I overslept, and my day started with an outraged cat.
Over the past few days, a road crew has been working on the street next to our house. They are repaving it. The road is closed, and Gordon observed the workers having heated words with a driver of a delivery truck this morning. We might be trapped today.
Because of the road crew, we are keeping Tuna inside. Tuna started life as a stray who wandered randomly around an apartment complex, and breaking him of wanting to go outside is impossible. He has two acres here, and he is very much the lord of his domain. Today His Majesty was refused access to the outside. The inability to inspect his lands didn’t sit well, so he made himself into a nuisance.
Tuna: Pet me! Pet me! Pet me! Look, I meow by the door. Open door. OPEN DOOR.
Me, trying to clean up: No.
The allergies have been terrible, and neither of us is sleeping that well. I was shopping for some Halls cough drops and saw that instead of puny bags, they now come in full scale large jars. Of course, I bought a jar. It was delivered yesterday with saline spray and Flonase, and being too tired, I plopped all of that on my writing tray in the office. I need the tray to write.
Me, gathering items to take to the medicine cabinet.
Tuna: TREATS.
Me: No, you fool. These are not Temptation treats.
Tuna: TREATS.
Me: It’s cough drops!
Tuna: If not treats, why treat shaped? TREATS.
I gave him treats. The vet will fuss at me again over his weight, but there are limits to human patience.
I come to you with a mission this morning. The book is now 185K. It is very clear that there is no room left for anything else in our lives. I still have not unpacked. Or sent things out. Mod R will have strong words with me here soon if I keep failing.
We need assistance, or we will never get the shop back off the ground, and our time is better spent writing. To that end, we hired a designer to help us turn the treasure trove of art into merch. Here is some of her work.
These bookmarks will be included in the media package. We have secured a printer for the vellum, so we will be bringing to you a media pack with vellum, stickers, and bookmarks.
Do you have any favorite quotes or moments you want reflected in This Kingdom merch? Please leave us a comment below. If you are dying for something from the other series, you can throw it in there too, but we are focusing on This Kingdom as it is the latest release.
The comment section to this post contains SPOILERS. Read at your own risk.
“Good morning, I see the assassins have failed.”
How adorable His Majesty is!! you surely cannot deprive him of treats if he demands them (plus you need to keep him well bribed so he doesn’t hinder your writing, no?) 😁😹 “Tuna Vision” is hilarious BTW!! Mine will sit on my books to demand their treats.
Hope you allergies ease up a bit soon HA!
There are literally so many brilliant quotes it’s hard to choose. In addition to the ones you already have in the pics these are some of my shorter faves, they’re all already mentioned by the rest of the BDH though.
“Survive, get paid.”
“Good morning, I see the assassins have failed.”
“Green suits you, Maggie.”
“Bite me”
“Do you think he will chase us?…That would be fun”
“I will devote my life to the Sleepless Duke, but first I will get some pastries.“
*hopes UK BDH will get our hands on them too!* 😊🙏
+1
When someone says ‘let’s put all our cards on the table’…
… you never put all your cards on that table
+1
“The Fish Fairy” with an image of Sushi
+1
+1
“You’re standing too close to my cousin. Remove yourself to the appropriate distance.”
“Move me, Sol.”
“Guard Vermin. Charming.”
“That’s one thing about you,Maggie. Being with you is never boring.”
Guard Vermin! A shirt with Sushi on it and Guard Vermin under it.
“Bless your heart.”
“And that means?”
“‘Eat dirt and die.’”
Absolutely love this 😁
+1
I laughed the first time I read this:
“Your mother sounds like a very wise woman,” Bellen said.
“My lord, I think you are the man my mother warned me about.”
Sushi crouched by me. She had crawled into the boat before we cast off and perched by my feet. There had been a brief commotion, until I picked her up to assure everyone that we were on a petting basis, and she wouldn’t be biting any ankles.
LOVE THIS ONE!!!!
+5
Another chuckle with this one:
Sushi crouched by me. She had crawled into the boat before we cast off and perched by my feet. There had been a brief commotion, until I picked her up to assure everyone that we were on a petting basis, and she wouldn’t be biting any ankles.
ISO: fresh pink salt for MIL
I really love the one from the bonus scene. It would be great on a bookmark.
“She is a lady,” Clover said. “Without a doubt. She looks you in the eye when she talks, and she keeps forgetting to bow her head, like she isn’t used to it. She is very educated. She knows things others don’t, and she can’t do her own hair. When she needs it put away, she makes a three-part plait like she is a child. She has great teeth, and her hands are soft.”
Omg, the part about the plait cracked me up again. I love this.
I agree with an earlier note, if you open the Halls jar and let Tuna inspect the cough drops, the feud and injured feelings would probably dissolve immediately. The Temptations kibble are a pretty good cat treat, but if you want to get your cat really seriously happy and excited, offer him a Temptations Soft Lickable Spoons Cat Treat. They are kind of pricey, but our cats practically inhale them, and will come running if they sense there is a Lickable Spoon anywhere nearby. I’m not sure what’s in that little foil packet, but it very much loved and desired by our spoiled felines.
If I walk to the cabinet where treats are kept, I get frantic running and then meows non-stop… one of my favorite quotes that I don’t see below is:
“I’m looking for a man in armor. Six five, blue eyes.”
That box DOES look like treats!
PS: I dislike the new boxes, and pour the into the old better boxes that look just like that box of cough drops. So I knew immediately exactly what Tuna was saying.
Oh! I’d love to see the crests on things including shirts!
Re-reading and loving all the descriptions but especially the Dagarra family crest:
A shield depicting a rust-colored dagger on a cream background with three moons in different phases above it in a saturated blue. We come at night and stab you.
I don’t know that it would it on a bookmark but I also loved: What’s scarier than a rabid honey badger in human form? A rabid honey badger in human form who is your loyal cousin.
(I’m not re-reading a specific scene. Not at all. These connected quotes came to me individually. For no reason.)
I’d personally like a quote from the “how dare” scene, when Maggie calls someone out for pointing out she was adopted!
don’t have my copy with me, so I can’t do the full quote, safdly
I have 2 cats likewise annoyed because they are on diet food. One cat is skinny, and he pesters all day long because he wants treats. The other cat is 18 lbs and has ears like a bat- he comes running if I try to sneak treats to the other cat. My vet wants me to buy $300 feeders that open to a micro chip. *sigh*.
I would wager The Vet would approve of Bonito Flakes for Cats, as ‘Treats’, the Only thing our cats will eat as Treat, but be warned, it’s sort of expensive, though it can go awhile if carefully doled out. There wouldn’t be any grains/carbs to contribute to weight gain. It’s basically ‘Shaved’ dried fish.
Unless Tuna is allergic to fish, that should be a Healthy Treat option.
Our Natural Pet Market had the bags at $18-something for 6 ounces, some years ago, so is probably more today.
In Brazil Tuna would be known as a particularly shaped variety of cat called “gatochinha” (mixture of gato (cat) and cochinha (a very famous delicious fried finger food), gatochinhas are the best, as a proud momma of 2 I understand the need to help them slim down though. All my best wishes to Tuna in his slimming journey.
I commented and liked some quotes on instagram, I’ve been in such a “new book series” funk for the longest of times and of course you would be the ones to rescue me with the new book in a new series, this last month Maggie and this world have pretty much consumed all my thoughts not linked to work or family. I’m enjoying immensely my 2nd relisten and can’t wait to see what goodies will come our way.
Another vote for “Good morning, I see the assassins have failed.” and “Survive, get paid”!
But to deal with my Maggie hangover I just re-read the whole Innkeeper series (a Maggie re-read and a Kate Daniels re-read soon to follow!) and I have to say I NEED a print of some kind for work with the following Caldenia quote:
“Get up, dear. We do not let our enemies win. We claw their hearts out and devour them. You have work to do.”
+1
don’t know the future, but I know the present, and I’ve decided to walk this path with you. As long as you will have me by your side, I won’t allow anyone to harm you.
Love everyones ideas! For the record, I missed my chance to get a mug and would still love to procure one when there is time in the future!
Curse you Ilona and Gordon! I fell in love with Maggie and now have to wait until her next story comes out!
I think this has been mentioned, but I’m putting in a nomination for merch with the house crest (for each house) with an appropriate (to the House) quote.
“The world doesn’t revolve around the two of you.”
“Be silent.”
“Or what? You’re going to kill me? Ha.”
“Last I checked people didn’t come back to life. That would be utterly ridiculous.”
“Ha!”
“Bless your heart.”
“And that means?”
“Eat dirt and die.”
“I trust you with my life. Just not with my freedom.”
“Then I shall have to work harder.”
“You made it seem as if I have much more influence over you than I do.”
“I believe I’m the ultimate authority on the amount of influence you have over me.”
“The only person who can come between us is you.”
One of my favorites: “My lord, I think you are the man my mother warned me about.”
Stuff already posted by other people that I also love:
– “Good morning, I see the assassins have failed.”
– Front: “No risk, no gold.” | Back: “Survive, get paid”
– “Well,” he said. “‘Undying’ is a bit of a misnomer, isn’t it?
Yes, but ‘dying horribly and then waking up in a lot of pain’ is a bit of a mouthful.”
-Bless your heart.”
“And that means?”
“‘Eat dirt and die.’”
+1
I am looking forward to your merch. In the meantime, I had to tell you that we just adopted our first orange cat as previous cats have been gray with mixed colors. To say they are an adjustment is not saying enough. Like Tuna, if our Biscuit wants something, we get constant vocal nagging. He has vocalizations I have not before heard from a cat and he has low, medium and very HIGH volumes! I agree, it is easier to give them the treat than listen to the constant complaints about abuse and neglect! Tell Tuna he has a soulmate here in Oregon!
“I’m looking for a man in armour. Six five, blue eyes.”
+1
Aren’t we all?
You know it!
I would live to see art related to Maggie’s fancy court dress!
Oh yes! Or her and Everard fancing each other down after the ball. Both in their finery.
The cuddles grudges and tucks them in at night line would be awesome on a throw pillow…
But then I would also need a Ripper Cushion cushion, because I missed them last time.
In addition to SUSHI stickers and bookmarks, I would love to see something with the coins that Maggie was given by the Sleepless Duke at the beginning. They had such importance and loaded meaning later. (If Luisa’s art of his lordship holding said coins was also available as a bookmark or sticker that would be a bonus!) The bookmark mock-up with Clover and a tea recipe is promising; tea-related stickers would be fun as well.
As for favorite quotes, I laughed out loud when Maggie first meets Solentine and mentions she is close enough to “boop his nose” but he would kill her. Her inner thoughts were some of the best lines.
Will the companion book with bonus scenes mentioned previously still be happening?
I would totally buy a “survive, get paid” t-shirt.
favorite from this list:
1. When the blood of your enemies get old.
2. Survive get paid
My favorite Quotes:
1. But is it fresh? with a box of salt
2. this is from a snippet between
Clover and Gort’s wife
She needs to stay in her own carriage.
Is it fresh is my favourite, too.
You have to do I’m looking for a man in armor. Six five, blue eyes.
It has been stuck in my brain for weeks!
So much sympathy regarding the allergy issues. It is so windy here at the moment and I can’t leave the house.
I love all the artwork and the bookmarks are epic.
If I had my druthers I would like the map on vellum. It would be awesome framed and on the wall. I can’t imagine how difficult it would be though. And expensive. But I really love the map. I’ve read TKWNKM four times already. Three on the ereader and once on the computer so I can see the map clearly. And I keep going back to see where things are happening and get oriented. I could probably find my own way around now LOL.
With you on the map – I read the passages, jump to map to try to locate/trace the route, and go back to reading. (I’m also having a time envisioning the Rampart Bridge and the Combs).
I know stickers probably aren’t cost effective but I don’t need mugs or t shirts. I can buy multiple stickers to pass out and plaster everywhere!
+1
Because of forest fire smoke from Canada and allergens I invested in furnace air filters that could remove small particles and allergens. I have to rotate them after a month and replace them after 2 months but they are worth it. Filtrete Merv 12 Mpr 1500 allergens, bacteria and viruses filters. More expensive than standard filters but it makes my home a haven.
is there any way we can get a pronunciation guide for names in Maggie? I keep going between Solentine rhymes with Ovaltine or rhymes with valentine. which is it? please and thank you.
I’ve been listening to the audiobook, and the reader pronounces Solentine like Valentine.
I love love LOVE that the BDH is designing merch for the book dedicated to the BDH. Don’t worry House Andrews, we got this! You keep writing Maggie 2.
Wait … who is monitoring Steve?
I just have to say, this blog and the BDH are like nothing I have ever seen. A place to talk about our favorite books. The best part though is the positive discussions about our lives and pets, and people sharing help for HA allergies.
I really want a mug with the three moon tavern logo and I love the quote “you are very dangerous Maggie. I don’t think you realize the full extent of it”.
+1
3 Moons
That is one of my favorite Everard quotes.
Fresh squeezed orange juice – HEB kind
Allergies are bad here in the Dallas area. Of course flonase and saline spray.
But I have had luck adding Traditional Medicinals -Breathe Easy herbal tea.
But I do the following– Around 1 hour or so before bedtime — Heat tea to 200 F. Real steamy and too hot to drink so I breathe in the steam from the tea for several minutes. Seems to help me clearing out the sinus. Then later as it cools down I drink the tea. When I skip this — have a lot more problems at night.
“For the record, I also think you’re amazing.”
I’m going to get the exact wording wrong but…..”I would have taken a fucking chamber maid!”
Was what made the book for me!
I would’ve happily taken the fucking chamber maid.
Yes, that was great one too!
One of my favourites is this Everard’s quote:
“Thank you for removing the obstacles in my way,” Everard said. “So considered of you.”
Beside those already mentioned by others:
“I could tell you, but I have to charge.”
“Hello there, Ezio. Imagine meeting you here. Killed any Templars lately?”
“Fuck Latour” with the drawing of ‘a Viking funeral pyre’ out of his books ‘on a raft pushed into Lake Travis’ while Maggie is ‘howling like a wolf while flames consume it’.
“I would’ve happily taken the fucking chamber maid.”
“I was sitting in a wooden chest in a house once owned by slavers in the middle of a magical city watching a plate with a chunk of meat because someone kept leaving fish on my desk. Which of my choices had landed me here, exactly?”
“Dead bodies were heavy as hell.”
I have a question about the merch shop. would it be possible to get some of the quotes as dtf tranfers?
I really like the bit about ‘if they weren’t rebelling they were communicating their intention to rebel’ 😅 reminds me of a whole bunch of Leons 😂
All of the above plus:
“The slow-moving hamster wheel that powered Talpot’s brain turned a couple of times.”
“Here is a giant sack of what ifs, deal with it.”
“I smiled. It seemed better than some half-baked witty comeback.”
“Is that jealousy I smell?”
“How…?” “She does that,” Reynald told him. “You’ll get used to it.”
Trust, the bane of my existence.
I was in real danger of being treated like one of those bumbling genius mage characters, who knew the mysteries of the universe but had trouble putting on socks and couldn’t be trusted to do anything.
“Should I wait for the fresher salt?”
I’ve had enough honesty till next year. I’m full up.”
Honest work takes a lot out of a person. You should try it.
“We are ornery people,” Reynald said. “If we don’t rebel every decade or so, we get bored.”
Only a fool expects loyalty from a man who salts fields and burns villages to the ground.
Reynald’s menace meter was all the way up, and people gave us plenty of room.
“Sauven was always a few arrows short of a full quiver,”
Right now, the plan seemed to be to let Reynald get hacked to pieces while we all stood around like brainless jackasses who filmed their friends’ fights with cell phones instead of breaking them up.
I already had Everard at home. One terrifying magical knight was enough, thank you.
If you cut off his hand, Gort would say it was just a flesh wound.
I died, came back to life, and defaced my killer in the most literal sense of the word.
Zero out of ten stars. Would not recommend.
You can’t keep bashing people to death in a blind panic.”
“It’s worked well for me so far.”
“True, but you might not always have a bludgeon handy.”
This was the point where the isekai heroines usually got struck by a brilliant idea in a flash of intellectual lightning. My mental skies were blue and clear. Not a thundercloud in sight.
“At the moment, I want to brain him with something heavy.”
“I know that urge.”
More words, deeper hole.
“I wonder about you.” “Which part?” “All the parts!”
“I can’t teach you to dance. That would take a miracle. I’m a mage, not a saint.”
I could tell by the set of her jaw that common sense had left the station.
The future always had the last laugh.
There are just so many to choose from!
Love all of the above and also:
„Remember my name. Wait for me.“,
„Killed any Templars lately?“,
„Zero out of ten stars. Would not recommend.“
I have another quote I like
‘There was a distressing lack of kittens’
😂
That was so fun!
A favorite in our family, courtesy of Sweep of the Heart contestant Cyanide:
“I require attentions…All of them.”
That phrase perfectly describes our Higgra puppy and her constant needs. If we got her a button mat to express herself, she’d hit the “attentions” button every chance she’d get!
Also support earlier posts for “Survive, get paid” and Bless your heart. Yes!
“Survive, get paid”
Has “Two boots and a sword” already been added? Its a bit morbid, but funny 🙂
– Like you said, Drugh knows what a dead mercenary is worth.” “Two boots and a sword,” Reynald said, his face thoughtful. “And Filderon’s boots were shit.”-
“Do you think he will chase us? ” Rumian raised an eyebrow at me. “That would be fun”.
OMG
“No anything. And no more creative dance moves.”
“What are we doing?
Waiting for the Fish Fairy.”
“One terrifying magical knight was enough, thank you.“
“Prepare a feast and bring out the best wine. Today is a day of celebration and reunion. Tomorrow? We go to war.”
I know this is late, but I just thought of it last night. It isn’t a direct quote, just a variation that rings true for me:
“Don’t be a Lord of Assholes”