Dina: Welcome, everyone. Please help yourself to the tea and cookies.
Curran: Question – why are these cookies shaped like little beer barrels?
Dina: Our chef watched a documentary on St. Bernard dogs who rescue people from avalanches. Apparently there is an urban legend of them carrying small kegs of brandy to warm up people they dig out of the snow.
Rogan: Explains the bone shaped cookies and the paw prints as well.
Sean: Yeah, he got a theme and just kind of ran with it.
Nevada: Well, it’s not off far off the mark. They are snowed in.
Kate: Look, I know that you are losing your cool here, but just because they are working on something else doesn’t mean you are abandoned.
Curran: Magic Triumphs came out in 2018 and they came back to the series in 2022. Look at the Kinsmen Universe. They had to wait 10 years for the next in the series.
Catalina: To be fair, it’s a very episodic series. Separate protagonists for each book.
Alessandro: Exactly. And they switched publisher for the last one.
Sean: Curran’s point stands: they’ve been only working on this one for about a year.
Arabella: Two years, technically, on and off. It’s not the duration of absence. It’s the intensity. Let’s review: they normally have a side project going along with their main one. There is no side project. There is nothing on the blog. When do they take time from the blog?
Catalina: Never.
Arabella: Exactly. It’s their main marketing tool. They’re so on the ball with it that when they don’t post for a few days, people start emailing and asking if they are divorcing or some horrible emergency occurred. They’ve blogged through the surgery recovery, for goodness sake.
Kate: You are catastrophizing. You do that a lot.
Arabella: Please provide me with detailed examples of when I catastrophized something?
Nevada: You are doing it right now.
Arabella: I don’t think you’re understanding the severity of the situation. You, Kate, of all people, should be upset. They promised your next novella. They haven’t written it. They promised Hugh and Elara’s next book. They are not writing it either. All they do is edit that… whatever it is. Mod R said she has 6 versions of this book. 6. And why is it twice as long as anything they’ve written before?
Sean: Where is Hugh and Elara, by the way?
Curran: Something came up. Some dark druid something or other. They’ve got about a chapter in and so they are waiting to see if anything else gets written. Right now everything is bad and the herbs are dying.
Catalina: Wait, does this mean your panacea supply is in danger?
Kate: We stockpiled both on our side and the Pack’s but yeah, basically. You know how they are. If there is a chance to ratchet the stakes up a notch, they always go for it.
Dina: Yes, it’s never like if you don’t do this, it’s a minor setback. If they were writing a story about baking a pie, the world would be in danger of blowing up if the crust burned.
Kate: To be fair, people expect that from them.
Dina: I’m not disagreeing. It’s just tiring, that’s all.
Catalina: Some of that is due to the editorial feedback. Maggie started out as a slice of life adventure. First, their agent told them to make it more intense and now the editor has asked for even more tension. I have seen the editorial notes. Every time someone has a lighthearted moment, there is a note asking if it’s worth to add one more beat of earnest tension to it.
Arabella: I don’t care. This is beside the point.
Dina: What is the point?
Arabella: Why are they working on that mess when they could be writing something more important? Do they not understand what the people want?
Sean: What do they want?
Arabella: Me! They want me! My trilogy is a pile of money waiting to be scooped up!
Alessandro: Figuriamoci.
Nevada: Oh, here we go.
Arabella: This person they’re writing about doesn’t even have any magic powers. She doesn’t transform, she doesn’t fight with a sword, she is not good at any of the hero things. Who would want to read about her?
Kate: Respect the creativity of people who made you. They have never written a weak protagonist.
Curran: Some dangers aren’t obvious.
Rogan: Good things come to those who wait.
Arabella: I have waited enough! I…
Dina: Welcome to Gertrude Hunt. This is a private meeting, but I will be glad to show to a room.
Maggie: Thank you. But that won’t be necessary. I’m just here for Orro’s cookies.
Alessandro: Awkward.
Dina: Of course. Please help yourself.
Maggie: Is it okay if I take a few? Some for the kids and one for Reynald?
Dina: Please.
Maggie: Thank you.
Arabella: I just want to know one thing.
Maggie: What is it?
Arabella: What’s so special about you? What is your power?
Maggie: Oh. I’m a fan.
Catalina: I’m sorry.
Maggie: I am a fan. I read books over and over. I obsess over the details, like which region the armor came from, how far can a magic horse run in a day, and what are the medieval bras made out of. I know everything about all of you. I have read your books over and over. I know your motivations, your secrets, and your hidden thoughts. Those private doubts you kept to yourself during your woe-is-me moments? The unkind things you sometimes thought about your loved ones? I can quote them from memory.
Arabella: …
Maggie: Thank you for the cookies.
Dina: You are welcome to visit any time. …. Okay, she’s gone.
Sean: Well, that was eerily disturbing.
Alessandro: How did she even know how to get here… Oh.
Kate: I told you.
Rogan: Next time, we need to invite her.
Dina: Oh, don’t you worry. I’ll be sending an invitation with a platter of cookies.
Respect the creativity of people who made you.
Love this line.
Can’t wait to try this line on my kid 😂
Gertrude Hunt and her unexpected guests! I’d love to stop by for some of Orro’s cookies! 😉
Thank you for tea and cookies with everyone…well most of them! I’m looking forward to Maggie…whenever it’s ready. 🤗
Arabella is not wrong, I’m just saying – people are waiting for her trilogy and it will sell well
Thank you for the before breakfast and tea o it-loud laughing. I do love Arabella.
Out-loud laughing – can’t type so well before tea.
The best part of waking up is an IA blog in your email! (sing it like the coffee commercial)
Cute messaging. But how about ALOT more stories about Maud and Arland and Dina and Sean. Pretty please- I beg you! What happened when the brother appeared at House Krahr? And what about Karat? Will she be the love interest for Maud’s brother? You could write 60 stories about that universe which would more than cover me until my dementia kicked in.
Touché!
That was fun! I love how Kate and Nevada stood up to Arabella! Of course this just wet our collective appetites for more. More of anything. Take care of yourselves! 💕
I loved this one ! Thank you!
thank you, it is so very good to see the whole gang together, but … I also would like a barrel-shaped cookie please … have you considered going into the mail order bakery business? you know, on the side, in your free time heh heh heh?
🙂
p.s. take your time, stay healthy, have some fun, I am okay with waiting
If Orro is interested, I have a St Bernard shaped cookie cutter. I use it when I make treats for my Saints. I really, really wouldn’t mind if Orro borrowed it to make his cookies and then returned it with a tray of said cookies!!!!
Oh please make this a recurring feature! It’s brilliant and fun for all those little questions and anxieties and sneaky hints.
Thank you!
Fans like that make the awkward train go. 🤣
Thank you. That was awesome
Excellent! Thank you so much! Made my day!
Thank you!
It is hard to wait for any of them.
May be time for a reread.
BDH got to devour!
This is fun! Thank you. ( please count me in the patiently waiting for your next Hugh and Elara book)
Excellent !!!
Re: Maggie — Oh, she’s a member of the Horde? Yeah, that makes sense.
This was awesome!!! Just what I needed to pick me up.
I am ridiculously excited for Maggie to join the family! 😀 As much as I love all the other books, I am happy to wait so Maggie can get perfected.
This was fun. Loved the party. Love the books. Given my efforts at writing “papers” I have nothing but sympathy for House Andrews. Good for Maggie. Frankly, I think I’d be tempted to give Arabella a good kick on the shins from time to time.
That was trully amazing, thank you !
That was so needed today … not to mention brilliant. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
haha well, she’s not wrong (Arabella – a lot of people would buy her books!)
So nice to read that everyone is still alive. I crave for a new book. I have been rereading all the books in anticipation of something new. Give
::chef’s kiss::
love it! Thanks for the treat!
but the pile of moneeeeyyyyyy
ahahaha
most amusing and worth the wait lol
Arabella has a point.
Truly delightful! Thank you for sharing your amazing talent with us to bring a bit of sunshine to the Horde.
May it have been as enjoyable to write as it was to read!
Sending peace, love and safety to all!
As if more proof were needed of the nerd shall inherit the earth… Maggie says “hold my beer” to Kate and owns arvo tea. Gold.
Keep calm and read a physical book on, fellow word nerd herd! See you in a week!
This was pure gold! Loved it!
I loved it! Thank you! I love that Maggie is a fan. She is us.
Thank you HA! I love everyone, but there is a special place in my heart for Arabella. Can’t wait to read her story. No pressure….
You all are brilliant and I love you. That is all.
“I’m a fan” – thank you for the tribute! 😘😘😘😘
Ah nooo. I really hope we don’t lose all the lighthearted moments from Maggie. I am addicted to reading isekai and would definitely read it anyway, but all tension all the time fuels my anxiety lol.
You guys!!!
MAGGIE IS US!!,!!
Hi, I love all your writing, but please is there going to be another Julie and Derek story? I felt it ended on a “bit ” of a cliffhanger and Bloodheir was soooo good…. pretty please 🙏
Could someone fill me in on what HA and RL means, please?
HA= House Andrews, one of the names the fans use for the authors, Ilona and Gordon 🙂.
RL= I can’t see that in the article, so unsure what the context is. If I had to guess it’s Real Life, as in irl (in real life) vs online. If you let me know where you’ve seen it, I can give more insight!
Thank you
I saved this until today! Thank you for the treat of seeing all the characters interact. Was just hoping Rose would show up too! He he.
Looove this!
Also – please know that most of BDH DOES know that the blog is a gift y’all do in your meager spare (what spare?!) time. The idea that people message to ask if y’all are divorcing or going through something traumatic is ridiculous (and can we talk about overstepping some boundaries?!) We know how busy y’all are! You keep us in the loop – so it’s not a secret 🤷♀️
even if people message out of love .. still. We can do better, BDH! Laying on the stress will not make published works appear sooner.
I’m saying this to say – keep up the good work HA! We’re not going anywhere.
This is why we have a fluffy branch of the Horde. It’s for those of us who can wait and be patient (yes – I did the two swear words of the BDH) for books and posts to come to us.
I am part of that branch. I thought is when we get it, we get it. 😀
It’s supposed to say, “My thought is…”. I can’t think in English today. 😀
This is glorious! What a fantastic way to give an update on all your series and leave a hook for the new work. Which of course, we will buy.
Stay safe and well. Thank you
Oh! I’m with the ‘we need the slice of life sections’ group. Some of the best parts of the Orro story were in the slice of life materiel in the Sweep with Me book. And the absolute funniest.
Cookies…..COOKIES!
Apple cider cookies, lemon melting moments, soft molasses ginger cookies, oatmeal with cashews & apricots- maybe cranberries!
This is an obvious plot to distract the Horde from its insistence on new material.
Clever, but is it clever enough?
please don’t make your new book too suspenseful. I know this is for new readers/fans, but part of my enjoyment of your books is because they are Not too suspenseful. If it goes too far I may not be able to read it. Just saying…