![](https://ilona-andrews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Chapter-1.jpg)
This week Maggie is going out on submission, looking for a home among the traditional publishers. We have done all the things: the manuscript is finished and edited, the map is ready, the cast of characters is being finished up, and so on. Hopefully Maggie will find a home. If not, we will self publish.
Maggie now has its own page with the first few chapters. Welcome to the first look.
Great news!
Thank you!
oooh, nice!!! 🤞🤞🤞 looking forward to it either way!
I read the sneak peek this morning and now I want to stay up all night reading the rest of the book!!
Be careful! that’s how you get transported to another world 😉
…think of I read the Innkeeper REALLY HARD I’ll wake up there???
Wouldn’t visiting Gertrude Hunt be the best!? I like my odds for survival too.
I enjoy reading about all of IA’s worlds, but frankly, I wouldn’t last for three sentences in Kate’s world. My story might read, “She arrived. Something ate her. It burped.” My Maggie story might be even shorter…
Hahahahaha, only three sentences long? Hopefully, you gave it indigestion.
“She arrived. Something ate her. It burped… from indigestion.”
Yep, a much more compelling story -lol
To be fair, if Maggie weren’t magically undying, her story would have read, “She arrived. She tried to rob someone for startup cash. She got her throat slit and fell into the river.” Probably followed up by “Her corpse was eaten by the river monster. It burped.”
WooHoo!! Congrats!!
congratulations!!
Congratulations on finishing and good luck finding a home for Maggie.
Looking forward to reading about her and her adventures wherever she will be 🤗
+1! 🥳
Selfishly, I’m hoping for self publish (it’s quicker to publish in my head, but I’m not sure if that’s actually accurate), but I sincerely hope for whatever way brings the most money and least amount of stress to House Andrews! 🤗
+1 and so excited!
+1🥳
Congratulations! Always good to accomplish a major milestone.
It’s so good. Thank you!
Yay!! Thank you.
Hope you get the deal you desire (or better 😉)
Perfect treat for a Monday!
Congrats, I know it wasn’t easy
Yay, good luck!!
Jessie Mihalik?! I’m such a huge fan! 💕
Any publisher with a brain would want to publish a book with guaranteed sales from the BDH? It’s not like we’re a minor niche market.
+1
Yay! Congratulations.
This is gonna be so good. Best Isekai premise I have ever seen.
Cheering and yahooing! Cats are giving me The Eye.
Must w*it until I’m home to read the chapters. Must w*it. Must waaahhh!
There is no w*it, there is just Horde! Devourer give us strength 😀
Yes, devoured! It’s soooo good! Great to see snippets previously posted flushed out into complete chapters!! More please!!
Oh I did not know, that you pray to mighty Bel-Shamharoth 🙂
https://discworld.fandom.com/wiki/Bel-Shamharoth
Soooo good! Need more please!
Totally loved the 3 Maggie Chapters. Can’t wait to read the whole book!
Congratulations on completing your manuscript!
Wishing you a bidding war among the lucky publishers.
PS Thank you for the ‘first look’; you are too good to us.
I know this is going to be a rough ride of a book, but I can’t wait.
Hopeful, though! It’s not grimdark, just a more…wild ride 😀
As Belle says in Beauty and the Beast “Far-off places, daring swordfights, magic spells, a prince in disguise!” but with the Ilona Andrews signature twist cushions hehe.
I’ve always loved Belle! Probably because she loved to read too! 😄
Congratulations! Every new IA work is a major win for us all! So looking forward to discovering a new IA world!
I love it already! I’ve been really looking forward to it since I realized it was an isekai, and the first few chapters blew me away. Good luck!!
It’s not like I wasn’t already excited because this is exactly my jam, but my goodness now I am EXCITED. I will wait* patiently until it is published.
*read more webcomics
Thank you for the update and the snippet!!
I’m so happy! Now the big question is – do look at that first glance at Maggie’s world knowing if it is traditionally published it may be a long wait???
Oh, who am I kidding? I have no resistance as evidenced by how my budget goals are not even close to being met so far this year.
update: Just read the three chapters, such a mistake. How am I to w*it? Maggie is so good so far!
I’m trying to hold off
Do you feel that tug!! It’s me and I am well and truly hooked! I feel like a kid at bedtime wishing for just one more chapter.
Maggie!, Maggie!, Maggie! **BDH chanting**
+1+10000000
Wow! I love this set up! Very much looking forward to it! Congrats!
Omg, I’m dying to read the whole thing! So excited!
The excerpt was so addictive. I would love to read more Maggie.
I hope you get a publishing deal that is fair. If you self publish or not, TAKE MY MONEY.
I am so happy for this. Especially noticing ‘the 1st book’. Yes, you all should be able to get a publisher immediately. IMO. As a quite picky reader.
1st Look. L not B. I thought the same at first.
Publishers would be fools not to jump on this.
I look forward to seeing it in print, so I can read the rest of it.
I had an utterly trash Monday and to end the day devouring these Maggie chapters have made my heart so incredibly happy. Thank you House Andrews for turning my frown upside down! You have helped my teeth unclench and my shoulders relax. I’m so excited to read Maggie’s story!!!
Yay!!!!!
There should be a battle among the publishing houses to see who gets to publish it, not whether it gets published.
Oooooo.
I’m picturing a large ring (ala Mad Max), filled to the brim with mud and publisher reps.
Ding, ding, DING!!
ooh, definitely buying when the time comes.
Wow! Utterly hooked! Best of luck with publication ! I love it from snippets and these chapters… look forward to escaping into it!
Aiiyaaargh!! Want!! Want NOW!! Impatience pain in brain!! Arghh!!!
As long as you promise to not portal any of us to this world for real.
Congratulations!! Keeping my fingers crossed that the publishers jump on this because the excerpt is amazing and I need the whole book in my greedy hands now!
WOW! I can’t wait to read the whole book! I’ve loved the snippets and so happy for you both that it’s finished and ready to publish!
Thank you for the privileged of the 1st look!
Whee! I love this book. Please universe have someone buy it for a ton of money and publish it by the Summer Solstice! Not gonna happen I know, but I can dream. I also have a ton of questions, most of which will be answered when the book comes out. Looking forward to having my curiosity appeased.
I for one have all the faith!
I know that I will enjoy it and that it will give me all the feelings.
Thankyou so much!!!
This is so good! I’m really torn because it’s probably easiest for you to go with a traditional publisher, but I keep thinking that means it will be over a year before we get to see the final product, vs a quick timeline with self publishing. Ah, well, we have Roman to tide us over, I guess.
We get many goodies, because we are beloved 😀
Promises great things. I will await the pre-order notice. Patiently, even.
Amazing. Love it thank you. Of course she saved the critter too !,And the tea scene you previously posted 🫖😁
I read the first two chapters – just thrilling. And so real!! I’m so excited for this book!!
Hopefully the potential publishers know there are a bajillion of us in the BDH who will hit “purchase” asap and as a result don’t mess with it too much in the conventional publishing process. Just saying.
(Code for: Bid for it. Publish it. We will come.)
Thank you very much. Really enjoyed it!!!!!!
Maggie for the WIN!!!!
Hope you get a good deal at the publishers, or self publish, either is good for me, just needs to be good for you too.
Two questions.
Have you thought of doing a kickstarter like Brandon Sanderson? None of my business but the BDH would blast it though the roof.
Do you have any plans to write The Rise of Kair Toren? We’d buy that one as well.
Thanks for providing the “First Look”! I was hooked on the snippets you have been sending out and reading the completed chapters has me even more excited for the complete book. I hope that you end up publishing whatever way is most beneficial and will (semi) patiently wait for Maggie’s release.
Oh, wow!
Darn, this book is going to be soooo good.
I am sure it will sell. The publication houses cannot be stupid enough to pass on Maggie when so *much* garbage goes out with their imprints on the covers.
I am glad to know that if the publishers are stupid, you have a plan to self publish.
Either way, I eventually get to read the whole book.
Thank you for the sample – and the story.
I am half excited Kermit the Frog and half gimme gimme gimme. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Take all the time you need, you guys rock.
I’m attached to Maggie already and am so looking forward to reading her book however it is published.
I need this. I had to call tech support to clean up my PC and just got off. Now I have a nice treat. Thank you.
This is freaking fabulous! Argh! It’s going to be forever before I can actually own it. Well, it’s good to have things to look forward to.
“Would I resurrect as sentient pig crap?” Hahahaaha, this line made me laugh out loud. Thank you for these chapters!
I cannot wait for Maggie to be published! I love the premise. How many times have readers wished they could somehow be part of a fantastic fictional world that they’ve read about? Well, now we get to see that from Maggie’s point of view. Oh gosh, I cannot wait for this to come out!
Yes, that’s exactly what it’s like! It reads like a love letter to fandom, and of course there are some “careful what you wish for, the danger!” moments, but it’s so squeeeeeeeeeeeeee and just COOL and kicking your feet in bed exciting!
Well, there is a popular manga titled something along the lines of “The Time I Was Reincarnated as Slime”. So anything is possible in the genre.
Congratulations and I hope you find a publisher smart enough to jump on it (I haven’t read the First Look yet but I know it’ll be fantastic). 🥰
Now off to read about Maggie – thank you!!!
That was awesome! I’ve enjoyed the rebirth stories on Tapas (my first intro to that style).
I know the BDH will buy it however you choose to publish it but can also understand wanting to attract readers who will eventually join your much beloved Horde.😄
Yes! Congrats! I hope some lucky publisher gobbles it up!
Maggie is wonderful, and I can see the nods to other Fantasy books and tropes. Best of luck HA, looking forward to the full treat when some smart publisher snatches this up!
That was really enjoyable! Best wishes finding a publisher. Will try to wait patiently and without whining. And many thanks for spicing up a dull Monday evening!
Thanks for sharing these chapters! I am liking spending time with Maggie already.
Good luck with the quest for a publisher!
Ooh!! More more more.
thank you thank you….
Hook successfully baited, for me at least. I cannot wait to buy this book. Trust you guys to turn what should be a ludicrous premise into something readable. Me of little faith did not believe you could redeem Hugh, and you did, and now you are turning a high school-level creative writing prompt into a best seller. Only you two. I amuse myself by imaging you saw something on social media, someone close to you made a forgettable comment about it that vaguely resembled a challenge, and you cracked your knuckles. Thank you for being you.
Yay! Just what need after a 12 hour trip from visiting friends and spending time with puppies being trained to be service dogs.
Puppies are great but exhausting. Driving is exhausting. Reading anything from HA is wonderful.
This will open up a whole new legion of the BDH. Just sayin’. Me and my demon cat are totally here for it, too.
Maggie the Undying is excellent! Truthfully, I actively dislike most portal fantasy, but this one has immediately grabbed my attention. I love the idea of obsessive reading turning into a super power, wonder why? LOL!
If traditional publishers don’t snap this up they are fools, but traditionally published or self-published the BDH will snap this up. We are not fools. 🙂
So exciting! I hope you find a publisher quickly!
I am excited to read more. It drew me right in!
Thanks!
Yesssssss I so hope this will go well ! I’m from the BDH for a reason after all 😀
wow, that was amazing! can’t wait to read more!
Woohoo!! Maggie!! 📚📚📚
And a map, to go with the chapters! 🗺️
OH MY GOD…
What a thrill!!!
When Maggie mentioned Netflix, I had to stop, go back and reread!!!!!
It is enthralling!!!
Can’t wait for the book to be published!!
Thank you for he treat!!!
Oh I’m so excited! Is there anything we can do to support you in the event that you self publish? Congratulations on finishing! Cheer cheer!
So excited for this! Hope all goes well for House Andrews and they get what they want as far as publishing/contracts, etc. Y’all are awesome!!
Thank you for the sampler. Of course I plan on buying it, the second you post it on your release schedule page. Loved your evocative phrasing. I know I’m going to enjoy the book. I enjoy how both of your minds work together to produce NOMS for my reading pleasure.
Wow! So good!
Whoever will publish it, I will buy it.
No discussion
😊💫
Can’t wait to read this in whatever form it gets to us. Good luck with the submission!
New worlds to conquer.
Amazing magical adventures to be had.
New heros with new villins to crush.
House IA gifts 🎁 to the BDH are always amazing and soooooooooo worth the wait.
so good! thank you for sharing. I would be surprised if a publisher passed on this. the last portal Fantasy I read was the land of stories, which was very popular. of course there is Narnia. I feel like the target audience, beyond the BDH, would have enjoyed these other books as teens and tweens. I wonder if there is a way to promotionally target these folks when the book releases
i was going to go to bed (9.25pm in Newcastle Australia) but saw this and went nope, not happening, have to read
Wonderful news.
Fantastic news, thanks!
I can’t wait! I’ve loved every single snippet and now these first few chapters! Congratulations!
This was a wonderful start to the story. I’m already hooked. Can’t wait to buy.
so wonderful, but now im having a terminator complex moment
Maggie knows what she knows because she read the books. But if she’s using that knowledge, will it change what will happen in the books, as things will be different now that she’s in the story??
Technically it can’t as they’re already written…but…oooo head hurts thinking about it
(hopefully it will change things otherwise poor Reynald 🙁 )
I’m rooting for Reynald already 😉
There’s always cause & effect. Some sequence might not change – because choices, but some could potentially change.
Looking forward to seeing Maggie in print.
That is why there was no final book to be found in the real world no matter how long Maggie waited for it – I guess she was needed in the story?
If I remember correctly, the last book of the series was never written. So all the various characters might have a turnabout.
Just send a link for this blog to all the publishers and they will KNOW that Maggie will sell very well thanks to the BDH 😃
I can’t wait. I hope it get published soon! I love all your other books, and this one looks to be just as wonderful.
Wishing you all the best on whatever format works best for you and this book 💐
Brilliant! I can’t wait. I hope you have to beat off the publishers.
I love it!
Sidenote- was the jump from chapter 2 to 5 just to draw us in more? Since… it worked.
🙂
I wondered about jumping to chapter 5 also.
I would buy and devour this book right now if I could.
I made the mistake of trying to eat lunch while reading though. very descriptive!
I know the hope is that a traditional publisher will expand your reach and readership. Can you negotiate terms in your contract for certain marketing actions and expenditures?
As noted in a previous post, the profit difference per book for self- published versus traditionally published is shocking to me, almost highway robbery.
I hope it was works out to your benefit. You deserve it!
This is like the Roman snippets. When the chapters get interesting, the reading stops. Nooooo!
I needed this after a very not so great night last night. Thank you.
No matter who publishes the book, the Horde will be there hovering over the “buy now” links. Then to all who will listen will proclaim “Did you know Ilona Andrews has a new book out? It’s called Maggie The Undying. It’s so good! You should read it.” 😀
Wonderful! Thanks for the sneak peek.
Good luck with the publishing houses, if they had any brains they’d be stalking you! Can’t wait for the new book!
Thanks for another great story.
The reader waking up in the story is wonderful. HA makes the best new worlds, and they are all my favorite rereads.I can’t wait to get my hands on it.
Thank House Andrews
This is wonderful news !!!! Congratulations !!!
This very appreciative and grateful BDH member is caught between gibbering omg,omg,omg over and over, drooling a lot and behaving like a camp school riot chanting WE WANT MORE, WE…you get the picture. I love Maggie the undying. Thank you, great job beloved House Andrews.
I love that Maggie is a member of a BDH, although her authorlord is much less prolific than HA. It made me wonder what places in HA’s worlds would be equally horrific for the BDH to find themselves in. The Mire in The Edge? Unicorn Lane or Mishmar in Kate Daniel’s? Kolinda in The Innkeeper Chronicles? I can’t think of any place comparable in Hidden Legacy, can you?
The Pit
I forgot about the former Jersey Village AKA the Pit. Yes, that would definitely be a terrible place to find yourself. Thanks for the reminder.
OMG! It`s so good!! 😀
Can`t wait for more!
I love the 3 chapters that have been published already and can’t wait to get my hands on the finished book. Thank you for the hard work you put into all your projects. Stay healthy and Best wishes
Love the premise! A book-nerd’s fantasy! Really looking forward to reading the whole thing!
Love this! Thank-you!
“sentient pig crap” made me snort my tea!
Hooray! Hope the process goes well for you, on your end — we’re just eager to read, as ever. 😀
Good luck!
Question: if the book winds up being traditionally published, when would you anticipate it actually being available? And if it’s more than a year or two in the future, is it worth waiting (for you, I mean, not us…)?
Oh My Goodness!!!! Thank you!!!!!
Can’t wait!!!!
You are so good to us!
I’m really looking forward to reading the entire novel. I’m already invested.
Really good as usual HA! I can see myself memorizing these three chapters until the book comes out.
I reread Roman several times so why not?
Congratulations on completing the manuscript. 🥳
AAAAAHHH…*deep breath…..AAAAH
I love isekai fantasy. Major laughs at the whole reborn-as-a-noble-lady-being-doted-on-by-icy-hero trope mention. Love it :))
👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Please, please,PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
Also, I love that title!! Echoes of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever.
Incredible…..What a way to start my morning. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Best of luck to House Andrews in getting this published, and soon, so we fans can revel in the whole thing.
We are a truly beloved BDH! The three chapters you gifted us are wonderful. So excited to read the whole book!
Wishing you a speedy and advantageous deal for this and subsequent Maggie books!
Thank you for the snippet. I’m so looking forward to giving you a bag of money for the rest of the book.
Wonderful! Thank you! As others have said, I hope you all get all the $$$, and eager publishers!
I will buy it when it comes out!
Congrats for the book’s completion! I have read every book you guys have written and every book was wonderful.
I’ll buy it, whatever form and from whomever sells it.
You are too good.
I look forward to reading it.
Best of luck with the publishers!
Thanks for the preview. Love the twist and am so excited to see the story play out. Not for nothing, I just want to acknowledge how much HA product is rolling out. The graphic adaptation of Clean Sweep, the GA edition of Sweep of the Heart, Roman (sigh), and now the knowledge Maggie is on its way. Woohoo, thanks HA!!
Can’t wait to read more about Maggie! What an original concept – a portal fantasy where the main character already knows a lot about the place she’s been thrown into. I am looking forward to a new series that I will love reading – but I’m also greedy for more books in your existing series. Bottom line is that I love anything you write!
Such a great read!
The third book was never published because she writes it by living the story…of course I am wrong because I never guess correctly!
I don’t care how this gets published, I will buy it, and I hope it’s 900 pages long.
Agree completely.
I read the first chapters of Maggie and cannot wait for the book to be released!
Truly a wonderful excerpt.
Wow! That is amazing!
Oooooo, HOORAY!!!
🥳🥳🥳
Love it!
I love being in at the Beginning of a new AuthorVerse. I came to the Blog late and new books have been set in known universes for me since then.
Re: Maggie’s Universe: I know that snippets are just snapshots of book lives. But I’m very interested in how the AL dealt with Maggie becoming an Information Broker because she’s read the books and what happens if her information changes something in the books. Probably she has plans to do something else because otherwise, she’s going to put herself out of business!
Looking forward to the Book. Thx for the chapters to get us salivating.
Congratulations on another milestone, and what an awesome result we see so far! This is SOOOOO good!!!
Only three chapters, and I already love Maggie! I picture her as a member of the BDH, caught up in a beloved (and much re-read) series…what a great concept!!!
I don’t just identify with Maggie, I feel like I really KNOW her and I know how she feels because it’s how I’d feel. I’d be at once confused and scared out of my mind, but I think I’d quickly and pragmatically find my courage to use what I could to survive, then I’d find great power in the knowledge I possessed.
So now we wait. I (like every other member of the BDH) will try very hard to be patient…but it’s not going to be any easier this time. Maggie is one of our own, we feel very protective of her, and we want to see how this turns out!! 😁
Best of luck with the publishers. I hope they know what a treasure they are potentially being given access to and as a result do right by HA!
Yay! Congratulations and good luck!
The book I didn’t know I needed…I can’t wait! and I fully support if you self publish!!!
I gave him a big, bright smile.
When I read the last line in Chapter 5 all I could think of regarding Maggie’s assets was “good teeth”. The places your brain goes.
Well…😁 you’ll see.
***scream!*** So excited for you!
Please tell them you have a hoard of folks waving our money in the air who desperately want to buy it 😁😁😁
I, a member of the horde as well can attest to this fact!!
Oh thank you for sharing this!! What an phenomenal way to start the day. (**Note to self: Do not ever intensively reread fantasy series.**)
Too late! 😂
Amagerd, I want to read that book now. So bad.
Wow. Loved it! Thanks for the Maggie chapters. Here’s hoping along with the others that traditional publishers snap it up quickly (or whatever route to publication that works best for you). 😀
I am a combination of the seagulls from finding Nemo, Veruca Salt, and Golem. I wish you the most lucrative path but can’t help hoping soonest too.
Ha! I got so into this I didn’t pay attention to chapters. I got to reading and all of the sudden I went What?! I looked back and realized there was a gap in chapters. Silly me! It was a wonderful start and I want to know what happened between chapters two and five…and of course the rest of the story. Thank you for writing!❤️
Well I’ll buy it! Loved the various options she comes up with for her transferrance, and how she wound down through super magical being, important person, not so important person’s sister, to maid or chamber pot emptier… someone puhleeeeese. Just not her naked self… can’t wait
So excited for a new book and a new world.
Darn. It’s bad enough to be addicted to stories by Ilona, now he daughter looks to be just as good? The BDH is going to go ballistic! Hopefully, Maggie will find a publisher quickly!
Just to clarify any potential confusion, Maggie the Undying *is* written by Ilona and Gordon (aka Ilona Andrews), not by Kid 2 🙂
Awesome! I’m so excited!
Wow. Thanks HA for taking risks and trying something new! Very much looking forward to reading the entirety of Maggie, whether traditionally published or self published.
I truly hope Maggie is recognized and picked up!! I do believe this story could bring tons of new readers to the horde and usher in a very unique chapter to house Andrews!
So good!!!! I can’t wait till it is published!
Cannot wait to read the whole thing!
I have been reading litrpg and isekai for years, the genre needs Ilona Andrews!
cant wait to order! yummy new book! 😁
I am so happy for this! Yesss!
So um…. Maggie is fantastic. Please take all my money. 💰 I have to know how this book ends.
Wow! Can’t wait! Please self publish cause it might be a year or more before it comes out the traditional way.
Gaahhh! So excited!!
The first two chapters are so good that I didn’t even allow myself to read Chapter five because I know I won’t survive my impatience to read more. I’m pretty ignorant about this type of situation, but I can’t help but think it could possibly take a year or so before it’s out. I completely understand if that’s the case, my weird brain just likes knowing the amount of patience required lol. I know there’s a lot of variables, but I’m wondering if a year from now is a realistic ballpark-worst-case-scenario-release-date? I hope it’s okay to ask this, and I apologize if I somehow missed the fact that this question was previously asked and answered.
It can take up to a year, yes. It’s more about printing queues and schedules with a traditional publishing house, even if most of the work on the book is done. It will all depend on what happens next, so let’s hope the manuscript meets publishing people who match the Horde excitement! 🙂
Holy Moly.. I never expected to hear from you, I know how busy you are, I was just kind of hoping another BDH member would take pity on me lol. Thank you so much for your reply, I really appreciate everything you do! 🥰
This is so exciting!!! I was thrilled when they first started dropping snippets that it looked like it was going to be an isekai, and it is great to see how some of those early snippets fit into the context of the first few chapters now (I definitely remember her finding lodging and the conversation at the teahouse). Portal fantasy/isekai is one of my favorite genres these days (thank you, webcomic addiction) and I can’t wait to see my favorite authors tackle it. I loved the “I knew how this was supposed to go” explanation of the genre — absolutely hilarious, and she nailed it perfectly.
Looking back on the blog, I don’t see the other snippets for Maggie? I think there was a conversation with somebody dangerous and there was also a scene of her hiring people. Did all the previous snippets get taken down, or am I just bad at searching?
I can’t wait for this to come out whether it is traditionally published or self-published!
Yes, the previous snippets were from before the latest editing round, so they have been archived to avoid confusion and having different versions of the same thing floating around 🙂 . You are not bad at searching.
Can I just say how DELIGHTFUL that was? I had read all of the snippets you had given us and was still pleasantly suprised by the premise you laid out. I was always going to buy it, but I found myself going to reopen that book I had started because I can’t shake the feeling of wanting to know more. Congratulations on finishing what looks to be another fantastic book and I can’t wait to buy it. Short term me wants you to self publish so I have it faster, but long term me will wait patiently for whatever works best for you. Good Luck!
Looks good!!! Count me as a will buy.
wow well done for getting to this point. first chapters were already different from what i expected…. but wow looking forward to more.
An isekai! I hope it gets published soon! I enjoyed all the snippets I’ve read of it.
Can’t wait to buy this series!
I really, really do like Maggie. Thank you very much, I’m hoping you’ll find a good publisher.
Hey ModR, the sniped goes from chapter 2 to 5. No chapter 3 or 4!!!!
I know 🙂
::walks away, the sound of MWAHAHAHA becoming increasingly distant::
I am all in…can’t wait!
Looking foward to reading this book. It’s already grabbed my attention, good luck with the publishers!
I’m torn. I want you to have great publishing success, but I also know publishers sometimes hold onto complete books for up to a year just to fit it in some bs “schedule” and self-publishing is much faster.
I found myself making a reminder to give the book a good review on Amazon to help sales and realized, “I am not just throwing my money at them, I am trying to throw other people’s money at them too”. But then they would have the world of the BDH to explore so it is a Win-Win! All the ripper-cushions will be good! Unlike in the world of Kair Toren, where it looks like the third book is being written…
Excited!!
Love her already!! Can’t wait!
Mom and adult daughter here who both purchase, read and re-read everything House Andrew’s writes. Such grateful thanks for the hours of
escapism. We have both enjoyed the Zoom parties as well.
Exciting news!!! So happy that you’ll self-publish if need be, so we’ll get it no matter what!
How amazing! Thank you for the excerpts.
just read the 3 Maggie chapters posted. I thought I could hold out to the book. I failed. I am so excited by the future book and so sad that it will not be soon!
Oh my freaking goodness! Take my money already so I can keep reading!!! 😆
Day-um. Nice angle on “special powers in portal fantasy”, not one I’ve seen before. And I see what you mean about it being grittier than your usual. I’m still planning on buying it :-).
Wow!!!
I am so glad that you decided to write Maggie’s story. And thankful that you shared a few chapters with us. We will all be “patiently” waiting for this to get published!
Ooooh fantastic news! I can’t wait!
I should have held off on reading the chapters, but as usual, I couldn’t resist your tempting morsels. And now I NEED it. Has this already been edited? (Sorry, I can’t remember all your timelines. If so, ignore me.). Im voting for whatever gets you the most money, but my selfish side wants whatever will get Maggie published the fastest lol.
Yes, it has been through rounds of edits, but depending on which publishing house picks it up, they might want to have in-house editing as well 🙂
I cannot wait to get my hands on the entire book!
Not me coming back here to comment because I was literally SHRIEKING reading the first chapters of Maggie!!! AGH SO GOOD! So SMART. So clever! I can’t wait to read this book! Any publisher who doesn’t pick it up is INSANE. It’s *exactly* what’s going to be popular right now. Itsakai is such a popular anime genre and to READ such a smartly done version of it?! How many times have we all wished we could leap into our favorite books and yet know we probably wouldn’t last a day? And that’s what she’s DOING!! Omg omg omg
Don’t even care that I sound insane right now I’m so EXCITED
That was delicious. I enjoyed it immensely and was cracking up at all the descriptions of portal fantasy character attributes Maggie did not get. I cannot wait to read this.
Best wishes for the sale of your dreams!
I am so sorry, guys, but I feel comfortable enough on here to show my ignorance and ask for help.
What is “isekai” or whatever?
What is “Ltpg” or whatever.
I see that all the time on Amazon and have no clue. So I tend to avoid those books.
Thank you and sorry to have to ask.
They are both literary genres 🙂 , with similar elements, but not necessarily the same. Maggie is isekai, but not LitRPG, for example.
Isekai simply means “another world.” The term comes to us from Japanese folklore, as Asian fantasy works from this genre are popular at the moment, but it’s been around forever. The Wizard of OZ, Narnia, Alice in Wonderland, any story where the protagonist is either reincarnated or transported into a new world is technically an isekai. A note here that time travel usually doesn’t get categorised, as the world does need to be “Other”- different rules, not just our world at a different point in history. A bit more info: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isekai
LitRPG– short for “literary role playing game”, it combines the conventions of computer or table-top role playing games with fantasy or isekai (transdimentional/ portal travel). In LitRPG, game systems or game-like challenges form an essential part of the story, and visible games stats are a significant part of the reading experience. Typically, the main character in a LitRPG novel is consciously interacting with the game interface or game-like world and attempting to progress within it, increase skills and inventory, choose classes, fulfill quests for reward chests etc. Premises can be something like: the aliens have taken over the world, changed our reality perception and made us all compete for stats. Or a massive online virtual reality platform gets a virus, and the players are all trapped “living” in the game only. Then the characters are off and their story takes place within those constraints. There are of course, several subgenres, and you can get cosy LitRPGs, foodie LitRPGs, battle-focused, character progression, building a safe base and so on.
They are relatively new/indie genres at the moment, so definitions are still settling and details are negotiated upon, but this is the wide gist. Hope it helped and you give one a try from now on 🙂
Thx
(Love your work)
I don’t really have work, but thanks! 🙂
Good examples of LitRPG are the Jimanji movies.
I don’t think so, not quite 🙂 . They aren’t even a portal fantasy, as the game comes to our world rather than the other way around (until the later movies at least).
There is no progression or stats, and the characters don’t really interact with the game interface. They just learn the patterns and try to survive though them.
And more importantly, because they’re movies, and the “Lit” stands for “literary”. But as I said, details about the genre definitions are still being ironed out in very heated debates by specialists, so this is just my understanding 🙂
I hope you end up with the best publishing deal, but I’ll be purchasing it however it’s published. And in this case it’s not because it was written by Ilona Andrews — it’s because you managed to get me completely hooked with those three chapters.
Congratulations!! Looking forward to it, however you can get it published.
Ermahgerd ermahgerd ermahGERD!!!!! I looooove it.
Awesome Teaser, can’t wait for the book to be published or self-published! I went back to read the other teasers or posts in the world of Maggie. I found “clover”, I thought there was one more about a knight looking for his brother and she told him basically, leave him alone with the monks for now, he is suffering from PTSD. I couldn’t find it and wondered if it was removed.
Several previously-shared snippets have been removed, as they were from a previous version of the manuscript. I know how much that PTSD fragment meant to readers, so I can reassure you that it is still in the book, only in an even more polished edit 🙂
there is a similar Moment in Lord of the Rings. Everyone loves to read great adventures, living in one?! noooo thank you, no wounds, no running for my life, no starving, Just no. i Like Internet, Cars and absolutely no Monsters, thank you. still can Not w*IT for this!!! p****tly or otherwise. but with Maggie i am rethinking my rereading practice.
It’s so good. I can’t wait till it comes out. Fingers crossed for soon.
I’m not seeing chapters 3 and 4. Are they supposed to be missing? I love the story so far but i was so confused wondering who Solentine was.
Yes, it’s on purpose- it’s a first look, we can’t find out too much 😉
This sample was so good! I am loving the harsh reality medieval feel the book is projecting. Can’t wait to buy when published
“I will be right here waiting for you” *in my Richard Marx voice*
I know I wouldn’t last 24 hours in any of my favorite books. This was amazing! I can’t wait to read the entire book.
Thank you!!
I have this image in my head of you guys sitting by a fire brainstorming how to subvert fantasy tropes in the craziest ways. what do you mean no inns???! the explanation is so wild but makes so much sense. I want this book like yesterday. but I will wait patiently for it to get a deal because it will.
because in a sea of sci romantasy young adult bullshit a seriously original, sooooo well written and interesting fantasy story like this will turn heads big time.
I have been reading fantasy recently. so I noticed those subverted tropes even more because the normal way it’s done is s clear in my head. You write books the way no one else does. You are one of my favorite authors for a reason I can’t wait till the world meets this book.
I love maggie. I love the new world already even though it’s scary and terrifying and I’m so worried for her. I am literally crying right now you guys. Anyone that rejects this book will regret it. Can’t wait.
+1000! Totally agree
I am fully obsessed! I want the rest right now, and I cannot wait for the release!
It’s so good, HA❤️
When you mentioned an unfinished series after 2 books, i immediately thought of Patrick Rothfuss. His unfinished series is a partial masterpiece, and I wonder if that was your inspiration?
There’s no *specific* inspiration, just the fandom yearn for sequels and series closures 🙂 . Maggie is a love letter to fandom, in many ways, and has identifiable call-outs to many feelings we experience when we get attached to works of art and entertainment. You’ll see 😉
I WANT IT! I WANT IT RIGHT NOW!
Ilona Andrews, you’ve done it again!
Hey Mod R, how long is Maggie? Is this 10%? 20%?
Oh, she dummy thicc, as we used to say in 2015 :D. All the humps in the trunks! Maggie is over 130 k words long in current form, so no, all this richness isn’t EVEN 10% of it.
Loads to devour there! I tentatively want to say it’s the longest Ilona Andrews book yet, but things might change with a traditional contract.
this is so unbelievably exciting!! I can’t wait to snarfle that book whenever and however it comes out
I’m watching those cdrama’s too. Can’t wait for more Maggie.
Read the chapters provided. Excellent. I would buy it right now even if it was just stapled together. Hopefully main stream publishers won’t censor anything.
The start is awesome!! lol, I want to read all of it, right now. Today!! XD
Wow! This is not a direction I thought the book would go. I’m very excited to hear the rest of the story. it’s been a long time since I read one of the “transported to another world” stories and I know House Andrews will make it VERY interesting.
I hope that the depth that you have had to plumb for the richness of the world was fun and challenging. An exciting new genre to explore.
thank you!!
I look forward to reading ‘Maggie’. To resolve all the plot twists in one book will be fascinating reading.
Thank you!!!🙏
I love the story already. Thanks. I can hardly wait till it comes out.
Love it! Take my money please 🙂
I’m hooked! Please let us know as soon as we can preorder it.
I’m going to read it and I will hopefully love it. I am not a fan of the current focus in dystopian books, because depressing and hopeless isn’t all that appealing for me. if anyone can do it well, it would be you two.
I wouldn’t really call it depressing- well, obviously triggers differ and people can be thrown into depression by various things. But in either genre or tone, it’s a book with a hopeful outlook, not grimdark. It’s a world that reveals its rougher spots and history more readily than ours, but there is justice to be had, and understanding, love, people who want to help.
And someone I like to call Bacon Guy. How bad can it be if there’s bacon? 😀
Yesssss!!!! I just read the chapters and I can’t wait! So good!
Gimme, gimme, gimme! I read the first two chapters, saw it skipped to the 5th and pried myself away, cause I don’t want to skip ahead, I will anxiously await the book to then devour it 😃
For some reason this did not appear on my FB until today. So glad you are ready to have it published!
Oh em geeeee. Maggie may be undying, but I am not! I am dying bc I need to read it ALL. RIGHT. NOW!! 😂
OMG I AM HOOKED!!! AAAAAAAAA I can’t wait!
after I read the excerpt, to quote Maggie’s, I think I lost my marbles..🤣🤣🤣
*delighted squeals past midnight*
Thank you! And thank you for sharing! Very excited for a new book. V E R Y Excited!
Wow! I can’t wait to read the whole book!
I am going to read the hell out of this.
Such a unique story line. It is really captivating.
Love this! Somebody—Take My Money!!!
So exciting!! I just read the chapters and AHHH it’s so so good. Really looking forward to this masterpiece’s release
Wow, I feel so impressed and excited. I loved those chapters! a book within a book, the intrigue and tension is amazing. I love that the character is from our world, it’s very grounding in the midst of the new world. Her memory of the world is very impressive.
Hehehehehehe.
Not half as impressive as when the BDH gets going with the details 😀
This was absolutely awesome. I look forward to reading in full.
Oh wow!!! That looks like it’s going to be such a wonderful read! Congrats to you!
I’m curious how you decide which ones to publish traditionally, and which ones to publish indie.
I loved everything I read! I hope you publish this series in the way that makes it the right combination of wildly profitable, artistically satisfying to you and your readers and generates the best quality of life for you guys! Perhaps a bit of a selfish bit for me as tge better it works for you tye more books for me! I will however cough up retail money whichever way you publish. Thank you for keeping us ( me , me the BDHer) in the loop and for the the chapters!
Thank you!! I loved it and can’t wait to read the whole thing.
Another book I can’t wait to read. I hope it is picked up in days.
Thank you and good luck!
Ok I’m hooked. Hope it gets published soon
It just occurred to me George R.R Martin would adore have adored the world of Kair Toren. He always liked grey characters and killing off favorites so you could feel the death
I had to Google him real quick to make sure he was still alive with all the past tenses! To anyone else worried- GRRM is still among us, he has not gone to the big Iron Throne in the sky.
More! More! More! Waiting impatiently! I loved Maggie Undying! Congratulations on another successful series to come.
Hi ModR, cab you point out where the snippets for Maggie are? I couldn’t find it.
Hey Harshi, here is the direct link 🙂 https://ilona-andrews.com/maggie-the-undying/ – it’s available if you click on the words “Welcome to the first look” in the blog post above.
This is killing me. Please can this be published soon? It’s an awesome story – can t wait. You guys are just the best
Looooove this already, can’t wait to read the rest! Thank you for the snippets. Greedy me wants it now now now!
Well done on finishing and thank you for the excepts. What are your reasons for going the traditional publishing route as I understood you were done with it? Self publishing allowing you more freedom over your writing schedule?
I read and reread and reread…
Every hour or so I revisit Maggie… Can’t wait for the book,series etc etc….
Obsessed….
And happy as a clam for chapters 1,2 and 5…
perhaps 3 and 4 at a later date???? pretty please with all the cherries on top???? 😀
Congratulations and I hope it finds a good home.
Did you mean to post chapter 5 instead of 3?
Yes 🙂
Ahh, major spoilers therein, eh? Disorienting, but it makes sense. *Sigh* I’ll just have to wait until it’s published…
Loved the first look: immediate immersion courtesy of HA.
Your post sent me down the rabbit hole of how many books sold would be a success and the benefits of traditional publishing versus self-publishing. What benefits are you looking for along the traditional route? Marketing for a broader reach outside your established BDH base? More print access?
Your answers are all in this post 🙂 https://ilona-andrews.com/blog/all-the-maggie-questions/
Both of the reasons you enumerated- discoverability, print, easiness for getting into libraries and stores.
OMG!!! Maggie HAS to find a home soon because I am over here panicking for her (lol)! Must know what happens next! This will definitely be one that gets devoured. Fantastic job!!
So exciting!
Ahhh! Just read the excerpt chapters and they are wonderful!! So excited to be able to get my hands on this book once it is available. VERY different to your norm and very enjoyable. Cannot wait!!
SOOOO excited to read the entirety of Maggie’s book!!! I hope the publishers are smart enough to snap this up, but I will selfishly be so excited if you end up self-publishing because then we get it sooner. Either way, allow me to throw money at you in exchange for the world’s best stories!!!
Congrats!!! I’m so glad you went ahead with this. Fingers crossed! Can’t wait to read the whole baby!
OMG, I’m already hooked and salivating for more 🥹 Ty for the snippets and big congrats!
I already love this, and can’t wait to read the rest. It was just a little bit diabolical of you to end it where you did.
Hi! So excited to read this when published (in whatever form!). Just to say @Mod R that the first look link for me goes Chapter 1, Chapter 2 and then jumps to Chapter 5 (skipping 3 & 4). Don’t know if intentional but if not thought I’d mention it!
Oops have now read an earlier comment by you confirming it’s to not show too much – ignore this one!
It is on purpose 🙂
Whoo-hoo! Total yumfest. Thanks for sharing, since it could be a while with traditional publishing. Its a cool ‘what if’, but I hope it never happens to me;-)
Oh wow, what a great teaser, what a great concept. (repeats “patience is a virtue” as many times as it takes)
Whee!
Thank you!
Thank you for another fascinating world and fully realized people. Any publishing house will be blessed to have House Andrews.
Dear Mod R, please try to let us know when (NOT if) Maggies sells. You know, one of your informational blog posts like a new audio book or whatever. Just so we can have an idea of when to start looking forward to Maggie the book.
Of course, as soon as there is official information, it will be announced on the blog and on the socials, and plastered all over the Release Page and featured page! All the good places- the purpose is not to hide the book or info about it away from the readers, I promise! Cross my heart and hope to Cherny.
All efforts are going the other way, making the process transparent and the book as accessible as widely as possible 🙂
So good! I already love it and I want to follow Maggie on this adventure. I wish many, many, many readers have the chance to discover the book. It promises to be great, Can’t wait to have it in my hands and pet it.
I need a newly released book like the one Maggie read when she was 16, one that keeps my mind off of a recent break up!
Maybe something in the recommended read category will catch your interest? 🙂 https://ilona-andrews.com/category/blog/recommended-read/
Hi Everyone, I read the first chapters and I am in awe! It is a brilliant premise, fantastic. I am looking forward to spend a whole night reading it. I know I will start reading and not be able to put it down until it is finished.
Thank you for the three chapters! I don’t know if that’s the place to say this but I just need to you that I went to read the available of Maggie The Undying and from the first lines, after reading THAT title, I kept thinking “Mmm, House Andrews wouldn’t not give a cool power to their main character, I wonder what that might be.” without even slightly guessing it until I reached the second chapter. Not my smartest moment…
Not surprising that HA has yet another captivating storyline waiting to be devoured by the BDH. Add me to the list of hungry readers impatiently waiting for it’s release.
I wasn’t sure if I could say “I have read all of Ilona Andrews books” so I searched this webpage and found yet another little gem, “A small blue key”. Having a poor memory allows me to go back and re-read whole series of books over again and find new meaning in each adventure.
Keep up the great work!
Can’t wait to read the rest of Maggie the Undying. Great premise and a scary world to enter. Thanks so much for sharing these chapters.
I loved these chapters. Can’t wait to read the book.
Is Maggie metafiction?
How are you able to make me enjoy metafiction?
OMG. Cannot wait!
Wonderful. Can’t wait to read the whole book. Best of luck.
that was so good. fingers crossed that it gets picked up by the traditional route as hoped.
Looking forward to seeing this in print.
I am so excited to get this book eventually in my hands. I read the few chapters provided and am HOOKED. First thought when I finished the fifth “third” chapter was that I’m throwing money at this as soon as it is available.
Ugh, I’m hooked! Can’t wait!
Is there a reason we jump from chapter 2 to chapter 5? Maybe it is explained somewhere and I missed it?
Sorry! Should have read through all the comments first!
Oh man, it’s amazing and just what I needed for today. It’s been a long week. I thank you both whole-heartedly.
Ahhh, want more now!!!
Thank you, looking forward to the whole book!
I confess that I waited a long time to read this. Just wasn’t sure I’d like it and didn’t want to be disappointed. Just finished reading and I want the rest of it NOW!! Hopefully I’ll be able to read the entire book soon. Thanks.
Oh it’s so scintillating! Trad publishing here we come! Love the premise; your twist to the trope already has me ready for more yucks, action and romance!!! Can’t wait to read (and listen)!