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Tag: The Last Vhalgenn

From the book The Last Vhalgenn by Kayelle Allen.

The Last Vhalgenn – the Story Behind the Story #Fantasy #SciFi #MFRWhooks

The Last Vhalgenn - the Story Behind the Story #Fantasy #SciFi

A few years ago, I heard about an upcoming anthology that wanted female characters as the lead. They had to be complex, suffer misfortune, and yet prevail. I brushed off The Last Vhalgenn, updated the story, had it edited, and submitted it. The story was accepted and put in print. The anthology was nominated for the EPPIE in Fantasy, and was a runner up, as well as being nominated for a Triptree Award.

I have since added another story to the Colonies of Man series with Trailing Kaiwulf, and I'm working on a sequel, Return of the Vhalgenn.

This series is one of seven set in my Ever Expanding Empire.

The concept behind the series is archaeology. A group of xeno-anthropologists and archaeologists are collaborating to find evidence behind the uses of the so-called "Gates of Life" found on alien worlds. All are identical in basic structure, but no "working" versions have been discovered. That changes in Trailing Kaiwulf, and will go a big step further in Return of the Vhalgenn.

Colonies of Man

Colonies of Man #SciFi #Fantasy

Series: https://kayelleallen.com/scifi-space-opera-fantasy/

#SciFi #Fantasy #Romance

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The Last Vhalgenn by Kayelle Allen #SciFi #Fantasy

Trailing Kaiwulf by Kayelle Allen #SciFi #Fantasy #Romance


Welcome to Book Hooks!

Marketing for Romance Writers Book HooksBook Hooks is a weekly cooperative blog hop hosted by Marketing for Romance Writers as part of the MFRW Authors Blog.
It's a chance each week for you to discover current works in progress or previously published books by possibly new-to-you authors.
Thank you for stopping by.

Links below lead to other sites also taking part. You can "hop" from mine to theirs with one click.

Feel free to say hello or leave a note in the comments.

Any of my characters mentioned on this page might be found in multiple books in my story universe. Download a printable book list and check them off as you read.


~ Copyright Β©2024 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!


To experience art, sci-fi, romance, and space opera with unstoppable, unshakeable, unforgettable characters so real you'll swear you've met them, join my newsletter.

Oh, look! Another book fair :) A new Fantasy and Science Fiction Book Fair #BookFair #Fantasy #SpaceOpera #SciFi

Oh, look! Another book. A new Fantasy and Science Fiction Book Fair #BookFair #Fantasy #SpaceOpera #SciFi

Sci-Fi Book Fair

A bundle of high-caliber authors for lovers of SF/F. All books are at a sale price.

This special event showcases all subgenres of sci-fi and may include cyberpunk, dystopian, fantasy, young adult, hard scifi, military, paranormal, post-apocalyptic, robots, sci-fi romance, soft scifi, space opera, technothrillers, time travel, urban fantasy, and more.

Join us! Sci-Fi Book Event

Colonies of Man

Click covers for the buy link. Click text for the website page and excerpts.

#SciFi #Fantasy #Romance

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

Any of my characters mentioned on this page might be found in multiple books in my story universe. Download a printable book list and check them off as you read.


~ Copyright Β©2024 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!


To experience art, sci-fi, romance, and space opera with unstoppable, unshakeable, unforgettable characters so real you'll swear you've met them, join my newsletter.

Feb is a short month. Make it count with free reads #BookFair #PNR #Fantasy #SciFi #FairyTale

This is a short month. Make it count with free reads in #PNR #Romance #Fantasy #SciFi #FairyTale

Book Fair for Free books

A bundle of high-caliber authors for book lovers.

This special event showcases all subgenres of sci-fi and may include cyberpunk, dystopian, fantasy, young adult, hard scifi, military, paranormal, post-apocalyptic, robots, sci-fi romance, soft scifi, space opera, technothrillers, time travel, urban fantasy, and more.

Free Book Event

Colonies of Man

Click covers for the buy link. Click text for the website page and excerpts.

#SciFi #Fantasy #Romance

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.

Any of my characters mentioned on this page might be found in multiple books in my story universe. Download a printable book list and check them off as you read.


~ Copyright Β©2024 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!


To experience art, sci-fi, romance, and space opera with unstoppable, unshakeable, unforgettable characters so real you'll swear you've met them, join my newsletter.

Love books? #Fantasy #UrbanFantasy #PNR #Romance A book fair with Fantasy, Paranormal, & Science Fiction

Love books? #Fantasy #UrbanFantasy #PNR #Romance A book fair with Fantasy, Paranormal, & Science Fiction

Sci-Fi Book Fair for Free books

A bundle of high-caliber authors for lovers of SF/F.

This special event showcases all subgenres of sci-fi and may include cyberpunk, dystopian, fantasy, young adult, hard scifi, military, paranormal, post-apocalyptic, robots, sci-fi romance, soft scifi, space opera, technothrillers, time travel, urban fantasy, and more.

Join us! SF Free Book Event

Colonies of Man

Click covers for the buy link. Click text for the website page and excerpts.

#SciFi #Fantasy #Romance

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.

Any of my characters mentioned on this page might be found in multiple books in my story universe. Download a printable book list and check them off as you read.


~ Copyright Β©2024 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!


To experience art, sci-fi, romance, and space opera with unstoppable, unshakeable, unforgettable characters so real you'll swear you've met them, join my newsletter.

Coming home, an excerpt from The Last Vhalgenn #Fantasy #SciFi #MFRWhooks

Coming home, an excerpt from The Last Vhalgenn #Fantasy #SciFi #MFRWhooks

Duty, honor, and ritual rule her life, but one of these may kill her.

The Vhalgenn is the last of her kind, a companion bred to serve the king. Duty and honor burn in her blood.

When the queen begs for a secret blessing to save her newborn son, the Vhalgenn answers.

But when she takes the babe to the queen's homeland for the ritual, what she discovers could topple the kingdom and overthrow her beloved king...

This story is currently my only first person narrative.

Coming Home

In the private receiving chamber, I knelt before the king I hadn't seen in over two years, an ache in my knees and groin and back that four hours ahorse had burned into my muscle; and delivered the news of victorious battle I'd been dispatched to bring. When I finished, the sovereign master of Qarth and Kellindahr leaned back his tawny, lion-maned head to regard me with heavy lidded eyes.

I couldn't believe the luck of having caught Orix awake so late. He'd always been one to turn in early. Soft, his father used to say. I knew it for his love of bed play. My throat tightened with pleasure at the thought and I had to swallow, hard, to force it away. That we were alone amazed me even more. But war has a way of loosening rules, even in Qarth.

A wartime's ransom of jewels glittered on his hands as he reached for a bowl of golden Kellindahrii apples beside him. He bit into one and chewed.

I waited until the apple reached his smiling mouth again, and then I rose, moved to kneel between his outstretched legs, and closed my callused hand around his be-ringed one to bring the fruit to my own lips. Meeting his gaze, I bit into the same place his teeth had torn and wiped my mouth with the back of a dusty hand.

Orix laughed. "Ah, Raik. You've not changed a whit." He ran his gaze over me, then frowned and moved a candlestick closer to peer at me. "Your leathers are ripped." He traced the slash a scrim saber had made the night before. The blue gaze bored into mine. "Were you hurt?"

Despite my protest to the contrary, he insisted on making sure of my health and untied the bindings of my doublet. Beneath the black leather lay a now sweat-soaked blouse of emerald Qarthian silk, the same color as his standard, which my youngest brother had borne into battle the night before. The silk had been the king's gift the year before on my birthday: green that matched my eyes. His color marked me as Orix's as much as my clan's cheek tattoo. The overlapping petals of the flowering Ddumach ivy tangled itself around a diadem, the symbol for Hellesbor, clan name of my sovereign.

"The leather's ruined, Lord. So's the silk."

"No matter." His gaze still held mine. He jerked loose the ties at my throat as if he meant to strip me naked.

I shivered despite the summer's heat.

Colonies of Man

Click covers for the buy link. Click text for the website page and excerpts.

#SciFi #Fantasy #Romance


JOIN US FOR BOOKHOOKS
Book Hooks is a weekly cooperative 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.


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.

Any of my characters mentioned on this page might be found in multiple books in my story universe. Download a printable book list and check them off as you read.


~ Copyright Β©2024 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!


To experience art, sci-fi, romance, and space opera with unstoppable, unshakeable, unforgettable characters so real you'll swear you've met them, join my newsletter.

New book fair with Paranormal, plus Science Fiction & Fantasy @AldreaAlien @BethanyShaw77 @JennaCollett28 #Fantasy #UrbanFantasy #PNR #Romance

New book fair with Paranormal, plus Science Fiction & Fantasy @AldreaAlien @BethanyShaw77 @JennaCollett28 #Fantasy #UrbanFantasy #PNR #Romance

New book fair with Paranormal, plus Science Fiction & Fantasy @AldreaAlien @BethanyShaw77 @JennaCollett28 #Fantasy #UrbanFantasy #PNR #Romance

New book fair with Paranormal, plus Science Fiction & Fantasy @AldreaAlien @BethanyShaw77 @JennaCollett28 #Fantasy #UrbanFantasy #PNR #Romance

Meet three of the authors and their books!

Book Fair for Free Books

A bundle of high-caliber authors for lovers of SF/F & PNR.

This special event showcases all subgenres of sci-fi and may include cyberpunk, dystopian, fantasy, young adult, hard scifi, military, paranormal, post-apocalyptic, robots, sci-fi romance, soft scifi, space opera, technothrillers, time travel, urban fantasy, and more.

Join us! SF Free Book Event

Colonies of Man

Click covers for the buy link. Click text for the website page and excerpts.

#SciFi #Fantasy #Romance

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.

Any of my characters mentioned on this page might be found in multiple books in my story universe. Download a printable book list and check them off as you read.


~ Copyright Β©2024 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!


To experience art, sci-fi, romance, and space opera with unstoppable, unshakeable, unforgettable characters so real you'll swear you've met them, join my newsletter.

Arches so ancient no one alive remembered their use #Archaeology #SciFi #DarkFantasy #MFRWhooks

Trailing Kaiwulf: Colonies of Man by Kayelle Allen #SciFi #DarkFantasy #Archaeology

A pair of bounty hunters (a big guy who's the brains, and tiny woman who's the brawn) set out to find a missing person last spotted by an archaeologist on an alien world.

The problem?Β He's in another dimension. Oh, yeah, and he's invisible.

They literally didn't see that coming.

Interview with Dane Raphyel

Trailing Kaiwulf by Kayelle Allen #SciFi #FantasyPlease tell us about yourself.

I work for TRAIL, which stands for Trace, Rescue, and Identification League. Don't listen our competitors, who'd like you to believe it's Thieves, Ruffians, Assholes, Idiots, and Liars. We're the real deal. If it's lost, we find it. If it's in danger, we rescue it. If it's unknown, we identify it. That sums up my job quite well. I'm married to my college sweetheart, and we have five boys. Since everyone seems to ask, I'll go ahead and tell you I'm 6'9" tall. Not the lanky type. I work for a living, so I'm pretty much all muscle. You'd think that would warn people, but no. Bullies seem to ooze out of the floor. I try to defuse the situation, and usually I'm lucky, but there are times when I have to demonstrate that you don't mess with me. Still, I prefer a peaceful solution. I don't carry a weapon unless I have to. Generally, I don't need one. Besides, my partner, Jee Tonopah, is a walking blade. She's always packing something that slices or fires.

What is it that you want, but cannot have? Authors call this the conflict of the story.

In this story, I'm trying to get home. I'd promised my wife I'd be there for more than an overnight stay for a change, and we get called in on a mission.

What inner doubt causes you the most difficulty?

Inner doubt? *rubs back of his neck* Don't rightly know. Maybe that I'm getting too old for all this. I only work for TRAIL so I can afford to be a dad and give my wife and kids a good home. I'd like to settle down. Thing is, Jee needs me. My partner is a well-armed hyperactive jackrabbit with delusions of grandeur. You don't have to worry about that getting back to her -- I've said it to her face. I'd hate to see my dear Jee out on her own, and we do work well together. We'll see. But I think my biggest doubt is that I can keep going. Sometimes you get tired, you know?

What's your external complication? In the story world your author created, explain what it is you fear most.

You see, we're trying to find this young man named Kaiwulf. Now, believe it or not, he can walk through stone. We don't know where it is he's going, or how he gets there. We don't rightly care, to tell you the truth. All we're supposed to do is find him, and bring him back to this dimension. Thinking about how you find an invisible man in another dimension -- that's keeping me up at night.

Tell us about your significant other, that person who makes living worthwhile.

That's my wife, Haylie Jennifer Allard. Everyone calls her Jenny because her best friend growing up was named Haley, and they decided to use their middle names instead. They're still best friends, and that's one of the things I love about Jenny. She's loyal. She's there no matter what. She loves my partner like a sister. That means a lot to me. I spend day in and day out with Jee, and if Jenny had any issue with that, it would mean I'd have to quit. Because when it comes down to it, I'm in love with Jenny, and she means everything to me. That said, I don't get to spend the time I want to, nor the time she deserves. Jenny does an amazing job with our sons, and I wish I could be there more to be part of it.

What would that person say about you?

I'm afraid one day she'll say, "Dane who?" *rolls eyes* Lately, she says I'm not home long enough to please her. Doesn't please me, either. But she loves me.

What special skills do you rely on?

You'd think it would have to do with my size, but the truth is, my size is part of me, like skin color or the color of my eyes. I can use it to intimidate, and I do when needed. But despite all the sharpshooter training, the background in covert ops, and the physical training that goes into being a TRAIL agent, mostly I depend on my memory. I don't have an eidetic memory -- I can't remember every detail. But it's sharper than most people's. TRAIL makes sure we're all well educated, and we're briefed extensively about missions. I can understand more languages than I can speak, and I can speak quite a few. Funny thing, working with Jee, who is not even five feet tall, is that for our size difference, you'd think we would play off the traditional good-cop/bad-cop routine when we need to question people. But we do the opposite. I will usually step up close to people. I'm tall enough that they end up tilting back their heads to look up. When they do, Jee puts herself in their line of vision, usually with a gun in one hand. They can see the threat of my size, and they understand it. But Jee has a hair trigger personality, and when she starts fingering a weapon, they back right down. It's kind of fun to watch.

You may be wondering why I chose to write about this character...

I wanted to write a male / female dynamic that wasn't a love affair, based on mutual respect. Jee and Dane have been partners for a number of years, and they work together like hand and glove. Giving Dane a wife and children he adored made it clear that he and Jee were just friends. I plan to write more about them. I think their relationship will be fun to explore.

Colonies of Man

Click covers for the buy link. Click text for the website page and excerpts.

#SciFi #Fantasy #Romance

"Gates" by Nano-Core on DeviantArt.

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.

Any of my characters mentioned on this page might be found in multiple books in my story universe. Download a printable book list and check them off as you read.


~ Copyright Β©2024 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!


To experience art, sci-fi, romance, and space opera with unstoppable, unshakeable, unforgettable characters so real you'll swear you've met them, join my newsletter.

Check out the book fair for #QuaranCon @QuaranCon2020 a free, all-day online comics convention #SciFi #Cosplay #BookFair

Check out the book fair for #QuaranCon a free, all-day online comics convention #SciFi #Cosplay

A bundle of high-caliber authors for lovers of sci-fi and fantasy. All books are at a sale price.

This special event showcases all subgenres of sci-fi and may include:, cyberpunk, dystopian, fantasy, hard scifi, military, paranormal, post-apocalyptic, robots, romance, soft scifi, space opera, technothrillers, time travel, urban fantasy, and more.

Join us! Special Price Book Event

A WORD FROM QUARANCON:

The next QuaranCon, a free, all-day online comics convention, happens April 8-12, 2021.

QuaranCon is a fantasy convention organized by Virginia McClain and a handful of volunteers who wanted to put on a virtual convention that would be free to all involved. So many IRL conventions this year have already been canceled, and many more will likely follow suit before the year is out. This makes us sad. So we decided to put together a convention that everyone could attend from the safety of their own living room.

The con is small and is meant to be inclusive, welcoming, and fun! We're still working on our site, but please check back here to find more details about all our fun events (panels, workshops, readings, AMAs, and contests) coming soon! Our whole staff are volunteers, and we all have other jobs, so please bear with us as we try to get things organized as quickly as we can.

Stay safe out there people! (And stay the f*@$ home if you can.)

Check out the book fair for #QuaranCon a free, all-day online comics convention #SciFi #Cosplay