Nik Nitsvetov Archives - Kayelle Allen

#Ritual Pietas: “I vanquish every enemy.” Ritual of Strength, Bringer of Chaos series by Kayelle Allen. Performer Nik Nitsvetov @nitsvetov #PietasFans #SciFi

Kayelle Allen 12/07/2024 Ritual of Strength

I vanquish every enemy.

In this scene from Origin of Pietas, as he's healing from catastrophic injuries, Pietas muses about pain.

Excerpt from Origin of Pietas

Pietas had taught himself, disciplined himself never to fear pain. To welcome it. Invite it. Embrace it. Make pain and death a regular part of his life. Whatever frightened him, he ran toward. Pain was joy. He conquered it. Made it his lover. Made it his own. Absorbed it into himself.

When you fear nothing, nothing is a threat.

Now? Did he fear pain now? Pietas mulled that. Well, he no longer had to wonder about pain that didn't end. He'd experienced it.

Conquered it.

Did he want to repeat it?

He finished his food and took a long, satisfying breath of clean air.

Not if he could avoid it. But dying every day for a year would be a good exercise for his immortal warriors. If you survived that kind of peril, you'd survive anything. And no threat the enemy brought would be worse than what he could do to them.

He'd have to give that some serious thought. Maybe train them that way, one soldier at a time. Teach them to embrace death the way he did.

An army of soldiers like that...the galaxy could not stop.

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 ©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.

Read more →

#PietasFans #FanArt #Video Speed drawing Pietas. Artist Jamin Allen @JaminAllen1 #MFRWhooks

Kayelle Allen 11/30/2022 Cosplay 7 Comments

My character Pietas has always been the villain, but I had it in my head to write his origin story. I knew he was well aquainted with storms, personal, psychic, physical, and spiritual. So when I wanted to create a dragon for him to have as a spirit animal, I knew the dragon would have something to do with storms as well.
It turns out, his dragon can summon storms by singing to the wind and sky, and his color is white, icy blue, and turquoise. Stormsinger and Pietas met on the planet Stachien in the Colonies of Man. I haven't written that story yet, so I have no details.

Art is by Jamin Allen, my son, although I have done extensive work on both the dragon and Pietas. This image was created back in 2015, before I'd found the cosplay/model Nik Nitsvetov, who is an absolute dead ringer for Pietas.

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 ©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.

Read more →

Playing dress-up with living dolls #Cosplay @nitsvetov #PietasFans #MFRWhooks

Kayelle Allen 10/14/2020 Cosplay 10 Comments

Imagine playing dress-up with living dolls! Watching Nik Nitsvetov cosplay Pietas is like that.

Live Action Imagination

He's performed as my immortal king three times now. Will there be a fourth?

Nik said he would always do a cosplay for me, so I might hold him to it.

Amazing that we accomplished it this year, given the way 2020 has gone so far!

I won't reveal more images on my blog until after I've sent out previews to my newsletter subscribers. They get to see images I won't be releasing anywhere else.

So, how many do I have? Almost 900 from this photo shoot.

Pietas Cosplay

Nik and Julia are extremely generous and they spent a lot of time getting everything just right. Their friend, Vlad, also helped, and I wanted to give a quick rundown of what each person did to make this cosplay a success.

Julia

Julia stood on a stool to get some shots, and she would hop down, straighten a lock of Nik's hair, step back, straighten it again and then get back up on the stool and snap the picture. She'd turn him left or right just a bit, take a few pictures, and then move him again. She sat on the floor for some images and the angle (a "hero" shot) produces fantastic results. Having seen the images, I can tell you she is effective at getting just the right aspect of Nik's face and body on camera. She knows him well. They've been together many years. You can tell she knows all his best sides, and gets him to show them off.

Vlad

Nik's friend, Vlad, also a cosplayer (and a flatmate to Nik and Julia) live-streamed the cosplay. He also played music for the scene (Rammstein - a fave of mine as well as Nik's), and he narrated the comments. It was interesting to hear my name with a Russian accent. It comes across as "Ki-ell" (long I) versus "kay-elle" and it made me smile every time I heard it. I almost prefer it!

Nik

Watching Nik perform is so amazing that while I was watching live, I forgot to comment most of the time. I did respond with things like Perfect! Which isn't all that helpful, all told. But honestly, I had no need to direct. Nik and I had emailed about 20 times setting up the various aspects of the shoot and getting the props and poses right. I sent him a link to a few examples of poses that I would like and he did it perfectly. There's that word again. Nik doesn't think of himself as "perfect" but to me, there is no better Pietas. When I think of my character, it's Nik as Pietas that I see -- except that he's seven feet tall!

Read more →

Sneak peek at the Pietas halberd cosplay @nitsvetov #cosplay #malecosplay #SciFi #MFRWhooks

Kayelle Allen 09/23/2020 Cosplay 5 Comments

This is the scene Nik will cosplay live. Julia will photograph the event. You're getting it out of context, because to give more would give a huge spoiler.

Halberd

Pietas walked into sight, dragging a massive steel halberd inlaid with turquoise stones, a cross between a battle axe and a sword.

The pointed tip screeched along the steel floor.

The image of Pietas in black, knowing he represented Luc, affixed itself in Luc's mind.

With that bright silver and turquoise halberd at his side, the forbidding darkness of his masked king channeled awe straight through him.

-- A Stolen Heart

Follow Nik

Nik Nitsvetov is a photographer and award-winning cosplayer who often serves as judge at conventions. A gamer and anime fan, he often cosplays characters from popular series. He lives in Russia and is a strong supporter of Russian Cosplay. His personal photography ranges from cosplay to portraits and often includes animals and nature. You will find him online through various social media.
Patreon https://www.patreon.com/nitsvetov/posts
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/nitsvetov/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/nitsvetov.photo/
Twitter https://twitter.com/nitsvetov
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/nik.nicvetov
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/OnframeCosplay/
World Cosplay https://worldcosplay.net/en/member/Onframe

Read more →

Witness the transformation: Pietas morphs into the Bringer of Chaos @nitsvetov @voicesbyzack #SciFi #Cosplay #MFRWhooks #PietasFans

Kayelle Allen 09/16/2020 Conventions for Sci Fi Lovers 8 Comments

The Ritual of Strength tranforms Pietas into the War Leader of the Ultras -- a fighting machine known as the Bringer of Chaos. He earned the title because his strongest Sempervian gift is Chaos, the ability to create chaotic feelings with no outside source. In battle, it mind-dazes an enemy. But with a lover, his gift renders a partner helpless, inundating them with overwhelming pleasure.

He has worn a mask in battle ever since defeating the First Division, a human special-ops group formed to fight Ultras. It came about because Pietas slew an enemy, and blood splashed across his eyes. Thinking the blood belonged to Pietas, the Ultra troops rallied to him and slaughtered the humans. By the end of the battle, the blood had dried almost black. Stories of how their "bandit king" had conquered the First Division filled the night. To his troops, he was now the conqueror of the First Division, and they gave him a new title to celebrate: First Conqueror, War Leader of the Ultras.

Look at the facial expressions as Pietas lifts the mask into place, hiding his true self and preparing to morph into the Bringer of Chaos.

The expression of utter confidence while Pietas is wearing the mask reveals how much performing the ritual affects him. In the left image, he's removing a small knife used in the ritual. The story behind this knife -- I bought it at OutlantaCon a few years ago. It was made from hand-forged metal, a handle of hand-carved wood, and sheathed in hand-tooled leather. One of a kind. In the story (a Bringer of Chaos book not out yet), Six makes this knife and gives it to Pietas. He has used it for thousands of years and it's so fragile he now keeps it in a glass case. He never parts with a gift from a friend if there is any way possible to keep it.

In the second photo, Nik performs the scene where Pietas makes a small cut in his skin, symbolically shedding blood for his people. He heals instantly, but the point is he is ready to die for his people. Look at those eyes. Nik transformed as much as Pietas.

When the ritual is complete, Pietas removes his mask. In Origin of Pietas, he paints on the mask with soot from a fire, and right after, he and Six are caught in a downpour. When Six sees Pietas's face, he bursts into laughter and says Pietas looks like a "weapon of mascara destruction."

On the first photo, notice the focus in those eyes as Pietas begins the transformation back to his usual self. The next picture shows him with the mask off and a partial smile. I love that photo. It's the backdrop for my email program. My interpretation of this image is that Pietas is happy to return to his (somewhat) normal life and be who he really is.

Read more →

Bringing Pietas to Life #Voiceover @voicesbyzack #Cosplayer @nitsvetov #PietasFans #SciFi #MFRWhooks #MFRWorg

Kayelle Allen 09/09/2020 Character Insights 6 Comments

Read more →

Hiring a voiceover artist for Pietas @voicesbyzack #PietasFans #SciFi #MFRWhooks #Voiceover

Kayelle Allen 09/02/2020 Cosplay 9 Comments

If you'd like to search for a voice actor yourself, try this link. Fiverr Voice Actors

Giving a Voice to Pietas

In 2018, I worked with the Russian cosplayer Nik Nitsvetov, who is a dead ringer for Pietas. After he recreated the Ritual of Strength from the book, Origin of Pietas, I decided to find a voiceover artist who could give Pietas a voice.

I wanted someone with at least a slight English accent, as if he'd learned English from someone in the UK. And he'd been born in Wales, so that was important to pull into the sound.

Also, Pietas has a tenor voice, not too deep. He speaks properly. The immortal king is a perfectionist who demands the best of himself and others, so he had to enunciate each word without sounding like he was reading a script.

Are you thinking -- you are one crazy woman, Kayelle. Where are you going to find someone like that? And how could you afford it? Yeah, I was thinking the same thing.

I decided to try Fiverr. I've been lucky at getting help there over the last few years. I recommend giving it a try if you need help on a quick project -- or a long one. I've successfully added automation to my newsletter, engaged Twitter followers (not bought them) and created more than one video, and I've hired several artists. I'll share info on those in another post.

After listening to bajillion different samples of voiceover artists, I settled with one. Got the sample back, and hired him ($60). He did a great job, but I wasn't quite satisfied. I decided to try again. The next one also cost me $60. Yet I still wasn't happy with the final product.

Should I try one more time, I wondered. You know what they say about the third time being a charm? Well it was true on this one, because I found someone who sounded EXACTLY the way I hear Pietas in my head.

Here are the three voice artists (each sample under 20 seconds). One is no longer on Fiverr. I'll provide links to the ones that are.

Each created a sample using this dialogue:

"No. I cannot imagine settling down with the same person for eternity. How mundane. It would take a special person indeed. I have, however, cohabitated with the same person for centuries and been quite happy. At least at first."

Read more →

Color the Characters: Read the Books #ColoringBook

Kayelle Allen 07/15/2020 Cosplay 12 Comments

Together, Jamin and I created coloring books for my various books and characters. You can download seven of them for free on this page on my website.

The first, Unstoppable Heroes and Heroines, features characters found in almost every one of my books. The Antonello Brothers has characters found in At the Mercy of Her Pleasure and For Women Only.

Peril -- the Immortal's Game is a unique coloring book. It has characters but also a maze and multi-sided dice to color.

Pietas -- the Bringer of Chaos has over a dozen dragons. Pietas dreams about dragons and their symbolism appears in his stories. In a future book, he will bond with one. Do you like flowers and butterflies? There are two coloring books that showcase those.

Coloring Pencils/Pens

You can pick up inexpensive boxes of crayons and take yourself back to your childhood. I have several sets of colored pencils and pens. My favorite type is gel because the colors are so rich and bright. The Eparon gel pen set has 40 unique colors and they're only $6.99. If you have Amazon Prime you can get them without shipping fees. There are 4 standard coloring pens, 6 neon, 5 mixed pastel, 5 solid pastel, 10 glitter, and 10 metallic. They are acid-free, non-toxic, and environmentally friendly. My advice is to get this set in addition to another with simpler colors. That way you have a variety.

Thank you for stopping by. Please say hello or leave a note in the comments. Do you like coloring? What is your favorite type of drawing?

Read more →

How to Embed Instagram on WordPress in 6 Easy Steps #Instagram #WordPress

Kayelle Allen 05/15/2020 Cosplay

Wouldn't it be great if there was a way to embed Instagram posts on your WordPress website? There is!

How to Embed Instagram on WordPress

I found a great hack for Instagram while searching tips and tricks. I'm always open to learning new and better ways to do things. When I saw this, I knew I had to share it with you. I use Instagram for fun, and occasionally, I share something I'm working on. That's what the post at the left is all about. I was working on banners for my new book, A Stolen Heart, and thought I'd show one to my followers.

The post I'm showing here features Pietas, who was cosplayed by Nik Nitsvetov live on Instagram.

My curiosity about how to embed Instagram posts on a blog turned up a super easy way to do it.

6 Steps to Embed Instagram on WordPress

This is such an easy way to extend your reach with Instagram that I'm surprised more people don't do it. I found this hack on the website of the awesome Kim Garst. Be sure to check out her post "20 Instagram tricks that you probably don't know." It was fabulous. I followed Kim's instructions and it worked great. Here's how to do it yourself.

1. Go to the Instagram post you want to embed.

2. Look for 3 dots -- that's a mini-menu you can access. Click it.

3. In the drop down menu, click "Embed." Here, you have a choice whether to include the caption. For the example above, I did. The code will be super long, but Instagram lets you copy the code with one click, which makes it really easy.

4. Go to the WordPress blog post where you want to show this image.

5. Look for the tab at the top of the post window that says "text" and click it.

6. Paste the code.

That's it. Go back to visual, and you'll see the Instagram post on your blog. How cool is that?

I've been thinking about recording myself working on banners and then sharing the video here and on Instagram. What do you think? Would you be interested in seeing that? What other "How To" questions do you have? Let me know in the comments and if I don't know, I'll research it and see if I can help.

A Stolen Heart

When he rescues a half-human orphan, a glorified space pirate turned entrepreneur sets in motion a chain of events that threatens to topple the powerful Thieves' Guild he once led.

Multiple layers of conspiracy unfold, reaching all the way to Luc's immortal ex--the king. Behind each solved mystery looms an unseen foe, undoing the good Luc accomplishes. For the sake of this child, Luc must postpone his own freedom and master his desire for revenge or he will violate an ancient vow. Worse, he'll put the toddler at risk.

At war with his compassion for the vulnerable child, loyalty to the king, duty to the Guild, and the bright lure of freedom he's coveted for centuries, Luc seeks the right path. Will he choose liberty and unparalleled success, or restore the Thieves' Guild to its former glory while overseeing the child's training?

A hard choice for any man.

For an immortal whose inner monster can destroy on sight? Impossible.

A pirate with a monstrous past can never be trusted with an innocent child. Luc must ensure the child is protected, safe, nowhere near danger. Nowhere near him. Even if this little boy has already stolen his heart...

Buy on Amazon Now

Read more →

Pietas was too proud to steal; too stubborn to beg @nitsvetov #SpaceOpera #PietasFans

Kayelle Allen 11/30/2019 Character Insights 1 Comment

Proud to show you images from the Chaos is Coming cosplay featuring Nik Nitsvetov as Pietas, the immortal king. Members of my reader groups will receive a larger group of exclusive photos in the next newsletter. Info on how to sign up is at the end. Below is a quote from Elryk, the man Pietas considers his mentor and the father he never had. You’ll meet Elryk in a future series.

When you're proud, you must not only overcome adversity and obstacles, you must also overcome yourself. ~Elryk #SpaceOpera Share on X

Chaos is Coming – Sci Fi Cosplay

On Nov 27th, Nik Nitsvetov wore the Pietas armor he hand made for the Chaos is Coming Cosplay, performed live on Instagram.

Last year Nik performed as Pietas from the Bringer of Chaos series doing the Ritual of Strength. You can see the video of him performing here. This cosplay he portrayed Pietas as a younger version of the immortal king. Before he led his people, Pietas was a plebe in the Discord. After all, even the mightiest river has a beginning.

The immortal king began life as a soldier when he was still a teenager. Imagine being abandoned on a new world where you have no idea about customs, no identification, no money, no food, and no friends. No one will hire you, and you are too proud to steal and too stubborn to beg. That was Pietas at age sixteen. Part of his story is revealed in the Bringer of Chaos series. These images (and nearly 700 like them) will be used for covers and banners for that new series. I can’t wait to start writing!

I hope you enjoy the images!

Follow Nik

Nik Nitsvetov is a photographer and award-winning cosplayer who often serves as judge at conventions. A gamer and anime fan, he often cosplays characters from popular series. He lives in Russia and is a strong supporter of Russian Cosplay. His personal photography ranges from cosplay to portraits and often includes animals and nature. You will find him online through various social media.
Patreon https://www.patreon.com/nitsvetov/posts
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/nitsvetov/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/nitsvetov.photo/
Twitter https://twitter.com/nitsvetov
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/nik.nicvetov
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/OnframeCosplay/
World Cosplay https://worldcosplay.net/en/member/Onframe
Origin of Pietas: Bringer of Chaos is on sale through December for 99 cents.

Kayelle Allen writes space opera with larger than life, unforgettable characters. Come walk in her worlds and meet a few!
Reader Groups https://kayelleallen.com/reader-groups/
Twitter http://twitter.com/kayelleallen
Facebook http://facebook.com/kayelleallen.author
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/710889.Kayelle_Allen
Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Kayelle-Allen/e/B003ZRXVN8

Read more →

Tag: Nik Nitsvetov

I vanquish every enemy.

Excerpt from Origin of Pietas

Bringer of Chaos

Antonello Brothers: Immortal - Because Romance Lives Forever

Welcome to Book Hooks!

Live Action Imagination

Pietas Cosplay

Julia

Vlad

Nik

Origin of Pietas

Forged in Fire

Lights Out

Pietas - Halberd Cosplay

Halberd

Follow Nik

Pietas transforms

Step 1: Before the Ritual

Step 2: Ritual

Step 3: After the Ritual

Witness the Next Live Cosplay

Origin of Pietas

Forged in Fire

Lights Out

Bringing Pietas to Life

What's your experience?

Origin of Pietas

Forged in Fire

Lights Out

Hiring a Voiceover Artist

Origin of Pietas

Forged in Fire

Lights Out

De-stress and color!

Coloring Pencils/Pens

How to Embed Instagram on WordPress

6 Steps to Embed Instagram on WordPress

A Stolen Heart

Chaos is Coming – Sci Fi Cosplay

Follow Nik

Categories