I am sitting on a treasure trove of art, news, cool writing, and I can share none of it. I have a large Augustine snippet for you today instead. Some of you have read the first version of this scene. It has been edited and expanded.
In return, please drop some blog topics and questions into the comments. The sequel to This Kingdom is eating my brain and I need help, heh.
“As you know, Maria, the current state of the economy requires our company to develop agility in an effort to meet the rapidly changing realities of the marketplace.”
The HR manager smiled, her hand resting on a black folder with FINERGY etched in gold on it. She was in her forties. Her makeup was applied with technical precision. Her acrylic nails, translucent pink and of professionally acceptable length, bore small white snowflakes, a nod to the holiday season. A rose quartz necklace dripped from her neck, each bead polished, matching the nails and the nearly transparent pink frames of her eyeglasses.
She seemed plastic, poured into a corporate mold, allowed to harden, extracted, polished, and then placed in the conference room, with her rigid smile and by-the-book hair. A kind of generic mass-produced manager.
The two men sitting on either side of her had come from the same factory and wore identical expressions of dutiful concern for the office drone they were about to cut loose. A united front, in case there were issues.
“In light of these developments, we’ve had to make some difficult decisions.”
The corporate we. Fun thing about polished plastic – it tended to be slick. Nothing stuck to it, responsibility included.
“We’ve decided to go in a different direction, Maria.”
First name basis, designed to provide an illusion of a personal relationship. We are all family here. Surely you understand. Nothing personal, Maria.
“You’ve been an asset to our team; however, we must reduce our overhead obligations.”
You are not a person, Maria. This was ridiculously badly handled. Painfully drawn out, full of empty platitudes. Just abysmal.
“We’ve chosen to let you go.”
Finally.
“Try not to see this as a setback, but rather a new opportunity to learn lessons and apply them in your future endeavors.”
No, not just badly handled. Gloriously badly handled, as if they had made it a point to hit every checkmark of what not to do when firing an employee. Now tell me you will walk me to the door…
“Cory will walk you to the door.”
And we have a home run.
“Good luck, Maria. We are rooting for you.”
The temptation to offer a golf clap was almost too much, but it would’ve been irresponsible under the circumstances. Arrangements like these came with certain expectations, and they had to be honored.
The box they offered was too large for the meager possessions living on the desk. Sweeping them into the box under Cory’s watchful gaze took mere seconds. An elevator ride followed, the mirror inside offering a reflection of Cory, stone-faced in a Brooks Brothers suit, looming over a woman in her thirties, olive-skinned, dark hair cut in a bob, Harper blouse from Torrid a size too large. Quite the contrast.
The trek across a wide lobby was next, complete with pitying glances from former co-workers, at once sympathetic and wary, as if instead of a defeated woman in business attire they had spied a leper in filthy rags and worried the disease might spread.
The glass doors of the Callas Tower swung open, offering freedom and daylight. Cory walked out and planted himself in front of the door, ready to put his life on the line for the protection of the firm’s secrets in case the ex-employee decided to assault the building.
Too little, too late.
It was time for a dejected walk down the street and out of sight.
The city was going about its business, oblivious to the small tragedies of firings in the name of corporate agility. Thick grey clouds clogged the sky. It would start drizzling soon.
A gunmetal-grey BMW iX slid closer to the curb, and the rear passenger window slid down, revealing a woman’s face. She was quite beautiful in a quiet way. Light brown eyes, flecked with gold and framed by naturally long eyelashes. A lovely face. Chestnut hair, braided in a kind of updo that would have been too soft and romantic for the HR trio in the conference room.
Diana Harrison, Prime and the Head of House Harrison. She changed her hair color. It suited her better. Her usual blonde always felt soulless somehow. Too cold.
Diana tilted her head. “May I offer you a ride?”
“Do we know each other?”
She smiled without parting her lips. “Not closely, but it’s about to rain and your office is at least twenty minutes away.”
Oh. She knew. How?
There was no point in playing coy. “In that case, thank you. I’ll join you.”
A driver emerged, took the box, and opened the passenger door on the other side. Getting in took only a moment. A large red Doberman sat on the front passenger seat, strapped in by some strange seatbelt contraption, its gaze alert and watchful.
The dog could’ve picked up the scent and alerted, but not through a closed window. How did she know?
The car slid back into traffic.
Letting go was like a light, imaginary stretch. A brief effort, followed by a slight lightening of the load.
Gone was the olive skin, the short dark bob, the blouse, and the utilitarian black slacks. He was tall again, his regular persona firmly in place, familiar like an old glove. His true self still remained hidden, yet the new illusion was a tweak rather than an entirely new disguise. Like taking off a sweater but keeping the T-shirt on.
He stretched for real this time, working a kink out of his shoulders. The hunched posture had taken a bit of a toll.
He didn’t need to hunch, strictly speaking, but he always found that his illusions flowed better when he allowed himself to fully submerge into his assumed identity. After that barrage, most people in Maria’s place would either storm out defiantly or brace themselves, as if expecting to be punched. Storming out wouldn’t have achieved his goals.
Diana watched him with genuine fascination. He’d seen that reaction so many times, he should’ve been used to it by now, but coming from her it felt refreshing.
“A moment?”
Diana nodded.
He pulled his cell phone out of his Zegna suit and selected his second-in-command from the contact list. Zachary answered instantly.
“Here.”
“Dump FINERGY.”
“Understood.”
He ended the call, tossed one long leg over the other, and smiled.
“I believe I will dump FINERGY as well,” Diana said.
“I highly recommend it. They are engaged in cybersecurity fraud. The latest crop of drones they brought to the market and sold to multiple law enforcement agencies has severe software issues.”
“How severe?”
“A child with a LeapFrog tablet could hack one. They just fired the specialist who brought the problem to their attention two months ago.”
“You assumed her identity?”
He nodded. The scale of the fraud was massive enough that the real Maria’s safety was a concern. He’d spent the last week dutifully going to the office in her place. Normally, he would’ve sent one of his subordinates, but his House’s investment in FINERGY was considerable, and he wanted to assess the state of things for himself.
Diana tapped her phone.
Tomorrow one of the biggest law firms in Houston would file the qui tam lawsuit against FINERGY, alleging violations of the False Claims Act, and Maria would become one of the most famous whistleblowers on record. If the government chose to join the suit, she would be entitled to about twenty percent of recovered damages. Considering the extent of FINERGY’s transgressions, she wouldn’t have to worry about finding a new job for some time.
Diana finished and put her phone down. “Now I’m in your debt, Prime Montgomery.”
“Not at all.” He slid his glasses a little higher on his nose. “Please, call me Augustine. Now then, what can MII do for House Harrison?”
Diana hesitated. It was very brief, but he’d been trained to observe people carefully, noting minute changes in expression.
“I want to hire you.”
“Me specifically or MII in general?”
“Both.”
Intriguing. “In what capacity?”
Another slight hesitation. There was something deceptively delicate about Diana. She was a small woman, short and petite. The contours of her face were soft, her features classically attractive: large, light brown eyes flecked with gold and green, a small, slightly upturned nose, a full mouth with a bare hint of pink lipstick. She looked as if she was teetering on the edge, torn between wanting to keep her secret and asking for help. She could’ve played a princess in a medieval drama, the kind of princess who had suffered an injustice and needed a strong ally and who would inspire the audience to root for her.
It was a front. Augustine was absolutely sure of it. If he became an enemy, Diana Harrison would kill him without a moment’s hesitation. She was trying to entice him to help her and make her request a priority, and she was very subtle about it.
Common wisdom held that animal mages didn’t understand human emotions. Interacting with Cornelius, Diana’s brother, had convinced Augustine that there were exceptions to that rule. Apparently Diana was cut from the same cloth.
He knew a great deal about her, and at the same time very little. They’d met on three occasions prior to today, and his longest interaction with Diana happened when they signed the pact of friendship between their two Houses. The alliance was initiated by Cornelius, who had become convinced that having powerful connections was the best way to keep his daughter safe. As the Head of her House, Diana was the only one with the authority to sign off on it, so they had met to negotiate.
Entering a pact of friendship was a no-brainer. While most Houses viewed animal mages as having limited power with few practical applications, to an illusion House there was no greater threat. He’d been delighted to neutralize it. His people had done a deep dive into House Harrison and found nothing of concern. On all three occasions he’d interacted with Diana, her demeanor was neutral, pleasant, and opaque. She had negotiated in good faith. This manipulation was delightfully new.
“Whether or not we come to an agreement, anything you tell me is confidential,” he said.
“Something has been stolen from us,” she said.
“And you need me to find the culprit and recover it?”
Diana nodded.
“Why MII? Pardon me for stating the obvious, but you have access to House Baylor through your brother.”
“The Baylors can’t be involved in this matter,” she said.
Curiouser and curiouser.
His own relationship with House Baylor was complicated. At one point, before the Baylors became a House and were just a small PI agency, he owned the mortgage on their business. Back then their relationship was almost purely adversarial. Later they came to regard each other as allies, especially once Connor Rogan, the closest thing he had to a friend, married Nevada Baylor. The Baylors kept their word, and as long as he kept his, their loyalty and support were assured.
Either way, he had to draw the line now. As much as he valued the Harrisons, his House’s relationship with the Rogans mattered more. It wasn’t an alliance he was willing to endanger.
“Are the Baylors suspects?”
“No. They had nothing to do with this theft.”
“And they don’t know anything about it?”
Diana shook her head.
He saw it now. She baited the hook, offering him just enough information to ignite his curiosity, and waited for him to bite. Diana Harrison, a patient and careful fisherwoman.
In strict terms, their friendship pact was a non-aggression alliance, meaning that both Houses agreed to refrain from acting against each other. Mutual favors were not included but were customary in such arrangements. The disparity in their wealth, connections, and resources was significant, and yet House Harrison appealed to his help only once, when they needed him to pick up Matilda, Cornelius’ daughter, and secure her safety until Diana came to retrieve her.
Very well. Why not? He could play a knight in shining armor, if the compensation was significant enough, and Diana had offered payment in the right kind of currency. Most investigative work was profitable and boring. This promised to be interesting. He liked knowing secrets, and any secret hidden from the Baylors was worth knowing.
“Shall we speak in my office?” he asked.
She offered him a beautiful smile.
So exciting!
Love the new snippet. For future blog posts, can you do an Innterview with Maggie characters? Assuming Tor will let you do that kind of reveal, hah.
Or another great topic would be a breakdown of the HL magic system, kind of like the appendix on powers at the end of The Inheritance.
Have you checked https://ilona-andrews.com/the-world-of-hidden-legacy-2/ 🙂 ?
That Baylor Family tree needs some serious *spoilery* updating …
There’s a post with that 🙂 https://ilona-andrews.com/blog/baylor-family-tree/
There will probably never be a fully updated (aheeeem) family tree because when it starts circulating it would ruin the fun of the series for a lot of new readers 🙂
I have actually, but it’s pretty outdated — there were a bunch more magic types introduced in Catalina’s trilogy
Still waiting for the video of Ilona doing a “Happy Dance”.
But I was thinking of which books are readers ‘go to’ books that they read or listen too again and again. For me it is the audio of Sweep of the Blade. Just started it again as I was making dill pickles.
Oh The Kates! Doesn’t matter which one. But i love going back to the beginning after new stuff comes out and get extra giggles
I reread the whole Hidden Legacy series because of the first snippet, and now I kinda want to start over. Would love to see a short story or a serial on this topic. To be honest Ilona Andrews is one of my very few auto buy authors. And I own a lot of books. So anything you want to talk about is fine. Kate was the first urban fantasy series I read, together with Mercy Thompson
This was such a good lil treat hihi thank youuuu
I love the smell of a snippet in the morning!
First?
Thank you so much for the lovely snippet! It has fortified for my next doctor appointment today, and that is truly appreciated <3
I’m intrigued.
So good! Need pancakes!
I see what you’ve done there 🙂.
Good one.
Thank you!
Doing reread of KD Wilmington years and thinking about timeline and Roland’s pushing Kate to accept her heritage makes sense with his knowing the prophecy. Also Luther is good at secret keeping as in Blood Heir he knows about the fort in the wood. But my favorite scene is in Hugh’s book where he frees Erawan. Hope to see Erawan again after all elephant’s never forget.
And another Tower Tuesday-loved Purpose!
+1
Love all those suggestions. They were scenes that stuck in my brain too. Not that I think it needs a snippet but my favourite scene was on the beach at the end of the first Wilmington book where Kate is lying exhausted and dazed on the beach with Curran by her side and the merpeople are frolicking finally free in the waves. For some reason from the first time I read that scene I could see it perfectly in my mind. So joyous.
Pet updates, and potentially which character the pets would have most affinity with?
Love it. Augustine has always been compelling.
I love seeing the world through his eyes – SO interesting!
I was so distracted by the delightful snippet I forgot to respond to your request!
Your supporting/side characters are always awesome and have raised my expectations of how clear and unique the side characters can be. I read another book recently where the main characters were distinct and well-developed but I kept getting the side characters mixed up because they were all alike and vague. For HA, what goes into developing side characters alongside (or compared to) your main characters?
example – Diana feels distinct even though us readers have met her only briefly.
Yes. So many examples (like Michael in HL). Do we need to make a list? Okay, no. Probably Ilona and Gordon have enough to do. Hehe.
Ooooooo I love a glimpse into how Pancakes thinks. I also love that Maria will, hopefully, be good to go. Godspeed, Maria!!!
When your brains are full and theres so much going on, do you have routines that help keep you grounded? Are there certain easy meals that are the go-to when you’re super busy or do you have different kinds of battles with the elliptical?
If all else fails to catch interest, an update on the various animals of House Andrews is forever welcome! A pupdate if you will.
I’m always interested in hearing about your latest reads, knits, and shows you’ve been watching…
+1!!! I love the cozy hobbies
I like that Augustine and Diana are both mature adults, secure heads of houses. It’ll make the story more interesting to me. I am 100% YA and NA’d out at the moment. Grown ups are people too!
Now I really want to know more about Diana!! And yes, I’m thinking she might be perfect for Augustine
Once again, I have been hooked, line and sinker’d by two of the best fisherpeople I’ve had the pleasure to read over the years. Thxs so much for your fertile brains and killer prose. 🤣💫💯
I smell a “novella” that unintentionally turns into a full-length novel.
I know. Didn’t we get a “novella” before Catalina’s story.
haha, yes please 🙏🏼
Definitely want to see this relationship play out.
Still would love a Cornelius caper collection.
Oooh … from the ferrets’ point of view … obviously very simple and childlike but could be fun narration!
That would be fun!
Thank you for reposting it! I was laughing to my husband about a comment on the snippet mentioning a ‘new ship’ and talking about how we’d been being on this for years now, since the last snippet, and he just gave me blank face. Couldn’t find it through the search. Can’t wait to show it to him!
Oh yes, gimme, gimme, gimme! Need a book or novella or blog serial or whatever you’re willing and able to give us. Loved this snippet and can’t wait to read more! Squee!!!
Tantalizing!
Pancakes!
Hmm future blog questions and discussions, I always have questions about the innkeepers and what’s going to happen now that the vampires have a magnolia tree 😅. Or the standard questions you are tired of hearing and answering about the innkeepers. I am still super curious about the kingdom will not kill me (but the wait might) world, so anything that you can give us before that release would be wonderful.
I love the edits to the original post! My question for a blog post is how do you avoid writing characters that have too much overlap when you have so many different characters and worlds. What overlap is acceptable and how do you strike the balance between originality and characters that are a sure thing?
+1
Ohhh, this is going to be good.
What a lovely start to another Monday! Thank you and I hope you’re feeling well!
Do you know that some people put recipes on tombstones? the Mercury News published photo of Annabel’s Snickerdoodles today — I would add tsp vanilla or almond extract to the batter == they are awesome with tea.
Love the new snippet. For the blog, do you have any more recipes? Pancakes maybe?
Will we get to see the rest of the story?
Yes 🙂, it’s being written as a bonus story for an anthology https://ilona-andrews.com/blog/a-fluffy-pancake/
Ooh. Is Ilona Andrews going to be in a new anthology? With the Pancakes story? Also, is there a list somewhere of all the anthologies containing short stories by IA? I think I have them all, but I would hate to miss one.
It will be an anthology of HL extras from the blog. All Ilona Andrews 🙂
There is a Complete Book list on the Release Schedule page with all the published works of House Andrews and each title is linked to purchase options 🙂: https://ilona-andrews.com/release-schedule/#booklist
Blog post idea: which characters teach which classes at the House Andrews Academy? Based partly on a discussion question I had in the discord, “if you could choose any of the IA characters to teach you something, who and what would it be?” My answer being that I want Cornelius to teach me how to trim my angry cat’s claws XD
Whoa. Weird to see my name on here but it’s not me! 🙂
And +1 I think asking the broader BDH this would be a great idea. I’d love to learn more about dogs and their expressions/behaviors and what they ACTUALLY mean from any of the House Harrison folks.
Do you think you’d ever do a recipe book? Or could we get a blog post with all the recipes you’ve posted linked?
It’s in the plans 🙂
Thank you!
Thank you so much for the snippet. All of the books are on my comfort reread list. I’ve been reading HL this week because I lost my mom. This added some brightness to my day. Thank you again!
I’m so sorry for your loss! Hope you find a little comfort 🥰
sorry for your loss.
May her memory be a blessing.
Sending you and yours my most heartfelt condolences…
I’m so sorry for you loss, Sarah. Try to remember the happy times as you adjust to your new normal.
((Hugs))
Thank you for the snippet!!
I also enjoy the blog posts where characters meet at Dina’s.
And Mod R’s quizzes are always fun!
OOOOOOOOOOOoh Cornelius and maybe Hugh at Dina’s
Maybe Cornelius could help Hugh with Bucky’s escapades 😆
“and any secret hidden from the Baylors was worth knowing.”
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
Tv shows recommendations or to leave recommendations
I will second this. Especially any K-Drama’s or Xianxia/Wuxia!!
Wonderful! Thank you so much!
As far as blog topics go, I love to see pet pictures and read about their silly antics.
More innkeeper interview. Love visiting everyone’s lives.
Happy thanksgiving to Canadian BDH
Thank you!
I so needed this snippet!
Thank you House Andrews!
😍🥰😍 Ooooo, lovely
thank you xx
This was a lovely treat to read during a slow morning at work.
For the blog, I would love to hear if you each have a special focus when you’re writing i.e. Ilona is great at building scenery out of words/setting the scene and Gordon specializes in weaponry/fight scenes. How much do you write together? Or do you each take sections and then come together to tweak/clean up?
You may have written about this in the past. If so, I’d love the link for that post. I find myself very curious about your Teams Andrews’ writing process.
+1
+1
+1
Love how aware Augustine is of Diana. It makes sense for an illusion Prime to notice all the little things, but he does think she is beautiful. Diana is a perfect name for the leader of an animal mage house as well.
I always enjoy seeing Arabella do an interview with Dina. The teas at the Gertrude Hunt are always delightful.
I’ve ordered the Arcane Society trilogy so Hidden Legacy has been on my mind lately.
Ohh….. need more…. Need so much more. But, tyvm for the yummy treat!!
You know, this is now gonna become a “when are Augustine and Diana going to hook up” discussion and pleas for it to happen. 😈😈😈😈 I’ll enjoy the comment sections when that happens.
Topic suggestions: you’re in south Texas, any ideas of taking a few days or a week vaca into cooler environs? The NC Appalachians are about to turn red,yellow in the next couple of weeks.
I think we’ve been shipping Panthercakes for…eight years? Our p*tience will be rewarded!
Well, this is delicious. More, please 😉
Yup, I’m hooked 😊
Here’s a silly blog question: if our favourite characters were left to their own devices, what would be their favourite TV program or book from this world? I mean, Arland was all about Twilight 😉 but what would Grandma Frida binge-watch to unwind? What dog-eared and much loved paperback is hidden on Augustine’s shelves? When George is not trying to run the universe, which programme will he be watching? Just some silly stuff like that 😊
Leave it to the beavers?😁
George was last seen reading a book on parenting!
Without a doubt, Grandma Frieda is a big fan of The Bachelor! (not golden – her give her the you guns, no second servings). 😜
I’m thinking Grandma Freida would binge watch A-Team. Lots of cool vehicles and Hannibal is hot!
I think Grandma Frida would watch Outlander
Yay!!!!! And thank you.
This weekend’s news, while anticipated, knocked my world off kilter. More gearing up to do battle. Thank you for the lovely snippet and smile.
Hmmm, questions … okay, a silly one – you know how cartoons had guest stars, like the Harlem Globe Trotters on Scooby Doo, etc? Who would be your pick for a cartoon crossover if the Gertrude Hunt opened a door onto a Cartoon World?
What an excellent question!! Plus 1
Love it! Quick question, I thought Diana had a panther or some large cat? Maybe I’m remembering wrong though.
She does, for when she wants to impress. She says Cornel is the most practical of them all with a doberman, so apparently she’s taken his example 🙂
One of Bunny’s children?
Thanks for the snippet! A thrill to share my name with a character!
Blog post ideas: I’ve been wondering about Penelope Baylor’s and Grandma Frida’s magic ranking. Neither of them were tested for House-forming purposes, but they seem to have more than Average power? Also curious about Penelope’s father’s magic (sorry, not recalling his name) and whether her sister Gisela has any.
Here are some of your answers https://ilona-andrews.com/blog/baylor-family-tree/
thanks!
Nice new expansion of the previous snippet! Something the Baylors can’t know about…..intriguing indeed. This will be a lovely tale to feed our greedy little hearts (hopefully not too far off 🤞). Thanks for making Mon. more entertaining than the norm!!
Wonderful, thank you
The song lyric pour me up another round of whiskey comes to mind , as I can feel a great story being born, and a long night of reading. Night caps are always conducive to a relaxing evening reading a great story. Maybe take a skinny minute and unwind. Massage and some snackies, maybe a glass of good wine. Then go back to your tangled skein. It’ll unwind easier.
Sqeeeee. Very happy. Pancakes and more shenanigans. 🥞
‘She (They) baited the hook, offering him (the BDH) just enough information to ignite his (their) curiosity, and waited for him (them) to bite. Diana Harrison (Ilona and Gordon Andrews), (a) patient and careful fisherwoman (fisherfolk).’
There you go; just made a few edits for you – consider me caught and on the boat, ready to be gutted, scaled, and pan-fried. Thanks for the revised snippet; I can’t wait for the full story!
Love the edits! Waiting for the butter, salt and pepper to be applied!!
Woot! A bit deeper than when we last saw this one , which is the beauty of Andrews!!
Thanks for the snippet. These make for happy Mondays.
As for blog posts, I love The Further (Mis)Adventures of Steve and any HA story or scene as told by Leon or Gaston. Dina interviews are also awesome.
As for questions: Did you ever find/decide on a coffee grinder/maker combo? I remember a post about looking for one. Also, I’m curious if there’s ever a line or side character that the BDH latches on to that you didn’t expect us to.
My recollection in The Inheritance is that Elias was originally to be a rather minor character. Is that right?
I’m up for anything about Steve!
Question – do Bunny and the other non-human members of the Harrison’s household listen to conversations like this one between Augustine and Diana? Do they replay concepts and mental pictures of the meetings or can they replay the actual conversations through their connections to the mage? Are they the secret recording device when a meeting is not supposed to have ever happened? An interview with Bunny and Matilda (and maybe a ferret or 3) at the Inn with an appropriate interpreter for Dina would be an enlightening read…………………
+1
Wonderful snippet! Got a little kick out of the headline, since has my name on it 😊
+1!
Thank you for this! I’m looking forward to reading all of it! Will it be in the Arcane Society special edition?
As for blog posts, I love your posts about food that include your recipes. I hope they are relaxing and easy to write. They are definitely appreciated!
No, it will be a bonus story in an anthology of Hidden Legacy blog extras 🙂
oh lovely – what a treat! Looking forward to the whole story.
Augustine is a great side character, would be glad to get to know him better!
Ohhh…. So good.
😳😍😍😍🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰 LOVE!!
I do LOVE this series so much!
so good! ty ty
❤️
❤️
How very delightful!
I look forward to learning more…..
😉
👏🥰👏
Blog idea: the process of creating the Maggie cover through traditional publishing. How did everyone decide on the theme, covers, etc. Were there other drafts or ideas? Why is the UK cover slightly different in color?
Ohhhhh. Nice:) on another note, Tunisian Crochet. Have you tried it? If so, did you like it?
Blog post idea: “Jushur, son of Kizzura, the first of the Eyes and Ears, the Fourth Blade of Shinar, declare your intent.”
I have always wondered who the first 3 blades of Shinar are? We know Rimush is the 7th blade.
This is wonderful, thank you. I love the edits and additions to the previous version.
I wish I could help you as far as blog topics, or questions, go. For the most part I am content to read whatever you put out. Any questions I have would likely be spoilers for a future book.
So I will just offer you positive energy, and deep appreciation.
+1
It’s Thanksgiving here in Canada and you have given us a treat to be thankful for ☺️
More recipes would be great, your chicken was a big hit in our household
Just when I think Augustine has become a better person, he’s jazzed about keeping a secret from the Baylor family!! Which do you want more, a possibly useful secret or your friendship (and the only one you’ve got, sweetie) with Connor Rogan? Choose wisely, “Pancakes”!!
Topics/questions:
– How are all the House Andrews pets doing, including the “grand pets”?
– What knitting/crocheting projects are done or in the works?
– Have you used alpaca yarn, and how does it compare to other kinds of yarn?
– Do you have any easy vegetarian/vegan recipes? (I have negative cooking skills and need to make dietary changes.)
It’s a Monday, and my brain is still in the slow lane! More speed by Wednesday, I hope!!
Thanks for the snippet! Hidden Legacy is my happy place. Can yo do a blog on recent shows you’ve been enjoying, especially c-dramas?
Loved the snippet, thank you! In case you want to give your brain a complete break from books for the blog: do either of you have favourite artist(s)/ favorite medium or anything along those lines? If you had the money to buy any one piece of art in the world what would it be? Obviously alternative reality where no art is off limits/ hangs in museums etc/ you don’t need to worry about thieves. I am always interested to hear about that kind of stuff, and would also make for an interesting comment section.
“any secret hidden from the Baylors is worth knowing” — doesn’t mean Mrs. Nevada Rogan, or Ms. Victoria Tremaine don’t know….hehehhehehehe. Poor Augustine.
PANCAKES!
Am I misremembering or did Diana previously have cats?
Without rereading, I believe the cats were specifically to impress someone. And I can’t see that big cats would be good for the upholstery in her fancy car. No reason she can’t have both
I really appreciate these snippets. Keep em coming :-).
YAYYYYY! Sign me up! I would pre-order this story TODAY!
Love me a snippet, Thankyou, sorry can’t help with ideas for the blog I’m in a brain fog at the moment about to undergo cancer surgery.
Best wishes to you for a successful surgery and speedy recovery.
Seconded. Brain fog, I can so relate. Hoping for the best of all possible outcomes for you.
Ooohhh yes, more of these two. I’ve been intrigued since reading the first version. This adds some tantalizing bits. As to be expected from House Andrews.
Blog topic. You have said that you had to cut 25% of the original manuscript of Magic Bites. Could you talk about that a little bit more. Also have you ever thought of releasing the original manuscript of that novel? (Assuming you would be legally allowed)
+1 yes please!
You are the bestest of authors. Thank you so much for the large snippet on top of the little one you just gave us. This is lovely.
Hooray!
A relationship with potential.
And now I wonder, since Augustine now knows what animal mages are capable of , does he want or need one on his staff?
where does this snippet fall in the timeline, before or after Bern’s wedding?
Before Bern’s wedding 🙂.
This takes place in the 6 months between the Baylors getting their compound and the main action of Ruby Fever starting.
ty
Oh, I love Cornelius and his sister Diana was always something of an enigma, I liked her character. Love the tweaks to this scene, it’s a great scene. Thank you for sharing!
**one question, please, how to you start your novels? Is it an idea that you then create an outline for? Or do you just start writing and let the story develop on its own? Is that even possible? Love your books!
Ah, I love Pancakes in the morning!
Yummy.
Blog topic: the science of how the trees connect to other worlds in the galaxy.
Woohoo! Loving this fleshed out version: so many plot options!
Blog question: which comes first, knowing about animal traits/abilities and training options, or the plot device that needs an animal that could do xyz?
Clearly Diana isn‘t the only one baiting a hook.
The snippet is cast, the fluffy fragment is alluring, and the BDH is nibbling. Reel us in!
loved it! My suggestion would be fall/winter soup recipes. Tis the season and I’d love a good soup to try. Potato or chowder specifically but open to ALL soups. LOL
Love the snippet! Would love anything else you guys are willing to share, but since you asked, two Hidden Legacy questions and one request:
1) Can we get some info on Bern’s and Leon’s fathers and their magic? I assume Leon’s magic is the same as Nevada, her mom and her mom’s father, but there seems to be a twist that is potentially related to Bern’s ability to calculate patterns?
2) In Emerald Blaze, there is a reference to Sturm’s illegitimate half-brother. Could we get an idea of how that played into Sturm’s motivations for joining the conspiracy?
3) Any chance of a scene with Arabella learning from Augustine and/or Stephen Jiang?
I’d like to learn more about the boys’ dads also. Even if they were just duds, so all magic came from Frida and Leon.
Thank you for the fabulous snippet! Can’t wait to hear more!
love love love the snippet
blog ideas… trying to let adult children adult
blog idea… all of the fried items that when prizes at the state fair.. fried oreos anyone?
blog idea…the creationist museum outside dinosaur valley state park
Thanks for the fab pancakes! For future blog I agree recipes sound lovely- maybe some tea time deliciousness?
Also thanks for putting up with the tedious work for the Arcane editions. My old paperbacks are falling apart and I have to cover them with a paper bag to reread. I guess it’s a reminder that Avon did a lot of bodice rippers at that time🤣. The new ones will be such a treat🎁
Oh you are good.
So very good.
Now I’m dedicated to the next reveal and the total package.
Question:
What are you finding is most fun for you with Maggie?
I hope a lot!
Excellent snippet – thank you!
INNterview guest suggestion – perhaps Orro, Sean and their battle buddy the Medamoth could appear in a cooking segment?
Ahh, thank you so much. It’s like being visited by old friends and it’s a lovely addition to a weird day.
Blog topics: character interviews and food for the holidays. Might be boring for you guys but the world is upside down and these light and fun topics.
Thanks for the snippet!
My question: You’ve shared a lot about your journey as writers. What so you think writers starting out now should know?
Non writing related: Where are you sourcing your yarn now? Any favorites? We love our super soft yarns here.
Gimme more..please and thank 😊
curiouser and curiouser…
Oh, it is like visiting with old, dear friends. I want back in this world so badly!
I thought Augustine preferred to stay on the right side of the law. Insider trading penalties are pretty steep. I also got the impression that Diana carefully considered the consequences of her actions. Hmmm, very interesting twist. You should give us little more to see how dirty our hero and heroine can get😉. As far as blog post ideas, I love the animal shenanigans in you household.
awesome more please ☺
Please give Augustine a love interest – his life is so lacking in that! Diana would be perfect – he would have to come down off his high horse, get rid of the “smarter than you” attitude and we could finally learn what he really looks like!
+1
Well, yummy surprise on what has been a frustrating day. Thanks
Love this. More Pancakes, and I love learning more about Diana- always thought her backstory was going to be a good one. Let’s dance!
I just can’t wait for Arabella’s book
I have a love/hate relationship with snippets. I love learning a little more about the characters but hate that they are so short.
*squeals heard round the world*
HA, your yummy snippets are like Lay$ potato chips- no one can’t eat just one!😃
Thanks so much for the stories and care you have for the BDH. Sending good vibes for Ilona’s surgery and to HA and ModR to survive the grueling work pace.
Loved the reworked Maria snippet, as it captures the tone of the current insecure job market and it’s good to know the bad guys have it coming.
Possible snippet topics:
— How do you get a job with a House either in hidden legacy (magic family business) or innkeeper (vampire house) worlds if you don’t have a specific talent/skill? Aside from the ex-military guys that Rogan hires or Nevada hiring Cornelius, this is a mystery.
— Rogan’s and Pancakes’ relationship in high school, around when they fought on the video.
— Matilda’s most unusual animal friends and how she finds them
— Orro giving cooking classes, or entering the galactic equivalent to one of those chef competition shows
If you were to design a yarn colorway for your HL series – or any of the series/worlds – what would you do?
This thought/question popped into my head while I was searching through The Stash for The Right Yarn for a project.
I am looking forward to a return to Hugh’s continuing adventures.
Oh yes, colorway please. I have been looking for yarn to make Catalina’s wings…
ok, if you are talking colorways i recommend you look at Dreaming Robot. there, I think that avoid product placement.
Thank you for the original and updated Panthercakes!
I would love more FrINNterviews but would take posts of your every day family/pet/hobby adventures!
Mod R’s quizzes are fun also – she’s very clever with them!
Thank you for this blog! Would you be willing to share more about life in Texas? I can’t travel and will never see all the states in my country.
I’m sure this has been asked in some way, but I’ve never seen a response. I fell like you are PROLIFIC writers. while finishing Maggie, we got that marvelous short story with earth & other dimensions etc. now, in the midst of God only knows what enormous project, we’re getting Augustine snippets.
do you just get this sort of “itch”, of a story needing to be told? did Augustine start haunting you, demanding to be told? did Ada? did you need a Maggie break & so just start writing something new?
I’m dumbfounded at your talent & ability.
Building on Sara‘s questions for the blog:
How do you see the different worlds you build contrasting or echoing each other? Or are they cleanly compartmentalized in your minds?
For example:
The contrasting manifestations of vampires in Kate Daniels and Innkeeper worlds
Houses/ Families in Innkeeper, HL, Kinsmen and stories in Small Magics
Embodied corruption in Innkeeper and Inheritance
The medieval vibe of Puffles and Maggie feels similar to me from the little bits we‘ve seen
Another possible blog question:
What role do genres and tropes play in your creative process? How much do you consciously decide to riff on something?
Thanks again for taking the time for this blog and sharing so much of yourselves.
Okay, when is the wedding? LOL, I want to read more of them together
I am soooo intrigued. I loved the snippet.
Thank you!
Jello parfaits with a mayo/pineapple layer:
only for those over the age of 80
or
suitable for all ages?
I became a doctor instead of a writer for many reasons, but you all continue to remind me how lifesaving art is. I am beyond excited. I have left excitement in the dust. For my question- you once wrote a post about how quickly you introduce characters and why- any chance of a recap?
*giggles*. my brain misread “The sequel to This Kingdom is eating my brain” as “the sequel is titled ‘this kingdom is eating my brain'”. oops.
Not only Augustine intrigued…..tell us more , pleeease 😁
And emerging from a BMW we have a svelt, rich, single, sexy woman whose whims are enforced by jaguars, leopards, and any other lethal animal in her vicinity … can’t wait to see Augustine navigating this relationship.
+1
Thanks so much! I’d love if y’all could repost the video of the little black grandkitten slithering under the door, when called. Watching it just makes everything feel better.
Love the snippet. Think I can infer but Harper blouse from Torrid means nothing to me. Is this a US thing?
Oh my gosh I love it!!
These are the things that you have posted about that I have enjoyed.
You wrote a post awhile ago about how when you feel a bit defeated by the constant bad news that you knit a beanie. This really made me think and I have taken up knitting. Could you post more about that?
Any Kdramas you would recommend?
Any new anime? I have been reading ‘My farm by the Palace’ and I love it. I can attribute this one to you.
Love it! Left me wanting more!! Thank you for brightening my day.
Ok, this snippet was long enough that your hook has been baited, and I am caught. I would love to read the book or serial that comes from this very promising start.
Thank You for the snippet!!
For the question:
Is it difficult for you to switch between your books – I.e. from editing Maggie to writing a “short story” for HL, then going back to innkeeper etc. Do you have rituals when you switch between these or do you have to re-read some of your book? Do you in general like to read your books when finished?
And maybe for the blog we could have a poll where everybody is from? I’d love to see how international the blog is 😃
Dear House Andrews,
Please more of these story.
When you get the time.
NO pressure.
Thank -You for all your hard work.
Sincerely,
Tammy
Oh, fun fun fun fun fun! I would absolutely love to see a bit inside Pancakes, and this case sounds so intriguing. Please, House Andrews, may we have another?
No help on blogs from this front, only heartfelt thanks for the snippet! Now I will wonder about the theft and a potential Montgomery/Diana liaison.
So…both will know something the Baylors (and right now the BDH) don’t know. However, House Rogan might know if Augustine talks to Connor. Interesting. 🤔
This is a slow burn coming between Diana and Augustine. Can’t wait to read what was stolen from House Harrison.
When I saw the blog post title, I just had a song from “West Side Story” go through my head: “Maria. I just met a girl named Maria.” 😂
The joys of being part of the wonderful BDH!
My completely wild theory is that a Pied Piper was stolen. “Why?” You may ask. Well Cornelio let implied their family magic was older and before the serum and they might be descendents of the Pied Piper of Hamelin. We already have one mystic magical obeject show up in the series. that means other ojects of power might also exist. It make sense in my head and would be great if it was true.
I freaking love this world! This makes me so happy!
Not me squeeing in the work bathroom…
And away we go! Thank you both for this very special gift . I have been waiting and anticipating this new story line. Will I have a wonderful Christmas 2025 or an exciting New Year 2026?
Ooooh. Can’t wait to read the book!
I love Pancakes.
Love it!
And now I have a serious HL jones going on… *proceeds to reread series to-date*
YES! I love the intrigue and the building interest between these two.
Blog questions: When should we chalantly expect merchandise? Rogan said he cooked his own food for safety reasons. Does he have a favorite recipe?
As you wish! Two comments from me: 1) The termination scene is so perfect that it made me laugh out loud. It is almost word for word the last interaction that I had with my former employer. 2) I’m excited beyond belief that the Baylor’s are back in action!
As you wish! Two comments from me: 1) The termination scene is so perfect that it made me laugh out loud. It is almost word for word the last interaction that I had with my former employer. 2) I’m excited beyond belief that the Baylor’s are back in action!
This was a wonderful way to start the day! More Augustine, please
Loved this!
Ohh now we are waiting with bated breath, story sounds intriguing as ever you draw us in. Thanks x Glad all going well for surgery 💖💖💖
I loved the snippet. It makes me want to reread all of the books again.
Blog post suggestions: I’d love more of your keyboard quest, Halloween decorations(it you do Halloween), thanksgiving recipes, update on all the pets with photos off course, how is your yarn? And your yarn projects? And how you store it?, latest favorite tea flavor
A mystery! Love it!
Now I need to go back to read the books because in my mind Diana was a tall winter viking princess, I’m surprised to learn she’s petite: it shows my internalised sense of inferiority with being short.
Love it!!! Always love the Asian drama and manga/webtoon-type recs. Another suggestion would be a mini-dive into the weirdest stuff you’ve researched as part of writing. Especially the stuff where you ended up with a wealth of knowledge that in the book shows as just one detail added, etc.
awesome!!!
as far as ideas, it might be funny to do an ‘antique roadshow’ or ‘pawn shop’ kind of one with different boys and baubbles from the various world builds.
no ficțional human trafficking please 😅
Maybe (hopefully!!!) the “boys” were intended as show hosts?
ha!
maybe meant toys
apparently my autocorrect phone swiping keyboard is trying to get me arrested!! should be bits and baubbles.
although I wouldn’t say no to (above legal aged) boys and bubbles
*insert saucy wink here*
Wow!
I think we have all been wondering about a possible new line in the Hidden Legacy series. This looks very, very good!
Snippet is simultaneously a treat and a frustration (because I want to read the book now). Trying to remember if Diana Harrison is married with children or not because in this snippet Augustine’s gaze is a little personal.
Diana is single 🙂
Snipppppppettttt!
I really enjoyed the Frinnterviews. they were a good character study and just plain fun.
I also like the BDH free-for-all posts where we can post theories and conspiracies. I understand that could be problematic but where else to post why Arabella should be with Henry Jiang and not any of the Michaels?
Lower maintenance (maybe) blog posts could be:
*Orro’s summary of popular movies
*Reader posts regarding recipes they tried
*reader highs (positive moments) for the week
*reader shares favorite folklore
+1 to Orro movie reviews
Oh, I’m SO invested now! I’m as interested as Augustine!
Thank you for the snippet. Your weekly blog is something I look forward to in my inbox.
I love it!! Take my money!!
Always so fricking good! Can’t wait for more!!
A secret the Baylors don’t know 😀 Augustine is probably still a bit sore about missing out on a truthseeker on staff with Nevada
Question: Do you bake your own Christmas cookies? If so can you share your favourite recipe when winter nears 🙂 (either American or Russian)
what cookies would Orro bake? I think a reread of the Holiday novella is in order
What about a blog post about your pets? I think it’s been a while since we’ve heard about all of them at once. Do you still have a cat?
I was also wondering about the likelihood of getting special editions of the Kate Daniels series? or Wilmington? I love both my Subterranean Press editions and my Arcane Society books (Eagerly awaiting delivery of the new Hidden Legacy hardcovers!)
So lately I’ve been devouring spooky books. It started with the Fever House duology by Keith Rosson. Currently I’m loving Starling House by Alix Harrow. I have mysterious staircases and plane crashes in my list too. Have you ever thought about writing a spooky novel?
Just finished a re read of Ruby Fever and would love to read some more scenes between Penelope and Benjiro. Seconding the “tired of YA” post above, one thing I love about your characters is that they are grown-ups, and when they act childish they recognize and acknowledge it!
Love this! I’ve been so curious about Augustine and whether or how he would grow since the first book. (Part of me thinks the scales of justice have never fully straightened from some of his actions but I’m also weirdly invested. 🙂 ) Thank you!
What a wonderful snippet! I love the whole idea of the animal mages. One of my favorite wishes is that this series gets a spin off that features them! As far as topics, reading this I wondered, you do such a wonderful job describing people so that we can almost visually see them, the little details that just make a person come alive in our imaginations. How do you keep from everyone blending together? Do you search for images? Do you just imagine that person? Do you people watch and think, that person looks like a __? You are more subtle than white hat good guy, black hat bad guy, but you are still able to get that across or not as the case may be, when it’s a character we go back and forth on, is he/she a good guy, a bad guy, a neutral guy etc.
Thank you! Intriguing snippet!
Very nice. Would their kids be able to do animal illustions?
Thank you for the snippet. Blog topic (maybe):
My suggestion is very similar to those above. What about a WAG comment section? WAG=Wild A** Guess. Or, how about “Whatever happened to ???”
This would be a 1 to a customer comment about a secondary character who dropped off of the radar after the book or series ended.
My WAG concerns an issue in the Innkeeper Series where Dina is notified that there is a Scottish Innkeeper who wants to “adopt” her because he is estranged from his family and wants to pass the Inn to someone he admires. The PTB quickly put the kibosh on that, but…What if a certain police officer and his family who are “in the know” decide to relocate to Scotland and take over the Inn there?
My conspiracy theory is about why that bit (the Scottish inn) was left in the GA adaptation yet the Zoom call with the other Innkeepers was left out. I think it was left in because it will become important down the road when they find Dina’s parents. There. Team Facts Be Damned represents.
That Scott was too randomly irritating to be a one off. He is going to show up at the door and be pushy, and then gertrude hunt is going to lawn plant him for trying to steal her innkeeper.
Or throw apples at him from the orchard. Rotten, stinky apples. 🤣🤣
In support of your theory, I think that Dina’s parents are going to need an inn and somehow they will end up with the Scottish one.
I love the Baylors and reading about all the houses. Thanks for the snippet
We have no info on Blake Harrison, either. But I’m really pining for a Hugh story.
Squeed!!!!
Thank you for that nice long snippet. A lovely way to start the morning!
Augustine characterization is so perfect — “This manipulation was delightfully new.” Clearly the right fit 🙂
I always love seeing glimpses into your everyday life. Recipes, animal stories, house woes, etc. I loved the crazy house posts – like the “Boulder in the Bathroom” house. 😆
I enjoy hearing about your working relationship. I also work with my husband in a creative field and it can be challenging and rewarding. You guys seem to have found a great balance. What is the breakdown in labor? How does a story evolve? Who has the initial ideas or is it fully shared?
Maybe share the origin story of how you guys met and when you started writing together – was it hard getting published, did you always know you wanted to write, etc.
I think I have been following your blog as a proud BDH member for at least 5 years or so. It is one of the few “must read” emails I get. ❤️
The Road To Publication Story is in the “About Us” menu on the IA website 🙂 https://ilona-andrews.com/about/#roadtopublication
I can hardly wait until the book comes out in paperback!!
Also, do you think that the second book to iron and magic will be coming out soon?
I enjoy your books so very much!!
Please write faster.
It is always comforting and exciting in equal measure to be back in the Hidden Legacy world. This was very enjoyable. Somehow Augustine can be both threatening and tightass at the same time. I really enjoy reading his stories. Hopefully more will be forthcoming soon. Thank you.
You mean because he charges her to work on the case? When have we seen Augustine be cheap and worried about money? 🤔
Here I thought I picked up on all of Pancake’s faults hahaha.
I think his compensation is getting to play top manipulation games with someone new. they are exposing characteristics that everyone knows animal mages don’t have. Secrets are the favored coinage of our pancakes.
“Tight ass” doesn’t mean cheap. If you say someone is tight, that means cheap. Tight ass usually means someone very conservative or very conventional.
It definitely means cheap in the U.K. 🙂 https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mr-Tightarse-Christmas-time-Parodies/dp/B09K1WVG4C
US friends changing things up again hehe
I cannot wait to find out what was stolen. I love house Baylor and wonder how they are involved.
This looks like a great story!!!
We love our Pancakes!
This is a snippet plus. Thank you, I just finishing up with Ruby Fever (for the umpteenth time) and am ready for Arabella.
Oh, an excellent and intriguing new start. Thank you!
My best friends are grandparents to a four-year-old boy. They have these funny stories of their interactions with him. I would love a snippet of Mahon and Conlon, especially a snippet with Conlon shifting back and forth.
I’ve always found Augustine an intriguing character. Delightful. Maybe in a future blog post you can put your favorite pancake recipe? 😉
Love this, more please!
The revised snippet is truly a treat. Thank you!
I love the suggestions in the comments for blog posts and doubt I could improve on them. All your posts are fun to read, and usually educational (in a really good way) as well. Even the ones that are outside my wheelhouse have beautiful pics to admire. You write, I read. That is all. If I ever do have a question, I can always ask then.
I just learned about qui tam lawsuits. I am surprised that I did not learn about them long ago. Thank you.
Oh, now I am hungry for more pancakes and very curious as to why the Baylor’s were not asked for help. Hmmmm
blog idea: what video game(s) are you enjoying now? do you play multiplayer games together?
I’m not saying Augustine and Diana have to fall in love in the course of this investigation. But I’m not *not* saying that either.
Looking forward to the eventual release of this.
I’d like to see a snippet of Arland and Maud telling Ilemina about the wedding postponement and why. I really miss the Innkeepers, but “The Inheritance” did help. Thanks!
A snippet about the child that Hugh and Elara saved from the mrogs and had to turn over to the very strict/religous Aunt and Uncle. I worry about her at odd times.
I love this series! I am always hopeful there would be a trilogy with the Monster of Cologne! (Sorry if misspelled) I loved her character and Augustine!
Am I the only one whose senses went on alert with the opening sentence (“I am sitting on a treasure trove of art, news, cool writing, and I can share none of it”), or just the only one rude enough to still be thinking about the treasure trove after that feast of a nice long Panthercakes snippet plus the opportunity to contribute blog topics? 😁
Thankyou This was wonderful!
Hidden Legacy is my favorite series. I have read all 6 books, the novella of Connor and Nevada’s wedding, and of course anything that gets onto this website.
Thank you!!!
Intriguing! Love it.
Are you holding off knitting until your eye surgery?
An apparently different direction but still in the House Baylor universe and involving one of the more intriguing characters.
Leaves hope for books involving other House Baylor siblings.
Intriguing….
I would love to read a post or posts about your writing process! I am not aware of any other authors who write as a team of two on all works and not just certain projects so there seems like a lot of material to work with. Do you mind sharing the history with how this dual billing got started? Do you take turns with most tasks or do you have preferred specialties? What are some strengths and some weaknesses of working as a team compared to more typical solo authorship? Would you consider your process to be further towards the pantser side of the spectrum or towards the planner side and is that positioning affected by the need to work together?
cruel tease. write more
Hi, hi! Sitting on all the cool stuff you can’t share is very dragon like. A hoard of your own with some sharing to your other hoard, BDH. Life is good.
I am unable to visualize anything in my mind. I do try to envision something but there is nothing. I’d like to know if you’d be up to creating a size chart that I could look at to help me create my own understandings of your stories. My thoughts start with KD and being able to see how tall Kate is next to Curan as a lion. Or a seven foot tall shifter warrior form vs animal vs man form, or a giant donkey. All relative to Kate, obs because most things are from her perspective.
I’ve seen these types of charts for RPGs and think it would be cool here.
Thank you for the snippet.
Why don’t you let us know what you do for Halloween? Or your fav costume your kids had?
Curiouser and Curiouser. What’s next?
Do you go all out for Halloween or just Christmas?
Any new decorations this year?
Have you tried Tiny Bookshop game yet?
Is Roman dating anyone?
Catalina and Alessandro’s wedding date?
Well, blog topic eh? Not involving House Baylor at all, but I’ve been talking with some others and we agree. We, almost desperately, hope that someday you’ll give us at least a novella about Helen’s life when she hits her tweens.
The rippercushions from her antics at that age should be monumentally fascinating.
This was such a treat! I probably reread the hidden legacy books at least every few months. In what is quite possibly the hardest year of my life so far, having now HL material made things feel a bit more bearable. Thank you!
As for blog topics, it was said that Catalina has the third rarest type of magic. Since then I have been dying to know what types are rarer. Perhaps an interview with the keeper or records or Michael could shed some light.
snippets are great. so are deleted scenes or explanations of minor characters and why they were cut. like in hidden legacy that investigating officer that investigates the Baylor’s (one assigned to them) he gets cut a lot and also more information on sgt teddy the peace loving bear please and thanks .
Auuugghhhhhh!!!!!!!
*glares* You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you?
……..I reeeeeealllllyyy need to fill in my Hidden Legacy holes …..
Blog idea question: Do you think Microsoft’s recent announcement about to making Word documents save automatically to OneDrive will have any impact on the use of Word in professional/publishing environments? Will you be moving away from Word/MS at all due to this change?
Thank you for the snippet. It provided joy at the end of a horrible, difficult, still unresolved family situation.
Loved this , I love this series almost as much as the In keeper series !
“More, please.”
Ok, you’ve baited the hook and caught me. Now feed me more. Please and thank you.
Thank you for the snippet!
Blog topics: Favourite flowers, why do russians like jam in their tea? (I’ve tried and it’s rather tasty), gardening habits in ye toasty Texas, silly cat habits, favourite trees, preferred yarn fibres types for which projects?
Thank you for this torturously good snippet! I had read the original version, but this wasn’t just longer it had more depth and really really made me want the rest of the story!
House Andrews is playing the same game with us as Diana is with Augustine— you have us hooked now!
Squeeee!!! Thank you for this snippet—I’m SOOOOO excited for this story!!!!! Panthercakes FTW!!!
Book recommendations from the Horde! I love reading through all those comments looking for new authors to read.
I always enjoy dog (cat, snake, etc) updates/stories/pics – same with yarny things. Snippets of conversations between you and Gordon or you and Jeaniene are always good, too. Oh, and recipes!
I love this! Reading this makes me realize that I truly need to make the time to re-read all of the books….
Curious and mysterious. I’m looking forward to this tale!
adding on to the blog questions/polite requests: Friends keep asking me where to start with Ilona Andrews (after hearing me rant about HA’s amazing books for years). I usually ask them what they like to read, and give a recommendation based on that. But I’d love a ModR style quiz that I could send them to, where they could choose answers and the quiz would tell them what series is most likely to pique their interest.
This has been on my to-do list for ages. I need to get a big bottle of diet coke and lock in!
Thank you thank you thank you!
Fora blog post, perhaps you could share your process for creativity?
Or maybe a discussion of how to break the addiction to LitRPG book series Ilona likes (He Who Fights with Monsters, The Grand Game)?
I am constantly hoping for Arabellas stories and would love to return to the innkeepers world but regardless IA books are an automatic buy
Can’t wait for a new book 👻
Yea!
Really great snippet. so many layers. can’t wait for more.
Excellent blog topic: whether Penjiro is still dating or have now married, and where they went on their honeymoon.
Also, considering the time of year, assorted holiday traditions: whether and how people celebrate the assortment of holidays we’re about to celebrate.
Favorite piece of advice ever given to you.
The craziest thing you would wish for, if time and space and objective reality and money and the laws of physics/nature were no object, and you had yourself a wish-granting genie.
You’re killing me. This looks great. I can’t imagine what has been taken.
I WANT TO READ THIS STORY!
Thank you so much! Augustine and Cornelius are my favourite characters aside from House Baylor and Rogan. A book written from Augustine’s POV is the best gift! I couldn’t stop grinning. I love HL world so much. Thank you for sharing it with us!
Two of the most intriguing characters in the Baylor universe make this a delight to read. More please!
hmmm Augustine and Diane… they have a weird effect on me, I find myself wanting to push the pair of them into a big mud puddle, or an as yet to be mucked out horse stall. The pair of them are so uptight I can easily see them dying of anal retentive massive stroke by the time they are 40. Okay I can hope for mud puddles in their future, if anyone can save them the pair of you can! maybe the panthers hack up a hair ball on Augustine’s suit, that would be hilarious!
Interesting…🤔
I think that House Harrison is different from other animal mages because they are descendants of the Pied Piper of Hamelin and thus their magic has always been with their family, not just come about via the serum. They are just different altogether.
Thank you for this! I have been curious about this snippet for some time and h e wondered about the potential of a relationship between these two.
Oooo, I like this a lot! I vote for more please.
That was a lovely snippet!
Thank you.
Here’s a question: you guys always describe your characters so vividly. What comes first? Do you have a role, then make up a person to fit it, then decide what they look like? Or do you wake up in the morning with an image of someone in your head and then start developing their personality? Or do you just have a huge mental catalog of characters and you fill them in when you have need of them?
I would love more blog posts doing a deep dive on all the different magic types, especially the rarer ones, in the HL world. Also, why does no one know where summons come from? I feel like this would be a popular and well funded area of research in the HL world. If you can banish and recall summons, could you make a recording construct, have the summons wear it, banish it and recall it and check the recording? I may have put too much thought into this lol.
aaahhhhh! more! i needs more precious!
*ahem*
i mean, i love it! thank you!
Did we get half of this snippet before?
Yes, and if you check https://ilona-andrews.com/blog/augustine-snippet-maria/ recent post you can read the rest!
Ooh…sexy, mysterious Augustine, can’t wait!
I do love all your books, but Hidden Legacy just edges the others for the top spot.
You had me at Augustine! Love this.
Did you deliberately throw a person named Maria out of the building named Callas? Is this a Andre’s Easter Egg of a general knowlege?
😂😂
No. All names are randomly generated.
Sorry if I missed it… but any update on Iron and Magic 2? I think it’s one of my favs and I’d love to read it!! I this I saw a post before saying that it’s been delayed cos kinda dark and that’s not what the world needs right now… but have you ever put on a movie cos you know it’ll make you cry? Just throwing it out there – this fan would find it very cathartic.
*lots of big puppy, pleading eyes**
There are no official updates about Hugh 2. At the moment, all energy is going into the Maggie project and smaller pieces for the BDH that can be worked on at the weekend 🙂
I’ll take anything from Hidden Legacy. I love those books so much I’ve decided they are my most favourite books ever. I adore that family and world. So many rich characters. So much more I want to know. How are Connor and Nevada going and their oh so magical baby? How are Catalina and Alessandro going? Babies ? Probably not yet they are young. Alessandro is my favourite hero ever. What is happening with Arabella and Leon and Matilda? I did not expect more stories at this stage. So happy for this snippet.
A business of writing question: how do pseudonyms work? I’ve noticed that Gail Carriger has a different name on the copyright page from the book cover, but Faith/Gwen Hunter does not. How do the legal (copyright) and financial aspects work if there’s your name AND the pseudonym?
Loved the snippet, thank you!
Wondering when the giant Vampire wedding between Lord Arland & Lady Maud is scheduled? We haven’t seen any RSVPs & want to make sure not to disappoint The Preceptor especially since there are supposedly special guests attending!!!
BDH
I’ve really enjoyed blog posts about your family (both childhood and current) at holidays – traditions, recipes, funny stories, pet shenanigans.
I’m interested to hear more about how you do research (so varied! gods and languages of Mesopotamia, extinct mammals, bulletproof vehicles, etc). And if there are cool things you found that didn’t make it into your books.
This week has been packed, so this morning I finally had time to sit and reread at leisure.
“Common wisdom held that animal mages didn’t understand human emotions. Interacting with Cornelius, Diana’s brother, had convinced Augustine that there were exceptions to that rule. Apparently Diana was cut from the same cloth.”
Common wisdom tends, as in this case, to be thoroughly anthropocentric. Humans are biologically animals, even if some of them resist that reality. Emotions are emotions. The biological and behavioral variable humans have, that nonhuman animals do not*, is human speech. Speech can either clarify or obscure emotional triggers, depending on how it’s deployed.
While nonhuman animals may not recognize the triggers for human emotions, especially if those triggers are verbal, they are fully capable of recognizing the emotions themselves. And the more emotional the human in a given situation, the less important recognizing the particular trigger becomes in the moment, and the more important it is to simply manage the emotion.
If an animal mage can understand nonhuman emotions, they can understand human ones. However a history of unprocessed trauma can interfere with managing any emotion in any human or nonhuman. If trauma is defined as a situation producing a stress response, from which the individual cannot escape by their own agency, it’s easy to imagine how animal mages might incur additional exposure, in some cases without access to sufficient resources for processing.
As the individuals who lack empathy for nonhumans quite possibly lack empathy to some degree for the general population of humans, increasingly so as those humans diverge from their own socioeconomic and ethnic groups, this can account for the so-called “common wisdom.”
*The science on verbalization (as opposed to vocalization) is still evolving, and there are lots of studies across lots of species that indicate we, as humans, tend not to adequately recognize nonhuman language capabilities. That’s a fascinating rabbit hole, for anyone interested.
I used to live in a forested area outside if Santa Cruz. A red dobie lived nearby and would visit me from time to time. He had floppy ears and a long, waggly tail because his owners hadn’t cropped them. I suppose Bunny has cropped ears and tail to make him look fiercer…
I wonder how Augustine is going to avoid letting the Baylors know he has agreed to this project. When Linus asked if Arabella’s taste in men was reliable, was it Augustine he had in mind? Arabella and Augustine work together frequently and have the same driving curiosity and business sense. Moreover, Diana’s brother is an employee of House Baylor, and as an animal mage, he has the same instincts and observation skills as Diana.
Also, what could have been stolen that has Diana so concerned she is willing to hire Augustine to get it back without the Baylors knowing?
No Arabella and Augustine. Ever.
This has been stated categorically several times by the authors.
Augustine is in his mid 30s. Arabella is a teenager, the same age as his little sister.
When he met her, he was an adult, and she was a little girl. He had financial dominance over her and her family.
Grooming is a very ugly practice.
Thank you for the snippet.
… for a Blog Post suggestion there is a sculpture called “the Kelpies” in Scotland. Whenever I pass it I wonder what would happen to it in Kate Daniel’s’ world. It’s 98ft high.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Kelpies
Could the BDH suggest sculptures/monuments/sites etc that might react to the magic wave? Hoping that would help stop Ilona’s brain being eaten by Maggie.
Is there a romanace brewing there?, i can almost feel it, both Diana and Augustine have always interested me, I felt that they were sad! needing a companion and waiting on the sidelines so to speak.
It would be good to see them happy and there would be another connection and aliance to the Baylor team, well family. I kind of think of them all as family xx another amazing snippet into this wonderful world. Thank you team andrews for giving us an insite into this amazing world that i wished i lived in.
xxx