Good Morning, Booklovers!
It’s time for another Coffee Chat about books and authors. This week’s returning guest is Scifi Romance author Kayelle Allen. (Check out her prior blog appearances here: https://allyshields.com/blog/coffee-chat-author-interview-kayelle-allen1 and https://allyshields.com/blog/coffee-chat-author-interview-kayelle-allen)
Welcome, Kayelle! While the magic pot whips up your usual mug of Starbucks coffee with cream and Stevia, please introduce yourself to new readers.
It’s time for another Coffee Chat about books and authors. This week’s returning guest is Scifi Romance author Kayelle Allen. (Check out her prior blog appearances here: https://allyshields.com/blog/coffee-chat-author-interview-kayelle-allen1 and https://allyshields.com/blog/coffee-chat-author-interview-kayelle-allen)
Welcome, Kayelle! While the magic pot whips up your usual mug of Starbucks coffee with cream and Stevia, please introduce yourself to new readers.
About Kayelle Allen:
Readers do not buy books. They buy experiences. When you read a Kayelle Allen Science Fiction Romance you have a great experience interacting with misbehaving robots, mythic heroes, role playing immortal gamers, and warriors who purr.
Something unique/unusual that isn't in your regular bio: “I grew up all over the country. Not a military family -- my parents had wanderlust. I have been to almost every state (except Hawaii) and even lived in Central America as a young child.”
Author Contacts:
Homeworld https://kayelleallen.com
Twitter https://twitter.com/kayelleallen
Facebook https://facebook.com/kayelleallen.author
Join one of Kayelle's Reader Groups. You can download four free books and get news about books coming soon. You can unsubscribe at any time. https://kayelleallen.com/reader-groups
Readers do not buy books. They buy experiences. When you read a Kayelle Allen Science Fiction Romance you have a great experience interacting with misbehaving robots, mythic heroes, role playing immortal gamers, and warriors who purr.
Something unique/unusual that isn't in your regular bio: “I grew up all over the country. Not a military family -- my parents had wanderlust. I have been to almost every state (except Hawaii) and even lived in Central America as a young child.”
Author Contacts:
Homeworld https://kayelleallen.com
Twitter https://twitter.com/kayelleallen
Facebook https://facebook.com/kayelleallen.author
Join one of Kayelle's Reader Groups. You can download four free books and get news about books coming soon. You can unsubscribe at any time. https://kayelleallen.com/reader-groups
INTERVIEW:
Ally: How did you get your first book or story published?
KA: I had joined an online critique group and one of the authors who critiqued my work offered to introduce me to her publisher (a small press). I submitted three chapters and within a few days had a contract. I finished the book in February, and it was released in April of that year. The story I'm sharing today is that story's prequel.
Ally: What do you think makes a good villain? What characteristics will make us love to hate him/her?
KA: A good villain must be better than the hero. Yes, better. A villain who isn't better than the hero cannot give the hero enough challenge to make the story worthwhile. A villain must be complex, meaning more than just being bad for the sake of the story. Why is the villain doing what he or she is doing? Were they abused children? Are they avenging a wrongful death? What will they do if they win? There must be a reason beyond the moment, unless the villain plans to die in a blaze of glory. And, the villain must be believable--a character with depth.
Ally: Do you use a professional editor? If not, what do you do to ensure a quality book?
KA: I use several editors. I have beta readers, two critique groups, a developmental author (Lisa Lowe), a "story polisher" (Patricia McCabe Cook, who oversees structure and character emotional development among other things) and a professional content editor (Barb Caffrey). And even with all that, a book can go out and the day it releases you find a typo on page six. No one is perfect, but I believe in striving toward that goal.
Ally: Do your characters come to you fully formed with names and backgrounds?
KA: Once I have the name, I have the character. They might grow and change and surprise me, but often, I have their entire story immediately. That said, Pietas, the immortal king from the Bringer of Chaos series morphed from a villain to a noble hero. I won't spoil his story by revealing how. But yes, usually I have the whole person right at the beginning.
Ally: Do your book fans influence your writing? If so, in what way?
KA: When someone tells me they like something, or they wish X would happen, I listen. I love to write. I love creating stories. But even more, I love it when people want to talk about my world and its people. I'm always excited when someone asks a question. I've added things to or eliminated things from later stories because of fan comments. I don't write in a bubble. I'm always glad to hear comments.
Ally: What's the most meaningful thing a reader could say about your book?
KA: Recently one told me she was reading and heard a noise. When she looked up, she was surprised to find herself still in her world. Mentally and emotionally, she had walked right into mine.
Ally: Talk about your main characters. Are they likable? Do they have off-putting flaws or beliefs? Are they "good" people?
KA: Two of the three main characters in Bro are professional thieves. But from page one, you know Senth is adorable. He's constantly bullied because he's only half human, and he struggles with his identity. He is at odds with his father, who understands him far better than Senth thinks). But at the end of the day, the guy makes a living by taking from other people.
Why should you like him? Because, like Senth, we have all been in places and situations where we felt we didn't belong. When he psychs himself up and rallies the courage to go through the door of the Thieves' Guild on page one, we are ready to go with him. It doesn't hurt that his sense of humor comes right into play. He goes through a litany of "maybes" that include being accepted and not being mocked, and then ends by telling himself, "Oh, and maybe the Empress would eliminate taxes, and while she was at it, free all the slaves. Because, sure. That could happen."
Ally: What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?
KA: Bro released at the beginning of April. It's the prequel to the Antonello Brothers series, which currently has two books. My next book is Watch Your Six. It's the third book in the Bringer of Chaos series. Then comes the re-release of Surrender Love and its new sequel, Surrender Trust. After that, the third Antonello Brothers book gets top priority. I have so many stories in my head that if I couldn’t die until I'd written them all, I would live forever.
Ally: Let’s see which quick answer questions you selected.
KA:
Ally: How did you get your first book or story published?
KA: I had joined an online critique group and one of the authors who critiqued my work offered to introduce me to her publisher (a small press). I submitted three chapters and within a few days had a contract. I finished the book in February, and it was released in April of that year. The story I'm sharing today is that story's prequel.
Ally: What do you think makes a good villain? What characteristics will make us love to hate him/her?
KA: A good villain must be better than the hero. Yes, better. A villain who isn't better than the hero cannot give the hero enough challenge to make the story worthwhile. A villain must be complex, meaning more than just being bad for the sake of the story. Why is the villain doing what he or she is doing? Were they abused children? Are they avenging a wrongful death? What will they do if they win? There must be a reason beyond the moment, unless the villain plans to die in a blaze of glory. And, the villain must be believable--a character with depth.
Ally: Do you use a professional editor? If not, what do you do to ensure a quality book?
KA: I use several editors. I have beta readers, two critique groups, a developmental author (Lisa Lowe), a "story polisher" (Patricia McCabe Cook, who oversees structure and character emotional development among other things) and a professional content editor (Barb Caffrey). And even with all that, a book can go out and the day it releases you find a typo on page six. No one is perfect, but I believe in striving toward that goal.
Ally: Do your characters come to you fully formed with names and backgrounds?
KA: Once I have the name, I have the character. They might grow and change and surprise me, but often, I have their entire story immediately. That said, Pietas, the immortal king from the Bringer of Chaos series morphed from a villain to a noble hero. I won't spoil his story by revealing how. But yes, usually I have the whole person right at the beginning.
Ally: Do your book fans influence your writing? If so, in what way?
KA: When someone tells me they like something, or they wish X would happen, I listen. I love to write. I love creating stories. But even more, I love it when people want to talk about my world and its people. I'm always excited when someone asks a question. I've added things to or eliminated things from later stories because of fan comments. I don't write in a bubble. I'm always glad to hear comments.
Ally: What's the most meaningful thing a reader could say about your book?
KA: Recently one told me she was reading and heard a noise. When she looked up, she was surprised to find herself still in her world. Mentally and emotionally, she had walked right into mine.
Ally: Talk about your main characters. Are they likable? Do they have off-putting flaws or beliefs? Are they "good" people?
KA: Two of the three main characters in Bro are professional thieves. But from page one, you know Senth is adorable. He's constantly bullied because he's only half human, and he struggles with his identity. He is at odds with his father, who understands him far better than Senth thinks). But at the end of the day, the guy makes a living by taking from other people.
Why should you like him? Because, like Senth, we have all been in places and situations where we felt we didn't belong. When he psychs himself up and rallies the courage to go through the door of the Thieves' Guild on page one, we are ready to go with him. It doesn't hurt that his sense of humor comes right into play. He goes through a litany of "maybes" that include being accepted and not being mocked, and then ends by telling himself, "Oh, and maybe the Empress would eliminate taxes, and while she was at it, free all the slaves. Because, sure. That could happen."
Ally: What is your next writing project? Anticipated release date?
KA: Bro released at the beginning of April. It's the prequel to the Antonello Brothers series, which currently has two books. My next book is Watch Your Six. It's the third book in the Bringer of Chaos series. Then comes the re-release of Surrender Love and its new sequel, Surrender Trust. After that, the third Antonello Brothers book gets top priority. I have so many stories in my head that if I couldn’t die until I'd written them all, I would live forever.
Ally: Let’s see which quick answer questions you selected.
KA:
- a. Color of nail polish I have on - Zip. I don't wear polish, but I am a fanatic about clean, well-shaped nails.
- b. High heels or sneakers - I don't even own a pair of high heels.
- c. Favorite book boyfriend - Roarke from JD Robb's In Death series. (Ally comment: Ooh, He’s one of mine too!)
- d. Do I believe in love at first sight? - Absolutely. I married a man who swears it was love at first sight. After I met him, I never dated another man. We've been together 45 years.
- e. Something unique in my handbag - I carry a seat belt adjuster. It's a triangular shaped cloth device that slips over the seat belt. It keeps the belt in place over hips and shoulder. I'm short-waisted, so most belts go right across my neck. With this, I don't have to worry about it. I don't have to constantly adjust the belt.
- f. Typical breakfast - I eat the same thing almost every day. A dark chocolate almond Zone Perfect bar, Light N Fit fat free vanilla yogurt, and fresh fruit. I'm at my most creative in the morning, so I don't waste time trying to decide what to eat.
Bro, Antonello Brothers Prequel
Genre: Science Fiction/romance
Heat level: PG
The tech Senth is about to claim will make him invisible. Finally, the young halfbreed thief will be out of sight and far from the taunts humans throw at him. But when that tech reveals he has a human half-brother who's bound by a cruel slaver, Senth must find a way to win his brother's freedom and save him from abuse -- even though Senth is a slave himself.
What if invisibility wasn't magic? What if it was tech? When you can make yourself invisible, you reveal invisible truth.
Excerpt:
In this scene from Bro, Senth Antonello is in a place well familiar to readers on Coffee Time Romance -- a coffee shop. After getting an encrypted message from his father, a former head of the Thieves' Guild, Senth is trying to use the shop's back room to listen to it. One little problem that a thief of his caliber shouldn't have: he can't open the door.
---
Senth pulled out his lockpick and adjusted the settings. When he pointed it at the lock, the device signaled a lockout error and the tiny screen flashed nonsense letters at him.
What in the worlds did probata mean?
He twisted the tip of the pick and floated the stats as a holovid. Probata Corporation. Wasn't that the system his prof in Premium Fingersmithing ranted about? Something about useless upgrades and pointless codes. What did she say about a bypass trick?
"Think, Senth. You sat there listening to the woman fume for two solid wasted hours."
Oh, no he hadn't.
No, that was the day Senth had flaked out of classes and spent a full day at Planet Fun with his mates. He'd recorded it instead. But had he transcribed it to his code book?
Of course not. And didn't that make this encounter so much more fun? He pinched the bridge of his nose, but his father always did that so Senth stopped it at once.
Why was a lock on a coffee shop's storeroom door harder than a security system at the planet's busiest amusement park? What were they storing in there? The Empress's private coffee stash?
Curiosity over the message from his far-from-patient father burned through his mental pockets. Wait. His father. Surely, he'd have the new codes.
Yes, and then he'd want to know why Senth didn't and no way was he explaining to dear old Dad how he hacked into Planet Fun for "a planetful of fun" instead of going to class.
That fortune Dad paid for Senth to attend classes at the guild academy? Yeah, wasted a full day of it to impress a few girls, which was why he was calling needing a bail out.
No way was he going back to the front, stand right in front of a table full of professors, and do the Hey can I borrow your key thing.
Riiight.
He tried a few other codes, used a couple work-arounds and then trashed two premium override keys trying to wangle a back-way in.
"Forget this." Senth snapped the lockpick shut and got out his mobile. He tapped his first choice for help, the third name from the bottom of his contacts list. When his fellow thief answered, voice only, Senth wasted no time. "You got overrides for a Probata?"
"Excuse me? Who do you think you're talking to?" The woman never blinked in class. She listened, took no notes, never failed a test. "How bad you need it?"
Bad enough not to make a fool of himself in front of his professors. "Season ticket to Planet Fun. You can barter that for anything."
"Hmm." Clicking sounds in the background. Searching the value, most likely. "Stolen or purchased?"
"Excuse me?" Senth returned. "Who do you think you're talking to?"
She gave a throaty chuckle. "Send your code. I'll send mine."
Add this book on Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44777225-bro
Amazon Link:
Enjoy for ,99 or free on Kindle Unlimited https://books2read.com/u/bwqyAy
Genre: Science Fiction/romance
Heat level: PG
The tech Senth is about to claim will make him invisible. Finally, the young halfbreed thief will be out of sight and far from the taunts humans throw at him. But when that tech reveals he has a human half-brother who's bound by a cruel slaver, Senth must find a way to win his brother's freedom and save him from abuse -- even though Senth is a slave himself.
What if invisibility wasn't magic? What if it was tech? When you can make yourself invisible, you reveal invisible truth.
Excerpt:
In this scene from Bro, Senth Antonello is in a place well familiar to readers on Coffee Time Romance -- a coffee shop. After getting an encrypted message from his father, a former head of the Thieves' Guild, Senth is trying to use the shop's back room to listen to it. One little problem that a thief of his caliber shouldn't have: he can't open the door.
---
Senth pulled out his lockpick and adjusted the settings. When he pointed it at the lock, the device signaled a lockout error and the tiny screen flashed nonsense letters at him.
What in the worlds did probata mean?
He twisted the tip of the pick and floated the stats as a holovid. Probata Corporation. Wasn't that the system his prof in Premium Fingersmithing ranted about? Something about useless upgrades and pointless codes. What did she say about a bypass trick?
"Think, Senth. You sat there listening to the woman fume for two solid wasted hours."
Oh, no he hadn't.
No, that was the day Senth had flaked out of classes and spent a full day at Planet Fun with his mates. He'd recorded it instead. But had he transcribed it to his code book?
Of course not. And didn't that make this encounter so much more fun? He pinched the bridge of his nose, but his father always did that so Senth stopped it at once.
Why was a lock on a coffee shop's storeroom door harder than a security system at the planet's busiest amusement park? What were they storing in there? The Empress's private coffee stash?
Curiosity over the message from his far-from-patient father burned through his mental pockets. Wait. His father. Surely, he'd have the new codes.
Yes, and then he'd want to know why Senth didn't and no way was he explaining to dear old Dad how he hacked into Planet Fun for "a planetful of fun" instead of going to class.
That fortune Dad paid for Senth to attend classes at the guild academy? Yeah, wasted a full day of it to impress a few girls, which was why he was calling needing a bail out.
No way was he going back to the front, stand right in front of a table full of professors, and do the Hey can I borrow your key thing.
Riiight.
He tried a few other codes, used a couple work-arounds and then trashed two premium override keys trying to wangle a back-way in.
"Forget this." Senth snapped the lockpick shut and got out his mobile. He tapped his first choice for help, the third name from the bottom of his contacts list. When his fellow thief answered, voice only, Senth wasted no time. "You got overrides for a Probata?"
"Excuse me? Who do you think you're talking to?" The woman never blinked in class. She listened, took no notes, never failed a test. "How bad you need it?"
Bad enough not to make a fool of himself in front of his professors. "Season ticket to Planet Fun. You can barter that for anything."
"Hmm." Clicking sounds in the background. Searching the value, most likely. "Stolen or purchased?"
"Excuse me?" Senth returned. "Who do you think you're talking to?"
She gave a throaty chuckle. "Send your code. I'll send mine."
Add this book on Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44777225-bro
Amazon Link:
Enjoy for ,99 or free on Kindle Unlimited https://books2read.com/u/bwqyAy
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