I’ve received a very upset email from a fan – abusing the technical issue form again – that’s accusing us of, and I quote, “discriminate against blog fans” by posting exclusive content to Instagram. This person states that they have been a fan for years, they do not want to change the platform, and they want the Instagram content on the blog feed.
What has prompted this, you might ask? Apparently there are pictures of male characters on Instagram. This person was willing to let Ascanio slide, but Bernard’s poster really upset her.
Dear readers, you too can have the character posters. š Click the images to enlarge.
There, I fixed it.
Instagram is mostly image driven. Today’s Instagram will consist of a picture of bookshelves, so it won’t be nearly that exciting. š
Wow! Wow! Did I mention Wow?!? GQ for the win with both Ascanio and Bern!!
Also, if there is a poll, Roman in his Eeyore p.j.s – yes, please! And thank you very much! (Also, Luther in the “Knight/Wizard” t-shirt! ????)
I second the Roman in PJs re quest…and Christopher in a suit with his wings!
+1
Some people…
Could we maybe get a countdown clock for Blood Heir?
Wow. People are nuts. We are fans and should not dictate what you should do or where you should post it. Holy moley people are crazy in 2020. Youāre being very patient. ā¤ļø
Iām never joining Instagram. I donāt care if I see your images. Yes I know why- marketing and fans love it The content of your fabulous books and my imagination are sufficient.
Thank you for the posts you do here
I’m just going to put this out there….Thank you for putting up with stupid people. I know that all of us at one time another have worn the dunce hat (myself included) but from your side of the fence it must look like a constant stream of idiots attacking your sanity.
Thank you for persevering and providing us top quality reading material especially during a pandemic.
+1 ????
Thank you, Ilona Andrews for the pictures and post.
I am not on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter as I am an old doggie (per nephews and nieces). I am sure that they mean another word but their Grandmother is a sticker for being prim and proper. She uses cane now instead of hickory switch. Grin. But what I am saying is that this is on me, my choice, not you and yours.
Thank you for posting the eye candy pictures on blog. I apologize for my rude fellow BDH member.
All I can say is, Runa is one lucky lady!
Thank you, Ilona, for sharing.
How sad and pathetic some people are. The amount of author interaction we get is a privilege, not a right. You as a reader are entitled to nothing. People truly do suck at the moment.
Its so weird reading the entitlement of some people. Once you posted something exclusive to Twitter and so…. I got a Twitter account??? Idk it would just never occur to me to write a complaint to make you do something different for MY convenience.
It goes to that overboard “customer is always right” myth
You have so much more patience than most people. I hope the discriminated party receives equal parts of shame and enjoyment from your pretty pictures.
Thanks! Sorry you have to deal with entitled twits, but it’s a sign of the times. No one escapes.
Ooooooo, someone got their undies in a bundle, didn’t they? Yikes!! Ummmmm, getting an IG account isn’t very hard. Maybe they were just having a really bad day…or something. Loving ALL the character art! Ascanio and Bern, gah!
Books give you the option of picturing characters and settings in your head any way you want – within the guidelines the authors give you and you see the cover. But after 3 books without a visual of Bern I had my own image.
Therefore I could have done very well without this picture of Bern which is far from my own imagination. When has he ever put on a jacket (illfitting!) And Bern is never sleek.
Anyway thanks for your patience with unreasonable requests. ???? and unreasonable comments ????
First, I think these are delightful. Huge Bern fan here – who doesn’t love quiet competence????
Second, how fortunate the “Complainer’s” life must be to need to manufacture hurts and slights of this sort.
Of all the authors I follow, you generate the richest fan-fabulous content around. I think a lot of people don’t understand the level of work that goes into feeding the digital monster. If they did, they’d show more respect for what you provide and the sheer amount of content you provide.
Thank you to you and your team for all your do.
When I read stuff about complaining fans all I can think of is the phrase “too stupid to live”.
I don’t know that I ever pictured Bernard quite like that, but it works for me!
Ascanio? Bravo! Much applause!
And I have a new plan for dealing with annoying people.
Ignorare stultus!
It’s Latin, so not quite a word of Power, but it IS working well for me today. You guys are very much appreciated!
Okaaaaay, thereās raging psychotic insanity (redundant?) in DC, real people are dying in ICUs which a significant amt of people could care less cause, ya know, they hv to protect their āinalienableā right to not hv to wear a mask, but some are concerned about media content availability? Well thatās a new one for the record books.
On a lighter note, who do I hv to see to get a date with with Ascanio? Heās into older women right?
Don’t know what will happen with Instagram now that the USA has hit Facebook with an antitrust lawsuit. Of course for those of us who want to see pictures of bookshelves we will now have to join instagram. So again some fans might complain???????????????? There is just no pleasing some people. Hope you and the family have a safe and happy holiday season and a Merry Christmas.
????????āāļø???? Thank you for all you do!
The Bern in the photo does not look like the Bern in my imagination. Where do I complain?
Iām supposed to use the ātechnical issue formā for this – right?
(Insert laughing emoji)
However, Ascanio is (insert chefās kiss emoji and also drooling face.)
Iām SO happy youāre on IG!!!!
Ascancio is not how I imagined but … ooooh la la! Hot man in a suit! Uploading new image to brain. Bern – sigh- yum- athletic super nerd – sigh….
Not a big social media user but if I miss something posted on another platform, thatās on me not you. Thanks for sharing as much as you do!
Little do you know how happy I get when i see a book shelf.
Very, very, rarely do I post a comment,however today, your post had me cracking up laughing. Also, your post on the Nora Roberts/JD Robb fan left me in a fit of laughter. I had to read it for myself as I had just the day before finished her latest book. Acerbic wit, my favorite!
Someone needs to tell The Complainer too cool her jets! House Andrews is under no obligation to post these pictures anywhere. Bitch too much and maybe the ALs will decide not to bother posting at all. What is she going to complain about next? That the character does not look like what she imagines so the picture has to be changed. She isn’t paying House Andrews for the pictures so I don’t see that she has any rights to complain.
I do agree with some of the other BDH members that the pictures do not match what is in my mind. So, big deal. I am much more interested in the story content and that has never failed to deliver a quality product.
Oh my I would never have known. I am proud of myself that I can read your blog. instagram is way beyond my perview. I am proud that I finally got onto youtube. I am just glad to find you at all. I guess I am just a luddite at heart. Thank you for whatever you give me.
I follow 2 blogs, Ilona Andrews and Recipe Tin Eats (Nagi in Australia). Both have fabulous content and great pet pictures.
Best wishes and happy holidays to you and all the BDH! Stay safe everyone ????????
Instagram! i’ve heard that word somewhere……. if i don’t use different forums it’s on me not you. Thanks for all you do.
Ah, I forget I even have an Instagram account. I’ll have to go look you up there now. (Bern looks amazing in a suit–for whatever reason I always thought of him in board shorts and a t-shirt.) It’s getting tougher to venture out on social media, I have the attention span of a gnat unless I’m reading/writing or painting these days.
Also, in the interest of *not* abusing the report form:
Hubby signed us up for Britbox a few months ago, and there’s a show on it called “Shetland”, about cops solving crimes on Shetland Island in Scotland. It’s one of the few shows we’ve watched that I haven’t sussed out the killers in the first five to ten minutes. Thought you guys might like it.
The writing is excellent, and the actors are awesome. A bit Grim, but good.
Have watched every episode of Shetland, great show, country side is so beautiful. Would also recommend Brokenwood mystery tv series, its a NZ show,a joy to watch, where every one keeps their clothes on.
what? you are giving instagram bookshelves while we make do with leftovers?
Holy shit there is Instagram content? *runs over to Instagram*
Is that Bern quote from a future book? If not where is it? Why am I not placing it?
Read The Edge series again. I’m pretty sure that’s where it’s from.
OK. I started to reread the HL series because… boredom. Apparently, Bern is the cousin in that book, not in the Edge series. But this guy is not what I had pictured for Bern, who at 19 was 200 pounds of strong former wrestler who still went to work out to stay in shape and could easily lift up 100-pound Arabella and hold her off the ground to keep her from fighting with Catalina! I also cannot place the quote, so perhaps it’s in the third book of Catalina coming in the future. Book 2 mentions that she’s seeking a house where they can all have privacy. Something to look forward to, but this guy is not who I picture when I picture Bern.
I don’t do IG much, and while I love the sneek peek quotes, but I don’t care about the pics. They never match the image in my head.
So it is impossible to please everyone. So do what you need/want to do, and everyone can just deal with it.
Oh my goodness! The crap y’all have to deal with from some fans amazes me. I love your writing, I love your characters and, honestly, I like using your descriptions of people to come up with my own images of what they look like. Hope y’all have a wonderful, blessed Christmas and a very happy, safe and healthy New Year! And please…keep writing these wonderful stories!
You have an IG?! I did not know and must follow!
People.
Also, Bern is a hottie.
While I feel bad that you feel the technical issue form was abused … I hope the abuse is minor for you.
Personally I visit the Blog because I love everything you two have created. I realize this is strictly a bonus you generously share with us.
That being said I visit your website & blog and ONLY these because while you probably run standard analytics and data collection I doubt you share or sell our data and if you use it in any manner itās with the best of intentions and without damage or malice to us customers/consumers (your favoritist peopleās ever!! (Those of us that behave and arenāt annoying at least))
Instagram and Facebook and etc etc … will sell us and any private info they gain.
The instant they can make 1/100th of a cent on our loss of privacy.
So while the channel to you was abused … I canāt fault the results … Thank-you for recognizing and alleviating this honest over sight and I thank-you again and encourage any & all efforts you make that make this website a complete resource for everything Ilona Andrews.
… as a side note … yes Iām an odd duck with regards to social media but some small supporting details for the unaware out there.
My IT career started shortly before the time modems and ethernet cards started to be developed for government and then business implementation.
At that time and equipped with a 2400baud modem I was thinking that computer data collection is going to be ridiculously easy. As I explored various BBS and everything following it. I have zealously guarded my privacy online.
Now the lesson … a few years ago a corporate backed ācollege researchā data collection false face was using every high pressure tactic for me to allow them to farm me for the data points they didnāt have regarding me.
Offering to pay me ~ $500-$1000 for X data regarding me (you know all that data that Facebook,Google,Amazon,Micro$oft, &Netflix just take from everyone … without the average Joe ever having the slightest idea of what was happening to them at the time. Now people have a better understanding whatās happening to their personal data … but for most it was like closing the barn door AFTER their data horses were already rustled by X.
So tldr … I still own most of my data horses I didnāt let FaceBook steal them they had a value of ~$1000 5+ years ago … You putting all of your content here helps us that avoid spy companies preserve whatever privacy we have managed to keep.
(See Cambridge Analytica, āThe Great Hackā on Netflix, & more recently the FaceBook monopoly suit to force FB to sell off WhatsApp & Instagram)
Much Love and thank-you for going through the extra effort to make your site the definitive source regarding your awesomeness.
** like ????
A Family member works for an alphabet agency, so …I do no social media of any kind and I made one exception for on line accounts, I have my kindle. IA is the only blog I go too, emails I receive that are not family, friends or work…imma ICU/Flight nurse….then again I live in bum-f no-where growing my own vegetables, owning chickens, hunting, electricity from solar panels, keeping warm via wood stove and watching movies and TV/Internet shows via disc when not doing puzzles or reading for fun…
Thanks for the Like ????
Sounds like we have a lot of similar information resources and a heathy respect for responsible minimized impact living (permaculture) I too am a resident of BFE adjacent(must have high bandwidth inter webs)but Iām attempting to heat the house with rocket stove power!
By alphabet agency I assume FBI,NSA,CIA vs Alphabet Company (Google et al.) but an info resource that works for either will give good info regarding privacy and cause most sane people to be concerned about electronic presence and footprints.
Also thanks for being a caregiver/responder in these sucky pandemic 2020(Be Gone Already!)year.
No good deed goes unpunished.
What kind of people email about stuff like this ??
the kind of people who want to ruin it for everyone else -_-
Lol, as a social media Luddite, I am shocked there are pictures on Instagram. I thought it was an instant grammar check program…
Wait…does this mean you have Linked In profiles for all your characters? That would be pretty ????
I must be weird, because it seems I’m the only one who don’t like watching pictures of books characters. I like picturing them in my head, and it never match with it.
Or it places these images in my head when I read the book, and I don’t like it. This is the same reason I don’t like watching movies based on a book. It doesn’t suit my vision of the characters…
I’ m weird.
Ok, less weird than the crazy ones who complain to authors by email…
+1
I was really excited to find you on IG. My feed used to consist mostly of cute dogs
Is it just me, or do Bern’s eyes look kind of glowy?
If he/she is not changing platform, how does he/she know what you post in Instagram?.
Is he/she checking the site āin secretā?. I donāt understand.
But thanks for the images, I really like Bern too ????????
hubba hubba. Bernard, we hardly knew ye. suddenly turtlenecks are secksy!!
I am deliberately not on social media, which I may be mistakenly thinking that Instagram is. Iām not overly computer literate. You, as the writers, can do whatever you want, wherever you want, and your fans can participate as they choose. Is this too logical? I adore your blog and am so happy you post here. It is my choice not to have an Instagram or Pinterest account, and that is on me. I will say that I love the pictures today and the quotes. Thank you for everything you do. Nancy
I complained to my kids about missing out on the pictures they post on Instagram, they looked at me as if Iād lost my minds down just said āThen get Instaā and that was the end of the conversation. I got Insta.
Not going to complain about where you post stuff as it is up to us as fans to follow you on different platforms if we want to no your job to repeat post stuff on all you different platforms but still very happy this was posted here since I rarely go on Instagram š Thank you!
” Todayās Instagram will consist of a picture of bookshelves, so it wonāt be nearly that exciting.”
WHAT????? BOOKSHELVES AREN’T EXCITING?????? I’M BETRAYED!!!! I’M DESTRO … aw, cripes. I can’t keep it up any more. But for full disclosure, I’m not on Instagram, not likely to go there, and I would be more excited over bookshelves than characters.
I personally like that there is different content in different channels. Makes it like a treasure hunt when i find new stuff!! Like when I found out you even have an IG account!
Sigh… no comment. ????