Putting final touches on Diamond Fire novella. Yay! We will be done today. The draft is finished, we are just cleaning it before sending it off.
Here is some Leon for you.
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Valentina’s House Catering was in New Braunfels, a very German town in the middle of Texas. We had interviewed larger catering firms from Austin and San Antonio, but Mrs. Rogan trusted Valentina’s and so that’s who we went with.
I parked in front of an old brick building. Leon got out of the passenger seat. Arabella was still in school, and today she was crash-writing a two-thousand-word essay, which was assigned to her a month ago and which she had started this morning. Leon was my battle-buddy for this mission and he was thrilled.
“Cake shop,” he said.
“Yes.”
Leon let out a long-suffering sigh. “Are you sure that I’ll be enough? These places can get pretty rough. You walk into a cake shop and then some gunslinger tells you, ‘You ain’t from around here, partner,’ and the next thing you know, you’re in the middle of the street, your horse is dead, the bad guy’s got your girl by her hair, and you’re down to one bullet.”
“What is going on in your head?”
“It’s a dark, lawless place, Catalina. So dark.”
Brenda says
So incredibly excited for this!!! Thanks for the update!!!!
Amy says
Yasssss!!!!! I am soo here for this. I’m not usually a fan of YA, but the Bayer kids are hilarious and their powers are pretty damn awesome.
Thanks for the snippet! And thank you ilona, for all your hard work. It couldn’t have been easy going from typing to dictating, but you pulled through. I hope your fingers are feeling better. Can’t imagine what you’re dealing with, what with all those sensitive nerves and all.
Do they make like foam caps for fingers? Would that help you in any way or hinder your work? Because it sounds pretty easy to diy. Just an (impractical) idea.
Sorah says
Hey that’s a great idea! But might be too bulky for the keys…
Either way, loved being in Leon’s presence! Can’t wait!
Sharon says
Hooray. Thanks for the afternoon giggle. Cannot wait.
Hope those hands are still getting a rest and you haven’t killed Dragon Speaking Naturally ?
Shanan Morris says
Thank you very much for your wonderful books..I hope you feel better soon and I was sorry to hear that anyone was rude or impatient about the Innkeepers…one of our favorite songs is Baz Luhrmenm song everyone’s free to wear sunscreen and there’s a line in the song that says Ignore the insults and remember the complements and if you succeed in doing this let me know… so lots of love!!! (Ignore the mean people lol)
Sharon says
+1 and amen to that!
Essie Tong says
But…did you get the mermaid suit?? ?
Dy says
+1
Dave says
+1
KAren says
+1
Mary says
I am so excited for this novella and hope you can do more. Please take care of yourself and those fingers!
Sarah Hutchins says
Awesome! I love Leon so much.
Jen says
+1
DebB says
Excellent it’s done. Take a break, let those finger joints recover, ignore the selfish so’n’so’s who seem to think you owe them something. We can all just read, or re-read Iron and Magic, or maybe restart Kate from the beginning, or Innkeeper, or the Kinsmen novellas, or The Edge…
SherL says
+1, ignore and just remember the complements. Some people are just plain selfish. Hang in there!
Chris says
Are you sure this is a contemporary novella and not a hysterical one? Ha ha.??
Love the cover, especially that we get to choose her face in our minds.
Perrrfect! ? It’s so much more of an interactive reading experience that way.
Thanks so much for the snippet. Can’t wait to buy the book.?
Now head for the pool and relax and take care of yourselves. ??♀️??♂️⛱?
Downtime needs to be put on the schedule and and rigorously adhered to.?
Alison says
Your brains are amazing places.
I’m very glad your hands are better Ilona, please except my thanks for taking care of yourself. Your talent colors my world in beautiful (and terrifying) ways and I hope it continues but not at t the cost of your health or sanity.
Leon is one of my favorite characters. I look forward to reading everything you’re willing to write.
As always thank you both for your gift.
Robin says
Thanks so much for the snippet. Leon is hilarious. Take care of yourself please.
Stephanie says
Love, love the snippits…i’m so going to reread the books this evening!!! 🙂
Gwen says
Cool!
צלם אירועים says
Thanks for the tip
Vala says
I just love Leon, you must have so much fun writing him! Congrats on getting done and hope you got your mermaid outfit: -) thanks as always!
Christina says
That was hilarious! Looking forward to the rest of the book. Thank you for the snippet.
Tina Black says
Leon’s head runs the most skewed scenarios! Maybe it’s how he deals with his magic, or maybe he’s just a teenager.
Thanks for the bridge in Baylor family doings. Read Hugh, waiting for Kate and more Hugh, but do take enough time to be good to yourselves.
Simone says
Thanks so much for the great snippet 🙂 You two spoil us. Hugh was released on June 26th. Kate is coming on Aug 28th and Diamond Fire on Nov 6th. Basically only 2 months between books. Hope you take some R&R time soon.
Jim says
wow thank you for the snippet. Am looking forward to the novella. let your fingers heal for awhile, and go horseback riding :).
Alisa Arthur says
I LOVE Leon!
Tara says
+1
VeronicaK says
Yay, thank you! Leon is shaping up to be absolutely awesome. Looking forward to Diamond Fire.
Cindy says
HaHa! Love it! Thank you.
I just doubled-checked that I have pre-ordered this and I am anxiously awaiting it’s arrival.
Take care!
mary grove says
You two get so much in so small a space…it’s wonderful. Thank you!
Unfortunately, you aren’t the only authors with outrageously demanding readers. Michelle Sagara West got attacked by a reader who sais she would no longer read anything Ms. West wrote because her book delays were just a symptom of her utter disregard for her readers. . . Okay, so sometimes we can be real self-centered jerks, but please don’t listen when anyone tries to badger or guilt trip you into feeling bad about your work or how you write. Chronic pain and the worry around it are hard enough to handle without the meanies piling on, and in the end, it’s your work, your life and both are ca source of much delight to so many people. Delight in yourselves and know that you are delighted! Hurrah for the new book!!
Teej says
Hehe, love Leon and his Rogan-worshipping evil teenage heart! However as an engineer, I have to say that Bern is probably the character I identify more with (tho yes, gridding your food on your plate is probably going a bit far….maybe). Got any Bern-love? Bern ever been frustrated by the amount of eye-glazing that happens even when he tries to simplify his tech explanations?
Cheyanne says
Tired. 3 more hrs of work to go. 102 degrees. Cruised by ever hopeful and jackpot! Leon has my twin mind. Thnx!
Joan says
Many thanks Ilona.
I love this world and these characters – already pre-ordered ❤
Libby says
I love your characters. Some authors have cookie cutter characters – they may have different names, but the heroine is always a heart, the male protagonist is always a star, and each side character has its own version of a triangle – slightly different in description, but if you were to only read their dialogue it would sound like the same character talking. Your characters on the other hand are unique – each is an individual, and even across different story arc’s we don’t see them repeated. They stay true to themselves, and each has their own sense of humour, their own quirks, and their own defining morality, character and personality. I love being able to read a story where I can understand why a character has done something because I feel like I know them well enough to rationalize their decisions. To me, that is one of my favourite qualities in your writing and it is one that takes immense talent and imagination. I know this is really sappy, but thank you (as always) for sharing your gift.
Things says
<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!