ILONA ANDREWS

#1 New York Times Bestselling Author

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Holiday Serial

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Is the new thing a holiday serial?

Yes.

How long?

Not very long. Probably short story range.

Every Friday?

Every Friday.

Can we get it in audio/when will it be published/why is it not Innkeeper…

Here is tea and cookies. Please have some. I can’t have cookies because I have to watch my blood sugar so you can have mine.

But!

It has been a packed year for us on the professional front. We wrote many things. Some of them familiar, like Wilmington adventures. Some of them odd and off-brand, like Maggie. Dear BDH, we couldn’t have done it without your support. Your enthusiasm, your comments, and your humanity allowed us the luxury to work at our own pace on the projects of our choosing without the oversight of a publisher or fear that we won’t succeed.

Thank you so much for making our year wonderful. You are the best!

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Comments

  3. is there a link for a story or will that be coming later?
    I feel so selfish asking..
    Have a very merry Christmas and restful holidays.

    • icymi:
      the blog post preceding this one is this week’s chapter of the new Roman short.
      hope this helps.
      sorry if i misunderstood your question.

      • thank you very very much. I felt so left out. I really appreciate you responding. I missed the preceding post completely.
        have a very merry Christmas

        • YAY!!! I finally got to read it. I am always grateful to get these snippets. they really brighten my day.

  4. I completely feel you – I just got diagnosed with diabetes (recently turned 47), too. I have had a rampant love affair with sugar my entire life. This diagnosis was very depressing news. Sticking my finger multiple times a day (especially when the initial poke doesn’t provide enough blood! Tip – the sides of your fingers bleed more/better. Who’d have thunk that??) is dreadful, I swear I have PTSD and have to force myself not to flinch and be a big girl to use the Fingertip Torture Devise. 😛

    I tried both Truvia and Monks Fruit. My personal preference is Monks Fruit (MF, bwahahaha) – it doesn’t have any odd aftertaste.

    I’ve substituted MF for sugar with varying success in some of my favorite recipes. Example – used it in a cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving. It was initially fine but after storing it in the fridge, it turned crystalline/crunchy. Odd, but still tasted good (sweeeet!).

    I’m on metformin and losartan, too.

    I use a smart scale that has bluetooth so I can reliably track my weight/other stats. The nice thing about the app that goes with it is that it has a food tracker, amongst other features. So I am able to see what is causing the spikes in my sugar.

    I also do my very best to walk first thing in the morning for at least a half hour, if not longer. I have a desk job, so walking, even at a moderate pace, is really important to me/my health.

    The good news is that I’ve lost 13 pounds in 3 months from cutting my sugar intake and calorie counting.

    The better news is that while I have to really watch how much I eat, I can still have sugar – everything in moderation, right?

    The best news is that due to all of these changes, I only have to use the Finger Torture Device once in the morning – my doc told me that the fasting blood sugar level was the most important one.

    I am looking forward to getting my blood work done at the end of this month and seeing my AC1 go down drastically. It was almost 10 back in September. Yikes! My doc is completely ok with lessening the amount of medicine I’m on, until I can hopefully get my AC1 under control and am no longer diabetic.

    I wish you the best of luck in getting your blood sugar under control and hope that knowing others are in the same situation helps you a bit.

    Thank you for all the posts you all make on the Blog – it adds so much joy to so many!

    Wishing you and yours (and all the rest of the BDH!) a warm and joyful holiday season! 🙂

    • Talk to your doctor about a continuous glucose monitor such as Dexcom or Free Style Libre. No finger sticks. You will have better blood sugar info throughout the day allowing you to really get a grasp on how you are doing and what affects it. The devices will track your sugar levels over time and you can relate the average to your A1c. As the average goes down so does the A1c.

      Best of luck and stay positive. I know it is hard.

    • Just a discovery I made after a year of finger stabbing:

      The #1 setting (shallowest) actually produces more blood, more reliably, for me than the #3 setting the medical instructors started me on. Also, was far less painful.

      Perhaps try it?
      Saved me immeasurable amounts of pain and hassle. Now been stabbing @ the #1 setting for years.

  6. No, YOU are the best! Thank you for the many, many, many gifts you give the BDH! 🥰💕💕

    Here’s wishing you, Mod R, and all of the BDH a very peaceful and happy holiday season and new year!

  8. Imagine me squealing like a small toddler because CHRISTMAS IS HERE!

    Yep, that’s me with the news of serial.

    Thank you, House Andrews, Creators of Awesome. Thank you, ModR, Herder of the Horde.

  9. Thank you for continuing to share your stories. May you and your family have the safest, healthiest, and Merriest Christmas! Looking forward to a 2024 filled with your stories — but no pressure!

  12. Thank you for all, your books are my first choice for a comforting and de-stress reading.

    Courage with the diet, it’s worth it, because a day without hypoglycemia is a well-feeling, energy full day.

    I’m now addicted to 98% chocolate – and making my own whole wheat bread.

    Happy Christmas and good holidays.

  13. Here is a recipe that I use to get some sweetness but have plenty of protein to offset the carbs…it’s called Breadless French Toast.

    Three eggs
    1/2 cup milk
    1 tablespoon flour
    1 tablespoon sugar

    Small non-stick skillet with a lid
    Oil or butter

    Beat the eggs and flour together. Add everything else and combine. Oil the skillet including the sides, pour in the mixture, cook covered on medium heat for 10 minutes. You should be able to invert it onto a plate with no problem.

  14. A very Merry Christmas to the author lords of House Andrews. Thank you for the WORDS so many WORDS and I don’t have enough words of my own to convey how blessed I have felt by your amazing talent. Merry Christmas to my fellow Book Devouring Horde – thank you for the hysterical and uplifting comments throughout the year!! Hope everyone has a Happy and Peace Filled New Year.

  15. LOVE YOU TOO!

    On a less happy note, I’ve seen lots of comments about managing diabetes and I just want to say to everybody that its really hard but keep going because the consequences are catastrophic! I am a hospital based physical therapist specializing in geriatrics and diabetes affects every body system. Once damage is done it can be irreversible and cumulative so keep exercising at least a little, eating healthy, please take your meds as prescribed and keep up with doctor visits! I won’t go into details about what can happen because lovely holiday season but it’s really bad, one of the worst diseases out there but really subtle in the beginning so many people don’t take it seriously.

    I’m so happy you are being proactive Ilona (and BDH) because I want you to stay happy and healthy for a long time. And, thank you for sharing your story because maybe someone else can be saved in the future. Sorry for getting on my soapbox, I couldn’t help myself because preachy healthcare professional here but Love you all.

  16. Merry Christmas/Happy holidays and a wonderful new year to all at House Andrews. You make our lives better and we thank you. Mod R, too you do a marvellous job!

  17. I love the idea of a Christmas/Holiday serial 💖 Has a very Dickens feel to it.

    Thanks so much!

    I hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday and I’m wishing a healthy and happy 2024 to us all!

  18. Merry Christmas! Happy Hanukkah! Seasons Greetings! Happy Kwanza! Not sure all the greetings out there or the appropriate verbiage, but blessings and good things to all in their various faiths and cultures. To the delightsome duo who grace us with their talents; thank you for this winter gift of a story! I am stressed and lots going on, your chapter 1 gave me a smile and a laugh and a brief breath. Truly grateful. Thank you for sharing it🎄🩷

  19. Enjoy the holidays and take a break!

    I’m going to attempt to put together my Christmas/birthday/anniversary gift with help from the family.

  20. Happy happy holidays Gordon & Ilona! Your writing brings me so much joy. It’s a true gift, and I look forward to reading and rereading for many years to come. Hope you have a very restful Christmas and a happy new year!

  21. Thank you for the cookies and tea. Also, thank you for giving us Roman. I am looking forward to whatever he is up to. Enjoy your respite and have a wonderful holiday. Take care of yourselves – always.

  24. I loved the snippet. I’ll reread it later when my tiny monsters aren’t destroying the house. (ahem I mean my children lol)

  26. Love your worlds so much!

    Your writing has kept me company thru so many situations where I needed just a bit of humor or light or to vicariously cause serious damage to someone/thing….

    Very proud to fly my BDH flag – while drinking black coffee from my 20 oz “Here kitty” mug. There might be a cookie involved, too.

    Good luck with the blood sugar thing. It can be a tricksy thing and I wish you the best and a normal A1C.

  27. Savory snack: take a firmly packed teaspoon of Parmesan cheese. Place it on a paper plate or parchment. Repeat until the plate is full. Microwave the cheese dots for a few seconds. Store in an air tight container. Salty, flavorable and NO carbs. The cheese can be used as is or flavored with your favorite spice (cayenne, curry, chili, etc.)

    Thank you for the Roman story. What a wonderful Christmas gift. May your holiday season be all you could wish.

  28. Thank you! I can relate to the pre diabetes ordeal. Been down that road, did the thing but wow, the road was something else!
    Merry Christmas 🎄 I hope you have a wonderful and well rested holiday.

  32. Merry Christmas to House Andrews and many thanks for your stories!

    They are something to look forward to in a dark and depressing world.

  33. Thank you for the delightful story!

    Being diabetic does not mean NO sugar, it means moderation in all things. You just have to pick what you want in moderate quantities, and sweets only occasionally in small quantities. So holiday dinners I only have small servings (or none at all) of carbs ie stuffing or potatoes. I usually skip the pie, I would rather have the yummy turkey with cranberry relish.

    I hate artificial sweeteners, they have an aftertaste I can’t stand. But recently a friend turned me on to Monk fruit sweetener. No aftertaste. VERY expensive but I found it on Amazon for $8.99/1 lb. Now I sweeten my tea with no guilt!

    So, welcome to our flock with diabetes. It’s a lifestyle change, but it’s doable!

  35. I am sorry to bother you, but I have been away from the blog recently due to having two jobs. It is finally the holidays and I am trying to catch up. I cannot find the release date of Maggie. Is there a date, or is it still in progress ? I do not remember the title.

    • We are not sure what we are doing with it. It’s going through beta reads right now and some people love it and others hate it. We will see what happens after New Year. I will keep you posted.

      • Thank you very much for your reply. All I can say is that every snippet that I read were absolutely amazing. And so intriguing. I personally cannot wait to read more.

  36. From our household to yours … hope you all have much love, fun & good cheer during this Christmas season.

    Thank you for the extra Friday serial …. at the moment, I’m rereading x6 all your series again.

    Regards from Oz ….

  37. Thank you for the wonderful chapter. I hope you and all your family and friends have a merry Christmas and happy new year in joy, and peace.

  39. Wishing for you~all everything you would wish for yourselves plus heaps more .
    Sending the highest and bestest thoughts for your good health and continued creative writting….my life wouldn’t be the same without your writting talents..truly.
    Blessings in the next year and the next and continuing.
    Thank you. Hugs.

    DK

  40. Merry Christmas!!!
    I just decided to take a little break from work and look what I found! A beautiful House Andrews gift. 😁

  42. Happy Happy Holidays! You ALWAYS make my day brighter! I continue to LOVE all you write. Thanks so very much.

    Wow – Roman! Wahoo!

    Best wishes of happiness, health and prosperous fun throughout the New Year!
    Louis

  45. Happy Holidays to House Andrews! I asked for one thing this year, so under my tree is a ticket to Coastal Magic Con. Yes, I will see you in February!

  47. Thank you. I read a lot of books, try a lot of authors.
    I generally try at least 2 books by any author, as most do get better at writing.
    There are a lot that I just won’t try again.
    Through it all, I treasure what you write, what you do, and the generous style you do it all with.

  49. Thank you for the hours of pleasure your books have given me, may your holiday be filled with laughter and family.

  50. Thank you! You guys are amazing. Please take time to take of yourselves. Wishing you both the merriest of Christmas and a great New Year!

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