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?”
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. You’ll be seeing more about Bringer of Chaos as I continue to work on the book.
Stormsinger with Pietas
It turns out, his dragon can summon storms by singing to the wind and sky, and although his color is a very cold blue and turquoise, Stormsinger is a firedrake. Pietas’s sister, Dessy, has a dragon spirit animal as well. Hers is a red ice dragon called Fireshade. Does it do me any good to complain to these characters that their creatures are completely opposite of what’s expected? Talk to the floor and see how far you get.
Pietas and the dragon met on the planet Stachien in the Colonies of Man. I haven’t written that part of the story yet, so I don’t have details, but it’s coming. I thought you’d like to see a preview of a drawing of Pietas with his dragon. Clicking the picture below will open the image full size, which is 1920×1200, full wallpaper size for a desktop computer. Art is by Jamin Allen, my son, although I have done extensive work on both the dragon and Pietas.
Stormsinger with Pietas
Watch Jamin create the Pietas image in this speed-drawing video. You’ll also get a peek at the real life model he used as the inspiration for the drawing.
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
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 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.
Remember this day in movie lore? Wednesday, October 21, 2015 — that’s the day set into the Flux Capacitor in the movie “Back to the Future” starring Christopher Lloyd and Michael J Fox. The flick had Doc Brown (Lloyd) and Marty McFly (Fox) jumping through time. Because Marty accidentally went back in time, Doc had to get him back to the future in order to set events right. They unknowingly caused a rift in the space-time continuum, and at the end of the movie, Doc comes back from the distant future to Marty’s current time to get him and his girlfriend and go back to another future.
The story was a lot of fun, and was one of the first to be made where the sequels were shot at the same time. The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings were shot concurrently as well. Many fun websites and posts went up about the film, and discussions about continuity between the movies were the source of many fun arguments. In one scene, Marty wears a handheld hairdryer as if it’s a gun, but there were no such devices in that time. It was revealed that the device was originally included in the suitcase that Doc packed, and which Marty brought back in time with him because it was already in the time machine.
Speaking of which, whoever thought of putting a time machine into a DeLorean? If I remember correctly, Doc Brown reasoned if he could crank the car up to 88 miles per hour, the flux capacitor would kick in and spark the jump. Which it did, creating a comical series of events. Marty gets in the car to outrun bad guys early in the film, and ends up being shot into the past, where the car takes out a pine tree. The movie starts out with Marty arriving at Twin Pines Mall to meet Doc, and ends with him returning to Lone Pine Mall, one of the first hints that the future has changed.
Time travel has always fascinated me, and watching this movie and its sequels has been great fun in the past. I’ve shared it with my kids and grandkids. I’m looking forward to the upcoming Star Wars movie. How many times have you seen the originals? Like millions — I’ll be anxiously awaiting the return of heroes I’ve known nearly all my life. And yes (cue the heavy breathing) at least one villain.
Share what you remember about Back to the Future. Have you seen it? How about the sequels? How many times? What is your favorite line? Mine is “Roads? Where we’re going, we don’t need any roads.” Share in the comments.
Image credits: “TeamTimeCar.com-BTTF DeLorean Time Machine-OtoGodfrey.com-JMortonPhoto.com-07” by Terabass – Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 via Commons http://bit.ly/1GpyN1V
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.
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.
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.
“At the Mercy of Her Pleasure is a story filled with vice and a political empire whose leader, the Conqueror, has no scruples about its application for her own benefit. Add to the mix slavery, kidnapping, blackmail, behaviour enhancing/suppressing drugs and NarrAy Jorlan, one very tempting, genetically engineered human female soldier, and the Antonello brothers, Senth and Khyff, have a lot to contend with to save each other from a life of slavery and submission. …the enigma of Luc Saint-Cyr (the Harbinger) was fascinating. I hope we’ll get to read more about him in this series.” Reviewer: Meredith Gurr, Merry’s Reviews https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1369914461
At the Mercy of Her Pleasure
This review is for the current edition of At the Mercy of Her Pleasure. Here are a few reviews from previous editions.
Review 4.5 Ribbons
Apr 2010
With a dazzling cast of characters and an action packed plot, Kayelle Allen introduces us to her extraordinary Empire of Tarth and the alluring Antonello Brothers, where everything is possible and the only boundaries are only those created by her illimitable imagination.
http://romancejunkiesreviews.com/artman/publish/paranormal/KAAt_the_Mercy_of_Her_Pleasure.shtml
Romantic Times Book Reviews
Review 3 Stars
May 2004
Passion is the name of the game in this story. … At the Mercy of Her Pleasure is an amazing, captivating science fiction story.
http://www.rtbookreviews.com/book-review/mercy-her-pleasure
Long and Short Reviews (formerly Whipped Cream Reviews)
Review 4 Cherries
This story definitely had the right amount of sugar and spice. Because this was a sci-fi story based on another world the author really had free rein to use her imagination.
http://whippedcream2.blogspot.com/2010/04/at-mercy-of-her-pleasure-by-kayelle.html
You Gotta Read Reviews
Review: You Need to Read
Aug 2010
Overall, I wish I could recommend reading this book, but I must instead recommend reading it twice. The ending is a serious twist that throws everything into a different light. I won’t ruin it by saying any more then that.
http://yougottareadreviews.blogspot.com/2010/08/review-at-mercy-of-her-pleasure-by.html
Tropes are literary themes that recur across a genre. Think of tropes as the ‘brilliant detective’ of murder mysteries or ‘the virginal heroine’ in Regency romances. Tropes are more than character descriptions, however. They can relate to plot as well.
Films are often identified by their tropes: chick flick, shoot ’em up, RomCon, or the well known Whodunnit.
Tropes are similar to archetypes and clichés, although not necessarily negative in aspect. Tropes can abbreviate writing — and reading.
In the 1990 Arnold Schwarzennegar film Total Recall, the futuristic world had so many futuristic elements that it was hard to recognize roles. In one scene, a woman sitting at a desk casually changes the color of her nails by applying it with a special wand, while she answers a phone. Instantly, her secretarial role became recognizable. The shorthand of her actions told us what we needed to know, without spending time doing it. If a character walks in the room and he’s wearing a white coat and has a stethoscope hanging around his neck, we expect him to be a doctor. The props themselves are part of the tropes for these kinds of characters. It can become a cliche, yes. Even become part of a character archetype. Evil laugh for the villain? Check. But tropes are not necessarily a bad thing. There are thousands of tropes.
Tropes in Trailing Kaiwulf
To see where these colored boxes come from and to understand their concept, click HERE to open the Periodic Table of Storytelling in a new window.
Ind – Adventurer Archaelogist (Dr. Viva Post)
An older woman, Dr. Viva Post was confined to a hoverchair after a cave in at a ruins injured her spine. She uses a silver “strength suit” to walk or climb limited distances.
Ag – Action Girl (Jee Tonopah)
Jee is the personification of an Action Girl. She can go toe-to-toe with her male counterparts without breaking a sweat. The day she has to be rescued will never dawn. Although she is tiny in comparison to her beefy partner, she is the undisputed brawn to his brain.
Gb – Genius Bruiser (Dane Raphyel)
The Genius Bruiser is a big guy who is also a geek. Dane is far from being Dumb Muscle. He understands the significance of the MacGuffin being sought, as well as some of the history of the Gates Technology (Applied Phlebotinum).
Cal – The Call (TRAIL mission)
Trailing Kaiwulf
The first step in a hero’s journey is the point where our heroes learn they must abandon their well-earned vacations, saved for over a period of years, and go on a dire quest to retrieve a MacGuffin. A Living MacGuffin in this case.
There are multiple Obstructive Bureacrats for the price of one in this story. Their machinations generally meet dire ends, as befits the annoying natures of the characters.
Phl – Applied Phlebotinum (Gates Technology)
As the tropes site explains, this is science, magic, and strange things unknown to science or magic. In Trailing Kaiwulf, there are various advanced technologies that are unexplained because they seem commonplace to the characters using them (intersteller flight, strength suits, communication devices, etc.). However, the defining “phlebotinum” of this book is the Gates technology. The ruins of twin steel arches over 200 feet high have been found on several previously thought uninhabited worlds. Scientists have puzzled over their intended use. On the planet Ust, they find a dying race that still uses the technology — or would have, if the key to turning on the Gates hadn’t been stolen. Finding and retrieving the person who stole the key is the crux of the story.
Mcg – MacGuffin (Kaiwulf)
Kaiwulf is a “Living MacGuffin” whose presence in the story serves to drive the plot. He’s an invisible man who can enter another dimension, and the heroes of the story must find and return him to this dimension.
Here’s a link to the original post on Melissa’s site for last year’s event.
Learn More About Tropes
A popular site for fans is TV Tropes. It started out as a small wiki for TV watchers, and has grown into millions of fans in every media. During the month of July, Author Melissa Snark is featuring a number of authors on her Snarkology site who will discuss tropes in their stories. The series is based on the Periodic Table of Storytelling, which is linked to the TV Tropes site. For this event, Melissa’s site and the TV Tropes site will be linked. Be sure to visit both. You won’t want to miss.
Each author in the Tropes event will have the opportunity to show off the varied tropes within one tale. Here is a list of appearances. I’m up first, on July 7th with The Last Vhalgenn.
July 7 Kayelle Allen
July 8 Jax Daniels
July 9 Nicole Zoltack
July 10 Houston Havens
July 11 Melissa Snark
July 13 Caroline Warfield
July 14 Jude Knight
July 15 Emily Walker
July 16 Mari Christie
July 17 Jami Brumfield
If you sign up for my newsletter you’ll be the first to hear when the post comes out. Signing up is easy. Just click the link shown above, or enter your email in the link on the left. Why not also follow the blog by choosing one of the options listed? Or sign up for one email when a new book is released by clicking here: Author Alarms Thank you for your support!
I’m editing a previously released scifi romance in preparation for re-release. It’s mainstream scifi (but was erotica). Taking out the graphic content means the story itself shines for a whole new audience.
The story deserves an all new cover as well. It’s had two previous ones. The first one was by Laura Givens, and the second by Anne Cain. The Author’s Secret did this one. Since I own the business, I have to brag. Our custom covers come with a month of ad space on The Romance Studio, and a month of DMCA Take Down service from Book About.
Oh Mercy
This is the first book I ever wrote, and it’s in need of some shaping. I’ve written other books since, and this is in the same universe as they are. I’ve fine tuned details since this came out. This is not the absolute final version, but it’s not likely to change much. I’ve even rewritten the blurb to better fit the story.
I’ll be sharing info on how and why I edited various scenes as I recreate the book. This is the first in a series and contains the new blurb, as well as the first two pages.
At the Mercy of Her Pleasure
Here are the blurb, and the first three paragraphs of At the Mercy of Her Pleasure. I hope you enjoy it.
—
If he touches her, he’ll be at the mercy of her pleasure.
Professional thief Senth Antonello is hired to retrieve a stolen prototype for which the imperial armada has already killed twice. When Senth’s brother is kidnapped to ensure the device is surrendered, Senth must rescue his brother, outsmart the armada, and keep the item out of imperial hands. All doable, except for one small problem. Senth must accomplish it in the company of a genetically altered woman whose pheromones could enhance the mission or crumble it into dust with a single siren kiss.
Excerpt
Once in the shadows, Senth Antonello shoved back the hood of his sensor-blocking cloak and fanned his face. The Thieves’ Guild tech let him hide from copbot scans, but it didn’t cool him. Using his fangs, he loosened first one glove, then the other, and peeled them off. He tucked them into one of dozens of hidden pockets in the cloak.
The faint sound of gang chant carried in the chilled night air. Gangs in the Crooktown District hunted mixed breeds like him. At first glance, Senth appeared human, but with his catlike eyes and fangs, no one could miss his Kin nature. In moonlight, his eyes glowed.
The chant grew louder, along with the sound of glass breaking. The deeper darkness that followed meant two things: another streetlight had met its end, and that gang was closer than Senth had thought.
You come down here I skin you. Senth flattened himself against the brick wall. I skin you, the Grand Master skins me. Let’s do each other a favor, huh, boys?
Worse, the Grand Master would inform Senth’s Sen’dai. His guild master. The crime lord all the other crime lords feared. The Man. The Harbinger. Luc Saint-Cyr.
The Guild didn’t accept non-humans, unless they were enslaved to a human member. No one could rise past level ten, unless related to a human member. Marriages and adoptions happened, regularly. So, to keep the Guild happy, Saint-Cyr was Senth’s lord and master and his adoptive father.
No way Senth wanted the Man angry with him. The last time he’d almost…
Don’t even go there. Senth shook off the thought, drew his hood forward again, and edged around the corner into a darker alley. “Ffffftt!” The Kin cuss word hissed past his fangs. Where are you? Come on, you have to be close. Senth’s HalfKin senses caught the scent of his quarry.
Pressed against the wall, Senth slipped around one last corner, and hunkered down. He melted into the concealing darkness behind a barrel, and narrowed night-sensitive eyes.
His human half brother leaned against the opposite wall of the trash-strewn alley. Khyffen Antonello’s blond hair shone in the muted light. A female pinned him, arms around his neck. She tore open Khyff’s shirt and ran her hands over his chest.
Senth folded himself into the tight space behind the barrel and settled in to wait. Protection of his brother went before any assignment, at least tonight. Family came first.
Senth’s mother had died after birthing him. Khyff, who’d been three, had been sold into slavery. Neither of them knew the other lived until a month ago. Neither had a clue about their biological fathers. Until Khyff had found him, Senth’s only “family” had consisted of the Man.
Pulling out Saint-Cyr’s note, Senth read it once more. Get your half brother and meet me at The Ghost. I have a job for you. Do it, and I’ll buy Khyffen and free him, but it’s going to cost you.
Of course it would. Senth slipped his gloves back on. The Man didn’t do anything for free. But if it got Khyff out of that hellhole, Senth would do it. Leaning out from behind the barrel, he spied Khyff.
For Women Only
His brother had clenched his fists, eyes squeezed shut, face lifted to the night sky, mouth open in a silent scream.
Senth’s master had raised him to believe that no one should have to sell himself to survive. Saint-Cyr owned one slave only, and that was Senth, and only so he could rise within the Guild. They might not agree on how but they did agree on what.
Khyff needed his freedom.
— At the Mercy of Her Pleasure will be out by the end of July, along with its sequel, For Women Only (Khyff’s story). To get one email when one of my books is released, sign up on Author Alarms. You can also subscribe to the newletter and follow the blog. Both options are listed on the left.
I got a sweet review: “This gem of a scifi book offers tips for scifi writers, and secrets for fans of Kayelle Allen’s Tarthian Empire series.”
This is more true than you’d think. I’ve partnered with EssenTiles on Etsy to create beautiful gem-like charms of the cover, and my friend Paige created handmade glass beads (also a gem) that match the planets on the cover. She put beads and charms together to create a unique dustplug you can use with your cellphone.
Companion dustplugs in use
How do they work? (in the phone image, it’s shown at the bottom. Your phone will have this jack at the top.) Insert the plastic plug into your cellphone’s audio jack and it keeps the dust out. It also makes a pretty gem dangle of bright color. I’ll give away one of these to the first five (US address only, please) who ask. You don’t have to leave personal info here. You can email me your contact info at author@kayelleallen.com and I’ll get back with you.
Paige created the beads by melting the glass and adding “frit” — fused or partially fused materials used in making glass — to create the markings on the “planets”. This ensures each bead is unique. The charms are quality glass with the image embedded inside.
I loved creating this unique gem as a giveaway, and hope you’ll enjoy using it!
About the Tarthian Empire Companion
For the science fiction writer, this volume teaches you how to build believable worlds, track details of your story, organize your writing, and lay out your story bible. Novice or experienced, you will pick up tricks and tips here. This EPIC eBook Award winning writer shares organizational tips, links to marketing sites, groups supporting writers, science fiction groups, and more. Material from the author’s 90+ page website is included. For the science fiction fan, the Companion reveals the worldbuilding magic that makes Kayelle Allen’s Tarthian Empire tick. She shares every character in every book, 10k years of future history, offers inside peeks at scenes and stories, lays out a quick tour of the Empire, and dishes up a surfeit of secrets, all in one illustrated volume. Original art by Jamin Allen and Kayelle Allen.
