Odd names to be sure, but they have real meanings. The Klass is a conspiracy that has been in place for generations. If there was to be a lasting conspiracy, one generation would have to pass on its knowledge, systems, organization and goals to the next generation. A child of The Klass must be indoctrinated, encouraged and taught how to proceed. Children must be able to take the place of their parents. Students must become the teachers if The Klass is to go on.
Tyro means student or recruit. Doyens are teachers and leaders.
In the first book, The Klass - Tyros, The Tyros is a secret organization on southern university campuses that acts as the training ground for future leaders of The Klass. I got the idea from rumors of a secret organization at The University of Alabama called The Machine. For many decades The Machine has been said to control campus politics - but nobody will admit it exists - and nobody has ever stepped forward as its leader.
It seems a bit incredible, but I didn't make up The Machine. While in college at Auburn University in the early 1980s, my friends at Alabama would relate rumors of The Machine. I was last in school at Alabama (law school) in the early 1990s and stories of The Machine still existed. Now, after writing The Klass, I've been told many more tales of this mysterious organization - which, it is said, exists to this day.
So, I don't claim to know if it's a real thing or not. But it does make for the beginnings of a good story!
The second book in the series, The Klass - Doyens, will focus a bit more on the leaders of the conspiracy. Yeah, you guessed it - they call themselves The Doyens.