Kayelle Allen & her Tarthian Empire

Hi, everyone! Welcome to a bright February on Get Lost in a Story. I'm very excited to introduce you to a very generous writer, Kayelle Allen. Kayelle started Marketing for Romance Writers, a peer mentoring group, and gives much of her time to helping. Today, we will get to know some interesting things about her, her writing, and a new book, Human Perfect. So without further ado....

Let's Get to Know Kayelle!  Science Fiction and Fantasy, Space Opera, and Scifi Romance mark the writing of best-selling author Kayelle Allen, winner of the 2010 EPIC award for Science Fiction, and the 2008 Honorable Mention for Science Fiction Fantasy. Her unstoppable heroes and heroines include contemporary every day folk, role-playing immortal gamers, futuristic covert agents, and warriors who purr.

Blurb from Human Perfect:

In the android business, the best of the best are Human Perfect.

In this science fiction short story, for as long as she can remember, Christa has hated androids. The texture of plastiflesh skin and the non-smell of the animate machines jars her senses. Don't even get her started on robots, or worse -- the andys that look human. Her job as a corporate spy for the android maker Innersoul puts her in touch with the creatures every day, but also lets her judge them. When she runs into Humancopy Progress Rep Tom Karellys, she can't believe her luck. Using a cover identity, Christa shares dinner with him, and the two discuss andys. It soon becomes apparent Tom is not what he seems, and Christa must decide whether he's a trustworthy human, or merely... 

Human Perfect.

Included is a bonus sci fi short story "Upgrade This!" set in the same universe.

READ A LITTLE, BUY THE BOOK

Terran Crescent, Earth; Lunar Spaceport Earthside Shuttle Concourse D

Having introduced themselves, the two had fallen naturally into conversation as they walked. Tom suggested they eat at AquaCulture, a water-themed restaurant overlooking the hydroponics section of the station. On the barren moon, a waterfall cascading down the windows lent a decadent feel. Synthetic jazz tinkled in the background.

An android waitress rolled up to their table, her lapel sign flashing the soup of the day. Hot pink skin and green hair matched the color of the flowers in the wallpaper and her uniform. "May I take your cocktail order?"

Tom set down the menu. "Water for me, please."

"Live a little." Christa perused the list. "They have an excellent white wine."

"I don't drink. But feel free. I don't mind."

"I'll have an Ylyptyan Cassis."

After the waitress rolled away, Tom picked up a bottle of red sauce, squinted at the label, and put it down, then picked up a green bottle. He set that down, slid the red bottle into the green bottle's place -- and then switched them back. After a moment, he lined up all the condiment bottles, peered at them, and then began reordering them.

"Tom, what are you doing?"

"Sorry." He yanked his hands back and put them on his lap. "Bad habit. I was trying to decide it I should line them up by color or size, or if the name of the product should be--" He shook his head. "Never mind. Order is a flaw, but I will overcome it."

Raising one eyebrow, Christa took in the neat row of bottles. "Order is a flaw?"

"Perfection is godlike. No real person is perfect. No real person is a slave to order. I embrace chaos."

Find Human Perfect at: Amazon   Amazon UK

QUESTIONS:

Vicki:  I’m a huge handbag girl. What is your favorite accessory?

Kayelle: I'm pretty plain-jane when it comes to accessories. However, I custom ordered a great carryall from my favorite Etsy shop. It's in my website colors (black, hot pink, white), and it was designed to my specifications. I sometimes also carry a canvas tote with my logo on it, especially if I'm attending writing groups or conventions.

Vicki: I know about this one 'cause you featured it on Handbag Monday!!!

Vicki: If you could interview one person (and it doesn’t have to be a writer) who would it be?

Kayelle: I'd love to talk to Alexander the Great. I've been fascinated by his exploits since I was a kid. I studied his tactics and read a number of books about his life. When my kids were in school, they got an assignment about him in history, and I did my best to explain some of the details. I must've done a good job. One of them piped up, "Mom, did you know Alexander the Great?"

Vicki: What question are you never asked in interviews, but wish you were?

Kayelle: No one ever mentions my veteran status. I spent four years in the US Navy, working on fighter aircraft. I'm proud of my service, and wouldn't trade it. It makes me appreciate those on active duty and veterans even more. While stationed at Millington NAS (outside Memphis, TN) I met the love of my life, who, it turned out, had joined the Navy the same day I did. We've been married forty-one years as of Dec 2014.

Vicki: I'm proud of you. And I think it is awesome you were in the Navy. You might have to tell me about why those guys look so awesome in uniforms...

Vicki: Do you read reviews of your books? If so, do you pay any attention to them, or let them influence your writing?

Kayelle: I do read them, and yes they influence my writing. When several reviewers point out a specific item, I figure it's something I need to deal with. When they say something good about a specific thing, I try to do more of it. I've been fortunate to have excellent reviews, and you learn when to brush off reviews that aren't flattering. You can't write perfection, and if you did, it would still be read by imperfect people. To me, the best thing to remember about reviews is that they are opinions. Take what is helpful, and leave the rest.

Vicki: Tea or Coffee? And how do you take it?

Kayelle: I like both. For tea, I like it cold and sweet. My hot drink of choice is coffee. I'm sensitive to caffeine, and can't drink it after noon. That said, I'm a gold-card carrying Starbucks lover and enjoy my treats. I like it extra creamy, weak, and I sweeten it with agave. If I'm being decadent, I add CoffeeMate's Sweet Italian Crème or their Peppermint Mocha. Yum.

Vicki: If you were a t-shirt, what color would you be and why?

Kayelle: What a fun question. I'd be white, so whatever message was written across my front could be seen easily and understood. My own background wouldn't get in the way, and I could get along fine if you paired me up with any other color or accessory.

Vicki: What will always make you smile, even on a bad day?

Kayelle: Kittens and puppies playing. I think that's why videos of them are so popular on YouTube. I will be covered up with work, but stop to watch a video of a cat with string or a puppy chasing his tail. I write about cat-creatures (the Kin), so I sometimes rationalize my choice of videos as "research." Yeah, right.

Vicki: What’s the best birthday (or any holiday) present you ever received?

Kayelle: When my husband and I married, it was on Dec 23rd. I'd spent so much time on getting the wedding ready, I forgot to shop for Christmas. My husband hadn't. Christmas morning, I woke up to find my husband next to me with a teddy bear. This wasn't just any teddy. When I was a child, I had a favorite bear that I practically loved to rags. I'd planned to clean him up and give him to my children some day. Sadly, my family had a devastating house fire when I was 16, and the bear "died" in the fire. When I told my then to-be husband about it, he managed to get a picture of me with that teddy bear, and spent months secretly hunting for one that looked just like him. Yes, the bear was cuddled by all three of my children, and passed to grandchildren. Probably one of my favorite gifts of all time.

Vicki: I am thinking this is a guy you keep forever. I am so touched!

Vicki: Who's your celebrity crush and why?

Kayelle: Lee Pace. He plays the Elf King Thranduil in the Hobbit movies. Have you seen him? He's been in many films and TV shows. Not only is a fine looking man, but he's also an incredible actor. He can portray more emotion with a glance than many can with their entire bodies. He's a master of subtlety. Did I mention he portrays an elf? The man is ethereal in this role. You get the impression he is made of ice, and yet there is a passion that beats beneath that cool exterior. His nobility is evident in every gesture. And hello? He plays an ELF. LOL

Vicki: I remember him from the series Pushing up Daisies. He's a hunk!

FIND Kayelle Allen at:

Website Facebook Twitter Goodreads Pinterest

Unstoppable Heroes       Romance Lives Forever

UP NEXT: Tarthian Empire Companion - The worldbuilding magic that makes Kayelle Allen's Tarthian Empire tick. 10k years of future history, peeks behind the curtain, a quick tour of the empire, and a surfeit of secrets for fans, all in one volume. Plus How to Write a Science Fiction series. http://kayelleallen.com/exc-companion.html

Do you have a promotion? This is a giveaway for all readers. Just click to download The Tarthian Empire Companion Book, Top Stops Edition. This is 23 pages of images and info about Tarth and all the other places in the empire. When you click it, this will either offer you a download, or open in a new window, depending on your settings. http://is.gd/seeTarthCity

GOT A QUESTION YOU’D LIKE TO ASK YOUR FANS?

I love the Hobbit, Lord of the Rings, Marvel Universe, and the DC Universe. I'd like to know what fandom you follow. 

Let me know what you like. I follow these hashtags on Twitter: #Loki #Thranduil Come say hello!