The first pass edit on Sweep of the Heart is finished. Finally. This was a bear of an edit, for various reasons, but mostly because very little time passed between finishing the manuscript and editing it. A bit of time and distance helps, but we very much wanted to make sure the audio was available on the ebook release date.
The #moreisbetter faction of BDH will be happy to know that not that much was cut. We streamlined things and made some explanations clearer. You won’t be losing anything significant from the online version.
We are going to take the rest of the week off, and then it’s on to the next project, whatever that may be. Right now I’m watching Alone on Netflix, the show that makes any food you eat while watching it so very delicious. I’m also finally playing Grounded, which came out of the early access on Steam. It’s a survival computer game that basically uses the “Honey, I shrunk the kids” premise. You wake up very small in the middle of the lawn and have to build a base and defend it from spiders, ants, and beetles.
I got frustrated with it and had to set the difficulty to mild. It was too hard. There now you know my shame. But I have gotten a full set of ladybug armor finally, so I might bump the difficulty back up. I will clear the Hedge Lab and bash all of those little robots into tiny pieces.
I am so looking forward to not thinking for a bit. ::laughs::
How is your week going?
Enjoy your rest, you deserve it!
Thank you once again for everything you do!
Enjoy the rest!
Enjoy the brain doze! You work so hard and we appreciate it!
Ooooh, ladybug armor sounds so intriguing!
Have fun slaying the other bugs (?)!
I’m brainstorming for a costume to wear at the comic convention at the end of the month: trying to put together a steampunk/witch Sailor Neptune look from what I already have!
Find a sword and go as Kate! Wear a t-shirt that says “Here kitty kitty”. 😛
Be sure to wear the basic accessory- a hooded cloak!
Fantastic t-shirt idea! I might have to make one!! ????????
Etsy has them. They also have Inn teeshirts. Look under Illona Andrew’s or Kate Daniels. They also have mugs.
I need one in my life ????
Trying to motivate myself to finish a paper due in an hour and change. Might do some light yoga later- too sick to really get sweaty. Happy I’m in couples therapy. And individual therapy with a lovely therapist. Its easy to forget that recovery isn’t just for folks with SUDs- its for their partners (and families) too.
Stay strong, you can do it! ????
Oooh. Next project sounds promising; there is so much to speculate about.
My week is going better than expected. We’re (my 2 sisters & I) are doing final vacation prep for next week’s trip to Florida. Hoping work prep will minimize the pile of work waiting when I return.
Enjoy your break. ????✈️
I’m headed out on vacation as well. Trying to get a big accreditation doc to editing stage so the PTB can edit (and build the missing pieces) while I’m gone. Lots of yellow – do this, and green- missing this, highlighter on this beast. But Monday I leave for almost 3 weeks, so I’m hanging in.
I hope you two get plenty of brainless time, what you create is wonderful and sounds extremely intensive.
I feel like I’m dragging my butt through this week. Toddler Monster has been waking more than normal in the night and it’s exhausting, then it’s always that timing when I run into other mum’s with magical babies who sleep, because they were sleep trained… exhausting and depressing.
Really looking forward to reading the published book. it is a fantastic romp.
“other moms”!!! can be the bane of any sane “normal” parent. I am a Scout leader for kids ages 5-7 years old. We took the kids to a local hall for an overnight sleepover, unparented. Most settled down reasonably well considering their excitement about 10pm. However there was one kid that just couldn’t get to sleep: put him in a tent to get rid of distractions, sang him lullabies, pulled out my ipad and read a story. We tried white noise apps, glass of warm milk with vanilla, and multiple trips to the toilet. It finally emerged, around midnight, that his bedtime routine is: bedtime story, hug and kiss, lights out, then is GIVEN AN IPAD AND THE DOOR IS SHUT!!!!!! How is that appropriate for a 6year old! No wonder he wouldn’t fall asleep. I still mutter about it and that was 3 years ago.
2 of my 3 children seem to not need a lot of sleep (both boys). As babies 2hrs was the longest stretches. As toddlers they never napped during the day and would be up before the sun regardless of the time we put them to bed. Hubby would try to tire them out but nothing helped. My saving grace is that there is a 10 yr gap between them so with the youngest we were prepared and stressed less about it. Also, the oldest helped out and entertained his brother in the wee hours of weekend mornings.
Their sister between them is one of those magical babies. She slept right through the night by 6 mths old, and nope I didnt sleep train. At 16 she will still take a nap in the middle of the day if the mood strikes her.
Dont feel bad just do the best you can.
thank you both. my toddler Monster is pretty amazing, he just loves waking in the night. Hard on sleep, but like you said just do what we can.
And if I can’t get back to sleep at least there’s always my favorite familiar Ilona Andrews books to read again.
Please don’t stress yourself. Fact of life: Other moms lie. Big lies like “my kids slept through the night when they were 6 weeks old” That happens, but definitely not as often as others parents want to make us believe. Me and a lot of my collegues (doctors and psychologists) see sleep trainings like “cry it out” or Ferber very critical. There is a high stress response in the baby (measureable by hormones if the crying is not a clue) and the time you might win in the short run you will have to reinvest in the long run when the child does not feel safe at night. I have twins which were very bad sleepers as babys, so I can relate. Still, cuddle your toddler monster, help him feel safe at night and remember – it’s just a phase…it will get…maybe not better, but different 🙂
Lara,
A baby swing was my saving grace through the day and at night I kept my kids with me in the room. Until they stopped breastfeeding, if they cried at night, I would just put them into the bed with me and cuddle them. I never went with the “let them sleep train and cry themselves out” thing, because when I cry, I want someone to hold me. And when they were toddlers, occasionally they would get scared, grab their blankets, and make a mad dash into our bedroom. I would find them asleep on the floor in their blankets in the morning. They had very vivid imaginations.
You do you. Your kid is not like any other kids, because no two kids are the same. Who cares about the other moms. Just do what you need to do to keep your sanity intact.
We have been preparing for the first strong nightfrost coming night: part of the usable vegetables from the garden went into a pasta sause. All the big flowerpots were emptied and the geraniums and fucksia’s went into crates in my workroom to survive the winter. Together with a number of other ‘specials’… Now we hope for a beautiful white winter.
Good luck with the Lady bug armor. Hope you get a cockroach armor soon. That would survive a nuclear bomb
Sure it would survive, but it wouldn’t be as pretty. ????
Really glad you’re taking time to be brain dead. Self-care for the win!
My careful plans to cover eldercare for my in-laws while I’m away taking care of my parents after Mom has a knee replacement have been turned topsy-turvy. Waiting to find out when Mom’s surgery is rescheduled. And I thought parenting was hard ????
Thank you for all the wonderful worlds you’ve created. And thanks for this forum of kind and interesting people. Really, your words and the BDH are a succor in all my stress
My week is being kind of brainless, too; though that’s more from grandson’s cold than anything else.
I’m told he should be up to school tomorrow, which means I have to take him and his classmate to futsol after school. I am not fond of benches as hard as the one I have to sit on. Next week is the final session, and neither of the boys is especially enthusiastic about this particular sport. My grandson actually seems to like yoga.
I’m blathering.
I’m glad you got the editing done, and I hope you don’t find anything else that needs a serious fix.
‘On to the next project’ is catnip to the BDH. But you know this.
Take care of yourself, and have fun.
My son got to take yoga as a gym credit in high school and to our surprise loved it. I wish more schools offered it. Not all kids like the rough and tough version of gym
Thank you again for the wonderful story. Enjoy your rest, it was well deserved. Also, as a fan, I would like to know that we truly appreciate your effort. Cheers.
Middle Child and my nephew have been playing the game preview of Grounded on the Xbox for awhile now. They love it and that they can play together, but I think it might drive me a little bonkers.
Take some rest, clear the brain. Seems to be the season for recovery.
went to spinning…. now eating pasta….there is a lesson in there somewhere..
looking forward to the next innkeeper book and currently re reading the Kate Daniels series for the umpteenth time…Still love it
Might be a time to read Cold War in a Country Garden by Lindsey Gutteridge. If you can find it. It is out of print and my copy is guarded by a tribe of ants and a pissed off centiped.
You really deserve a rest ???? please enjoy it to the fullest.
My new fave thing to watch is Hahns Atelier vids on youtube. He primarily refashions beat up leather bags (Gucci, etc, but I just saw some vids repurposing old denim and even a couch) into new items and the process is fascinating.
https://m.youtube.com/c/HahnsAtelier/featured
That sounds like something that I’d love. I’m going to check it out.
I’ve been watching Martijn Doolaard on youtube. He’s slowly restoring an old stone cabin in the Italian alps and it’s the perfect mix of serenity and competence. If anyone is interested, I recommend starting with episode #2 where we get to meet his wonderful neighbor: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z93K0nZ2BWE
My week is all clean the kitchen and sort laundry. I’m trying to clean small areas of the house…. and waiting for the next medical step on a possible Relapsing Remitting MS diagnosis…which explains why it’s so hard to just freaking clean the house.
Wishing you luck with the MS Mary. I know it can be challenging. Hopefully the next step will be helpful for you.
Get lots of relaxation!!
My 12 yr old car passed its annual inspection so my week is going great! Now to make sure my 23 yr old car passes emissions so we can renew tags for another year…..
Enjoy the downtime. Any and all distractions are great.
We watched ‘Werewolf by Night’ and then had to hunt down the old Lon Chaney films. (without luck)
Hoping to return to writing my own stuff soon. Been taking a break so I can let my brain breathe.
I loved “Werewolf by Night”!! Go Elsa!!!
Werewolf by Night was fantastic!
So happy you guys have gotten your edits done we appreciate your hard work for the BDH.
Still unpacking finding broken things. But the house is coming along decently. We should be unpacked fully by next week. Just in time to drive back to NC for the oldests graduation from Trade school
Reading, cooking, and volunteering at the animal shelter fills my time. At this point, I am impatiently waiting for cooler weather. If you’re looking for something different to read, I highly recommend The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells.
Thanks for going brainless for us!
Well I woke up thinking today was Wednesday so that’s how my week is going lol. I may go brainless myself trying to think of music and technical things for the shows I’m directing for school. So I feel some of your pain.
Thanks again for all you do and sharing your thoughts with us!
Same here! Actually my thought was “it’s Thursday, oh wait it’s not, it’s only Wednesday. *%#$!! It’s Tuesday!!” How can that be? How can so many weeks this year seem like The Longest Week Ever, and yet it is already October? Of 2022?
Umm. I pretty much play all games on the easiest setting. So, my shame is either really high or non-existent. So excited for SotH!! Enjoy some relaxation time.
It has been a tough week for me. My 12.5 yr old Frenchie has been having multiple seizures at night and other health issues. I had to decide to let him go. He was a much loved faithful companion. There is a big hole in my life & heart. He loved to snuggle with me as I read.
Know what you mean, thinking of you and your little dog..
So sorry Diane –
There are no words that describe how difficult that is to go through. Sending you mental hugs and encouraging thoughts. Treat yourself gently and give yourself the time and space you need.
I am so sorry. Thinking of you and your beloved dog.
I am so sorry.
So sorry to hear, but good for you for doing right by your pup. Letting go is so tough but it’s usually the right thing.
I’m so sorry. It’s hard to lose them, and sometimes we have to help them over the bridge.????
He leaves his love with you, and takes your love with him.
I’m so sorry to hear this…it’s never easy. (I’ve had to make this decision 3 times now.) Hang in there, your little fur baby is not suffering anymore, and I promise it will get easier.
My week is filled with contractors showing up at 7am and starting banging on roof by 8 am above my head, and today was filled with the heating guy finally showing up apparently, an easy thermostat install was more complicated because it was in a concrete wall and featured wires in a metal box so a lot more drilling and my cat got scared or stressed and proceeded to vomit only 3rd time in his life. So it’s a wonderful great day, but maybe I will have heat by the end of the week. I’m re-reading the innkeeper series as therapy so that part is nice. And I guess I started watching flipping wars as a brainless tv show since I think I got through most of the cooking shows. I want to see an intergalactic top chef someday in innkeeper. It could be called space chef: Blast and Zap instead of Fire and Lightening.
Started playing Guild Wars 2 again after letting it sit for a year, and 2 years before that. It was released in 2012, but it’s still a lot of fun with ongoing updates.
Enjoy the time off. My week, so far, has been helping a coworker validate data. Her usual partner is on leave of absence due to health issues. I’m also answering questions about CMS reports. ????
It’s going to get crazier as the week keeps going.
Whoop! Glad to hear you are done with the edits and can have some downtime. Still looking forward to the release date so very very much!
Have fun in your ladybug armor ( chortle), I’m sure you will prevail!
I didn’t read the freebie of SotH so waiting on the finished book. Waiting is hard but I just can’t take serials.
My week is going well. My always-single, very independent daughter became engaged the day before her 40th birthday to an always single, very independent man. Big celebration! They are absolutely made for each other. Both are theatre actors/directors/writers with real-life professional jobs in the public mental health sector. Like I said, made for each other.
We are recovering from a stomach flu and trying to get things lined up to close out our house in the Hill Country. We will spend one more Christmas at home in TX and then rent out the house. Of course, we have managed to fill it with quite a few odds, ends, and other items to make it more comfy when we are there. Now to send the Hubby back to deal with the mess. Fingers and toes crossed it is relatively painless and that the house rents lickety split.
I do have a request. A bit ago you mentioned a competence porn reading list, and I have been eagerly awaiting one. Please, pretty please, with sprinkles?? TIA
+1 on the reading list…
I think it was mentioned in the comments of another post and a few people commented with suggestions. It was the first time I’d ever heard of the genre and I promptly read “Agnes and the Hitman” by Jennifer Crusie which was one of the recommendations. I laughed so hard and it made me fall in love with the genre.
I just ordered it from abebooks :). Thanks for the rec!
I recommend Sharon Lee & Steve Miller’s Fledgling for a heroine who starts out insecure but grows in confidence. Competence galore!
It’s free on kindle (and possibly elsewhere?) to hook you on the series. (It totally hooked me…)
Fun fact: It started out as a serial.
planting apple trees in grow bags as we rent. and tidying the garden and remember no snakes or scorpions either
Have a good time!
Congrats on finishing the edits and having some well deserved time off. I also have good news to celebrate: I was just offered my dream job with what looks like an amazing team. I start in a few weeks.
Congrats!!
Congratulations on scheduling some rest. If you are watching Netflix, I suggest you watch the Extraordinary Attorney Woo. Better if you can find it with subtitles but dubbed will work. ????
Ladybug armor??
Well, you would be a good holder for the Miraculous of Creation!
Hoping we might check back in on Julie and Derek soon(ish), but I’ll just have to be patient!
My brain is broken. I turned in a rent check with everything except my signature. Luckily the manager just had me sign it the next day.
I forgot to complete the 2nd part of an online timesheet submission process that I’ve successfully done for almost a year and missed my pay window. Good thing I have macaroni, pizza, and cat food stocked up.
I am listening to ghost stories online (not even really good ones – any suggestions out there?) and playing Mahjong and Wooduku instead of doing the paper pile things. Sat out in sun and played in the garden … feel much better.
I hope you have a relaxing rest of the week! My husband is playing Grounded while my 6 year old son watches and acts as his “look out” for bugs lol. It seems like a frustrating game just judging by the amount of “oh you died again!” Comments I hear!
Painting the outside of the house. That’s how my week started (actually on Saturday…) Tried to get hubby to hire someone, then thought of your disaster, hubs said why would he pay someone to do a crappy job when he could do a crappy job for free? ???????? He has done an EXCELLENT job- had to climb the super big (and scary) ladder a billionty times and has the leg bruises to show for it.
Enjoy your much needed time off. I am reading “Only Bad Options”. It was a great recommendation. Going to see the Aspen tomorrow.
I can recommend the “Minuscule” compilations on You Tube. It’s bugs all the way down, not turtles though.
Don’t know if that series got over to Britain, ModR…
Thanks for all your hard work. You guys really deserve the rest, so enjoy and vegetate.
I have just finished a re-read of Kate Daniels and am just about to start on Blood Heir. I really love the snark in these books. You guys do it so well.
My daughter always plays on easy as she says she likes to enjoy the game, and if she gets to frustrated she won’t finish – so go forth and smite in your ladybird armour. Conquer all and return victorious. Hurrah!
Enjoy your rest! And I fully support playing games on whatever difficulty level makes them fun to play – and shamelessly happy to report that for me, that’s frequently on the easiest setting. ???? (Otherwise I get stressed!)
But also I’m excited to check out Grounded; every other game you’ve recommended so far has been excellent!
congratulations! cannot wait? cool you are playing Grounded. that game is harder than it looks. hope you have down time this week
Time off is a good thing!! Best wishes for what ever makes your hearts happy!!
????????????????❤️????????????
Oof. Yes, “Not Thinking Time”. Good luck!
—————————-
Halfway through first pass edits on my next book & starting research.
Trying to teach research methods to 40+ college students who don’t want to be there and don’t believe my cautionary tales.
That pretty much says enough about how the week’s going.
Good luck! I understand about students not wanting to be in class and don’t want to believe what you say. I went through that with biostatistics students (either from the School of Public Health or from the Master’s program for prospective medical school students).
Excited for two workshops next week, one painting, one mixed media. Only problem is I have to drive from Dallas to Kentucky in one day to make the second workshop. My 97 year old mother has leveled out from blood clots with medication and is agitating for us to cut back on the aides we have helping her. And I’m already dreading daylight savings time. Ugh!
Wow, fast edit!
Grateful about the audiobook, but have the kindle on order????
Relax
Games are good, chilling, taking a breather.
There are some weeks I think we should just skip to the next one, don’t even need the weekend. Maybe even go to the next month. Or year. Wipe it right out.
This is heading towards maybe being one of those. But it’s only Tuesday so maybe things can still turn around…
Enjoy your rest! Thanks for all your hard work keeping the BDH entertained.
I have a head cold after camping this weekend in tents in northern Vermont.. we called it “Almost to Canada” camping. It was really fun, but the nights not so much.
Hopefully head cold passes quickly. I hate being congested it gives me stress.
Looking forward to December’s release! Congrats on first class of edits. ???????? ladybug armor sounds fun.
A bit of time and distance helps …
As someone who wrote his fair share of technical papers for refereed journals and international conferences, I couldn’t agree more. Out of curiosity, how much time do you normally allow between end of first draft and the beginning of editing? Does it vary according to whether it’s a novel or a novella?
I will note that a lot of time — over half a year be my reckoning — elapsed between Sean and Dina discovering that Wilmos had been kidnapped and the final installation (but not “final-final” chapter).
Next project — glad you plan to get going on it instead of taking time off, like for a trip around the world. As a card-carrying member of the Horde I am desperate for Iron Covenant #2, Ryder #2, a Hidden Legacies book centered on Arabella, and anything further you’d care to write about Dani and Jim. No pressure. 😉
“How much time do you normally allow between end of first draft and the beginning of editing?”
About a month is ideal. Long enough to get some distance, but not enough time to forget the crucial points.
“I will note that a lot of time — over half a year be my reckoning — elapsed between Sean and Dina discovering that Wilmos had been kidnapped and the final installation (but not “final-final” chapter).”
9 months. 🙂 We started at Christmas.
How is my week going?
My son in law, who was a high school teacher, just got fired because a kid slammed his hand through the classroom plate glass window trying to get the attention of a friend out on the playground, right after coming in from the playground. So Daughter, Son in law, and their 3 children aged 9, 7, and 4 are moving into our guest house.
Having my grandbabies so close by is not a problem, except that we had promised that space to Son, his wife, and their daughter to live in for a few months since the laboratories where he has been working for the past 5 years are closing on Friday. They need to fix up and rent out their house, move to another state where he has another, higher paying, job promised, find a temporary house for them, and move. So that small family is moving INTO our house. We have a disabled daughter living with us as well. We can let them have two of the 5 upstairs rooms, but I need to get those cleaned out.
Again, having 4 of my 6 grandbabies under my wings is not really a hardship, but it is pretty crazy. We will be helping both families move, and they live hours away in opposite directions from our house.
I am very much enjoying my reading time at night. I just discovered Jennifer Estep, thanks to you, and have finished as far as possible on one series. I will start her assassins series, and then re-read KD, again.
I feel for you. We’ve had a full house a few times in our lives and it wears you down no matter how much you love your family. I hope that everyone moves out soon.
wow, you are amazing. Close proximity to one’s grown children is wonderful and challenging.
May the time go quickly, and with a minimum of stress.
Down time is well deserved! Enjoy 🙂
I went and picked some apples today. I’m looking forward to homemade applesauce and other delights. Enjoy your rest!
I am recovering from 3 days of cooking for my Thanksgiving celebration (Canadian here and we celebrated yesterday). I’m wiped. I would like to rest but tomorrow I have lots of turkey pot pies to make with turkey leftovers. I freeze them and get to enjoy them all winter.
Enjoy not thinking and recharging yourself!
BASEBALL PAYOFFS BAYBEE!
Thanks for all you do for the BDH! Looking forward to the release!
I was rereading Wildfire yesterday and realized I never asked or saw this question asked before. If interference in the trials is a mortal offense, who does that apply to (particularly Nevada’s trial)? Everyone involved? The instigator? Would love an answer at some point, if possible. Please and thank you in advance!
It depends on the type of interference, but generally the Houses really don’t like it when people mess with the Trials. They are the cornerstone of that very messed up society, The punishments are very severe.
Thanks for the response! I was just thinking about future hazards for House Rogan and House Baylor. For example, if Colleen Shaffer was killed as a result of her interference in Nevada’s trial, would that result in future issues between House Shaffer and House Baylor or House Rogan. Or would they have to suck it up because they took a chance and it didn’t pay off? Obviously, I’m overthinking it. Looking forward to any and all future books!????
Enjoy your time off! The BDH will be here whenever the next project drops. ????
Pretty quiet week around here – no complaints though, just enjoying it! ????
Enjoy your break, do things that make you relaxed and happy. Everyone needs heads space to switch off and relax ????
I’ve been having a stressful few weeks with issues with my house, mad family life and craziness at work all ended up triggering a bad migraine so I took today off and baked. I now have lots of cakes which I will take for my CDH (cake devouring hordes) at work to make them happy too and reduce their stress levels. ????????
I always look forward to the day I can preorder your next book. Today was that day.
I’m so glad you are taking time off! Hope you are enjoying it. I am knitting a cardigan…it’s taking forever! I’m not much into video games however my husband got me playing Dreamlight Valley. It’s very addicting.
I am very late to the game because I just finished and loved Ruby Fever. I have a few questions. I did read the blog posts about Ruby Fever and also the Reddit AMA and I could not find the answers. Sorry if I missed it and this is redundant.
1. In Ruby Fever, Chapter 12 when Catalina was talking to agent Wahl, she says that Arkan had five investors when he stole the serum. Nevada and Rogan took out two of them and Catalina, Linus and Alessandro took out two as well and the only one left was Cabera. The two I know of are Benedict De Lacy and Cheryl Castellano (please correct me if this is wrong). However who are the other two (the ones Nevada and Rogan took out)?
2. When Alessandro nullified the magic users (Stephen, Cheryl, Tatyana and others) with the circle he used at the end of Emerald Blaze, is their magic gone forever? They never get it back?
3. I’m a bit confused as to why Adam took the serum and did not die. I thought he was pretty powerful and if a Prime takes the serum they would kinda overload and die. From what I understood, the serum finds if a person has traces of magic and amplifies them and those are the people who don’t die or turn warped. Or is it not an exact science and he just got lucky (with the serum…he’s obviously not that lucky since he’s dead).
Thank you for writing such amazing books! Take care!
I will play a lot of video games on easy setting then, go back and play again on a harder one. I am not a “good” player and it takes me longer to learn the muscle memory.
Everyone in my house is playing Grounded except me and having a fantastic time. I’m planning on getting it his month and giving it a try. It looks really fun.
Not grand, it’s been rough. We had to put down our sweet dog today. We adopted her from the shelter less than a year ago. ???? Vet found osteosarcoma last week after some spooky symptoms caused us to take her in and the X-rays were pretty bad. The kiddos are absolutely devastated. She was an absolute gem and we’re so sad we didn’t have more time with her. ????
That is truly heartbreaking. Please take care of yourselves.
So sorry about your girl ????
I’m so sorry. I’m glad you adopted her though: at least she didn’t have to spend her last days in a shelter. Hang in there…
Well, speaking of bugs, this morning I found what may be the first recorded spotted lantern fly in our county, on a walking path in town. This was a huge thrill, obviously…NOT. Bad words were spoken. I took pics before I squashed it, and texted them to a friend who works for the county parks and rec department. She passed along the info to her department and DNR.
Monday I found out that my wrist will probably require a complicated surgery eventually. For now, they gave me an awesome thermoplastic splint to wear at night, or during the day if I can tolerate it. However I’m sticking with an OTC brace for daytime, because the splint won’t allow me to do the things that have to occur, which are of course not very good for my wrist.
Tomorrow my ex-husband is coming from halfway across the country to remove the rest of his stuff from the house, and Thursday we have an appointment with the lawyer to unwind the last financial details. He’s leaving the state permanently on Friday, so I think I’ll treat myself to takeout that night. Tough week but I’m looking forward to the next phase.
Also looking forward to Sweep of the Heart. Thank you so much for all the hours of comfort reading. Your books and others have been lifesavers this year.
Just ate a slice of the sweetest watermelon I have tasted in decades. Sister got it in central Oregon. 31 pounds! It has seeds so maybe it’s an heirloom. I don’t buy watermelon anymore because of the continuing disappointment due to lack of sweet flavor. I remember sweet and seeds like this in the 60’s. So great!
Just returned from a 3 week stay at sister’s…..sister, brother-in-law and mother got covid and I helped keep household running as I got a light case of covid in June and didn’t get it this time. Lots of coughing. Came home after everyone tested negative and I wouldn’t some how pass it on to someone back home. My world is pretty good.
REST! Enjoy time with the full moon and fall atmosphere! ps if necessary (due to problems with child #?, cats, flooding or any other problem that intrudes upon your rest) send an SOS and grid coordinates – all BDH will send sustenance of every sort to House Andrews in thanks for your labors and in support of girding yourselves for the next project.
I hope the edits will go fast and you can enjoy the days off. The game sounds hilarious, I might suggest it to my son – sounds like something he might find fun as well.
My week is taken up by an online course in cloudbased development, I feel like a very small bear of little brain – I wish I could downscale the difficulty as well.
I love reading all the comments.
I am on book 4 of re-reading all the INN books even though I have several other to read.
Thank You… I cannot express how much I love to re-visit your universe to forget those pesky troubles we all go through.
It must be the fall effect… I want pumpkin something but can’t have sugar laden anything right now. Sigh.
My form of games right now is something I never did in my youth(haha)-
I got a used Nintendo Wii and am now addicted to Wii Sports. Tennis and Bowling. It is amazingly fun to do and I get tired arms. haha
My child, 2 1/2, affectionately named the tornado because he brings the disaster, tried to cook toast. Got the toaster out and loaded it with toast and an oven mitt. Need a new toaster, nearly needed a new house.
Also painted himself a full set of toenails and fingernails. Any ideas on how to get nail polish off walls?
I probably wouldn’t bother removing the nail polish from the walls until The Tornado is at least 19 or 20… Good luck!!!!!
P.S. I know of what I speak: I married a Tornado. (Willingly even!) Well, at least there is never a dull moment! ????
Haha, it’s a good thing he is so cute. He reminds me of Dennis the Menace, always curious and trying to help, but breaking everything.
Yes, let the walls wait until they really need repainting for other reasons. It’s a losing battle and not worth the worry, although we do want to encourage impulse control eventually, in a developmentally appropriate manner. Developmentally appropriate takes longer for some than for others. Impulse control in a toddler is not happening. End of story.
Enjoy your rest, you deserve every second of it! SOTH brought me to tears (Caldonia! Who knew!!), gasp at the plot turns and made me laugh out loud. You are immensely talented, we are so extremely lucky to have you. Your characters are so well written, I love every one of them in all of your series. I get so caught up in their stories, no one writes like you do. Take time to rest, recoup your energies and preen your feathers, you are stupendous!
This week has been busy, so I needed extra decompression time. I watched a few episodes of “Nailed It” on Netflix and tidied up my baking cabinet. And since October’s art work for Luisa Pressler’s calendar is from “Silver Shark”, I decided to re-read that. I really love that short story.
Thanks so much! I hope you have a wonderful week off!
Just started watching Alone too! Hungry, Tired, Cold. I can only be 2 out of 3 at a time, so building my shelter as warmly and securely as possible would be an early priority for me. That way, mostly I would be dealing with Tired or Hungry.
I played grounded in the beta but the base building just made me to irritated. I may need to go give it another shot now.
Ouoo! Enjoy your time off!
I am working hard at work and to get house fall cleaning for the holidays ready.
Yesterday it dawned on me that I have a lot of knitting to complete for Christmas and I better get going.
Thank you again!
I’m still working on a September bday scarf ????
“The #moreisbetter faction of BDH”? I thought everyone is in that faction (or a sub-faction).
brainless but alive and playing video games…regressing to your teenage years is stress reducing.
Grounded is so devastating at times, and I had to turn on the arachnophobia mode after the third or fourth jump scare…I started having nightmares xD. That said, the little aphids are so cute :x. Good luck!
More is definitely better! No such thing as too long for your books.
I’ve had the kind of week(s) where I’ve re-read all the Innkeeper stories. They never fail to lift my mood. Looking forward to December when my pre-purchased Sweep of the Heart lands in my inbox ????
Enjoy your week off!
You asked what I might be doing next week … I thought about clearing my stash of craft items (one walk-in closet full). BUT then realized that I have until 28 Nov (approximately) to get my 5 world of warcraft toons to level 60 … FOR THE HORDE!!!!!
Good job! have a good break. I am exhausted, so much work at the moment, no time to read or watch Netflix, just youtube…hopefully it slows down a little
Thank you so much for all you guys give to us. Glad you are able (finally) to do whatever, whenever for awhile.
You go, Ladybug, go! Take deep breaths.
Very expensive! A weekend trip to Washington DC to go to Smithsonian. Needed to get GOOD walking shoes for that. Finally was able to get a PS5 console. Needed for my game.
Glad HA has at least a little time to catch your breath….you deserve it! Enjoy yourselves, pat yourselves on the back for many jobs well-done this year (even under the added burden of contractor nonsense!) and relax!
Things are good in NJ this week. I am scurrying about making menus, checking ingredients, and writing a shopping list: my daughter’s boyfriend is coming to visit for a few days while his school is on fall break, and we just adore him!
I will probably be tired after he leaves, but my plan is to spoil him rotten while he’s here! My favorite thing is to cook special meals for others so I am a very happy camper right now. ????
Continuing the long haul recovery from Hurricane Ian here in SW FL. Looking forward to some fantasy reading material.
Good luck to you!
My 17 up’s advice: get spider armor – it will help a lot
Waiting for https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Xc72yWJEb8Q
OH MY GOD – THAT LOOKS AMAZING!!!
And this is why I love the BDH.
Thanks for the heads up!!!
I’m glad you are interested as well ????
😀
Enjoy your well deserved break! I love that feeling of marking something big off of the to-do list!
My week is…going. My house got hit by Hurricane Ian and I need a new roof (and fence, and pool cage, but the roof is the priority right now). Trying to get an insurance adjuster out to look at the damage has been a lesson in frustration. I also sprained my ankle when I fell off of a step, so I have an mri tomorrow to see how badly I’ve torn the tendons. (Judging by the swelling, ankle is not a happy camper right now).
But! I managed to avoid the flooding that damaged so many of my neighbors houses. (I have friends that lost everything…their homes are gone.) And xrays show that I didn’t break any bones when I fell (hooray!) And I have electricity again after going without for 11 days (hello hot shower)! So looking at it that way, my week isn’t so bad.
Best wishes to you for a continuing upward trend! Hot water is my very favorite thing about modern life.
OMG, now I have this visual of you yeowling out Now You Know My Shame loud enough to blow somebody’s hair back, while you stand there with your fists balled up, in shiney red metallic (with black dots) ladybug armor, with black tights and black ankle boots … damn, woman, that’s a great visual, OMG, I think you might have a whip, smiles … sally forth with vigor and do battle …
First, thank you for doing all the wonderful things that make us so happy ???? ❤️
I’m doing a readathon for October, my 1st one. I can’t get into any of the books, and rereading is not allowed. I just don’t want to leave the HA bubble right now! lolol I’ll figure something out.
Ladybug armor sounds so interesting… Hope both of you get some rest.
Take time to rest, you both deserve it. I had a mammogram (all is well) and a flu shot. Trying to stay healthy in my retirement years.
Enjoy vegging. It is a great stress release. Naps work as well. ????. We of the BDH are really spoiled by your dedication and hard work. We don’t take it too much for granted! We can also bite the bullet and give you space if you (and you would do it so nicely) tell us to back off. As for what I’m doing to relax, I’m a retired 70+ year old and I’ve been binge reading Lani Lynn Vale, who writes about motorcycle clubs and swat teams, with big, hot, bad boys. Very entertaining. Though sometimes the sex is a little too graphic. I was really tickled when one of her main characters was reading about Kate and the Beast Lord. It shows she (the author) has good taste.
Looking forward to the book in all it’s glory. Went back thru emails and you’ve been working on this Sweep for over nine months. Chapter 2 came out Jan 1, 2022 Can’t wait to read and to find out where the next adventures will take us.
Thank you.
???? I truly hadn’t caught the real-life timeline!!
Not sure if you’ve tried it yet, but you may enjoy the game Stardew Valley. The premise is you are an office worker that inherits a farm from your grandfather in this small town. You arrive to a distrustful townsfolk and have to make friends while clearing the land and making your grandfather’s farm profitable again. There are also mysterious forest spirits only you can see, a wizard in a tower in the woods, and a skeleton infested mine to explore. Lots of fun lore to discover and oddly satisfying to watch your crops grow.
I have a flu. Is it a covid? Is it not? That is the question. It is not! Celebrations! Hapines! …I’m stil sick.
Not very well, actually. My mother died on Sunday. I’m trying to help my father make arrangements. We do well as long as we pretend it didn’t happen. Note that this is not conducive to making arrangements.
Sending you love, WS, and heart rest. And to your father & family.
So sorry for your loss. Take care of yourselves.
I am so sorry for your loss. May her memory be a blessing.
I am so sorry. ::hug::
Just wanted to say thank you for putting in all the efforts that you do for us.
It is truly and repeatedly appreciated, with every read, and reread.
You thoroughly deserve a period of rest, and mental relaxation.
I’d recommend some personal pampering as well.
Enjoy.
Enjoy a much deserved break!
I finished up a 60 hr week last week and am now onto a 72 hr week this week. I miss my kids and my husband, but am thankful to have a comfy bed to fall into when I get home in the morning and a good book to take me off to dreamland. Thank you for all of your wonderful stories. I told my coworker that I am doing some comfort reading by re-reading one of your books (lets be honest, it’ll turn into the whole series). I think it’s my way of coping with this hellacious amount of overtime. I will just start calling them my emotional support books. Thanks for keeping me sane(ish).
Cheers!
“Emotional support books” is truly accurate. Going to remember that one.
Also a tiny bit of hysterical laughter on my end. Acclimating to a new gig with more responsibility & collaboration teams. I’ve avoided this type of leap in the past. It was time. And also I’ve wanted to return my badge & walk away since about week 3 (of 6 and counting).
Is there any plans for audio version of Hidden Legacy?
Audio books for all the Hidden Legacy novel already exist 🙂 Here for Audible links, although other audio books retailers will likely carry them https://tinyurl.com/ysju7baz
I switched jobs, from biologist to lower school science teacher, so I have been re-wiring my brain. Thought I was handling it, then this morning I emptied the oatmeal out of the big container into a smaller jar, and realized “That’s where my 1/4 cup measuring scoop went!” I have been using that scoop every evening for the past year to put oatmeal into a jar for refrigerator oatmeal….
Yep, I am really happy to have fall break right now! Rest, refresh and enjoy yourself, you always deserve it!
Hi This is not really about this blog piece, but I’m not sure where to put it. I was meandering around the website (as you do) and in the books under short stories, there is a picture with the title “Magic Sees a Bird” with a girl and a cat on it. Is this an “in progress” or should it tie up with one of the published short stories (although off the top of my head I can’t think of one which fits…but that could be me!) Thank you 🙂 (BTW – so looking forward to Sweep of the Heart).
Hi Kath, that cover was intended as a joke 🙂 . It is not a story, published or in progress.
Hello Mod R,
There is a new Ilona Andrews Book posted for sale on Amazon called Wildfire classics Illustrated that was published 9/21/22. I haven’t seen it announced here & was wondering if it’s a legit book. Thank you
Hi Halima,
No, it is not an Ilona Andrews book. We are aware of it and have been been in communication with Amazon to get it down, however they are very slow in their response.
Thank you for the quick response! I thought it was suspicious but wanted to confirm.
I just bought a condo that needs some love, selling my place, arranging contractors, and working. I think all that keeps me sane at the moment is my voracious reading habit – every night before I collapse, I get transported elsewhere and chill out. So I am more grateful than I can say for authors like you. The kind that make you sad when you’ve finished a book because the story is finished.
dear HA,
enjoy your time!!we all are so grateful for your work!!you deserve some worthy time just for yourself!!
in that relation may i suggest and kindly remind that most of us are in love with the project about the girl who can see in the lives if the people and predict the future. sorry my English is not very good but i hope the you can guess which heroine i am talking about… the story on the site about her was so interesting and intriguing that so long later i cant stop thinking about her .. please please HA give it a hand????????????????????
Appreciate all your hard work on SotH! Glad you get a week off now.
My foot surgery just got rescheduled for later this month. I’m glad and anxious. Lack of anesthesiologists caused the delay. So mad house cleaning and preparing to be less mobile for awhile!
Just finished rereading Hidden Legacy books, and Ruby Fever for the second time. I love the humor in your books and the intelligence of your characters. The first chapter of Ruby Fever is one of my favorite.
I’m going to look up that tea you have mentioned before. Been meaning to try it out for awhile.
Have a great week!
Since ‘The Villainess is a Marionette’ was recommended before in the blog. Have you seen these dramatic trailers with a real cast featuring Han So Hee, Lee Soo Hyuk, and Cha Eun Wo?
Here’s the playlist link because there are more than one videos:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMvkuF_35l0UBz6x-_ewDvhbmFkFwOris
Enjoy!
After the week I’ve just had I’m wishing for a “galactic survivor dating show with killer trees and brainiac chickens” !
But not this week so… Hit Monkey on Disney binge. It’s “Japanese snow monkey apprentice hit man to Jason Sudeikis’ ghost” and voice cast includes George Takei
It’s just as cool as it sounds, animated bonkers-ness !
This is not really a request but kind of a passing thought– I’d love to read more snippits, scenes, or even short stories of Victoria and Linus.
Bwah ha ha. Thank you. Ilona Andrews, for the post.
I wish my week had been as calm. My sibling called Tuesday night because the whole household was down with norovirus or something not Covid Except our 79 year old Mother???? ????. So I rolled there masked and took care of Mother while doing backed up regular housework. Apparently my Covid mask worked this time as I have hit 48 hours post exposure. Yes I could still get sick as norovirus is highly contagious virus. Unfortunately while I was gone my bull went walkabout so I got home to sheriff deputies watching him watch them. ????
Thank you and take best care. I look forward to buying a copy of Sweep of the Heart????????
You rock! So excited for you to have a bit of a rest. I sympathize with that need. Big time.