ILONA ANDREWS

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News and Reveals

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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.

A screenshot of Candice Slater's illustration of a street with a monster climbing up on the building and random chapter text below to illustrate how the images will be presented in the ebook.

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.

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Comments

  4. I’m so excited to sit down & read all of the Inheritance cover to cover. Thank you for making it available directly – and of course for continuing to do all that you do. The Book Devouring Horde is a lucky Horde, indeed!

  6. Thanks for the update!! Hope everyone in the US has a relaxing holiday tomorrow.

  7. So excited for everything!
    I use bookfunnel for some of my fav Indie authors. I use a Samsung Tablet as my ebook reader, reading it through the app and my use phone for audio, instead of sending it to Kindle or B&N apps.
    The app works well, the only downside is that I cant make notes but I can highlight passages. If you guys offer it there it will be my first choice rather than Amazon or B&N.
    Hope this helps someone on the frnce.

    • Thank you for letting us know. It does help. A lot of people prefer to buy from different indie channels and direct sales would allow us to offer them that option.

      • Some of the indie author I buy from use bookfunnel. With bookfunnel you can you read it in the bookfunnel apps OR you have the option to transfer to you Kobo, Kindle, apple or Nook… so you can still read it on your eReader

      • I also prefer using BookFunnel, both to read on my phone and to send books to either my Kindle Paperwhite or to the Kobo app (which I can read on my phone or my tablet). Buying directly from authors is great.

        It’s a little more work, but I then OWN not license (grrr!) the books I’ve paid market price for!

        I’m trying hard not to buy more stuff from Amazon, but with over 2,000 books in Kindle, I can’t quit them entirely.

    • I don’t typically post, but I wanted to add my support for Bookfunnel. I purchased a book distributed this way for the first time recently and was very impressed. I’m currently trying to avoid Amazon, but because I’m in New Zealand other retailers can be a bit hit and miss with ebooks (mutter regional publishing rights mutter). Thus, I would really appreciate a direct purchase option.

    • Hi, I’ve never heard of Bookfunnel until this comment. If this is an avenue, I will use it first before going to Amazon. I use Kobo more to balance Amazon out, but happy to add Bookfunnel to balance out Kobo.

      • I will buy from anyone in preference to Amazon and would be very happy to buy directly from you via Bookfunnel.

        I appreciate you giving us the choice with so many authors going to Kindle Unlimited.

  9. I’m surprised that a document sent to the kindle doesn’t have a cover feature. I have many documents (mostly Netgalley and Edelweiss arcs) in my library with full color covers.

    Is it the document type or a change in amazon policy?

    • I did some research on this and it comes down to Amazon wanting to keep its ecosystem protected. The capability to display the cover exists, but it’s disabled. And that is understandable – it’s their proprietary marketplace. They want you to buy directly from them so they can get a cut. We don’t have an issue with that stance. because we are adding a foreign file to an existing software and device.

  10. Yessssssss!! I haven’t been reading as it’s been released, so I could read it as one whole story when it was finished and escape reality for a little bit. I can’t wait!!

  11. In anticipation of The Inheritance I reread Sanctuary. I used to have a very bad habit of skimming descriptive parts of books and going straight to the action. The authors have completely cured me of this because the characters are so real and I love the humor.

    • This is why I read books more than once. My neuroatypical brain wants GRARIFICATION NOW! And then I can go back and enjoy the rest. I’ve given up trying to fix my ADD brain. I’m 64 years old. this is the way I am.

      • Exactly There’s so much to appreciate on the reread that I rushed through the first time

          • Me as well. I usually speed through a new book because I want to know what happens, then I read it more slowly to make sure I didn’t miss anything and then a third time so I can pick out my favorite parts 💕

      • this is also why I buy the ebook and the audio version so I can get the instant gratification and then re read/listen with ALL the details 😁

  14. I’ve used Bookfunnel to buy several books, and whike the cover doesn’t display at first, it does after I open and read. HTH someone!

  15. My preference is to purchase directly from authors, so I’d love it if you offered that option for Inheritance.

    I’m loving the serial and am so excited for the release!

  16. “We hope to have no delay between the last installment and the availability of the entire book.”

    Some of the kindest words I’ve ever read! Thank you!!

    I would like to buy the copy with the highest profit margin to you.

    I’ve gotten bookfunnel stories from AnnetteMarie’s Patreon and that format is great.

    I’m so excited to buy all your upcoming works. congratulations

  17. oh man, Book Goblin is going to be ecstatic over you buying Elizabeth’s book…

  19. I’m sooooo excited! Cant wait to purchase a print option so I can share with my grandma. She’s a huge fan but doesn’t do online reading. I haven’t told her about this yet – she’s gonna be so excited.

  20. Thank you for the update House Andrews.
    Also We really appreciate you posting a chapter part tomorrow (US holiday). I can’t tell you how grateful I am personally that instead of posting once a week that you now post twice a week!!
    Undyingly grateful!!
    A precious gift, again thank you..

  21. Thank you!! Can’t wait to read the book. Looking forward to the next 7 installments in the meantime.

    • Mod R, I have a follow up question. I’m new to the audiobook world and don’t know anything about the process of getting an audiobook out. I am absolutely loving the graphic audio adaptations of HA books and am working my way through them.

      When HA announces a new audiobook version of a book like the announcement for the Inheritance, is it understood that this audiobook is read by 1 person, or are the new audiobooks defaulting to the graphic audio format?

      • The audio format for each book release is ALWAYS the traditional non-dramatized audio. It is produced either by House Andrews or by their publishers. The traditional audio release has 1 narrator or 2 in case of dual POVs (Magic Claims for example was like that. I can’t yet spill on Inheritance, don’t make me! :P).

        Graphic Audio are their own company. They decide which books they want, buy the adaptation rights from the authors, and then do their own dramatized productions with special effects and music and their own business and creative decisions and profit. The author doesn’t commission them or impose which books they do 🙂

        Graphic Audio will never replace the traditional audiobooks, they’re different endeavours 🙂

        • Thank you for explaining all that! I really appreciate it. And to express my gratitude, I will not insist on anything being spilled 😊

  22. Thank you so much for writing a way that we can actually purchase the book with a copy to keep. After Amazon changed their policies, I no longer buy any Kindle books and I would be so disappointed if I couldn’t buy this one.

  23. Thank you, thank you, thank you. We are spoiled. I may try bookfunnel, but I already have everything else on Kindle. ( Amazon monopoly!)

    Happy days. 📘📚👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼❤️

    • I,too, have tons on Kindle and am pi$$ed off that all of that is no longer mine.

      BookFunnel is great for downloading and you can read on it and it also lets you read on Kindle. At least I’ve used it once for that. So I think I will try to buy on BookFunnel and then have it to keep and mcgyver it to my Kindle, if I want.

      Try it.

      • For those who haven’t done it, it’s easy to send a book to your Kindle.

        You just download the book file (in Kindle epub format) and attach it to an email, which you send to your Kindle’s email address. You can find that email address in Settings on your Kindle.

        BookFunnel makes it even easier, by emailing it to you; just forward that to your Kindle. I usually save the book in my Bookfunnel library and download it on my phone or PC — belt and suspenders!

  25. This is great news! Thank you so much for the care yall take with BDH.

    Inheritance serial has given me something to look forward to on Mondays but I’m so excited to be able to read the full book.

    And I love when HA says a something will be a novella or a short story 🤣

    I prefer Bookfunnel over Amazon/other apps for the very reason you mention. I have noticed that once I read the book in Kindle app on my phone, I do see the cover in my library.

    • “I love when HA says a something will be a novella or a short story 🤣” the way I snorted

  26. Wait!? We can buy directly from you? Is this a new option? How do I make that happen?

    • As the article explains, it is something that House Andrews are considering at the moment as an option. If they decide to make it happen, it will be on the Ilona Andrews website available through Shopify or Bookfunnel 🙂

      All will be explained and linked if the decision goes ahead, no worries! 🙂

  27. i always ask this, but will it be in print?

    I can’t tell you what this means. I’m listening to the graphic audio of kate Daniels right now and it’s giving me so much joy. i have the whole series in print but it’s fun to experience it in a new way. also a little awkward because I’m at magic bleeds and I sometimes listen at work and check that my headphones are working every 10 seconds…

    • Both the Inheritance and This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me will have a print format, yes 🙂 . With black and white illustrations in the case of the Inheritance.

  28. I am considering buying the new Kindle ColourSoft (yes, I know quality has been seriously hit and miss) and am just curious, would the kindle versions have colour images on the coloursoft?

    I am a sucker for a graphic novel, or a great fantasy or scifi with colourful artwork.

    • If your device has color capabilities (like ColourSoft, Kindle Fire, Kindle app) then it will see color 🙂

    • Based on positive comments I just downloaded Book Funnel and bought a book. Easy peasy…bye bye Amazon!

  31. fabulous news all round.

    if you do decide to use book funnel, would you be considering making your back catalogue available there ?

    I would love to get a kobo compatible copy of the most recent kinsmen book for my ereader.

    At the moment I am forced to read it on my phone as I don’t use Amazon for books .

    iIt remains my only amazon purchase!!🤣

    Can’t wait to by the Inheritance though… really loving this book

    • Fated Blades ebook is an Amazon exclusive, as it was published through Montlake 🙂

  32. Yea! Congrats to HA for all the Wonderful Things! I’ll put in a plug for Marvin as a reading app. I use it for many of my indie books.

    Thanks for making us such a happy Horde!

  34. I’m so glad! This may be BDH heresy, but I think Inheritance is my favorite among all of the HA many wonderful books. I don’t even care if the ship between Ada and Elias happens. I just want more Ada and Bear!

  36. OMG!!!! TAKE ALL MY MONEY!! (Ugh, I hate being broke 😭😭😭)

    But I’ve been driving my husband crazy lately because I can’t stop talking about Ada and the gang… and the fact that the book is coming out soon 😅 It’s a good thing He loves me, and encourages me to read more.

    *-waits not-so-patiently-*

  37. Yay to the pre-order coming soon to an app (or other ways) near to us! 🎇

    Oh, the Horde will support by ordering the “novella” (rolling eyes)/small book. 😁😂

    Thank you!

  38. What’s the difference between developmental edit and copyedit? I just noticed ModR did developmental edit of the last Innkeeper and someone else did copyedit. I never heard of developmental editor.

    • House Andrews have written previously about the various stages in a manuscript’s life and different types of editors 🙂

      A developmental editor focuses on the “big stuff”. Content, narrative flow, overall structure. A copy editor edits at sentence-level, consistency in style, formatting, and also proofreading (sometimes there’s a separate proofreader stage).

      • Thanks! I’ve read those posts but the title still didn’t ring a bell. I may have just forgotten it.

  39. I purchase a lot of books through Smashwords. I asked a few authors who they made the most from and several said that website gives them the best percentage of their book sales.
    Can’t wait for the full “novella” 🙂

  40. The Kindle document covers usually show up once you download the document to your device (assuming it was an ePub or mobi file with the embedded cover). It’s definitely not as nice of an experience while browsing the books stored in Amazon’s cloud, but once they are downloaded, they look like regular Kindle books. 🙂

    And yay for a pretty This Kingdom cover!! Can’t wait!

  41. thank you, i love your updates and reveals – to all that celebrate the holiday on friday – be safe

  42. SQUEEEEEEEEEEE! Thank you, Ilona and Gordon! Loving this and cannot WAIT to see the cover and purchase! 💜💜💜

  43. Yay! I don’t know if this is how it will work with The Inheritance, but when I get (usually free) short stories from authors via BookFunnel, the file comes out as a .doc but, after I open it in Kindle, the cover appears.

    Regardless, yay and looking forward to the direct sales option!

  44. Whooo Hooo! So much shiny news – Thank you!

    Will the bookstore near House Andrews that shipped physical copies for Sanctuary also have The Inheritance and This Kingdom will not Kill me physical copies for preorder? (Would prefer supporting them as opposed to one of the chains – if possible – but no worries if not)

    Just finished’Tears of the Wolf’ yesterday – Enjoy!

    Sending peace, health and safety to all!

    • Any libraries or indie bookstores, and even readers themselves if they want to preorder it through their local bookstore, can do so with the Ingram Sparks number of the Print On Demand physical copy.

      We will share it once the preorder is live 🙂

      • Thank you, ModR, for your helpful and speedy response – much appreciated! And I learned something new as I didn’t even realize that option was a thing….. May the rest of your day be supremely delightful!

  46. Great news all around! Really looking forward to buying The Inheritance, however you offer it! And a look at the cover for Maggie! Yea!!

    I buy other than Amazon when I can, several of my favorite authors offer direct downloads. Unfortunately, Amazon offers many things I’ve not found anywhere else. Big sigh.

  48. I would buy through book funnel or shopify. The Kindle universe is becoming less and less attractive. Having a book I actually own would be good.

  50. Thank you for the news! I love that the Inheritance will be available so soon!

    I read on an iPad as I love having more options. The simple possibility to create folders is awesome as I re-read books. Plus I like reading on it. I’ve decided against using Amazon some years ago and did not look back since. I would love to buy it directly from you. If that will be an option it will definitely be my first choice. If not, I will use KOBO (as usual). For you I would even break my no Amazon rule but I sincerely hope it does not come to that. I did not even break it for Azarinth Healer and only read the first three books as the rest are only available on Amazon. I do dislike them with a passion…

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