ILONA ANDREWS

#1 New York Times Bestselling Author

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Freebie on Friday

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We are going to have a free short story for you on Friday, as an early Halloween present. It’s not connected to any of our existing worlds, and it’s a bit old, but it is suitably scary.

We have gotten so many comments concerned about the results of the dress dying. How ever will Maggie go to the jodurar? Hehehehe!

The book is at 108K, and it refuses to end. I was going to write something smart here, but I had walked away to make a steak quesadilla for Gordon for lunch and now I don’t remember what I was going to say.

At least the quesadilla is yummy. Yay, panini press. That, the rice maker, and the air fryer are the hardest working appliances in our kitchen. Well, since it’s fall, the mixer is going to join the pack.

The problem with writing about our daily life is that we are very boring. That’s why we are good at making up exciting adventures. I was talking to a friend today, and she is working on this new book that I’m deliriously excited about, because it’s a paranormal, but it sidesteps a lot of the established tropes and creatures. It has that addictive quality good paranormals do, because there is this whole world under the surface of ours and you get a secret glimpse of it. Love it to pieces.

I asked her why she was writing it, and she said, “Because I thought of an idea and it won’t let go.”

That’s exactly how it is. You think of an idea, and it grips you, and then you have to fight yourself free by writing it down.

Currently I’m failing in this fight. I am crawling to the end of this book because I am emotionally and creatively exhausted. In the beginning of the book, it’s so easy and fast, and by the end of it, I turn into a burlak.

Burlaki na Volge by Ilya Repin

It’s terrible because I’m still really excited by the idea but the brain is tired and so 1,000 words takes twice as long.

With that, I’m going to go and work on the mage fight. Fireworks. Magic. Sensawunda! Oooo!

Hopefully I can push past my current vocabulary equivalent of a 4 year old for this scene. Onward.

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Comments

  1. So excited to hear this! All of it! Every bit!

    I needs it. However, if you needs a break, take it.

  2. Excited to see what Friday brings, and looking forward to the book recommendation post for your friend’s new work when it is ready – sounds like it will be a great read!

    With regards to your brain being at 4-year-old vocabulary levels right now: I can’t really say I’d view that as an obstacle, so much as an acknowledgment that this section may need more TLC in the editing phase. At least you have words, even if they aren’t as robust and nuanced as you would prefer!

    I know you both hold yourselves to very high standards, but please remember to also treat yourself with grace and compassion for the effort you are giving to share this story with us. We appreciate you. <3

  3. In the Anglosphere a burlak (Π±ΡƒΡ€Π»Π°ΠΊ) is evidently a barge-hauler. I think these also existed on British and North American canals, although mules were more common there, as in the Erie Canal song about the mule named Sal. I was interested to see that Russian also has a single word for the trade of barge-hauling and even a verb for “to be a barge hauler.”

  4. Thanks in advance for the Friday feast.
    I spotted a couple fellow dyers in the earlier comments, so if you end up with real questions about dyeing silk fabric (gotta go dye my silk yarn soon πŸ€”) you have many happy brains to pick. I’m looking forward to that section of the story all out of proportion to all the other excellent facets that have been hinted at. πŸ˜…

  6. You hint of a friend’s book. Will we hear of the friend or the book when it is ready. Asking for a friend…..

  7. Thank-you, I now have the Song of the Volga Boatmen running through my brain! What goodies do you make your family with the mixer once cool weather gets here? So far all I’ve really done is cream biscuits. I had a big bottle of cream that needed using up. Fortunately they freeze well. I’m always looking for new recipes. My husband loves your Edge burger recipe!

  9. Oooooo I WILL be haunting the blog on Fri! Thanks in advance!

    Hang in there, it will end and it’s going to be so much fun to read Maggie’s book. And thanks for the new addition to my vocabulary, burlak! I love it.

  10. Do you ever write it all out in 4-year-old-ese, and then refine it with the grownup words in later? I need to barf an idea out right when I have it, in whatever shape it arrives, even if I can’t articulate it properly, because otherwise I lose all the spontaneity of that first inspiration, as well as the holistic knowledge of how it all fit together (or just lose the whole idea completely) πŸ€·β€β™€οΈ.

  12. Yay, and thanks for the freebie. As far as I’m concerned with the way that you write, a book by Ilona Andrews can never be too long. I am sorry that it’s wearing you out mentally though.

  13. At least you can use a four year old vocabulary. When I get that tired, I can’t even think in English no matter how old.

    The evil laugh has come out on the can the dress be dyed. That could mean the dress can be dyed, and the suspense is drawn out, or the dress is too toasted by the hideous color it is now, and the dye won’t take. I hope for everyone’s sake it’s the first and not the second. πŸ˜¬πŸ‘—

    Thank you in advance for the snippet. πŸ₯°

    • Friday will be even BETTER than a snippet! A fully finished short story, very classic Halloween Americana, but with a House Andrews twist!

  15. Thank you for the heads up on the Friday snippet!!
    By any chance, is the author you are referring to have the initials JM?

    • Hmmm, we’ve been thinking JF or even JE! Why do some many author names start with J πŸ˜‚

  16. it took me a ridiculously long time to realize today is NOT friday, it is only wednesday. and the short story is not in today’s post because its coming on friday. not wednesday.

    some days my brain just isn’t firing on all cylinders. or any of them really. i went swimming and really gave myself an exhausting workout. then i baked seed bread. then i stuffed my face with three pieces of fresh baked seed bread. now i am in a food coma and can’t brain anymore.

  18. Let the words be free! There are some very long books that are a breeze to read through because they are written well. You write well.

    I would love to see what you do with the space that a longer book provides. Don’t worry, we are ready and prepared to read longer books.

  19. There was a song a while back by Anna Nalick called Breathe. One of the verses says, “2AM and I’m still awake writing a song. If I get it all down on paper it’s no longer inside of me, threatening the life it belongs to.” Your post made me think of it. Her advice is to breathe, just breathe… I’m so thankful for creative people like you and her, but also a bit jealous since I cannot do any art. Instead, I will enjoy the fruits of your labors. I appreciate your talents so very much and I’m so glad you share them with us.

  20. Onwards to Friday!

    Speaking of future plans, I’m hoping to find Luisa Pressler at Light Box Expo next week. I haven’t been back to this convention in a while, but it was always a great place to find interesting art prints.

  21. Carry on, and fight the good fight! (And thank you, for doing so!) We’ll all be looking forward to your gift to us! Advance thanks, in abundance!

  22. Ooo, a short story! Am so excited about this! And your friend’s book sounds intriguing. I’ve enjoyed all your recs so far, so I can’t wait to check it out once it’s available πŸ™‚

  23. “The problem with writing about our daily life is that we are very boring.”

    I don’t think your lives are boring at all! Thank you for sharing bits and pieces with the Horde. Now I’m craving quesadillas with salsa and guac, and some nachos

    • Slice of life! And slice of avocado, if you can manage it. How is that boring?

      Also, is it Friday yet?

  24. 😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍
    thank you in advance for tomorrow, and I love hearing about your everyday world… as it often involves mind food re cooking and crafts πŸ™‚

    • Best way to do frozen onion rings on the planet. Battered, but not frozen, don’t do well, really don’t recommend it for that.
      Reheat even mediocre pizza and pow! Amazing.
      Wings, potato wedges, so many oven space-sucking dishes can be done in the air fryer. Really useful little thing.
      Enjoy

    • Congratulations Sherri!
      It’s always fun to share recipes and ideas. We use the airfryer to reheat everything from apple pie slices to burgers & fries or even pizza. I haven’t used it to make anything from scratch yet, but it’s cold enough that I’m going to try ‘baked’ potatoes & carrots, apple crumble, and miniature cakes & brownies in my pyrex. I’ll be checking back to see what other responses you recieve. Best wishes for delicious dishes <3.

    • You can make mozzarella sticks, steak, chicken, French fries (I think someone already mentioned that), and possibly a lot more than what I’m listing right now. πŸ™‚

      Have fun with your new air fryer!

  27. I will never forget your post that included, ” I word good.” love it, all of it.
    Looking forward to Friday, but then the BDH is always hungry for more.

    • I adore that quote -it would be epic on a House Andrews sweat shirt… oversized to cocoon in on book release dates or just cozy up in on hibernation days.

  29. Just a post to express my whole hearted appreciation for your talent, hard work and lovely attitude toward the BDH, which I am a proud member of.

    I believe the Inn Keeper premise, allows you to create as many different worlds, realities and time lines as you wish, then intersect them (or not) as you choose via Baha Char or a new door in an Inn or…. or….

  30. I live a truly boring life, but every now and again I wonder just how in Hell I got here. It’s a good life,just unexpected. Do you ever feel like that? Here you are a nice Russian gal, living in Texas yet. Apparently living a “normal” life, but always engaged in worlds that are fantastic. Yet you keep them internally consistent. I thank you for the stories and for being so very thorough in how you research and build them.
    I was reading an historical novel and suddenly the Mongols were eating vanilla pudding. In the 1300’s. NO! Just no. Ruined the whole book for me. So for all you do to keep the book logical within the framework of the story, I thank you from the bottom of my electronically augmented heart.

  31. Oooh I’m curious about the friend and their new book! Will you be recommending it once she publishes?

  33. For me, the story that won’t let me go deals with one of those sleeping legendary heroes suddenly waking up and taking care of the child that inadvertently woke her. Writing her parts are easy, the kid…not so much. I haven’t really lived in an extended fear culture so research, research, research.

  34. It’s been Friday here for TWENTY hours, and no story yet. How I wish the Author Lords lived in New Zealand, hours and hours ahead of the rest of the horde!

  35. Ha! “Vocabulary equivalent of a 4 year old.” When someone asks if I speak Spanish (it’s SoCal, I’m white, in a service industry, so it happens a lot) I say “como yo tengo cinco aΓ±os” which means “like I’m 5 years old.” Just keep writing scenes like “Allesandro eats a habanero” & I’m sure you’ll work your way through it. πŸ˜ƒ

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