Mod R has faithfully gathered your questions for the upcoming zoom, and I am going to ask you to rethink some of them. You’re asking things like who is the author, who Maggie ends up, and so on. Those are the questions that will be answered in the future books.
We cannot spoiler the story for you. Most of you probably made it past Chapter 23. How much less of a moment would it have been if you knew about it in advance? We want to give you as much excitement as we can.
Let us mess with your emotions. That’s what we do for a living.
We are also contractually precluded from telling you too much about Book 2. Tor is very specific that everything is confidential.
Plushies
We are very excited to announce a partnership with Andrielle of Phylogeny Unlimited. Andrielle is a biologist by training, and she has developed a line of prehistoric creatures for the Paleontological Research Institution. It’s called Paleozoic Pals, and they are hilariously anatomically correct, as in the number of segments on the trilobites and tentacles on the nautiloids is scientifically accurate.
Andrielle has a kickstarter right now, and I jumped on it so fast.
There are 6 days left, so if you are in the market for your own prehistoric sloth, I would get it now.
Right now Andrielle is working on a prototype of Sushi. We will likely aim for two sizes – a huggable friend and a desktop friend. This process takes time. We want to make sure that the toys are washable and are stuffed with fire-retardant stuffing, so they don’t catch fire if you throw them into the dryer.
That is a nightmare I didn’t know I needed, but from my research into plushies, apparently this can happen.
We know a lot of you have kids and pets, and stuffies might be stolen and may need to be washed. Actually, a funny story, while we were signing at Tropes and Trifles, the very good boy I posted before stole a toy from a customer. The toy was immediately recovered, and huge apologies were offered. The customer laughed it off, but just in the event something like this happens, we want the toy to survive the cleaning.
This process takes time, because we need to make sure the toy is cute, safe, and worth purchasing. We are aiming for Spring 2027 for availability. We know it’s a long way off, but we want to make sure that we do it right.
The App
We have an app in the works. It will allow you to keep track of the our books, it will offer feed from the blog, and have achievements, discounts, and some exclusive content. Nothing too ground-breaking, so please don’t go into full FOMO (fear of missing out.) It is being beta tested now. I have some screenshots for you.
This app is not a replacement for the newsletter. It will still be emailed.
This app is for people who want to make sure they don’t miss things and want to keep track of their reading. It will let you access blog posts and fiction. So if you are stuck in a doctor’s office and don’t want to go through the trouble of opening the browser and looking for the site, you should be able to just tap the app open and read the latest things.
We anticipate it going live sometime around the beginning of summer. We are launching for iPhone only, because coding for Android is different and more involved, and we don’t know what the response to this will be, so we need to see if people are interested.
The Game
So this very premature, but Kid 2 is working on a game. It is a sole-developer project right now, and it will be set in the Innkeeper Universe. Right now it’s a farming sim, where you crash land on a planet and have to survive. This project is a long way off. But she was very touched by how much everyone loved This Kingdom, and she made this little video for you.
So this is technically a Chi moment, because this little alien is a muckrat, but this was just a quick wave to say hello to BDH.
We will probably not update you on this until there is a demo. Right now it’s all core mechanics and technical challenges like making sure that when you chop a tree down, logs appear, and then you can put them into your inventory.
Merch Store
We are pushing the opening to May. There is just too much going on right now, and I really want to have vellum in my hands before we open. So the vellum has been ordered, and once I can actually see what it looks like in the book, we will be taking preorders.
We are still doing publicity. We still have interviews, and we are still signing things, and now we will be signing more things, because one special edition tripled their print run and another special edition has been just sold. This is…. #5? #6? I don’t even know. We managed to write twice this week, and it’s Thursday. Argh. I just want to get through this battle.
My philosophy is that if we don’t write, there will be nothing to promote, so we have to concentrate on the manuscript.
But if you are looking for prints, Helena’s store is open and Luisa’s store will be opening soon.
Someone asked before if it’s better to buy prints from us or the artists. If you want prints, please buy them from the artists.
We do not offer prints. We probably will not offer calendars.
We will be offering book-tie in items, like vellum, which is meant to be inserted into the hardcover. We would prefer that the artists benefited from their art through print sales. We specifically left those items to the artists’ discretion.
We will have a print round up for you when everyone sets up their stores.
App!
First? Need official Mod R word.
Official Mod R word 😉
If Sushi plushies exist, I will need to own one. That sounds adorable!!! <3
Plushies? I want all the Sushi plushies. Cannot wait.
App? Yes, please.
The game and video? All I can say is BARSA!!!
This is a bounty!!!!
Oooh App and Game?! How exciting! I am an Android user, I will w**t patiently, but the excitement is there! Good luck to young Andrews on the game, it looks awesome!
Please be patient with us asking those spoiler-questions 😂 it’s just that we love the book so much and we really want to know what is happening next, that those questions arise on their own. Of course we want you to mess with our feelings and our thoughts – that’s why we love you!
Keep on going but please also take your time to regenerate and to relax. You have already so much on your plate and you’re doing so much for us! Thank you for all the info! Thank you kid2 and thank you for your books and your passion.
Love from Germany 😘
Sushi Plushie!! Squee and Happy Dance!! Thank you! ❤️❤️❤️
This post just kept getting better and better.
I need a sushi plushie, the app sounds phenomenal, and to have a game in the innkeeper world is what dreams are made of.
I am so excited about all of this!!
This made me lol: “ Let us mess with your emotions. That’s what we do for a living.” 🤣
Here are my questions, most of which probably cannot be answered BUT might be able to be clarified? *fingers crossed*
1. Have we met all of Maggie’s favorite characters from the novels?
2. Have we seen or will we see the man who chased Maggie into the Garden again?
3. The mages seem very much like mad scientists in Rellas, who don’t have much interaction or interest in politics or intrigue. What is their purpose? How do they make money?
4. If magic is absorbed environmentally, what kind of environments are conducive to magic?
5. Does farseeing run in Reynald’s bloodline?
6. Is Nightblossom tea a Selvan blend?
7. We know Maggie can’t die, but can she age?
8. Is there some kind of magic, or an amount of magic, that would guard certain characters from having ‘someone in their heads’ and that’s why certain characters have no POV chapters in the Rise of Kair Toren even though they’re major players?
9. Is there significance to the lunar calendar of the 3 moons?
10. Silveren uses his ‘song’ to control people, and that gift is from his father’s side of the family. Does the ability to control or influence people go beyond ’empowering them for battle’ amongst all the Savarics, or is that gift particular to Silveren?
11. Everard shows a very interesting lack of curiosity when it comes to Maggie, but we know he’s very canny. He also wants to know everything, but seems content to let things lie with Maggie, even when she makes leading statements. Do those conversations happen off page, or can we assume that every interaction between them is on-page?
Tor doesn’t have to know, this will stay completely between us lol. We’re counting on you Gordon!
Just in case Mod R is still taking questions, I’ll second your #10.
I’d love a more user-friendly explanation on the Savarics’ Exultant Call, as the books describe it as a magic uniting and empowering people in battle, whereas Silveren’s brand of it looks like pure mind-control.
And launching off question #3, I’d love a clarification on how knight-based warfare (without magic) is the mainstay in Rellas when it comes to defense or aggression versus hostile neighbors, given that a powerful mage like Daemas or Isadau could incinerate an entire army of knights in seconds. And Daemas’ equivalent in the Crimson Empire etc. should be able to, as well. How are the borders of nations not decided based on the strength of the mages in that country?
My heart is broken. I want the app, but have an Android phone. So so sad. I am not an I-Phone girlie, but eventually I will stop pouting and get over it.
Sushi plushie, oh boy! You are living in busy and amazing time!
So many exciting things! Will definitely get the Sushi plushie when it is available. As an android user, I hope the app is super popular enough to warrant an Android version, because I would download that so fast!
I’ve never been so early in the comments before! Squeezing!
I would love the app! But I’m Android. I hope hope hope you can do an android version soon.
You might be under appreciating the zeal of the BDH for an app!
“It will allow you to keep track of our books, it will offer feed from the blog, and have achievements, discounts, and some exclusive content.” Yessssss!
I am so appreciate of you both and ModR and the blog and social media posts. When I am feeling down or overwhelmed, I know I can go to the blog and find caring and humor that will lighten my heart. I can connect with other Horde members on Facebook, and feel part of something bigger than myself.
Thanks for taking such care of us, your Horde! Even when we are demanding all of the books now!
Speaking of books, I hope you are able to shut out the demands of the outside world and write today.
Oh, and the Game! How exciting. Thank Kid2 for us. And a plushie and merch store! I was so calm and fluffy about the last merch store opening, I missed it, so sorry I won’t be calm the next time it opens!
🤗
Just want to say that y’all are too modest. The BDH will devour the app. You’ll know within days that you need it for Android. Thanks for this idea, it’s fantastic
I would definitely buy a plushie 🥰 Please, please, please with cherries on top look into doing the App for android, I love the app idea, but I don’t have an iPhone!! Thanks to kid 2 for the little video game clip 😃
oh, the app sounds interesting. I hope that you’re writing on M2 is going well and the same for the promotional works.
all the best
I know it will be a while but I will try the game. I actually don’t usually play video games because I am terrible at them. My kids love video games and I tried to play with them a few times. It didn’t go well. I have no eye hand coordination, or any other type of coordination. However, I have always said that if there was ever a game based on one of your series I would learn to play.
I have the blog site set up as an “app” on my phone already! So yay!
Thanks for the updates!
I was hoping the store would open by my birthday at the end of the month. HOWEVER, since it may not open until May, this just means I can justify ordering MORE because I was p@tient!
Don’t try to figure out the logic; just roll with it.
The app and all the things sound cool. We appreciate how much thought you put into us not catching fire, etc.
Hopefully you can get back to messing with our emotions again instead of all the extra. 🙂
Android, PLEASE! Thankfully, I do have an iPad I can use so I can still indulge and I happily volunteer as tribute for app beta testing! I hope you’re recovering from all the traveling! Looking forward to seeing what merch there is and happy knitting from your Baltimore haul!
For the first time in my adult life, I’m disappointed I have an Android 😩
+1
I’m so down for the game!
The app sounds lovely. 🥰 I’m going to BookCon NYC this weekend, will Tor ( or anyone else) being doing something to advertise This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me?
Games 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼🤪❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ yes, but please not much killing. I am not good at those games. 😱
And an APP😱
Thank you for all the ways you pander to the mind boggling requests of the BDH. Love the community that you have built. Love the stories, humour and the creativity.
Barsa, barsa,barsa.
Barsa, Barsa, Barsa? Barsa, Barsa! 😂
The APP leaves me breathless! It has all the things!, in one place! I can’t, I just can’t 🙇🏻♀️thank you!
I’m sure 50 people have already commented on this, so I’ll be happy to be the 51st:
Assuming Sushi-Plush goes well, the hoard will need ALL THE PLUSH!!!
A Cookie plush and a ferret in a harness plush and absolutely a plush of whatever vampire puppy Helen adopts and just all of them. I know you sorta had an Orro plush a long time ago, but was it *really* a quillonian, or just a hedgehog with a hat?
I don’t love apps like I love stuffies, but if the app can tell me the 100th time I’ve read Innkeeper, that would be funny.
I second that. I want all the plushies! 🥰
(But as a cozy gamer and huge Innkeeper fan, I’m also looking forward to the game!)
I wanted to ask how they came up with the names? KT names are not like anything I’ve come across yet. Germanic?
Another mysterious special edition? At this point, I have no idea how this additional new special edition could add any more bells and whistles than the previously announced special editions. I’m sure I will buy it though, just in case.
The game looks great! I’ll definitely be playing it when a demo/game is released!
Super excited for the plushies, especially the desktop one.
thank you so much for this post, I immediately went on Kickstarter and backed the project, I really want a prehistoric giant sloth stuffy! I’ll be looking for the app when it’s available, and the game looks super cute!
can you tell us whether the mysterious SE (that has just been sold) will be in english? i wanna know if I should buy a third copy 🫠
It will be in English but I don’t have any further info than that 🙂
Maggie is amazing.
Sushi plushie, yes please!
Bummed the app won’t be on Android…
Barsa Barsa Barsa
App! Game! Plushie!! Wow this was a crazy awesome blog post.
That game is totally up my alley. When she feels it’s ready, she should post about it in the cozygamers subreddit. It’d probably get a lot love there.
Questions-
What are Maggie’s real world parents’ and brother’s names?
What was done with the iron Maggie found? Did they keep it or turn it in?
Does Maggie’s magic have a physical sign (other than regeneration) like eyes glowing when resisting/breaking mental magic?
Does Everard have a secondary power? It seems at times like he is expecting something to happen but it doesn’t. Or maybe he’s just trying to figure Maggie out when he’s staring so intently?
Was the knight Arvel brought with him to visit Maggie the same one we met in the bonus scene?