A Slice of Cake With... Kayelle Allen

This week I am delighted to have a slice of cake with Kayelle Allen.

Kayelle writes stories with immortal gamers and warriors who purr. She is the author of multiple books, novellas, and short stories. She's also a US Navy veteran and has been married so long she's tenured.

What kind of books do you write?

I write sci-fi and fantasy with immortal gamers (GameLit), misbehaving robots, high-functioning synesthete androids, and warriors who purr. Some books are enemies to lovers, some have huge plot twists, and others are humorous takes on the world. My writing allows me to share my views about the world without being preachy. I present situations in my stories and let readers draw their own conclusions. For example, imagine a world where one gender has few rights, is kept in seclusion, protected and sheltered, yet forbidden an education. Now imagine that gender is male.

Can you describe your writing why?

There are times when it feels like my characters are channelling through me from another universe and I'm only the medium allowing them to be heard. It's up to me to reveal their truths. Other times, I write because I love the feedback from readers. Getting an email with a question about a story or a character makes my day. I've been writing for so long now that it's an ingrained habit, but one I have no desire to change or to "retire" from. I love what I do and can't wait to get out of bed in the morning and go do it. I am retired now and write full time. I love it.

Share with us your favourite passage from the book you enjoyed writing the most

This is one of my favorite passages from A Stolen Heart in the Antonello Brothers series. It's the opening of the book and introduces not only the protagonist, but also the antagonist and gives you an immediate feel for their I-love-to-hate-you relationship.

"Will you meet with me? I hope you won't leave the planet before I get there." His king's calm tenor voice offered no overt danger. It sounded like a friendly message, but since when did Pietas say he hoped you wouldn't do something? He flat out told you.

The hair raised on the back of Luc Saint-Cyr's neck.

He paused the holographic video and rubbed the tight spot between his eyes. Was he jumping to conclusions? The message might mean what it said.

It might, if Pietas didn't enshroud every word in multiple layers of secrets.

No. This was far too casual. The message must imply something. A warning, or a code Luc lacked the key for.

"Focus. What am I missing?" Luc circled the holograph.

Pietas had been in the midst of tossing back his long platinum hair. Since he only cut it during wartime, its length implied peace. His flirty, you-know-you-love-me smile was in full view, but his king smiled when commanding his panther to devour an enemy too.

All this friendliness stank of some game he was playing. All right. If it was a game, Luc would play it.

It wasn't as if he had a choice.

He activated the holovid again.

The man reached down, off camera. From the motion, he had to be petting that monstrous cat of his. "Can't wait to see you, Cyken." The scene went black.

A tap skipped the holovid back to its final image. Luc zoomed in on his king's face. No wrinkles around the eyes, no lines around the noble mouth. Pietas had been reborn and the age difference showed. Makeup and poorly lit images hid plenty, but only an immortal with a planet-sized ego would think he could shave off that many years and the mortal public wouldn't notice.

Why would Pietas risk exposing their biggest secret?

Every time mortals had discovered that immortals existed, it led to the revelation that their blood resurrected mortal dead. And it cost Ultras their freedom.

Luc paced the length of his ship's observation deck, his mind leaping from one disturbing thought to another. Allowing mortals to glimpse sudden unexplainable youth jeopardized the mission: protect humanity from its own folly. Restore what Ultras had destroyed when they'd been mankind's enemy.

Even if it meant crippling the progress of Ultras by keeping mankind from advanced forms of space travel.

The view of his world with its black seas matched Luc's mood. From here, Miraj City glowed like millions of lampyris birds trapped in a net, subject to the whim of their masters. Once he boarded his king's flagship, Luc would be no freer than those glowing birds, with his net the grace of his king.

"Sir?" the voice of James intruded. His android security chief also managed Luc's transportation. "You wanted to know when we entered the ship's cloaking field. We're in."

Outside it, the flagship was invisible to the planet's security forces. They'd never believe an alien vessel bigger than an imperial planet-killer wasn't hostile.

"Already?" Luc swept a hand through his hair. "You're certain? There's no mistake?"

The android didn't respond at first. "Yes, sir. The hull is visible. We're inside the cloak."

"All right." Luc covered his mouth, fighting a roiling stomach. No chest pain for months, but one minute near Pietas and it was back. Full strength. "I'm on my way."

A Stolen Heart

When a glorified space pirate turned entrepreneur rescues a vulnerable orphan, a chain of events sets chaos in motion. At war with his compassion for the toddler, loyalty to the king, duty to the Guild, and the bright lure of freedom he's coveted for centuries, Luc seeks the right path. 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...

This book is free on all retailers. Read the gateway book to the entire Antonello Brothers and Antonello Brothers: Immortal series. Universal Buy Link https://books2read.com/ab-stolen-heart

Tell us about your latest project

I'm currently plotting the fifth and final book in the Antonello Brothers series, Crystal Clear Truth. Khyff and Senth didn't know each other growing up, and didn't meet until they were young adults. Crystal Clear Truth is set a few years in the future from the last book, and introduces an older brother that no one suspected even existed. Tying this story to the others is both a challenge and a lot of fun. It also gives me the opportunity to deepen the already almost fathomless story universe I've developed. The good thing for readers is that A Stolen Heart is free, and it introduces them to the entire empire of books and characters. It's a fun read.

What is your favourite cake?

Rich, dark devil's food with creamy white frosting. The best way to eat it is with a scoop of equally rich vanilla ice cream. Yum! Someone I know said this is the cake that should be called "angel's food" - not that fluffy white stuff. Truth be known, I love them both, but devil's food is the bomb. Red velvet cake wants to be chocolate, and German chocolate cake wishes it were. Devil's food is the real thing.

Sign up for her newsletter and get free Sci-Fi stories, book recommendations, and become a Tarthian Empire citizen (and an immortal), among other reader exclusives here https://kayelleallen.com/immortality

Connect with Kayelle here:

Website https://kayelleallen.com
Twitter http://twitter.com/kayelleallen
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/kayelleallenbooks
Kayelle's Keepers http://facebook.com/groups/KayellesKeepers
BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/authors/kayelle-allen

Join me next week when I will be having a slice of cake with Teresa E Sargeant. 

If you would like to take part in A Slice of Cake With... please fill in the form found here. I'd be delighted to have you.

You can also support my writing endeavours and buy me tea & cake - it's what makes the world go round!

Claire Buss is a multi-genre author and poet, completely addicted to cake. Find out more about her books on her website clairebuss.co.uk. Join the discussion in her Facebook group Buss's Book Stop. Never miss out on future posts by following me.