The BN link is now up in the previous post. Waiting on Kobo and iTunes.
Audio and Print?
Yes and yes. Audio might come out a bit later than print. The preorder for print will go up closer to the release date.
Who will be reading the audio?
Right now we are leaning toward a male reader. More information as we go along will be forthcoming.
The poses in the shoot don’t match the pose on the cover?
The photoshoot was for all 3 covers, which is why there were a variety of hair and clothes. It took place over roughly two hours. 🙂
Is that a real sword?
Yes. It’s battle ready, real combat sword. We bought it for Hugh.
What do you mean this is a trilogy? Is there a cliffhanger?
No cliffhanger. It will be more like Kate Daniels books, where a single story line is complete in each book, with the overall arc.
But is is like BFM?
No, it’s not like BFM. We don’t want to spoiler it. The first book focuses more on Hugh. The second book will focus more on Elara. Iron and Magic is 105,000 words long. It’s a big book, but even so, there is only so much we can do with that word length and we have a lot of things left to explore.
Is the book appropriate for teenagers?
This is a loaded question. We’ve never steered the kids away from reading controversial or adult books. In my experience, kids self-censor. If the content of the book is not appealing to them, they skip it and sometimes pick it up again, years later. That said, Hugh doesn’t do anything halfway. There is sex in this book, and more important, there is violence. The book is R rated. Firmly R rated. If you’re in doubt, read it first before passing it on.
Galleys?
Probably Netgalley. More on that later.
Interviews? Guest posts?
Yes. Usually we don’t do that much online publicity, but because this is a self-published release and we do not have any obligations to a publisher regarding promotion, we will be happy to talk about it. Please email Brandi.Bolden202 at gmail. Because of the volume of requests we typically receive, it’s first come, first serve, and we apologize in advance if we will be unable to accept your invitation. We will do our best.
Beta Read?
We are looking for very specific beta readers. We need a physician to help us with Hugh’s medical terminology and a person familiar with Deaf community, because one of the characters is Deaf and uses sign language. For the purposes of the narrative, we went with SEE rather than ASL, because the richness of ASL and its unique grammar do not translate well to the written page. We want to make sure we did the character justice.
If you have these specific skills and would like to be considered as one of the beta readers, please email to Brandi at address above.
Even though I hated Hugh because of Aunt B I am now really anticipating this book. I do have a question though. Since this book is set in Kate’s world and you have a contract with a company about Kate’s books does it create any difficulties to self-publish a book in that same world that is not part of the contract with the Kate company?
No. The contract is for individual Kate books. We can’t release a novel from Kate’s point of view, for example, because it will compete, but we are free to explore the world. Once we are done with Magic Triumphs, we can self-publish new Kate books. We probably won’t though – the girl earned her HEA.
Could you publish a collection of all the short novels previously released in anthologies with other authors?
Magic mourns and the two with Jim&Dali, for example…
No. The novellas belong to Ace. The short stories are available under Small Magics.
But maybe Kate could appear as a “side character” in something else? (I’m just thinking about George in the Innkeeper)
I’ve been re-reading all the KD books, and now that we’re getting the Hugh books I was hoping for Hugh’s point of view when he met Kate, sort of like a Curran’s POV but with Hugh… That’s not happening, is it? Because it would include Kate. Maybe after Magic Triumphs, though?
I would love that. The Midnight Games, the scene in the minstrels’ gallery, and the sparring and fighting at the castle! I would love to know his thoughts during those encounters.
I kept reading and now I want Ghastek’s POV. I wonder what he thinks when he sees Kate coming… Probably, “Oh, God, what now?!”
Yay
Thank you for all the info ♥
(Is that a bottle in its left hand? ^.^)
Looks like a pistol of some sort to me.
Looked like a small shotgun to me, as best as my laptop screen could show.
I am so looking forward to this!
I asked in an earlier post if there will be a way to purchase a suitable for framing print of the cover of IRON AND MAGIC. Should I contact the cover artist directly or do you all own the print rights to the cover? If you all own the print rights, I don’t want to add to your work load for fulfilling a minor indulgence but I really like the cover and would like to be able to buy a frame-able copy.
Anne in Virginia
Sorry, but I’m not familiar with the short “bfm”. What is it short for here? (I tried to google, but there was too many other uses… Don’t think it is about Body Fat Mass or Basic Financial Management for example… ?)
Burn For Me 😀
jinx!
Burn for Me.
I’m glad you asked that question Lina. I thought it was technical jargon for a specific format and was going to ask after I read down to the bottom of the page.
I was wondering, too.
Lol! ? Body fat mass… I can’t even… ?
Thanks for the belly laugh!
I agree with the comment about the complexity / grammar of ASL. For example, the word “snow” is really “white water,” and half the language is based on facial expressions and actions added to the words.
I’m not an expert, but I learned a few things along the way. When my children were little, I used sign language to teach them baby signs so they could communicate better. “More,” “milk,” and “frightened” were the most useful to little ones who couldn’t speak yet.
My niece did exactly the same for my great niece using either BSL or Makaton (not sure which). It’s a really useful aid.
Gah. I’m so excited to read this! I still can’t believe how much I hated him and now I’m so excited to read about him. He’s like my Snape 🙂
This whole process has been making me aware of susceptibilities to catnip that I didn’t even know I had. It’s useful, in a vaguely disquieting sort of way.
Hugh was the opposite of lovable in the Kate books. I really hated him when he kidnapped her. I was almost sorry for him later, but not quite. I’m very excited to read this book. And even more that it’s a trilogy. **throws confetti**
He’s got a lot of learning to do…..3 books isn’t that much for reconstruction of his character. Hope he bangs his head a lot!
Please forgive my ignorance, but what does BFM mean?
Nevermind… Found the answer.
“Yes. It’s battle ready, real combat sword. We bought it for Hugh.”
So what you are saying is, once the photoshoot was done, you and your husband had new real sword. 🙂
Yep. We will likely donate it to charity. 🙂
Or hang the sword on the wall! They make great wall hangers. If the zombies come you are ready!
Thank you both for all the great books! The two of you are my favorite authors! May you both have a long, lucrative, and happy career!
“They make great wall hangers.”
*wounded look*
All our swords are very sentimental to us. We met fencing. So we enjoy the memory and the practicality when they hang on our wall.
Our grand kids actually want to learn fencing. So some of it may come off the wall.
Ah, we’re just quibbling over terminology – I’m used to wall-hangers being used as a pejorative.
(I suppose I really have no room to throw stones. My swords currently hang on hooks at the top of the basement stairs, where they’re easily accessible when I want to practice or teach, without distracting the zendo crowd. It is sometimes weird living here – my home order has a strong martial focus, but this group has a lot of aging hippies, many of whom find actual fighting distressing. Hilarity sometimes ensues.)
Oh! Not ment as a pejorative! Ment as fine – unique decorating options, that you can use if some one breaks in. Our house is is early American garage sale in style. So they fit right into the decorations!
You could auction it for charity – maybe signed or engraved. People would buy Hugh’s sword.
+1 A (charity auction/prize draw) signed sword would be awesome. 🙂
Oooohhhh I’m so excited!!! I wish I had the skills y’all want!
Exactly, too bad I don’t have the qualification. But counting down the days now
When do you find the time to self publish? Does your agent help with it? How do you get it where you want it to go such as book stores?
Ahhhh. NetGalley! I’ve been checking daily for ARCs! So excited!
Also, when doing some purchasing the other day, I noticed RTReviews gave “Magic Triumphs” a 5 Star gold review. Congratulations!
Thank you for the info. You guys are always so great about keeping us informed, though it may have something to do with getting tired of whiny emails asking for enlightenment. (No, the BDH does not resemble that remark – not at all, no. We do? No way!)
This might have been farther up the page, but when a ten pound cat says “I am going to sit in your cupped right hand and you are going to hold me until the cuddle urge goes away, you can’t type worth a darn. Heaven help me if he keeps growing – which he probably will…
I’ve preordered from iBooks just waiting for the print details to go up on Amazon so I can preorder that too. Really looking forward to reading it and seeing how Hugh develops.
Oooooh! You need a physician as a beta reader!! (Rushes off to to email Brandi…) I love helping authors to treat/harm/diagnose their characters correctly!
Ordered the Kindle version but would have liked to order a paperback or hardcover version. Did not see that offer on Amazon.
I can’t squeee loud enough!!!!!!!!
This will be a trilogy, how did I miss that piece of news? I hope the violence isn’t too ugly, I’m picky that way. Off to pre-order. Nice cover. At first glance I thought the red leaves were lava flow but I figured it out at my second look. Wow, you have quite the writing to-do list between the different series. Don’t forget to pencil in some R&R time in that schedule.
I am eagerly awaiting the printed versions of this book and Nevada’s wedding. ?
I like to carry a book in my purse so that I have something interesting to do when I’m waiting in line or for an appointment.
The down side is that sometimes I get so caught up in my reading that it feels like I’m being interrupted when its finally my turn. -lol
I did that for years. Another thing the purse book is good for is holding your table if you are lunching alone. Leaving the book on the table says “I am not finished.” better than almost anything. I don’t like to leave my purse. I don’t want it stolen.
These days, I read books on my phone. Fewer things to carry, but I don’t want the phone stolen either, so I take my chances if I get up for more iced tea.
I feel the same way… Actually, I get a bit annoyed at the reason for the interruption especially if I’m at a crucial part of the book.
So excited it’s a trilogy.
Did anyone notice that Iron and Magic is the #1 Bestseller under Paranormal Romance on Amazon
🙂
Go BDH! I just went and pre-ordered now and noticed it!
Yes. Yes, I did. And that was hours ago after I realized the link was live.
I was just there and it is still #1. Very impressive.
If you ever need a psychologist as a beta reader, let me know.
Or and Educational Psychologist.
Or a statistician. ?
What if I need a statistician to help me with a stupid QA/QI project?
So excited to learn this will be a trilogy.
I’m a physician!!! I’d LOVE to do a beta read!!! Board certified in TWO specialties (pediatrics and Medical Genetics)
This is released before Magic Triumphs; will there be spoilers?
IIRC an earlier post mentioned that this book needs to be set before magic triumphs, spoilers for this book in triumphs I think?
Okay….that wasn’t supposed to happen.
I would totally bid on Hugh’s sword!!?
I keep checking but it’s not listed on Amazon.com.au yet… I’m really hoping it will show soon. Please please sell it here. The upside-down book horde have devalued monies to spend xx
I’ve just been able to order it on the uk amazon site. 24 hrs after the first part. So it may be up on the Aus site now @ Dani
Hi Dani
It’s up definitely up there now as I managed to preorder it yesterday. Just put in the title (in the search) as well as Ilona’s name. When you just search under Ilona Andrews you need to skip a few pages to get to it for some random reason.
Although the Hidden Legacy novella is nowhere to be found 🙁
I will have to wait for the audio. i just don’t have the time to sit and read these days. I love to listen to your books while i dye yarn and knit 🙂
I typically have to wait for audio for the same reason, but I think I feel a 24-hour bug coming on. I can read when I am sick, and having to wait for the audio would definitely make me sick.
Yay audio!!!!!!! We who can’t read print salute you!!!!!!!
So stoked for this book!!!!! And to find out it’s a trilogy? Hot seitan sausages!!!!!
If you still need a physician beta reader I would be glad to! I’m a pulmonary and critical care physician (board certified internal medicine, pulmonary and critical care)
Oh wow! Exciting.
I love you guys so much a am a proud representative of the book devouring horde.
I am a physician (pathology pgy2) and would love to be a beta reader. Email sent.
Just checking…. The connect page was the correct place to express my beta reader desires, yes?
I am a dentist so have done a lot with medical terminology and would love to be a beta reader but am having a hard time finding the correct email for Brandi.
brandi.bolden202@gmail.com
Thanks for the book publication update. Wish I was either a doctor or familiar with sign language so I could volunteer as a beta reader!!
Doctor here and happy to proof read. Specialist interest elite sports and exercise medicine and orthopaedics.
Three? Whee! I’ve been wondering since I pre-ordered and saw Amazon had it labelled as “Iron and Magic (The Iron Covenant Book 1)”.
Not really a physician, but I spend a lot of time reading and writing medical reports and assessments so I have thrown my hat in (for the first time ever) to beat read.
Fingers crossed.
Hahaha typo fail. Far too excited and phone-typing in the dark under the covers. Guess that’s some resume for my attention to detail -_-
Sigh.
I’m not disturbed that you are giving Kate her happily, ever after. There is a whole world outside of Atlanta that other magical lives can inhabit. And you’ve already given us three other magical worlds; the Edge, Hidden Legacy, and the Innkeeper. I’m sure you can create other worlds as well that will leave us equally enthralled. I do look forward to reading Hugh’s story.
I was so mixed about Hugh in the beginning because he was just so HOT! And then Aunt B was killed. I could sorta understand because he didn’t “personally” do it but then he tortured Kate… no man who really loved a woman could do that! But he just wanted her because she was Roland’s daughter… it cost him. And asshats that get kicked down are fascinating… especially if they are HOT!
Not a physician but I am a Registered Nurse (BSN 1982, UT Austin) and I did teach medical terminology @ACC for a couple of years back in the mid-90’s.
I somehow missed the cover reveal yesterday. I… will withhold my comments because I could not stop laughing. I’m not sure I can bring that book into the office like I typically do with my books (currently reading the Disaster Artist) without inviting some strange questions from my boss. I’ll definitely buy it but it’s a book I can hold off reading for the time being.
Amelie.
That is what plain wrapper covers are for. The cheapest are at wal mart as long as you do not mind plain or Victorian wallpaper motif. Barnes and Noble used to carry an assortment near check outs.
I know what you mean about nosey coworkers. As long as book size does not change they just think you ate reading same book for the whole month during lunch. Plus there are no discussions about your taste in authors or books or genre…. I would just say it is a library book by Isaac Asimov from his banquet series. Yeah ugly plain covet but it is a library book.
Good luck.
I am so excited about this book! I have preordered it, but omg, if I could get it from netgalley and read it before the release date …. /dances/
I always liked Hugh, he is an interesting character and I can’t wait to read more about him!
Thank you, Ilona Andrews for the info. I am a G ratings person according to my nephews and nieces. Well I only go to see G or PG13 movies and yes I wear ear plugs as sound is way too loud. However i will make an exception for your writings. Books are different from movies in that books are dependent on readers imagination.
You are correct as to how kids read/ comprehend books. Some of the required high school reading is too explicit for me but does not bother the kids. Either they skip over the violence and sex or they just do not understand. I decided my job as sounding board aunt was to emphasize proper language and punctuation in their papers not content. The rest is their parental units job.
I agree. We have two teens, 15 yr old girl and 17 yr old boy (asd), and they skip scenes that they are uncomfortable with. Our girl doesn’t have much interest in anything regarding sex (*gets on knees to thank everything holy*) and our boy skips most violence. Although, he is overly interested in the sex scenes, I dont limit his reading. I think nowadays, it is too often presented as a meaningless thing, but my books present it as a loving thing. Even the more explicit scenes (other world by Yasmine Galenorn), it is still presented as meaningful when with love and respect.
I’m so excited for this! Thank you!
And now comes the hard part,
(for readers)
waiting waiting over the boundless . . .
Thank you
remember the old days, calculating either side of a year & snarking
they should of done something by now!
Trolling the stores, was a great relief, like finding gold in
them thar hills
Yes! I, too, remember the Good (frustrating) Old Days when it was two years (or more) between books by my favorite authors.
That was also before online shopping and ebooks, so if I wanted new books (and I always did), it meant a trip to the book store and a patient sieve through the sci fi section, hoping to find a new book out by one of my favorite authors.
Things are so much easier now! While I will always love browsing for books (in fact, I do it professionally since I work at a library), I also love being able to easily find most, if not all, of what an author has published, rather than being in the right place at the right time.
So happy for a trilogy of Hugh and Elara – I think I better plan for a day off so I can sleep in after spending all night reading!
Thank you for the best April’s Fool Joke EVER!!
It was up as a pre-order on ITunes (Canada) yesterday afternoon.
Regarding the Beta Read and SEE vs ASL, I would suggest trying to get in touch with someone who is liaison with the Deaf Community (the capitalization is not accidental).
When I took classes in sign language, there was (and probably still is) a BIG distinction between ASL signers and SEE signers.
I wasn’t aware of just how wide the chasm was between the hearing and the Deaf Community until I started taking classes and the “lively” discussions we had about SEE vs ASL. You seem to have some idea given your comment about the “richness of ASL and its unique grammar do not translate well.” It a lot of ways translating ASL into English isn’t all that different from translating any foreign language into English. Syntax and all.
I had the opportunity to learn from an instructor who was born Deaf, an instructor who was born to Deaf parents, and an instructor who was hearing and had worked as an interpreter. Each shared their experiences what it was like to live and work in the Deaf Community. Pretty amazing stuff.
Good luck.
“That said, Hugh doesn’t do anything halfway. There is sex in this book, and more important, there is violence. ”
Lol…. I already know that Hugh doesn’t do violence halfway – indeed we know he is very good at it ? But sex? ? This should be fascinating. ?
Note: I am grateful that the AuthorLords are decorous with sex scenes. Used judiciously, they are definitely a tool for character growth and development. I am not a prude but I generally read for the characters and stories, and pages of gratuitous sex can get pretty tedious after awhile. Indeed there are a few authors I’ve given up on when they morphed from fun, interesting story tellers to soft-porn peddlers….maybe I am a prude? Lol
I have a nephew who is deaf and am very familiar with ASL, but am not a physician if that would help at all.
Can’t wait to see the rest of the book covers!!
I only have one comment. If you choose a male reader, please by all that’s holy get one that can actually do a creditable female voice. So many can’t. Even if the voice sounds ok, some don’t understand female emotion and viewpoint (even when it’s being served up for them) and the female characterization ends up as unsympathetic and unrelatable. Overall I find most women doing male voice overs are far more capable of doing a first class masculine voice and attitude. One that comes to mind is Angela Daw’s who masterfully performs the Psy-changeling series written by Nalini Singh.
Something that might interest–many people in the Deaf community actually sign PSE (Pidgin Signed English). PSE uses English word order like SEE, but with ASL signs (so no SEE-esque linker words and morphemes like ‘and’ and ‘-ing’, etc. that can be cumbersome). It’s especially popular with younger signers.
You realize, of course, I’m going to have to stalk my Netgalley account to find it. Yes, I know it’s not there yet, but it’s on my stalk list. I mean my to watch for list.
I have signed both SEE and ASL and I prefer SEE over ASL. I am really happy to see that ya’ll went with SEE I hope that this will rise awareness for the SEE programs out there.
Jay Crow is s great male voice actor. His voice is nice and deep, has a broad range of emotions and his female affectations don’t make want to hurt someone ?
Dang, how did I miss this? I am reasonably fluent in sign and have a background n deaf education from before I switched to audiology.