ANNOUNCEMENT/GIVEAWAY: Children of the Stars, by K. Aten

QSFer K. Aten has a new Bi/Lesbian superhero romance book out: “Children of the Stars.”

The world was forever changed when a government genetic experiment created the Chromodecs from a dead alien in 1952. Decades later, when it became apparent that society needed a way to deal with a hybrid humans with unheard of powers, the CORP was created. The Chromodec Office of Restraint and Protection was a special government police agency formed to keep track of the Chromodecs.

This particular tale involves two refugees, young babies who were sent down to Earth to escape being used as pawns in an interplanetary war, despite the fact that Earth itself wasn’t so safe. Destined to be Q’sirrahna, or soul mates as the humans called it, Amari Losira Del Rey and Zendara Inyri Baen-Tor would grow to be more powerful than any other beings on the planet, if they could find each other first.

After being forced to hide from the CORP when it’s realized their powers could level entire cities, Amari and Zen will have to answer one question. Who will save the world when it all falls apart?

Get It At Amazon | Regal Crest | Barnes & Noble

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Giveaway

K. Aten is giving away a signed paperback of this book to one lucky winner. For a chance to win, comment on the post below.

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Excerpt

Exactly forty-five minutes after exiting the director’s office, a gunshot echoed through the corridors of the Organic wing of the facility. Armed guards found the body of Dr. Brian Daggett slumped over on his desk, pieces of skull and nearly-macerated brain matter painted the wall behind him. It was one less loose end to wrap up. Strangely enough, the cleanup team was already on standby to take care of his office. 

DECADES IN THE future, and light-years away, there was trouble of another kind. Terra wasn’t the only planet full of people grasping greedily at the tendrils of power. Even rulers felt fear when fanatics stirred the people from the safety of reason. But there were other powers in the universe that even escaped fugitives or evil generals could not fathom. Sometimes only the hands of babes can grasp something so intangible and pure. For true power comes from the heart and cleaves to the mind. It does not come from the mind and cleave to the heart. 

THE LIGHT WAS weak where it shone through the portal, and the stars glimmered brightly in the darkness beyond. Denii and Selphan Del Rey gazed upon the sleeping infants with equal parts worry and affection. Both babes had the medium hued skin of their races, but where one was of fair hair and eyes, the other had eyes and hair of darkness. Less than a month old and their tiny hands grasped together with desperate intent. A sigh es-caped Denii’s lips. Her mate gently brushed her nearly black hair behind an ear and moved closer. “What troubles you, sirra?” 

Denii looked to her binary queen and gave a smile that did not reach her eyes. “I mourn for them. Neither will grow up knowing their worlds as we did.” 

Anger pulled Selphan’s lips into a frown. “Their worlds are nearly dead, and of their own doing! Perhaps they are not worth knowing.” 

The shorter queen placed a calming hand over Selphan’s. “Without a past, we have no anchor for the future. You know this, ’Phan. Despite the pain the war between our two planets has caused, I regret having to leave. My heart breaks that we could not save them.” 

Selphan wrapped an arm around her queen and pulled her close. “There was nothing we could do, he refused to go. Even though the planets of Reyna and Tora were sworn enemies, there is at least some hope we can take from the fact that we had finally forged an alliance with Calden and Inir Baen-Tor. It is a shame that factions of our respective planetary governments sought to keep the conflict going until the bitter end.”

“We should have saved them.” 

The taller woman gently stroked the white blonde hair of Zendara Inyri Baen-Tor. “We saved their daughter.” 

“And ours.” Denii smiled and ran gentle fingers through the dark hair of the other babe, Amari Losira Del Rey. She was the royal heir of the planet Reyna and counterpart to the baby at her side, heir to the planet Tora. After a few minutes of silence, Denii moved her hand to stroke the soft skin where the babies’ fists clung to one another. “They’ve already bonded. I did not expect it so soon.” 

It was Selphan’s turn to sigh then. “It was written in the filtered rose light of Q’orre that the babes of our two houses would be destined for each other. They are Q’sirrahna. Had we not saved the child of Tora, our own daughter would have been bereft, empty of heart and soul her entire life. She would have languished. They are stronger together, and nothing short of death can keep them from finding one another.” 

“Perhaps together they could have saved our worlds.” 

Selphan shook her head. “No. Nothing could have saved our worlds. The light of our sun Q’orre has shone down upon a war that is older than our two houses. The war is too old and too profitable to end without a clear victor. No peace or alliance could have been forged without a mutiny of the ruling elites, as we clearly bore witness to. They made their money on the deaths of the common people. I mourn for them all. I weep each night for the people of our house and home.” 

The smaller woman nodded sadly, eyes wet by unshed tears. “You know I weep as well. That is why we must do our best to keep the last children of Q’orre safe. I like that we’ve started a video log for them. It’s only right that they know the histories of our worlds.” 

Alarms suddenly rang throughout the ship, startling the women and infants alike. Even as the queens’ hearts raced with anxiety, the babies filled their lungs and squalled with fear and discomfort at the loud repeating noise. “We need to secure them then check ship status and coms!” As a precaution, they moved the babes to emergency pods and sealed them away into silence before making haste to the pilot station. The infants calmed while the women became more distraught. 

Sitting in the primary pilot seat, Denii punched in new coordinates and the forward screen blurred in space, the tell-tale sign of a faster than light jump. She turned to her mate. “I have only bought us time. While our ship is faster, they have the newest tracking technology and will follow our ion trail wherever we go. Perhaps we have not saved anyone on this journey.” 

Selphan unclasped from her own seat and stood. “No! I refuse to believe that. I’m going to check the database to see if there is a safe haven somewhere in this galaxy. I know there are primitive planets, maybe we can find one to hide the four of us.” 

After a tight-lipped stare, Denii nodded. “I’ll stay here and monitor the alerts. Let me know what you find.” 

The taller woman leaned down and kissed Denii tenderly on the lips. “I will.”

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Author Bio

Award winning author and Michigan native, Kelly Aten brings heroines to life in a variety of blended LGBTQ fiction genres. She specializes in speculative fiction, focusing on extra-ordinary women who are as flawed as they are compelling. She’s not afraid of pain or adversity, but loves a happy ending. Kelly’s goal with each new novel is to make people #Think, #Feel, and #Discuss.

“Some words end the silence, others begin it.”

2019 GCLS Goldie winner
Waking the Dreamer – Science Fiction/ Fantasy

2019 GCLS Goldie Finalist
The Fletcher – Debut

Email: killerwit68@gmail.com
Website: http://www.katen-author.com