. Snowmen, in fact — snow families. St. Nicholas, aka the Jolly Fat Man. We spend money we don’t have to impress people we don’t like. Christmas is a bit odd in that way.

Now, imagine if you were an alien and had never experienced a twenty-first century Christmas before. You arrive on Earth on December 24, 2013 in North America. Your arrival was purposely quiet. Your mission is to observe and report back without being noticed. What would you say in your report?

Population: extremely heavy in rural and shopping areas, while places of apparent business seem abandoned by comparison

Advertisements: Profusion of advertising featuring a fat, graying man in a red suit trimmed with white fur, oddly mixed with what appears to be ads for exercise equipment for a “fit new year”. Same man appears on street corners ringing bells, and on thrones in places of business. People bring children to him. Cannot determine if this is a deity or a patron of sales. Suggest second trip in different season to observe.

Security: Armed and unarmed uniformed police everywhere. Extreme attention at places of commerce, and on items which appear to be small plastic cards. These are often shown before leaving with purchases, although no currency seems to change hands. Perhaps the items being removed from places of business can be recalled by the “cashier”, and the cards are merely ID.

Food: Lavish meals are being planned, with images of huge cooked birds on platters. High attention is paid to crooked red and white “canes” often decorated with attached items. Pastries in the form of small biscuit-shapes are seen everywhere. Most are decorated or festooned with icing and sprinkles. Perhaps these are the reason such attention is paid to “fitness equipment.”

Space travel: Confusingly, there are multiple images of outer space travel displaying advanced ships and alien contact, yet these all seem to be works of fiction.

Weaponry: Debates ongoing over “gun control” while civil wars are taking place throughout the world. Pockets of war interspersed with areas of peace. Most weaponry is primitive compared to ours.

First Contact: So-called UFOs are discussed everywhere. Population seems open to first contact, while government is apparently opposed to same.

Potential for Colonization: Wait another century
—

What do you think? What types of items did I miss that the alien would have reported?

Happy Holidays to you and yours, no matter what planet you call home.

Tribute to William C Hinkle by David M Beske #RIP

Kayelle Allen 07/06/2013 Kayelle Allen

Today’s post is in honor of my late brother-in-law, William “Bill” Hinkle.

Bill passed away on June 6, 2013

Poem by David M Beske

(read as part of Bill’s eulogy)

To my friend

William Clyde Hinkle

He had a very special way

Of brightening up your darkest day

Gentle and kind

Yet firm and strong

Painting “William C Hinkle” by Thomas Finley

A superstar person

I can?t believe that you?re gone

Working with you

Indeed was a pleasure

Seven years as my foreman

You were more like a mentor

I truly will miss you

Wow what a great friend

Someone I could talk too

Again and again

But now that you?ve left us

Far far behind

The Lord must have a plan

You were one of a kind

We?ll keep you close

In our hearts my dear friend

Until I see you in heaven

Take Care

The End

Sincerely,

David M. Beske

Cherry Hinkle, Bill’s widow, is an author and ufologist well-known for her extensive research. She and Bill spent many hours researching and visiting sites. The couple lived in the Las Vegas area and the desert was often cruel to plants, but Bill was famous for bringing them back from the brink. After his death, a simple willow stick included in a spray of flowers at his funeral sprouted a green sprig.

Kayelle Allen is an award-winning, multi-published author. Her heroes and heroines include badass immortals, warriors who purr, and agents who find the unfindable–or hide it forever. She is known for unstoppable heroes, uncompromising love, and unforgettable passion.

Did You Know There’s an #EarthDay Anthem? #EcoChallenges

Kayelle Allen 04/19/2013 Kayelle Allen 35 Comments

The beauty of our world

Earth Day began in 1970 and was the brainchild of Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin. It is an international holiday to promote conservation and concern for the environment.

The “Earth Day Anthem” below satisfies these requirements for a universal song associated with Earth Day. Ludwig van Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy” melody is already the official anthem of the European Union (in that case purely instrumental without lyrics), the melody is widely recognized and easily performed, in the public domain, and originally composed for voice.

Earth Day Anthem

Joyful joyful we adore our Earth in all its wonderment
Simple gifts of nature that all join into a paradise
Now we must resolve to protect her
Show her our love throughout all time
With our gentle hand and touch
We make our home a newborn world
Now we must resolve to protect her
Show her our love throughout all time
With our gentle hand and touch
We make our home a newborn world

credit: Wikipedia
—

Drated: an abandoned world

Conservation is a prevalent theme in many science fiction stories about the future, with films like Soylent Green, Children of Men, and Avatar. Each warned of consequences for not controlling the environment. Whether it’s recycling, reading eBooks, planting a garden, or taking part in Earth Day activities, each of us can play a part. Whatever the future may hold, one thing is certain — we can each take responsibility for our surroundings and do our part to make the world a better place. Pictured: Drated, an abandoned world in the Tarthian Empire (from books in my Tarthian Empire series).

This is part of the Earth Day Hop with JustRomance.me If you came along from a different route, you can click here to begin. http://justromance.me

2013 Goals: Beginning a New Cycle

Kayelle Allen 01/21/2013 Marketing for Romance Writers 6 Comments

I’m reblogging this post, which I shared with Dariel Raye on her blog, Musings of an Independent Artist.

—

Dariel asked me, “On a scale of 1-10, 10 being the highest, how would you rate the attainment of your writing goals in 2012? Did you have goals? What will you change for 2013?”

My answer: Looking back, I set five specific goals for 2012, and met only one of them. However, I give myself a 5. I met the first because I made it a top priority and worked at it daily. I set aside the second goal for other priorities. I abandoned the third and fourth because I found better plans to follow. I completely forgot about the fifth one because I didn’t go over my goals periodically, the way I have in previous years. I won’t make that mistake in 2013. I set a new set of objectives for 2013 back in December 2012, and have already accomplished two of them. I am tweaking the list, and will be adding back the item I had forgotten.

2013 is shaping up to be a successful year for me as a writer, a person, and as a wife, mother, and grandmother. For example, my husband and I are working through a workbook by Dr. Gary Chapman called The Five Love Languages, and together, we’re reading Life Code: New Rules for Winning in the Real World by Dr. Phil McGraw. Both of these are making a difference in our personal and professional relationships.

I have short stories scheduled in two anthologies so far, and expect to complete a long awaited sequel. I’m excited by the future I see.

Okay, shoe on the other foot. What are some of your goals this year?

Today My Husband Won’t #poetry

Kayelle Allen 01/05/2013 Kayelle Allen 2 Comments

My husband and me, 2011.

Today My Husband Won’t

By Kayelle Allen

Today, my husband won’t leave his socks on the floor, or miss the hamper.

He won’t pull out a towel and mess up the way the others are folded.

He’s not going to run over the newspaper as he comes down the driveway.

He won’t leave the garage door open, or back the car into the grass on that tight corner.

My husband won’t watch the early news instead of talking to me.

He won’t ignore the family for a ball game.

He’s not going to fall asleep watching the late news.

There won’t be a magazine or book open in his lap.

He won’t complain about traffic on the freeway tonight.

He won’t sing off key in the shower.

He’s not going to putter around in the garage.

He won’t work overtime and end up being late for dinner.

It won’t be because he’s a perfect husband.

Nor because he’s turned over a new leaf.

Today, my husband won’t do any of these things…

Because my husband is now in Heaven.

I miss him.

Hug your husband today.

—

My husband is alive and well. I wrote this because I try to keep in mind every day that my spouse, like me, has a finite number of days on the earth. I want to enjoy every single one of them with him, while he’s here. Never take your loved ones for granted. We have only this moment, right now, right here. Hug your husband. Think twice about complaining about what he says or does. You have so few moments together. Make each of them count.

Autographs for Your eBooks @evanjacobs #amreading

Kayelle Allen 11/03/2012 Book Specials

Many people have autographed books. An author’s signature can increase the monetary value of a book (especially for first editions and certain authors), and it can add a great memory as well. With the advent of ebooks, that went away. After all, what would you do? Get the author to use a permanent marker on your ereader? That dilemma caused devoted reader Evan Jacobs to rethink that entire thing.

Evan was attending a reading and when it came time to sign books, he had a Kindle in his hand and no way to get an autograph — so he decided to make one. Originally, he called it Kindlegraph (Evan worked for Amazon) and it was based on the sales information available publicly through the company. I interviewed him earlier this year on Romance Lives Forever. He has since opened the platform to encompass Nook, Kobo, and all other forms of ereaders.

How’s it work?

Readers create an account, search for their favorite authors, and click a button to request an authorgraph. If they are in the system, it sends the request right away. If they are not, when the author signs on, the request will be waiting for them. Then, they create a special signature / autograph unique to that book or reader, and send it via the Authorgraph system. The reader who requested it receives a notice that a file is available for them to download, they accept the file, and appears on their ereader. Ta da! That’s it.

Can authors sign up?

Sure thing. All you do is go to http://authorgraph.com and click on “Authors – Sign Up” and then follow the prompts. It’s a matter of adding your books. Once you get a request, you can create a “live” signature by drawing your name with your mouse or tablet, or you can pick one of several hand-written fonts.

Is it free?

It is free to create an account (for readers and authors), and it’s free to request or make one. If your ISP charges a delivery fee for your Kindle, there might be a fee for the authorgraph. Check before downloading.

Can I get one from _______?

You can get one from any author who cares to sign up. Just go request it. Your favorite author might already be listed. If they are not, they can easily join.

All this was born from the fact that one reader was disappointed at not being able to get an autograph. That’s amazing. Instead of letting the disappointment get him down, he figured out a way to fix the problem. Now, no one else has to be disappointed either, and with Christmas coming, there’s no excuse not to get yourself that cool new ereader you’ve been wanting. So what are you waiting for? Go grab those authorgraphs!

You can get mine here: http://authorgraph.com/authors/kayelleallen

Visit Spooky Scifi Planets @kayelleallen #amreading

Kayelle Allen 10/19/2012 Science Fiction Books

When I started writing Science Fiction Romance, I needed planets for my characters. Where were they born? What was it like there? This was my strong suit. After all, I’d been thinking about it all my life! I decided to create a “tour” of the Tarthian Empire on my website, and have art and information about each of the planets. This month, Coffee Time Romance designated the tour on my site as one of its elite spots — one of the top twelve for the year. So, when the Just Romance Me blog tour came along, I figured the spookiest planet on Tarthian Tour Company’s site would be perfect.

A little about the Tarthian Tour Company — their slogan is “Where do you want to wake up tomorrow?” They can take you to any of over twenty planets or drop you off on side trips to visit the Conqueror’s palace or see the Droid Discovery Force in action. There’s an interactive star map where you can click the name of a world to visit its page. From each world’s page, you can click the tour logo to return the company’s home page or click the list on each page to visit any other planet in the empire.

Clicking the pictures on the tour itself will open them full-sized, and some are amazing to see. When my son was in art college, ~~I forced him coerced him begged him~~ he volunteered to help me create them. ^_^

The Ministry of Emigration’s official statement reads: “While terraforming is complete, the life-cycle of the planet Drated is not yet within parameters for habitation. Initial investigations revealed a lack of certain necessary nutrients in the soil which will be provided at the proper time. All inquiries should be directed to the Terraformer’s Circle of Fellowship.”

The TCF refuses to comment. Sources inside the corporation say that wild energy fields are not to blame as were previously reported. Speculation abounds.

Gates of Life

Archaeological digs on several barren worlds in the Tarthian Empire and all the non-human ones (Tyris, Felidae, and Ezraki) uncovered the ruins of towering arches. (See picture below) Natives called them the Gates of Life. For an idea of their true size, note the bottom left corner of the drawing.

It is speculated that they originated as monitoring devices for tracking the progress of genetic mutations, but no true use is known. Rituals of “passing through the Gates” after birth are common to Tyrans, Chiasmii, and Kin alike. All three worlds have legends that link the Gates to a god who descends from the sky in a burning chariot. The Tyrans called him Sandargen, the Chiasmii Arjensa, and the Kin Adel Jansaara. When translated to Etymis, the tradestandard language of the empire, all these names mean Saint of Silver.

A detailed description of this saint’s arrival suggests a spacecraft. According to the legends, he was the size of a god, and had white hair. He always wore silver, and demanded a sacrifice of two virgins, male and female, which he took back to the sky with him. Those who did not please him, or had failed in worshiping at the Gates were punished severely, and some were killed. When thousands of years passed without the Saint of Silver’s return, the inhabitants destroyed the Gates. Gates were also found on the planets Ohy and Sanity IV but there is no evidence that intelligent life ever existed on any of these worlds. What happened to the inhabitants is a mystery that is likely never to be solved.

Sanity IV – Gone Forever

Sanity IV is nearing completion of mining. The myth that Sanity I, II, III and IV destroyed themselves in a civil war is false. They were surface-stripped and mined for raw materials, and exist now as asteroids in the Sanity system. The name origin is lost, but legend says Sanity IV began as a slang term in a song often sung by miners. The gravity well in the Sanity system makes it an ideal jump point. Occasionally, an errant asteroid interferes with navigation. It is a myth that jumping into Sanity IV’s space can trigger space time disruptions. If that were true, events would repeat at random intervals. This has never been observed. If that were true, events would repeat at random intervals. The name origin is lost, but legend says Sanity IV began as a slang term in a song often sung by miners. Sanity IV is nearing completion of mining.

Begin your own tour

Click here to see all 22 planets and side trips: https://kayelleallen.com/ttc

Caution: While you’re hanging out on the tour, or perusing the excerpt pages, be on the lookout for little icons that seem out of place. Clicking them might transport you to a hidden rebel base, or land you in the custody of the Praetorian. Whatever you decide, I hope you’ll enjoy the visit to the Tarthian Empire, where Romance Lives Forever.

UPDATE
The winner of the blog contest was Jennifer M. JustRomance.me picked her name from the list as my winner. Jennifer received a puzzle book and the first edition of the Tartian Empire Companion book, a nonfiction look at the tour on my website.
Congratulations, and thank you to everyone who took part.

More Spam Spam and More Spam

Kayelle Allen 09/16/2012 Kayelle Allen

Danger Ahead…

I occasionally share a list of amusing spam emails. Here are some of the latest. Use discretion when opening these kinds of messages — and a good antivirus program. For best results, don’t open them at all! I include their titles here, but did not open any of these emails.

Dear Confidant/Scam Victim
I love this one! Apparently they believe in telling you the truth right up front. You are a victim. What a timesaver.

Confirmation! Confirmation! Confirmation!
Because I might not pay attention if they just wrote Confirmation.

FBI Seeking to Wiretap Internet
Now, when I got this it was in all caps, but I wrote it like a title to fit my blog better. Which is another way you can tell if something is spam. It SCREAMS at you. Apparently, finding the caps lock key is too much of an effort for these folks.

Kind Request
Yeah right. Their kind request is for me to download their virus-laden attachment and/or click their malicious-site URL. No thank you.

Poverty Alleviation Program
I knew this was the real thing because it came from United Nation. Not Nations, mind you, but Nation. Although what this one nation is united with, I’m not sure. Maybe it’s an internal thing. Anyway, I didn’t open it. I prefer to alleviate poverty the old fashioned way — by working.

Verification Notice
This type of notice should be considered seriously. No, really! If you just joined a website and are expecting a confirmation of some sort, it can be handy. But in my case, I got one from the Chief Justice of Nigeria. Somehow I don’t think so. Gonna pass on that one.

Your Winning no: GB8701/LPRC
Okay, my winning “no” (which is an abbreviation for number — but I digress) is right there. If you want to contact Australia Lottery Inc and claim it, be my guest. But I’m passing on that one too. Kind of hard to be a winner in something I’d never heard of, and hadn’t played.

Use caution online

USPS notification #1880453, #5216533, #2116200
Three notifications for me in one day, all from ISPS Inc. Gee, they must be afraid I’ll miss the packages they tried to leave for me. Maybe I should open this email and download the goody they sent me so I can claim it. I haven’t had a virus in a while. On second thought, think I’ll pass…

And there you have it. More spam spam and more spam from the wonderful world of email.

From the Spambox: Another Amusing Title

Kayelle Allen 08/15/2012 Humorous Stories

Stop Spam!

Periodically, I do a blog post about funny spam. I get a kick out of reading the subjects in my email?s junk mail folder. Sometimes the wording clues you in right away that it?s bogus. Other times, you can tell by the ?from? name that it’s not someone you know, or that it?s not who it purports to be. For example, I doubt the real Federal Bureau of Investigation would send me an email advising me of the fact that they had a warrant for my arrest. Somehow, I think they?d just come and find me. Honestly, I don?t move around that much. It wouldn?t be hard for them to grab me at all.

But scam artists still try to fool us. Here are some amusing subject lines I?ve seen lately. (All spelling is exactly as it was in the original version.)

THE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION AGAINS YOU HAS STARTED. GRAVE PRIVACY VIOLATION IS A SERIOUS THING.
Okay… grave privacy violation? What, are we talking about grave robbers here? Someone maybe stealing headstones? To do what, exactly? Recycle? In case there might be another person with the same name who needs a headstone, and who died on the same date? No… somehow I don?t think it?s that kind of grave. But the word ?agains? shows me that someone is either careless and doesn?t check spelling (against) or this is a non-English speaking translation. Either way, obvious spam.

CAN I TRUST YOU
I don?t think a day goes by that I don?t see this message in my spam box. If you don?t know that, why are you sending me an email asking me for… what, exactly? To trust you with a small fortune? To smuggle goods out of the country? Or into this one? Good grief. I?m wondering as I write this if some random sweep by the FBI and my use of their name above with the words smuggle will trigger a visit. Or maybe this post will be viewed by Homeland Security? Of course, now that I?ve used both FBI and Homeland Security, I?m probably a goner for sure. Anyway, on to another amusing title from the spam filter.

WITH MY DIGNITY IS VERY URGENT PLEASE?
I wonder if the spammers of the world know how much laughter they cause with titles like this. It made me literally laugh out loud. What the heck is this supposed to mean? Anyone want to hazard a guess?

HOW ARE YOU TODAY? I GUESS NICE. MY IS A LITTLE BIT HOT OVER HERE.
Do you even want to know what this email is about? No. No, I didn?t think so. I didn?t either. Like 99.9% of spam, I deleted it unopened. But I did laugh. What is the .01% I do open? Things from friends that got mislabeled, or registration confirmations that were mis-sent to spam. That’s about it. I am uber careful about what I open online.

WE THE FBI HAVE WARRANT TO ARREST YOU GET BACK TO US FOR YOUR OWN GOOD

We have a warrant…

Here’s another unopened message that generated giggles. Riiiiight. I?ll get right on that. But first I have to take care of this vital email.

SCAM VICTIM COMPENSATION PAYMENT ADVISE/ OPEN THE ATTACHED FOR MORE DETAILS.
Yes, I am going to open your attachment. I haven?t caught any good viruses lately. I?m sure I?m overdue. Not.

ATTENTION DEAR
Ever wonder why so many scammers and spammers use the word ?dear? in the subjects of their emails? Is that supposed to make me believe you know me? For some reason, most of these are from individuals who add Mr. or Mrs. to their names in the from section, which is completely at odds with the friendly greeting.

PAYMENT OF PRIZE & CLAIM
I?m on this ASAP because even though I haven?t entered a sweepstakes contest in twenty years, I?m sure I?ve won something big and expensive. Can?t wait to see what it is!

And that concludes our selection of exciting spam messages this time. Be sure to stay tuned for the next edition of ?From the Spambox.?

Author: Kayelle Allen