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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

    • Orro. I aspire to be that dramatic in all aspects of my life. Also he and I both go feral for mangoes. ❤️

  3. My favorite is Orro, because drama. Next would be Nuan Cookie. And thank you for all that you write.

  5. WOW!!!! REALLY!!!!
    Are you really asking me to only choose one!!!
    I guess if I have to it has to be, —- Sean. I love Sean.
    But I also love Dina, and Beast, sometimes Orro.
    I’m still thinking,,,, Arlandis funny. Caldenia, well , glad she’s on our side.
    I can go on and on but I won’t.
    IT’S SEAN****

    • Maud is my favourite character.
      she is everything you want in a warrior 👸.

  7. My favorite Innkeeper Chronicles character is absolutely Beast! I am forever a lover of dogs, even if they are actually aliens cosplaying as a cute little Shih Tzu! I love how she will go back to her fluffy persona immediately after terrifying a guest.

  9. I love the incredible variety of colorful characters in this series! Dina is my favorite. She feels so real, and I’m certain we would be friends.

  10. Honestly, Costco lady is my favorite! The fact that her husband didn’t remember her ‘this crazy thing happened in Costco’s story and immediately figure out it was Dina once he knew the whole alien inn schtick and let her know she wasn’t crazy! Side eye my guy. Yes there are rules, but she’s your wife!

  12. Dina is my favorite. While I admire the genius strategist that saves civilizations and the kickass warrior mama bear, Dina has the fortitude to start from nothing with massive power and responsibility and a foot in both worlds.

  14. Orro is my favorite! I love his drama, his passion, and the way he shows care to the people he loves.

  15. While I adore Dina and Sean, my favorite main character is Maud because she is such a badass. I would love to be as strong as she is. And by extension I am crazy about Helen who is so cute and such a fierce little thing. My favorite secondary character is Caldenia, another extremely strong and intelligent female. Her snarky comments always crack me up. I loved getting to know her better in the last book.

  17. Ever since I became a mama 3 years ago, I have resonated so much more with Maude. She has become my new favorite ❤️

  19. I unexpectedly really enjoy Orro. I like Dina, Maud is great but I really love the Orro drama 😀

  23. Dina is a close second but I’m more of a Maud personality. She is hands down my favorite of all the amazing characters in the series.

  25. Maud. She looks so put together on the outside and second guesses herself but never lets it show

  26. It has to be Dina! I aspire to be more like her. Caldenia is a close second, though!

  29. USA here. I think my favorite character might have to be Gertrude Hunt itself.

    (But Maud Demille is a close second! Thank you for giving her a book all her own! Loved it!)

  31. Maud and Helen…….where oh where are you in this spiraling universe?

    I feel like it’s back in the 1600’s when people sailed away in ships and you never heard from them for years if at all, the letters going astray or getting sunk when pirates boarded their ships….

    Of course I am intrigued by all the other eccentric, delightful, scary, manipulative, disturbing, demanding etc etc characters and will distract myself by allowing them to entertain me, but where are you Maud?

  32. Lord Arland continuously ends up my favorite character, especially in the graphicaudio versions

  33. She is not a main character at least not yet but I have hope to see more of her. Donna aka Costco Lady

  34. The Inkeeper Chronicles has so many amazing characters, it is difficult to pick. However, when it comes to sheer quirkiness, Orro would definitely have to win.

  36. Officer Marais is my favorite. He is a normal man presented with the impossible–and he adapts to the new reality!

  38. Ohhh so hard to pick a favorite! I’m saying Orro is my favorite because I just love how dramatic he is!

  40. Dinah is my favorite. I love how smart and competent she is along with her CareBear heart. Sean is a very close second. He shows so much growth over the series and I love his playfulness and sense of humor. The two of them together make a dynamic team!

  41. I love Orro. Who doesn’t love a 7 foot tall hedgehog where everything in his life is a Shakespearean tragedy?

  43. I have to say that I adore Helen and her feistiness. My second favorite character is Caldenia, because I always knew there was a hidden kindness in her.

    • Also, where/how do we contact you about the vellum order swap out? Thru the store??? Thanks!

      • There is a customer contact on the store , yes 🙂

        I believe Ilona is also working on an option to make it possible to directly edit the orders.

  45. Caledonia is my favorite! While she is vicious and gives good advice. I love that we got to find out her motive for “killing” her brother and she did it for her family.

  46. Sean Evans is my favorite character from the Innkeeper Chronicles. Fingers crossed!

  48. There are so many Innkeepers characters that I like. Caldenia, because she’s so much more than what she initially appears; Helen, because she gave us ripper cushions; Maud , because as I’ve stated previously, I take a lot of parenting cues from her; Sunset, because he reminds me that sometimes the greatest act of bravery is not giving up; but ultimately, my favorite character would have to be Dina.
    She is kind, determined, and stalwart. She confronts head on with challenges with consideration and empathy. She has agency. I love her relationship with Sean, and how she collects strays and is binding them into a family, but I also see that if Sean did not come back, if Oreo left after the piece accords, if Maud had never left Noceen, Dina would find the way to keep working towards her goals. She’s admirable, and she’s still flawed. She’s human, she makes mistakes, and she except that and he keeps moving forward.
    When my daughters and I are in the car for a length of time we listen to audiobooks. Every time they ask for the innkeepers, I smile, because they also admire Dina. (although they do continue to be a little disappointed I can’t get them a magic broom.)

  49. I love both Arland and Maud individually but especially as a couple. If I have to choose one I’d go with Maud

  52. I love them all – it’s so hard to choose. I’ll go with Dina because she knows how to get things done and is strong while leaning on friends when needed.

  54. Sean is my favorite character; his journey of discovery and the sacrifices he makes are amazing to watch.

  57. My favorite character is First Scholar Thek! What’s not to love about a wise space chicken?!?

  60. Hard to choose a favorite. I am partial to Dina since she was the first one I “met” when I started reading Innkeeper.

  61. Favorite character is Gertrude Hunt, the inn. It is so amazing what she can create, imagine and sense! I know that Dina is the push but GH is the soul. Wouldn’t it be amazing to live there?

    I rarely enter these contests because I love audiobook versions best (movie in my mind and all that!) but the Innkeeper Series is my absolute favorite! This book looks amazing and I want to buy it if I don’t win! Will it be available for purchase??! 🙏

  66. Dina is my favorite. It is actually pretty rare that I love the main character the most but she is so quietly competent and bada** at the same time. Life goals.

  67. Saw the ‘Done’ post. Hope you can now take a much deserved break & rest for a few days! Looking forward to the eventual release of ‘Maggie 2’:)

  68. Orro… (Insert dramatic backward hand to forward) Am I NOT a Red Cleaver Chef?

  69. Grace Caldenia ka ret Magren. I just finished listening to the story of why she killed her brother and I love her willingness to do what needs to be done regardless of how anyone else feels about her.

  73. My favorite is Maude. Fights for her kid and herself, never gives up. Also has the strength to try again with Arland, which may have been the most courageous thing she did in her book.

  74. My favorite will have to go to the philosopher chickens, especially the first scholar.

  77. My favorite is character is Cyanide of Higgra! She doesn’t have a lot of page time but she left an impression. Spends her date getting brushed by the Inn Owner/Host while spread out across her lap after watching Dina interact with her cat..and then asks if she can have this human! Exactly what I imagine a feline would say if given a voice!

  80. I think Gertrude Hunt is my favorite character. I know, weird to think of an Inn as a character but Gertrude Hunt lives and grows and can die so I think they qualify. I feel like it would be so interesting to see what the beginning of Gertrude Hunt’s life was like, and I’m excited to see what Gertrude Hunt holds in the future.

  81. I must say that my favorite character is her Grace,

    Caldenia ka ret Magren

    So much intelligence, humor, fashion, we’ll try anything at least once,strategist,and more; all wrapped in a small package with sharp teeth.

    (My address is indeed @ymail.com)

  83. Orro is definitely my favourite. He is just such an outrageously good character that you cannot wait for a glimpse of him in any and all of the scenes

  84. Orro! Love his combo of arrogance and curiosity. He speaks to my hot mess side. Love y’all and all you do!

  93. I’m going to be honest, and tell you that I haven’t had the chance to read the Innkeeper Chronicles, yet. I recently started reading Ilona Andrews’ work after a friend highly recommended. I am excited to read more.

  94. The house has to be my favorite character, it enables all the other fun and is the core aspect of the only magic I really desperately wand from the Andrews books

  95. Nuan Cee (and the Lees)

    [which, come to think of it, sounds like a pretty cool name for a band]

    They’re furry, fun, and potentially fatal. What’s not to like?

  98. Dina is my favorite character! She has grown so much throughout the series. ❤️❤️

  100. orro. Id love to try something that he cooked. donuts and those egg and bacon nests. umm something chocolate.