Good morning. By now most of you probably have seen the Owlcrate edition announcement for the special edition of This Kingdom. For those of you who haven’t, here it is, I stole it for you from Instagram. If you are viewing this post through your email, here is a direct link.
Mod R has gathered your questions. I’m fortified with Rose Scented tea from Harney and Sons, so let’s get to it.
Owlcrate:
1. Is the OwlCrate edition going to feature art by Luisa Preissler?
Owlcrate features a reversible dust jacket, meaning that there is a paper cover that fits over the actual hardcover, and it has two different images, so you can choose which image to display. One of them is by Luisa Preissler.
The edition features artwork from 5 artists, I think. Sorry, this was a little while ago, so I can’t recall if it’s 5 or more. To my knowledge, the reverse jacket is the only image Luisa Preissler has painted for that edition.
2. Will that artwork appear anywhere else, or is it OwlCrate-exclusive?
All content commissioned by OwlCrate is exclusive to OwlCrate for a period of several years.
3. Will Luisa be creating additional art for This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me outside this edition?
Yes.
4. Will the interior artwork be bright/high-contrast?
Eh. I don’t know because I don’t have the actual edition in my hands, but I saw endpapers and they were beautiful and in full color.
5. Is the OwlCrate edition the one that contains the bonus story, or is that tied to a different edition? Can that be announced earlier so we can actually get the book?
Everything that Owlcrate chose to announce is in that Instagram post. We can’t give you additional information at this time.
6. Do we know whether OwlCrate is likely to produce editions for books two and three of the trilogy?
We don’t.
7. If someone manages to get this OwlCrate edition, will that give them priority access to the part 2 of This Kingdom, like Subterranean does?
You would have to check OwlCrate policies.
To clarify: we did not commission these editions. All of the special editions of this book have been negotiated through our publisher. If it was something we negotiated, we would have more information. Our role in these was to approve the art and sign or stamp the signing pages.
8. “Are they one of those businesses where people can just buy extras in general sales or buy after their subscribers have first dibs?”
Email OwlCrate.
9. “If I subscribe now, can I still get the April box? I looked online and I don’t understand their Horror book and Adult book boxes, I just want This Kingdom?”
Email OwlCrate.
10. “Well damage is done now and I have no chance to get the subscription in time, how else can I get the book? Will it be resold anywhere, or on the Ilona Andrews store?”
Email OwlCrate. This is a separate business, and we will definitely link to any remainder sales, but we will not be reselling these copies through our site. We do not have the rights to do that.
11. Can we have a page with all of the special editions?
Yes. Added to Maggie’s page.
Extra art:
12. I’ve missed the special editions. Are there going to be any art prints or stuff?
Yes.
Commissioned Art
We commissioned art from four artists, in alphabetical order, Candice Slater, Helena Elias, Leesha Hannigan, and Luisa Preissler.
Examples.
Click to enlarge.
And, for the first time, art reveal, drum roll please…
You will be able to purchase character card packs, art prints, custom dust jackets, merchandise (we bought the mug rights), stickers, and hopefully vellum inserts. We will be releasing things through our store and the individual artists will be releasing products through their stores, including card packs, calendars, art prints, etc.
For those of you missing out on the special editions, vellum inserts might be of particular interest because you can slide them into your hardcover and they will stay, so you basically make your own illustrated edition. About vellum – we are having difficulty finding a good printer, but we are working on it.
We are commissioning fully illustrated maps in color. Anchored Designs, who coded the theme on this website, is designing an entire different website just for the Maggie the Undying, which will have lore, art, and freebies.
Bookmark Packs.
Everyone coming to see us during our book tour is going to get a bookmark.
These are being printed by a local printer today and will be shipped to the stores on Wednesday. Additional bookmarks are being designed and will be available in packs on our site.
Companion Book
For those of you who read in ebook but still want the art – we are planning on releasing a companion book of deleted and bonus scenes and all of this art will be in there. That volume will be self-published and you will be able to grab it from our store and all the usual retailers.
Themed Boxes
We are looking into this. I am running into a language barrier with trying to select a plushie manufacturer, but we will likely do some kind of themed box, with the printed copy of the companion book, bookmarks, stickers, merch packs, etc. This will be expensive but we will stuff it well. The target for the box is sometime this summer.
To reiterate, there will be many opportunities for you to throw money at us get pretty art. No worries. There will be plenty of extras.
Boring Conclusion to This Post
There are 40,000 words between us and the end of this book and it must be done by the tour. The book is 140,000 words long already, so it will be another brick unless it gets trimmed in the editorial process.
So I’m going to vanish again for a week. You are the best. Don’t worry, we will make sure that you have all the fun extras.
So many pretty things to look forward to.
What if I read this version and don’t like it? Who or whom should I email?
The Management. Always email the Management.
Management: https://ilona-andrews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Tuna-sleeping.jpg
OMG We’re blaming Tuna?? 🙀
🤣🤣🤣
So, the management is now Tuna. Okay… 🤔🤣🤣🤣🤣
Just proves once again that dogs have owners and cats have staff.
+1
This book is a major event! And now that I’ve finally read the extended preview it is totally worth it!!!!
How many days left till release day? I’m not sure I’ll have any nails left by March 31st. 😁
hahaha. Sure do love you guys. Thanks for always taking care of us.
Well at least you can laugh about it – at some time, all the love, one of the BDH
Heh. You know your BDH so well 😉
Very best of luck with the 40K words and the tour! I hope all goes swimmingly!
Wow!!! So hard, the waiting!!!!
Woo Hoo! Looking forward to all the cool things! The themed box sounds AWESOME.
We’ll try to behave ourselves while you’re wording.
As an eboom reader, thank you so much for doing the companion book!!!
omg author-commissioned VELLUM INSERTS? we are so spoiled.
re:owlcrate, for anyone who didn’t sub in time –
If they don’t end up with any extras, subscribers who forgot to cancel or whatever will often list their books on sites like pangobooks.
Omg just looking at Luisa’s page and I’ve always loved her artwork. But seeing her versions of David Tenant and Billie Piper for Dr Who – she is truly amazing!
Also squee for the companion book. I will exercise p*tience
Also to add – as a Brit who recently had to travel to the US for work, the best thing was getting to download the extended preview whilst over there
I now have a craving for a tuna sandwich
Does the regular hardback REALLY have those pretty edges? The pre-order link on Amazon doesn’t show that. Just the very pretty blue. Very excited to throw money at House Andrews for all the stuff. Or at least some of the stuff.
The UK hardback has flower theme sprayed edges, the US hardback has teal sprayed edges 🙂
For the plushie manufacturer, ask Elisabeth Wheatley? She has gorgeous plushies and I swear she considered ethics when purchasing too (though I can’t find the post exploring it now)
Thank you for all the updates. Good luck with all the words left. May the hands stay flexible to keep on typing.
Also, good luck in finding a printer who can print on vellum.
I might have a suggestion for a person who designs and works with factories who makes the plushies. I messaged ModR with the suggestion. I didnt wanted to spam the blog with example products
*You* are the best and thanks for the newsy post!
I can answer some of the questions above:
– If you are already an adult fantasy subscriber for Owlcrate, this is the April book and your credit card will be charged on April 1. Books are shipped at the middle-end of the month, so we should see spoiler photos of the book by end-April.
– It is too late to get on the adult fantasy box for April. If you signed up right now, you would not get off the waitlist in time for April renewal.
– However, if you are interested in purchasing Owlcrate Maggie, you should sign up for the waitlist anyway. This is because a few months from now, after all copies are mailed to subscribers and damaged copies are replaced, Owlcrate will email waitlist folks with the first opportunity to purchase leftovers.Waitlist folks have first dibs. Use code OWLCOMEBACK for a discount.
Waitlist: https://www.owlcrate.com/pages/adult-fantasy-subscription
– If there are copies remaining after being offered to the waitlist, Owlcrate will then list the book on their website for general sale. They might advertise it on their social media when this happens or it might be a quiet addition to the website. I’ve seen both scenarios happen (usually readers just stumble on to the fact that the listing is public). See example below (some sell out quickly, hence why there is no “add to cart” option for the sold out books). Use code OWLCOMEBACK for a discount.
https://www.owlcrate.com/blogs/adult-fantasy
– if you purchase the book directly from Owlcrate (as a subscriber or in general sale), you WILL get early access sale/first dibs for future Maggie books if Owlcrate chooses to make special editions. They will email you the details and post on social media.
– if all else fails, you can try to purchase the special edition from resale websites (Mercari or Pango or Facebook BST groups). This might be more expensive than purchasing from the retailer, though, since the individual seller has the discretion to set the price.
Thank you so much for all the insights, Di!
Thank you for that! Even though you crushed my dreams that maybe there was still time for April. 🤣
Thank you, House Andrews!
Is it just me or is this turning into a veritable circus, though?! Adoring it!🥳
First time ever I actually pre-ordered a book (normally I just have reminders in my calendar…). From abroad. And it’s a special edition, too.
Ahem. Yes, I am a card-carrying member of the BDH. Anybody else here p*tiently waiting?🤣
I think the Fluffy branch of the Horde is, but underneath all that is the “wait is soooooo long! We wants the precious now!”
I honestly don’t think the people at Tor knew what they were really, really getting into when all this started. 😁🤣🤣🤣🤪
I think I am going to die happy with all the Kingdom loot options. I think I may make my own watercolor bookmark for this book too, I am so inspired.
Wow! Maggie’s art by Luisa looks gorgeous!
I am definitely going to buy the Companion book!
Thank you for your humor and your endless care and feeding of the BDH (which is amazing considering how busy you are) and for taking care of us e-readers. I can’t wait to throw more money at you for hardcover books and goodies. Plushies..Squeee!!!
Thank you thank you,
Loads of good news. The upcoming treasure box does wonders, because at this point, I am seriously doubting I can get a Special Edition (unless I go to the UK…) Will there be one more announcement of Special Edition?
Thanks for the art and fabulous merch we have to look forward to!
There will be more announcements 🙂
Oh Thank Heavens Mod R….
Happily back to w*iting… never thought I’d be happy to w*it 😂😂
When has the horde given you the impression we don’t want a brick. Give us a brick of a book the satiate our hunger if only for a moment.
The great thing about your bricks is that they are solid gold. Looking forward to this summer’s extras. And all the things.
Wowee the themed box sounds amazing!! Thank you beloved House Andrews! Hope absolutely everything will go smoothly!
Chalant is how I’m feeling about wanting all the pretty things, but I do trust House Andrews. Best wishes with the writing. Y’all are the best!💖💖💖
This was lovely info, thanks muchos!
So excited! I do Kindle but I also got my lovely nephew in law from the UK to order the Waterstones version for me😍
Are the ebook readers and other people who buy the normal book going to get all the main illustrations? I always love the art because my head cannon and HAs is different. Like seeing the pictures of the Baylor sisters or Diana really helped me. I like how it’s done in Innkeeper. But I’m greedy so I want more pics.
The question about art availability is answered in the post above 🙂
Mod R…either it was the “w@it for details” or I did not craft the question well enough. Besides the cover, for the Kindle/E-book/normal version, Are we getting pretty pictures inside the book? Or is only the Owlecrate version have pretty pictures for a few years?
Chapter’s 5 & 6 just dropped in reactormag, woo hoo
so enjoying this
I do wonder if the unnamed man Maggie met in chapter 4 at Garden of Soft Blossoms is the Author who disappeared from her earth.
I keep wondering if he’ll turn up.
Hope that comment’s ok
Anyway, its 6am here so I might take my puppy (9 years and counting) GSD for a walk before work and make him a very happy boy.