B. writes,
a) Is there a particular story you started, didn’t finish and would like to return to it, one day?
b) Any story you wrote and loved it but the agency didn’t want it? I’m imagining you have lots of treasures at home, kinda like Prince did with so much of his music.
c) Have any of you both thought of writing a whole book on your own? You work really well together and sometime I feel like I can pinpoint to who of you two wrote a particular *thing* (although I’m not very good at it and I ain’t hunting for it).
So basically you want access to the trunk, huh? 🙂
All writers have a trunk. Things that we put away. Most of the time they are put away for a reason. But okay, this once. Keep in mind that some of this is super old and the writing is crappy. How old is it? Some of it was written in Word Perfect and some of it has underlines instead of italics. It’s old and bad. None of it is finished. Read at your own risk.
Demon Thingie. UF. Dark and seriously weird. If you liked Alphas, this will probably be up your alley. Terrible, don’t read.
Emily. Old story about mutated humans and a girl with an enormous tank. SF. It just didn’t go anywhere. Also terrible.
Technomancer. Lighter fare, PNR, one of the Hidden Legacy’s precursers. Got bored with it. Meh, not worth reading.
Here is Hunter Beware. SF/UF. That book has serious structural problems. You will see that the chicken scene has been kind of recycled for Clean Sweep. Really bad, pass.
We like writing books together.
This post will be pulled down soon on account of some of this stuff being seriously embarrassing.
Loved all of them! Demon thingy the most. I do hope you revisit them and find a way to give us an ending to these stories. I read a lot and your rejects are better by far than a lot of published product out there.
+1 YES PLEASE “MORE PLEASE” ?
I’m reading them on Friday 13th – it’s not April 1st … but close enough ?
Just my thoughts. I too read a lot and this is better than a lot of published stuff. There is a reason Ilona Andrews is my favourite author ?
I AGREE!!!, they are great. i also found the KINSMAN books. i bought book 2on amazon and had to go trolling for book one. if you have time can you revisit those. i understand they were novellas. you can do them like THE edge books. this is just a request because i enjoyed them so. please dont take offence.
NOOOOO!!! Don’t throw them away!!! These first drafts are darn enjoyable. I do hope you revisit them and expand on some of them at some point.
Darco especially.
I’ve read all of them now and enjoyed them! Thanks for letting us peek in your trunk.
I wish I knew the ending!
Ok ok you are right. Not as good as the GOOD stuff, but I still found myself hunting for one more page. Face it, you are stuck with the horde.
Truly. A charming glimpse into the development of Ilona and Gordon as writers. So many characters, situations, and descriptions that subsequently made their way into the published stories we know and love, and valuable for that alone. 🙂
I agree with others. While not as polished as your published work they are much better than stuff published by a lot of other authors. If you ever decided to finish them it would be awesome! It could be An Anthology of Rejects. Lol.
ditto
+1
+1
+1
Agreed on all counts. It’s interesting that your worst stories are the caliber of most authors’ best. Don’t be too hard on yourselves. Just because it didn’t make your cut doesn’t mean it’s not still good.
I can see how Demon Thingy would be hard to finish, though still enjoyable.
Emily/Any left me wanting more. Very interesting. Seems like a lot of possibility there. I would really love to see how this developes. My favorite of the four!
Technomancer…. Easy to see the parallels to Hidden Legacy. Made it fondly familiar. Of course, would love to read more.
Hunter Beware was very interesting. There were too many different characters’ POV for my taste, but an intriguing world. I want to know more about this blond woman and her situation.
Thank you for sharing your trunk with us! I know it can be challenging to let others see your less than perfect products. But, 1) they were very fun stories that left me wanting more. And 2) it’s nice to have some insight into the process; to know that not everything becomes gold.
Thank you!
I actually liked some of these stories. Especially demon thingy. Gideon must be one of the (if not the) darkest character you have ever written. He wasn’t even really in the story and I hated him more than any other villain in your books. Turning demon thingy into a romance would never have worked tho.
Hunter beware was a close second. I am dying to know why Hammond was relieved by his wife’s death. There is a story there.
What I really appreciated was seeing the starting point of some of your stories, worlds and characters. I always get frustrated with some of the stories I write and then chuck them in the bin. This has made me think I should maybe keep them and rework certain aspects into new directions.
As always, thank you for the great stories you tell. You guys have given me hours of entertainment. Best of luck with your health and the very busy time you have ahead! 🙂
I adored technomancer and was sad it was so short. This is a book I would buy. Thanks for the glimpse into the trunk.
Me too!
+2
Thanks for the glimpse, it was fun!
Please leave up this post. I really enjoyed these stories.
Technomancer felt like some of the Kinsmen stories. If you ever decide to revisit, we’d be interested.
I’ve been looking for a new series/author to read while I wait for the new releases from the very very small list of authors I follow (with you guys being at the top of the list) and so far the stuff in the Trunk has surpassed anything and everything I’ve tried!!!! Im already invested in All the characters and their universes and I’m already mourning the thought that I won’t know what happens next!!
+1111111111!!!!!!
+1
I now have 4 new books I want to read the end of. I want to know what happens with Draco and Julia, how do they escape.
Why is the second story named Emily when the girls name is Abby?
How does Emma get away from “Mullet” – who kind of reminds me of Curran?
I Need answers!!!!
Thanks. Loved the writings – especially Technomancer. I would love to read the full story. It has such a promising beginning.
These were so incredibly enjoyable! Yes, as an artist I doubt you’ll never be proud of them, but “Emily”, in particular, was a wonderfully fun idea. These “terrible” stories are the level of writing that many amateurs can only wish to achieve. Thank you for opening the trunk (of dooooooom) to delight and inspire all of us. You’re awesome!
Enjoyed them all!! Each one would make a great book. Hopefully, you’ll finish them one day. Thanks for sharing them.
Loved them all. Can see hints of other characters in them. Would like to see them finished but know that there is not enough time to write everything the BDH would like. Only one question, who is Emily, the tank maybe???
Thanks so much for letting us peek into your trunk. Like a lot of folks have already said your rejects are better than a lot of stories I’ve read. Always amazes me how you world build and pull me in in just a few pages.
Your rejects are better than most people’s published books. If you ever decide to revisit any of them I know I am not the only one who would happily buy the book. Thank you for sharing.
Wow, thank you so much for sharing. It is a lot better than a lot of stuff currently selling out there.
Sad about not being able to read more of it, and that I have to wildly speculate about the endings.
I know you said these were terrible but they have their hooks in me, especially Demon Thingie and Hunter Beware. I want more of the story. Your writing is so wonderfully built, it draws me in and keeps me reading, long past when I should be sleeping!
+1
Emily would be a fun series of adventures. Quick short stories or novellas of her life in the zone. I also really loved the main character in Technomancer and would love it if you finished it. It could be another novella series like Kinsman. 🙂
I’m going to need you to finish the Technomancer. It’s awesome.
My favorite as well. I need an ending
your trunk of rejects is better than most of the books I’ve read this year 😛 Technomancer was my fave, I’d buy the rest of it.
thank you for cracking open the vault for us!
Thanks for the visit to your ‘trunk’ some interesting mini stories
I especially liked ‘Emily’ and ‘Technomancer’ – can see why it led to ‘the hidden legacy’ series but I sense there is a definite ‘novella’ here if you so wished and ‘Emily’ would be interesting as a series of novellas – so if you ever get bored after your recovery maybe you could think on them!
Your imagination knows no bounds and even your ‘worst efforts’ to sort of quote you are way better than most authors
Please keep on ‘doing your worst’ and we will all enjoy your best as well
Many thanks
I think most of these were not just salvageable, but contained some unique and good world-building. All 4 were really engaging to me, as well as leaving me definitely wanting more. I also really enjoyed reading them because I think they showed the promise you had before you came into your final writing styles. It also gives me hope for future, new story arcs taking place in different worlds, but still told in that unique voice that is the team of Ilona Andrews.
I also wanted to say that I’m so sorry for the pain you are feeling in regards to the hand issues and the other things going on in your life that are less than optimal. Chronic pain issues really sucks, I know I deal with that too. But I do think that all those horrible things are probably poured into your stories and that’s why, in my opinion, you guys produce art, as opposed to product. I think one of the reasons your books are still great even after writing so many per series is that they contain what feels like real growth and change, and yes genuine pain. None of your series have ever had “filler” books or just ones that made me think, “that’s it, I’m done.” I regularly recommend your books to others for that reason. Keep up the great work, don’t let the pain (or negative Nelly’s) get you down. And while I definitely miss the Sweeping freebies, your health comes first. Don’t let the few overly entitled fans get you down. I know the majority of us love you and are appreciative for whatever you feel up to giving us. (Tell ’em disappointment builds character and obviously their’s needs a bit of work!) Feel better soon.
+1
“Tell ’em disappointment builds character and obviously their’s needs a bit of work! ”
Wonderfully said.
I agree with many others in that your rejects are much, much better than some completed novels I’ve read. I particularly liked Emily & Technomancer. In Emily, the relationships & friendships seem to have so much potential. Technomancer was also fun and interesting. Thank you for sharing & I hope you will revisit these stories in the future.
I can tell you like Johanna Lindsey. 🙂 I’m much less of a captive romance fan and I prefer a more equal power dynamic, so I appreciate that you’ve toned things down in your published work.
I think there are some very interesting worldbuilding ideas in these, several of which you have mined out and used in other writing. (I enjoyed Technomancer, but I like Rogan and Nevada better than I like Morozov and Emma.) Thanks for sharing.
Thank you so much for these. All 4 are quite interesting, but if i had to choose, i’d like the continuation to Dark thingie and technomancer (just putting it out there in case you decide to do a “Natural Selection” :))
Admittedly, we are spoiled as we got the Hugh book so if we keep begging for these stories…
And please get well soon, your health trumps everything else!
Fun! I can see why you stopped these, but you write such great characters that even your “terrible” is pretty entertaining to read. Despite all the encouragement you’re getting to finish them, though, I hope you stick with Matilda and Catalina — no one can write ALL the things, and I love Helen and Leon so much that I hate the idea of anything distracting you from them. (Elara, nice, too, of course, but Helen! Leon!!)
Thank you for sharing. I would buy each book produced from these starting points. Loved each story line.
Finished reading all the trunks stories while waiting for the window guys to finish installing some new windows.
Luv’ed seeing the development of themes, relationships, worlds, snippets, drips and drabbles, potential scenes. Lots of fun and thank you for opening the trunk.
Loved the demon thingy story!!!!
Honestly I really enjoyed them all… I’ve been panicking all week that I wouldn’t read them before you took the post down as you said you would and was so happy that I made it here in time lol Overall I would definitely purchase any of the above as novels or novellas.
Technomancer was amazing! I really want an ending to it! If that was a Kindle sample I’d be buying the book and settling in to get it finished! Thanks for sharing!
What are you talking about girl – don’t sell yourselves short – I loved these ‘rejects’ ?
More please … in 10 years maybe, when you have a spare moment … ?❤
These aren’t terrible. They’re wonderful! I’m glad I was able to peek inside this truck before it disappeared. I love the different worlds and the creative introductions to them.
These were all amazing! Way way better than most books that have recently been released. One of the worst things about finding authorlords that have impeccable talent is no longer being able to tolerate substandard writing. My standards are so high now that I have to wait for the new releases of the few authors I still follow and most of y’all only release once a year. *cries in 1 millionth reread of a series cause nothing else is good enough*
I loved all of them, each of these are so unique and interesting. it’s been two days I have read Demon thingy and I’m still wondering what happened to Julia and her walking house. then I remembered I won’t be knowing :'(
anyways I seriously hope you guys will re-visit these. someday.
take love <3
they may be rough, but they left me wanting more… they all ended too soon
Rough thoughts – the technomancer families could be slid easily into the Hidden Legacy world. It thought Emma was an animator mage at first :). Love it. I have no idea who Emily is but I wanted more of Aby and Iris’ adventure in that world. The story is so short yet Iris looks promising, not just a token PWD representation. (love it). Demon Thingie, yes dark like alphas, but seems more magic based? I like Alphas more for the science/genetics aspect, with the prime directive thing going on, plus time/dimension travel. I guess it was a complex world (morally and in world building) and never quite fit the genre it was in.
Thanks to the author lords for sharing. These “rejects” were fun to read, the characters felt real already. I would certainly read and buy if they ever complete these stories.
Yes more Emily- I want to see more Aby and Iris! I mean, I respectfully request a revisit in the future , pretty please. After, SOTB, Of course
Loved them all – fingers crossed sometime down the track you might pull them out, brush them off and finish them. Enjoyed each one . xxxx
That was fun! Thank you for sharing! I enjoyed them all!
Please, I want to read the rest of the story.
Aaaargh – none of ’em have an ending… That was cruel!
Very enjoyable. I see why they’re in the trunk, but I’d happily read any of them.
Technomancer could probably be modified to fit into the Nevada world. It was one of my favourites of the lot. Aby and the Hunter Beware start were also very intriguing.
Vastly enjoyed reading these. It was also quite educational. I have started stories and stopped them because I grew bored or just got stuck. I wanted to see what you thought was embarrassing. I would say these are embarrassing.
Demon thingie was a harsh reality, that didn’t bother me. I actually found that intriguing. Lots of room for intrigue and plotting.
Emily…all I can think of is the “gimp” in the driver seat of the crawler with all of her fabulous equipment…almost a steam punk sci-fi. For some reason I imagine the crawler to look a bit like metagross from Pokemon. I think this story is redeemable if there was a character shift.
Technomancer…Connor is better, but I already know him.
Hunter beware…the first and favorite of the read. The structure is rough but the world was already there and fleshing out could have cleaned up the rough connections. It seemed that part of the problem was the lack of your usual detail. I would consider this a rough draft like you showed in the little red riding story. Each rendition had more detail and better feel for the world/context.
So, we could have fan fiction contest and see who can finish one of the stories the best. : ) LOL
Crud…typo. I did not mean to say these are embarrassing! So sorry. These are NOT embarrassing.
It amazes me that these excerpts were characterized by Andrews as “crappy” writing samples. Unedited, unpolished, and unfinished I still found them more entertaining and better written that many published books out there. Too bad they don’t plan to finish any of them. I would have bought, read, and doubtless enjoyed any one of these books were they to complete them.
This is what happens when you post in no sleep. You search post ::facepalm::
THANKS, THANKS, THANKS for sharing. You always treat us readers as special. It means a lot.
Would you ever consider resurrecting/revamping Demon Thingie? It grabbed me. I would love reading it as a full novel.
I thank you for asking this question B.!! And I thank you Ilona Andrews for sharing. I have only read Demon Thingie so far, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. I’m looking forward to reading the rest.
I know I am late to this party but I just wanted to put in my two cents and say I really liked Technomancer. I’d read it if it were a whole book.
You are evil author Lord’s!!!! I can’t stop thinking about Emily’s story…. are you sure you’ ‘ll never finish it?
My wife runs two writers groups in our area and finds writing exercises a good way of encouraging people to start writing.
A few years ago she published some of her completed works and has now published anthologies for both writing groups.
She keeps telling me that she is no good at writing and although I encourage her I seem unable to change her attitude in this respect.
Here is a link to her work and blog from some of the exercises for you to judge for yourselves.
https://sharonbradysmith.wordpress.com/blog/