Welcome, I would like to thank Kayelle Allen for chatting with us and taking the time to answer these questions for Coffee Time Romance.

Thank you for inviting me. I look forward to sharing with you and your readers.

What was the inspiration of writing For Women Only?

Khyff himself. In At the Mercy of Her Pleasure, Khyff was incredibly strong, yet sensitive and fragile inside. He had a gruff exterior, but inside, he was a jumble of angst and agony. Mercy gave us a great peek at him in the throes of self-loathing and fear. Creating a heroine who could see into Khyff's soul and bring out his tenderness and trust was my true inspiration. Here was a man who believed he would never be worthy of a woman's love because even his own mother hadn't wanted him. I wanted to see that big gorgeous blond come apart in his lover's arms. I wanted him to willingly bare his heart.

How long did it take you to write For Women Only?

When I wrote At the Mercy of Her Pleasure, I fell in love with Khyff and began making notes about his story. Counting the time I spent writing Mercy, I'd say it was about 9 months.

Did you have to research much of this story?

I researched numerous aspects. When I created the Kin, I knew I'd need to invent their language, too, to make them believable. It had to sound breathy and hissy, like a cat. I read about how the mouth creates sounds and watched videos about language. Cherokee, French and Latin gave me the basis for many of their words and I read extensively online. The Kin do not have the letter B in their language, but otherwise the Felis alphabet is exactly like ours and they make plurals pretty much the same way. I had to invent curse words, so I listened to cats when they were unhappy or angry (no, I didn't make them feel that way!) and wrote down the phonetic spelling. Ffffftt and kkkhh are as close as I could get to making the sounds come across on paper. In Mercy, Khyff was illiterate because he'd been reared a slave and none of his masters bothered to educate him. I had a good friend and crit buddy who volunteers time with reading programs for children, so I pumped her full of questions and did a lot of searching online. In For Women Only, Khyff has learned to read, and he's proud of that accomplishment. I had to discover how adult learners feel about themselves. Khyff was anemic and I needed to know the symptoms and treatments for that. He'd been abused as a child, so discovering how adult survivors of abuse react took me on another in-depth hunt. Mehfawni visits a male strip club, so I forced myself to watch Chippendale-type videos in the name of research (laughs). But the most enjoyable research entailed Khyff's experience as a pleasure slave. He was a master of everything sexual and knew exactly what it took to bring a woman to repeated climax. Studying his "skill" was a blast!

Where do you come up with the names of the characters?

I prefer to use names that aren't contemporary. Once I have a character's name, I have the character. Rheyn Destoiya, the Conqueror was named for what she was. I actually got the idea for her name from Darth Vader. He was a Dark Invader. She conquered kingdoms, so she was a Reign Destroyer. Her assistant didn't have a name at first, but I kept having to say her assistant, which sounded redundant, so I gave him a name. The moment I came up with Alitus, I knew him inside and out. I make a list of all the names in a book so that I don't end up with a Harry, Larry and Mary thing going on which can be confusing. Each name has a unique sound.

How did you create the names of all the alien species that appear in your books?

People are often named for where they live. Ireland has the Irish, America has Americans. But the overall name of all people on Earth is not Earthians, or even Terrans. It's humans. So in my books, the androgynous Chiasmii are from Ezraki, the Kin are from Felidae, and the Tyrans sort of break that rule by being from Tyris. By the way, a chiasma is a real word that means a blending of two different things, perfect for a species of people who are completely male while also being completely female.

Did you have the characters already plotted out or did they come to you as you were writing the book?

I generally know exactly who is involved, although occasionally I need a supporting character and have to create one. Alitus, for example. But I already have the names and details of all Destoiya's male pleasure slaves. She'll be adding to her collection as the books progress. I can tell you in what trade standard year she adds each one, what his name is, whether he's blond or brunet—even what his specific sexual skill is. But if I need to toss in a Praetorian Guard to stand at the door of the palace, I have no problem inventing him or her on the spot.

Do you plan on using any of the characters from this story in future books?

Absolutely. I have a sprawling series in mind, interconnected in many ways. Anyone named in one of the books has the potential to have a story of his/her own. Even some who aren't named. I'm already writing a romance for the drummer from Wind and Thunder, planning one for the Harbinger, and even the mighty Conqueror herself may eventually fall under the spell of her one true love.

Which, if any, of these characters is your favorite?

Gosh, I love them all. I had so much fun writing Senth. He was not the typical hero at all, being a virgin in every way, while his brother, Khyff was the complete opposite of that. To be honest, I think my favorite is whichever one I'm writing at the moment. Right now, that's Tovar Fasra and Mynkoh Ceeow from Rock Me.

You have a website dedicated to the Tarthian Empire, how did that come about?

The empire is the setting for all the books planned in the near future, and the complex aspects won't fit into the books. How do you explain the tradestandard monetary system without going into dreary detail? But there are parts of it that are fascinating and help the story along. Instead of a companion book which would come out later, I decided to create a website that would allow me to showcase the empire now. It also gives me a chance to interface with my readers. Their responses are fantastic. They especially like the Character Interviews and the Tour of the Tarthian Empire. Nimajination Studios does the art. It's owned by my son, Jamin Allen.

Reading For Women Only you leave questions about other characters in the book, so will you be creating a series of books about the Tarthian Empire?

Yes, indeed. I want to draw readers into the Tarthian world and make them hungry for more. For example, who is the child that Destoiya is searching for? Has he already been introduced somewhere in the background? And why is she keeping Yros locked away so tightly that he has no idea anyone else even exists? Is the Sleeper going to free the empire or will Ruffhaus lead them to victory? For that matter, will Destoiya ever allow her empire to be snatched from her? They don't call her the Conqueror for nothing.

Did you have any difficulties writing this story?

I got so close to Khyff that his "firefly" story made me cry when I wrote it. I also laughed my head off a few times. Especially when writing the "mowt" scene in Tarth City Mall. Other than physically sitting down to write it and being tired (I also work a full time day job), no—For Women Only poured out of my soul.

Did you always want to be a writer growing up, if not, how did you become a writer?

My mother was an artist and she also wrote short stories. Sadly, she was never published and none of her written work still exists, although I have a few of her paintings. She inspired me with a love of words and the ability to enjoy life. She bought me a typewriter when I was 18, and I used up hundreds of ribbons on that thing. When I bought a computer, I wrote constantly. But I didn't seek to write professionally until last year.

How much time do you get to spend with your family when you do not have a deadline?

I impose my own deadlines most of the time. My kids are grown and only one lives close. My husband and I made a commitment that for 3-5 years, I would focus on my writing when I wasn't at work. We work close to each other so we take time for lunches together during the week, and have a family night once a week where we get together with our son.

Do you have certain hours that you write or are they when you can manage to snatch them?

If I tried to grab time whenever I could I'd never get time at all. I make time to write. From about 6:30 or 7:00 at night until at least 10:00, I'm in front of the computer. Except on Monday nights from 9:00-10:00, when "24" is on TV. I won't miss it for anything, but it's also the only thing I watch. I do rent movies, and just watched The Village, and The Forgotten.

Have you ever had Writers’ Block?

(Laughs) Have I ever! When that happens, I edit, try telling a scene from a different point of view, and will take out other stories I've written and see if I can use the ideas or scenes in the current work in progress. I don't let block stop me from writing. I write anyway, even if it's copying something already written or working on my website or newsletter. The idea is to keep producing. Keep writing. Keep creating.

Do you have any upcoming projects?

I have so much going on that it scares me. There is always something cooking. Keep an eye on my website and my group for the latest.

What encouraging words would you give to aspiring authors, if you could?

Don't listen to those who say you can't, or you shouldn't, or you might (fill in the blank with whatever horrible thing comes to mind). Put all that behind you and tell your story. Never let anyone steal your dream.

I would like to thank Kayelle on behalf of Coffee Time Romance for taking the time out of her schedule to chat with us today and we wish you good luck on your upcoming projects.

Sheryl
Interviewer