The first draft of the Inheritance is officially finished.
It’s the same size as Magic Claims. Some novella it turned out to be. Oy. This was so not the plan when we started.
Preorders and Availability
The Inheritance has gone to the developmental edit, and then it will go to the copyedit. We aiming for tail end of July for the release date but please don’t hold us to it. The cover is done. It was painted by Candice Slater with typography by Natanya Wheeler, and it is beautiful. We will reveal it when we’ll have the preorder up. We anticipate the preorder period to be very short, only a couple of weeks, unless something drastically changes. We may skip it altogether, depending on where we are in the online serial.
The audiobook: we are signing contracts as we speak. The audio will be recorded this month; however, it will take a few weeks for it to be uploaded. We will keep you posted. There may also be slight delay in print, just because that process takes longer.
Candice’s beautiful artwork will be included in the ebook and print versions. It will be black and white in print and will show up as black and white if you are using an actual Kindle. If you are reading on your phone or other tablets that display color, the artwork will show up in full color.
Here is a sample of what it will look like. The text doesn’t match because we just took a random chapter and stuffed a bunch of images into it to test things.
Remaining Installments
People are asking how many installments are left. 7. Unless we glue some scenes together.
As always, the story will stop before the big finale, because as much as we love you, we do need to make money, so if you want the final resolution, please support us by purchasing a copy. We hope to have no delay between the last installment and the availability of the entire book.
There will be the scheduled installment on Friday, 4th of July.
Direct Sales
We know that some of you are upset by the recent change to Amazon’s policy that prevents you from saving your books to your own storage devices. We are considering offering digital copies of The Inheritance for sale through Shopify/Bookfunnel in addition to selling it through Amazon, Apple, and other retail channels.
Again, in addition to Amazon, Apple, BN and other options. You will be able to purchase it at your favorite retailer or at our site directly.
If we decide to offer direct downloads, this would mean that you can buy the book from us and add it to your favorite reading app or Kindle library. A lot of indie authors successfully use this distribution model. I actually just bought Tears of the Wolf from Elisabeth Wheatley’s site.
Update: NVM about the cover note that was here. It actually does show up properly after the file is opened.
We know that some of you will want to know which option will give us more money. We’re not going to tell you. Please buy in the format most convenient to you. We want the purchasing process to be as smooth as possible for you.
We will get our money either way. We only ask that you don’t pirate.
Finally
Finally, a very important announcement.
The cover of THIS KINGDOM WILL NOT KILL ME will be revealed early next week. It is truly a beautiful cover. So please check the blog on Tuesday around 11:00 am EST for the link.
And that concludes this week’s admin post. Pheew.
I would love to buy the inheritance since I’m buying everything you write. But since your tapping into two of my fears – arachnophobia and being afraid of wasps because of allergies – I would like to know if these species will play a role in your last hidden chapters? Then I won’t, sorry.
I have answered you privately 🙂
Seven more installments, and the whole thing by the end of the month? You’re too good to us! For my part, even though I’ve usually been a customer of the annoying Big A, I’ll be going for the direct purchase if it becomes available. (Screwing up the customer base is always such a brilliant corporate maneuver, isn’t it?)
Would love recommendations for the purchase of my first ever E reader, as I read through these concerns about the Amazon Kindle rental situation. Physical book only reader here, but would like to have my favorite books with me when I travel. Starting with buying all IA books and Martha Well’s murderbot series. An important consideration would be an electronic device not keeping one awake at night.
@Heidi
Look up Kobo for ereader and optional integrated ebook store. If you want to use multiple apps/platforms, android ereaders with e-ink screens also are a thing – Boox, Meebook are some brands to explore.
Thank you! Will look into it. Now, if there’s an easy way to purchase all IA books at once…
I personally love my Kobos (currently have a Libra and Nia). I download all my ebooks to my pc, due to my large library and to ensure they’re backed up, then transfer them to my ereader. I can then delete or keep them on my Kobos to re-read. I’m sure you know which category IA’s books fall into! I buy most of my ebooks from Kobo (they have a price match guarantee), Google Play, Smashwords, and a few authors directly/via Bookfunnel.
Me again, sorry, but after reading the above bdh comments I have two more questions for Mod R.
Since I’m not a writer but simply a reader and interested only into the story and not the book rules and industry why is everyone smiling or rolling their eyes when you talk about novella or short story. Are there significant differences?
And may I ask how to send a book from another source onto my kindle? As far as I know Amazon allows only books from Amazon on it’s kindle, doesn’t it?
Thanks for all your hard work and fun with the independence day. The first movie was great.
If you have the epub file for the non-kindle/Amazon book you can use this page here to send it to your kindle: https://www.amazon.com/sendtokindle
Thank you very much
The difference is that a novel is longer than a novella and thus gives us, the Horde made famous by our book devouring proclivities, a bigger feast 🙂.
The in-joke and reason we are giggling is that Ilona will always start to write a story and put her foot down that it will not, under any circumstances, go past 35k words.
That’s when we wink at each other conspiratorially in the comments, and little by little we manage to get so invested with the story and the characters and ask so many questions that it ends up…exactly double that.
And then, of course, is when the mission to turn that 35k words into a series begins 😅. It’s hard to be a fluffy Horde, but someone has to do it!
You can send books to Kindle through various methods, apps, email, manually – there are many articles about it on the internet describing it https://www.theverge.com/23842102/kindle-amazon-import-files-epub for example 🙂
Thank you very much
I’ve used Bookfunnel to buy books from other authors and I like it. Reasonably easy format to work with. And I don’t have to worry about which app I want to read it on.
I also prefer BookFunnel! I avoid amazon and only use it as a last resort. Thank you for considering other options!
I’m excited. I’ve actually not read any of this because I’ve been saving it to read all at once in one big bite.
I hope that you do offer it for direct purchase. I hate the model where you buy a book but you’ve really just purchased a license and it can be taken away at any time. I would pay an extra dollar or so to know that it was mine, on my hard drive, forever.
Ahhh, My longheld & painful patience has been rewarded. (I don’t peek before publishing & purchase). lol, I don’t even know what Inheritance is about. Squee! I’m so looking forward to it! Hot summer read.
Thank You!
Thanks for the info on The Inheritance. Soooo ready to order.
I’ll definitely be buying a downloadable copy directly from you! That would be so great! Thank you for offering this option!
Just want to say, given how often I re-read your books, I’m very confident my price-per-read is into the fractional cent range. We want you to make money too, because your books bring us great joy and comfort and you should be rewarded and celebrated for that contribution to our lives!
Thank you. Thank you. I am afraid I also am just plain stuck. I have a Kindle….but I read paper books. I turn the page physically. I love the way the book starts to have places where it automatically opens to wonderful passages, because I have re-read it so many times. Which brings up the “re-read”. I do not understand people who don’t re-read. Any good story is defined as a good story by the fact that you need to read it again. And again. And again…..
Already have re-read Inheritance several times. My teeth are grinding and stomach dancing in anticipation of the next few developments . Can’t wait to buy. May have to buy twice so I can wear one copy out. Wheee!
Such excitement, much squee.
Hooray for direct purchase! Enjoy Tears of the Wolf! I certainly did.
Wholeheartedly support direct purchase and to read on our device. Still bummed that *all* IA books purchased through kindle is not really mine.
Thank you, thank you for the books! Cheers to the authorlords, the mighty RS, and the collective BDH!
The Horde is thankful and shall be ‘chalant’ in waiting for delightful reading. Now back to reading for (grumble) work.
Just pre-ordered Kingdom from my local bookshop. Wasn’t available from the local shop until 7/1, so I set a calendar reminder! So. Excited. for both of these! Perfect timing for audiobook summer road trip adventures!!!!!
Appreciate the direct download option – I am one of the disgruntled Amazon customers has switched to other sources for buying ebooks!
*who has switched
Woohoo! 🎉
So will there be audio and print versions? 🙂
Seriously, Magic Claims length is great! I can’t wait to get this story in full and also absolutely cannot wait to get This Kingdom next year!
There will be ebook , print and audio formats, yes 🙂
Don’t know if this comment will attract your attention at this late date. But if it’s not Inheritance installment day, I only know there’s been s blog post from my e mail notification. (which comes one day after the site drop) But I’d like to share my input on a format for the direct buy. Epub is a pretty popular format. My nook accepts “side loads” of epub files and loads it directly to my library. Also although Kindle doesn’t directly support epub, it does have a translator built-in that will change an epub file to a Kindle format. So a twofer if it helps direct your attention to a particular format
Just want to say that no one begrudges you your rightfully earned monetary rewards! If you don’t make money doing this writing thing the writing thing goes away and no more books will be coming to the table. I remember when you were talking about leaving your day jobs to write full time and being so surprised that you were still doing other jobs because your books are so fabulous! Why wouldn’t you be making a living with them?! I guess I was naive. All this just to say, I’m always surprised that anyone, including you House Andrews, ever questions or jokes that you might want to be paid for doing your job. Nobody works for free, we all need to eat. You guys don’t owe us anything and yet you are so generous with your time and content, the BDH feels like the found family that all your books give us. So, thanks.
I’m confused about amazon not letting us save our kindle books that we purchase? what have I missed while living under a rock? I will be purchasing this book as soon as possible either way.
Hi DeeAnn,
Here is more information : https://www.theverge.com/news/612898/amazon-removing-kindle-book-download-transfer-usb
WHOOO!!! These news are good news!
I love the idea of ordering directly from you. I know that it adds just one more layer to the complexity of writing and I don’t want to take you away from writing. But I am much happier giving you all the money rather than to a retailer with whom you have to share.
Hi Ilona and Gordon,
How are you going?
You must be very pleased about the cover reveal of This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me.
Thank you so much for The Inheritance serial – it makes my weeks so exciting!
I live in Australia.
I am wondering whether The Inheritance will be available in paper version at Australian retailers.
Thanks very much,
Rachel
If you are able to order Sanctuary or any of the Innkeeper books, you will be able to get The Inheritance too 🙂
Thanks for the info, and for your writing! Adding a vote for direct purchase so I don’t have to pay Jeff to get it on my Kindle app.
Yay. I read on my phone.
Wild horses would not keep me from getting this one. *laughing* I’m far too invested in the story and have loved every single installment. I love it all. I read the InnKeeper series for a warm and fuzzy, relaxing time. I read Kate Daniels when I want familiarity with spice (and laughs when Kate and Curran are courting). I read the Kinsman series to cleanse my palate. There’s only one other writing team that vies for all my money, and that’s Preston and Child (I’m such an anthropology/archaeology Indiana Jones nerd). Every pay day goes like this: “Must pay the bills. But there’s a new Ilona Andrews out. And I’m not caught up with the Pendergast series. You MUST pay the bills first. But I need new books. *Growling from my grown-up self and the Universal Parent ™* PAY THE BILLS. *sniffs from me* Fine. Bills then books. If life were the right way around, it’d be the other way.”
“This was so not the plan when we started.” …
(laughing so hard, ….)
💃💃💃💃💃
I always read the daily posts but haven’t commented. However, reading the post today reminded me that I am not alone in wanting to control the books I buy so I do want to add my support to the other readers that welcomed the option of Bookfunnel to buy your books. I am boycotting Amazon for many reasons so please continue to offer this option.
Also, if you decide to sell to us directly, I would definitely use that method as well.
Luv Luv All Your Writing!
Thank You!
Please Be Safe during all this flash flooding
heart hugs
luvfromVancouver
Yes, I’m definitely irritated at Amazon but more importantly, I prefer to directly support authors wherever I can. I keep reading about how the ‘zon doesn’t treat authors right, so cutting out the middleman is an extra benefit and something I can get behind.
I just finished Tears of the Wolf on your recommendation and loved it! Now waiting for the next in the series. Planning on checking out her other books.
Amazing! I will always buy the book, the audiobook, and the dramatized audiobook in support of y’all. I just love your work. All the monies supporting you, supports the hoard in the resulting glorious works!
I’m so excited there will be an audio version! Being a busy mom it sure makes it easier and then I can listen to it over and over again 🙂
Thank you for your update
Would love to buy from you directly — I’ve bought all of Elizabeth Wheately’s books this way, works great, except for Amazon not sorting them into series. Much rather more money go to the authors!
Have you tried collections? It’s been a while since I fired up my Kindle, but I think you can sort that way.
Thank you so much! I am usually a lurker, but had to say how much I appreciate the options you offer. I’ll be getting audio and a direct download and cannot wait. I’d like to say that I’ll skip the rest of the serial in favor of rereading the whole thing when it’s released, but that would be so much lie, lol.
My credit card is ready when you are!
Yes! I love Bookfunnel. I have used it with Elizabeth Hunter, Annie Anderson and Elisabeth Wheatley. It has worked so well for me.
I am so pleased that The Inheritance is going to not be a novella.
Hi Ilona,
Thank you for purchasing Tears of the Wolf. We did see your order come through and Elisabeth did fangirl a bit. It sounds like you have an idea on how it will work but if you want to talk shop sometime or hangout let us know!
Direct sales all the way 🥳
Thank you so much, Christian, I have forwarded your very generous offer to Ilona.
Also may I just say your email address is fantastic hehe 🤫
Purchasing the ebook directly would be fantastic. BookFunnel seems to be the way forward: I purchase from you, the book appears in my BookFunnel account in a few minutes, and I can download the book at my leisure. Simple, and pretty effortless on the buyers end.