PALATINATE OMEGAVERSE FAQ - A 2024 Update & New Map

[After I updated the Palatinate's map, I wrote this post a few months back for my Patreon subscribers and shared both with them.]

From Patreon (April 2024):

I'll soon begin work on the Omega Quadrant book 3, as well as 3.5—so I've updated the Palatinate map in preparation. [Both are nearly finished as of posting this in late July! Check out the updated Omega Quadrant page for more details!]

Old Map from 2019

I made the old map more for myself than anything—so I could remember where everything was and not contradict myself. I went ahead and added it to the later books so you guys could see, too. But it was really sad and basic, so I've given it a new upgrade—and added a new province! You're seeing it here FIRST... and it will appear inside the next omegaverse book that comes.
Here's a little additional info:


The Omega Quadrant occurs in the province of Alexandria (and we will soon see a bit of Blacksburg, too, in book 3.)

The Western Province series occurs mainly in Fort Seattle but has mentioned Port Sacramenti often, and will potentially go there again.

Some of you eagle eyed folks might have already noticed the new province marked on this map — Omegawood.

I made the choice to leave the Valleywood series because I wanted to rebrand and make these books a series all their own. The creators of Valleywood requested I move this series into one of my existing omegaverse series to protect their creation and the authors still there -- which is totally understandable.

So, the Valleywood books have been rebranded into a new Palatinate spin-off, becoming Omegawood.

I had to make A LOT of changes to the first two Valleywood books (and there will be a third!) to fit them into a new universe. While doing so, I realized there were some other questions about the Palatinate that might come up that I'd never answered previously.

The provinces shown on the map are not the only provinces. They are the largest and make up much of the population of the continent. Each of these are super-provinces with populations ranging from 500,000 to over a million residents. There are many smaller provinces dotting the landscape. "Rural" provinces is what they're often referred to. Many of these are devoted to trades, farming, and raising livestock —selling/trading to the surrounding larger provinces.

No Man's Land isn't devoid of life. 

Those inside the walls live in fear of the "Wildings" but most of the stories they've been told are from a bygone era where No Man's Land was a wild, wooly place. Not that it's exactly tame either, though.

There are alpha warlords/chieftains who rule over feudal districts in No Man's Land. Many have smaller, walled fort cities filled with dozens to thousands of residents. Each district is its own independent city-state. Neighbors fight over borders and wars amongst chieftains can happen. Some of these warlords run their cities/districts much like the provinces, and as such they can be progressive/democratic ranging toward autocracy with chieftains acting as tyrannical dictators (more often than not, they're the latter in NML) Omegas have fewer rights in NML and quite a few end up in a warlord's harem. If you thought the Omega Quadrant was bad, NML can be worse. In most of these districts, alphas are more alpha-y, and omegas are breeding chattel and expected to be subservient.

Just outside many of the provinces, there are miles of province-controlled farmland. They have a lot of mouths to feed inside the walls and it can't all come from the smaller provinces nearby. Small villages exist just outside the walls, filled with the farmers/farm hands who tend the land, and their families. Some exiles end up remaining in these villages or move deeper into NML.

"Safe zones" also exist outside many of the larger provinces, sometimes extending past any farmland, if there is any. This is considered "neutral territory". Many provincial governments made treaties with local chieftains to stay out of the safe zone, with the promise the provincial governments would, as well. There are some villages and towns that have sprung up in these supposed "safe zones" -- but don't let the name fool you. These places are not very safe. Think the Wild West.

COVER REVEAL - Three Alarm Heat

Here it is! The cover for my third installment in the Alphas of the Western Provinces omegavers series... 

THREE ALARM HEAT

The rough draft is nearing completion and will be moving off to editing very, very soon. No ETA on a release date, but I'm eyeing mid-April.

If you haven't read the Alphas of the Western Provinces books yet, but have read the Omega Quadrant books -- the AWP books take place in the same universe. It's a province where the omegas have had more freedoms (and the stories are a little less dark because of that)

You can find the other AWP books HERE

You can find the OQ books HERE

Writing Update October 2022

• A couple of weeks ago, I had to pause Raimy's book (Alphas of the Western Province, 3) because it just wasn't working. Late last night, I finally figured out what I need to do. Huzzah! Hopefully I won't lose too much of what I've already written.

• While I was mulling the Raimy fix... I started writing my entry into Valleywood Season 2. As soon as it's complete, I'll be returning to Raimy's story. Did you miss my Season 1 book? Click here to check out The Alpha's Hidden Desire.

• Valleywood S2 has already started with Trisha Linde's book, Role Play.  My book, Unwitting Mate, will arrive in January 2023.

• I'll be taking a week off this month for the GRL Retreat. What's GRL? It's a LGBTQIA Romance Convention where readers and authors can celebrate MM romance, as well as queer books all over the rainbow spectrum. The Saturday book signing is open to the public... so if you're close to Portsmouth, Virginia, stop on in! This year will be my first. 

• I had hoped to release Raimy's book in November, but it'll likely be December/January, at the earliest. If the muse is willing. If not, well, you know.

• After Raimy? Not sure where I'm going. There's another Daddy Tales book I want to do (a certain producer and a twinky personal assistant!)as well as a third Omega Quadrant book on my agenda (and a fourth, fifth, and sixth!) And then there's those pesky bears! I haven't given up hope I can the next generation on my schedule. Maybe 2023? Likely 2024.

• I have a speshul sekret projekt coming October 2023... and I've already put a few words to paper for that, too. I might write it early so I can fine tune it (re: overthink it) beforehand.

Mini Spoilers -- His Reluctant Omega (Wilder and Avery's Story)

If you haven't seen the news yet -- Wilder and Avery's story (finally) released this past Friday. If you don't get my newsletter to get the announcement, here's the link to purchase His Reluctant Omega.

MINI SPOILERS below... you have been warned. Go read the book first if you don't want to hear certain tidbits!!!

Since release, I've had a couple of questions that have been repeated a few times, so I thought I would clear up any misconceptions with a blog post...

1. Is the Tulla from Suddenly His Alpha the same Tulla from His Reluctant Omega? He seems like a different character.

Yes, they are the same person! 

The two stories happen about 20 years apart. In SHA, Tulla is just meeting his alpha for the first time and he's about 24 years of age. If you recall, Beckett and Rohan run into one another at the ball pre-Rohan and Jamie, so this happens well in the past. 

We know Rohan is in his early to mid 40's by His Surrogate Omega... Tulla is likely about the same age as Rohan, so by His Reluctant Omega, Tulla is in his mid-40s.

Yes, he also seems very different. Twenty years and a tumultuous life have an impact on anyone. He's no longer a bright-eyed twenty-something. He's approaching mid-life and he's lived a very hard one, as you can clearly see from the story. Imagine the person you were twenty years ago... you've likely changed quite a bit. So has Tulla.

2. Avery mentions that Lake can't hide his heat with the same drugs Avery uses because "people are watching Lake", so why isn't the same true of Avery?

Lake is only 17 and still attends an omega school. He's got teachers and administrators expecting him to go into his first heat at any time (the average age is 167). If he didn't go into heat, they would eventually think something was wrong.

Avery had already gone into heat and been sent to the OQ. Once dumped there, the authorities don't keep an intense watch over him. He's behind a wall, so they see him as "taken care of" so to speak. And betas live in the OQ, too. They live and work there. Betas can be anywhere in the province as they don't have issues with heats and ruts. So, no, the guards would think nothing of a beta going in and out of the OQ.

Have any other questions you are dying to know? Just ask. You can always hit me up on social media or my email!

~Kelex

OUT NOW! His Reluctant Omega

His Reluctant Omega

(Omega Quadrant, 2)

by Kelex

Omega Avery Stephens refuses to be the compliant, submissive mate he was raised to be. He’s tired of being told he’s less than and will have to wait for an alpha to come and ‘save’ him from the virtual prison that is the Omega Quadrant.

After his fathers die in a tragic accident, he must stand up and be responsible for his younger omega brothers. Knowing their savings will only last so long, he looks to the future. Avery will need an income and not the pittance an omega can make. He shears his long locks, purchases illegal scent blockers, and misrepresents himself into college under the pseudonym Abraham Norcross, a beta.

Once there, Avery does everything in his power to prove his kind can be more than ‘a womb with legs’, but when he comes across his alpha, he struggles not to be the stereotypical weak and needy omega. Instinct causes him to think too much about dropping to his knees and begging the man to fill him with a child.

Can he find a path somewhere between heaven and hell—and still hold on to his self-respect?
________________________________________________
This is chonky 140,000 word gay non-shifter omegaverse book filled with a lot of love, some pain, a few tears (but not as many as the first book, I hope!), and plenty of spicy times between a loving alpha and his omega.

Amazon/Kindle Unlimited Exclusive

Suddenly His Alpha Re-Release 28 June 2019!

My short, Suddenly His Alpha, was included in the Cupid's Errors Anthology in January 2019. It was only available through April and removed from sale. Now I'm re-releasing it for those who didn't get a chance to read it in the anthology, or those who are late to the party!

This is a short prequel to Avery and Wilder's Story. It introduces us to an important character that will play a large role in Avery's journey. This short takes place many years prior to the start of this series... before there even was a Rohan and Jamie.

I have updated this story, added more to it, and made some semi-important changes toward the end. (Also, it no longer happens during Valentine's Day.) I can't give any of the more important changes away now, but I might offer a spoiler post detailing the changes later down the road, once folks have had a little time to read the story for the first time.

Omegaverse FAQ -- When/Where do these stories take place?

*Omega Rights? Does One Wild Heat happen later than His Surrogate Omega?

*This seems a lot like our world today. Is it?

*McCreary? Motherf*cking McCreary??? What is a McCreary doing there? Is this a mistake? Are you messing with us? You said this is a non-shifter omegaverse? WHERE ARE MY BEARS?

***************************

Okay, I get it. You have questions. I will answer as many of them as possible without giving away spoilers for future books as possible.

Let's start with that first question...

My Omegaverse is a really big place. Basically, there are large provinces which are walled off. Inside these provinces, you might have a city, some suburban sprawl, and possibly some areas that are a bit less urban. Outside the province is a thick, heavy wall, manned by betas to keep the residents of NO MAN'S LAND out.

Each province has their own provincial government that sets the rules of law. Each has an alpha council and judiciary system.

Some provinces are conservative and give omegas few rights. Others are more progressive and offer omegas varying levels of freedoms.

So, long story short—One Wild Heat and His Surrogate Omega take place in the same time period. They simply take place in different provinces with different laws governing reproductive rights and omegas.


Okay, wait a minute... what the hell is NO MAN'S LAND?

No Man Land is the generic term for the areas outside the walls. These places are where the wild things live... those unwilling to be good alphas/betas/omegas and live under the same rules of society.  They tend to be a little wild, live under their own moral code (or lack thereof) and have been known to scale walls to steal omegas in the past. This happens less often in the current period, but occurred a lot back in the days of harems and warlords, in the eras following the Great Catastrophe.


What is the GREAT CATASTROPHE?

I'm afraid I can't fully answer that yet.

Series wise, it's been eons since it occurred—long enough that the verbal histories that came after blur the line between reality and myth. They all know something terrible happened to their world, but they're not sure exactly what.

But as their world grows more progressive, the search for answers grows more intriguing.


Which leads back to the second question at the top.

No, this is not our world. It's very much like our world.


Finally, the last question... Quinn McCreary and family... is there a connection to my Bear Mountain series.

Maybe.

Maybe not.

All I can say is this... my two series are NON-SHIFTER OMEGAVERSE.

I guess you'll have to keep reading if you want the full answer...

Omegaverse FAQ -- Heat Cycles in My Omegaverse

Over the years, I've had emails, messages, and even folks ask me questions at conventions and signings re: my omegaverse heats. I figured I'd share some of those questions and my answers here.

(I recently discussed the different heat medicines in a recent post, so if you want information on that, you might want to peek there.)

Q: Do omegas go into heat every month?

A: Yes! Omegas go into heat every 28 days, with onset at the full moon. (Their lunar cycle is just like ours on our world.)

During this time, an unmedicated omega will beg any nearby alpha to breed them. If an alpha is in an omega's presence during a heat, he will go into full rut. Heat meds don't make a heat go away, but can make it more manageable.

Heats typically last for 3-4 days.

Q: Why are they set to the moon's cycle?

A: It's me being cheeky.

Since there are actual men on our planet who believe all uterus owners are synched up and all go on their periods when the full moon comes, I made my omegas tied to that cycle as a bit of a joke. 

Hey, the Omega Quadrant books are dark and heavy. I had to put in some laughs here and there to help keep things light on occasion.

Q: At what age do omegas go into their first heat?

A: Most omegas go into their first heat between the ages of 16-17. Like anything else, there are those who sometimes fall outside the norm. Heats can start far earlier or much later.

An omega's first heat tends to be a bit chaotic. It almost always starts a bit earlier -- several days before the full moon, so the young omega's papa can be there to assist and provide emotional support. 

They also tend to to be shorter and less powerful than the norm. Most younger omega in heat age do not suffer quite as strongly -- not until they've matured a bit more. They're also a wee bit less fertile, too.

Most omegas begin using heat blocking meds immediately, from the very first heat. Like I explained in the heat meds post, Heat Repress was created to assist young, unmated omegas, and those between pregnancies -- so it was not meant to take continuously for more than a few years at a time. 

Heatex, being significantly stronger, has to be cycled off for a month every 1-2 years.

Q: What is cycling off?

A: While this is more a medication question, since NOT cycling off can cause weird heats to happen, I'll include it here. 

An omega who has taken Heatex for a year or two consistently, MUST take a month off and have a full heat. There are "omega spas" and other safe places where omegas can do this without being in danger of being mated by an alpha and are often run by betas trained to assist.

Heat Repress, being a MUCH milder drug, doesn't have to be cycled off as often, perhaps every 10-20 years, though not many know of this requirement, since it is so rare for an omega not to be claimed and impregnated during their heat years. (Omegas don't use the heat medications while pregnant/nursing, so that's considered a "cycling off" period, as well.)

Gray, in His Surrogate Omega, was reaching the limits with Heat Repress and needed to cycle off, but he did not have the language for this as he did not know that was something he needed to do.

Q: What happens if an omega doesn't cycle off?

A: A WILD HEAT can occur if the meds aren't cycled off. Basically, the omega's body has gotten so accustomed to the medication that it becomes less effective. Driven to extremes without cycling off a heat, it can trigger a heat that's even more explosive than an unmedicated full heat. A Wild Heat can last more than 3-4 days, as well.

In the months leading up to a wild heat, signs will appear. An omega will be hornier and wilder, need sex more, have less and less control.

An omega experiencing a wild heat goes a bit insane and they have been known to go to extremes to get to an alpha to sate their need.

You got a peek at this happening in One Wild Heat (Alphas of the Western Provinces, 1). 

Q: Are there other types of heats?

A: Yes!

The very first time a fated alpha-omega pair meet, a CONTACT HEAT can occur, whether it's a full moon, or not. It's typically not as strong as a full heat and can be controlled somewhat by heat meds, if the omega is taking them.

This is also classified as a SPONTANEOUS HEAT, and there can be other reasons for a spontaneous heat to occur, like aging, other medicines the omega is taking, or illness.

An omega is less fertile in a spontaneous/contact heat than any other. Mating is much less likely to result in a pregnancy during one of these.

Q: Can betas or other omegas sexually assist an omega in heat?

A: Omegas suffering alone through a heat typically use a dildo to minimize their need, so yes, another penis can help a little—but none of them will provide what an alpha's cock can.

Alphas who are not an omega's fated mate can provide that service, as well. While most omegas refuse to use an alpha partner for fear of getting pregnant (or a sense of duty to their alpha, perhaps?), there are some that prefer the satisfaction only an alpha can provide. 

Q: Is there birth control?

A: Yes, but it depends on the province whether it is legal or not. 

Condoms are readily available in most provinces—mostly because birth is arduous for an omega and having back to back children isn't recommended. Omegas who are nursing cannot take Heatex or Heat Repress, so they are at risk of getting pregnant too quickly. Condoms can help prevent this.

Medical intervention, in the form of "the pill" or something akin to the diaphragm is also available, depending on legality of the province.

Q: Is abortion legal in this universe?

A: In some provinces, yes, and like here, there is a lot of stigma surrounding it.

Q: At what age do omegas stop being fertile?

A: Similar to our world, most omegas lose fertility as they age. Most see fewer pregnancies in their late thirties/early forties, though, it is not completely unheard of to have a pregnancy up to the early fifties. 

Many omegas in their forties experience fluctuating heats, meaning they might skip cycles here and there and start having fewer of them until they stop.

Because birth is arduous, wombs are often damaged with multiple pregnancies and are often removed after the birth of 3-5 children. 

Large families are rare, though were seen more often in older generations.

Have a question you'd like me to include here? Send it to me.

Updated July 29, 2024