Spooky season doesn’t quite hit the same when everything is scary all the time, but House Andrews always make sure we still have treats in store.
Despite the atmosphere of deep, abiding mistrust (Horde, you fool of a Took!), there is in fact an Inheritance audiobook. It exists. It dual POVs. It will be released just as soon as the final audio edits are completed.
I’m bringing you proof with snippets of Elias, narrated by the very talented and versatile James Konicek. Yes, the same James Konicek who voices Mahon in the Graphic Audio Kate Daniels adaptation, but gorgeously hmmm-y here in a completely different way. Prepare your swoon receptors accordingly.
Three samples for you today, the last one with mild spoiler warning in case you have kept yourself spoiler-free until now:
Fatal Event:
Something happened to mom:
Do not enter if you’re spoiler-fasting. We found something:
If you want to imagine how the duets will sound before we share those teasers, Ilona previously shared a tour de force Ada sample from Hillary Huber here.
Winner, winner, Maggie Dinner
Our “This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me” ARC giveaway has a new winner, selected by the sacred ritual of the Random Number Generator.
Congratulations, Chrissy Bee!
They will be contacted today and have until Friday, October 10th to reply, or we will choose yet another lucky person.
A treat for the road
Ilona shared a surprise snippet from a short story extra over on Facebook, and as tradition goes, I’m pasting it here for everyone who missed it/doesn’t do social media.
“They reached his office, where Lina sat at a pristine desk, presenting the last line of defense to the visitors. The desk was crafted from polished metal with a single white orchid growing from a simple pot. His secretary chose to match the orchid today. A white dress hugged her body, perfectly tailored and form-fitting, yet elegant. Her deep emerald hair, wrapped in a trendy twist, shimmered with beryl highlights. Her eyebrows were black and shaped with laser precision, and she had selected green and black to accent her eyes and mauve to tint her lips. As always, the effect was stunning.
Unfortunately, his protege had referred to that precise shade of mauve as “hot dog lips,” and now he could not divorce himself from it. Mentoring Arabella came with its own annoyances.”
What will this be an extra for? That’s for us to wonder, and our chalant book-attracting pheromones to manifest. I’m sure no one will overreact hehe.
Thank you!!!!
yay! top 3?
The actors reading both roles are the f**in’ bomb!!!! So excited! BDH4ever
Thank you for keeping spirits high and bringing joy to us all. Xoxo
*swoon* More Arabella! Congrats to the new winner 🙂
+1! 🥳
And condolences to Cecelia. 🫂
+1 Yes!!! 🤗. Thank you
No overreacting here.
All the fluffiness.
All the chalantness and chalantitude.
I can’t squee because I could scare some folks . . . so a very quiet, fluffy, chalant happy dance . . .
I do so want The Shenanigans of Arabella and Augustine.
Quiet, chalant. Suuuuper chalant. Definitely no arm flailing and silent squeaky screaming over here. Very demure.
+1!
The epitome of chalantness
That’s me! Right there. Very Chalant!!!
So, so chalant. No (out loud) squeeing. Breathe in chalant. Breathe out chalant.
Thank you!!
Im cautiously excited and hopeful for Arabella
Thank you v much. Happy Friday from the windy UK
hi any update on Hugh #2 ?
It’s all Maggie at the moment, but Hugh is in with a really good chance to be chosen as the next self-publish project 🙂
Yes please. Love Hugh.
+ infinite infinity
I’ll add my many votes for Hugh…..
lol, back to being super fluffy
God. Yes, please.
Adore Hugh. And his and Elara’s Beauty-and-the-Beast relationship: so well matched, with each embracing their conviction that they are the beast. Part two is going to be delicious.
Oh, really? Elara knew Hugh was an asshole when she married him.
I grant you they each have reason to think they personally are a monster – but neither one initially chose it for themselves. They are now stuck with making the best of what they were stuck with as children. And doing a pretty good job of it, too.
Yep. Hugh is an asshole and Elara is a harpy. And they both own it. Neither had a choice about their childhood circumstances, but they now very consciously choose when, how and why they let their monsters off their leashes, despite what that costs them. I think they are doing much more than just making the best of it.
What I admire so much about HA‘s redemption arc for Hugh is that they managed it without changing the fact that he’s an exceptional killer or eradicating his conflicts, or abdicating his responsibility for all his actions, including those in his past. They explain; they don‘t excuse. He doesn‘t just switch side; he grows.
I like that Hugh and Elara continue to challenge each other and come to see both the other’s redeeming qualities and their unapologetic dark sides. HA shows how they reveal, but don’t revel in, their inner beasts, imbuing those interactions with self-deprecating humor, intense vulnerability and unfailing commitment. It’s a great romance because they accept and respect each other as both terrible and beautiful, even when they cannot yet do that for themselves.
yay!!!
Hugh’s ebook on my phone got me through lots of lunches at my desk at day job because stressful as work was it was easier than Hugh’s life. Perspective! When I finished I’d start over again.
Woo!!
“don’t overreact, don’t overreact, don’t overreact….”
Augustine!
Thank you
I checked back 10 x’s today! I needed this post!
Thank you!
As always, you rock, Mod R! Hee-hee – book-attracting pheromones!
Hmmmm, who could mentor Arabella? I’m going with Michael, for now. Possibly Augustine, if we want to delight in driving him to distraction, heh. Let the Mentor Shipping (NOT romantic shipping) commence!
His assistant’s name is Lina, so that does narrow things a bit 😀
oh!! I thought Lina was Catalina, as Nevada sometimes called her, and the secretary was someone different who walked in with “him”
Not over reacting!!! Where’s the book! Super chalant!!! Need more books!!!!
We are chill…. Really!
🤣
I feel so sad for Cecelia 😞
It’s the first time we’ve had to do this and it was heart breaking, but we sent her 5 emails from 3 different email addresses and we called on her in 2 separate blog posts, one the scheduled winner announcement and one with her name in the title, and plastered it everywhere on Facebook, Instagram, Threads and Bluesky.
It’s as much as we can do in a week.
😍
Only HA and Mod R would have tried so hard to contact a contest winner….thank you for showing such care for the BDH! 🥰💕💕
P.S. This was an awesome post!! Audio samples AND an unexpected snippet? You all spoil us!!! 💕💕💕💕
P.S.S. Side note to Gordon: I have a 5k coming up on Sunday this weekend and have been enjoying the addition of two songs from Wons Phreely on my playlist as I’ve been preparing for it. Thank you again for the post recommending his music! 😁
ooooh exciting!!
got to add more to the collection 😍
YAY! thank you for the snippet! you guys are the best ❤️
OMG is this Pancakes’s short story???!!!!!! 🥳🥳🥳
+1
Always kind of wondered if Lina was an illusion prime working for Augustine. Perhaps one of his brothers or sisters. That whole MII place seems about as trustworthy as a chocolate tea kettle. There’s probably not even an office building. It’s just a vacant lot with a circus tent in the middle.
Hehe, as a dyed-in-the-wool Illusion mage hater, I love this!
That’s an amazing image lol 😂
Yesss Arabella and Augustine are my favs!!! Thank youuuuu
after listening to the GA audio books, I have a question…Is Leon a prime? and if so, of what?
He appears to have a combination of the aiming talent of his aunt, and the pattern recognition of his brother, is he just a dual Significant?
Not sure where to put this for answers.
Leon is a Dark Horse, so more than the discussion between Penelope, Nevada and Grandma Frida when they said he is definitely higher than Grandpa Afram’s “Notable”, we don’t know anything officially.
But he never ever misses, even trick shots, so I know which way my arcane bets are set.
As for what combination, if any, of talent he has beside his maternal line Sagittarius and where that secondary gift may come from…speculations have been made, it’s all I’ll say. It may be just an off-the-charts Sagittarius, a combo of Exemplaria from Grandma Frida, or something from his paternal line.
And his paternal line could be anything!! Recessive genes and all.
I would think Leon has a touch of precog too, as he almost unerringly aimed the cam to the next merc to be shot down when the warehouse was attacked
I am part of the Horde that speculates he is Baranovski’s (Prime who was beheaded at his party by David in Book 2) illegitimate child. Just some clues that where dropped by HA and now his magic is some kind of freaky mixup of these talents (seeing the future/shooting). Definitely Significant but probably Prime. Baranovski would have probably slept with his …. say dumpster fire… of a mom. Man had no self-preservation.
After maybe getting Augustine, I have to say I’d kill for a Leon Novella. Can you imagine the shenanigans? And him getting recognition and love…. ahh, my heart.
Sorry, but I just can’t see a “collector of interesting women” like Baronofsky falling for the train wreck that is Leon’s mom.
LOVING the audio samples!!! the voice actor for Elias is absolute perfection!
++++1
So many satisfying teasers! Thanks! Must now focus on staying fluffy and chalant.
Love James‘ dry, growly Elias.
And I‘ve always enjoyed Augustine‘s voice. There is sooo much going on under the surface there – both under the illusion and under his public-facing persona. Looking forward to any opportunity for a peek behind the facade. Also appreciate Arabella‘s irreverence messing with his mind.
I’m listening to White Hot by Graphic Audio. Cornelius’ voice grabbed me, more rumbly than Rogan and Augustine’s too prissy. Very nicely done.
Arabella!! Yes please
I literally jumped in my chair at the end of this lovely snippet. How very exciting!
Here for all of it! Thank you. It made me forget about the guys tromping around on my roof for a bit.
Yes!! This voice matches what I hear in my head for Elias!! Very swoon-worthy!
Hidden Legacy snippet!! Augustine is going to have an interesting time with Arabella as his student!! Poor Lina may find herself refereeing a lot of situations!
Arabella hooray! Let’s get this BearShip on the road!
Mod R, of course the Horde will get excited. We might be chalant on the outside, but squeeing on the inside.
Thanks for all the info and the snippet paste. 😊
Wow. Now I’m going to spend the rest of the morning thinking about *why* Augustine would be mentoring Arabella. How did THAT come about? I should feel sorry for one or the other or both? 🙂 This is gonna be a GREAT story!
Love the Elias voice. We’ll done!!
Yippee
So, it’s clearly told from Montgomery’s POV. Can we dare hope for an Augustine short story. And, if so, can it incorporate that delicious earlier snippet involving Montgomery and Diana Harrison?
Arabella!!
Omg omg omg! I am so excited about The Inheritance audio, I cannot wait to get my grubby paws on it! Those snippets are amazing ( I’d completely forgotten Hillary’s). Thank you so much!
Congrats to new winner!
Ooooooo a short story with Augustine and presumably Arabella. Shiver……I am chalant, I AM chalant, I am CHALANT……
Are we going to find out what that key unlocked?
Arabellaaaaaaaa!!!!! Although, I will read anything by House Andrews and am approximately as chalant as a hyperactive chipmunk drinking red bull, so you know…
yessssssssssssssss
It has to be Augustine because his assistant’s name is Lina and this snippet seems like from the narrator’s POV.
I love hearing how things are supposed to be pronounced! I was saying it like dee-bra (as in the undergarment), but will try to correct myself to Debra (like the name). I might not get it done, I tend to argue with myself and am stubborn, but at least I’ll know how it’s meant to be said! 😄
I hope there is a book for Augustine and that it will have thr Silver Shark vibes! That man needs some love in his life.
Have a nice weekend y’all!
I just ordered the Arcane 3 book set…hovered over the computer waiting for 4 pm, terrified that the edition would sell out before I could order my copies…but all went well. Now comes the long wait before the books are actually available. Does anyone have a handy time machine in their garage so I could get them sooner?
Anne in Virginia
Same! Except I was busy at work and when the alarm on my phone went off to order it, I couldn’t right then. I was so nervous I wouldn’t get them! Got it though! Yay for all of us that are getting them! 🥳
Side note, anyone else wondering which shade of beryl for her highlights or is it just me? Sounds so pretty!
Thanks for the snippet and samples! 🤗
Commencing over reaction nkw!
Ooh, thank you for the mystery snippet with Pancakes! And congratulations to Chrissy Bee!
I will try to be patient and chalant, but to quote Oliver Twist, “Please Sir, I want more.” Now I have to remember which degrees Arabella graduated with and if one of the Houses from Emerald Blaze is her mentor.
Augustine 🙂 ties in nicely with this other snippet they published under free fiction, which also features Augustine undercover and then riding home in the Limo with Cornelius’ sister Diana…. Is my recent reread obvious?
Inheritance audiobook!! 🎉🎉🎉
I’ve been checking Audible for it since the beginning of September.
WE ARE ALL VERY CHALANT OVER HERE THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!!!! errrrr…. I mean… Happy Friday House Andrews.
Maniacal giggling over my breakfast! Maybe time for another re-read of EVERYTHING!!!
So, what I understood you to say is that Hugh 2 is definitely next and then soon after that the first novel from the new Arabella trilogy (which that snippet is from) will be the next project?
Is this correct? Asking for a friend.
🙂
No across the board 🙂.
The only official certainty is that for now it’s Maggie, all Maggie. The next project hasn’t been decided yet, and the project after that even less so.
An Arabella project wouldn’t be from Augustine’s POV, however 🙂
Okay, Mod paRty pooper, if you want to be all FACTUAL on us!
LOL! Sorry for being a bad horde-ian, I just couldn’t resist after you said, “I’m sure no one will overreact.”
Also, fair point about the Augustine POV. There was another snippet from Augustine’s POV that featured Dianna Harrison. I always hoped to see something come from that, so if there was an Augustine short story that would also be awesome.
Especially since nothing Ilona intends as short ever stays as short as she thinks it will because the imagination and talent of House Andrews bursts through the boundaries of the page count they set. It might be an Augustine novella before it finishes! 🙂
By the way, no matter what else we lobby for, many of us are also super excited about Maggie, so all Maggie all the time isn’t a bad thing for right now.
Sorry for trolling you, I will try to behave and keep p*tiently waiting for whatever literary masterpiece comes my way!
I feel like I am missing something, can someone like the Augusrine Diana snippet?
https://ilona-andrews.com/blog/corporate-agility/
it’s here 🙂
If you go to the Free Fiction page you can find links to most of the bonus stories 🙂 https://ilona-andrews.com/free-fiction/
So here’s the thing, I love many of your characters and am always excited when we get more morsels and crumbs into their lives. But if I could pick, like if I won the BDH lottery and got to pick a novella or short story of any character…I am choosing Augustine.
Arabella!!! And Augustine and Lina, too. This really is a good day. Thank you, House Andrews and ModR, for reposting here for those of us who aren’t on social media. Your thoughtfulness is greatly appreciated.
Super excited, quietly chalant so a very restrained SQUEEEEE! Well almost restrained.
I am so very chalant!!! Wishes do come true, The Inheritance audio🥰!
A couple of weeks ago I came back from a trip w my hubby. During the plane ride I read The Inheritance, once we were able to download I searched for the audiobook. I then realized how spoiled I am with how amazing HA is with “all the things”.
Now we’re getting closer to “more, more, gimmes”. Ah, I feel so 🍀 thank you 🙏.
Congratulations to the lucky ones getting an arc of the beloved Maggie.
Cecelia; “ But wherefore do you droop? why look you sad?” 😔
Thank you for the snippet, I will add Hot Dog Lips to my list of insults I trade with my sisters! 🤣
I am so very chalant!!! Wishes do come true, The Inheritance audio🥰!
A couple of weeks ago I came back from a trip w my hubby. During the plane ride I read The Inheritance, once we were able to download I searched for the audiobook. I then realized how spoiled I am with how amazing HA is with “all the things”.
Now we’re getting closer to “more, more, gimmes”. Ah, I feel so 🍀 thank you 🙏.
Congratulations to the lucky ones getting an arc of the beloved Maggie.
Sitting in the hospital after ankle surgery listening to the snippets. As Elias described the repeated stabbings my nurse walked in and said What are you listening to!?
Added a little levity to my stay!
Thanks for all the goodies!
Congratulations Chrissy Bee!
I could not imagine a better voice for Elias!!! 🥳 so excited!
New Arabella story coming! YAAAY!
Looks like an Augustine story. About him and Diana maybe.
I would love that, but does Augustine consider Arabella his protegee?
Lina is Augustine’s assistant, so I think this is implying that it’s from his POV! Plus isn’t there another short from Arabella’s POV that implies the same, or am I just manifesting that extra hard right now? 🤔
You’re not wrong, there are definitely references somewhere to Arabella viewing Augustine as a mentor.
I think it’s in an innterview with Arabella and Dina, where she talks about getting her masters or MBA.
Yes, that interview is one I would love to reread. Is it archived?
Y
At the moment, yes.
Epic SQUEEE, quickly resulting in minor bleeding from startling Lilly von Floof. Totally worth it. Arabella, Arabella, Arabella!
I gasped at that snippet!! I will have to remind myself that I purchased the AS Hidden Legacy books, so I can absolutely be…..patient.
I’ll also have the audiobook snippets i can listen to tomorrow, hopefully!
Thanks for a Friday update. I think it is time to reread the Hidden Legacy books. I am feeling a little withdrawn from IA books.
Is this… an Augustine story? Pancakes!!!!!!!!
Oh, (evil laugh) my gimme-gimme hands are ready!
Is that an extra short story at the end of the first book in the Arabella trilogy?
Arabellaaaaa yes please. So down for Arabella snippets.
Yes, yes, yes. I have dreamed of an Augustine story for so long now. time to peak into this shark mind some more 😀
That voice 🫠🫠🫠 need more 🔥🔥
Arabella or Augustine? Oh my! I can’t wait.
How awesome! I thought we were going to get a Maggie snippet so I was super surprised. Yay Pancakes!! Can’t wait to find out more about him and Diana.
Mentoring Arabella? Or is she “mentoring” him?
I won’t even try guessing what you could possibly mean by that.
Augustine thinks of the younger Baylors as little sisters 🙂. He is able to advise Arabella on several aspects of Prime life.
A general reminder for everyone that there will never be an Augustine/Arabella ship, as confirmed by the authors on several occasions.
He met her when he was in his 30s and she was a child, under his financial control. Grooming is an ugly concept.
Excellent roundup of resources — saved me hours of searching.
Yaay! Thank you Mod R for posting these for those of us not on social media. Appreciate your thoughtfulness.
What about Arabella with that Russian Prince? The younger brother of Prince Constantine???
It looks like Arabella will finally have her day! I am so glad/excited/thrilled/etc!
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Not sure when those of House Andrews sleep, or how, with such busy brains, but I appreciate you very much!
Also, based on the final moments of Catalina’s story, I am guessing that Arabella will have fun discovering the better qualities of (name… name…) that mysterious and powerful man who works for the Keeper of Records (after a quick scroll through Wilfire…), Michael.
So much goodness! Inheritance audio — Howdy Doody Time! Arabella: my pulse is now racing! Soooo much to anticipate. Thank you, House Andrews, again and again and again.
I may be wrong but I remember reading an Arabella innterview where she mentioned having been helped/mentored by Augustine and Stephen Jiang. Any snippets about the side benefits/inconvenience of such mentoring will be welcome
Total chalantness over here. Yup yup. Definitely not feral over this universe or characters at all, nope.
I laughed out loud when I saw that color described as “hot dog lips!” I’ve been calling it “raw bacon” but this is so much more apt!
Dianne and Montgomery’s story:) maybe!
Thanks for all the snippets!
ARABELLA!
Thank you for the teaser snippet!
*wheezing*
Hot dog lips!!!!!!
*ded*
I’m so excited to listen to the audiobook! Will it be available anywhere else but Audible? I like to have my local library order one, too.
It will not be an Audible exclusive 🙂
Re the snippet: I googled, and apparently beryl comes in lots of colours.
Which colour beryl are the highlights, please?
Whoopeeeeee!
Lovely word play:
“chalant book-attracting pheromones.”
makes me smile and giggle.
Thank you,
K.
Thank you for the audio samples and for the Arabella teaser. I am very excited for the Audible Inheritance. I listen while I sew and there are lots of holiday quilts to finish.
Yummy voice.
Oh My! Arabella? someday soon? maybe?? well one can hope. Thanks for the snippets, nice voice! in the words of Benjamin Franklin, in these (dark) times we must all hang together, else we shall surely all hang separately! ZenHugs all round.
I cannot wait for AUgustine to mentor Arabella. Love the “hot dog lips” line. Yes I know those and have wondered about the mental health of the person sporting them.
Yes! I love Arabella’s irreverence! Crossing my fingers for another Hidden Legacy novel.
Asked God for a Panthercakes novel and an Arabella trilogy!
Completely delicious! And thank you so much for the Arabella tease …
This was a tasty literary charcuterie! Please sir.,may I have more,😄
Me overreact pffft never … runs towards book pile
Just now getting a moment to read the blog. Oh my heart, my heart I’m so excited. I totally can see the Augustine and Arabella pairing, no matter the age difference. But watch out for the Keeper he’s plotting an Arabella and Michael team up. Rubbing my hands with glee for The Inheritance audio release 🤪🤪
There will be no Arabella/Augustine pairing ever, as confirmed by the authors. The age difference does matter, as does the fact that they met when Augustine was an adult and Arabella a child.
thank god 😭
+1
yay! I haven’t managed to find time to read this yet so I might just do audiobook. I loved reading innkeeper that way 🙂
I do love Hidden Legacy. It took me longer than I like to admit it to place the snippet. Loved it. Thank you
Consider me appropriately swooned. I’m SO excited for the audio. James Konicek is amazing and I absolutely could listen to Hillary all day.
Lina is Augustine’s receptionist and this is either from Panthercakes or the first book in Arabella’s trilogy? Am I right? I think I’m right, and based on the POV, Ima go with Panthercakes!
I don’t actually believe in manifestation, but I’ll start manifesting today for either if it’ll do any good!
Can we have a Penjiro update? Maybe Heart and Penelope are planning on Bali for their honeymoon? 🤗
“Hot dog lips” Bwah-ha-ha! The awesome & irreverent Arabella strikes again! <3
Is anyone else hoping/praying that this snippet will lead into the Arabella trilogy??? if I could have one wish…
the older and more in tune with my inner chaos demon I become, the more I love Arabella❤️ chalantly, of course.
Ferally needing Pancakes book. Ch*l*nt went out the window around the same period when diamond fire came out. Super psyched another book is coming out, but dont burn yourselves out.
Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast.
Darn, after that snippet I had to reread Hidden Legacy, and then of course my paperbacks fell apart from all the rereading and now I may have ordered the Arcane Society set as a solution. Hoping it sells well enough that they will also run a box for the second trilogy.
Loved The Inheritance– can’t wait for book #2
Awesome! I’m really looking forward for more from the Hidden Legacy series.
I am not chalent.
Wonderful work! I look forward to hearing more – and reading! Congrats to Chrissy!
Hot dog lips…🤩😃😆🤣😂🤣😂🤣
Thank the Lord I was at home when I read that!!!!!! The peals of laughter that ensued…I keep seeing Lina with hot dogs for lips now!!!!!
And instantly my mind goes to wanting an Arabella book though I know it is definitely not in the picture right now.
the voice ! 🫣🥵
I love you guys. You are my all time favorite authors. Thank you for taking the time to share this – “hot dog lips” will live with me forever.
Thank you. And can I say that I cannot WAIT for Arabella’s story?! Every time she is mentioned in another book she makes me laugh. I love something about all of your characters, but she is the one I am *patiently* waiting for.