From Mod R:
If it’s Friday, it’s winner time!
The much-coveted prize of last week’s Secret Giveaway was a galley of This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me (Maggie the Undying 1), the new fantasy isekai series by Ilona Andrews. A galley is a plain-bound (no illustrated cover, sprayed edges, very likely pre copy-edits version of the Advanced Reader Copy). We do not have an exact ETA on when the galleys will arrive, but one lucky person today will have one heading for them as soon as they are ready!
Without further ado, the winner is:
Amanda says
March 25, 2025 at 4:00 pm
I absolutely love your books but don’t think I’m hardcore enough to be transported into most of them. Certainly not the Kate Daniel’s or Edge worlds, although I think I’d like living at Gertrude Hunt. One of my first sci fi reads was Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy and I think as long as I had my towel, I could travel around that universe for a bit.
Congratulations!
I will contact Amanda privately with details and arrangements about the prize, from the modr@ilona-andrews.com address on the email provided with the comment. If we do not hear back from you by Wednesday, April 2nd at 12:00 pm Central, we will chose a different winner in your place, so please keep an eye on the blog and your inbox.
Happy weekend!
Harvest Day
“You have got to be kidding me.”
Hugh stood on the side passage on the first floor of Bailey. Elara was next to him. Three of the centurions, Stoyan, Lamar, and Sharif, waited a few feet away. Bale and his century were on duty today.
This spot gave him an excellent view of the great hall. The last time they’d used it, they’d hosted Rufus Fortner, the head of Lexington’s Red Guard.
The tables were gone. Most of the chairs were gone too, except for the single row against the two side walls for those who had trouble standing. Fall garlands draped the walls, with wreaths of wheat and oak branches encircling the decorative weapons he’d ordered hung on the walls for the Fortner’s visit. Young maples grew from big barrels, spreading red and orange leaves.
A long red carpet stretched from the doors all the way to the back of the room, where two long banners streamed from the high ceiling, one the black and silver banner depicting a dog bearing his fangs and the other the green and white banner with a cauldron filled with herbs, the symbol of the Departed. Beneath the banners, on a raised platform, stood two thrones carved from wood in painstaking detail. Apples, pumpkins, gourds, bunches of wheat and herbs, and baskets of fall flowers decorated the platform around the thrones, spilling to the main floor.
On the side, just below the right throne, a huge wooden barrel waited with a stack of paper cups by it. He remembered the barrel. They had filled it with beer for Fortner’s visit. He didn’t recall a white table on the side, bristling with skewers. Hugh squinted at it. Fruit dipped in chocolate.
Elara’s people flittered through it all, making last minute adjustments.
He had no problem with the maples, the pumpkins, or the wreaths. Even the barrel. That was fine. Nobody said anything about the thrones. Or the cornucopia that threw up around them.
“Walk me through this again,” he said.
“We are going to go and sit on the thrones,” Elara said. “The doors will open. People will enter, mostly families with small children. They will greet us with a small gift. Something the children picked themselves. We will wish them a happy Harvest Day and then they will get a cup of spiced Harvest cider. They will think of a wish, drink their cider, and then Nadia and Rue will give them a skewer with chocolate dipped fruit.”
“You want me to play Harvest Fest Santa Claus?”
She nodded.
He stared at her.
“You agreed to it,” Elara reminded him.
He had agreed to it. The night after he came back from Aberdine, she’d spent an hour trying to deal with Amelia’s curse. Finally, she touched her fingers to the young woman’s forehead, and he felt a pulse of magic from her. It washed over him, soothing and cool, and Amelia’s rigid body relaxed. The curse was still there, Elara told him. She had only slowed it to a crawl, but it was alive and growing, and if they didn’t find a cure soon, it would consume Amelia. His wife had just bought them time.
He was already grateful, and then she invited him back to her suite. They sat at a table on a secluded balcony off her bedroom and she’d served him the chicken she made.
Elara’s chicken tasted like childhood.
Hugh couldn’t recall eating it frequently when he was a child, but something about the combination of flavors and savory herbs threw him right back to that blissfully happy decade before he turned seventeen and began killing in Roland’s name. It tasted like summers in Occitanie, where winds had names, and the long sandy beaches flirted with the turquoise sea. If he closed his eyes, he could imagine sitting at the scarred table on the veranda of the old bastide that used to be his home. He would’ve spent the morning in sword practice, studied after that, then ridden a horse to the beach and swam until his body could no longer move. The house with its stone façade and pale blue shutters would be to his left, the pool and the view of the sea nestled between green hills to his right, and when he finished eating, his father would come to quiz him on things he’d learned that day.
It was bittersweet, and he savored every bite, while she promised that she would get her witches to look into the curse and talked about the Harvest Day preparations. If she had asked him to jump over the balcony rail at that moment, he might have done it. She’d asked him to be the Harvest King instead. The fool that he was, he said yes.
Now he was standing in the middle of the main hall, wearing an embroidered white tunic, brown pants, and a red Celtic cape cloak. And Elara was standing next to him. She wore a light green gown with ridiculous trumpet sleeves. It clung to her chest, flowing over her waist to her hips, where it flared into a wide skirt. Her hair was down and streamed down her back like a white waterfall. A flower crown made with purple asters, bright yellow goldenrod, and red maple leaves rode on her hair. She looked like she had walked out of Edmund Leighton’s Accolade. All she needed was a sword and some fool to kneel before her.
Nadia, one of the women close to Elara, approached, carrying a wooden box.
“I’m afraid to ask,” he said.
Elara opened the box and took out a flower crown twisted together from golden oak branches, red maple leaves, and clusters of small purple berries.
“No.”
“You promised.”
She was looking at him with her beautiful brown eyes. He looked at her face for a moment too long and surrendered to his fate. How bad could becoming a king for one day be?
He bowed his head, and she put the crown on his hair.
“You look lovely, Preceptor,” Lamar offered.
Hugh looked at him for a minute.
Lamar grinned back. Stoyan’s face was perfectly neutral. Sharif cracked a razor-thin smile.
“Hugh?” Elara asked.
He sighed.
She smiled at him. The magic was thick today and that smile was regal and witchy. His eldritch queen, the Ice Harpy, asking him for a favor.
Oh what the hell, why not? “Let’s get this over with.”
#
A three-year-old boy with round cheeks and dark hair clutched a yellow astra flower to his chest.
“Go ahead, Bao,” his mother murmured.
Bao looked at Hugh, looked at the sword by the throne, and made a beeline for Elara. She gave him a smile, and Bao offered her his flower.
“What a pretty astra!” Elara cooed.
They had seen at least two hundred people in the last couple of hours. Most of the ones under 5 went to her. He got older kids and a surprising number of adults. The Departed believed in Elara with all their heart. They brought flowers, fruit, and walnuts, deposited their gifts on the cornucopia pile, made their wishes, and drank their cider. And then they lingered, watching others do the same. The grand hall was full. People talked and mulled about, and he’d spotted more than a couple of his Iron Dogs in the crowd.
The pile of gifts by his side of the throne was growing unwieldy. Fruit, mushrooms, weird rocks from the children. One kid brought a grasshopper. A little girl brought a “pretty worm” which turned out to be a scarlet snake and caused a bit of commotion until Sharif grabbed it. The snake was safely released outside, and the culprit was rewarded with a chocolate strawberry.
He didn’t mind. He understood now why Elara wanted this. The smiling faces, the content conversation, the abundance of food, it swirled together into communal happiness, and it wrapped around them all like a warm blanket. They were together, secure, and happy. The Departed needed it, but Elara herself needed it more. He could see it on her face. In this moment, his wife was truly happy.
A hush fell onto the hall. He raised his head.
Vanessa stood on the red carpet.
She looked exactly the same: arrogant face framed by dark hair, a body that was almost too ripe, with big boobs, long legs, and tight ass wrapped in a red sweater dress. Back before the wedding, he’d used her as a distraction. He’d made the terms clear from the start, but it had gone to her head anyway, and eventually she tried to use it against Elara. They had words, as Bale would put it. To call it a fight would be giving Vanessa too much credit. Elara sliced her to pieces with ten sentences. Going back to her job as a paralegal after she imagined wielding power as his mistress proved too much for Vanessa. She fled in the morning.
She stood on the carpet now, and there was something not quite right about her face.
The two families behind her turned and walked off the carpet to the walls. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Bao’s mother pick him up and scurry to the side. The hall was silent now.
An ice-cold power flared to his left.
He glanced at Elara.
Her face was rigid with rage. Her magic burned around her, a glacial invisible flame, a seed of a hurricane threatening to burst. The edge of it seared him, and only his willpower kept him from recoiling. She was Death.
The Departed stood frozen.
“Take it off,” Elara ground out.
Vanessa grinned.
“Off!”
Vanessa’s scalp split. The skin sloughed off her, like a biohazard suit, curving to the sides.
A slender middle-aged woman bared her teeth at them. Thin, her features sharp, her light skin coated in a grease streaked with blood, she stared at Elara with triumphant disgust. Magic wrapped around her, a dark, violent miasma.
The last of Vanessa’s skin peeled off, falling to the ground in shreds. How the fuck…
Elara’s magic convulsed like a furious colossal viper.
In the hall, the faces that were happy just a moment ago turned into cold, grim masks. The Departed stared as one, and he felt it again, that collective power binding them. The cheer, the happiness, and warmth were gone, snatched away by the Departed. Everything Elara treasured, everything she looked forward to, ruined. It was the wedding all over again.
He felt something stir inside him and realized it was rage.
“Brooklyn.” Elara spat the name like it was poison.
The woman raised a bony hand and stabbed her finger at Elara. “The reckoning is here, niece—”
“Aarh sapawur eseran.”
The blinding flash of agony tore through him. He’d sank so much power into the words, the grand hall quaked.
Brooklyn froze like a statue. Unable to move, unable to speak.
The entire hall stared at him, shocked.
“Elara,” he said into the silence, keeping his voice casual. “Why don’t you ever bake me anything from those shows you like to watch.”
Elara’s eyes were big as saucers.
He gave her a pointed look.
She cleared her throat. “What would you like me to bake you?”
“I think I would like some rough puff pastry.” That was the only thing he could remember from his trip to the ledge.
“What?”
“I’m a rough man. I should have some rough puff pastry.” What the hell was coming out of his mouth…
The spell’s hold shattered. Brooklyn stumbled forward.
“Aarh sapawur eseran.”
The pain slashed through his gut like a sword. It took everything in his power not to wince.
“I’m having a conversation with my wife.” He hammered each word out like he was carving it into stone. “Will nobody rid me of this annoying thing?”
A dozen Iron Dogs congealed from the crowd. They swarmed the petrified woman. In seconds she was gagged and tied. They tipped her like a tree and carried her out of the hall.
Hugh turned to Elara. “When am I getting my desert?”
“I will make it tomorrow,” she said softly.
“Thank you, love.” He turned to the hall. “Now, who is next?”
For a moment nothing happened. And then a family with two children shouldered their way out of the crowd and approached, carrying some pears and a bundle of wheat.
Hugh smiled at them and waved for Irina to start pouring the cider.
The Last Hughday
From Ilona:
Hugh d’Ambray, living his best Henry II life, heh.
This week brought a lot of This Kingdom work. We pulled together a ton of material for the maps, drew the sketch of the world map, noted the major landmarks, then wrote everything out in text, moving from north to south on both sides of the map. Then we redid that same map with the political landmarks. We pulled together the city map, edited it to match the new manuscript and sent that in. Hopefully that is enough for the artist to get started. Then we worked on the cover copy for the publisher insider galleys.
I had forgotten how much work it takes to release a book through the traditional publisher. The fault is entirely mine. I’ve gotten used to self-dictated release schedule, where we determine the deadlines, the number of edits, and the cover copy. When the cover copy goes back and forth 7 times, with several people concentrating on making it the best it can be, it puts things in perspective.
Not that we cut corners when we self-publish, but usually it’s our agent and us and we are mostly on the same page. We don’t have the marketing department to guide us or the expertise of an editor who is very good at what she does.
This week, we have also gotten out first foreign rights offer. I can’t say anything about it except that it is a really good offer. We will need to review the documents today. We always read the contracts.
This is now two separate publishers who have chosen to place a big bet on Maggie.
It’s both exciting and nerve-wrecking. I really hope the book is strong enough to meet the expectations, but that’s not the biggest stress factor. We’ve written this book. It’s done. It’s too late to worry about it. It will do or it won’t.
The second book is due in November.
We’ve sent the “where are we going” summary to our editor yesterday. If it’s green lit, great. If not, we will need to adjust. The first book is almost 200K. This one will likely be of significant length as well. It’s a lot of story and there is still a lot of work left on Maggie #1. Copyedits, galley proofread, etc, etc.
All of this means that we cannot give Hugh 2 the attention it deserves. Especially not while serializing it. If this was a novella, it would be one thing, but this is a novel and it is complex. We will have to bump it back until Maggie #2 is done.
I thought we could knock it out, but apparently we can’t. This is humbling. In a way, it is a testament to the strength of the book – it requires undivided attention. But still, I really, really wanted to get it done before starting on the sequel. Not only we need to finish the story, but we need that extra release, because Maggie 1 won’t be published until March 31 of next year.
The problem is also the hands. A few months ago I developed this fun new nightmare where my hands and feet, and sometimes arms and legs, go numb. There was a lot of nerve pain with a dash of allodynia. I learned to sleep on my back with both hands in braces. There was a variety of possible diagnoses, none of them good, but right now the consensus is that this is a medication-induced side effect. I’m off the meds and getting better so we will see if this improves over the next few months.
It slowed me down quite a bit. At some point I couldn’t even sit in the chair for longer than an hour or everything went numb. You never plan for crap like to happen, but sometimes it does.
Anyway, for these reasons, we are pushing Hugh 2 to the backburner, so we can meet our contractual obligations. We may have a shorter project for you as a serial. We are not sure yet. Mod R has read it and she feels it would be a good serial.
No worries, we will figure out something fun in the meanwhile. Happy Friday!
As much as we love Hugh and Elara, we are more concerned about Ilona. Please take care.
We will wait. Semipatiently
Good health is number one. I am very happy to hear that the symptoms are related to a particular medication. Congratulations to Amanda and congratulations on completing Maggie 1. I am eagerly awaiting Hugh but the Hugh day treats are an enjoyable bonus. Which means that they are not expected and it was kind of you to do it when possible. Real world contracts have to be fulfilled. Hugh and Elara will be that much better with the additional time. Take care of yourselves, that should be the first thing on your to-do list.
Hugh is so good that it is worth waiting for until(for Me) the audiobook comes out. I just finished early read/editing on a book 5 that has been 5 years in the making and it is so good that it is worth the wait until it is finished. It is so good that it should be a tv series. I recently heard an actor/ director say that the movie coming out has been in the works for 16 years. Maybe Maggie will go to the big or small screen, also, someday, like “Outlander” eventually did. So it doesn’t really matter how long your books take, the BDH will support you.
Perhaps you can find a really good dictation program that will be easier for you use than for someone who is sightless. Then, perhaps you may be able to work lyin g down for part of the day. I really do wish you well.
Hope you feel better soon – as much as I’m looking forward to Hugh #2 (and would deeply appreciate any additional snippets!) I’d rather that you take care of yourself – it’s a marathon not a sprint. Looking forward to learning more about the serial!
“You look lovely, Preceptor.” OMG! I am still laughing whenever I think of these words. Only Lamar!
Whenever you get the Hugh book 2 done, it will be great! And I’m glad to hear you are starting to feel better. Hope the improvement continues!
Thank you for this wonderful installment on Hugh 2, such an intriguing read! I agree with the others, it’s a perfect place to pause the story. I adore Hugh and Elara’s developing relationship, his protectiveness and her kindness, and OMG, why is her aunt wearing a “body suit”? Eeek!
Also, I love how Hugh saved the festival!
Ilona, that health situation sounds super crappy, and I hope it vanishes soon. Your creative output is amazing, never mind dealing with that. I wish you excellent health and restful sleep, and I am ready to pounce on my copy of Maggie #1 when she arrives in bookstores.♡☆
Wah wah wah. I have to wait for books I want to read. Poor me. Wildfires are spreading all over the country, there’s unexpected flooding, horrible droughts, and the people of Ukraine just observed their third anniversary of invasion.
There are so many people and animals who are truly suffering in our world today, including both of you with shoulder pain and nerve pain. I just inexplicably lost the sight in my right eye. But I have another eye that works fine, and I know you will find solutions to your medical problems. We will all still be here when you get through what you need to get through. Please just take care of yourselves and accept the love and gratitude that thousands of people have for your gifts. We understand! You bring so much joy to us all. Don’t ever lose sight of that!
Man, I love Elara and Hugh. I love watching them come together. Everything you write is amazing.
As the author, you are more important, so please take care of yourself. Best wishes.
If I may make a suggestion, Dragon Professional 16 is an excellent dictation program. I’ve been using 16 for a couple of years now, and earlier versions for a total of a decade. You need a good mic with a noise canceling function, but those aren’t that expensive, and I know you have good mics you use in videos. The point is that you can dictate about three times as fast as you can write, and it spares your hands. I have dictated my books for ten years. If you want to experiment, Word has dictation built in, though Dragon is more flexible and accurate. Doctors, lawyers and even cops have used Dragon for years.)
No, Nuance isn’t paying me to talk it up. You do have to speak your punctuation, however, and you must train it on made-up words, which isn’t complicated. You basically say the word and type out how you want it spelled, and Dragon remembers it. The program also costs around $700, so it isn’t cheap. However, I don’t have carpal tunnel, or issues with my hands, though I’ve been a novelist for 30 years.
Best of luck, guys. I’m w*iting for Maggie and Hugh with as much patience as I can manage,
I thought about Dragon app, I remember testing one of the earliest versions back when it first hit the market. But I only tested it when working for a tech company. Having a practical use recommendation from an author carries more weight for sure!
BTW, Nice to “see” you Angela – I recall you from back in the early e-pub days when I was reviewing for various sites and free lance editing. Great stories! I loved the ones based on the Knights of the Round Table (I think, been awhile.) 🙂
Health comes first, and contractual obligations second. Hugh can wait, no matter how much the Horde love him. I hope your Symptoms get better, and that Maggie 2 goes well. Good luck 🙂
Oh my, so very sorry for the medical problems. Wish you healing. As a proud member of BDH, will happily reread Kate’s saga and all the others again and again, while awaiting new books as you are able to accomplish. Please do not overexert or hurt yourself to please us. We are forever patient!
Your health comes first. Always. My advice — Go to the best medical institution near you and get a full evaluation. I did and am now healed six months after spinal surgery. And yes I did the shots and acupuncture and everything non surgical for 2 years prior. Even if you think you don’t have the time you must make the time.
My mom passed after 3 years of dementia and my dad 3 years after a debilitating stroke too. The BDH will wait. Your books were and are my lifeline. Thank you.
thanks for the chapter! I hope your health improves. looking forward to reading the full book once you publish. it’s fun to get a serial, but most authors don’t do that, so blessed to read what we could
OMG thank you, I needed that!
““You want me to play Harvest Fest Santa Claus?””
I snort-laughed so hard it gave me a coughing fit and watery eyes. I must have needed it after a crap fest of a week waiting on city permit office to get off their red tape festooned chairs and let me get on with repairing my house. Six months after Hurricane Helene and I am still displaced and my house is still down to the studs. Ugh.
I love this story so much. And Hugh was one I never thought I’d care about, much less like! Thanks for sharing your gift of storytelling with us all. Best of luck and sending much light and healing vibes to you for your adventures with traditional publishing. I am desolate with waiting for more Hughday story. I will just have to reread Andrea and Julie and Kate with the Magic Clams. LOL xo
Thanks for what you’ve shared from Hugh 2 so far, and good luck with all the upcoming work you have and all the health things. I appreciate how generous you are with your time! The ways you craft communities in your work and here on the blog are amazing.
Hang in there!
Try some DMSO on the hands , diluted with some distilled water, so that it doesn’t itch much whilst absorbing. You can buy it on Amazon. It is amazing, comes from trees and is good for every living thing. A real game changer. Just be careful to only apply to clean skin- no nail polish, natural oils and meds are fine, and start out small, as it is a detox, and you don’t want to have a herksimer(sp?)reaction.
No worries, and no pressure. Please, please take care of yourself. Whatever you give, whenever you have it ready is wnough. I for one, will wait. Patiently. It is very difficult to create while dealing with pain. Speaking from a body riddled with RA, as a fibre artist. SO heal 1st, do what you need to do at y’alls pace. We will always be here, holding you in our loving hearts. ❤️ Hugs.
Thank you for HughDay. I will be fluffy and wait for the rest of he and Elara’s story.
Good luck with all the Maggie tasks and I hope you are feeling better soon!
I’m so sorry. I actually just had a med interaction w similar side effects and yes it absolutely kicked my trash. I’m so sorry you have experienced this. I love Hugh Day but I get that y’all are human beings. Thank you for all the lovely chapters this far. I look forward to it when it’s done. I know you’ll get there when you can.
Feel better. I’m excited for The Kingdom as well!
Nearly all the Bs deal with nerve function, try folic acid, sublingual B complex (both at Walmart), and see your doc about weekly B12 shots.
Unfortunately, injectable B complex is no longer made so it’s only B12 available. And yes, both sublingual and injectable forms of the Bs are needed, and any potentional excess is easily excreted since Bs are water soluble.
Get well soon and thank you both in advance for Maggie and Iron Magic 2. 🙂
Rhank you for this Hugh day and happy to wait for it so that you’re both writing a story that you’re happy with and have the head space to concentrate on after meeting the obligations that you have to. it was also a lovely positive scene to end on for now. I’m glad that you’re hands are starting to feel better. I hope it continues, there’s nothing quiet as sucky as feeling like you’re bodies breaking down on you, as I’m still on the everything is breaking stage, hope to that things may pick back up.
Sorry to read of your medical problems. Getting old sucks, eh? Loved the King Henry touch, and I’m left wondering if the Iron Dogs will use the same finale for Hugh.
Oops, my bad to forget, congratulations to the winner.
With graphic audio releasing Burn for me soon, is there a snippet the hoard can hear?
Not yet, it will be about a week before release 🙂
Love your books!!!! I so appreciate the entertaining plots and word play. They are really fun to read again and again. Lots of 😂 lol.
It’s also fun to hear your take on Texas life, especially after living California life. Thank you and your sweet fur babies.
Well, it seems like Hugh and Elara have things fairly under control (for now) and while I will miss them while they are gone, I’m glad that this will give HA a little more breathing room to take care of more immediate needs (Maggie, yes, but most importantly, YOUR HEALTH!!!)
I (no doubt like the rest of the BDH) worries about you! 🥰💕
Please take good care of yourself. The world needs you, and you can’t take care of everyone else unless you take care of yourself first. I am praying this is, indeed, a medication side effect and that you heal completely, soon.
If this has to be the last Hugh for a while, thank you for choosing such a delightful stopping point! This post is one that I will read and reread many times.
I know how the unexpected medical crap goes. I hope it works out soon.
Hugh is worth waiting for.
Congrats on the foreign rights deal!
Sorry for your troubles. My back just got into shape so I can walk pain free again after stem cell injections, back decompression and physical therapy visits. Have you talked to a chiropractor – I know you hate people giving you suggestions, but I feel SO MUCH better.
Your work is valuable, and you provide happiness to so many people. Take whatever time you need and don’t forget to go to the beach sometime before November.
awww. I’m so sorry things are not going how you wanted and sending you all the healing you need. 2025 this far has been a lowering of my expectations and each month something else happens in my life that no amount of preparation has helped. I started telling people I thought God was mad at me and so far everyone just thinks I’m joking. I’m not. I think adulting is really hard in 2025. peace and hope you all the best on a speedy recovery.
While I have greatly enjoyed this preview of Hugh #2, your health and contractual obligations are more important. Thank you for even this brief preview.
good luck with everything, I hope you see the improvements you need. I’m enjoying this hugh, the part above is so good, whenever it’s finished that’s awesome.
Best wishes for your health!
Take care of yourself. That is most important. Whatever you write, whenever you write it. I will happily devour.
as always please take care of yourselves, first, last, always.
Thank you for writing what you have of Hugh. I’ve really enjoyed it, and most of your other books – they get reread every 12-18 months.
you also have my empathy, the side effects from drugs really do suck. while i may diligently look at your blog every weekend hoping for another short vinegarette, please look after yourselves.
Having had a repetitive strain injury in my wrist, I wondered how your work would be effective. I’m looking forward to This Kingdom, sad about the wait for Hugh 2, and hoping for an occasional snippet of random writing funness.
In the mean time, I can reread everything several times.
Please take care of yourself first. No hurry, your readers will be here.
I love this excerpt.
Have you thought about dictating the story until your hands get better?
There are several commercial programs that let you talk and it automatically transcribes it onto your screen.
I would hate to loose the genius of the writing produced by you both.
Oh wow, no more Hugh for a while huh? Well it is what it is. Congratulations on your many contractual arrangements. Thanks for what we had so far. I still look forward to your future endeavors. Best of luck to you.
House Andrews health is most important!
Congratulations Amanda! 🎉🎊
Thank you for the Hughday snippet. Thank you also for explaining everything. It helps to get the explanation. I will wait patiently for Hugh 2.
Congratulations for all of your good news regarding Maggie 1 and 2. I am so looking forward to reading Maggie!
I am sorry you are in pain and I hope you get well soon. I have chronic migraines and pain is not fun. It wears you down. Please take care of yourself first and don’t worry about the BDH. We will still be here.
any Hugh is great.
look after yourself first
I use this quote in my life, “do what you can, when you can”. I hope you find it as useful as I do. Best wishes and all my love to House Andrews
I’ve lived with a rare chronic illness for almost 11 years. Key lesson: take care of yourself first. (I’m still not always good at that, though.) Blessings to you.
Don’t worry too much about us, dear Ilona.
I love Hugh and Elara just like everyone else, but we can wait.
Maggie is your dream project and you deserve to be able to give it your all without concentrating on other books at the same time.
Hugh’s time will come.
Your books are amazing. I have been following you and your husband from the beginning. I mean not to step on toes here but I was concerned to read about your hands and feet going numb. You could research this but I had the same issue. I discovered I was depleted in b1. After taking a good quality b1 for 6 weeks my numbness went completely away. Our bodies are amazing things. So many connections in so many ways. Anyway, many Blessings to you and hopefully many years of sharing your story’s with us all.
i don’t need free serial stories on your blog. they are certainly a nice wonderful bonus! but i don’t need them. occasional teaser snippets are nice, but also are bonus.
you take care of yourself and we’ll be fine. we may not like waiting, but we are fully capable of doing it.
Just take care of your health. Waiting for your books is totally worth it. Thank you for all the amazing stories.
Thank you for the kindnesses! I hope the health stuff sorts out manageable, and that Maggie navigation goes in your favor!
I’m still giggling over the line “All she needed was a sword and some fool to kneel before her.” Hugh is that fool! <3
Oh noooo! Waking up in the middle of the night and not feeling one or two of your limbs—being unable to move them—is terrifying! I still remember the first few times it happened to me. I panicked so much, thinking my low blood pressure was damaging my limbs or something… It was worse than any nightmare!
Back then, I went to see my doctor and described my problem. Without running any diagnostics, she just told me to buy Milgamma N (a B-complex vitamin supplement). I was shocked. Here I was, describing this terrifying experience, scared of losing my limbs, and she just told me to buy vitamins?!
But it worked. Apparently, I’m so skinny (not by choice) that my nerves aren’t properly protected or something. So when it happens again, I take my vitamins, and it stops. Needless to say, I’ve treasured my doctor ever since.
I hope you will feel better soon! <3
Thank you, that was lovely! I’m sorry to hear about your health problems, life certainly isn’t easy at times. Hope you are feeling back to full health soon!
So happy for your great news on the professional front, and hope things improve on the medical front. Hugh and Elara are my favorite, and I’ve really enjoyed what we’ve seen so far, so thank you!
I was really moved by your description of the Occitanie region. My family is from there, and ‘a place where winds have names’ resonated really with me. Thank you !
Oh gosh! So sorry to hear you have been struggling with one of life’s unexpected challenges. Your health and happiness are most important. Stay strong and take care of yourself and each other.
Where did Vanessa come in? I remembered there were aunts, but didn’t remember names.
House Andrew, take care of your health, first and foremost. We can wa*t and reread. Get well.
Please take care of yourself! And, congratulations on the foreign rights offer!
I hope your plans to adjust your meds helps you feel better. just ran through the hidden legacy again, might go back to small magics and catch up to whats doing with Hugh.
So damn envious of you Amanda, would love a comment on your thoughts after the read! You don’t need to give anything away.
Health first, everything else second. Ilona, you’ve given so much to us, wishing you well soon. Loved that you’ve left us in a happy place with Hugh 2 and I’m off to check out rough puff pastry? The Cocotte was devine.
The wait will only make it better. #TeamMetalRose
I had friends visiting and am late to the Hughday party.
This bit!
“She was looking at him with her beautiful brown eyes. He looked at her face for a moment too long and surrendered to his fate. How bad could becoming a king for one day be?”
My brain: SPOILER SHOOTSHOOTSHOOT SPOILER!!!!!!!
I’m sad Hugh 2 is pushed back but it sounds like a very smart plan. Don’t work yourselves to death. I hope the numb and nerve pain issue gets fixed. I fully understand and have dealt with some similar issues, nerve pain SUCKS!
Sending all the love and positive vibes and feelings your way.
Thank you, for Hugh Day.
Thank you, for a Hugh who wants his wife to enjoy her Harvest Day.
Thank you for bringing us up to speed, regarding This Kingdom and your own situation.
Please take care of yourselves, first and foremost. That is the most important thing.
Heal up, work on Maggie 2! The wait for Hugh 2 will make the experience reading the next chapter, when you can get it out, all the better.
Hoping you feel better soon. Is it crazy to hope it IS a side effect of medication? Who wants side effects ?
Loving Hugh 2. Will miss him on Fridays.
Health is paramount, so please prioritise yourself and give yourselves the self care you need. Have you tried dictating your books , so someone else can type down the words?
thats ok. life happens and also health issues?? thats a lot. thank you for posting the serials as much as you did, that I think fed the hugh addiction for me, it was almost like getting a little novella to bridge the gap. Plus ended the snippets on a really good note 🙂
Congratulations on all the Maggie success and wish you all the health!!
” “I’m a rough man. I should have some rough puff pastry.” What the hell was coming out of his mouth…”
also that was cute hehe
Thanks for Hughday and please take care of yourself 😄
Since Maggie was sold as a 3-book deal, if the schedule holds to pattern, it sounds like Maggie #2 will probably be published late March 2026 and Maggie #3 published late March 2027.
…should we prepare our hearts for Hugh #2 to release at the end of 2027 or perhaps 2028?
I’ll admit that “Iron and Magic” is my most re-read book in the entirety of House Andrews work. It’s my favorite.
I’m sad but I’ll adjust my expectations.
As long as Ilona and Gordon are in a good place and happy to be writing Hugh #2, I know it will be an awesome book and totally worth the wa*t.
I’m happy to wait 10 years for Iron Covenant #2. Hugh and Elara’s book deserves however much attention and time it needs to be the best book it can be.
I think your schedule is a bit off, since Maggie 1 is the one being published in late March 2026 🙂
That is the only official date we know. It’s worth not trying to assume schedules. House Andrews are being as transparent with us as possible and will let us know as soon as a plan exists 🙂
Good luck with your health, I wish you the best.
What a splendid snippet Thank you
good luck with your help, and the book
Dear House Andrews, I’m so sorry to hear that Iron & Magic 2 has been postponed, I have really enjoyed the updates so far! But I understand the logic, for both deadlines & health issues, and I hope you are both feeling better soon. I have a question from Chapter 2 Part 1 posted on February 7. The quote: ‘“Is the twine lubed with fat?” Hugh asked. “It is. I’m so sorry,” Aidan confirmed.’ What difference does it make that the twine is lubed with fat? It does not seem like something I could research on the internet without stumbling on many unwanted surprises. If this is somehow a spoiler, I apologize, and I will w*it. Thank you!!!
I will be p*tient… I will be fluffy… I am a woolly mouse in all its fluffy glory… ommmmm 🧘♀️🙏
Thank you, Ilona, for all the updates! Please take care of you – the BDH will be here rereading and relistening whilst we w*it. (W*aiting, I hear, is a way to build character……)
Congratulations on the additional book deals!
Thank you for the Hugh received thus far!
Congratulations, Amanda, on your win!
Sending peace, health and safety!
Thank you for the chapter. While I really looked forward to these over my weekend, I’m glad you are taking care of you. Overwork helps no one. To my mind, taking the step back on Hugh 2 because it needs more attention than a side project is very exciting.
Thanks for all you do for us. I am so sorry you are going numb. I, too suffer from nerve issues and numbness goes with it. I have found Acupuncture really works to help re engage the nerves, so of course my insurance won’t cover it. It’s definitely worth looking into as other than the costs it has no downside.
I hope you feel better soon and Congratulations to the winner Amanda.
Grateful for what we’ve seen/received so far. Grateful you are taking care of yourself, too! Do what you’ve got to do. We’ll still be here.
From Iron and Magic, didn’t Voron find Hugh on the streets when he was six or seven? The last sentence in the paragraph below, says his father would quiz him: is that Roland? Because I didn’t think that Hugh thought of Roland as his father in this series.
Hugh Day 28 March: “Hugh couldn’t recall eating it frequently when he was a child, but something about the combination of flavors and savory herbs threw him right back to that blissfully happy decade before he turned seventeen and began killing in Roland’s name. It tasted like summers in Occitanie, where winds had names, and the long sandy beaches flirted with the turquoise sea. If he closed his eyes, he could imagine sitting at the scarred table on the veranda of the old bastide that used to be his home. He would’ve spent the morning in sword practice, studied after that, then ridden a horse to the beach and swam until his body could no longer move. The house with its stone façade and pale blue shutters would be to his left, the pool and the view of the sea nestled between green hills to his right, and when he finished eating, his father would come to quiz him on things he’d learned that day.”
hello,happy to ear that all is not worse than it seems. I can’t wait for hught 2, adeus.
Please get better. What you described sounds awful. Just get better.
Glad you are improving with regard to your hands and the rest of it. How frustrating it must be. Thinking of you and hoping it keeps getting better.
thank you for all you do. I appreciate your gift to me which is several worlds to escape in! when they come out I’m happy and you have to live and joy your life too!
I’m happy, sad, excited and most of all, impatient.
Happy Maggie is doing so well, sad no more Hugh day, excited Hugh 2 is going to be even better.
Impatient because well, I have none to start with, but I do try to not be annoying about it.
B w Breakfast, D with Dinner. That’s a comprehensive B Complex and the D3 must have K2 or don’t waste the time and $. Get the add’l supps you need thru ACV or lemon water drinks. Best starting point, ever.
Very sorry to hear of your health issues. Take care of yourselves and let the magic roll on when it can^~^
I will wait patiently 🙂
Thank you all the same for these Thursdays. I needed something to look forward to and this was great.
Happy writing, healing, and life!
House Andrews, while I’m absolutely loving each Hughday and these snippets of the book that will be, your health definitely comes first. Please take care of yourselves!
Also, congratulations on your foreign rights offer! 👏🏻
I’m a little sad that Hugh is getting delayed again, but it will be worth the wait.
A girlfriend of mine began to develop neuropathy in her hands from carple tunnel issues post surgery. Her son set her up with a new computer using voice to print software similar to the software his visually impaired wife uses. Teaching the voice recognition was a hilarious P.I.T.A. since she has a solid polish accent to her speech. But she now uses it daily, she mouse clicks to where she wants to start and speaks into her headset mic.
Its not a perfect system but the software is out there, you will have to search for the best one for you. We are all getting older and each of us will have disabilities come up to challenge us. There are organizations which work with the disabled on adaptive technology, see what they can offer or advise you on. Any help easing the struggle is good help.
Your health comes first!!! Take care of yourself. We will wait
I’m very excited for the rest of Hugh 2 when it can get the attention it deserves. I big heart eyes love it so far. I’m also very excited for Maggie and will probably big heart eyes love it too! And everything in between. <3
Hugh, Maggie, Dina, Roman, Kate, heck Dushegubs. We don’t care! We’ll take what you give WHEN you can give it to us. As many others here have said, your health comes first. I just ❤️❤️ that we got to spend some time with Hugh and Elara and the crew from Iron and Magic. Definitely whetted the appetite! And Maggie – I’m talking it up to every fantasy reader I know!
You take care of you – the Horde will be here. 🥰🥰(hmmm. That sounded more reassuring in my head 🤣.
CBN for nerve pain and sleep. It’s not THC so it might be available even where marijuana isn’t.
Please take your time with Hugh. He and Elara are too important to not get your full attention. Also, I’m glad you are going back to a traditional publisher. For me, I feel that the self published works don’t have the richness and polish of your other work.
Although I hear what you’re saying, and deeply empathize with all of it, I’m sad there won’t be more Hugh.
Yea! and Congratulations on the foreign rights offer!! That is awesome!
As for the rest: REST. Do what you need to do. We are the BDH, we love you, and your health (physical, mental, emotional) comes first. Period.
Thank you for sharing with us what you are going through — it is personal. I wish I could cast a spell and make it better, if not entirely go away. I understand much of that pain and frustration personally.
We may whimper a bit with impatience, but we will wait — no matter how long it takes.
Please take care of yourself / selves. (That goes for G’s shoulder as well.)
Thoughts and prayers be with you
Hope you feel better soon! In Fredericksburg there is an integrated medical office, “Hill Country Integrated Medicine” with nutritionalists and doctor. They changed my health and my life. Wishing you success on Maggie one and two.
I’m sorry your body hurts. We love you and Hugh, the hoard will abide until you are ready.
1) Oh my, I’m so sorry to hear about all of your stress and turmoil! The numbness sounds horrible, hopefully the removal of the offending med will fix it and the med can be replaced without an issue.
2) WOW, a foreign publishing contract for Maggie! Congratulations to my favorite people that I’ve never met!
3) Doing all of the work for Maggie 1’s publishing schedule and getting Maggie 2 written on schedule sounds very challenging, especially for a team of perfection seekers. Please do what you need to do for professional and personal self care. The BDH may whine and fret, but we’ll be ready to snap up the finished products when they’re ready for us
4) What a great installment to pause Hugh 2 on. This tough old coot was teary eyed several times while reading this. Thanks so much!
…can you tell that I’m an engineer? 😄
Health is wealth and that’s absolutely the priority. But I’m still mourning the loss of Hughdays… It gave Fridays a little extra razzle dazzle!
I love you guys. For what your write brings me joy and happiness.
I couldn’t ask more from an author.
I hope you feel better.
Take care, we will wait for Hugh#2 ❤️
Ah. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed. I just finished relistening to Iron and Magic, and I was eagerly awaiting the second book. But I can see where it’s exceptionally difficult – there’s lots to resolve, and it has to slot into a specific timeframe.
And I read that “second book due in November” and my eyebrows near about hit my hairline. Then I got to the uncomfortably numb part.
So ok, we wait. Feel better.