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. 🙂
thank you so much for letting me know.
I just devoured the next chapter.
I think it is actually making the wait harder.
I’m reaching meltdown stage.
Fluffy just exploded.
I CAN’T WAIT
at the same time. . .
while I’m super stoked Maggie 2 is well on it is way, I’m feeling r bad and second hand stressed for House Andrews to have to finish Book 2 under the pressure of a deadline.
Ilona talked about how the middle book can be so fun to write because the world building is already established and you don’t yet have the constraints of the end to resolve everything and wrap up the loose ends.
I know with traditional publishing deadlines are a reality but I wish it could be a stress free fun filled experience cover to cover.
this book reminds me of those nightmares where you start to wake up enough to realize you are dreaming but kind of try to stay asleep so you can resolve it with your imagination so you don’t feel so awfully traumatized. it’s satisfying to rewrite the ending.
very best wishes for writing and tour.
Same Here, it is so weird. I read. I reread. And I come back here to check how many days are left. And then I read. And I check back, as if magically through reading I get transported into the future where the book is already out.
Many thanks for the link though. Made my day.
Now on to w*ting. I am not very fluffy right now, I have to admit.
That’s why I stayed away from the preview and keep to rereads until release. I don’t think I could take the wa*t if I started reading and had to stop because the entire book isn’t out yet (cue apocalypse).
But I don’t want HA to be stressed out either. I wish them all the best, but I’m afraid that won’t help with any deadlines 🙁
Thank you for sharing this!
THANK YOU!!
Thanks so much, headed there now.
enjoy your internet blackout! we are safe in the hands of mod R 😌
+1
+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!
Lots of people have triggers. It’s never wrong to ask. People take different things from different books. The best authors write books that the same person will take different things from when they reread the same book at different points in their lives. Longtime BDH already know and trust that HA will see that things come out right in the end, but it is OK for anyone who needs a bit of reassurance! People who really do NOT want to know anything about what happens may want to avoid this site, as we regularly are favored with delicious tidbits of snippets, pictures, etc. There’s a lot going on in the world that many people find stressful. (Hugs)
🙂
I agree! Why be told and have the suspense of your first read through ruined.
All ilona says is the SERIES will have an HEA. HEA is true of previous IA works and quite common in the romantic fantasy genre. (my #TeamFactsAreKing is showing)
some of us can use the cover art to determine if a book is going to be a struggle bus (Ilona did a post on cover art at some point). we get big clues about whether a book will have an HEA before we even open it. not everyone is going to have the same level of response to those clues. it’s quite reasonable to ask for the quiet parts out loud if cover art doesn’t speak to you.
I agree that for some books knowing there is a HEA is a pretty big plot spoiler, but I also think that it’s less of a spoilering issue for books with more complex/layered plots (and/or longer series arcs) because you can’t always tell what will be happy for a given character by the end of the book/arc. Especially if there is some kind of personal-growth plotline.
One book I remember spent a fair bit of time apparently setting up a star-crossed romance between two coworkers, but then the actual happy ending was that the characters (after solving the main-plot mystery) realised that they were both really career-focused and they would rather be best-bud colleagues “married” to their jobs than actually married to each other. Totally not the happy ending I was expecting, but it still worked.
Personally, I do prefer books where I know that the ending will ultimately leave me in a good mood. As per Ilona’s formula for commercial fiction, “we […] fix things and you feel happy”! If there is no fix and therefore no happy, a book may still be great literature but it’s unlikely I’ll find it emotionally satisfying.
What Christina said. I don’t need an HEA, which is not always (possibly ever, if you’re talking every minute of every day) realistic, but I definitely need a Happily For Now.
And the author knows what is best for their own character, in their own story. That character is not me. That character may not make the same choices I would regarding their romantic prospects.
It is absolutely critical – in RL as well as in reading – to understand the difference between yourself and others, and between fantasy and reality. Losing sight of those differences will land you and yours in a world of hurt.
Fantasy is a great place to hang out for a while when you’re stressed, though. These worlds have sustained me over and over, through a lot of RL trauma. Thanks always to HA and all the other authors whose worlds I visit for respite.
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.
Seconding Pizza Luce, yummm 😋
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.
+1.
I was going to recommend most of these restaurants as well.
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!
+1 That sounds crazy good.
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.
Hola Arepa is awesome! So tasty!
Closer to Washington Ave – Spoon and Stable is another “fancy” option with really tasty (but pricey) food and they say they are open until 11pm (which is pretty late for Minneapolis).
And Pizza Luce (mentioned by Rachel) is really tasty, more casual, and does have wacky Minnesota takes on Pizza – but really tasty ones! They also have some more standard sandwiches and pasta if you are feeling wiped and in need of comfort food. And are open later than almost anyplace else downtown!
If you have time on Thursday before you leave for your next stop – I recommend exploring the Food building in Northeast (just across the river) – they have an excellent flour and bakery vendor as well as a great Hmong restaurant (Diane’s place) that does brunch and it’s a great example of how MN does a good food scene!
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.
Massaman Curry at Sawetdee yummy 😋
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!
Yes please.
Did this with the image of BDH on a mug and while it is second best to “real” merchandise, this is still a favorite mug of mine.
It just makes me smile every time.
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/
Ok thank you! I’ll keep an eye out for the zoom.
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. 🙂
Second this. I had a fabulous shepherd’s pie for lunch last Thursday; last minute looking for a decent meal in a town I hadn’t visited for decades. My favorite place, which had an intensely chocolate flan and well-executed standard pub fare, had apparently closed during Covid. So we hit the Irish pub we spotted, figuring it was a reliable choice, and my vegetarian friend was also happy with her vegan burger. It wasn’t crowded for lunch, but I’m sure it was packed until closing time.
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!
Famous last words. ‘We’ll keep Steve under control…ish!’ Is second only to Hold my beer.
(Hunts for extra fire extinguisher…)
🤦♀️🤣🤣🤣
lol, true dat.
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!! 😂
😂😜🤣
+1
🤗😁
Quietly squeeing reading this.
You need mom voice for that. Can’t tell you how many times I have had to explain this over the years.
hahahahahahahahaha
perfect.
Thank you for unlocking second snippet!!!
“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.”)
my guess that the person being killed repeatedly is probably Maggie lol
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 🙁
Hi Dora,
Yes, the UK edition, which is released by our own separate publisher is scheduled for the 2nd of April 🙂
Thank you for confirming!
**whining piteously** I want the UK edition. It is SOOOOO pretty! The regular edition there looks like a special edition! Ah well…
In Towson, MD- Dulaney Valley Road has Towson Town Center which has a couple of good restaurants in it. The Cheesecake Factory, Stoney River Steakhouse, and Fogo de Chao. Libs Grill is a great local restaurant but it’s a little further away in White Marsh.
We haven’t been in Towson since my daughter graduated from Goucher about a decade ago, but we often went to Sushi Hana at 6 E Pennsylvania Ave (open til 10 PM) when we were visiting here there.
Little Italy in Baltimore may be a bit far for you, but we still make it to Gia’s for Italian and Vaccaro’s Bakery for treats.
Go Gophers! (class of 1997…)
When I went to Goucher many, many years ago, the only place to eat at Towson Town was TGI Friday’s where my brother once got a burger with a moldy bun, so would not recommend even if it still existed.
If Ocean Pride is still on York Road, that was the treat restaurant when parents came to visit. Great crab cakes and my friend was obsessed with their clams casino.
Red Pepper Sichuan Bistro! I especially love their steamed fish but they have a pretty extensive Chinese menu!
It looks like most of the restaurants near Jo-Beth close about 9-9:30, like their own restaurant. At least local ones that I would recommend. BJs Brewhouse and Agave and Rye at the mall close at 10. The mall is just one shopping center over. I would highly recommend Bella Notte but they do close at 9.
Hugs to you for all the hard work!
Did I miss where the US special editions are announced? It sure would b nice to know what the options will b. Or r those still in information blackout?Thanks for all u do!
The home page of the website leads straight to the This Kingdom page, with all the details, including: https://ilona-andrews.com/maggie-the-undying-2/#special 🙂
So…another way to tell us that you still can’t tell us about the additional special editions for the US. I admire the creativity. Am adding the following to words that need to b started out: C*m*ng S**n. Although that first one is kinda tricky. Needs an extra * to avoid evoking an entirely different swear word. No new details on the referenced page. (Sighs and curls up to attempt serenity while w*iting. )
Correction: starred out. Not: started out. Spellwreck reminds me of the Beastlord way-often wrong, never in doubt. (Obv credit to HA, I forget which KD book.)
Any news on a merch store for Europe? Or on getting access to the US store so we can ship to US friends?
It’s on the To Do list, but there are issues with taxes and sale lines that need a bit more time to admin than there is time at the moment 🙂 I will remind House Andrews after release and manuscript delivery.
I’m from the Minneapolis/Twin Cities area. Depending on where you’re staying along Washington Ave, how much time you have for dinner, and how much you want to spend, here are some options I would recommend.
Sanjusan – Japanese-Italian, amazing food but expensive.
Nolo’s – American comfort food, also really good food and less expensive.
The Freehouse – Brewpub, happy hour is really popular here.
I can’t wait to finally meet you! So excited you planned a stop in MN!
Oops! Adding another recommendation since I wasn’t paying attention to how late they were open!
The Loop – good food and open until 2am Mon-Fri.
Butcher and the Boars, 901 N 3rd St, Minneapolis, MN 55401
I haven’t been in several years, but it stands out in my memory as a great dining experience.
Well, I no longer live in Maryland, I did live on Dulaney Valley Road!! there’s a really good crab place on Pappas. HOWEVER, if you want the Best crab cake, Michael’s Steak and Lobster in Dundalk (I think) is the best. There are 100 different Michaels restaurants but you want the bar that says steak and lobster. They have a 32 ounce crab cake that covers the plate! So worth it!
And for my favorite authors, only the best!
I have a question regarding the ebook: there are currently two versions of the ebook available for pre-order on google books. Is that normal? Is one of them a fake? I’m asking because one of them is cheaper and the cover is darker and has a different recommendation quote. If it is real, that’s great but just in case it is not, I wanted to ask somewhere where the right people might see it. I’ve mostly read paperbacks for a up to now so I might be ignorant, but it seemed weird that there are two versions of a not yet released book for the ebook…
Hi Cassandra, without knowing which country you are writing from and the links to the ebooks you mention, I cannot provide a definitive answer.
I sounds like you are somewhere that is served by both the US (lighter cover, Danielle L Jensen quote) and UK (darker cover, Charlaine Harris quote) editions, and both are visible to you. Both are legitimate, just different editions by different publishers, but same content. The release dates should also be slightly different.
I cannot comment on price, as that is set by retailers.
I am so here for the doorstop books. 200k words? bring. it.
+1
+1
So that means Maggie 2 is slightly bigger than Maggie 1? Oh what terrible news.
FYI: The free preview on Amazon has chapters 1-8. Reactor Magazine (https://reactormag.com/columns/this-kingdom-will-not-kill-me-by-ilona-andrews/) has been publishing the preview (which helps for folks who were in regions that could not get the Amazon preview) and they just published chapter 9! So if you read the Amazon preview with chapters 1-8 and can’t w*it until next week for some more of Maggie, you can now get an additional chapter from Reactor Magazine.
Thanks so much for this!
Fun and interesting as always. Looking forward to the signing very much. Almost as much as the book tbh!
Thanks!
I’m probably never visiting the US and even if I did it’s unlikely Minneapolis would be at the top of my itinerary. . . but reading all these comments are making me kind of wish it was – seems like there are a lot of delicious sounding restaurants there.
Minnesota has really incredible food and theatre scenes! Please come and visit! The climate (both political and otherwise) is not as scary as it sounds. We’ve truly got a lot to show the world besides what’s on the news
US has a really good food scene in most major cities, and sporadically in many places outside them. Minnesota is a great place to visit, with lots of good people, as long as you take note of the weather. Any of the stops on this tour would be, really.
Thank you! I cannot wait!
In Lexington, KY, it is off the beaten path, https://www.redstatebbq.com/. Get there early. Great food! Sign the wall!
Minneapolis
-French Meadow Bakery – French Restaurant and Bakery
-Monte Carlo – Great old school steakhouse with an incredible brunch.
-Cocina Latina – Mexican-Colombian-Ecudorian family restaurant with the lightest tamales and hot chocolate.
St Paul
Mancini’s Char House – Fabulous supper club – a St Paul Institution. The place to go for a great stake and every family milestone.
WA Frost – American food done very well in a lovely setting.
Moscow on the Hill – Delicious Russian style food that I am told is very authentic by people who are from/lived in Russia.
I used to live in St Paul. If you have time please consider visiting the Cherry and Spoon along with the other sculptures and park. Also, no matter where you go, please try fresh cheese curds(not fried) and a Wisconsin style old fashioned.
Near Dulaney Valley Rd., Towson, MD:
– Fogo de Chao
– Mother’s North Grille
– Andy Nelson’s BBQ
Two places in Towson that I have eaten at and enjoyed:
1. Bread & Circuses – I just checked and they seem to have made it through the pandemic. It’s a small place in house that was converted to a restaurant, and when we went there it was quiet with good service.
2. Kathmandu Kitchen – If you like Indian food this one is a winner. Some of the best Saag Paneer I have ever eaten in my life. It’s also usually not too crowded and noisy.
Both of these are locally owned; Towson has a lot of chain restaurants that we haven’t tried.
I couldn’t get a ticket to your Barnes & Noble appearance – didn’t check the blog early that day and by the time I did there were no more available. Sigh.
Bread & Circus is a staple!
Oh! Great ideas! I love Bread and Circuses. Good food, funky vibe, definitely a one of a kind place. Have you been to Silver Queen Cafe in Hamilton? It’s amazing!
We live north of Minneapolis and have tickets for April 1st. I would love to show you around and take you out to dinner! Any day, anytime. What’s your favorite food? Great sightseeing in Mpls, too
I hope the several love interest situation is like in innkeeper when it was not clear to the reader at first if Sean or Arland will be the love interest but Dina only was interested in one, we just did not know who…
I really dislike all this love-triangle, back and forth, bait and switch stuff that is so popular right know…
I really hope she falls for one and sticks with it…
It sounds like you are not current with the last two Innkeeper books. I believe you would enjoy them. That is all I’m going to say about that.
I think Stefanie is just wishing for the Maggie situation to match Innkeeper 1 🙂 , not that she hasn’t read the rest.
Oops, didn’t read your post accurately. I do think you can depend upon HA to avoid bait and switches though.
Not as quick as ModR, but who is? 😀
No one. Mod R sees all, knows all. She’s the fastest responder in the world.
I would have said “…the fastest responder in the West”, but since you are not in the US, Mod R, I had to go further than the west. 😁
Fluffy, chalant and vary happy! You are the best, the whole team! Have fun on your tour and thank you! We are vary spoiled and we know it!
Restaurant Zetor, behind the University Theater, just beyond the the three smiths statue (you can’t miss it-they are naked). Authentic local food…oh yeah in the heart of Helsinki, Finland. Not quite on your tour route, but just in case you ever come this way thought I would mention it!
The dushegub in me is content… for now. Lol
P.S. Mod R please tell House Andrews to rest well too! We need them to remain in tip top shape for many years to come 🥰
I am hoping Subterranean Press will print the Maggie trilogy stocked full of ALL the beautiful, breathtaking art. I would pay SOOOOO much money for it. I would also love to buy a book dedicated to just all the artwork once all three books are complete.
These are my personal fantasy – that Maggie’s story is so popular it creates the opportunity for this.
If you are going to Maryland, you should have traditional Maryland crabcakes!!! Try https://www.pappascockeysville.com/menus, which is close to Towson. ENJOY!!!
I second the crab cake recommendation. Crabcakes in other places are not always what Marylanders consider crabcakes at all. In New England I was served something like a corn fritter with maybe a tablespoon at most of claw meat in it. Real crabcakes may have a minimal bit of breading to help hold them together, but that’s it. And the meat is backfin* or lump, not claw.
*Definitely not backfire, thank you so much, autocorrupt.
The OG Pappas in Parkville is my favorite and probably closer.
“We will be killing people. We will be killing one particular person repeatedly.” BRB giggling hysterically while simultaneously cringing for Maggie lolsob
In Lexington, Joseph Beth is right on Nicholasville Rd, which is one of the main arteries. You’ll be very close to the mall, which has all the chain restaurants (Cheesecake Factory, PF Chang’s, Olive Garden).
Someone else recommended Ramsey’s (beloved by Lexantonians over the age of 70), but I do not recommend. I’ve tried it twice in the 15 years I’ve been here and just no. Maybe because I’m not from the south, but it’s also the quality.
Malone’s was also suggested and I’d agree with that one for a good meal, especially if you love steak. But there are a ton of places to eat here both chain and local. I really like The Obstinate Sons and Italx for two smaller local places with good cuisine.
For Maryland food: I suggest The Peppermill in Towson, https://www.pepmill.com/ It is mostly described here as “the place where the old people eat”, which means a nice and quiet atmosphere and the food is really good as well! They are open until 10 p.m.
Also, the Nautilus Diner in Timonium is really good. https://www.thenautilusdiner.com/timonium-menu#Timonium Friday and Saturday they are open until 12 a.m. Lots of menu choices.
Lastly, if you want to try a good Maryland crab cake I suggest these 2 places. By The Docks in Middle River (this is not in the Towson area, not far, but probably a bit far for you). They have the best in my opinion. https://bythedocks.com/ and 2nd would be Pappas (kind of close to Towson) https://www.pappasparkville.com/ Not as good as By The Docs but still good enough and better than other places in the area.
There are good restaurants in The Avenue (which is the shopping area your event is at), but I don’t think they are open super late. I personally love Akira for good ramen.
what is the release schedule for “The Thieves of the North” and “The Lords of the East”?
Dear HA, Hang in there and stay amazing! We love you and appreciate you! Please take care of yourself!
I cannot believe that the w*it is almost over. I keep checking my calendar and pinching myself.
Minneapolis restaurant recommendations from someone who used to live in downtown Minneapolis!
Boludo, open til 9pm most weekdays, and midnight on friday-weekend. Excellent Argentinan style pizza and empanadas.
Smack Shack on N Washington St is always solid for seafood
Red Rabbit is usually the go to recommendation, it’s solid and slightly upscale Italian food
For a unique experience, though not open late, Owamni by the Sioux Chef is an incredible representation of Indigenous food
If you happen to have time for breakfast, Hen House on 8th St, literally some of the best brunch/breakfast in downtown.
Ok, in my travels have not been to those places, however, lots of miles in RVs, car, etc.,. Here are my suggestions:
1. Cracker Barrel for breakfast is almost always a winner, Sunday for the fried chicken lunch. Only found two locations which were not good, one of those has closed.
2. Longhorn Steakhouse – again, only found 2 places which were not good, server did not ask about cheese on burger, hate American cheese, garbage, real cheddar or Swiss.
3. Texas Roadhouse – again excellent.
4. Cheddar’s – I do not like anything on menu, but BH loves the salmon so we go there and I try to find something which will be good to me. Salmon IHHO, is the best you can find.
5. Applebees – can be hit or miss – but she likes the salad thing, and the chicken broccoli Alfredo is good for me.
Locals in those areas can give you recommendations on good places to eat not national chains. Have fun on tour.
here’s a query of some places to eat that have some pretty good rating that look to be around where you will be.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/6t17YPUDAJZKAXWV8
“we scare and upset you, and then fix things, and you feel happy” – see, this is why I’ll read IA books cover to cover on repeat and w*it (evil word) DECIDEDLY NONCHALANTLY for new releases, while I abandoned Ge*rge R. R. M*rtin GOT after about book 3. I have no patience with writing that seems to designed solely to antagonize or shock me as the reader.
One thing I love about your writing is that your darkness very clearly exists as a foil to the light; the light is the focus and the darkness exists only to make the light shine brighter. That’s also why I prefer Beware of Ch*cken to The W*ndering Inn (I’m pretty sure you told us about the BOC on the blog way back? Excellent recommendation, thank you!) – the first is a happy escape where good inevitably triumphs over evil; the second was too dark and gritty for me (this is not a critique, it’s a preference – it was well written, I just don’t like being buried in bleakness in my spare time).
^this^ philosophy in general – I ditched GOT a few chapters into the first book myself, and still trying to figure out how to read BOC in full.
For me darkness requires comic relief, but if the darkness wins in the end, the relief is insufficient for my reading purposes. RL is dark enough, TYVM. Reading is for respite.
I’m loving Dungeon Crawler Carl, but by five books in, I was starting to worry that the author is writing himself into a corner as far as pulling off an eventual happy ending. If an HFN ending is not his ultimate intention, I’m going to be kind of bummed. The balance of light and dark works for me so far though.
A cat always makes the story more fun.😺
Okay. I tried to post this once and something bizarre happened, so if it appears twice, ModR, I’m sorry!
I just downloaded the preview and saw that the book is dedicated to the BDH. **insert sobbing emoji here** So touching! Thank you, HA!
I am trying my best to make this event, but I have a 10 week old and live out of town, so we will see!
On to recommendations with some context:
Joseph Beth sits at a very busy interchange for New Circle Road on the busiest street in Lexington (Nicholasville). If you want to remain close-by, I would recommend OBC Kitchen (elevated American) or Malone’s (steakhouse) both on Tates Creek Road which is one exit over on New Circle from Joseph Beth.
If you’re willing to branch out a bit (not far, Lexington is small), you might venture downtown to Italx (modern Italian), East End Tap and Table (Asian fusion gastropub) or Carson’s (American/Southern). Italx and East End are delicious and interesting. Carson’s is solidly reliable with an expansive menu and parking lot.
And if you want to go on an adventure (do state research for Hugh’s book???) you might try any of Ouita Michel’s restaurants. She’s a local celebrity chef and people rave about Holly Hill Inn (her fanciest/flagship restaurant). Her Wallace Station restaurant is also very good (more casual) and in the heart of horse farm country. Sometimes they have bluegrass music on the porch.
I hope you enjoy your time in Kentucky!
Minneapolis?!??! you will be in Minneapolis??
when? how? Is this a book signing? or a ticketed event?
I missed the post for this, please please tell me details 🙏 😭
You can check all the details of the signing tour on the Appearances page 🙂 https://ilona-andrews.com/appearances/
Mpls food:
Melting Pot: Fondue
Pricy, need reservations, open until 9PM weekdays and 10PM weekends
Fogo de Chao: Brazilian Steakhouse
Pricy, need reservations, open until 9:30 weekdays, Fri/Sat 10:30, Sun 9PM
Clay Oven: Indian
Have not tried it yet, open until 10PM all week
Kramrczuk’s – good Polish food, only open until 8PM Tues – Sat.
St. Paul food:
Flameburger on Rice St.
Just diner burgers with fries and open until 2AM
Hope you have a wonderful time on your tour.
The Corner Stable at 9942 York Road in Cockeysville, Maryland is not far from Towson. The have wonderful crab cakes and good ribs.
Many a dinner at the Corner after the state fair.
Only eaten there once, for lunch after an offseason fairgrounds event, but it was fabulous. Never heard a bad word about the Corner Stable; it’s an institution. It does close at 10 weekends, 9 weekdays though.
I see great recommendations for restaurants in Minneapolis already and want to add that if you have any interest in a fine dining, leisurely experience during your travels, the Mara Mediterranean restaurant inside the the Four Seasons on Washington is delicious and fun! Especially the tableside service for salt baked branzino. They are open until at least 11 pm every day. They also have an amazing Sunday brunch. Also–while there are many great coffee shops in downtown Minneapolis, the Spy House on 4th St has both great coffee and a gorgeous atmosphere–lots of plants!
It’s good that I have alot to do for my written exams until April 1st XD
Happy travelling, HA!
Given:
1. Romantasy is about young people.
2. Midlife Fantasy is Romance with people in their 40s, often divorced, sometimes with teen or young adult offspring.
Therefore:
1. We need Fantasy (Romance optional) for older people especially the female sort (prime example: Kim M. Watt’s cozy, hilarious Toot Hansell village Women’s Institute, in the Beaufort Scales series).
2. I propose we call that genre “We Do Not Care (WDDC) Fantasy” for peri- and post-menopausal, in honor of the great Melani Sanders @justbeingmelani
3. Men (Gordon and yes, Steve, you too) are included by our grace and favor.
We are the mighty BDH, we have that power! Who’s with me? Steve, any one else?
YES!! Love Melani Sansers! And I am right smack dab in the middle of peri/post and do NOT CARE!
Funnily enough, my hubby is a Steve, but the opposite of the BDH Steve. So I giggle extra whenever we have a sighting of BDH Steve.
Sanders
*lightly and fluffily smacks self on forehead*
Not familiar with Melani Sanders, but I’m totally down with the concept of WDNC. It’s by far the best thing about getting old, not that there’s a high bar there.
Will you be working on the next Inheritance book soon? I loved this book and recommend it to everyone in my Litrpg reddit group. it was well received.
In Minneapolis, ask at your hotel. It’s probably nicer than a Motel 6, so the staff should be knowledgeable. Have bit FUN!!!
I live very close to Dulaney Valley Road, Towson, MD. Can highly recommend Orchard Market Cafe, about 2 miles away. Excellent Persian food in a light industrial park made and served by lovely people.
If you want Maryland crab cakes (and who doesn’t) then you want to go to Pappas (the Parkville location is the original and on a time warp in the best sense). Second choice is tied for Ocean Pride on York Rd and Conrads on Joppa Rd. DM me if you have specific cuisines you’re interested in.
Oh gosh! I forgot about Orchad Markrt! Second this, my mouth is watering just thinking about them. Plan for a long relaxed dinner. They’re not the speediest. Closes at 9 pm.
Kinda off topic, but here goes.
Anyone have a pattern for an innkeeper robe?
Thanks in advance.
You can draw one up fairly easily. I think that I have an older McCalls pattern for something close to that type of cape/robe. I will look tonight and get pace to you as a reply on your post if that is okay.
Thanks.
I found a Butterick 3123 pattern that is a long v-neck hooded dress. It can easily be adapted for a robe. I haven’t gone through all my patterns yet so I will keep on looking. I don’t think I gave away a long voluminous hooded cape one that I own. If you can figure out a way to contact me( you have my permission if Mod R needs it). I can get your measurements and draft you a pattern if we need to. No trouble.
Oh, St. Paul is a little different. It’s just across the river from Minneapolis, not 24 miles like between Dallas and Ft. Worth.
Some days I feel like this kingdom wait WILL kill me…. I AM FLUFFY 🙂
Mod R, Mod R! This strong language with the horrible 4-letter-word is very painful to my fluffyness! On the other hand this made me smile – I like that pun!
And nice travels with all th best food to HA! While you will be travelling, I will be re-reading Maggie…
I am so excited! Have lots of fun on your book tour! Then get some rest.
I just read that the WORST genre is dystopian nonfiction. At least it’s not that, and thank you for providing an alternative to that.
Dystopian nonfiction – that’s just the news, right?
In general, yep. You have to actively search for good news these days, but it is out there. My hometown paper had a section called “joy snacks” about cool things happening in the community and around the world. Sadly that paper’s staff is so hollowed out now that you have to root around to even find that section.Maybe there’s a Substack somewhere.
Thought question: Who benefits most from cancelled news subscriptions? (Granted that sometimes, to preserve your sanity, you absolutely do have to step away from the news though.)
Hmmmm. Interesting about the dark and light thing. I use this as a painter, where darks are made darker when I want to punch up the light (which is always).
Have a fun, safe tour. I’m sending my love from northern Canada!
I’m super chalant!
Good energy to you for the writing and editing!
Working on being fluffy and chalant and w*iting!
Read the 9th chapter on Reactor. Quietly squeeing!!!!!
Can’t decide whether to reread the whole preview or wait for the hardback or ebook!
I lived in Baltimore back in the day and visit often. Like seafood? Ocean Pride is a casual restaurant on York Road, close to Dulaney Valley Rd. My husband and his friends went regularly for “boys night.” I was there fairly recently and enjoyed it.
It sort of depends where along Washington Avenue you’ll be, but Hell’s Kitchen on S 9th Street is a short (7 block) walk away. The peanut butter burger is locally famous, and the peanut butter itself is house made and very good.) There’s also the sausage bread and the wild rice porridge (mahnomin porridge).
There are many nice restaurants in Mpls, but the challenge is that many of them are not open late during the week. Pizza Lucé that some others recommended is good and open late (I believe till 2am). Barcelona Wine Bar on Washington Ave North is open till 1am.
And if you have the time Kramarczuk’s Sausage is a nice deli selling Eastern European foods.
Towson! We’ve got you.
Downtown Towson is pretty walkable if you’re inside 695.
Walkable from many of the hotels in the area-
Papis tacos: local place with good tacos. *east coast standards don’t hold us to Texas standards. Open til 10 or 11 depending on the day. Walkable if you’re on Dulaney Valley rd.
Red Pepper: Sichuan cuisine. Very tasty, not spicy if you don’t want it to be. Open til 10 or 10:30 depending on the day.
Towson Tavern: Good Americana, we had our rehearsal dinner there. Open til 10 or 11 depending on the day.
Akria Ramen: Ramen place with a few spots around town. Tasty. Open til 10 or 10:30 depending on the day. Right next to Kyoto.
Drivable (<10min)
Michael’s cafe: good crab cakes. Open til 10 pm or 1 am depending on the day. Let Maryland wow you with our crab cakes. Please don’t leave the state without trying them, unless it will kill you.
Ice cream:
Walkable
Kyoto Matcha- soft serve matcha ice cream, my personal favorite. Open til 10 or 10:30 depending on the day.
Drivable
The Charmery- known for speciality/unique flavors that always change. My husband’s favorite. Has strange fun flavors I’ve never seen anywhere else. Open til 10 or 11 depending on the day.
I am SO PUMPED for this tour and thank you again for coming to MD.
Food!
On Delaney valley rd there is a new hot pot/ kbbq place that is good called KPot. (Other locations not as good, but this one is!)
There is also a tous les jours in the same area. Delicious bakery stuffs!
Zaatar is Mediterranean food and comes highly recommended to me by friends, though I haven’t had a chance to eat there yet myself
There are a ton of bubble tea places around but the one I recommend is called ChaTime.
Sushi Hana is good, can be a little pricey. I used to go to Towson’s Best all the time and it was great, but I haven’t been in years.
Depending on how far from Delaney valley rd you are willing to go there is a place called izakaya 68 in hunt valley. It’s about 20min up york rd from Towson Town center. I go here for the delicious inari sushi that is hard to find at regular sushi places. (They also have really good fries and brussel sprouts actually.)
The event in white marsh is in the avenue where there are a ton of restaurants. Red Brick has good burgers /American food. Akira has good ramen.
(Kobe is overpriced and mid – do not recommend)
I saw someone else mention By The Docks, which has a good reputation for delicious seafood, and is right off route 40 by white marsh, but not really in your target area.
Again, not your target area (Essex). But Pizza Johns has the best pizza hands down. Also they are a family business and good to their staff. So just wanted to throw them out there.
“We will be killing one particular person repeatedly.” Oh my.
And how is it only 6 days to release? SQUEEE!!!
When I realized that it would be a 3 hr drive during my pre-birthday week to see two of my favorite authors I was completely jazzed. Then I discovered that I could not buy/receive a ticket that did not include a book for my 16 year old who will be accompanying me. So my excitement is quite a bit less. See you briefly 4/1.
Wow I’m so excited for the second one already!! My copy of the first book somehow got delivered 3 days early and I just finished it.
The book is so good! I’m going to be rereading it soon when I have more time again. On top of that, I appreciate all the free snippets and extras you bestow upon the BDH as well and I’m excited to read those soon.
You will be right near my alma mater- Goucher College! An incredible school with one of the first “everyone goes on a semester abroad and we will help you pay for it” programs in the country. Since it has been 20+ years since I graduated I won’t try to give you a restaurant recommendation but enjoy the area (and go Gophers!). Can’t wait to see y’all in Austin in next week…
oh we’re doing college tours, thanks for the additional place!
Congrats on the new book coming out. I have pre-ordered.
So I have a question….. Are we going to get a book 2 of Hugh and Alara’s story ?. It’s been 8 years since the first book was published. You teased us with a couple of chapters a few months ago but then pulled the plug. You then gave us some Inheritance chapters instead. What is going on ? There is nothing in the release schedule ! I’m gagging to know what happened to lady with thing wrapped around her heart. ….. please help
There is this on the Release Schedule “All series are ongoing unless otherwise indicated.” 🙂
There is no “Finished” or “Finished for now” next o Hugh and Elara, so their sequel is still happening. At the moment, there is no official release date and all energy is going towards traditional publishing contracts and deadlines. When the decision is made and more details are available, we will be the first to know 🙂
Fluffy and chalant, chiii!
Stay safe and have fun.
Red Rabbit in Minneapolis is good
Re: Towson, I’m guessing you’ll be near the Towson Town Center mall. There are a lot of options there; the mall itself closes at 8 pm, but a lot of the restaurants have a door to the outside world and are open later. There are many well-known chains representing different cuisines, plus a couple of steakhouses. There are also a lot of options nearby along York Road.
Does anyone know who the knight is in the picture above?
It’s a stock photo, not a commissioned illustration of a character 🙂
Good restaurants near Washington Avenue in Minneapolis. It’s a long street.
1. Excellent Indian restaurant Clay Oven 1027 Washington Ave S mnclayoven.com/
2. Native American restaurant Owamni 420 S 1st St, Minneapolis (parallel to Washington)
relocating sometime in 2026 to Guthrie Theatre restaurant space 818 South 2nd Street (parallel to 1st St)
3. Three good Chinese restaurants
Tea House (the one on University) http://www.teahouseumn.com/ parking lot, near a Light rail station
Grand Szechuan in Bloomington grandszechuanmn.com/ (they have stuff on the menu I’ve never seen before and the potatoes are terrific) not near Washington but worth the trip – in a strip mall so free parking
Shuang Chen (means Twin Cities in Chinese) near the University http://www.shuangchengrestaurant.com/ parking may be a challenge
4. Caspian Bistro and Gourmet Marketplace (across the street from the Tea House) https://www.caspianbistro.com/ Persian restaurant – parking in the back – near the Light rail station, they have 6 or more different kinds of baklava in the deli
There are a lot of other good places. Try googling “restaurants near Washington Ave Minneapolis” and look at the ratings.
Some other Twin Cities food highlights
Juicy Lucy burgers
Walleye
Wild Rice (not the farmed kind)
Vietnamese and Hmong restaurants
Some Twin Cities store highlights
Textile Center (3000 University) gift shop is amazing (doubles in size during the holidays) – center for all MN fiber related guilds textilecentermn.org
Center for Book Arts (center for aspiring book authors and much more) – also has wonderful gift shop mnbookarts.org
Museum of Russian Art (re-done church) also has wonderful gift shop tmora.org
American Swedish Institute museum – has parking lot, also has wonderful gift shop and restaurant (FIKA cafe) asimn.org
Ingebretsens – Nordic marketplace with amazing deli, parking may be difficult, ICE was active in that neighborhood, http://www.ingebretsens.com/
I could go on but you probably have very little free time. Sandy Resnick