Lights Out Archives - Page 2 of 7

From Lights Out: “Saving humans is not your job, soldier.” #SciFi #MFRWhooks #FreeBook

Kayelle Allen 05/29/2024 Fallen Empires 6 Comments

In this scene, Tornahdo is reeling from the death of two of his compadres in the Ghost Corps. Although they were no friends of his, he had tried to protect them. The following takes place early in the morning, not more than 24 hours after Tornahdo had been disciplined for sacrificing his life to protect humans. If the military can bring you back to life, how is that not a good thing? Saving humans is not his job, as he is constantly reminded. He's to kill immortals, and that's all he's to do.

But what are they fighting for if not to protect humanity?

Excerpt from Lights Out

Standing at attention in the general's office at oh-three-hundred, Tornahdo maintained his silence. The smell of burning flesh clung to his clothing. Wails of the dying rang in his ears. He kept his gaze fixed on the star map opposite while the general paced.

"Master Sergeant." A civilian coat covered her. Her pink pajama bottoms and fuzzy slippers didn't paint as intimidating an image as her medal-covered uniform, but her voice still held command. "Can you not stay out of trouble for one full day?"

He knew better than to answer.

"You intervened for a human." She stopped pacing and turned to him. "Again."

"Yes, ma'am."

"And it wasn't your single death you caused this time. It was the death of two ghosts."

Not technically. Morally, maybe, but he'd tried to spare them. "Yes, ma'am."

"Irreversible death. Ultras don't come back from fire. Ghosts with Ultra blood don't either. They died because of you."

"Ma'am, they died because Ravenstongue is a certifiable crackpot who never deserved the uniform, let alone a weapon." The words hadn't left his mouth before he knew he'd overstepped. Why couldn't he keep his mouth shut like he'd been told his entire life?

The look of disdain on the general's face said far more than words. She resumed pacing, but then stopped again, not facing him. "That may be true, Master Sergeant." Her voice had gone quiet, all but gentle. "But that's not your call. Ravenstongue is being dealt with."

"Thank you, ma'am."

"Don't thank me." Her gaze snapped to his. "You are not innocent. The bartender told us his side. According to him, you were trying to save him."

Same stuff. Different day. He took a deep breath. "Yes, ma'am."

"Do I hear annoyance in your tone, Master Sergeant?"

"Not my intention, ma'am."

"Didn't we have this discussion about humans?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Are you not tired of having it?"

Oh, for so many reasons. "Yes, ma'am."

She paced again. "The fire damage to the bar will be compensated out of Ravenstongue's salary." The general paused, slapped her hands behind her back and smiled. "And yours." She stared at him as if daring him to argue.

What would he spend it on? Why did they pay him? He could go nowhere and do nothing.

"Master Sergeant, if there were more than fifty ghosts, you'd be history."

Fifty? That was all they had?

How could fifty humans hope to defeat an army of nearly one million warriors who could never die?

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

~ Copyright ©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!

Experience Art, Sci-Fi, MM Romance, and Space Opera with unstoppable, unshakeable, unforgettable characters so real you'll swear you've met them by joining my newsletter.

Read more →

He can save humanity. All it will cost is his life #SciFi #PietasFans #MFRWhooks

Kayelle Allen 01/31/2024 Fallen Empires 4 Comments

Lights Out

He can save humanity. All he has to do is die. Again.

Join the Ghost Corps. You'll live forever, they said. You'll save humanity, 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, subduing and arresting the most lethal enemy of mankind—the immortal king.

Does the Corps expect success? 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—against all expectations for a ghost—find a way to keep himself alive...

In this scene, Tornahdo has been assigned to a mission and told he'll be briefed soon. He and eleven other members of Ghost Corps gear up and wait for orders.

Excerpt

The teamwork present in the regular army had no place here. Isolation was the point of being a ghost.

The unlit room where they waited closed in as if the walls pulled together and the ceiling sank. The longer they waited, the thicker the air. Warm, heavy with sweat and the tart bite of fear, every breath choked the senses.

More than one ghost pulled at his collar. Tension arced through the room, lightning skating over a metal fence.

Was the chip even working?

After half an hour of waiting, no one had spoken.

Probably another test.

Tornahdo, for one, wasn't failing it.

The door opened, bringing a shock of icy air.

They all knew they were being sent to die. They were ghosts. That's what ghosts did. They hammered at Ultras until they perma-killed them or they kept Ultras busy until others escaped. But at least they were getting to breathe first.

In walked a person close to seven Terran feet. Silhouette looked male. Tall enough to be an Ultra. He strode into the center of the room and beckoned everyone closer.

No clue who hid behind the full-body fake-face. It cycled through various images, too fast to keep up. Like trying to count air bubbles rising in a pool.

Remaining at the back, Tornahdo stood at ease.

"This is the best day in human recollection." Speaking through a voice changer, the voice took on genderless robotic tones. "Today, we make history."

If it was such a good day, why hide behind a fake-face and a voice changer?

The chip in Tornahdo's head pinged a stinging reminder to avoid such thoughts. He reined in his doubt and focused.

"This mission is called Lights Out. Your duty is simple. Chancellor Pietas is unconscious. You'll put him in a lifepod. That's it." The guy paused. "Questions?"

A tall ghost removed his helmet. "How can Ultras be unconscious?"

"The peace talks were a trap. When he and the Council arrived, we told them we'd jettison their module unless they entered their lifepods, which they did. Except Pietas, of course, so we siphoned the air out of the room. Before you go in, you'll hyperventilate, store up oxygen. This room is being pumped full at a high rate. Your chip will aid you."

Ultras held their breath ten times longer than humans. Tornahdo had trained to hold his five times longer. Pietas probably managed fifteen or twenty times.

Twelve of them. In a vacuum. Against the Ultra called Bringer of Chaos. Whose motto was, "Pain is a warrior's ally." No number of chips made that doable.

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

~ Copyright ©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!

Experience Art, Sci-Fi, MM Romance, and Space Opera with unstoppable, unshakeable, unforgettable characters so real you'll swear you've met them by joining my newsletter.

Read more →

When your hero is a narcissist… Or is he? #PietasFans #SciFi #MFRWhooks

Kayelle Allen 01/17/2024 Character Insights 8 Comments

One way writers allow readers to connect with a hero is to give him serious character flaws. In Bringer of Chaos: the Origin of Pietas, Pietas begins as an arrogant narcissist with a superiority complex. He is sooo above puny humans... but in this book, his immortal life could end when he winds up at the mercy of one.

Character Flaws

In this scene between the immortal Pietas and his father, the two are arguing a familiar topic: humans. To establish the main character's chief flaw, it's important to reveal it as close to the opening as possible. This conversation begins on the first page, but we join it here a few pages later. Pietas is speaking.

"You want us to treat humans as equals. They never treated us as such. Even now, we're hated and reviled. Putting them on the council will make them haughtier. I want nothing to do with humans."

"Then you want nothing to do with me, Son. Humans are all I care about."

And wasn't that the naked truth of his father's betrayal? He had turned his back on their people. He had turned his back on his son.

"You're right, Father. I want nothing to do with you. I care nothing for mortals. They all die."

"You were elected by the council and you serve at their pleasure." He jabbed a finger at the ground. "They want this treaty. Remember that."

"I never forsake duty." Pietas twitched his fingers, dismissing him. He waited until Mahikos reached the door. "Did it never occur to you?"

His father faced him. "What?"

"The council elected me to head these talks and removed you. You want to bring in humans. I do not. Perhaps the council hates humans more than you think."

A wave of aggravation emanated from Mahikos. Licks of emotional flame scorched Pietas's skin. Accustomed to the pain, he did not flinch.

"Son, surely you realize they elected you to keep you close and control you."

"To control--" Pietas broke into laughter. "Did they? How unenlightened." He shrugged. "Well, they can try. I must say, your annoyance today is a refreshing change from your usual indifference. I'd begun wondering if you had any emotions regarding my takeover. It must nettle, knowing your lowly son succeeded your rule."

"No one would consider you lowly."

Pietas lifted his chin. "Except you."

"I'm surprised you even bothered to show up, as much as you hate humans."

"It's nothing personal. I hate humans no more than a physician hates germs yet still takes time to eradicate them. Humans are dangerous."

"Humans are the reason we exist."

"Perhaps that was true in your reality. Humans have abused, misused, and betrayed their creations throughout their history. This peace everyone clamors for comes from concern about humans. I care less than nothing about them. As for their good graces? I have no faith they exist."

"You know, Pietas, one day you'll rely on the mercy of humans."

"You think humans show mercy? How amusing."

Head down, Mahikos rubbed a spot between his eyes. "I hope I'm there to see it. When you realize even humans have value, that will be a good day for all of us."

"How well you preach love." If only his father gave it half as well.

"Son, when the conference starts tomorrow, all your mother and I ask is that you try to be gracious."

"I'm certain I already am." He toyed with the circlet. "Just this morning when I knocked on your chamber door, I heard Mother say, 'Oh gracious. That must be Pietas.'"

"Why can you not be serious about this?"

"I consider these talks of utmost importance. It is you I do not take seriously."

Okay -- now tell me, aren't you irritated with Pietas right now? If I've done my job as a writer, you will be. However, as you walk in his shoes (or lack of them) through the rest of the story, you'll gain an insight into his arrogance and his hate-love-hate relationship with his father. One reviewer wrote that by the end, she loved this man (Pietas) she had been driven to hate.

Writing a character with serious flaws is like buying a diamond in the rough. You know the gem is in there. It takes time to grind and polish but eventually, you get to the good part.

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

~ Copyright ©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!

Experience Art, Sci-Fi, MM Romance, and Space Opera with unstoppable, unshakeable, unforgettable characters so real you'll swear you've met them by joining my newsletter.

Read more →

“Villain? What villain? It’s just me,” he said. And that’s the issue! #SciFi #MFRWhooks #SciFiArt

Kayelle Allen 11/29/2023 Fallen Empires 8 Comments

Villain: wicked or evil person; someone who does evil deliberately; principal bad character in a film or work of fiction (WordWeb).

I'd like to add to that: character who refuses to cooperate with your plot.

I started with the definition of villain so we both speak the same language. Mine was named Pietas and he was the bad guy in a book I'd written, edited, rewritten, re-edited, and restarted nine times since 2008.

When the Villain Won't "Villainate"

I had picked it back up, considered it, and set it aside again multiple more times before I realized my problem was not with the plot, the hero, or the concept. It was the villain.

My problem was with my immortal Ultra, Pietas.

He would not do any of the things I thought a bad guy should do. Seriously? A villain who doesn't even swear? What kind of bad guy is that? Although he had used a "bad word" in a book no longer in print, that was me badly writing his character to fit my "vision" of who he was. It felt wrong at the time but I didn't listen to my gut. I should have.

A proper scoundrel

Pietas was cold and inhuman yet his followers obeyed him without question. Unlike the usual dastardly-deed-doer-boss, Pietas had minions who followed him out of loyalty. I'd missed something in creating this villain of mine and I didn't know what it was. I figured I had to either put the book away forever or find a way to make Pietas behave.

Those who know the Bringer of Chaos are laughing right now. Make Pietas do what? Yeah, right!

Talking to a writer friend, I lamented how frustrating this villain was and how difficult it was to write a narcissistic sociopath. She laughed in my face and informed me I couldn't be more wrong. He was not a villain at all, but a passionate, honorable, and humble man who'd been put in a position of being the heavy.

To which I replied, "No, no. I'm talking about Pietas."

Turned out, so was she. Obviously, I had missed far more than I suspected. But what was it?

With her help, we set up an "interview" where she would ask me questions and I would answer as Pietas in a free association format. This is a thought process in which ideas, words or images suggest other ideas in a sequence. Using what I already knew about him, I would try to figure out how he'd answer. I'd role play. Why not? Pietas was not only the king of the immortals in my story, he was the Gamemaster in the role-playing game they all obsessed over, Peril.

We agreed to record it so I could go back and listen again. She would ask open-ended questions that couldn't be answered "yes" or "no" which would elicit conversation. We talked for well over an hour. She asked "Pietas" about his father, how he felt about his mother, why he did not get along with his sister, and why he was so hung up on a previous lover. What had happened to him as a child that made him so angry now? What did he hope to accomplish?

By the end, I had a far deeper understanding of my immortal king. I got to know the real person and not the superficial character I'd written. What showed up in other books was the person he presented to the world. In reality, the psychotic front he showed to others was not at all who he was.

That insight changed everything.

I got to work writing his story instead of the mess I'd been trying to finish. When I completed Origin of Pietas and released it, one reviewer said "He's painted as a complete psycho in other books. It's really great to get some insight into who he truly is." Readers told me they felt Pietas was a real person and I was channeling his energy. My heart sang. I'd accomplished my purpose and revealed the true person to the world.

Oops!

Now, however, I had Pietas talking to me directly, and he wasn't all that happy about my big reveal! I'm trying to sweet-talk him into bringing more his truth into the light, so maybe we'll see a few more books in this series. Wish me luck!

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

~ Copyright ©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!

Experience Art, Sci-Fi, MM Romance, and Space Opera with unstoppable, unshakeable, unforgettable characters so real you'll swear you've met them by joining my newsletter.

Read more →

Escape the Holidays with Free Sci-Fi Books #SciFi #MilSF #FreeBooks

Kayelle Allen 11/10/2023 Fallen Empires

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

~ Copyright ©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!

Experience Art, Sci-Fi, MM Romance, and Space Opera with unstoppable, unshakeable, unforgettable characters so real you'll swear you've met them by joining my newsletter.

Read more →

#FreeBook Fall into some free Science Fiction with a Bookspry giveaway 📚 #SciFi #SpaceOpera

Kayelle Allen 09/23/2023 Fallen Empires

Read more →

Read some Sci-Fi Freebies via BookSpry #SciFi #SpaceOpera #FreeBook 📕

Kayelle Allen 09/09/2023 Fallen Empires

Read more →

Speculative Reads: Awesome Outlaws, fantasy & science fiction books with rule breakers #Speculative #SciFi

Kayelle Allen 07/16/2023 Fallen Empires

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

~ Copyright ©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!

Experience Art, Sci-Fi, MM Romance, and Space Opera with unstoppable, unshakeable, unforgettable characters so real you'll swear you've met them by joining my newsletter.

Read more →

Get some Free #SciFi Science Fiction to read this July #SpaceOpera #Speculative #BookFair

Kayelle Allen 07/10/2023 Fallen Empires

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

~ Copyright ©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!

Experience Art, Sci-Fi, MM Romance, and Space Opera with unstoppable, unshakeable, unforgettable characters so real you'll swear you've met them by joining my newsletter.

Read more →

#SciFi Awesome Outlaws: fantasy & science fiction books with rule breakers #Speculative

Kayelle Allen 07/03/2023 Fallen Empires

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

~ Copyright ©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!

Experience Art, Sci-Fi, MM Romance, and Space Opera with unstoppable, unshakeable, unforgettable characters so real you'll swear you've met them by joining my newsletter.

Read more →

Tag: Lights Out

Excerpt from Lights Out

Bringer of Chaos

Welcome to Book Hooks!

Lights Out

Excerpt

Bringer of Chaos

Welcome to Book Hooks!

Character Flaws

Bringer of Chaos

Welcome to Book Hooks!

bnr

When the Villain Won't "Villainate"

A proper scoundrel

That insight changed everything.

Oops!

Bringer of Chaos

Welcome to Book Hooks!

Book Fair for Free Books

Bringer of Chaos

Bringer of Chaos Bundle 1

Book Fair for Free Books

Bringer of Chaos

Bringer of Chaos Bundle 1

Book Fair for Free Books

Bringer of Chaos

Bringer of Chaos Bundle 1

Book Fair for Free Books

Bringer of Chaos

Bringer of Chaos Bundle 1

Categories

Bringer of Chaos
Bundle 1

Bringer of Chaos
Bundle 1

Bringer of Chaos
Bundle 1

Bringer of Chaos
Bundle 1