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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.
He can save mankind. After he does one important thing. Die.
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 he 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 corps exists.
Do they expect him to win? Fat chance. Tornahdo and his team are already dead 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...
Lights Out is in the Science Fiction/Space Opera anthology The Expanding Universe Vol 4, edited by Craig Martelle out Sept 17, 2018
https://kayelleallen.com/lights-out-save-mankind/
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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.
In this scene from Bringer of Chaos: Forged in Fire, the not-quite-human Six offers water to the immortal king.
Six slid their canteen off over his head and held it out to Pietas.
Accepting anything from a human, an altered one at that, had violated every instinct at first. To take from an enemy, yes. Always. Let one give you something as if you needed it? Admit a weakness before an enemy?
Never.
But this was Six.
Pietas took it.
Ultras could go days without water, but they consumed it when they had it. He wiped one dusty hand across his mouth. The satisfaction of assuaged thirst never failed to please. What simple things in life brought pleasure! In captivity, he'd dreamed of even a drop to cool his tongue. He'd sworn he'd never take water for granted again.
Six had offered it to their companions during the climb, but the entire lot refused anything a mortal's lips had touched. Yes, Six was a quasi-immortal, but to the others, that gave him even less status.
Pietas wavered on few things, but on this? Should he call the man human, mortal, quasi-immortal, or ghost? He'd elected to choose as the mood struck. But one in particular annoyed Six.
"Thanks, ghost." He thrust the canteen against Six's chest.
When the immortal Pietas is marooned on a barren world with no food and few survival tools, he knows it could be worse. He could be alone. But that's the problem.
He's not.
Half a million of his people sleep in cryostasis, trapped in their pods and it's up to Pietas to rescue them.
A human abandoned with him has become a trusted friend. But before Pietas can save his people, he must reconcile them to the human and take back command from a ruthless enemy he's fought for centuries. His brutal, merciless father.
Immortals may heal, but a wound of the heart lasts forever...
Universal book link https://books2read.com/u/bpW7Kg
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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.
There 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.
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
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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.
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
When I started writing Bringer of Chaos, it was supposed to be a book about Pietas, king of the immortal race called the Sempervians. About a third of the way in, I realized I needed more than one volume for my dark and dangerous hero. I changed the name to Bringer of Chaos: the Origin of Pietas. Book two was Bringer of Chaos: Forged in Fire, which came out in December last year. Currently, I’m working on Bringer of Chaos: Watch Your Six. I’ve written about 10k words so far. Pietas — who is a villain in books set in the far future — is descending into darkness.
Pietas is not a true villain. He’s a flawed hero and an antihero. He was a complex enigma when I began the first book. I know him now. My dark and dangeous hero suffers in the Chaos series. I’m not kind to my characters. I’m sure he would gladly throttle me if he could, but his story is richer and more layered because of his trials.
In Watch Your Six, he’s decided that his mortal friend, Six, must not be allowed to die. Pietas believes he can impart his own immortality to this “ghost” — a human warrior who has been resurrected with immortal blood. He refuses to part with this man he has come to trust, depend upon, and even love. He has never had a friend who treats him like he’s just another man. Though he doesn’t know how to deal with that at times, he loves their camaraderie. Anytime he interacts with Six, there is a thread of humor. Sometimes, it’s almost a rope!
In the part below, from my work in progress (subject to final editing), Pietas and Six have had a serious falling out over the imparted immortality. Six does not want it — Pietas refuses to accept that decision. Their disagreement has led to blows that both regret and Pietas, always the gentleman, has apologized.
“You’re only sorry I haven’t given in yet, but apology accepted.” Six offered his hand.
Pietas took it.
The mortal clasped his forearm. “Warrior to warrior, Pi.”
“Aye, my friend.” He could not say more without his voice breaking. How much longer would he have with this man at his side? This brother who reached him in ways no friend ever had? How would he ever survive on this world without Six? Pietas gave himself a moment, squeezed his friend’s arm. “Always. More than brothers. I should not have hit you.”
“Actually, you missed me completely.”
He jerked Six closer. “Rub it in, why don’t you?”
Deadpan, the man stood stock still, but then burst into a smile. “I just did.” He nudged Pietas with a shoulder. “Doesn’t mean this is over, Ultra.”
“I never thought it was.” He released his friend. “Ghost, I am sorry.”
“The minute you said the words, I knew you didn’t mean them.”
“Yet you punched me anyway.” He rubbed the tender spot on his chest. “That was a lucky hit.”
“Yeah, lucky. Here and on Enderium Six.” Six tossed up a dangerous hunting knife and caught it. “Where you surrendered.”
“Stop saying that.”
“What? ‘Where you surrendered?’ You prefer ‘Where you were defeated’ instead?”
He narrowed his eyes in warning. “You caught me off guard. Both times.”
“The mighty Pietas, War Leader of the Ultras, Chancellor of the High Council. Caught off guard by a dead human.” He held up two fingers. “Twice. Wow.”
“Ghost!” Pietas tightened his fists. “Did you not hear me say I want you to live forever? Don’t make me kill you.”
[bctt tweet=”Hero Wanted: must be dark and dangerous #Pietas #SciFi #SpaceOpera” username=”kayelleallen”]To know when this book is released, join the Romance Lives Forever Reader Group. You can download four free books right away. You can unsubscribe at any time.
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Bringer of Chaos: Forged in Fire is free on Amazon until March 27, 2018 http://amzn.to/2ABIcCI
Coming soon to Barnes and Noble, Smashwords, Kobo, and other resellers.
Science Fiction, Space Opera, Genetic Engineering, Colonization, SciFi Romance
In this scene, Pietas’ mother is critically ill and her immortal life is in danger. He’s been sitting beside the lifepod which double as a shelter, holding her hand. Pretosia, one of the sentient panthers, has adopted his mother and is lying alongside her in the pod. The telepathic panther, Tiklaus, pays a visit….
Pietas shifted position to better see his mother. With her so gravely ill, nothing mattered more than healing her.
After a time, Pretosia’s ears flicked. The cat rose on its haunches, facing the cave entrance.
Turning to see why, Pietas found Tiklaus and two other cats approaching. He stood to greet them. “Good morning.”
Tiklaus continued alone, carrying something in its mouth. After reaching the end of the pod, the telepathic panther set down a dead rabbit.
Pretosia took a single leap and landed beside it, picked it up, and retreated deeper into the cave.
Tiklaus flicked its ears and another cat approached. After taking a rabbit from the cat’s mouth, Tiklaus flicked its ears and the other cat backed away. Tiklaus set the rabbit at the feet of Pietas and nudged it toward him.
He went down on one knee. “You hunted for me?”
The panther butted his chest, then looked back at the third cat. When it joined them, Tiklaus took the prey that cat carried and waited until it backed away. Once it had, Tiklaus swiped one massive paw at the pod and placed the second rabbit beside the first.
Gratitude swamped Pietas. It took a full minute before he trusted himself to speak. “And for my mother. Thank you. How you honor me!” He tapped a fist over his heart. “You have no idea how much I appreciate what you’ve done. I’d like to pet you, but I respect that you might not like to be touched. If I may, nudge my right hand. If not, please nudge the left.” He held them both out.
Tiklaus chose the right side and Pietas petted it.
Pretosia streaked past them and out of the cave.
While Pietas stroked the sleek back of the massive panther, the smaller Pretosia wandered back inside and sat down. It licked one paw and started cleaning its face.
“How was breakfast?” Pietas started to offer his palm to the little cat, but checked himself. A soldier did not interfere with the troops of a different commander. “Tiklaus, may I pet Pretosia?”
The panther sneezed, which Pietas took for a yes. He held out his hand to the other cat and when it nudged him, he petted it and rubbed its ears. The animal flopped down on its back with no more dignity than a housecat. He rubbed its belly.
After a few moments of indulgence, Tiklaus stepped between them.
Pretosia stood and shook itself. With one leap, it landed beside his mother. Not a whisker went too close. The panther stretched out again and curled that long tail around Helia’s head, then set one paw across her legs.
Tiklaus turned and the other cats backed away. Once they had, Tiklaus licked Pietas on the face and rubbed its nose under his chin.
“Thank you.” He scratched the cat’s ears.
Without a sound, the panther turned and lumbered off, the other cats in tow.
To read this story for free until March 27th click the link http://amzn.to/2ABIcCI
[bctt tweet=”Bringer of Chaos: Forged in Fire is a #FreeBook until Mar 27th #SciFi http://amzn.to/2ABIcCI ” username=”kayelleallen”]
When your nickname is “Pi” you have a day all to yourself. Except in this case, the person in question is not at all happy with the name.
There’s a long story behind the reason Pietas hates being called “Pi.” I won’t spoil the surprise by telling you here. Once you find out, you’ll see the fact that he allows Six to refer to him as Pi tells a great deal about their relationship.
In this scene, Pietas and Six have been found by a rescue party sent to bring them back to camp and the human has just been introduced.
Pietas’s sister marched right up to Six, looked him over head to toe. “He’s human!” The sneer in her voice matched her expression.
“Yes.” Pietas put himself between her and Six. “He is.”
“Do you know this creature?”
“He–”
“What’s he doing here? Is he your prisoner? Are there more of them? Does he have a way to reach the ship? Can he contact them?”
“Dessy!” Pietas held up both hands. “One thing at a time. Six was marooned with me. He is alone. He doesn’t have a way back, or any way to contact the vessel. And far from being my prisoner, he’s my friend.”
“He’s your– Your–” Dessy shook her head. “You’re friends…with a human? Oh, Pietas!” She touched his face. “What did they do to you? I knew you didn’t look well. What did they do to my brother?”
“Stop it, Dess. I’m fine! There’s a story to tell, but first, I want to introduce everyone.” He took her hand in his. “Six, this is my sister, Councilwoman Dessy ap Lorectic. She’s my second-in-command, and though we don’t look alike, my twin.” Pietas stroked Dessy’s dark hair and smiled at her, and then moved to the blonde beside her. “This is Councilwoman Joss Avaton.”
She gave a regal nod toward Six.
He stood between the hulking male twins. “This is Councilman Armand Mgraute and Councilman Philippe Mgraute, both of whom you’ve–” he coughed “–met.” Pietas went to Six’s side. “Everyone, this is Six.”
Six lifted a hand in greeting.
None of the Ultras moved.
[bctt tweet=”Happy #PiDay We’re celebrating the relationship of Six and Pi in Bringer of Chaos #SciFi #MFRWhooks” username=”kayelleallen”]“Yes, he’s human.” Pietas gestured to the others. “That doesn’t mean you can’t say hello.”
“Six.” Dessy gave the ghost a polite but indifferent smile. “Is that a nickname?”
“No, ma’am.” He bowed to Dessy. “It’s what Pi calls me.”
“Who?”
“Pi, like the number. Your brother.”
Dessy swung her head toward Pietas, mouth open. “You let him call you Pi?”
“It’s not so much ‘let him’ as it is ‘can’t stop him.’ He’s–” Pietas cleared his throat “–stubborn. You’ll see when you get to know him.”
Armand, Philippe, and Joss all looked at Six with new respect.
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