Heh, you thought there was something good in this post. There is not. Okay, so maybe the little bit of excitement. Let’s take these one at a time.
Erika Tsang liked Wildfire.
She said she liked it a lot, especially the frying pan. The edits are coming back to us sometime later in the week, so the book is not a total gut, and we’ll do our best to stay on track for the announced release of August 2017.
Nancy Yost liked the proposal for a new book.
And that’s all we are saying about it. Still needs work.
Kisscon in Austin.
Avon is doing a Kisscon in Austin in March, specifically on March 23rd. Details are to come, but it will be held at Book People and they will have some White Hot ARCs. We’ll be there, together with people much cooler than us. They’re still hammering out the details. More on that later.
Hugh D’Ambray
Still happening. Gordon, for some odd reason, really wants to do it in the serial format, like the Innkeeper, but it is a very violent book with a lot of explicit sexual content, because that’s how Hugh rolls. If we do it, we’d have to lock it under an 18+ warning and we may limit readership.
Kate 10 Release Date
We are looking at May of 2018. Before you scream, here are the reasons why:
- We’re pretty fried and we want to write a good book.
- We have two new books coming out this year, which means a lot of additional publicity, and we want to be there for important things such as our youngest – hopefully – graduating from high school. Knocked on wood and spat over my shoulder just now. When your kid tells you, “I want to do IB,” and you say “Okay,” you don’t realize exactly how much work IB courses are. She has a 4.4 GPA but so much stress.
- It takes about 6 months from turning in the first draft for the editorial process and printing process to happen, and the 2017 is already scheduled, so if we forced a book in at the end of the year, we’d be taking away marketing from someone else. A little more on the way it works: publishers have a monthly budget. They can only put out X number of releases per month, otherwise books conflict with each other and releases from other publishers. There is only so much retail space. It’s similar to the movie business. If there are too many similar movies, they eat into each other’s profits and publicity, because there are only so many movie screens. The first solid opening they have is May 2017, where we wouldn’t conflict with Patty or Anne Bishop. We don’t want to compete with other Ace authors. We also don;t want to compete with ourselves. With two books scheduled, adding a third means risking you guys getting sick of us.
- But the main reason for the delay is that Kate and Curran have fundamentally changed. There was Kate, then Kate and Curran, and now there is Kate, Curran, and a baby. What powers will the baby have? How will he affect things? We have to figure all this out and it takes time for things to line up. We’ve got the first couple of baby scenes and they are funny, but nothing concrete yet.
Innkeeper
We don’t know if we’ll do a full length book this year. We may, however, do a couple of novellas, in the same format as always. So watch this space, we’ll have more for you as it develops. It’s kind of going to be a very sporadic year in terms of actual work, because of the added publicity demands, so Gordon and I are hoping for shorter projects. It’s easier to do a 25K novella than a 95K book. We used to be able to travel and then jump right back in, and now it’s been three days since the conference, and I’m still stuck on the name for Hugh’s new horse. Good news, Charlottians (?), we’ve wrecked Tryon Street. Now it’s just like Atlanta… 😛
UK Paperback Issues
We are aware that UK readers have difficulty preordering mass market edition of White Hot. We notified our publisher, and they are on top of it. This will get resolved. If you are ordering hardcover version, it is NOT an actual hardcover. Again, it is NOT a hardcover. It’s a paperback in stiff binding that is sold to libraries in US. We do not know why Amazon decided to mark it as a hardcover.
I think that’s everything.
::falls over::
I’m an IB librarian and I have spent A LOT of time with IB kids and their projects. It’s a huge stressor and eats up all the free time, but great training for college. Has she started her EE yet?
If that’s that enormous paper, she has been done for two months. 🙂
Well we expect no less from the child of two famous, prolific authors…
WOW! If she were my student I’d give that kid a cupcake! Heck, a whole cake plus a parade! That’s awesome. She should be really proud of herself. I always have about 10 students that have come in last minute to double check sources, citations, etc. And every year there is one child who thinks they can write a quality 4,000 word research paper in a week. (FYI, you can’t)
I know this is sad, but they pretty much told her that her paper is at the top of her class. It is 4,000 words. She wrote it in a weekend. 🙁 ::sigh:: Admittedly, she knows the subject really, really well, but still. I am all about a week or two of research, then slow progression. She sat down on Friday and powered through it by Sunday.
I’ve done IB. Ib’s a LOT of work. And an excellent experience too 😀 Still the EE is traumatizing 😀
Happy to hear about Wildfire’s reception. Not surprised! Frying pan? Was there a snippet about this? If not, maybe there should be. (Hint-hint.)
So looking forward to the two Hidden Legacy releases this year in 2017. Thank you. I re-listened to Burn for Me a few weeks ago in anticipation.
Patty Briggs, Anne Bishop, and Ilona Andrews. Ace CLEARLY has the best authors!!
Hugh as a serial sounds awesome!
As a Charlottean, I’m looking forward to discovering what you’ve done to Tryon Street! Did you menace Uptown as a whole, or some other part of Tryon? (It’s a long road that runs north-south for many miles, slicing right through center-city, but also reaching far beyond in both directions. I live about 5 miles south of Uptown, where Tryon is a main street, but it also runs about a block west of my home.)
May 2018 for Kate #10 will make a nice 47th birthday present for me. Thanks in advance!
The baby’s powers…. Hmmm…. Will Kate #10 feature a pregnant Kate, or will the baby already be born? Or maybe a bit of both? Inquiring minds want to know.
?
Valdimar for hughs horse 🙂 lol love the name thought id throw it out there
Sorry to comment but Valdimar sounds to much very much like the famous Valdemar universe of Mercedes Lackey (guardians as horses embodied). So I would prefer a different name
Huh, now, see, I read that as a typo on Vladimir… (uh, spelling’s not my strong suit, without the red squigglies, all would be lost.)
I was thinking it was close to Voldermort.
Still gotta go with Spot, myself. Ahh the classics.
I’m actually relieved you’re delaying Kate until 2018. I get nervous whenever my favorite authors start to release books TOO quickly together; I worry they’re being pressured by agents/publishers/fans and the quality – and their quality of life – will suffer.
I had a favorite author as a teen. She turned out quality romance after quality romance, every year. The first time I didn’t “love” a book from her, I chalked it up to a fluke. Same with the second and third time. She was still an autobuy for me until 4th consecutive meh book. I still check her books out from the library, everytime, hopeing against hope that old spark is back. It’s not yet. I still own all of her older romances and reread them often, so it’s not a case of my tastes changing – a lot of her fans say the same thing. I’ve always figured she got burnt out, which makes me pretty sad…so I’m always oddly happy when authors I love say they’re going to take it slow, or take a break, ect. I would rather not have a book for a year or two from you and have you come back strong with another awesome story, than have you burn out :-).
Whew! What a lot! I look forward to novellas and snippets and serial chapters. What a marvelous cornucopia to look forward to.
I can’t wait for the frying pan. Your comment reminded me of Patricia Wrede’s “Frying Pan of Doom”, now I am going to have to go back and re-read her Enchanted Forest books.
There is no conflict, if you, Patty and Anne released books next Tuesday, I would buy three books. And be a very happy retired person.
The other thing is the novella length releases. I really enjoy them. I like the price, I like the freshness of them, I like that they usually expand and explore a minor player which adds to the overall arc.
Hugh as a serial gets my vote, and I for one will never forget that the novel started as an April Fools gag, love it.
Joe
I am oddly okay with the delay for the Kate book. I love the series so much that I dont want it to end just yet!
Every time I hear about the Hugh project I think that you are joking. It sounds like such a crazy spin-off. But if anyone can make a Hugh romance work, you two can.
“With two books scheduled, adding a third means risking you guys getting sick of us.”
???
HA HA HA HA HA Ha Ha Ha Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha (giggle, giggle, snort)! That’s hilarious! That’s like getting sick of breathing, or sick of chocolate, or sick of bacon. An impossibility! Be we gratefully accept whatever you give us, and happily send you our money.
Please keep up the great work!
LOL I was thinking exactly the same thing. ^^
Yeah, me three. 😀
No pressure, though– Take all the time you need. We’ll be here :).
No reader fatigue here. After reading other posts about the name for Hugh’s horse I had a silly thought. Why not name the horse Peaches? I can hear the snickering now (I’m laughing as I type). ?
As to not getting to Kate number 10 book until next year………….fine with me.
Why would we scream about Kate in 2018 when you’ve given us so much this year already. And now so much to look forward to. Even if Smeagol wantses the precious he knows it can’t be rushed 🙂 Thank you. You both care about the quality of what you put out while some writers grind them out and don’t care. You spoil us as always
I don’t really know the the inner workings of Hugh, but I’ll admit it’s fun to speculate. I think maybe Hugh’s horse would be an important relationship for him. Like a partner who has your back but doesn’t judge. The most important event in his life was when het got picked up off the street by Roland. So I wonder if his horse’s name would allude to that somehow. I think they met in Paris? So calling the horse Paris might be too obvious–too revealing. Maybe Troy if it’s a stallion or Helen if it’s a mare? Or Seine. Which many English speakers might think he’s saying sane. Anyway. Looking forward to hearing what Hugh would name his horse! Yay!
And yay for all the other stuff too!
Your comment reminded me of an English character in a Carla Kelly book who names his horse Ney after the French General Ney he chased around in the Peninsula War. It’s a good idea you have, I thought a name that connects Hugh, Kate and their guardian/teacher. Can’t remember his name!
Voron!
Thanks for all the updates! ? So considerate of you to think about the other authors when making the decision on when to publish. I’m so excited for the releases that you have this year, and for the additional Hugh story (woohoo!) and would happily wait for the next Kate book if you guys need more time to work on it. I’ve been trained to wait by Megan Whalen Turner, who is one of my all-time favorite authors because she takes YEARS to write books. It’s been seven years since her last book and we’re finally getting a new one this year. I’m pretty sure you and Gordon wouldn’t take seven years to finish the next Kate book.
Or Robin McKinley. Always hope she may revisit a beloved character with another book, but it just don’t happen…Sob, sob.
Oh yes, I’m still waiting for Pegasus 2!
Unfortunately Robin Mckinley recently lost her husband after a long illness.
I’ve been wondering what’s happening for Lorna Freeman as her fourth Borderlands book has been in the pipeline for a long, long time…
Yes, I’m still hoping for a new Freeman book,too. I’d also love to have her first two books in Kindle format (or PDF or any other way I could get them electronically). Amazon only lists book 3 for Kindle and I am wearing out my second copy of Covenants.
I understand we are getting a new Kencyrath book later this year. Huzzahs for that. (Gates of Tagmeth in October if I remember correctly.)
Or Naomi Novik. I thought I’d die waiting for the next temeraire book.
Same for Kristen Britain and her Green Rider Series. Luckily book 6 comes out next month. Than I only need to wait another 3-5 years for the next book.
Thomas Harris, one could almost say he got one book every decade. 🙂
Black Sunday (1975)
Red Dragon (1981)
The Silence of the Lambs (1988)
Hannibal (1999)
Hannibal Rising (2006)
Regarding Kate Daniels 10, its still based in Atlanta right? For the love of Southern food throw a Waffle House mention in there somewhere.
Or Cracker Barrel.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t Kate 10 The final book in the series? Why do I feel like I read that somewhere? Anyway, we appreciate all you do, and the care that you take with your work. We’ll happily wait…
Yes, it is. 🙁 At least final one that has Kate and Curran as the main characters.
Need more info on Hugh’s horse… I assume it is not a noble steed as that is not where his life is at right now… Maybe a cart horse he saves from an abisive owner? Thinking of poor Ginger in Black Beauty- a high spirited mare past her prime as a “gentleman’s riding horse”, reduced to pulling a taxi. Beauty sees her cruelly whipped by her owner, and shortly thereafter sees her dead on the street…. Perhaps something similar for High’s new horse and he heals it out of pity? Good start for his redemption …
More likely a mean horse he “appropriates” after dealing it’s owner a grisley death >:)
When I was in IB, we had a phrase-“IB therefore I BS”
Only way I survived.
And I never even used the IB diploma. -sigh-
My niece had to quit the IB program. It was tearing her apart. She went the AP route and was fine.
What is Kisscon? Romance writers unite?
I can hardly wait for Hugh’s story!!!
Good news about Wildfire. I hope the edits go smoothly.
2017 will be a great year for IA fans because we have White Hot and Wildfire to look forward to. We can certainly wait till 2018 for a new Kate book.
Unlike many of the BDH ( book devouring horde) I am ambivalent about Hugh’s story because I can’t forget his responsibility in Aunt B’s death and the treatment of Christopher. However I am sure I will buy the book because if any author can redeem Hugh the the IA writing team can.
I like the idea of a couple of Innkeeper novellas in lieu of one full length story if that makes our Authorlords’ workload more manageable during 2017. I, for one, would love that intriguing snippet about how Gerard met Helen expanded into a full story. My memory of the snippet is that Gerard wants a woman to buy the house because she will be more easily ” managed”. Put that together with Dina’s observation that if anyone could make someone “rethink an invasion of earth it would be our mother ” and I can hear the fireworks already as the relationship develops. I wouldn’t mind learning more about Maud’s adventures before and after being exiled to Karhari as well. Plus, projecting ahead, assuming Maud ends up with Arland I would love a story about them. The Innkeeper universe is fascinating and I believe there is potential for many “side” stories that don’t make it into the main story arc of Dina finding her parents.
Gordon and Ilona, please don’t take on too much. We want you happy and healthy.
Frances, if the Innkeeper is going to be novellas this year how great would it be if they were prequel? I agree, I want to see the back story of Dina’s parents.
Congratulations on your youngest daughter’s drive, grit and grades! You need to enjoy this time with her and forget about pleasing your avid fans. Please remember we would like frequency but prefer you maintain your excellent standards and don’t push yourselves beyond what is reasonable. Your fans will always be here to buy your stories. My auto email notice that Innkeeper 3 was available made my day! One request, as I am 64 I think I can take a little sex and violence in Hugh’s story. Please do not limit the 18+ fans from access to any serial.
Amazon needs to update their info re release date of July 25. But no matter. You have treated us with a lot of snippets and sneak peeks 😀 and I cannot tell you how much I enjoy your blog site. It’s an understatement to say it is refreshingly pleasant to visit.
I did not read the other 100 comment before so forgive me if its been asked already. Do we have a name for Kate and Curran’s baby?
I did and AFAIK it hasn’t been mentioned.
Maybe named after Curran’s dad. It for sure won’t be Roland.
Hahaha. I was thinking the same.
This is lots of good news! Yay, looking forward to all of these great things 🙂
Wild Eyed and Wicked-actual show horse. Love all you’ve thrown out there and no way we’ll get tired of your books. Congrats on your daughters grades.
WE&W was a great Saddlebred (was twice the Thoroughbred equivalent of the Triple Crown champion winning the five-gaited championships at the Lexington Junior League Horse Show, the Kentucky State Fair World’s Championship Horse Show, and American Royal horse show) was sadly poisoned in 2003, I think) and had to be euthanized. As far as I know, the culprit was never discovered.
Who would poison a horse? And, why for God’s sake? That poor animal.
(Yes, I am aware of unethical & greedy people killing horses for the insurance money, but still… So wrong.)
Dear Ilona and Gordon,
While your supportive and nuturing attitude to other authors must always be admired I must dispute one of your arguments for not pushing into the publishing queue based on whom would be losing market share. You mentioned Patty (Briggs I hope), and the wonderful Anne Bishop, I pre-ordered years ago. No loss for them. Hands up all who have also done this, publish away ?. Of course I have no rebuttal for exhaustion, stress and family commitments. So will just have to hang out for 2018…. sigh
Thanks again.
H
It’s exciting! So much to look forward to. Congrats to your daughter! Will you be at NolaStory Con in September?
Whew, I’m tired just reading to you list the upcoming excitement. Which, I’ll safely say, didn’t even include the excitements of regular life. I’m just thankful for what’s being released is going to be released at whichever pace you guys can manage. Please don’t burn out, I’m always thankful that all your work two is high quality work.
The expected issue I guess is the expectation. Say if I only read the Kate series, I’d hypothetically be disappointed to have to wait 1.5yrs for the next book. But as you probably realize, most of us are Ilona Andrews fans, and read everything you write, so it’s more like several books a year. So I’m good. So glad White Hot will be released soon. I get by when I need a IA fix by going back and reread… always good.
Yes congrats to your daughter! That’s a big accomplishment to be holding a 4.4 at the end of IB! My daughter is a junior in IB. Can totally sympathize about how much work the program entails. We pray she can make it to graduation! Thinks about transferring out every year, but always decides to stay.
1.56 woman in Germany danced in her living room after reading this.
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You guys are awesome *heart* So much to look forward to.
I am ridiculously excited about White Hot and Wildfire! Definitely my 2 most anticipated books of the year! I’m also really looking forward to Hugh’s book & love the idea of it being in serial format, it’s always so much fun following your serials 🙂
Inkeeper novellas sound intriguing too, does that mean you’ll branch out into some of the side characters? Of course I’d be happy to read more about Dina & Sean but I think a Maud, Arland & Helen story would be amazing & I’d definitely like to know more about Dina’s parents too. Such a huge world to explore & endless possibilities.
Kate 10 will be worth the wait and we’re going to have plenty of new stories from you to tide us over this year. We would never want to see you guys burn out so it’s important that you find a good work/life balance.
You two are unbelievable badasses. Epic creative mojo going on in this post. I hope it feels as good as it looks from my seat!
My son started IB his junior year, it’s a lot of work but a lot of reward. The CAS project has been the worst though. Between having to do multiple after school activities and the paper, he has had doubts a few times, lol, but he’s stuck with it.
Is it a metaphorical frying pan, as in the place they started before they went into the fire? Or is it more like a nice 12″ Griswold?
Can’t wait for the releases this year and I always love a good novella or two. Hopefully if you guys do a limited reader list I get to be one of the lucky ones. Oddly enough I think it’s one I’d really like in the serial format. A weekly Hugh update lol.
Thanks for the laugh!
As an avid fan & reader/buyer of actual books when you write them, I am always content to wait until you feel the time is right to write/publish anything. It’s your work, so as far as I am concerned, you get to decide. I’d far rather have the one you feel is good than something you felt pushed to get out.
CONGRATS to your daughter… wow… lots of work. Man I can’t even wrap my brain around schoolwork… too darn long ago. These days work rules and just keeping up with that drives me topsy-turvy.
You guys have so much coming out this year that it feels greedy to expect more.
Your readers would never get tired of you but there is truth in that I am sick of sports teams that are constantly in the news and I am a sports nut.
Hugh’s horse and the horse name…. I can’t even name my pets without staying with a one syllable word.. something easy to yell at my pet to come. ( My remaining pet is my cockatiel who is 25 years old)
I would have named him Spot if it didn’t remind me of a beagle.
We have a 10 month old red and tan Doberman named Titan. That might be a cool name for a big ole beasty horse for Hugh…
I can wait for the book in 2018, I want everything to be perfect in the Kate and Curran universe. Bye the bye, I’m kind of partial to anything with my mom’s last name (as I’m sure you can tell from my email of TryonA@shaw.ca), so why did Tryon Street have to go?
I would love it if the Hugh book is NC-17 for violence as well as sex because I would really like to see Hugh suffer….at a minimum at the NC-17 level(:
Oh, dear, yes, that exactly. I mean, I am up for him being redeemed, but I kind of am brewing coffee and making snacks with which to enjoy him marching through hell to get there. I don’t know if I’ve felt this degree of lighthearted anticipatory bloodthirstiness since Monsanto chick.
Too funny! I completely had to laugh about how gleeful you are waiting for Hugh’s book. But than so am I.
“That’s how Hugh rolls”… I wouldn’t want anything less! This is going to be an awesomely hard wait《grin》
What about Ares for the name of Hugh’s horse? It’s grandiose and to the point.
IB is a huge time investment! On the other hand, my son got his IB diploma, was accepted into his first choice college program and now works for Google, so it’s probably worth it. Hope she still takes time to enjoy some of the “end of high school” events.
I think I might just collapse after Wildfire. I KNOW it will be great and it will come in the same year as WHITE HOT!! I don’t think my excitement will allow me to live the full experience of Kate #10 after reading the Hidden Legacy series ?
So it’s definitely a good thing that you can take your time to do your job, your health always comes first
Wow – I feel exhausted just reading your list. I am looking forward to reading everything that comes out this year. Happy to wait for Kate 10 – you can’t rush perfection. A powerful baby can create havoc from Tabatha on Bewitched to Q Junior on Star Trek Voyager. That’ll be fun.
Congrats to your daughter on her school work. She sounds very smart and motivated. We didn’t have IB classes back when I was in high school in the 1900’s. I did, however, get to take classes at the University my senior year that weren’t offered at my high school (Calculus etc.).
Looking forward to Hugh and Innkeeper serials.
Thanks for all you do for your readers and for keep us in the loop.
Thanks for the update! You are hands-down the best authors I follow for keeping your BDH informed. I might not like having to wait so long, but I can deal with waiting until May next year ‘cos I understand the “why” behind the timing.
Congratulations to your daughter too, sounds like she has taken on a monster of an academic year and is successfully slaying the beast!
Thank you for all your hard work.
Please don’t make Hugh’s book a serial. He deserves his own juicy story. I love Innkeeper but sometimes I lose the flow of the story when it’s serialized and there is just no way I would have the willpower to wait for it to be published to wait to read it. I’ve very much looking forward to Mad and Nevada’s story continueing. They are a great couple. Also, I laughed out loud at the image of Kate and Curran with a newborn, oh how the mighty will crumble…. By the way, I thought you guys were taking a vacation………
Wonderful. I want whatever you think is ready to let us see, when you think it’s ready.
congratulations to kid 2 – that’s really impressive.
given your schedule, it appears that she comes by that drive honestly.
given how many of my favorite authors take YEARS for each book, I continue to think it’s silly for you to apologize for *only* managing 2 full length plus a few side projects each year. don’t over-do. we, the book devouring hoard, aren’t going anywhere.
huh. I see hugh as one of those guys that hands the reins over to a minion and doesn’t think about the horse again until next he requires it. is the first hint of redemption that he cares for his critters?