We’ve received many requests and questions about Kid 2’s work and what is it about and when can it be available.
Once in a while, there will be a successful writer who will come out with “My child wrote a book!” and they will use their platform to promote their child’s book. Full power to them. When you have a platform, why not help your child out?
That probably won’t be us. At least in the beginning.
Now don’t get me wrong, we’ll help with advice, we’ll allocate money for ads, and we will use whatever knowledge we have to help her write a good query and sign with a good agent. We are very proud of her.
But people are mean. They will call her a nepo baby, they will say that we wrote the books for her, and they will compare her work to our work, and on and on. Yes, advertising her work here would likely give her a big jump in sales, but at what cost? It is far better for her to launch without the baggage of Ilona Andrews attached.
Thank you so much for your interest. She was very touched that many of you asked, and she sent over a small snippet of an older work, not connected to anything, as a thank you. She says, “This is what I put mom and dad through while in school.”
Yes, she was that bad. Don’t ask me about the time she performed an exorcism.
“Are you mad at me?”
I put my stress ball in my lap and turned to my niece in the chair beside me, staring at her over the brim of my red-tinted shades. “I’m not thrilled.”
She slumped back against her seat, groaning. “Can we just get it out of the way now, please? I hate when you brood.”
“Okay. First of all,” I started. “I don’t brood.”
“I don’t want to fight. I had a really bad day.”
“Oh no! What happened?”
“Nessie. Don’t tease me.”
“This is the second time this month that I have had to drop what I’m doing, rush here from the Circle, and sit in this chair – awaiting to be informed of what a lousy guardian I am.” I straightened my cloak. “You can suffer my teasing.”
“Everybody’s overreacting! It wasn’t that serious!”
“Mhm.
“Nobody here can take a joke,” she grumbled. “Too bad their rich parents can’t buy the kids at this school a sense of humor.”
“Haley.”
“They’re so soft! I have to walk on eggshells around everyone!”
“Haley,” I tried again.
“And for being one of the ‘top performing Arcane Art academies in the world,’ this place is so behind! All the stuff we’re learning right now, you taught me and Griff when we were in freaking pull-ups!”
“Haley.” My stern voice came out. “You chased the headmasters’ son down the hall, with blood dripping from your hands. Whose blood, frankly, I’m scared to ask.”
“It was ketchup.”
“Well, they all thought it was blood. Probably because you were maniacally laughing and chanting, ‘I am blood mage, the madness calls for blood! I am blood-
I saw the lady at the front desk staring, the warmth draining from her face.
Damn it.
I smiled and waved. “Go Vampire Bats!”
She turned away, shaking her head.
“Great,” I hissed under my breath. “Now the front office at your expensive new school thinks I’m a blood mage. Friday’s PTA meeting is going to be a blast.”
“It was just a joke,” Haley muttered. “Everybody didn’t need to freak out.”
“Kiddo, you were frothing at the mouth.”
She threw her hands up, auburn curls bouncing around her freckled face.
“I already told them- it was soap!”
I blinked. “Soap?”
“Hand soap. The foaming kind, from the dispenser in the girl’s restrooms.”
I dragged a sweaty palm down my chin. “You poured soap in your mouth?”
“Sugar Citrus Breeze- blech.” She made a sour face. “Didn’t taste like sugar.”
“No, I don’t imagine that it would.” I sighed. “And you did this, willingly?”
“Yup,” she replied, popping her lips.
“To make it look like you were unhinged?”
“You’re always saying Dad’s problem is he can never commit to anything.” She looked me dead in the eye. “I committed.”
“I’ll be committed, if you keep this up. Between this charming, little stunt you pulled here today, and your brother terrorizing his classroom last week with the reanimated corpse of their beloved pet hamster -“
“It was a bunny.”
I rolled my eyes. “Whatever, bunny -“
“Sir Hops-a-lot, Duke of Carrotown.”
I sharply inhaled. “I can’t keep doing it, Haley. The Circle has been falling apart at the seams for weeks, now. You got to help me out.”
She looked away, her upper lip quivering. “… Sorry.”
I stared at the stress ball in my lap. Thin, purple fabric, all faded and torn. Yellow, stiff foam seeping out from decades old cracks. It had taken a lot of abuse in the last two months.
“So why’d you do it? “
She shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe I’m hormonal. Or I really am crazy.”
“Hormonal? Definitely. Crazy? Eh… too early to say.” I would tackle the topic of not calling people crazy another time.
“But I probably am. It runs in the family.” She frowned. “He started it. He’s always calling me a blood mage. Says I’m gonna turn Corrupt. Like Mom.”
Little bastard.
“You won’t.” I draped my arm over her. “I won’t let you. Either of you.”
She rested her head on my chest. “But if I did… would you still love me?”
I held her tight. “Yes. We’d just put a muzzle on you and carry on. We are Cowls. Like you said, it runs in the family.”
That was a great snippet! Kid #2 inherited your writing talent (or at least listened and applied your advice 😃). I can’t wait to read the rest of the story-that’s a good sign, right? I want to read more of the story! Kid#2 seems like she’s on the right path to be a successful author in her own right.
If I got called to the school because my nonexistent child did this, I would be laughing and it would be inappropriate. LOL.
At least Kid 2 was interesting. I mean, you have stories. If Kid 2 had gotten into run-of-the-mill trouble, you wouldn’t have them. You’d have been robbed. I congratulate you for having a well-beloved child with a well-fed imagination.
Omg that was hilarious! I love this and would totally read more! Fantastic! Muzzle and carry on!
cool, is the more?
She’s good, she’s very good! That snippet would definitely draw me in for a whole book. Lots of encouragement for Kid 2. The BDH will need to know, somehow, when her first book comes out.
I think it’s a good decision not to advertise the connection at first. Otherwise she’ll always be known as “Ilona Andrews’ daughter” rather than her own author brand…
Whereas if she’s able to establish herself and gain her own following, then if the connection is revealed after it can bring in new readers but not overshadow her.
The snippet was really excellent. It grabbed my attention and pulled me in which is what I look for in a book. Looking forward to finding their book when it is published.
Definitely the family sense of humor. I will look forward to her debut.
After reading that insert I would love to read the whole book if there is one. Well done. Loved it.
Now all of BDH will be foaming at the mouth (without using soap) to find her first book whenever it comes out. It will be like the most secret of treasure hunts, lol.
From her snippet I am looking forward to hopefully finding her books in the future. She’s got talent and I am always a sucker for a good story.
well definitely your child. It’s very good 👍
I wish her luck in starting out. Cool snippet.
Kid 2 has a lot of talent. Can’t wait to see where it takes her. I hope I find her books when the time comes. I am also very glad you all survived her childhood and teen years.
Thank you for introducing her work.
I would also like what name she’s going to write under as I can already tell I will likely be reading her books.
This snippet looks like the start of a series …
Well done baby Andrews
Luv it
Without description I can already visualize both characters
Thank you lots
Legit want the rest of this story
If you don’t want to promote Kid 2’s book that’s understandable but the snippet looked really good so please let us know when it comes out, title and author.
I would read that 🙂 🙂
well I definitely think she a good grasp of writing, this snippet is very interesting and made me want to read more of this story, she will most likely be a good writer and I look forward to seeing her books in the future.I will be keeping my eye 👁🗨 out for her own book release.
I also think that you are right in saying that you will help with getting Kiddo 2 an agent and staying in the background because this not the way of life choices (I’m lousy at communicating my ideas). She will know that was her blood sweat and hard work that got her started and not you giving her an easy road on your coattails.
Loved it Kid 2, thanks for sharing.
Great snippet, Always room at my house for more good books, my library isn’t full yet!
There is no such thing as a “full library” in my world 🤣🤣🤣
I am so happy to see that you are encouraging your daughter to make her own achievements. I had the opportunity for 10 years to influence whether my daughter won writing contests or got awards for other things. I didn’t do it.
There were people who said “teacher’s kid” when she won.things. But she always knew it was on her own merits, not my doing or even judging those years.
There were times she kost and her disappointme t broke my heart. She’s grown now and has achieved many things and has self assurance. She even published 3 books. Your daughter has talent and it’s good she gets her success on her own. Good for you
This is brilliant! So short and yet so fun!
I really hope Kid 2 will become successful on her own, best of luck to her!
I would very much read that story…kinda sad it isn’t a story…..ok, sad, I’m sad that I don’t get to read this as a story.
go kid 2! I commend you for following your heart and writing passion.
Love it! I’d read it!
Love it, hope to read her book in the near future. I like her sense of humour and her punchy lines
Hey, that was good–it ended too soon! Thank you!
I would so read that story. I feel like I raised a version of that child.
Tfs. that was intriguing …
Okay, but…. I’d read that. Even if I didn’t know she was your daughter, if that was in the first chapter somewhere I’d be hooked.
I love it! Wishing kid 2 all the best!
sounds like something I would like to read sounds very very interesting
Love it!!! I understand the decision not to promote on your platform, but I wish I could keep an eye out for Kid 2’s work.
Great job! I really want to know what happens next, so definitely a success story.
Love it-I was sucked into the story! Exorcism you say?
i very much enjoyed kid 2’s snippet and wanted more of the story when i reached the end!
also, the Pouting of the Hoard on not being told kid 2’s name made me giggle a bit. i understand her wanting to make her own debut without added expectations when the time comes.
Love it!!!! Now I want to at least know kid#2’s name to be on the look out for her book.
This was great! Thank you! I loved the humor and then at the end..heart strings tugged… thanks again Kid 2!
What happens next???????
Well I gotta say. I can’t wait to stumble across her future work! I loved this snippet! Please tell her thank you so much for sharing with us! And I totally get it. People can be the worst sometimes…
That was sweet! I would like to read more of that!
So… will you at least let us know where we can find Kid 2’s book when it comes out?
” We’d just put a muzzle on you and carry on. ” PURE GOLD! I loved the entire snippet – it played like a movie in my mind, so strikingly visual! Talent obviously runs in the family. I hope I can figure it out when her book comes out – her whole voice just strikes a chord with me! Best of luck to her!
The snippet wasn’t enough…I need to read more of this story. Pretty please? I enjoyed it a lot, and can’t wait to see what Kid2 publishes. Thank you for sharing!
I have just become a subscriber; do I automatically become a member of the BDH or is that a separate issue?
You are one of us! One of us! One of us! 🤗
Welcome to the Horde!
I second Mod R’s welcome! Welcome, welcome, welcome! 🥳😎
Bravo for Kid2!!! Talent and potential: awesome.
Hard and wise choice as parents, to let her stand on her own.
Tell her “thank you for the snippet, now we wait for the book!”
Great snippet, Kid#2!! Best wishes on the publishing project! 📚📚📚
And, as we say in the theater – break a leg!!
I’m intrigued. I would pay to read more of that.
It drew me in, good job. Kid 2 has chops
That’s pretty good.
I wouldn’t mind reading the full book on that one.
Thanks for the tidbit!