ILONA ANDREWS

It’s Giveaway Friday, squeee!

House Andrews have witnessed the Horde’s long-suffering battle with our most relentless adversaries, W*iting and P*tience.

To fortify morale, they are gifting This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me: 1 hardcover copy will go to a lucky US winner and 2 PDF ARCs to international winners.

To Enter:

Comment below and let us know:

1. which country you’re from
2. what your name would be, if, like Maggie, you would find yourself transported into a book (any book, by any author).

You can use your own name, make one up, or go full fantasy-protagonist and keysmash a lot of “y” and “z” into the usual unpronounceable creations. Have fun, Horde!

Giveaway Admin

This is a blog-only giveaway, only answers in blog comments count.

Winners will be chosen next Friday, February 27th 2026, with the aid of a random number generator.

The international winners will have to sign an NDA before receiving their PDF copies. This is not personal, but standard publishing practice to ensure the file will remain private with the winner. We appreciate your understanding.

For readers who are receiving this post in their newsletter email and don’t know how to get to the blog to make a valid entry comment, you can click here.

Comments are paginated, so the BDH chalance doesn’t break the blog (again lol). If you don’t see your entry, it means it’s on a previous page. Please do not resubmit, it is one entry per person.

Happy weekend and good luck!

Signed: Moderataria Rhae’zalyndrix, First of Her Name,

The Untouched by Sun, Lady of the Soggy Isles

The post This Kingdom Will Giveaway Us first appeared on ILONA ANDREWS.

Mod R has been painstakingly gathering your This Kingdom questions and here are some non-answers.

Will there be any art in the ebook?

The official hardcover and ebook from Tor will have a black and white map.

Is this art (Candice’s Landmarks and Leesha’s Sushi) in the hardcover?

No. We have the hardcover, so we can confirm that there is only the map. The art we’ve been posting has been commissioned by us for inclusion into marketing materials and bonus things.

We have not posted any art from special editions because we do not own it.

Is the picture of the Hireling Temple in Maggie 1 or 2?

Neither. It is referenced in both books, but we do not visit it except in bonus material.

When are the special editions going on sale?

Umm, we are not sure, and we are not sure we are allowed to say.

Is there bonus fiction material in the special editions?

There is a short story in one of the US bonus special editions that explains things. Those who don’t end up buying that special edition will learn the exact nature of that episode when Book 2 comes.

How long is the Book 2 right now?

123,121 words and it needs to be longer, so we are working on it very hard.

Does Book 2 have a title?

Yes.

Can we be told the title?

No.

When can we have a round-up of all the editions available everywhere before release in March?

When the collective publishers allow us to do that. Right now we are not allowed.

Why?

We are not sure. It must have something to do with the way those special editions are distributed. Some of them are subscription-model book clubs and they have secrecy.

Why can’t we get art and bonus stuff?

You can. Or you will be able to. More on that after the release. We have invested into art for this trilogy from multiple artists. We will need to get our investment back so we will be doing things with art and bonus fiction. We have deleted scenes and scenes from other characters. We are not ready to discuss anything until we have something concrete to show you.

But will we have pretty things and mugs and all the other stuff?

Yes.

Some authors are doing special boxes…

::putting hand over twitching eye:: Are they?

Hypothetically, we would be open to special boxes. There are enough interesting things in the book to put together a very fun Kair Toren experience box. There is tea, and coins, and stuff.

But that would be after the release. We would not want to compete with other special editions and boxes, so you would be able to buy something like that for rereads, later, to revisit the city with your favorite copy of This Kingdom, whether it is in hardcover or ebook or audio.

Right now we must concentrate on writing.

People often ask me which of our characters I resemble the most. I am Cookie from that bit where he is trading with the muckrats.

::raises her hands up in the air and makes big circles::

An enormous rock blocked out the sun and crashed to our left with a shocking thud, sending the bodies flying from the impact. I felt it through the horse. The damn boulder was the size of a house. Fifty feet closer, and all of us would be on the ground.

The white stallion went into full gallop. My terrified horse followed, running for her life. We were flying through the battle, right in the middle of the enemy advance.

This was suicide. We were all going to die.

See? This is where we left off today. Rocks fall. Everyone dies. Must deliver sensawunda. Chi? Chi.

Can we have the countdown clock on the front page for TK?

Ehhhh… yes. Let me get the banner fixed first and I will get it up there.

PS Mod R:

What we can definitely have is DEALS!

If you’re in the US and an Audible Premium Plus member, Audible are running an Epic Series Sale until February 22nd, including 11 titles from Ilona Andrews, in both the Innkeeper and Kate Daniels series.

If you’re in the UK, Waterstones have a preorder sale until the 20th of February with code FEB26, including the This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me hardback (not special edition).

Finally, the lovely people at Graphic Audio are running a sale for everyone – 55% off selected title until March, including the KD series, Innkeeper series and the Hidden Legacy titles.

The post Can We Go To The Hireling Temple? first appeared on ILONA ANDREWS.

And that voice is Kristen Sieh.

Audiobooks are, by nature, transformative. It is very rare when the author and the audio performer’s vision perfectly aligns. When you listen to your own book on audio, there are always little things that jar you out of the experience. A line that is spoken with the wrong emphasis. A rhythm that is just slightly off from how it should sound in your head.

Kristen Sieh is spot on. She is utterly amazing. This book has a massive cast. So many people, and she embodies them all.

She was kind enough to record some previews for us, and I have links for you. You can view the video on your social networks or below.

Facebook / Instagram / TikTok / YouTube

You can grab your preorder of This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me audiobook at your favorite retailer. Some buy links are listed below.

Audible / Amazon / Apple Books / Libro

The post This Kingdom Has a Voice first appeared on ILONA ANDREWS.

STANDARD VISITOR NOTICE

You are leaving the comfort of a magic-free existence and entering a world shaped by powerful Houses. These dynasties control corporations, command private armies, and enforce their own rules. Their rivalries are long-standing, their resources vast, and their disputes often deadly.

Some magic talents destroy. Some deceive. None should be underestimated.

House Andrews is responsible for maintaining order and providing this advisory. By continuing, you acknowledge that House Andrews cannot be held liable for any squeeing, urgent sequel sensations or sudden appreciation for Illusion Primes that may occur. If this is your first visit, proceed at your own risk and do not accept experimental serums from anyone.

Welcome to Hidden Legacy!

BUY DIRECTLY FROM US

The Ilona Andrews store supports purchases from US, UK, AUS, and the EU – for now.

Or from your favorite retailers:

Augustine Montgomery is an Illusion Prime who owns a premier PI corporation and alters his appearance with magic. The people who have seen Augustine’s real face can be counted on the fingers of one hand. The people who witnessed the full extent of his power are dead. The illusion isn’t just the brand of his magic. It’s become his lifestyle.

Show as little as possible. Make them think that illusion is all you have. Your life depends on it.

Augustine lives by this creed. He’s cold, rational, and calculating. He doesn’t get emotionally involved. Then one day Diana Harrison walks into his office and asks for his help. Diana is a Prime, an animal mage who bonds with animals through her magic and prefers their company to humans. Something precious has been stolen from House Harrison. Something Diana must recover at all costs.

The two Houses are allied through a friendship pact. Assisting Diana is simply good business. And yet, there is something about her that disturbs the careful balance of Augustine’s inner world.

Neither of them is who they appear to be. Both would die to keep their secrets. But the enemy they face is more powerful than either had imagined, and saving the life that hangs in the balance will demand the ultimate price neither Augustine nor Diana ever anticipated to pay – complete honesty.

Le Admin:

What all is in Beast Business?

• Augustine Montgomery and Diana Harrison (Cornelius’ older sister and Head of House Harrison) adventure novella

• Arabella Baylor new POV short story

I’m duty-bound to say: don’t read this first. Arabella is my favourite, I know we all want her books, but it lands much better after Augustine and Dian…oh, you’re already midway through it. Sigh. At least I tried.

• Beloved Hidden Legacy blog extras, for the first time in a published book. Free from dangerous archiving! A Misunderstanding, The Cool Aunt, Marty, and the FrInnterviews of Augustine and Arabella.

Formats, woman, which formats?

Epub – see above. It will be available everywhere you usually get self-published Ilona Andrews books from – please search the retailer catalogue if it’s not included above.

Print – paperback PODs are starting to populate. For now just on Amazon but soon to appear on other retailers, as soon as the internal systems finish checks. If you wish to buy from your local indie booksellers, they can place order through Ingram with the book’s print ISBN 9781641973724.

Audiobook – a few months down the line, we will of course keep you updated.

It doesn’t have a cover on Amazon.

It does now. You may have to sync your device or redownload your file in order to see it on your Kindle.

Thank you so much for your patience while we dealt with the bug that ate @helena.illustrated‘s beautiful cover art.
I’m leaving up the links to Amazon Canada and Amazon India, in case people still have issue finding them.

Zoom? Release Q&A?

Not this weekend, but maybe the next one if you’re interested. Let us know!

When does Beast Business happen, chronologically?

About 2 months after the Baylors buy their new compound, so in the gap between the prologue and main body of Ruby Fever.

Is. There. KISSY FAAAAACE??? Are we officially sailing the good ship Panthercakes?

There’s a spoiler comment section below, why don’t you check?
*walks off whistling sea chanties*

From Ilona: A quick note to those who are participating in the No-Buy day: go for it and please don’t worry about us. The book will be there for later purchase, and it’s not going anywhere. We had to put it out now, because delaying it would be cutting into Tor release window, so this was a no-choice type of deal – it was now or summer. We’ve gotten a couple of concerned emails, and I want to assure you that absolutely no stress, the lists are not important for this release and even if they were, standing up for causes you believe in is more important.

The post Happy Book Birthday to BEAST BUSINESS first appeared on ILONA ANDREWS.

I am very excited to announce the upcoming appearances House Andrews will be doing to celebrate the release of THIS KINGDOM WILL NOT KILL ME, the first book in the Maggie the Undying epic fantasy series.

Ilona and Gordon will be hitting the road to talk about the book, answer your questions, and sign copies, but most of all to meet all of you. BDH, assemble!

You can always find the up-to-date list on the Appearances page on the website and on the US publisher’s website.

A quick but important note before we get to the schedule: where these events require registering, please check the links and reserve your spot. House Andrews have only had a handful of in-person appearances since before the pandemic and the enthusiasm of the Horde is well documented. I don’t want you to be disappointed if you just show up on the night.

Each venue’s signing policy regarding how many books you may bring from home to get signed and books that must be purchased at the event will also be specified on the event links. These policies vary by location and are set by the venues themselves.

TUESDAY MARCH 31, 5 PM

Barnes & Noble Austin Arboretum
Arboretum, 10000 Research Blvd #158
Austin, TX 78759

Author event and signing on release day

Click here for event registration and info

WEDNESDAY APRIL 1, 7 PM

St. Mary’s Episcopal Church
1895 Laurel Avenue,
Saint Paul MN 55104

Author event and signing

Click here for event registration and info

THURSDAY APRIL 2, 7 PM

Joseph-Beth Lexington Green
161 Lexington Green Circle
Lexington KY 40503

Author event and signing

Click here for event RSVP and info

SATURDAY APRIL 4, 5 PM

Barnes & Noble White Marsh
The Avenue White Marsh, 8123 Honeygo Blvd Suite E, Baltimore, MD 21236

Chat with author and BFF Jeaniene Frost and signing

Click here for event information and here for registration. Number of seats extended by 50 at BDH request!

This is the current scheduled, but the Tor publicity team is a very hardworking hive of bees. We will let you know as soon as we’re allowed to share details of any other appearances or surprises.

And yes, international BDH, I hear you and I asked the same thing. Will there be any outside-US events, when are Ilona and Gordon coming to see any of us? While I can’t confirm anything officially at this time, I’ve heard rumours, there is hope!

In the meantime, we will also squeeze in a Zoom event or two that everyone can watch!

PS: Don’t forget about the release of BEAST BUSINESS tomorrow! There is no preorder period, the link will just go live during the day.

Augustine Montgomery’s novella, the new entry in the Hidden Legacy series, will also contain a brand-new Arabella Baylor POV and several beloved blog extras, for the first time in print!

The post This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me Tour & Events first appeared on ILONA ANDREWS.

As you probably guessed by now, Beast Business has been pushed back to Friday. Arabella POV ran too long. Don’t laugh.

Today we bring you a companion to the free preview of This Kingdom.

Here it is again, if you missed it. It is a promo done by the US publisher and available everywhere the US edition reaches.

Amazon / BN / Bookshop / Google Play Books / Kobo

Nobody knows Kair Toren better than a stelka. Stelkas can’t talk, but if they could, they would tell you all sorts of secrets about what going on in the capital of Rellas.

This stelka is going to take us on a tour of Kair Toren as envisioned by Candice Slater.

The Mage Tower. Click to enlarge

The Mage Tower is ancient. It smells of magic, and if you get too close, your fur will start crackling. This is where mages of Kair Toren make their magic. Sometimes stupid birds fly into the flower petals at the top and the magic fries them. They are good eating.

The Garden of Soft Blossoms

The Garden is located in an ancient fort, with thick stone walls and towers. It sits on the edge of the city, just south of the North Wall and looks over one of the rivers. It smells delicious. There are a lot of humans there, mostly at night. Sometimes you can sneak to the back and raid the garbage in the back courtyard by the kitchen for yummy tidbits.

The Bad House

This is the bad house. It smells like human blood. The humans inside are mean and they will kill you if you come close. But it won’t stay the bad house for too long. This is where I’m going to live eventually. I will get to sleep on the human bed, and people will give me yummy meat.

The Map

Here, you can have this map. Click it to make it bigger. See, I can be kind to humans. I am not all teeth. Although my teeth are pretty amazing. Chomp.

This is your official spoiler thread for This Kingdom. Speak freely! Ask your questions here, in the comments. The humans said they might do a zoom later and even answer some.

The post This Kingdom Preview: Art, Maps, and Questions first appeared on ILONA ANDREWS.

I hope everyone made it through the worst of the cold. We’ll have lots of good news and releases this coming week to help lift spirits!

First bit of happy: against all odds, Subterranean Press has softened its policy before the might of the Horde and is republishing the Innkeeper Chronicles, Volume One.

UPDATE: This has SOLD OUT now, in less than 24 hours!

This is not something that usually happens, once the stock is exhausted the books are never reissued. But it is something that happens to us. Because Horde power, that’s why!

This is the preorder link and it will go live tomorrow, January 26, at 12:00 PM EST.

To clarify: the link is not broken. It doesn’t lead to anything yet, because it’s not yet 12 pm on January 26. I know your ways hehe!

Subterranean’s reissue is the omnibus of the first 3 novels in the Innkeeper Chronicles series (so Clean Sweep, Sweep in Peace and One Fell Sweep) and it’s a BIG boy.

Over 760 pages of hardback goodness, signed by Ilona and Gordon, with a full colour wrap-around dust jacket, plus the familiar and beloved illustrations by Doris Mantair in both full-colour and black& white inside. The books are already with the printers and should ship out in a couple of months if all goes well.

Secondly, Ilona and Gordon hosted Jessie Mihalik yesterday to celebrate the release of her new romantasy, Silver & Blood, which will drop on Tuesday and is available from all major retailers, in epub, paperback and audio format (and gorgina hardback in the UK. Honestly, we’ve been rocking it lately over here with the pretty editions, yay us.)

We spited the cold and talked about the price of magic, the author–reader contract, what’s new in the Hidden Legacy world and most of all about Jessie’s new Avon-published duology, which is a Beauty and the Beast retelling with a smitten male protagonist, immersive world, and all the hot and dark twists for us to discover!

As promised, you can watch the Zoom recording below or catch it on YouTube via the Mod account.

PS: Edgar de Bruijn, if you’re reading this, the B.A. Bookish Boutique are trying to contact you about your Ilona Andrews merch order, please check your emails.

The post Silver & Blood, Zooms and Innkeeper: The Reprintening first appeared on ILONA ANDREWS.

So much stuff. Okay, let’s see if I can get some of this in here without collapsing.

Winter Storm

We are expecting a massive winter storm. As I am writing this, the outside world is soaked. Standing water lingers on the street and in the driveway. It is the first major rainfall we had this winter season. We need it desperately, because we are in full drought.

Tonight, and especially tomorrow afternoon, all of this will freeze. Ice will coat the ground and build up and down the electric cables, the temperature will drop, and Texas grid, which is made of tissue paper, will likely collapse again. We are already having multiple pole fires and outages.

We expect to lose power. If this happens, we may have to reschedule the Price of Magic Zoom and the release of Beast Business. We have a bit of an emergency with the copy editor, but we found someone else, so we are back on track. If the grid holds, we should release on the 27th. If the grid fails, it maybe more like Friday instead of Tuesday.

The novella is finished and has been through the first round of edits, so it’s not the matter of “it’s not done,” it’s the matter of “it’s not clean.” We need to do a copy edit and a proofread. Mod R has my number, and if we are powerless, she will update you.

Beast Business Release Party with This Kingdom Preview Q&A

We will be doing a second zoom to celebrate the release of Beast Business, probably next weekend – the registration link will be posted on the blog next week. We have been given permission to answer your questions regarding the content of the free preview of This Kingdom during the Q&A, but we will not be revealing any spoilers.

Gordon has promised to stick to that policy. (We are wise to your ways.)

Imagine Books: This Kingdom

This Kingdom is attractive and charming, and it now has several special editions. One of these is by Imagine Books, and I’m here to tell you more about it.

DISCLAIMER: We cannot answer any specific questions, because we did not commission this edition and have nothing to do with the order fulfillment. This was done through Tor, and we are breaking this down to avoid any confusion.

What is it?

It is a box containing the Tor Hardcover with teal edges and some extras.

The book:

The extras:

• Signed bookplate sticker – we sign it and they attach to the book.
• Redesigned front dust jacket with foiling: @jescole.art
• Reverse dust jacket: @davidev.art
• Page overlays: @avoccatt_art
• Bookmark with character art

Add-on option:
Additional page overlay — $11.99

Okay, I didn’t know what page overlay was, so I had to look it up. It is a semi-transparent full page illustration that is almost like a very large bookmark. It fits over the page, so if you wanted to mark your favorite place or a scene in the book, you would slide it in. So imagine a removable illustration. Google came up with this awesome Instagram post about it, so if you want to see the pictures of what it might look like, go here.

(Also, page overlays, super cool, and we will be doing this in the future.)

To reiterate: this is a Tor hardcover with extra stuffs.

The price: This book will be priced at $42.99 plus tax plus shipping (this price does not include the add-on overlay).

The preorder date: the preorder will drop on Imagine Books Shop website on February 28th at 11:00 AM PST. Yes, we will remind you on the blog when it goes live.

The shipping date: This special edition is estimated to ship in JUNE. So, the regular release date for the Tor Hardcover is March 31, but this edition will NOT ship on that date. It will ship later. Here is what Imagine Book Shop says about it:

Why does a preorder take longer to ship, and how does this relate to special editions?
Great question! Our special editions feature custom artwork that is exclusive to Imagine Books Shop—that’s what makes them special. The artwork is designed, illustrated, and then sent to be manufactured. The longer wait time is
because the art (in this case, dust jackets and overlays) must be produced and shipped to us before we can ship the customized books to you.

We are currently estimating that this book will ship in June. Ship dates are estimates. We always do our best to get your order to you on time, but unforeseen circumstances or delays may occur. If there is a delay, we will always keep you updated.

We asked some additional questions. All answers are provided by Imagine Books.

Tell us about you?

“Hey everyone! I work for Imagine Books Shop, and we are thrilled to announce that we are collaborating with Macmillan and Ilona Andrews to bring you special editions of This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me!

As huge fans of Ilona Andrews, we couldn’t be more excited and honored to share these
editions with you. I got early access to this book and absolutely loved it. This is truly an amazing story that is near and dear to my heart. Reading this one was a special experience.”

Do I need a subscription to buy this book?
“No! This order is open to the public. No subscription is required to purchase these editions.”

Where can I buy this Imagine Books Shop edition of This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me?
“Our website is the only place this particular edition of this book will be available.
Here is the link to our website: Imagine Books Shop.”

Do you ship internationally, and what are your rates?
“Yes, we ship internationally. Shipping rates vary by location.”

What is a preorder, and how does this affect shipping?

“A preorder means you place an order for a book that will not ship right away. Our estimated shipping timeframe is June. Our preorder goes live on February 28th.

“Members of our Facebook group get early access to reveals and early access to sales by half an hour. We can’t wait to show you what’s coming! Here is the link to join:
Imagine Books Shop Facebook Group Link.”

Why does a preorder take longer to ship, and how does this relate to special editions?
“Great question! Our special editions feature custom artwork that is exclusive to Imagine Books Shop—that’s what makes them special. The artwork is designed, illustrated, and then sent to be manufactured. The longer wait time is because the art (in this case, dust jackets and overlays) must be produced and shipped to us before we can ship the customized books to you.

“We are currently estimating that this book will ship in June. Ship dates are estimates. We always do our best to get your order to you on time, but unforeseen circumstances or delays may occur. If there is a delay, we will always keep you updated.”

Are these editions limited?
“Yes. Once the initial stock sells out, the preorder will close, and there is no guarantee that we will restock these editions. We typically do not offer reprints.”

What is a page overlay?
“A page overlay is a vellum sheet that depicts a scene from the book. In simple terms, it is an art print (on thinner paper) designed to be inserted into a book to bring your favorite scenes to life.”

There you have it. For all additional inquiries, please contact Imagine Book Shop. If you ask us, Mod R will just paste the link back to you.

The post This Kingdom Comes to Imagine Books and Other Fun Stuff first appeared on ILONA ANDREWS.

Today we bring you two more stories of writers realizing they wanted to be writers.

Alyssa Day

The moment everything changed for me was when I volunteered to pick up an editor (Kate Seaver, then at a small indie publisher, now at Penguin Random House) from the airport for a writers’ conference. We chatted on the drive to the hotel, and I told her about a novel I had in mind. I was working all the time, and I had two small children, so I’d been dithering about writing it. Did anybody really want to hear my stories? (I’d already published a nonfiction book about being a military family during wartime, but I’d wanted to be a fiction author since I was a little girl reading Nancy Drew.) I didn’t even have a title for the novel yet. I just called it Tuna Fish Girl, because the heroine liked tuna sandwiches. (Yes, I know. Awful!)

But I told her about it, and she laughed so hard and said, “If you can write like you can tell a story, that’s going to be a wonderful book.” After that conference, she kept in touch with me, and kept saying, “Send me Tuna Fish Girl!”

So, finally, I did. My agent sent the editor my proposal (a synopsis and 50 pages) on a Friday, and I had an offer to buy it Monday morning. They wanted to launch their new chick-lit line with my book! We even went to auction with other publishers wanting to buy it. (No, everything in publishing does NOT go this well. Think: roller coaster.) I was so ready to quit being a lawyer and try writing full time, so I jumped at Kate’s offer. 

I’ve never changed my mind about being an author, even during the tough years. It’s hard sometimes, making this job work, since I have chronic bouts of clinical depression, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I love creating worlds and inviting readers into them, and I will never get over the wonder of writing.

Alyssa’s Featured Release

NOBODY’S QUEST

(June 2, 2026; adult romantasy)

Prophecy insists that nobody will defeat the goddess of war.

Meet Nobody.

For a hundred years, Altarra has burned. The goddess of war, Morrigan, has conquered kingdom after kingdom, leaving only ruin in her wake. Every prophecy says the same thing―nobody can defeat her.⁣
⁣
And after a century of failure, someone finally takes that literally.⁣
⁣
When the goddess Artemisen chooses Soli Graymind―a nobody from the lowest caste who suffers from chronic depression―to lead one last desperate quest, the world laughs. But Soli won’t be alone. She’s joined by five others just as broken, just as lost:⁣
A thief with no Guild.⁣
A noble with no wealth.⁣
A sorcerer with no hope.⁣
A warrior with no morals.⁣
And a prince with no kingdom―the one man she can’t stop thinking about, even when hope itself is dying.⁣
⁣
Together, they are Altarra’s last chance.⁣
⁣
Because maybe being a “nobody” is more powerful than anyone imagines―including themselves.⁣

LEARN MORE Stephanie Burgis

The first time I realized that becoming a writer was an actual possibility – that real people wrote all the books that I loved, and wrote those books as their actual grown-up JOB (whoa!!!) – I was seven years old, and the discovery BLEW MY MIND. I still remember turning to my mom that day, as we drove out on an errand, to share my epiphany: 

“I’ve found something I love even more than reading: writing. I’m going to be a WRITER!”

Of course, because my mom is a smart and practical woman, she responded instinctively, before she could stop herself, “Oh, God. Really?”

As a mom now myself, let me tell you: I get it. What loving and practical mother would want their kid to pin their hopes onto such a scary-sounding, unreliable-paycheck of a career? My family didn’t know any novel writers. We knew vets and math professors and civil servants and other people who made their living with steady, reliable salaries. Good, safe jobs. (Or at least, so they all seemed at the time. All of my friends in academia are laughing hollowly at this point.)

By the time I was an adult, I knew just how unlikely it was that I would ever really be able to become a professional author. But that just made me all the more determined to put my whole heart into becoming the best that I could be, applying for competitive writing workshops, searching out reliable critique groups, and researching publishing even as I majored in different subjects in college and made firm plans for dayjobs to pay my rent.

I sold my first trilogy of novels when I was 31, 17 years ago. Since then, I’ve published a surprising number of books in more than one genre, and I’ve even won a few awards – but even now, every time I sell a new series to a traditional publisher or get a good review for one of my self-published books, I still find myself thinking with tentative hope, “Wow. This really might work out after all!” 

I don’t ever take this career for granted…but I’m incredibly grateful for it every single day.

Stephanie’s Featured Release

WOOING THE WITCH QUEEN

Queen Saskia is the wicked sorceress everyone fears. After successfully wrestling the throne from her evil uncle, she only wants one thing: to keep her people safe from the empire next door. For that, she needs to spend more time in her laboratory experimenting with her spells. She definitely doesn’t have time to bring order to her chaotic library of magic.

When a mysterious dark wizard arrives at her castle, Saskia hires him as her new librarian on the spot. “Fabian” is sweet and a little nerdy, and his requests seem a little strange – what in the name of Divine Elva is a fountain pen? – but he’s getting the job done. And if he writes her flirtatious poetry and his innocent touch makes her skin singe, well…

Little does Saskia know that the “wizard” she’s falling for is actually an Imperial archduke in disguise, with no magical training whatsoever. On the run, with perilous secrets on his trail and a fast growing yearning for the wicked sorceress, he’s in danger from her enemies and her newfound allies, too. When his identity is finally revealed, will their love save or doom each other?

LEARN MORE

The post The Moment Everything Changed: Part 3 first appeared on ILONA ANDREWS.