Fun Stuff to Do Archives - Page 12 of 24

Allies and Enemies: The Immortals #2 A Sword and Sorcery Fantasy Romance Novella by Cheryl S Mackey @csmackey_author

Kayelle Allen 12/28/2021 Fantasy Books

Read an epic tale of action-packed adventure featuring a young immortal and her companions.

This author weaves a talented web.

If you like well-developed characters, plenty of action and a bit of romance, what's not to love?

Enemies and Allies

Their quest leads to revelations as death and life hang by a thread.

Emaranthe and her family must journey to the heart of the southern badlands with little more than a ragged map. Joined by a spy seeking redemption for a betrayal, and an elf searching for a god that has captured his heart, they must find something called The Crown of Gods before it's too late.

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~ Copyright ©2025 Kayelle Allen. All rights reserved ~ Kayelle Allen participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates program, an affiliate advertising program which provides the means for sites to earn fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com. If you purchase an item listed on the site from Amazon.com, Kayelle will earn a small commission. Other sites might be affiliate links as well. These will not result in higher prices for you. Thank you for your support!

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

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A realistic look at colonizing an alien planet #BookReview Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson #SciFi #MarsExploration

Kayelle Allen 12/05/2021 Science Fiction Books

This is one of my favorite SF books. I read it, then Green Mars, and finally Blue Mars. A later book called The Martians came out separately but actually continues this series.

If you like geology, you'll love this book.

I Googled terms I'd never heard of, because the way Kim Stanley Robinson writes is so compelling that you want to know every single detail from accretions to karsts to veins of silica.

This book got me invested in geology. I still follow the topic today.

This near-future chronicle of interplanetary colonization ought to be a must read for anyone who wants to go to Mars.

The barren landscape of the red planet welcomes a group of one hundred colonists on a mission to transform Mars into a more Earthlike planet. But it doesn't make anything easy.

Download a printable book list or a list of trigger warnings for all books. Claim your immortality by signing up for my newsletter

Immortal Reviews Rock & Rule - Join the Review Team

~ Copyright ©2025 Kayelle Allen. All rights reserved ~ Kayelle Allen participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates program, an affiliate advertising program which provides the means for sites to earn fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com. If you purchase an item listed on the site from Amazon.com, Kayelle will earn a small commission. Other sites might be affiliate links as well. These will not result in higher prices for you. Thank you for your support!

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

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Powerful as fire — the immortal king #PietasFans #SciFi #MFRWhooks

Kayelle Allen 12/01/2021 Character Insights 3 Comments

Pietas Ritual - by Blue Crystal

The beautiful animated image of Pietas is the creative collaboration of BlueCrystal_Works, Nik Nitsvetov, and photographer Belyaeva Yuliya.

This short excerpt is part of the Ritual of Strength performed by Pietas in the Bringer of Chaos series.

"As fire has victory over life, so I have victory over my enemies."

Pietas passed a hand through the flame and hissed at the searing heat, relishing the pain. Of all the elements, fire alone had power to linger on an Ultra's skin. He welcomed it as a symbol of victory.

"I am powerful, as fire is powerful."

You'll find these characters mentioned in many books in my story universe.
Download a printable book list and check them off as you read.

Download a printable book list or a list of trigger warnings for all books. Claim your immortality by signing up for my newsletter

Immortal Reviews Rock & Rule - Join the Review Team

~ Copyright ©2025 Kayelle Allen. All rights reserved ~ Kayelle Allen participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates program, an affiliate advertising program which provides the means for sites to earn fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com. If you purchase an item listed on the site from Amazon.com, Kayelle will earn a small commission. Other sites might be affiliate links as well. These will not result in higher prices for you. Thank you for your support!

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

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Celebrate the holidays with a sweet romance. Or a hot one #Holiday #Romance #Fantasy #FairyTale #BookFair

Kayelle Allen 11/30/2021 Fantasy Books

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50 Years since landmark book The Left Hand of Darkness #SciFi #WriteLGBTQ #HugoAwards

Kayelle Allen 11/28/2021 Science Fiction Books 2 Comments

The Left Hand of Darkness

50th Anniversary Edition (Ace Science Fiction)
by Ursula K Le Guin
Foreword by David Mitchell

50th anniversary edition—with a new introduction by David Mitchell and a new afterword by Charlie Jane Anders.

Ursula K Le Guin's groundbreaking work of science fiction—winner of the Hugo and Nebula Awards.

From the Amazon book page:

A lone human ambassador is sent to the icebound planet of Winter, a world without sexual prejudice, where the inhabitants' gender is fluid. His goal is to facilitate Winter's inclusion in a growing intergalactic civilization.

But to do so he must bridge the gulf between his own views and those of the strange, intriguing culture he encounters...

Embracing the aspects of psychology, society, and human emotion on an alien world, The Left Hand of Darkness stands as a landmark achievement in the annals of intellectual science fiction.

---

I read this book the first time many years ago, when I was developing the concept of my Chiasmii people. A Chiasma would be fully male and fully female, but would alter between the two genderphases (San - female, and Pter - male) every three months or so. In the "between times" they would be gender fluid. Pregnancy was avoided by avoiding penetration during the female phase. They were telepathic, and universally blond-haired and blue-eyed.

Unknown to them, they had been created to be "genetic vessels" capable of being impregnated by their own seed, creating a single-parent host. This provided ample room for added DNA, which could turn them into other creatures.

In my current story universe, it's been thousands of years since their creator contacted them, and they have only fleeting memories of myths to remind them.

Reading this book inspired me in so many ways. I highly recommend it.

Available Everywhere

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~ Copyright ©2025 Kayelle Allen. All rights reserved ~ Kayelle Allen participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates program, an affiliate advertising program which provides the means for sites to earn fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com. If you purchase an item listed on the site from Amazon.com, Kayelle will earn a small commission. Other sites might be affiliate links as well. These will not result in higher prices for you. Thank you for your support!

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

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A book fair for gamers who love to read #GameLit #SciFi #UrbanFantasy #BookFair

Kayelle Allen 11/19/2021 GameLit

You'll find these characters mentioned in many books in my story universe.
Download a printable book list and check them off as you read.

Download a printable book list or a list of trigger warnings for all books. Claim your immortality by signing up for my newsletter

Immortal Reviews Rock & Rule - Join the Review Team

~ Copyright ©2025 Kayelle Allen. All rights reserved ~ Kayelle Allen participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates program, an affiliate advertising program which provides the means for sites to earn fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com. If you purchase an item listed on the site from Amazon.com, Kayelle will earn a small commission. Other sites might be affiliate links as well. These will not result in higher prices for you. Thank you for your support!

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

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An exciting beginning: Vengeance Lost by JL Stowers #SpaceOpera #SciFi

Kayelle Allen 11/07/2021 Science Fiction Books

Download a printable book list or a list of trigger warnings for all books. Claim your immortality by signing up for my newsletter

Immortal Reviews Rock & Rule - Join the Review Team

~ Copyright ©2025 Kayelle Allen. All rights reserved ~ Kayelle Allen participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates program, an affiliate advertising program which provides the means for sites to earn fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com. If you purchase an item listed on the site from Amazon.com, Kayelle will earn a small commission. Other sites might be affiliate links as well. These will not result in higher prices for you. Thank you for your support!

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

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White puffy things on a stick #Smores #PietasFans #SciFi #MFRWhooks

Kayelle Allen 11/03/2021 Character Insights 4 Comments

What is your favorite meal?

Fish, cooked over an open fire, and vegetables grilled beside it.

If any, what food do you refuse to eat?

I have quite literally starved to death before. There is no food I won't eat.

Tell us about a meal or food that says "home" to you.

Fish cooked around a campfire followed by those sweetish brown crackers. You put a white puffy thing on a stick and hold it over the fire until it starts to melt, and then you put that between the crackers and chocolate. I don't know what you call them, but I call them delicious. They are the perfect end to a campfire meal shared with friends.

When you find yourself with some type of unknown food on your plate, what do you do?

I ask questions, and poke at it a bit, but inevitably, I eat it.

Have you ever eaten military style rations, and if so, what was your favorite?

For more years than I care to count. Anything that comes in a box that heats itself is a winner.

If you cook, what kind of food do you like to prepare?

I am hopeless in the kitchen, but my staff sees that I never go hungry.

Favorite alcoholic beverage?

A flavorful wine, especially one grown in vineyards owned by friends.

Favorite non-alcoholic beverage?

Clean, fresh water.

What do you grab when there's no time for a regular meal?

Whatever holds still long enough for me to put it into my mouth.

Who are your favorite people to share meals with?

The people on the High Council, and other dear friends.

Tell us what your author eats or drinks while writing about you.

Kayelle guzzles water, but she also drinks a caffeine free sugar free Coke. And coffee with cream and chocolate. Hot herbal tea in the evening. Sweet tea in the morning. Hmmm. She drinks a lot, but I've only seen her drink alcohol or wine on rare occasions.

What do you feed your pet/s?

Tiklaus is a ginormous panther who rules our home and eats whatever is put within reach. I make sure it's healthy and fresh.

Tell me in the comments what you like to eat for dinner.

Download a printable book list or a list of trigger warnings for all books. Claim your immortality by signing up for my newsletter

Immortal Reviews Rock & Rule - Join the Review Team

~ Copyright ©2025 Kayelle Allen. All rights reserved ~ Kayelle Allen participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates program, an affiliate advertising program which provides the means for sites to earn fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com. If you purchase an item listed on the site from Amazon.com, Kayelle will earn a small commission. Other sites might be affiliate links as well. These will not result in higher prices for you. Thank you for your support!

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

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A Romance Book Fair for Dream Lovers: Sweet to Seriously Spicy, your choice #Romance #SciFi

Kayelle Allen 10/10/2021 Immortal Empires

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How to discuss a book with an author #Read #BookReview

Kayelle Allen 09/29/2021 Fantasy Books 3 Comments

What is Beta Reads

The StoryOrigin Beta Reads program is an online application that lets readers give feedback and discuss books with authors. The author posts a chapter. The reader reads it, and answers a question or two. Some authors want general feedback, and others want more detail. Overall, it's a way for readers to get deeper into the book and even ask questions.

What would I get out of it?

If you like the program, you can choose to take part in new "beta readings" of books I'm writing. That means you get to read new books even *while* they are being written. Talk about inside information!

Is it expensive?

The cost is covered by authors. Readers pay zip.

What does it take?

In this case, read a chapter of Surrender Love, and then tell me if the material is engaging, if there were typos, or anything made you go... wait, what?

Currently, there are 3 chapters in the test program. Each one has a short two-question questionnaire. I ask things like "what emotion did you feel the character was showing here" or "which character seemed more alien?"

There are no wrong answers. I'm asking for opinions.

Authors rarely get the chance to have such honest input directly from readers. I'm asking questions because I want to improve, so please tell me what you really think, including if you loved or didn't care for a specific part of a chapter.

I'm afraid of offending you.

Trust me. I've learned to deal with negative reviews (because not everyone loves everything I write), and I can take honest feedback. You won't tick me off by being true to yourself.

How long does it take?

That depends. How fast do you read? You can do one chapter, or binge on more. No more than two questions in between.

Can I download it and read it later?

One of the security features is that it can only be read on StoryOrigin. This protects unpublished work. No one may download. However it's only one chapter at a time, so it shouldn't take long. There's no rush. Look at it this way. It's a source of free books that won't clutter up your ereader, computer, or phone.

Who will see what I say?

Only me. Readers cannot see what others thought, which means it's truly a unique viewpoint. I'm the only one who has access to your answers.

Will my feedback make you change anything?

Obviously, if you find a typo, I'm going to fix it. And if more than one person has questions about a detail, I'm going to be taking a good look at it.

Anything else I have to do?

Nope. Just read and say what you think. It helps me (and any author who uses it), and gives you a chance to share your opinion.

If this works as well as I hope it does, I'll share books *as I'm writing them* and give you a chance to help shape the story.

What do you say? If you're ready to give it a try, here's where to sign up.

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Tag: Fun Stuff to Do

Enemies and Allies

Introducing new covers for the Bringer of Chaos series

Bringer of Chaos

Pietas Ritual - by Blue Crystal

A Book Fair for Lovers of Holiday Romance

Love Contemporary Romance?

The Left Hand of Darkness

Sci-Fi Book Fair for Free books

Tales of the Chosen

Wulf

Alitus

Jawk

Complete Set

Bringer of Chaos

Sci-Fi Book Fair for Free books

Tales of the Chosen

Wulf

Alitus

Jawk

Complete Set

What is Beta Reads

What would I get out of it?

Is it expensive?

What does it take?

I'm afraid of offending you.

How long does it take?

Can I download it and read it later?

Who will see what I say?

Will my feedback make you change anything?

Anything else I have to do?

Join the Review Team