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Are you playing Marco Polo 1/9? @voireylinger +14 authors! #Giveaway

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A Romance for Christmas

A Romance for Christmas

January 9, 1324, Marco Polo slipped the bonds of this world and drifted into history. He explored Asia, established trade routes with China, and launched a summer game loved by millions.

To celebrate his life and his game, we are launching Marco Polo day on Twitter. The rules are simple. Follow the players listed below from your Twitter account. When one of them yells MARCO you hit reply and @ them with POLO. First to respond will win an ebook. If you’re not following, you can’t win.

This Marco Polo game is also found on Voirey Linger’s website. Mine is a copy of hers, used with permission. See it here:  http://voireylinger.com/2014/12/marco-polo-day-2015/

The Fine Print

Marco Polo Day on Twitter is a collection of individual contests. Each MARCO! tweet is a separate contest. Participating authors are wholly responsible for running their individual contest and fulfilling the prize requirement. Winners shall receive one digital copy of a book from the author. Titles available are at the sole discretion of the author and may not be substituted for a cash or physical prize. Prize value is not to exceed $10 (US).

Unstoppable Heroes is not responsible for prize distribution except in those contests run on the Twitter account of @kayelleallen I’ll be giving away a copy of A Romance for Christmas. Click the cover to learn more about the book.

Participating Authors

Kayelle Allen – @kayelleallen

SM Butler- @SuzanButler

Dee Carney – @dee_carney

Sam Cheever – @samcheever

Shae Conner – @shaeconner

Hailey Edwards – @haileyedwards

AM Griffin – @AMGriffinbooks

Arlene Hittle – @arlenehittle

Kelly Jameison – @KellyJamieson

Babette James – @BabetteJames

Anne Kane – @AnneKane

Marguerite Labbe – @MargueriteLabbe

Voirey Linger – @voireylinger

Karen Stivali – @karenstivali

Holley Trent – @HolleyTrent

Maggie Wells – @Maggiewells1

Posted in Kayelle Allen |

Cover Reveal: An Immortal’s Guide to Tarth #scifi #ASMSG #IAN1

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An Immortal's Guide to Tarth

An Immortal’s Guide to Tarth

An Immortal’s Guide to Tarth is a tongue-in-cheek look at what relocating would be like for the immortals in my books if they moved to the Tarthian Empire. A bit of non-fiction, written in a fictional way. The voice is that of Joss Avaton, one of the immortals. The rules of the immortal gamers role-playing game Peril are spelled out, and a who’s who among the gamers provided. A must-have for fans of the Tarthian Empire series. This handy guide will inform, entertain, and provide never before seen peeks behind the curtain.

This excerpt is taken from the opening of the book.

Greetings, Fellow Immortals

Welcome to the Tarthian Empire. This book is a guide to the people, places, and possibilities you’ll find here. A list of immortals and their roles in Peril is also included. All Sempervians are welcome here. This will be your home away from home. To those immortals who have joined us in our glorious exile — please know you are our honored guests. We are pleased to share the bounty of the Empire with you.

I’m Joss Avaton, your guide. A little about me. I’m telepathic (which most of us experience and understand), and a scripter, which means by touching you I can discern your abilities and gifts. Contrary to popular belief, scripters cannot tell your past or your future. We can only tell about your present: what gifts you possess now.

So that neither of us has any illusions, I will tell you up front that I am serving Penance. For those of you new to the game of Peril, that means I lost a game and must pay for it. In my case, it was a technicality, and the gamers in my session had nothing to do with my loss. I lost by my own mistakes, and take full responsibility. The gamer opposite me (Nanchonta) I would trust with my life, and have, many times. However, I would carefully watch the lead player in my support team (Akaghe) and never turn my back on him. Not for one moment. He is not based in the Tarthian Empire, for which I’m thankful. But enough about the past. I’m here to help you in your future with us.

While we are more than glad to welcome a fellow immortal into the Empire, you should be aware that the relationship between Mundanes (mortals) and ourselves is not an open one. To that end, let’s dive straight into the ironclad rules.

Rule Number One: This Book is for Immortals Only

By order of Pietas ap Lorectic, Lord of the Immortals, the Impaler, Hammer of God, Marauder, Soul Ripper, Destroyer of Worlds, Slayer of Innocents, Hound of Hell, you are ordered to set aside this book if you not immortal. Put down this book, walk away, and no one will get hurt. Should you decide to disobey this directive, that assurance is void.

With that warning in mind, you may proceed at your own risk.

Rule Number Two: Immortals Don’t Exist

Of course, immortals do exist. The fact that you are reading this book proves that. We are referring to what the non-immortal Mundane population thinks. They (other than the Chosen) are never to know of our existence. The rule regarding how much to reveal is simple: nothing.

We do not discuss immortality.

We avoid any mention of immortality.

If asked directly if we are immortal, we lie.

There are no exceptions to this rule.

The answer to “Why can’t we tell them?” is also simple: BPSS (Because Pietas said so). If you don’t know who Pietas is, we refer you to Rule Number One.

You will no doubt find yourself exasperated by the sheer number of Mundanes present in the Tarthian Empire, especially humans. They have overrun it and multiplied like rats in a pestilence. Which brings us to Rule Number Three.

Rule Number Three: Live and Let Live

By order of Pietas, humans and other people groups may not be killed for sport. That does not mean you can’t annoy, manipulate, and use them for your own purposes. However, the rule about killing is strictly enforced. You can be banned from the Empire for killing even one Mundane. Justifiable homicide must be proven in Mundane courts as well as before the throne of Pietas.

It has nothing to do with their inherent worthiness. Mundanes have none. However, we must coexist here and the worlds in the Tarthian Empire are filled with these creatures. They farm, raise fish, cattle, sheep, and other animals used for food, create cities, technology, transport, and other items which we find useful and helpful. Since we take full advantage of these things, it behooves us to let them exist. Therefore, the golden rule is “Live and let live.”

We cannot stress strongly enough the need to remember the golden rule when it comes to Mundanes, and especially humans. They tend to bring out the worst in us, so guard yourself against rash behavior in their presence. Pietas does not permit a “temporary insanity” defense. I know this chafes. You must learn to deal with it.
—
And there you have it. The new cover, in all its glorious riot of color.

Posted in New Book | Tagged , , , , , |

Hearing About the Towers #NeverForget911

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US Navy 010914-F-8006R-001 aerial view of Pentagon destruction

I was working at home on 9/11/2001. I was an administrative assistant back then. I had not yet published my first book, and was just sitting at my computer, working away. My son called from work and asked if I’d heard that a plane had crashed into one of Twin Towers in New York. I asked him if it was foggy, because I couldn’t imagine that anyone would do such a thing on purpose. He said no, it was a clear day. We were both puzzled. He hung up, and I went back to work. He called a bit later and said the other tower had been hit. It still didn’t dawn on me that this was an attack. I didn’t have a TV at the time. We had decided to turn off cable and where we lived back then we had lousy reception. I had already started regretting the decision, but that day it especially irked. I wondered briefly how fast I could get it turned back on.

I hung up, worked a little longer, and when the phone rang the third time, I answered it with a little annoyance. What now? I would never get anything done. “Mom,” Jamin said. “A plane hit the Pentagon.”

That’s when I knew. With a sinking feeling in my stomach, and lurch in my heart — I thought “We’re at war.” Then I thought, “But who did this?”

I packed up my stuff and headed in to the office. When I got there, I sat in the car a moment listening to a woman on the radio. She was asking one of the DJs if there was any way he could help her get through to New York. Her son was in one of the towers, and she couldn’t reach him. The DJ was saying something about the situation, and suddenly it just went quiet. He said, “I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry. The tower is falling.” Her son was in it. Chills chased themselves up my spine.

I bolted out of the car and dashed inside. In the gym, everyone was crowded around the TV, watching. Out in the hallways and the foyer, people had gathered around TV sets. Others had pulled TVs out of the conference rooms. People stood there, stricken. No one knew what to say. For so many to be gathered in front of a TV and no one to be talking… it was eerie.

Managers stood with employees. Few got any work done. No one could think past the grief at what we were seeing unfold.

Never Forget

Will I ever forget that day? Never. It’s seared into my heart. But what I choose to remember is the way Americans treated one another in the days that followed. People waved each other into good parking spots. They let others go first in line. They stepped aside, or helped others through doors. It was as if doing something for someone else helped them deal with the grief they felt. Flags went up in yards everywhere across the city. The sense of togetherness, of “America Strong” was amazing. North face south tower after plane strike 9-11

Americans should never forget that we have enemies who would hurt us. Enemies who would destroy our country and crush our spirit if they could. But we should also never forget that we are the United States. Not the separate states. Together, we can overcome. I have a print out on my wall that I look at every day. One of my characters, Luc Saint-Cyr, recites this to himself. He has taught it to those he loves in various books. It fits the spirit of America. It says:

I focus on my strengths.
I am indomitable.
I overcome.
I face every foe.
I win any fight.
I am bigger than any fear.

Where were you on 9/11/2001? What were you doing? Please share it in the comments section.

Posted in Life and Family |

Tour Inside the Nizamrak Building #scifi #IAN1

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Nizamrak Building in Tarth City

Nizamrak Building in Tarth City

I named the Nizamrak Building after my friend and mentor, the late author Barbara Karmazin. Nizamrak is Karmazin backward. BK, as she was affectionately known, loved the idea of having a site named after her. When my son Jamin created a print of the building, she was delighted. Should you visit the Tarthian Empire be sure to stop in and say hello to the employees at Lucsondis Enterprises. I’m sure they’d be glad to see you. Here’s the full address.

Lucsondis Enterprises Corporate Headquarters
Nizamrak Building, Suite 19800
100225 Destine Pietan Plaza
Tarth City, Di Lusso DistrictTarth, Tarthian Empire

Locations inside the Nizamrak

  • Parking, Transportation, Tube Train – Underground (fifteen floors)
  • Bank of Tarth – Suite 100 (ground) – 800
  • Non-Lucsondis-owned businesses, medical facilities, storage, employee housing, daycare, etc. – Suite 900-4000
  • For Women Only – Suite 4100 – 5000
  • Lucsondis Entertainment – Suite 5100 – 6000
  • idBot – Suite 6100 – 7000
  • CyberEgo – Suite 7100 – 8000
  • Lucsondis Enterprises – Suite 19100 – 19900
  • Unoccupied (on purpose) – Suite 20000
  • Penthouse “The Loft” – Suite 20100 – 20300

Tradestandard labor laws require workers to live in the place where they work. Exceptions are available (for example, married couples who work in different locations).

In the image below, the Nizamrak Building is on the left side.

Nizamrak Building

Nizamrak Building and Tarth City

The two-hundredth floor (Suite 20000) is vacant by design to provide privacy and security for the Loft. The Loft (Luc Saint-Cyr’s penthouse) supports a full parking deck for his fleet of cars, and an entertainment facility. The penthouse occupies the top three floors. Private living and sleeping quarters take up most of the top floor, and provide space for the rooftop pool. The rooftop also has weather and privacy shielding.

Because of its design and height, the Nizamrak Building is equipped with anti-terrorism devices and the highest security idBot can provide. Repulsor technology prevents aircraft from approaching, eliminating the need for traditional blinking lights required on tall buildings. Failsafes turn on the lights in case of power failures or emergencies.

Discrete express elevators run to the penthouse, including one solely for vehicles and delivery. A separate, stacked elevator system transports passengers rapidly to various sections of the building. An industrial elevator system handles delivery. Private parking for those qualified is housed underground. The Tube (the Tarth City tube train) makes scheduled stops. The Nizamrak Building is one of the few tall buildings into which the tube is not permitted to run. All transportation (except Luc Saint-Cyr’s private fleet) is underground. This gives the black-glass fronted building a sleek appearance. It is wider at the base than at the top.

More information is available in the Tarthian Empire Companion.

Art by Jamin Allen, with photos courtesy of Photoxpress.

Posted in New Book | Tagged , , , , , |

Creating a Legend: Pietas #scifi #amwriting

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The Legend of Pietas

Legend, Bringer of Chaos

Bringer of Chaos

The book, Bringer of Chaos, begins with the words: According to legend… No matter how horrific or grisly their wounds, the warriors called Ultras survived. Starvation did not stop them. Disease did not touch them. Only one thing slowed them down.

Death.

But even death didn’t hold them long.

The hyper-metabolism of Ultras made reproduction impossible, with one set of twins the sole exception. Enhanced by their warrior/scientist parents to protect them, the twins mastered every skill of science, art, and war.

The physical superiority of Ultras led to a revolt, and by the Terran year 4436 AD, they ruled the galaxy. Mankind served. Humans repented ever creating them, but there was no going back.

A million Ultras roamed the Terran Crescent and the Colonies of Man, and they ruled the starways, trade, and commerce. By the end of the First Cycle of Wars, the lowest of the subservient races was human.

However, pockets of rebellion persisted. A century of brutal resistance ended when the last beleaguered human rebels offered a treaty.

—
Pietas is one of the twins. He has been the villain in many of my books, has always fascinated me. I knew there was more to him than I could see, but like a shark swimming in the deepest waters, he was always moving, and always out of sight. As I began writing his book, he started coming into focus. The water grew less murky, and he came closer to the surface. Instead of the cold eyes I expected to see staring back at me, I found a person with heat, and passion, and an unstoppable hunger for not just revenge, but also for the truth.

He is bigger than life. Larger than a legend. One of the most complex characters I’ve ever written, Pietas is the key to every story in my universe. All of them hinge on his influence or presence. As I continue to write his story, I’ll share some of my insights here.

Join my Romance Lives Forever Reader Group and you’ll get inside info about the story as it unfolds, including access to areas of my website not available to anyone else. You’ll get a free book for joining, and another book the next day. As the book asks, “Will you dare to follow Pietas?”

Posted in Character Insights | Tagged , , , , , |

#starwars Love it or hate it #MaytheFourthBeWithYou

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StarWars with MikeyTrue confession: I am a geek and proud of it. I love StarWars and saw the first movie in a theater when it first came out. I was pregnant with my first child at the time. When StarWars: the Force Awakens came out last year, I took her youngest child to see it. I felt as if I’d gone full circle.

StarWars Opinions

Everyone has an opinion about this series. I won’t go into the platitudes about it or state the obvious about how it changed cinema forever. It’s obvious that it did. The technology to create the first film revolutionized filming. SteadiCam anyone? In the same way, Avatar made 3D a new force to be reckoned with (no pun intended).

When fans say “May the Fourth be with you” on every May 4th, it’s a tribute to the legacy of the series. The Jedi say “May the force be with you” as a means of farewell, and a blessing that is more than “good luck”. The fan phrase is also a reminder of the fun to be had when watching the films. When I saw The Force Awakens I loved seeing all the Easter eggs (references to things fans would recognize). There were entire blogs devoted to listing them. Here’s a trailer that claims to list them ALL.

https://youtu.be/8Rfs8Mx3Xx8

Created by George Lucas, the first film in the series was released in 1977. It began with the Episode 4: A New Hope. Episode 5 and 6 followed, and then several years later, episodes 1, 2, and 3 were released. With episode 7, we are beginning a new leg of the series. It’s a fan joke that we teach our kids to count this way: 4-5-6-1-2-3-7. Seriously, when you ask someone if they’ve seen the first StarWars, they invariably ask “Episode 1 or Episode 4”? Because 4 was the first, but 1 is the fourth, while still technically being the first episode. It’s like being a termite in a yo-yo. You go around and around with this.

But however you add it up, StarWars is one of those series you either love or hate. It’s polarizing, and hard to explain. I guess you’ll have to see it for yourself. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have. Whether you are a new fan or one from way back, may the fourth (and the force) be with you.