ILONA ANDREWS

#1 New York Times Bestselling Author

You are here: Home / Blog / Admin / Menus and Navigation

Menus and Navigation

Admin, Blog POST A COMMENT by

Hi everyone, Mod R here.

I thought I would answer some of your questions about the website and blog today, since we’ve gotten quite a few queries lately about how to use the various features.

This is just a general walkthrough, of course, intended to make your experience easier, but you don’t need to use these tools if you are not comfortable – I’m always in the comments, so if you have a question or want a post found etc please ask. I will either answer straight away or add your question to a list for House Andrews to expand on, but every single one of your comments, contact forms, newsletter replies etc gets read.


Accessibility

On any page of the Ilona Andrews website, including the blog, you can head over to the silhouette icon on the left of your screen and expand for the accessibility tools– see picture.

You can increase or decrease the font size, pick the kind of background that is easier on your eyes, chose a high contrast or a more easily readable font. This has been a website feature for over a decade, and House Andrews are always trying their absolute best to make sure everyone has access to all the things.

Speaking of making things easy, whenever you see things appear in red and underline, it is an embeded link, like this:

Click Me

This is a button, which also contains a link, and will change colour as you hover over it:

Push me

They exist to take you directly to that preorder, reference, or snippet etc depending on the context. You don’t need to go in search for it or wonder how to get to to your treasure!

News, updates and series status

The Release Schedule page, first amongst equals. You can always find it as the first item menu on the top banner of the website:

Any plans that become official will be first updated on the Release Schedule Page.

This means any known release dates, projects in work with official timeframe and preorder links, when print or audio formats will be available (in case they are not released at the same time) etc. Sometimes things might be shared with us in virtual appeareances or we may get hints in blog posts, but until they show up on the Release Schedule, no plans are confirmed.

On the same page, so you only have to learn one target, you also have the other most asked question- a complete book list, in reading order, for every single series; and the status of each of the series.

Each title in the complete book list is a clickable link- we learned about it above- which will take you to the description of the book and a handful of retailer buttons where it can purchased. They are not exhaustive, there is limited space on a website page, so please do your own search if you have a favourite retailer that isn’t mentioned.

Hear ye, Hear ye! as this is important:

If a series is not specifically marked as “Finished for now” or “There are no plans for a follow-up” on the Release Schedule page, there is hope that we may get more from that universe, even if nothing is mentioned under Upcoming Releases. It just means plans aren’t set in stone.

None of this “I heard a rumour that it was the last book/ they are selling the series to the muskrats so it can get ghost-written by a fart gun” please. House Andrews are usually very transparent with us (unless they’re preparing a surprise), but people sometimes interpret things, take them out of context or just outrightly shenan. And if they shenan once, they’re going to shenanigan!

Free Fiction

If a series has caught your eye and you want to see whether you would like it, or if you’re just hungry for more from your favourites (BDH! BDH!), you can head on over to the Free Fiction page and read short stories, character interviews or snippets organised by series. Each one has a title, picture, small blurb and a Read Me button- click on the button to get to the right page.

Thank you for your understanding around the fact that we cannot add every single snippet or deleted scene that gets generously shared with us there- it’s designed for the more fuller-sized (not to say hefty) of the pieces. The Horde like big snippets and we cannot lie, the other Otrokars can deny, when a short story walks in…ok fine, I’ll stop.

If something from a smaller scene or snippet stuck with you and you would like to revisit, here are you options:

Post categories

Head over to the blog menu, and select the category you want in order to get all the posts that are tagged with it. The tags appear under the title of each article, and they are clickable, making it easy to navigate the topic the interests you: snippets, recipes, Mad Rogan etc. For example, this post is categorised as Admin info.

If you just want the blog posts in chronological order, starting with the most recent, you can access the front page of the blog from the menu on the top banner of the website- to the right of the famous Release Schedule page.

Website Search

There is a search function at the bottom of every page on the website, including the blog.

You can whisper in Dina’s ear and pretend Gertrude Hunt made the results show up.

You want to go in with a good keyword as there are a lot of posts, but I completely understand sometimes it’s just not feasible, so please don’t hesitate to ask me, it’s literally why I’m here for and I take pride in being the Bug of the Horde!

Social media

Also at the bottom banner of each page, right under the search function, I have highlighted the links to the main official social media accounts of House Andrews, which will likely be more active going forward- give them a follow if you want.

Contact

The Contact Form for the website and general admin/ Ilona Andrews issues and questions is on the menu on the top banner of the website.

Most of you also reply to newsletter emails- I also get those; and you know my email address by now- modr@ilona-andrews.com. I will get back to you if you’ve sent me enquiries through either of them, as soon as feasible.

Please do not email the merchandise store contact with questions about the books or publishing, they are there for merch orders and store issues or feedback. It makes us more able to help you if you get in touch with the right admin.

Newsletter

If you sign up to the Ilona Andrews Newsletter, you will get an email every time there is a new article, and/or also a big newsletter several times a year with summary of all the goodies and publishing news happening in Ilona Andrews world.

Sometimes people who get the blog posts in the newsletter have forgotten how to get to the website and join the us in the comment section- the title of each newsletter article is a direct link, and there is also a “Read in Browser” option at the bottom of each emailed article.

Does the blog have Rules?

It sure does: Blog Rules.

Unfortunately, we are not trained to help through difficult moments, but for anyone who needs them, contacts that can provide qualified assistance during a mental health crisis can also be found there.

How can I get an avatar picture?

In order to get a profile picture instead of the little default squiggle next to your name in the comments, you need to head over to Gravatar and create a free account. You can upload your chosen avatar and the website will automatically pull it whenever you use your credentials to comment.

My current one, by the way, is an Otter Mod R created with the Bitmoji app, and she’s clutching a heart shaped clam- because Magic Clams and I love you all!

NEVER MISS A BOOK RELEASE

Join 30,000 Subscribers

CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO
PUBLISHING NEWS

New book releases, give-aways, and appearances.

CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO
BLOG UPDATES

Free fiction, snippets, and funny stories.

Read our Privacy Policy.

Reader Interactions

Comments

      • Oh geez, I’m glad I saw that the avatar should be an otter. In the comments, I swear it looks like you have your arms up by your head and you’re wearing a bathing suit and laying on a brown pool float in a swimming pool!

        • I thought the same thing, because of the way it’s cropped to fit in the little circle, lol

      • Seriously I thought ( too) that you were lying on a towel in a bathing suit. Glad you’re an otter.

  2. One thing you might mention about blog posts is that the “Previous Post” and “Next Post” links at the bottom of a blog article will take you to the previous/next post in the same category, not the previous/next sequential post. It took a question to Mod R for me to figure that out.

    Overall, this is a great web site. All we need now is a way to order and immediately download future books!

    • That’s not as straightforward anymore- since the switch to the Word Press engine in the most recent redesign, all the posts have to be tagged with “Blog”, so it messed a bit with the previous/next order 🙂

  5. Thanks Mod R – great explanations!

    “The Horde like big snippets and we cannot lie, the other Otrokars can deny, when a short story walks in…ok fine, I’ll stop.” 🤣 No, don’t ever stop! 😘

  6. Thank you Mod R!

    When a short story walks in, we devour it and then whine!! (not quite rhyming, I know.. 😋)

    Btw what’s the chance of House Andrews sneakily updating the release schedule without announcing in the blogs first?

    • It will most likely be announced on the blog at the same time, but there are several blog posts a week, so things get lost or overwhelming very quickly.
      The Release Schedule has the updates ready to go whenever you check it 🙂

  7. Thanks for this.

    One thing not mentioned that I appreciate very much is when an embedded link pulls up a new browser page, so I don’t lose where I was in the blog. (Sometimes I will pull up a snippet to read later, and then go back to finish the blog post.

    • Ah yes, there’s an option to “open in a new tab” as you embed, and I’m a big big fan of turning it on!
      I love multiple tabs, it feels like I can free my mind of a thing if I load it on the browser – ADHD on parade! Incidentally, the maximum amount of open tabs you can have open in Safari on an iPhone is 499. Ask me how I know 😅

  8. I’ve always found this website the absolute best of the various authors I’ve got bookmarked. It’s useful, fun and most importantly, updated regularly. I realize authors are working people with lives outside of work, too, but so many let their sites languish for years. Years. Thank you so much for everything you and HA do to stay in touch with the readers, ModR! It’s so appreciated.

    Shenanigan….rofl! And my merch arrived and I love it all! ❤️

  9. Thanks Mod R for the information.

    Whispering in Dina’s ear on the Search this Site made me laugh. More like “the BDH will shout quietly to find things they need to know” is more like it.

    We, the Horde, love you too Mod R. It will be interesting to see your new avatar when the next book comes out. 😀

    Your patience knows no bounds…even when you’re cursing quietly in your mind. 🙂

  10. “And if they shenan once, they’re going to shenanigan!” this is gonna live rent free in my head 😂

  13. Oooooooh, this post is GOLDEN!!!! I see what you did there… and there… and there… and over here… so many clever things!

  14. I look at the “what I’m reading” when something new is posted. Because of this I have now become obsessed with everything Forthright / Milbrandt and CasualFarmer.

    Thank you.

    (Beware of Chicken is a hoot and a half!)

  15. Thank you! This is one of the best author sites I visit. I realise its hard work, so know that I absolutely appreciate it.

  16. they are selling the series to the muskrats so it can get ghost-written by a fart gun 🤣

      • I think I remember something in the blog that mentioned that. I remember the Horde had a wonderful time commenting about the rumors. Chi! Chi! Chiiiii!

        The muskrats also wanted one shoe along with the fart gun. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤪

  17. Thank you, Mod R! This was really helpful. As usual, you have shown that HA and the BDH is very fortunate indeed to have the best moderator EVER! 🥰

    Have a wonderful week!

  21. Thanks for the review /update on how to navigate. Question: in Free fiction, why not the latest story about the knight coming to find out where his brother is? And suggestion: next time there is merchandise, hopefully a “Luther Laments” mug? T-shirt? Thanks you. Happy Fourth of July!!🎉🎉🎉

  22. Question about creating credentials.

    I use Bitmoji, and have used those images on other sites, but don’t know how to associate a “bits” with me, here.

    To my knowledge, I don’t have “credentials” here. I just sign “Name” and “Email Address” after each comment. Is there a “create account” thing I’m missing?

    • The name and your email address are your credentials 🙂.
      If you use different ones that don’t match the Gravatar account (like an alternative email address for example) it won’t recognise you.

      • Ah! Okay!

        So Gravatar is the necessary step.

        When you mentioned Bitmoji, I thought, “Oh, I have that” and thought that was sufficient.

        Got it! Thank you!

        • Yes, Gravatar is the important step.
          You can put whatever profile picture you want in it, Bitmoji was just an example because some comments asked me how I create mine 🙂

          • Hmmmm, not quite I’m afraid.
            Did you set a rating for your profile picture and save?

            • You can’t see it? I can see it. It’s a little rainbow picture, not a Bitmoji.

              Hmmmm.

            • Sorry, didn’t answer your questions.

              I *did*both, rate the photo (G for everyone!) and save.

              When I refreshed this page, the image propigated across all of my comments.

              Maybe it takes a minute to cross both the continent AND the ocean.

  23. Thank you ModR, informative _and_ funny, the best way to get stuff to stick 😄

    Okay, okay, so I gotta ask (and show my age 😉) but is mlerm just an onomatopoeia or yet another Internet-wide abbreviation I’ve missed out on so far? 😉

    • It’s internet slang for when an animal licks something, so more toward onomatopoeic. Although it’s used when seemingly transcribing the language of pets, it has also been co-opted for human use https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Mlerm
      It’s pretty Millennial at this point, and cringe for the younger and cooler Gen Z and Alphas, who make fun of us for our “doggo” speak and memes.
      We’re all just trying to survive on Beyoncé’s internet 😅

      • Hehehe I don’t think I can even claim millennial 😂 so I won’t feel bad about not knowing this 😉 thanks for the explanation!

  27. Thank you for all this information. This site is quite fun to navigate. However, I just don’t understand the negativity attached to muskrat publishing.😉 I hope everyone has a wonderful and peaceful July.

  28. Thanks for pointing out the Accessibility Tools icon! However: settings are temporary, if for example I select “High Contrast” the current page changes immediately but if I click on a link to go to a new page on this site or even just refresh the current page it reverts to the defaults and I have to go back to the accessibility menu and change it again.

    I see a number of problem reports on the WP plugin support page with topics like “Doesn’t save settings” and “Plugin not remembering settings”, on one of these someone added a later comment saying “Finally we made it work, simply by deactivating and activating again “Sitewide Accessibility”.

    So it seems like my user change should persist and maybe there is a plugin option that needs to be set?

    • Thanks for the feedback, Andrew, we will explore the possibilities- as the pages on the website have different fonts and backgrounds, it may not be feasible to keep the same settings throughout however.

  31. Love our Mod!! Hats off to you for your awesome humor and endless patience. 🙂

  33. Lovely orientation thank you! I thought I had a good understanding on the IA land but this was still helpful and learned a few new things.

  34. I thought this was the funniest thing in the post “they are selling the series to the muskrats so it can get ghost-written by a fart gun” UNTIL I read this: “And if they shenan once, they’re going to shenanigan!” And then there was THIS: “The Horde like big snippets and we cannot lie, the other Otrokars can deny, when a short story walks in” You are the funniest! And the best Mod R to ever Mod. Thanks for all the information and the laughs!

  35. Thank you for pointing out the accessibility features! I had not realized what the little blue guy stood for.

  36. ModR, I used the accessibility options to change my view to High Contrast so it would be dark (SO much easier on the eyes), but when I left a comment and the page reloaded after hitting the Post Comment button, it went back to the default page settings.
    Is there a way to make the settings stick around after a page reload?

    • At the moment, it’s on a page by page basis (a reload would count as a new page)- because there are many themes and designs on the website, some pages would be more obvious with one set of features, others need the opposite etc. But I have taken the feedback on board and will look into a way to make the settings stick and will update it in the post 🙂.

  37. Thank you, I was wondering how to add a personalized avatar!!!

    *testing to see if I can see my new avatar 🙂

  38. Not “if they shenan once, they’re going to shenanigan”!!! I’m a dork, so I thought this was hilarious.
    Thanks for the breakdown.

  39. just a gentle reminder:

    “Purpose” is not yet on the book/works list. 😆

    (I do appreciate you amd all you do, though.)

  41. Thank you Mod R. The site is set up very well, but this is incredibly clear and helpful.

  43. ” but people sometimes interpret things, take them out of context or just outrightly shenan. And if they shenan once, they’re going to shenanigan!”

    Best sentence I have read in a while, this made me laugh and I may need to use it in my real life… thanks for this

  44. Just never forget how much we appreciate all of your hard work!! You rock!

  45. Best corner of the internet! The whole darn thing. Thanks for a fun and informative blog post!!

  46. Just FYI for anyone not seeing the social media links at the bottom of the page — if you are running a browser addon such as ublock origin, for example, it may completely block that element. If you disable the addon the social media links will reappear.

    (or anything similar, such as other privacy addons)

  49. I’ve been trying to find a recipe that was on the blog with carrots. I know it’s not much to go on, and I’ve had a look at the recipes category and I can’t find it.

  50. unrelated comment:

    re-reading Innkeeper inspired merch store ideas. I feel there could be a whole line of kitchen items with Orro quotes: towels, aprons, a cape, pot holder, silicone spoon mat, etc.

    “am I not a master of my craft?”
    “you will taste it and you will weep for it will be the best. . . to ever grace a human mouth”

    what’s everyone’s favorite Oreo line?

  52. ModR, you are all that and a bag of chips! Although I think they might be crisps in your part of the world! Either way, you manage the BDH like a champ and thank you for wrangling us for the House Andrews so they can write more!

  53. Thank you so much Mod R for all the info! Both very informative and entertaining! (hard to do) You are appreciated! 🤗

    If I may add a tiny, possibly helpful, bit? I only know that it works on my Samsung phone, but it might go for other Android phones (they seem to share similar characteristics). If you’re using a phone an browser and don’t see the Accessibility Button, turn your phone sideways. It will show up when you’re in landscape (sideways, instead of up and down) mode. 😊

  54. ModR, you’re the best. You made me laugh while giving some important tool.
    Got my t-shirts and so happy 🙂
    and let’s see if gravatar icon show up

    • I feel like Cornelius wouldn’t want to replace his wife. At least not yet, anyway.
      So, I would gamble on very long odds indeed. 😊

    • Zero. Cornelius has a long memory about Tatyana’s brother Adam and the Pierce family. Nope, nope, nope, nope.

  56. hi Mod R, I tried whispering in Dina’s ear, but I don’t think my search parameters were very good. anyway – I’m looking for the language generator that I thought had been posted when One Feel Sweep was in the works. did they actually post the language generator site or am I making that up? also was it https://www.vulgarlang.com/? hubby is trying to build a new D&D world and wants to create city names etc. cheers!

  57. “I heard a rumour that it was the last book/ they are selling the series to the muskrats so it can get ghost-written by a fart gun”

    Now I wanna read a series written by a fart gun.
    Thanks for that 😀

  58. My favourite sentence this week: And if they shenan once, they’re going to shenanigan!

  59. In my browser on my Android Smartphone I cannot access the accessibilty Tool. Ist this a problem other Users have as well in the mobile Version? On my laptop I can Access it. 🙂

    • I don’t have an Android, so unfortunately cannot speak on it, but we have had a comment saying that you need to tilt your phone in landscape mode and it will appear- maybe give that a go 🙂?

  60. Is it possible to choose a page number to navigate to? It’s tedious going backwards 3 pages at a time.

    • Hi Dee, not at the moment. If you want to get to a particular post, you’ll have better luck searching with a key word 🙂

Skip to content