State of House Andrews: the copyedits for the Fated Blades novella are finished. It came in at 45,000 words so double the typical novella length. I will post more once we have the cover.
Blog prompts, here we go.
Do you have a favourite meeting with a reader or reader interaction? Something that marked you or changed the way you did things?
Not a favorite, but something that fundamentally changed the way we handle signings. We were signing, I don’t remember where, and this lady came up for the table. She was already pale and when she got to the table, she didn’t say anything. She just kind of turned green and started sliding sideways and Gordon jumped up and caught her before she hit the floor. Apparently, she was very overwhelmed.
Just so you are aware, when you are at our signing table, we are watching you carefully in case you faint.
Have you ever thought about creating your own book covers?
I can make a serviceable cover, but you know what? Professional artists are still better.
Do you carry around an idea notebook, or have a folder on your phone for when you’re out and about. Do you ever write by hand? Stationary goodies you like to have?
No. But I do have a relatively sticky brain. Stuff is retained well until I can get to the computer and write it in a file. Like this:
“You can rest assured, my lord, that if you are going to kill me, my death won’t spark a blood feud. My murder will elicit no grief or rage in anyone from House Martel. However, they will care about the political ramifications, which is why if you decide to dispose of me, my death cannot be accidental. It must happen during a battle with the enemies of the kingdom, and it must be public and glorious. I must die a heroine, my lord. My brother will garner sympathy as he publicly mourns his courageous sister who sacrificed herself for the good of the realm. His star will shine brighter. That is the only way you will escape the consequences.”
There is nothing else in that particular file, just this. If we ever write it, I know where it goes.
Music playlists- one for each series or depending on what you write (fight scene, emotional scene etc)? Do you have them on Spotify or Youtube, can you share?
Spotify. I don’t use them as often as I used to because Gordon and I changed the way we write to account for my hands, but I do enjoy them when I edit. Here is a playlist in the process of being built for the novel quoted above. I stick things in there when I hear something that would fit.
Music can be a very effective tool for getting the right mood down on paper.
Turn this on and read the chunk below.
He buckled a sheath on his hip and thrust his sword in to the scabbard. Hugh grabbed a length of black fabric from the chair and shook it open with a quick jerk of his hand. A cape edged with fur. He’d worn it when he first came to the castle.
He wrapped it on his shoulders. She took the leather tie away from him and reached for the other side of the cape and pressed it on the two metal studs there. Hugh picked up a helmet from the desk. It was a Roman style helmet with cheek pieces and a crest of black hair. A stylized dog snarled at her from the wide piece of the helmet that would be positioned just above Hugh’s brow. He put the helmet on his head. It didn’t hide that much of his face, but somehow it altered it. Two blue eyes stared at her with focused intensity.
She took a step back. Hugh was a big man, but the cape, the helmet, the armor, it made him look giant.
“You look like a villain in some fantasy pre-Shift movie,” she told him. “Some dread lord about to conquer.”
“Dread lord,” he said. “I like that.”
He would. “Won’t the cape get in the way?”
“The cape and the helmet are for Aberdine. We don’t have time to play politics. Once I’ve got the town, I’ll take them off when the battle starts.”
Something had been nagging her since the strategy meeting. “What you told me about the ley point made sense at first. But the mrog soldiers don’t hold towns, Hugh. They wipe them out and disappear. Aberdine’s massacre wouldn’t affect our access to the ley point. Why are you really going there?”
“They broke into my castle. They attacked my wife. They attacked a child in our home. The point of having a castle isn’t hiding inside its walls; it’s being worthy of it. It’s being able to control everything around it. They’re growing bolder. They’re taking larger settlements. They’ve got my attention now. They will wish they didn’t.”
In her head she saw him let Raphael’s knife strike him again and again. He was riding into battle. Anything could happen in the battle. All he would have to do is to not try as hard. To not step out of the way of a sword. To let himself get shot. She wanted him back.
“Preceptor?”
“Yes?”
Her voice was steady. The words rolled off her tongue. “You like making bargains. Here is one for you. Come back to me alive, and I will stay the night. The whole night.”
Outside the horns screamed and she almost jumped. There was something dark and primitive about the sound. A steady beat rose, thumping like a giant’s heart. The war drums grew louder and louder. She heard horses neighing, the clang of metal, the voices of fighters, all of it mixing with the drums into a terrifying marching hymn. Someone howled like a wolf, in tune with the horns. She turned to Hugh. He had somehow grown darker, grimmer, scarier, as if he emanated some imperceptible magic. The darkness curled around him, like a willing pet with savage teeth.
“Done,” the Preceptor of the Iron Dogs said.
And that’s all the questions we’ll tackle today.
Ooooo is fated blades the title or does name? (Autocorrect put farted blades, giggle)
First! Also, series, not does
Blades is Maud, is it not?
I just luv the King Arthur soundtrack it is so moody and visceral it makes me want to run wild through the woods and battle all of my foes.
+1 to that. I rewatch the movie mostly to hear the score over and over
+1
It’s somehow become a comfort movie for me and my roommate? I also recommend it to almost everyone I know. All the time.
Great catch, Gordon!
Loved the excerpts, Ilona. Thank you!
Hugh gives me goosebumps
*sigh
Wow! Oh so Wow! I stand by my statement that you and Gordon are the greatest authors ever! I have read Hugh’s book many times since it was released. I will now read it again with that sound track playing in the background.
I look forward to what you will bless us with next but remember to take care of yourselves first!!
Guy Ritchie movies are so fun!
This is my favorite scene in Hugh’s book.
I have lots of feelings about this post.
First, those covers look amazing!!!! I would have totally used those if I had any talent at all.
Two, the novella finished it’s thought draft? Yay! I’m so excited.
Three, dammit Hugh, I’m not supposed to like you lol. I’ve how you described the shift from Hugh to the preceptor and how Elara recognizes that he has shit to do but that she also wants him to come home. ❤️ Will we be seeing a Julie visit in the near future?
I love the music! The drums sounded just as I read the paragraph with the war drums.. And then there came the howling!
A feast for the senses. ❤️
Now I must reread the book. I can’t get the scene out of my head now. ????
I also read about the drums and the wolf howling just when the music came to it!
Fated Blades?!
Is this the first time we get the title or did I miss something?
Is this the “forge” related project? I thought it was forgery as in counterfeit, not forge as in blade.
I’m so excited! It makes me think of the Drifan’s swords. I really hope to see more of that world as an Innkeeper spin off.
Love the sound tracks, thanks!
Not the forgery project, but yes it was “forge” as in counterfeit ????.
What world is Fated Blades in?!
I can share some snippets, see if you can guess ????
https://ilona-andrews.com/2021/tiny-snippet/
https://ilona-andrews.com/2021/happy-wednesday/
Hmmm. First guess is Innkeeper. Second guess is HL…
Kinsmen?
That’s also my guess!
me three!
Agreed, Kinsmen.
Yes. That’s what I hear.
Also, NEAT!
I’m going to go out there with Kinsman and Innkeeper are the same universe and something in the Kinsman universe contains the key to what happened to Dina’s parents.
Dun dun duuuuuunnnnnnnnnnnnnnn
Or not. This has the Kinsman universe feel 🙂
Also – I’m glad I’m not the fan that fainted when I met them.
I’ve always felt that Kinsman was the future state of Hidden Legacy world. Especially every time I listen to Leon’s rubber band theory model homework.
The reference to the power
Being held by a few families, even a reference to being excessed in Emerald Blaze.
Just enough overlap of themes to make me see the Kinsman as what develops from HL a few centuries down the road.
Can’t comment now. I have to reread Hughs book. Love all of you. Stay safe.
Ahhhhh Hugh <3
Love the covers!!
Ahhh Novella so excited!!!!!!!
Cool! All of it except the fainting. A working student fainted once when we were getting ready for a surgery. We noticed when her head hit the stainless steel sink. That might have been the loudest faint ever. Good thing because we were able to grab her before she hit the concrete floor. These things happen.
The one thing I was told when I did an internship in the emergency department and operating room was never to lock my knees. That was the fastest way to faint. I was also warned that if I was going to throw up because of the blood donor outside the operating room. ????
Do it…not donor. Fingers faster than brain. ????
Love the title image on this post — when it opened on my screen, only the top 2/3 was visible, and I immediately thought “cool, Disneyland is on fire!”
Now I am imagining something where there is an epic battle at Sleeping Beauty’s castle and ….
… maybe Kate and July could go to Florida to raze what’s left of Disney World? Florida is kinda close to Atlanta …
I agree, my first thought looking at the picture was “Who’s attacking Disneyland?” Spent some time looking at a picture of Sleeping Beauty’s Castle and noticed that it has a few more turrets. So glad Disneyland is safe.
Those covers are still gorgeous! To be fair, if I can read “Ilona Andrews” on the cover, I’m gonna buy *and* devour it that evening.
And I was wondering.. was there a decision on what sort of magic House Andrews has? What is the designation of magic can to entrap an individual and portal their mind into a new world forcing them ignore all body functions until the urgent need to pee forces them to flee to the safety of the nearest porcelain facility..
OMG, the looooong novella is Innkeeper! Super excited! I may have squeed, ha ha.
As always, I enjoy the behind-the-scenes stuff. Good that you are so vigilant when it comes to fainting members of the BDH ????
I don’t believe the novella is Innkeeper.
Why? Because so far Innkeeper has been self-published and it was mentioned near the end of the Innkeeper Q&A that the novella is 45,000 words and is not self-published.
Fated Blades……what house andrews glories does this mean for all of us…..and is that an inn keeper bit I see there that could possibly …..or am I imagining things with the glorious death bit
I’ve never heard this piece of music before in my life. But something very like it was running through my head when I read this scene in your book.
You folks are AMAZING!
Gotta say, despite being a fast reader, reading that snippet combined with that music? Magic…..
+10000 That was just awesome! ????
Did you just sneakily reveal the title for the “novella”? 🙂
Hehehe.
I am very very excited to find out what the secret project is. I’m stumped as to universe and the curiosity real.
Holy crap! Now I need a soundtrack for everything Hugh! That gave me chills.
Love the artwork for the covers! Trying to decide whether I want to look like Kate or Andrea…. because plain old me is definitely not a warrior!!
Also, yay more info on the novella! Thanks!!
Fantastic! I heard that music and saw Hugh standing on the wall about to face Erawan.
You are the best.????
That piece really enhanced the reading. I got shivers. Thank you.
New universe wooooooooooo.
“Fated Blades novella” AHA!
Thank you for the link to your Playlist. I’m looking forward to exploring those..
Hugh with sound track – powerful
Thank you!
Wow, that does not look like Andrea does in my head.
That soundtrack made the Hugh and Elara scene even better. Also, can’t wait for new novella!
❤Ah, Hugh. Why I love them bad boys?
Thanks for all the tips and snippet!
The covers all look good to me, but Andy and Kate both look much closer to how I picture them. Kate’s face is beautiful, but the strength shines through.
But the Edge books – fantastic. I do love that series, done and dusted or not.
Totally get going with the pros, but it looks like it was fun to play with, anyway!
I have a mad crush on Hugh. Even when he was awful, for whatever reason, I found tiny kernels of things to like. I can’t wait for the next Iron Dogs book.
When the drums started my cat got up looking around for the enemy then like her kind ran to live another day whereas my dog got up looked around and joined me on the couch. He is still keeping an eye out in case it comes back.
Ok, that music worked very well. That was creepy…
(And I’m going to go read Hugh and Elara’s story again and hope the next book comes up on your list soon, not that I’m nagging… just hoping… after I finish cleaning my office so I can find where I put the Kindle down and immediately put something else on top of it.)
Just when I read “A steady beat rose, thumping like a giant’s heart “, the drums started in the song. Loved it!
Some thoughts. First holy cow if there are any other sound tracks for specific books or chapters I think we need those in our life.
Second my guess from the title is that it’s a Maud novella. That is if things with blades in the title is her designation for book titles. I don’t know the kinsmen universe at all, so if I’m wrong, and it still goes in an already set universe my guess would be that one.
Had similar thoughts re: Maud and Kinsmen, although I think it’ll turn out to be in the Kinsmen universe… the style wasn’t similar to Maud’s, using “Blade” must just be a coincidence
The music and this scene with Hugh and Elara. Wow. Thank you
Maybe i’ve been living under a rock but what is this: Fated Blades novella
A new series?? 😮
It’s the novella coming out in Fall 2021 ???? https://ilona-andrews.com/release-schedule/
Whichever universe the new novella is in, I’m really happy it’s extra long and I’m really happy you’re publishing it! 😀 I adore the Kinsmen stuff AND the Innkeeper universe, and would be over the moon if it’s in either. I’ll be honest, it’s hard to pick a favorite series universe. It usually depends on which one I’ve read the most recently.
I don’t care what universe the novella is set in. I’m waiting on being able to pre-order it for my Kindle, and getting less and less patient about having to wait.
I think Kinsman, but it’s autobuy either way.
The soundtrack is perfect for Hugh.
Reading that passage with the music playing was phenomenal, how it built the emotions of the moment. Thank you!
I’d love (I’m sure all fans would) to read any other pairing if you ever want to share more. I bet Julie’s editing or editing KD books music had some great accompanying music!
Eeee. I love Legend of the Sword! And it’s soundtrack too! Next time I read Iron Magic I’ll probably stick that on repeat in the background.
Also, I envy your stocky mind. *dies in avalanche of scratch paper and sticky notes*
And hence forth I shall never experience that scene as I had before. So much more woth the music…deeper, darker, intense.
Thanks so much for that insight!
I’ve watched King Arthur:. Legend of the Sword so much I didn’t need to hear the music when reading about Hugh and Elara. It came into my head.
When I read about the cape, I thought about Arthur fighting his uncle towards the end of the movie.
I understand about things sticking in your head. I get that way too.
Can’t wait to order and read Fated Blades. Doesn’t matter to me which universe it’s in, I’m buying it. ????
Omigosh. This piece fit that scene so well. I got goose bumps. I regularly read to soundtracks, which can make the experience even more visceral. Thank you for sharing this.