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Marketing for Romance Writers is a peer mentoring group for authors. It was founded in 2006 by Kayelle Allen.

Trouble follows Tornahdo (excerpt from Lights Out) #SciFi #MFRWhooks #FreeBook

Trouble follows Tornahdo

In this scene, Tornahdo is having a quiet drink at the bar when another member of the Ghost Corps shows up and tells him to go home.

Tornahdo knows it's trouble when this guy shows up...

Ravenstongue sauntered toward him. "Why you here?"

Tornahdo kicked back in his chair. After stretching out his legs, he crossed his ankles. "Why do you care?"

"Big ops tomorrow. Lights out in ten. Time for you to go home and go to bed."

Behind the bar, the keeper closed up shelves and battened down doors.

"Yeah?" Tornahdo flicked a hand toward the door. "I'll follow you out."

"I'm not leavin'. Didn't you hear? We passed inspection with the highest scores. Got a free night out." Ravenstongue jabbed a finger toward Tornahdo. "But you gotta go home like a good boy."

In no kingdom in the galaxy would that happen.

Ravenstongue lifted two fingers, signaling his cohorts.

The keeper ducked behind the bar while the goons flanked their wannabe boss, imbecilic grins in place.

A pair of demons usually sat on Tornahdo's shoulders. The bad demon laid out strategy while the good demon discouraged action. Tonight, the good demon flipped a middle finger toward Ravenstongue with a not-so-subtle suggestion to kick his ass.

Tornahdo took his time rising, slid his chair under the table. "What did you say?"

"I said, 'You gotta go home like a good boy.'"

Hanging his thumbs in his belt, Tornahdo gave him a slow smile. "Go back to the bar, finish your drink and we'll pretend we're all friends and leave together. This is your last chance for a peaceful end."

"Peaceful." With a scoff, Ravenstongue jerked his head toward Short Goon. "You hear that?"

"Yeah. Maybe we oughta do what--"

Ravenstongue jabbed him with an elbow.

"I mean, yeah! I heard that." He leaned closer to his boss. "We gonna?"

"No, you idiot. Shut your face and back me up."

How did these hotheads enlist? Ghost Corps must have been desperate for bodies. Literally. A fighter's corpse they could reanimate. Which was a sobering thought.

Was that what the corps thought of him?

Lights Out by Kayelle Allen

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...


Bringer of Chaos

Bringer of Chaos Bundle 1 - Science Fiction and Space Opera #SciFi #SpaceOpera #PietasFans

Series page: https://kayelleallen.com/chaos-series/

#SciFi #SpaceOpera
Read all my books on Ream Stories

Bringer of Chaos #SciFi #SpaceOpera #PietasFans

Bringer of Chaos #SciFi #SpaceOpera #PietasFans

Bringer of Chaos #SciFi #SpaceOpera #PietasFans

Pick up the first story in the Bringer of Chaos series, Lights Out, plus an illustrated look at the series free by signing up for my newsletter
https://kayelleallen.com/immortality

Bringer of Chaos #SciFi #SpaceOpera #PietasFans

Bringer of Chaos #SciFi #SpaceOpera #PietasFans

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 ©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 me on Ream Stories!

What the Corps provides, the Corps can take away #SpaceOpera #MFRWhooks

 

 

What the Corps Provides

In this scene, Tornahdo gets an ominous reminder of exactly what the Ghost Corps has promised, and his real duty.

The Corps issues a stern reminder 

"Master Sergeant, you made us all proud by your service. You volunteered for the corps and your commanding officer recommended you at the perfect time. Three Ultras were captured during the Raid on San Xavier. Ultras you helped take out of the war. Your death at the retaliatory Siege of San Xavier meant you had a chance to fulfill your promise to serve."

"Thank you...?" Why was she telling him what he already knew? "Ma'am."

"The corps will not forget your service, or the promise made to support your family." Coming to a stop before him, she bared her teeth in a deceptive, political smile. "Counting you as missing in action means long-term benefits for your loved ones. Wouldn't it be a shame if your body was found and that ended?"

The usual heat of Ultra blood beneath his skin plummeted. Tornahdo remained aloof and calm, as if he faced a firing squad. A good soldier never forgot a threat.

"The corps spent far too much to toss you out and start over. But be aware, that indulgence extends only so far." The general stuck her face in his. "Are we clear?"

Clear as brittle ice on a bottomless lake in the deep of winter. Menacing. Jagged. Cracking underfoot.

He unclenched his jaw. "Yes, ma'am."

"In the regular army, you shield each other. This is Ghost Corps. Humans are expendable."

He'd spent twenty years fighting an enemy that believed the same thing. So the corps was better--how?

"You are not a human shield, Master Sergeant. You have a single duty. Which is?"

"Ma'am, kill Ultras."

"That's right. This is your second rebirth. We don't know how many more you can experience without harm."

The word none came to mind but Tornahdo kept his trap shut.

"Your enhanced blood gives you enough stamina to kill the enemy. Do your duty. Nothing else. Tell me." The general folded her arms. "Will you draw enemy fire again?"

Yes. Always. That's what set humans apart from Ultras. Humans protected each another. Although for her, he'd make an exception. "Ma'am, Ghost Corps regulations require that I do not."

Lights Out by Kayelle Allen

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...


Pick up Lights Out free by joining a reader group!
https://kayelleallen.com/reader-groups

Origin of Pietas

Forged in Fire

Lights Out

What the Corps provides, the Corps can take away #SpaceOpera #MFRWhooks #MFRWorg


JOIN US FOR BOOKHOOKS
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 gave one long, slow lick... #Excerpt from Surrender Love #MMRomance

 

Do you love cheesecake and cherries? So do Luc and Izzorah!

Surrender Love

In this scene, Luc and Izzorah are having their first meal alone since meeting a few days before. Luc is older by millenia, and Izzorah is in his early twenties. Luc wants him, but keeps trying to talk himself out of it, afraid of taking advantage.

But this dinner might change his mind...

Excerpt: the dessert scene from Surrender Love

After dinner, they enjoyed a light wine while they each tore into massive slices of cheesecake topped with a thick sauce of fresh cherries in brandy.

"Oh, stars that was good." Izzorah put down his fork. "If my father hadn't raised me to be polite, I swear I'd lick my plate. That was the best dessert ever. McDoth is an amazing cook."

"That was straight from Batchelor's."

"They make cheesecake?"

"Yes. Yvan's famous for it. That one had all the creaminess I've learned to expect from their kitchen."

"I never thought they'd be famous for food. No wonder everyone wants to go there." Izzorah leaned back in his chair. "I probably ate way too much, but I was hungry."

"Same here. No worry. I'm sure we'll work it off." Luc's plate still held crumbles of crust from the cheesecake, along with a smear of cherries. "You know, since you and I are alone..." On impulse, he lifted the dessert plate and while holding Izzorah's gaze, gave it a long, slow lick.

Izzorah giggled, biting his lip. He picked up his plate as well and gave the plate a quick lick with the tip of his tongue.

Luc stroked his tongue across the plate, taking his time, letting his gaze tell Izzorah how delicious it tasted -- and felt.

Color rose in Izzorah's cheeks. His lashes lowered. He performed a far more thorough lick. He gave Luc a sultry smile and then stroked his tongue along the edge of the plate. The soft wet barbs on his tongue glistened in the light.

Stifling an oath, Luc struggled for composure. The tightness in his throat had nothing to do with the surfeit of sugar.

Antonello Brothers: Immortal - Because Romance Lives Forever

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

#SciFi #WriteLGBTQ #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.

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 ©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 me on Ream Stories!


Welcome to Book Hooks!
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 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.

The sting of emotions bombard him #SciFi #MFRWauthor #MFRWhooksWhen I wrote Bringer of Chaos, I knew the hero would not be a sympathetic character. I didn't expect him to change, but as I wrote, trying to understand him, I began to see  my initial perception was false. He is an anti-hero but there is a nobility about him that I  never suspected. In the scene below, the Ultra Council has agreed to meet on a neutral starport for peace talks with humans. No one will believe him when he warns it's a trap, so Pietas decides to push the humans into showing their hand.
---

Emotions Bombarded Pietas

At the appointed time, Pietas entered the elevator with the Council, ignoring the warning looks from his father. His mother tugged his father to the rear of the elevator, and cast a hopeful smile at her son. Seeing the two of them together, with his father newly reborn and his mother aged, reflected their differences. He had always been hot-tempered; she, wise.

Pietas turned away, wishing he did not have to disappoint her, but he could not in good conscience carry out the Council's command. Lock his people into a treaty with these oath breakers? Never.

The entire Council would be furious with him. As usual.

His sister, Dessy, arrived as the doors were closing, and slid into place on his right as second-in-command.

On her bosom sat an oval-shaped gold and black brooch, the glass front of which revealed a plait of his hair stolen after the ritual they'd performed. She'd interwoven it into a complex pattern. His sister said nothing, but he felt her empathic outpouring of assent. Yet despite her emotional support, she had voted against him.

Would he never understand this woman? Shoulder to shoulder they faced front.

The sting of emotions bombarded Pietas from all angles. His skin twitched and he rubbed his arms as if cold. What hid within the jumbled emotions?

A cadre of humans waited in the assigned receiving chamber. Ten humans would be given in exchange for ten members of the Ultra Council, as Mahikos and the Council had requested. While the Ultras were on board Enderium Six, the humans would act as hostages. If anything happened to the Ultras, the humans would die lingering deaths.

A crawling-ant sensation on his skin escalated to a sting. These creatures hid some secret he did not yet fathom. Pietas bit the inside of his cheek, fighting the urge to lash out, to rip away the life of these mortals.

As agreed, the Council members had come unarmed. Ultras didn't need weapons. They were weapons.

 


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Bringer of Chaos

Bringer of Chaos Bundle 1 - Science Fiction and Space Opera #SciFi #SpaceOpera #PietasFans

Series page: https://kayelleallen.com/chaos-series/

#SciFi #SpaceOpera
Read all my books on Ream Stories

Bringer of Chaos #SciFi #SpaceOpera #PietasFans

Bringer of Chaos #SciFi #SpaceOpera #PietasFans

Bringer of Chaos #SciFi #SpaceOpera #PietasFans

Pick up the first story in the Bringer of Chaos series, Lights Out, plus an illustrated look at the series free by signing up for my newsletter
https://kayelleallen.com/immortality

Bringer of Chaos #SciFi #SpaceOpera #PietasFans

Bringer of Chaos #SciFi #SpaceOpera #PietasFans

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 ©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 me on Ream Stories!

Surrender Love by Kayelle Allen #SciFi #MMRomance

StoryOrigin has a new way for authors to share their work with readers
-- even before it's published.
We get feedback and you get sneak peeks.
It's a win-win.
Come try out Beta Reads with one of these books.

Review Ring of the Dragon by Kayelle Allen #SciFi #Fantasy #MMRomance

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.

To read Surrender Love, click this image

He's been alone for centuries. This time, when he falls in love, will it be forever? #WriteLGBTQ #SciFi #MMRomance Read Surrender Love

He's been alone for centuries. This time, when he falls in love, will it be forever?

To read Ring of the Dragon, click this image

Antonello Brothers: Immortal - Because Romance Lives Forever #SciFi #LGBTQ #Romance

For millennia, they fight side by side. Now one king faces a lonely quest.

 


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No obligation other than to read and provide feedback on the site of your choosing.

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Review Sci-Fi & Sci-Fi Romance

Welcome to Book Hooks! This is a blog hop with Marketing for Romance Writers authors. Click links at the end to visit the other hops. Today’s post is on character mentions. How to find any mention of a character in any of your books. It’s easier than you think.

If you’re writing a series, it’s easy to casually slip in a mention about a character from one book into another book. But what if you also mentioned that he is left handed? Or that he was born in Chicago. Or some other detail? When you’re writing yet another book, how do you go back and find all those places? Here’s a snippet from my book the Tarthian Empire Companion, to show you how.

Find character mentions on your computer

Here’s a cool trick if you have several books and you want to find out which book mentions a character. Create a separate folder and into it copy each of your books. Don’t put your originals in there. MAKE COPIES. Take out any bit at the end of the book that mentions upcoming stories (such as sneak peeks) that might contain the character’s name. You want only the actual story in these documents. Keep this folder. You’ll be surprised how handy it is for searching details when you write a series.

Now that everything is together, look at your folder menu. You’ll see something like “Tools” at the top. Your computer might call it “Organize”. Click that, and open Folder Options. Click the Search tab. Under “What to search” there are two choices. Pick the one that says “Always search file names and contents.”

When you click in the search box and type a name, the program will show you which book has the character’s name.

NOTE: It warns that this might take several minutes, but since you’ll mainly use it for searching this folder, that’s fine. I use it routinely on all folders, and it’s a great way to find info I’ve lost or a document for which I can’t remember the title. I have a 2 TB hard drive and to me, it’s not that long — maybe a few seconds. Click OK to save the option. Don’t worry. If it does prove to be too long for everyday use for you, you can easily change it back.

Think about the name before you assume the person is mentioned. For example, if you have a guy named Van Smith, both those words have other meanings. Does one character drive a van? Does the other have a Smith and Wesson? Does someone who is a smith live in Van Nuys? Be sure you know how the word was used within the document if it has shades of meaning or uses. If you aren’t sure, open the document, use CTRL+F (or CMD+F for Mac) and type the name. Then you’ll know for sure. But rather than open each document for each character, it’s super quick to type it once and search all the books at the same time.

Because I have two different versions of the same book from two different publishers, I wanted to know what/who was used in each. When deleting or adding material, it’s easy to remove a mention. So I added a copy of each version and changed the document name to include the publisher’s initials. To quickly change the name, select the document and press F2. Once the name is highlighted, make any changes needed.

I used this method when writing the Tarthian Empire Companion. The book has a listing of all my characters and place names, a history, and much more. I intended it as a companion book for fans of my various series. It quickly became my own go-to for details. Had I spelled homeworld as home world or home-world? This book is my definitive answer (It’s homeworld, btw).

Where to find the Tarthian Empire Companion

Universal Buy Link https://books2read.com/guide-tec


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