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Vellum Updates and a Bribe Giveaway

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We will start with a brief vellum update and then switch to the giveaway. I am bribing you.

Some people saw me testing things on Facebook this morning, and I wanted to explain it before any misunderstandings occured.

It’s our first time printing vellum so we made some decisions that slightly complicated our life.

Our original vellum, the one that is advertised in image below is printed on 40lb vellum. It’s thicker, the colors are brighter, and it is exactly 6×9 so it fits into US hardcover.

It fits in the book, but it is thicker and it is a bit of struggle to make it stay. It should have been printed slightly smaller.

We have now tried 5 different printers. At some point, I invited Grace Draven to the house to get unbiased opinions.

First, we dropped the white border and settled on the size that would fit both UK and US hardcovers.

Next we found a thinner vellum at 28 lbs that still shows the beautiful colors but is much thinner and lays better in the book.

We have one more batch coming to us before finalizing the no-border vellum. After that, the no-border vellum will be available as a separate product. We don’t want to throw it out there before we have pictures to show you.

We would like to give you options at the fulfillment.

  • You can choose to stay with the original vellum with white border. We printed a ton of it and we have it in stock.
  • You can switch to the no-white-border version at no additional charge. It is a one for one swap.
  • And those of you who would like to get both, border and no-border, will be able to grab a set of no-border vellum at a discount. We will just stuff it into the same envelope, saving you on shipping. The add-on pack will be available only with a regular order.

Once we have finalized this second variant, we will send you an email through the store explaining how to choose your options. If you run into trouble, please email us and we will sort it.

A little warning about the fulfillment: we expect it to take several weeks. We have in excess of 2,000 orders. Kid 2 is stuffing maps into the envelopes as we speak. We even put Rito to work.

We appreciate your patience.

We will start shipping after 07/08, and if you get worried, email me through the store and I will be able to tell you your place in line.

Also I now know way too much about vellum.

Giveaway Bribe

We have received beautiful collected editions of Innkeeper Chronicles Volume 1 from Subterranean Press. It is a gorgeous book, and we are very grateful to Subterranean for reissuing it.

(And also an unexpected gift of the wonderful Sencha Tea! A giant bag of it. Dear Geralyn, thank you so much! It is appreciated beyond all reason.)

This collector edition contains Clean Sweep, Sweep in Peace, and One Fell Sweep. Clean Sweep is currently available free in our store.

This is your chance to grab one of these copies. The giveaway will run until 07/09 and the winner will be chosen on 07/10.

  • US only – unfortunately, it is a massive book, and shipping it internationally will be a nightmare. House Andrews will host other international giveaways soon.
  • To enter, please let us know in the blog comments who is your favorite character from the Innkeeper Chronicles.

PS Mod R:

Ilona wrote this post, but I am changing author to myself so she doesn’t get the thousands of comments alerts – House Andrews are on the last scenes of Maggie 2 and they need full focus!

Please read the instructions before making your comment, I have had to void so many entries in the previous giveaway.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. I love Dina, but I think my favorite character has to be the Inn. I want to live in a sentient house!

  3. I truly love all the characters, but I will have to pick Beast. They remind me of my small but mighty childhood pup.

  4. My favorite character in the Innkeeper’s series? I think it would have to be Dina herself. No matter what happens, she rolls with it, formulates a plan and successfully executes it. And stays down to earth. She’s my hero!

  8. My favorite Innkeeper character is Gertrude Hunt! I love the Inn and wish I could live there, or at least visit! So much magic and wonder to discover. Very much looking forward to finding out how the Inn expands with the cutting!!

    CA,USA

  10. Dina, loved her from her first appearance with her broom to tell Sean to stop marking on her apple trees.

  12. My favorite character from the Innkeeper Chronicles is Orro. He is both a food artist and a delight.

  13. Dina, loved her from her first appearance with her broom to tell Sean to stop marking on her apple trees. With Beast at her heel.

    • Sorry some how my first comment went thru before was finished typing. I did not mean to double comment.

  15. I love all the characters but n the Innkeeper series, but I really like Arland He is funny, sincere and adventurous! Great combnaion!

  17. Between Oreo and Gaston, both so flamboyant! Have to go with Gaston because of the hats.

  18. Dina is my favorite character.

    It was very difficult to choose just one!

  19. Favorite – Dina. She was my gateway character into the IA world. P
    I’m in Texas.

  23. My favorite character from the Innkeeper Chronicles is probably Maud. Or Otubar. I have no reason for the second favorite. Just vibes.

  24. Favorite character- Officer Marais’s wife because she was an absolutely beast with defending Dina with canned goods! Really because she was brave enough to stay with Dina and fight instead of running off.

  33. Orro is my favorite. He brings the drama almost as well as my wife, so I have a soft spot

  34. My favorite character is Cookie because he’s a Lees with an heart. Hope he’s in sequels. Notice I said sequels because I would love more Innkeeper. No pressure!!! Just saying …

  35. My favorite character from the Innkeeper series is Caldenia. But Orro and Helen and the Inn itself are all tied for second.

  39. While I love all the Innkeeper characters, I love Dina the best. She’s empathetic, grounded, so caring about the needs of her guests.

    I’m in the US.

  41. My favorite is Orro. He is so serious and dedicated to perfecting his craft and he wants so badly to fit in and be accepted as an integral part of making Gertrude Hunt an inn where everyone wants to stay.

  42. This series is one of my favorite ever. I hope we get more books in the series. Gosh, only one character. They are all so cool and richly written. I think I have to go with Dina though. So strong and determined. She’s triumphed through a lot of adversity, created friends and allies and always kept her eye out for underdogs and raising people up. The other characters in the series are so rich because of her actions.

  45. My favorite is Dina, because Dina saved Gertrude Hunt we get to meet and enjoy everyone else.

  46. It HAS to be Helen! My daughter has grown up with “ripper cushions”.

  49. Orro. I relate to him that, frankly, worried me a little. And his foooood, it sounds so good. I wish I could try it.

  50. I loved these books. It’s hard to choose just one character. I will go with Sean, than Dina and Orro.

    Thanks for the chance.

  51. My favorite character from the Innkeeper Chronicles is Caldenia. She is terrifying and her antics are hilarious, but it was her complete backstory that deeply touched my heart and won me over. 🥹💕💕💕💕

  52. Helen!!!! Love that kid 😍. Not going to lie, I love a lot of the characters, but she’s my favorite.

  54. I have to go with Helen, mini McStabby, but it’s hard to narrow it down! Absolutely gorgeous edition.

  56. I live in the US, my favorite character from the Innkeeper series is Caldenia, especially after hearing her backstory in Sweep of the Heart!

  59. It’s a hard tossup between Dina and Maud. If I had to choose, I think I’ll choose Maud because I think I love reading her book the most.

  60. My favorite character is Dina. While I like all the Inkeeper Chronicles, my faves are the ones with her as a central character. And for others that we have met – the Hiru in One Fell Sweep broke my heart.

  64. My favorite character is Dina Demille becuase she can deal with mulitple crises at the same time.

  65. Hi:

    My favorite Innkeeper character is Gertrude Hunt. I want my living space to respond when I want to redecorate, organize my closets, clean everything … by thinking about it while I sip hot tea or better yet, hot fresh coffee!

    Please enter me in the Innkeeper giveaway!

  66. My favorite character is on a rotation, but at the moment it’s Orro. (I’m having to fight autocorrect and convince it I didn’t mean oreo.)

    Will the volume 1 reissue be available to purchase anywhere?

  67. Dina is my favorite character in this series. She’s as strong and compelling character.

  71. Orro is my favorite character. A little sassy with a lot of heart. A whiz with a cleaver and skilled with eggs.

  72. The Innkeeper Chronicles are my go-to comfort read/listen (also included in my comfort reads are the Mrs. Piggle Wiggle Books and The Moomin Books all very different and yet similar). My favourite characters are many including Karat. But my official vote goes to the pets because they reveal more about their people/characters and they are themselves scene drivers. I love Beast, Olasard, and Gorvar.

  74. I love Dina best. She is so competent and powerful without being a traditional warrior.

  76. I love Dina Demille, 2nd daughter of Helen Demille, and a successful problem solver in Innkeeper Chronicles.

  79. I love all the characters and how well
    They interact together, but if I had to pick one favorite it would have to be Orro. Who doesn’t love an over dramatic chef?!?!

  81. Is it possible to still get a copy of the vellum books? Sorry, I had been traveling and wasn’t keeping up. If so, how do I go about it? I would love to get a copy for my niece for her birthday since it’s my fault that I got her hooked on Ilona Andrew books 🙂

  82. Dina is such a lovable character so I’ll say she is my favorite but I really like the entire cast!

  85. My favorite character is definitely Dina. I love her connection to the Inn.

  93. Helen is my favorite. She is going to grow up into a wonderful character who merits her own book series!

  94. USA resident.
    I love all the main characters, but the Innkeeper books with the addition of ORRO are awesome. Thus, my favorite character is ORRO.

  95. Wow, tough question. My first thought was Maud, then I thought Orro, and then I thought, well, of course, Sean and Dina and Arland and Helen and Caldenia and Beast. Yeah, I love them all. 🙂

  96. Maud. I love a character that rises from the ashes of her life as a badass. And when our wise authors reward her reinvention and the scales of justice balance.

  97. My favorite Character is Dina because she is my idol. She is serine and kind but can get others to do the right thing and get things done without losing her cool. Very cunning and graceful. She would/will be such a good mother!

  98. They all have so much character, it’s hard to pick a favorite, but I love all the scenes with Helen. She’s just so much fun!

  100. My favorite character is a tie between Gertrude Hunt and Olasard the cat. As much as I love Dina and Maud, how can anyone resist the combination of a mysterious cat and a sentient house?