We are getting closer to the release of This Kingdom and we are still very snowed in with the deadlines.
Quick news and admin things:
We are in the internet blackout for the next 2 weeks, while we work on the book and tour. Mod R will be taking the wheel.
Our store is closing tonight and will reopen in mid-April with new Maggie merch.
If you want art prints of the work from Candice, Helena, Leesha, and Luisa, we will post those for you as they become available.
We will be doing a Zoom event for those of you who cannot come to see us in person, but it will likely be mid-to-late April, as we are finishing Book 2, and we will be fried after the tour. Please save your questions. Mod R will put up a spoiler and question thread and we will do a long Zoom event and try to answer most of them.
We will have a website dedicated to Maggie and it will go live shortly after the release. Mod R will give you the details.
Quick answers:
Is This Kingdom a romantasy?
Why does this keep coming up?
Genres evolve organically. They exist to help readers to find a book that matches their reading preferences. It’s a shorthand for saying, if you like books with X, here are some titles that might be fun. For some reason, people get very heated about it. I had a whole post on it, but there is no time to devote to it.
There is no hard and fast definition of Romantasy. Again, people will argue to death over it, but at the core it is a subgenre of fantasy romance typically featuring a coming of age protagonist, set in a world of high fantasy, and focused heavily on romance. It’s a very fun genre, aimed at a mostly female audience, and it offers great escapism.
Now I have to define all this, argh.
Fantasy – genre that has magic, a fantastic element or force, which is impossible to explain by current science.
Romance – genre that focuses on a love story with a happy ending. The relationship is the plot and the book cannot exist without it.
Fantasy Romance – romance with fantasy elements. Romance is the story.
Romantic fantasy – fantasy with romance elements. Romance is there but is not the story.
High Fantasy – fantasy that takes place in a different world, some place other than Earth.
Low Fantasy – fantasy that takes place on Earth changed by magic.
So, to sum up: romantasy = young protagonist, a different world with magic, relationship is the story. There are other criteria people mention: first person, lighter worldbuilding, fae love interest, etc, but those are mostly details. You have to have the first three elements for the romantasy definition.
What about an older protagonist?
Romantasy, as it exists right now, tends to do the same thing as NA genre tried to do: it sets its narrative in the time of firsts. For contemporary romance, it is the first time living on your own, first job, first serious relationship. Romantasy deals in first love and finding your place in the world. Older protagonists already have some life experience, and their stories tend to fall under a more general genre of Fantasy Romance.
This Kingdom is not a romantasy. It is a portal fantasy, a high fantasy (we never see Earth,) an epic fantasy, and a fantasy with strong romantic elements. It focuses heavily on politics, intrigue, action, and yes, it has a strong romantic element. There are several love interests. They are very hot, as the art demonstrates, and they are compelling.
This Kingdom will absolutely appeal to the romantasy audience, as the early reviews show. People kicked their feet and described the slow burn as “delicious.” By the definition of the subgenre, this series is not a romance. It is closest to Game of Thrones, except not as dark, and without incest.
How dark is it?
The first three chapters of the book are probably the darkest, so if you made it through the preview, you are good to go. We don’t write super dark or bleak or hopeless. Our bread and butter is action mixed with humor, high stakes, and sparks of romance.
That doesn’t mean there won’t be dark moments. You can’t have high stakes without them. We will be killing people. We will be killing one particular person repeatedly. You must have darkness for light to exist. In storytelling that means that there must be low points for the high points to shine brighter.
If you want the technical know-how of the entire commercial fiction, here is the super secret of how it works – we scare and upset you, and then fix things, and you feel happy.
How much worldbuilding is there?
A lot. The worldbuilding is extensive, it is worth it to learn it, and it does pay off. If you are coming from a lighter worldbuilding, there is quite a bit, but it will make rereads more enjoyable. A lot of people read the early copies multiple times. We will have the website, with cast of characters, etc.
HEA?
Oy, Steve, oy. Yes, the series will have an HEA.
When is the second one?
Aaaaaaa! Ahem. The second one is being written right now. We are coming up on the final part and anticipate the final length of 175,000-180,000 words. We are at 155k right now. 150k. We have to edit this scene and it’s in cuts right now, so I am going to resurrect and rework it, and then we will be back to 155k.
Dear BDH, stay fluffy and chalant! We love all of you, we will see you on tour, and we will treat you to fun extras after the book comes out.
Okay, now I have a question for you: places to eat along our tour stops. The ideal restaurant will be close to the hotel and will be open late. We have three places:
- Near Washington Avenue, Minneapolis
- Near Joseph-Beth Bookstore in Lexington
- Near Dulaney Valley Road, Towson, MD
Any suggestions are very appreciated.
So hyped and working on my fluffiness 😀 thanks for the news!
For readers who’ve read the extended preview (Chapters 1-8) and want to keep working on that fluffiness, Chapter 9 has been released right on schedule today on Reactormag (no worries, it’s an official channel!). The link was posted on the blog I while back, but it might take a while to find, so here it is again:
https://reactormag.com/columns/this-kingdom-will-not-kill-me-by-ilona-andrews/
Or just wait one more week for the whole book. 🙂
enjoy your internet blackout! we are safe in the hands of mod R 😌
+1
Never been here so early! Yay!
I am always bemused by people who ask if there is a HEA. That’s the point of reading the book!
Some people want to know if there is an HEA because they just don’t want to invest time or money in a book that doesn’t have one.
I don’t need to know, but one of many reasons why I will always buy any book IA puts on sale, is because I can be 99,9% sure there will eventually be a HEA.
The main reason is the humor, closely followed by utterly believable characters and great stories.
And the HEA.
And because animals don’t die 🤣
+1000
+1000
I miss Bear. I wonder what name Elias will choose for his “kitty”?
Have a fun trip with NO disasters or travel blips.
(Cough) Marigold 🙁
That is the point of reading the book – for you 🙂
For other people the purpose might be finding a safe space away from a heavy period in their lives, when they are bombarded with sorrow or anxiety. For others, it may be a way to sift through something that will re-engage with their past trauma. And then there are people who simply are not interested in reading anything without a guarantee of positive ending.
Readers engage with stories in different ways, and asking about any elements of a story is completely valid.
No one should be made to feel bad for how they choose to read or what information they prefer going in 🙂
Thank you ModR.
There is one Kate book and one Mercy book that, while they live on my shelves, will never be reread.
I have triggers, they are traumatic.
To ask if a book, particularly the first one, will be problematic should never result in being shamed for asking.
🥰 ModR is the best!
I agree! Why be told and have the suspense of your first read through ruined.
Enjoy the tour!!
Red Rabbit in Minneapolis is fantastic and highly recommended, I could make a meal out of the focaccia and garlic bread cheese curds alone.
This isn’t a food recommendation but if you get a chance to check out Open Book on Washington it’s one of my favorite places ever!
See you April 1st!
Also, there’s a spot not far from St Mary’s in St Paul, open until 1 am, that I would be remiss if I didn’t tell you about. Pizza Luce! Like pizza isn’t the fanciest but Pizza Luce is our fancy pizza. It’s fantastic. They do more than pizza but I always get the Elote Pizza.
Adding to the Mpls Recommendations
Depending on where on Washington you are staying (above or below Hennipen Ave).
Mpls Resturants on Washington Ave (below Hennipen)
– Crooked Pint – they’ve got Juicy Lucys (hamburgers with the cheese inside the burger instead of on top. It’s a thing here)
– Owammi by the Sioux Chef – Native American chef using indigenous ingredients Its a couple blocks over from Washington, closer to the river.
– Lots of other options along Washington, or 2nd Street (where the Guthrie Theater is) Most of the restaurants are listing closing hours as 9pm or 10pm, as downtown gets quiet at night.
Mpls Resturants on Washington Ave (above Hennipen) – this is the North Loop neighborhood and is a little more up and coming
– Butcher & the Boar – Fancy? At least may need a reservation. Nothing is *that* fancy in Mpls.
– The Freehouse – brewery/restaurant. Food is varied and good 🙂
– Bar La Grassa – Italian food, but it’s pretty far up Washington, so it would be a hike if you were walking, but not that far a drive. And also really yummy food. I still think about the perfect birthday dinner I had there.
– Again, lots of other options as well if something catches your eye.
+1 to Bar La Grassa — one of my absolute favorites. They did takeout during the worst of COVID and it was one of the few things keeping my spirits up.
If you’re willing to cross the river (that sounds dramatic; it’s a few blocks north of Washington Ave), All Saints in Northeast Minneapolis is stunningly good. So many interesting vegetables, and the meat is beautifully prepared. Order several things to share.
I also really enjoy Jun Szechuan Kitchen.
My favorite near Washington Ave in Minneapolis is Smack Shack. It’s mostly seafood. Their lobster guacamole is amazing!
Lobster guacamole, I swoon, I drool!
For Minneapolis, high key recommend Red Rabbit (Italian focus). If you’re willing to venture out a little farther, Gai Noi is a fantastic Thai place in the Loring Park neighborhood, as is Hola Arepa in South Minneapolis!
STRONG UPVOTE ON GAI NOI!!!!
I highly recommend the crispy tofu. If you have very low spice tolerance this place may not be for you. But if you have any tolerance, this is an AMAZING restaurant.
Thank you for always alerting us to when you guys have to go dark. I know you dont HAVE to do it, but its nice that you do.
Sending good vibes for finishing Maggie 2.
And hoping everyone has a safe trip on the tour!
Joseph Beth in Lexington there is a restaurant connected to the bookstore called Palmers that is good. It is open until 9 pm on weekdays and 10 pm on weekends. There is also a locally owned Italian restaurant Giuseppe’s just up the road and has the same hours.
This was so interesting.
For Minneapolis – depending on how far you want to venture up and down or on either side of Washington Ave: 2nd Red Rabbit – very nice red sauce Italian restaurant. Milly’s, which is far down one end of Washington, has nice upscalish American. Dario is a very nice fancyish pasta bar a few blocks off Washington. My favorite favorite favorite place is Sanjusan, a Japanese-Italian fusion restaurant that has some of the kindest staff in the Twin Cities. That same cluster has a fancy Japanese restaurant, Kado no Mise, that is very good. If their outdoor seating is open and it’s not that warm out they will bring you blankets and space heaters and it’s very cozy. Graze Hall has a bunch of places under one roof, including pizza, burritos, chicken, BBQ, grain bowls, and burgers. On the other side of the bridge across the Mississippi (15-20 minute walk?) is Kramarczuk’s, which is a lovely Ukrainian deli that has an attached cafe. Fgmnt Coffee has two locations in that area, one inside Open Book/the Loft, and one on the other end of Washington, that have amazing coffee and excellent donuts. Late is kind of questionable – most places close at 11 or 12 and post 12 am options are super limited. Pizza Luce will deliver until I think 3 am and has a location near Wash Ave.
RE, places to eat in Minneapolis. If you like Thai: Sawetdee. Its on Washington, just opposite the stadium.
Malone’s on Tates Creek Rd in Lexington, KY. See you at Joseph-Beth!!!
will there be digital stuff in the store? I know there is no shipping to europe, but if I can buy a digital image I can put it on an item for myself!
Will keep it on the list of things to ask for 🙂
thanks!
I did have a question I forgot to ask in my previous post. Will there be other tour stops? Im hoping for Nj or Philly.
There are all the officially announced stops for now 🙂 No extras have been announced https://ilona-andrews.com/appearances/
I’m always craving comfort food when I travel and for me that’s a neighborhood Irish Pub. You can bet they’re open late. 🙂
Oh my gosh!
If you are in Lexington go to Ramsey’s Diner! The Zandale location is not far from Joseph Beth. https://www.ramseysdiners.com/ Their food is Southern Comfort, breakfast all day, FRESH ingredients. Their food is awesome and they are locally owned too. The address for the one near Joseph Beth is 151 West Zanedale Drive, Lexington KY. I cannot recommend them enough. It’s one of the things I miss the most about not being in Lexington any longer.
Safe travels and hope the TSA line isn’t horrible for you and Gordon. Internet blackout is very understandable.
Mod R is very capable of keeping the Horde in line. We will try to be fluffy, but sometimes that’s hard to do with a new book coming out. 😁
One week from tomorrow! One week from tomorrow! Whoo-hoo! **Thinks to self: try to be fluffy for ModR. Try to be fluffy for Mod R. Try…it’s going to be hard to be fluffy Mod R**. 😂😂😂
All the fluffiness! Soooo fluffy.
Chalantness everywhere!
Reasonable shenanigans! (You’re leaving us with ModR — low-key shenanigans are expected. We’ll have all the evidence hidden by the time you get back.)
No ferrets harmed!
We’ll keep Steve under control . . . ish!
Sadly I can no longer recommend Curran’s in Minneapolis since it closed. I thought of my favorite characters whenever I drove by.
Like others mentioned, depends on which side of Washington Ave you are but there should be good choices in walking distance.
I’ll throw Spoon and Stable (fancy American), Tubillee (Norweigen if you want to try local cuisine) and Chloe (French bistro) or Spice and Tonic (Indian) depending on where you end up.
Good luck with your tour and writing!!
So Kenny is in this?
I have a snippet just for you, from Book 2.
Keraengle sighted me and raised her upper lip.
“Pressida, why does it look like this mare has sharp teeth?”
“Maggie.” Pressida loaded some steel into her voice.
“She is stalking me.”
“She respects strength. You must establish your dominance. Look her in the eye and tell her to respect your authority. Sound like you mean it.”
You’ve got to be kidding me. I took a deep breath. “Respect my authority!”
“Good try. One more time and without the strange squeaky voice.”
Ah Cartman!! 😂
🤗😁
Quietly squeeing reading this.
“We will be killing one particular person repeatedly”
I can’t stop giggling about this. Yay!
Yes I fluffy and chalant! 👋🏻💪🏻👋🏻
Happy tour to House Andrews!
I hope Mod R ate all her vitamins as… we are BDH 🤷♀️
And I hope HA doesn’t work themselves too much! We absolutely want you healthy and enjoying your life. 🥰🥰🥰
This may have been asked and answered elsewhere, but the store closing until after release prompts it. Will the book you sell the ebook from the site, or will we need to go to Amazon, etc.? I’d really rather HA gets all the monies if possible.
This Kingdom will not be sold through the direct store.
Only the self-published books can be sold there, and This Kingdom is traditionally published by Tor. It will be available from all book retailers and on the shelves of brick-and-mortar bookstores 🙂
Oh well. That makes sense. Preordered and w**ting.
Well, I hope the person being repeatedly killed is deserving of the trauma (Assuming it is traumatic and not, like, “Go ahead and kill me. I’ll see you next week.”)
It’s a tongue-in-cheek reference to the MC herself, Maggie who can’t be killed, though many will try.
And I am curious, from a psychological POV, how she will deal with her superpower. Dying is obviously painful and fearful, but does the knowledge that one will not stay dead lessen the terrible fear? Would dying repeatedly lead to trauma or a desensitization (if only as a self-protection mechanism)? There are many interesting questions, and many equally valid ways to answer them, depending on how the authors choose to develop her character.
8 days to stay fluffy and semi-p@tient. 10 day minimum to ask about Maggie 2.
Will do the best we can to comply, but we were dubbed BDH for valid reasons.
Hi Mod R!
Is the release date in the UK 2nd of April instead of 31st March?Amazon is telling me this 🙁