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Holiday Surprise

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In US, the excitement starts about a month before Halloween. Holidays are coming. First it is Halloween with decoration, candy, and scary movies. Then Thanksgiving arrives, with turkey and football. Then Christmas with more decorations, the tree, the glitter, the pressure and joy of gift giving, and then finally it’s the New Year with parties and hopes that the next year surely will be better than the last.

The clock strikes 12:00, the ball drops at Times Square, the champagne corks pop, and next morning we wake up, and this long marathon of fun and excitement is suddenly over. The family and friends go home. We all take a collective breath, although we will miss them. And then the decorations have to be taken down, and leftovers that won’t be eaten must be thrown away.

Here you are. You’ve survived the exciting pressure cooker of the holidays and now it’s just business as usual. The next holiday, aside from religious observances, is probably Valentine’s Day, and it’s kind phony anyway.

It is all a bit sad, isn’t it?

You know what would be nice? Hanging out with some old friends, the kind you don’t have to feed, or entertain, or put up for the night.

Okay, I dragged it out as much as I can stand it. Dear Book Devouring Horde, we have a long novella for you. Lookit!

Magic Tides

KATE DANIELS: WILMINGTON YEARS 1
KATE DANIELS 10.5

AVAILABLE ON JANUARY 17, 2023

Ilona Andrews invites you back to the #1 New York Times bestselling Kate Daniels series in this exciting new long novella featuring Kate, Curran and Conlan, some familiar faces, some new friends, and all the special brand of chaos they create!

Kate, Curran and their son, Conlan have left Atlanta, vowing to keep a low profile, and are settling into a new city and new house…but some things never change! Magical mayhem is about to erupt when Kate undertakes the rescue of a kidnapped youth, while Curran guards the homefront.

It should be a simple retrieval, but with monsters on land and sea, Kate’s got her work cut out for her. Still, she’s never let her blade dull or her purpose falter. And that low profile? It’s about to wash away with the raging tides!

How long is it?

As long as Fated Blades. It’s basically half a novel.

When can we have it?

On January 17, 2023. The preorder is already up, links below. Ebook only for now. No audio because we have to find the right narrator and that will take time. There will be print, we just don’t have links for it.

When is this set?

About a year or so before Blood Heir.

Is it Kate? Like is it actually Kate?

Why don’t you guys see for yourself. But before we do that, I wanted to show you something. We’ve been taking about AI art lately, and so Gordon and I commissioned a Midjourney image from an artist to illustrate Magic Tides to see what really can be done with the new AI technology. The image is absolutely stunning.

Unfortunately, we do not feel comfortable using the AI images commercially, because they are based on the work of other artists, and it’s not clear just how that process happens. The whole situation is a legal and ethical minefield, so this artwork will only appear on our site for your enjoyment. Also, in the interest of full disclosure, this image took a lot of layers and blending done by hand rather than computer. Midjourney didn’t just spit it out.

By Dat Pham
Click to enlarge

You can find more of Dat Pham’s images at his Facebook account.

And now, back to Is it Kate?

Excerpt

Chapter 1

Kate

Ms. Vigue adjusted her bright red glasses and peered at me from her perch on the sofa in our second living room.  We were in the middle of renovations, and the second living room was one of the four functional rooms in the entire place. 

Ms. Vigue was in her early fifties, with lightly tanned skin and ash-blonde hair cropped short and brushed back from her face.  Her eyes behind the lenses were either gray or pale blue. She wore a silky green blouse with a light gray skirt and looked put together enough to attend a business brunch.

I wore a pair of old shorts and a paint-stained tank top over a sports bra, because I had been painting one of the spare bedrooms when Ms. Vigue arrived unannounced. I’d pulled my brown hair into a bun and pinned it in place with an old bandana to minimize the paint exposure, and since that side of the house had neither fans nor any either way of cooling, I smelled like a lumberjack after a long day at work. Making a great first impression on a school administrator – check.

We smiled at each other. Ms. Vigue was doing her best to appear approachable, while I did my best to appear harmless. We were both lying as hard as we could.

Making small talk was not among my few virtues. “I was under the impression that we were already done with the admissions.  You sent us the acceptance letter.”

Which was part of the reason we moved here and got stuck in the renovation hell.

“You are correct.” Ms. Vigue offered me a quick humorless smile. “Our school is unique.”

You could say that again.  It was so unique, it cost an arm and a leg. We jumped through two months’ worth of hoops and paperwork just for the privilege of an interview, and then spent another month waiting for their decision. They came highly recommended, but I was done with their nonsense.

“We like to think of our student body as being truly representative of the diverse world we live in.”

Ms. Vigue slid into her speech mode. It probably worked wonders on trustees and alumni during their fundraising.

“It’s a special place where students of different backgrounds come together. This interview will help us to better understand your child’s needs and enable us to ensure their safety and help them thrive in our vibrant community.”

Aha.  This wasn’t a get-to-know-you visit, this was a threat assessment. We already went through that during the admissions. Why was she yanking our chain again?

I smiled. Curran and I had agreed to maintain a low profile after moving. Think normal suburban thoughts.  How hard could this be, right? We are just a small family renovating our new home. 

“Of course, my husband and I will answer any reasonable questions.  Please feel free to ask.”

She took out a leather folder, unzipped it, and checked the contents. “You’ve been recommended by one of our patrons. How do you know Dr. Cole?”

Telling her that Dolittle had patched me up far too many times to count would just derail the conversation. “He was our family doctor. He delivered Conlan and treated him frequently over the years. We consider him a family friend.”

 Ms. Vigue nodded and made a note in her folder.  “Your son’s assessment scores are quite remarkable.”

Was this a compliment?  If I took it as a compliment, she wouldn’t be able to do anything about it. “Thank you.”

“Our school’s reputation ensures that we get the most outstanding applicants. Your son will be among his intellectual peers.”

That would be a tall order, but I didn’t need him to find his intellectual equals. I just needed him to learn to act like a person and interact with other children without the weight of his identity dragging him down.

“It’s my understanding that your child is a shapeshifter.”

Here we go. “Yes.”

“What is the nature of his beast?”

I smiled even sweeter.  “That’s a highly illegal question, Ms. Vigue. The nature of one’s beast is confidential and cannot be used as basis for discrimination by any educational institution in this country.”

I knew this because my husband had dumped a massive amount of money and effort into lobbying for those laws to be passed before we met.

Ms. Vigue pushed her glasses up her nose with her middle finger.

Aha. Screw you too. “Would you like me to cite the relevant federal and state statutes protecting shapeshifter rights, or can we skip the formalities?”

“Of course, we cannot compel you to release that information.  However…”

“Your next words will determine what I tell Dr. Cole tonight when he calls to check how we are settling in. And he will call. He is very thoughtful and thorough. I’m sure he and his seven thousand associates will take a dim view of your school attempting to discriminate against a shapeshifter child.”

Her eyes narrowed. “You’re going to be difficult, aren’t you?”

You have no idea.  “I don’t know what you mean, Ms. Vigue.  Did you have any other questions?”

“I will come straight to the point.”

“I wish you would.”

“Can you guarantee that your child will not snap and attack his classmates?”

 “Absolutely.  He is very much like his father. It’s important to him that his resorting to violence is viewed as a deliberate choice rather than a loss of control on his part.”

She blinked at me.

No matter how much social outreach shapeshifters did, other humans never forgot that each one of them was a potential spree killer in waiting. I had expected better from a person who worked with children.

“Since we’ve decided to be blunt, if my child decides to go on a rampage, the combined security of your school won’t be able to stop him. If something alarming happens, which it won’t, you will call us, and either I or his father will come and take care of it.”

“Are you suggesting that we make no effort to contain him?”

“Conlan won’t attack you if you don’t present a threat. Your best strategy is to sit still and look down. Don’t run because he will chase you, and he is very fast. Cringing and urinating on yourself will also remove you from his target list.”

She blinked again.

“As I said, this is highly unlikely.  Your vibrant student body will be perfectly safe. Now I have a question for you. Did the school send you here or did you take it upon yourself to conduct this interview?”

“As a vice-Dean of Students…”

 Just as I thought. She came on her own. I gave her my pretty smile.  Ms. Vigue went silent in mid-word.

Normal was overrated anyway.

“I’m so glad we had this chat, Ms. Vigue. Would you like some iced tea for the road?”

Three minutes later, I stood in the doorway to the main building and watched her get into her Chevy Malibu and roll down the road heading west. I took a deep breath and let it out slowly.  The air smelled like sea and sun. It should’ve been calming, but it wasn’t. 

The past few days brought one minor calamity after another, starting with the floor in the utility room caving in and getting worse from there.  Ms. Vigue’s visit was just a rotten cherry on top of this cake of woe.

My husband, my son, and I had toured the school, and all three of us liked the teachers and what they were teaching. We had liked the administrative staff for the most part as well.  The same couldn’t be said about the Office of the Dean of Students. I had met three members of it so far, including Ms. Vigue, and every one of them tried my patience. I wouldn’t have had a problem reassuring them if they had made the slightest effort to communicate with us on equal terms.

I needed to vent some steam in the worst way.

My son emerged from behind the wall with an unfamiliar boy in tow. Conlan was large for his age, with my dark hair and his father’s gray eyes.  The boy next to him was about the same size but probably a couple of years older, around 10.  Thin, dark haired, with bronze skin and brown eyes, he seemed like he wasn’t sure what would happen next.  A bit jumpy.

Conlan stopped in front of me. “Hi mom. This is Jason. He is Paul’s nephew.”

Paul Barnhill was our general contractor. Jason gave me a hesitant wave.

“Can we have some sandwiches?” Conlan asked.

When it came to making friends, my son took his cues from his father.  Food first. And he knew where the fridge was and had been making his own sandwiches since he was 2 years old.

“Absolutely.”

“Thank you. Jason’s brother was kidnapped.”

Ah.  So, it wasn’t about the sandwiches.

Conlan turned to Jason. “Come on.”

The two of them went inside. Grendel, our mutant black poodle, trotted out from behind the wall, gave me a lick on the leg in passing, depositing a small army of foul-smelling bacteria on my thigh, and bounded after them.

Food had a particular significance to shapeshifters. They didn’t share it with just anyone. Conlan brought Jason to me, made sure I saw Jason’s face, made sure that I knew he was about to make him a sandwich, and then informed me that Jason had a problem. A problem I now wanted to know more about, because Jason wasn’t some abstract child my son casually knew but someone he accepted and wanted to share a meal with.

“Kidnapped” could mean a lot of things to a 10-year-old boy. The first night after we moved in, a half-naked Conlan informed me that Grendel had been kidnapped by pirates. I grabbed my sword and ran to the shoreline, to find Grendel in a boat tied to a beached tree, floating 5 feet away from shore and barking his head off, while a Jolly Roger my son drew with wall primer on his black T-shirt flew overhead. But we lived in unsafe times.  Real kidnappings weren’t uncommon, especially if the victim was, in Ms. Vigue’s words, “vibrant” enough. 

The fort around me vanished, and for a painful second I was sprinting down the street, ice-cold from fear, desperately searching the ruins around me for the spark of baby Conlan’s magic and wishing with every fiber of my being that I would find him before his would-be kidnappers did.

 I sighed and went to look for Paul.

#

Finding Paul took a few minutes because our new house was unusually large.

I circled the third stack of lumber in the middle of the courtyard. Around me the walls of Fort Kure loomed against the sunshine, blocking the view of the beach. Local legend said that some hare-brained millionaire came to view historic Fort Fisher and was rather underwhelmed, because only a small portion of the original defense installation remained. He conceived Fort Kure as a “companion attraction” to the historic landmark, a sea stronghold on steroids that would give the tourists all the citadel thrills Fort Fisher was missing. For unknown reasons, the millionaire had bailed when the construction was 2/3 complete.

Once finished, Fort Kure would become an ultra-secure dwelling, a hybrid of a medieval castle and a modern citadel.  My husband took one look at the absurdly thick stone walls, the tower, and the Atlantic spreading as far as the eye could see and fell in love. His gray eyes got this slightly deranged light, he took my hands in his, and said, “Baby, we would be crazy to not do this.”

I said yes because I loved him. And because we needed to get out of Atlanta, where everyone knew who we were and what we were capable of.  If we stayed there, Conlan would never experience anything resembling a normal childhood. Okay, so normal was a stretch, but at least here he would be treated as just another shapeshifter kid, not the son of a former Pack leader, a wonder-child capable of miraculous things. Bottom line, we’d needed a secure base, so we bought Fort Kure at a steep discount and proceeded to sink loads of money into it. The walls were done, so was the front gate, and the rest of the house inside was coming along. Slowly.  Very slowly. If everything went on schedule, it might be habitable by fall.

I found Paul by the gift shop, which we planned to convert into a stable. He was talking to a man I didn’t recognize, and he seemed upset. Paul didn’t get upset. He was an optimistic guy who looked at a collapsed wall with an attitude of “I can fix it” and frequently did. The man he was talking to was about ten years older than Paul, which put him in his late forties. They had to be related – both had the same bronze skin, dark curly hair, and aquiline noses.

“… can’t.”

“I know,” the man said.

“If I give you that money, I can’t make payroll. The work’s already done. I must run the payroll. I can’t ask my people to work for free.”

“I know,” the man said again. There was a brittle finality to his voice.  He had resigned himself to “no” but was too desperate to not try.

Paul dragged his hand through his hair. “Look, I’ve still got Dad’s truck.”  He dug into his pocket and pulled a keyring out.  “I never got around to fixing it. Take it, sell it for parts. It won’t bring much, but at least it’s something…”

Paul saw me.  His mouth clicked shut.

“Hello,” I said. “I’ve met Jason. He says your nephew was kidnapped.”

The two men stared at me.

“This is my brother, Thomas,” Paul said finally. “Someone took my nephew.  We’re trying to scrape enough money to try to buy him back.”

“Do you know who took him?”

“Yes,” Thomas said.

I waited. Paul nudged him.

“The Red Horn Nation,” Thomas said finally.

“Who are they?”

“A local gang,” Paul said. “They control a lot of South Wilmington. Mostly they deal in drugs, but they steal kids too.”

“How big are they?”

Paul frowned.  “Fifty people?  Maybe more.”

A nice round number. “Are they holding him for ransom?”

“No,” Thomas said.

“Have you tried the cops?”

“These are dangerous people,” Thomas said.  “The cops won’t bother them unless there is evidence. I don’t have evidence.”

“Then how do you know who took him?”

“There were witnesses.”

And if those witnesses went to the police, bad things would happen to them.  Right.

“How old is your son, and when did they take him?”

Thomas didn’t answer.

“Darin is 16,” Paul said.  “They took him five days ago. Why is the age important?”

“Because little kids are usually sold to sexual predators or to families who want a child. Teenagers are sold to someone who will keep them confined.  Transporting them is risky.”

Darin was probably still in the city.

“You were gathering money, so you know where they are,” I told Thomas.

He nodded. “They have a house.”

“Good.” I pulled the rag off my head.  “Wait here.  I’m going to change, and we’ll go and get your son back.”

“You don’t understand,” Thomas said. “They are…”

“Bad people.  You’ve told me.”

The Barnhill brothers looked skeptical.  It was probably my winning ensemble of stained tank top and torn shorts.

My husband walked out of the north tower and jogged over to us. He was almost six feet tall, with blond hair and gray eyes, and he was built like a champion grappler in his prime. The two men instinctively stepped aside to make room for him.

“Hey.”

“Hey,” I told him.

“What’s going on?”

“Paul’s nephew has been kidnapped by a local gang. About 50 people. I’m going to get him back.”

Curran grinned at me. “Will you be home in time for dinner?”

Paul and Thomas looked at him like he had lost his mind.

“Naah.  Eat without me.”  I stretched my shoulders a bit, gave him a quick hug, and headed to our bedroom.

“Red Horn kills people,” Thomas said behind my back. “Your wife…”

“Will enjoy the exercise,” my husband said. “You know what they say.  Happy wife, happy life.”

Five minutes later I walked out wearing my work clothes: a pair of jeans loose enough to kick someone taller than me in the face, a gray T-shirt, and a pair of soft boots.  I wore a utility belt on my waist and a sword sheath on my back.  The handle of my sword protruded over my shoulder. I’d braided my hair, and there were two throwing knives and a bowie in the sheath on my thigh.

I gave Curran a quick hug. 

“Don’t forget,” he said.

“Low profile. I remember.” I turned to Thomas.  “Let’s go.”

Thomas looked at his brother. Paul spread his arms and shrugged. Thomas looked at him, looked at me, and fell in step. 

“Did you bring a car?”

“I rode a horse.”

“Good.  I like horses best.” They always worked.

The world skipped a beat.  Technology coughed and died, and magic flooded us in an invisible wave.  The colors grew a little brighter, the sounds turned a little louder, and things came into sharper focus. For as long as the magic held, the guns would not fire, the electric bulbs would remain dark, and monsters would spawn in the darkness.  I looked up at the horizon

“I still think this is a terrible idea, Mrs…”

“Don’t worry,” I told him.  “Like Curran said, I need the exercise. And, please, call me Kate.”

#

Curran

As I watched my wife ride away, I knew our life of quiet anonymity here was over. Despite her promises to the contrary, whatever she did would be loud and messy. It was time to find my son.

“What do you think she’s going to do?” Paul asked.

“She will find the hornet’s nest and set it on fire. When the angry hornets fly out, she’ll poke them with her sword.”

“You don’t seem that worried,” Paul said.

“I’m not. She’s almost as good as she thinks she is. Don’t tell her I said that. Seriously.”

We watched Kate and Thomas riding away some more.

“Why Red Horn?” I asked.

“Who knows?” Paul shrugged. “Mess with the bull, get the horns? They are a vicious bunch, I can tell you that.”

They’d have to be to steal a child.

“Okay. Umm,” he hesitated.

“What is it?”

“My family, we don’t have a lot of money…”

I waited and said nothing.

“I can give you a good deal on the renovation, maybe.”

“No need. We’ve already agreed on a fair price for this.” I waved my arm to indicate my fortress in progress. “That’s settled.”

“Well, is there anything we can do?”

I locked eyes with him and put a little bit of weight into my stare.

“Yes. You can go and get your family and bring them here. Paul, listen carefully. When I say family, I mean everybody. Your family. Thomas’ family. Close friends, people you care about. People who could be hurt or threatened to get at you. Do you understand?”

He almost staggered back. I may have overdone it a bit, but this was important.

“Yes. I can do that.”

“Good. Go and do it now. I’ll keep Jason here. He can help my son and I prepare.”

“For what?” he asked.

“A siege.”

“A what?”

“Paul, we don’t have a lot of time. Kate is going to do what she does. She’s going to ask some very dangerous people some very pointed questions about who took your nephew and why. People will get hurt; some may die. Their friends will want revenge. They will look for her. And you. And your family. If you and yours are here, I can keep everybody safe. Please go and get them. Now.”

He left without any more questions. Now I needed to find Conlan. We had a lot of work to do, and I needed to explain some things.

The wind was blowing in from the sea. I followed his scent to a rope tied to a beached tree on the shore. At the other end of the rope, about forty feet out, was a “boat” my son had found and repaired.

Grendel turned at my approach, saw my face, and lay down in the boat with only his eyes visible. Grendel was a smarter-than-average dog.

The boys’ backs were turned to me, as they were staring out to sea and the adventures that waited there. I pulled the rope. Hard.

The boat rocketed back to land.

Conlan hit the sand before it did, landing in a crouch.

“Wow,” Jason exclaimed. “Your dad is strong!”

“And quiet,” Conlan said. “I didn’t know you were there.”

“I didn’t want you to know. We can talk while you clear the lumber in front of the fort.”

“Are you in trouble? I didn’t want to get you in trouble.” Jason turned to me. “I can go home, Mr. Lennart.”

I didn’t believe in lying to children.

“Nobody is in trouble, Jason. You’re staying here. My wife is going to find your brother. The people who took him won’t like it, and they’ll come back here tonight looking to even the score.”

A golden light rolled over Conlan’s irises.

“Yes, we’ll get to that,” I told him. “But if we’re having guests, even uninvited ones, we need to tidy up the place. The space in front of the wall is a mess.”

“We’re cleaning up for the bad people?” Jason asked.

Jason was young and had been through a lot recently, so I couldn’t blame him if he was having trouble keeping up. That was okay, my son understood me just fine.

“He means that there are plenty of places for the bad people to hide behind. He wants to see them sneaking up on us.”

Understanding dawned on Jason’s face. “My family…”

“Will be safe behind the walls. Your father is fetching them back here. Everything will be alright. Meanwhile, you can help us get ready.”

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  4. I screeched so loud the dog started barking looking to see who hurt me.
    Not hurt just ridiculously excited!
    Thank you

    • >I’m not squealing in any way shape or form!

      And you have a building in excellent condition on Unicorn Lane you’d like to sell us, too.

      • I have been picturing the happy dancing baby ( of yesteryear from Alley Mcbeal) dancing in my head – this is me from now until I have my hands on this second surprise KD gift from House IA.

        Words are not enough to describe my joy and happiness- 2022 is ending even better than it began because of House I A.

        Thank you.

        Wishing House IA & the BDH- joy, peace, happiness, rest, and rejuvination surrounded by your loved ones (near or far) for the holidays, with hope for all the good things and more in 2023.

  7. OMG! SQUEEEE! Whoot!! Yahoo!! The best present of all! I can’t wait to dive back into Kate and Curran’s world!

    Thank you for being the bestest of authors!

    • Double +1. I caught myself from squeaking out loud, and settled for a “YES”, because I was at work

  9. OMG!! Best Christmas Present ever!!! This is perfect timing. I will be flying home from Hawaii right after this drops. I will have a whole 8 hour flight to savor this. Thank you!!

  13. You are so good to us! The art, the story, it’s all a big holiday hug. Thank you so much. Running now to pre-order!! 🥰🥰

  17. That’s such a amazing surprise. You’re the bestest.

    Also the best for absolutely NOT using AI art. Support the humans and their continued blood, sweat and tears work. <3
    (Not even going to go into the stolen artworks because I'm in a okay mood.)

    • Data scientist here. AI absolutely requires human blood, sweat, and tears. Coding and maintaining everything involved requires a LOT of work and resources, including creative energies.

  19. Just finished re-reading the Kate Daniels series and am re-reading The Innkeeper books in preparation for the latest installment. This is a marvelous surprise! You guys are the best.

    XOXO 😀 Thank you so much!

    • I am still re-reading Sweep of the Heart for the n-th time with a plan to start my KD rereading marathon on the 24th through to the Magic Tides book birthday.

  28. I had to take a few deep breaths so I didn’t scream/type utter gibberish on here. But eerrmmaaahgawwwds!!!!! thank you!!!!! so so so excited!!!!

  30. This is sooo exciting. I clicked the preorder link before reading anything.

    Ok now to go and savor Chapter 1

    • Thank you sooooooo much!! I had been re-reading Kate while I wait for the 13th (tomorrow!) Have been missing her badly even tho I love Dina and Catalina and everyone too!

      Now to go savor….”please, call me Kate.”

  31. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BEST. SURPRISE. EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  33. Thank you so much. Today is tough for me (my Dad is having cancer surgery) and my stress level is through the proverbial roof. This announcement was a much needed bright spot. I’m so excited to visit Kate and company again.

  37. Best suprise EVER!!! As much as I love all your work, Kate holds my heart. It is literally my favorite series ever.

    • + 1000. Kate is awesome!
      Thank you so much!!!
      Merry Christmas!
      Happy New Year!

      And Happy Orthodox Christmas and New Year!

      Thanks again !!!
      Such joy and satisfaction reading your work!!

  39. Aaaaaaahhhhhhhh!!!!!

    *picture me running madly in circles, squeeing my head off and scaring the cats*

    TAKE MY MONEY!!!

    Loveitloveitloveitloveit!

    *runs off to pre-order if possible*

  43. Best news ever! Thank you for the Christmas present. Already pre-ordered as I am sure so many are doing.

  47. This was fun. Sometimes I wonder about Kate as an old lady but realize she won’t age but she would be a hoot. Fun to be with old friends.

  49. Pre-ordered before I even finished reading the post.

    I think I’ll skip the excerpt, though; on January 17, I want the full dose of Kate to slap me up the side of my head!

    • Visited Kure in September. Lovely place. Perfect setting for KD and company. Conlan would love the aquarium.

      Preordered, excited, ecstatic!!
      Wishing HA, ModR, and the BDH all good things this holiday season and the coming year(s).

  54. Aaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!
    Now I can’t wait till the New Year has been and gone!
    Thank you so very much.
    Your books help keep us (BDH and others) all sane in this crazy world we live in.
    Hoping you and your family have a wonderful Joyous Christmas and Holiday!
    Love your gift to us!

  56. *gibbering*

    I love y’all!!!!

    Mod R! HOW did you manage to keep this secret?! You are a gem.

    Curran POVs. Kate! KAAAATE. And Conlan!

    Aaahhhh!!!

    • Many thanks to everyone who emailed and wrote in on the blog and on Facebook when they discovered the link early for their understanding that their comments had to be hidden until the official news dropped! 😀

      • Awww totally understandable! The BDH is the best too. Had to be sneaky with the comment hiding to keep the surprise. Stealth mode… activated haha

        This is such a great week. New book AND new book announcement!!!

      • I stumbled across Magic Burns many years ago in my public library, a stay at home Mum with a baby and toddler and not a lot of money left over to buy books. I tracked down Magic Bites and so began a beautiful friendship, albeit, one-sided.🤣 Kate is a friend. I’ve watched her stumble, pick herself up, grow, find herself, her joy, and watched her soar. Cheered her on and re-read her stories countless times.I’ve read the comments on this blog since it’s inception, basking in the wit and humour of all the like minded readers, Kate’s other friends, and never felt the need to comment. Until now, until Ilona and Gordon gave her back to us. Just for a little bit. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for the opportunity to revisit an old friend, my gratitude knows no bounds. I can’t wait to hear what she’s been up to.🗡

  65. WOW WOW WOW happy monday!!! Thank you! I literally can’t wait to have new Kate and Curran (and Conlan) adventures!!!

  66. That was delicious! I’m glad I’ll be busy the next month or so. And we’ll have Sweep of the Heart to read tomorrow. Thank you!

  68. Me, 20 minutes ago: „I went over budget on Christmas gifts, so no extra purchases for the next few weeks. Food and utilities only.“
    Me, pre-ordering Magic Tides: „House Andrews books are a utility expense, right?“

  70. Ooh I look like I might be near the top of the comments! Extra excitement! So. Much. Happiness. Though my husband misheard me when I said* there’s a Kate book and heard “cake book” so came up with “all Russian ones then?”

    On a more serious note it links me to Amazon US but I am in the Uk…will it come out here too pretty pretty please?

    *said is subjective. Best not to think about the ultrasonic register.

  71. Squee!!! I loved that snippet – so happy it’s a full story!!

    Love that we’re getting both Kate and Curran POVs too.

  74. Thank you so much for being so ethical when it comes to the work of other people. It is noted and appreciated. I buy all your books because I love them. But the ethical standard that is just a part of your own characters is yet another reason to support you.

  75. Just preordered. Apple Books seems confused about the release date, though. When I first searched Magic Tides, it said 27th January. It wasn’t until I finished the pre-order that it changed the expected date to 17th January. Just thought you should know. 🙂

  76. Life’s been really quite shit recently. I’ve had HL, Innkeeper and Kate on repeat to accompany my non-working moments, and to get me to sleep and then get me back there again when those intrusive thoughts come calling in the early hours. This is exactly the tonic I need; I wonder if Ilona and Gordon know exactly how much they impact millions of us around the globe.

    • I try to tell them 🙂

      I’m so happy the books provide you with some relief! *Hugs* and better times ahead <3

      • This is so true! I was actually listening to magic bleeds while I was in labor to help calm my anxiety. Ilona and Gordon help a lot of people with their work. I’m definitely one of them.

  77. Ah! Oh! WOW.
    I said thank you before even reading it. But now…
    I’m in heaven. I love it! Love it, I tell you!!
    So very, very happy.
    I guess it will switch between Kate’s and Curran’s point of view? 🙂
    It’s brilliant. You guys are geniuses!
    It portrays how they understand and predict each others actions.
    Like an old (and awesome) married couple – which at this point in the series they absolutely are.
    Thank you again. Insane or not, if dose feel like Kate and Curran are real people that I miss.

  80. OMG a release on my birthday, I can’t waittttt. Thank you so much!!!!
    I will of course consider this something you did on purpose not a cosmic coincidence :))))))))

  81. This is such exciting news. I’m so happy right now. A new Kate story to read (with Curran’s point of view in it) sounds amazing.

  84. Thank-You for the lovely artwork and wonderful new book! Happy Happy holidays! I’ve been watching the Rick Steves European Christmas DVD and tomorrow is Saint Lucia’s day. It’s celebrated in Scandinavia. I got the DVD years ago as a PBS promo with my membership. It’s still being run on our local PBS station.
    The snippet was very welcome as a treat before I have to clean my house. I’ve been sewing and baking and now it’s time to really get to work. I hope all of your family have a good Christmas and stay healthy.

    • Agree!! I am so beyond happy right now, in part due to the sneak attack
      And especially if this is a better process for HA, and won’t cause anxiousness about leaks (although I see in the comments that mod R has been running around the internet stomping out rumors 😅)..
      I hope the excited and surprised reaction of BDH feels like big scratchy, love-filled kiss from the fluffiest horde ever

      • Noooo 🙂, the BDH are very good sports about keeping secrets!
        We’re also just very well informed hehe 😉

  86. Thank you for the lovely Christmas gift. Was expecting a short story, but this is fantastic. Squeee!

    Have a blessed Christmas. Count down to 13th has started.

    Excited 😜

  87. I love Friday’s but now Monday’s. I just got Sweep of the Heart and now this! Wow. Thank you! Just awesome!

  90. I would be SOOOO excites, except I don’t read electronically. Any chance of a print version, in the not TOO far away future? 🙏

    • There will be a print version, I’m happy to confirm! I just can’t give you links for it yet, but it will be announced on the blog when they are available (as with the audiobook!).
      Thank you for your patience!

  91. Happy screams- Kaaaaaaate!!!!!!

    I’v already hit the pre-order. You are The Best!

    This is definitely something to look forward to after the hols and my kids’ birthdays (one just before Christmas and the other just after New Year’s). And this year I have legal, conservator papercrud to wade through as my baby becomes legal (yet needs support until they are ready for their next stage).

    Now off to read that delicious preview chapter!

  92. Wheeee!!! New Kate! And Curran! And Conlan!
    Thank you!!!
    Yay for January surprises!!

    ?Will there also be a print version?

    I love Valentine’s Day with the pure heart of my 3rd grade self, so I make cards for lots of people.
    💌💖💌
    My mission: making mail boxes happy, one holiday at a time.

  93. Omg. Omg. Breathe. Kate! Curran! Conlan! Merry freaking Christmas! I really didn’t know I could love HA more. Thank you 💜

  95. Omg omg omg! I love this and it’s already so much better than the original snippet! (Which I also loved heheh). Thank you so very much for giving us something to look forward to during the Jan doldrums!! It’s ordered!

  97. Aaarghh!! 😍
    I am am so freaking happy! Thank you!! Thank you thank you thank you thank you!
    My husband and I were talking about Kate over the dinner table just last week, reminissing over favorit moments and pining for more Julie books.
    I miss this world so much some times 😊 My husband and I have read your books aloud to each other ever since the beginning of our relationship 9 years ago. My first anniversary present to him was a signed Kate Daniels book.
    Much graditude for work here from Denmark 🤗

  100. Omg!!! Best surprise ever, thank you so much! Can’t wait to see what mayhem Kate, Curran, and Conlan get up to in North Carolina.

    I love how Kate finds herself in yet another pseudo medieval fortress, luckily this one doesn’t involve the Pack.

    • Also I love the title. Literal and figurative as they are right on the coast with the ocean in their backyard (I’m assuming) and to tide over the BDH for missing Kate and her little family.

  101. I remember reading the school interview at some point. I’m so glad it grew to become its own novella!

  104. Thank you! Woo-hoo! Oh my gosh, Wilmington became Atlanta northeast! 😂😂😂🥳🎉🎉🎉

    If the Wilmington gang doesn’t give up, Uncle Hugh and a few friends might need to join the fun. 😁🤪

  111. This is a most excellent surprise! I couldn’t preorder fast enough 🙂 Thanks for the extra holiday treat, it’s nice to have something to look forward to in miserable, grey, rainy January!

  112. You are the best! How wonderful to pull up the blog to see if anything was posted and to find this wonderful story. I am headed to buy the ebook.

    How wonderful to get to see Kate, Curran, and Conlan again.

    The BDH don’t deserve ya’ll, but we so love and appreciate you!

  114. Oh My god!!!
    Now to read beyond that cover reveal, after having run excitedly around the house like a headless chicken – a completely silent headless chicken run mind you, since I try not to wake my 3 month old that I just got to sleep
    This is just the best news!!!

  116. AHHHHHHHHHHHH! Kicking off what will hopefully be the amazing week after a string of sucky ones. Much thanks to House Andrews and Mod R for all your hard work! <3

  123. What a wonderful Christmas present. I have read this chapter that was treated to us all earlier and wondered if there would ever be a full story. AND There Is. thank you thank you thank you. Merry Christmas 🎄 🎁🎁🎁🎄🎄

  125. Yes…. now I just have to explain why I’m twitching and withdrawal as I wait for the January 15th release!

  127. Thanks so much, really needed something to cheer me up. Life is hell right now. Y’all are the best, love y’all so much!

  128. please,please,please, put this in print— I don’t care if the “Lawn Orphans ” write it out in crayon and mimeograph it and send it out lose leaf, just get it in print, PLEASE

    • It will be in print (no orphans will be harmed!)- I just don’t have links yet, but we will announce it as soon as it’s available!

    • not to get completely off topic here, but any new lawn orphan stories to share? it’s been ages (as my kids would say as they are obsessed with Bluey)

  130. What a wonderful way to start 2023!! It even makes December 2022 look better because I got to hit the pre-order button!!

    I don’t want to be a pest …. but …. will we be able order to order a paper version at some point, too?? I do my absolute best to have ALL books in both paper and print. If a power surge takes down Atlanta and the surrounding suburbs…..I want to be able to keep reading!!

    Thank you so much for such a wonderful announcement.

    • Yes, it will be available in print too, just not yet- we’ll announce it as soon as it’s available! 🙂

  132. squeeeeee yayyyy Kate!!! I remember this snippet! looking forward to hearing the rest of the story 🥳

    (also secretly happy for a non-romance focused story – I know HA said they might do one and I’m so glad they did!)

  136. I can’t even begin to express how exited I am!!! Best Christmas present ever! It’s like having an old friend come home.

    • It should be available soon, we will announce it! 🙂 (as with the audiobook and paper versions!)

      • Thank you!! The first to recommend is first in line to borrow. And it usually is released a bit early.

  138. YEEEEESSSS!!!! 🤩🤩🤩
    I love you guys so much 🥹. This just made my day – as did pre-ordering immediately 😁.

  140. Best Christmas present ever!!!!!!!!! and now I have something to look forward to after all the chaos of the holidays is over.
    Thank you so much house Andrews!!!!!!!!!

  141. Woooop wooooop I just preordered the novella. Am not even going to read the intro, because I just know I’ll be frustrated for wanting to know what happens next.
    This will be the perfect comfort read on a gloomy january day. (I am doing a happy dance now)

  149. I preordered before reading the excerpt. I got full-body tingles just from hitting the pre-order button. Obviously, I need this new book.

    Coincidentally, I reread Kate books this weekend. I don’t think I read an entire book through—this was more a jump to the parts I particularly felt like reading.

    House Andrews, you guys are the best! You take such good care of us. Thank you.

  151. Dear House Andrews and Mod R,

    Thanks very much for a great surprise…. did you hear the stampede noises as the BDH ran (thundered?) for the pre-order buttons on various sites? Heh.

    What a great way to start a very cold week (it is cold in AB)

  154. oh my goodness.
    You beautiful beautiful people. A new Kate!!!!!!!
    Preordered before scrolling down. And includes a Curran pov?????? The best thing this holiday season.
    Had to stop lurking just to say this.

    Dear HA, your work (books, blog, comments, everything) brings a lot of joy to my life. Thank you so very much. Happy holidays and all the joy in the world.

  155. I love the announcement (and pre-ordered) and the sneak peak!!!!!!!!! AND the artwork is just gorgeous. Everything about this post is amazing. THANK YOU!!!

  159. Best news I‘ve had in weeks 😀. You guys are awesome!! Thank you!! …and I‘m off to preorder the book 🎉

  161. Thank you. Thank you so much. Sitting here, nearly crying, because there’s another book looking forward to. it’s a light in the crazy my life got during the last two years.

  163. Thank you, very much. 🤗

    I have an appointment later today and I’m anticipating receiving upsetting news, so I’m going to save reading the excerpt until after that, as a treat. I pre-ordered the book right away though. 😊

  164. Woo hoo!
    Yay! – Kate rocks!
    Thank you sooo much for the Holiday gift. It could not have been more perfect.

    I like the inclusion of Curran’s POV to start with. I am sure everyone else does, too.

    Now I will go read comments.

  166. Kate and Julie are my default reads. reading your books is like coming home. Thank you, sincerely. 💜

  167. Oh dear sweet fates and beneficent HA this will be so much fun. I laughed maniacally reading just the first chapter.

    Pre-ordered, so now there’s a counter with hours left and a counter with weeks left running in my head.

  174. I smiled so wide, seriously, I’ve had a tough week, means the world to me to feel such joy! loved the excerpt, thank you!

  181. You know that post describing the Kate fandom? That may or not have been me while reading and after reading the chapter 🤣 Thank you so much!

    • And also: I just noticed: Kate Daniels Wilmington Years Book 1? Book 1?! What!?!?! Book 1 of how many? Do we get more than one Christmas present? (please say yes, please say yes)

      • Yep I focussed on that as well! YearS and 1…. that means there’s more stories hidden there…which we might hear if we’re very, very, very good?

        Albeit greed is one thing which puts you on the naughty list…

        • But it’s not greed!

          We’re….uh, hmm…. we’re desperate to give – that’s it, we want to GIVE (generously!)- our money to House Andrews, and the…um, the RECEIPT, yeah, that’s it, the “receipt” that proves that we gave is, well, sometimes it’s hundreds of pages long, that’s all . The BDH is definitely on Santa’s “nice” list. Cuz of the giving, see. 😇

          • Post-Shift Santa has a special list that just says “The most Beloved and Fluffy Horde” 😀

  186. Ahhhhhhhhhh! This snippet is the ultimate Christmas gift and the novella will arrive just before my birthday!!! Shivers! I can’t wait to be back with these old friends. I missed them so. Thank you thank you thank you. 😘💕😍🥰

  187. This is the best surprise! Thank you, House Andrews!! Pre-ordered and now counting down.

    Yesss, my preshus, soon you will be mine… chortle, chortle….

  188. Imaging me jumping up and down!!🥰
    What a wonderful Christmas gift!
    Thousands thanks IA🙇‍♀️, you wonderful Yous! 🥰

  189. The story is fantastic, the image is fantastic. I’m so sorry it can’t be used. Anyway, thank you for something to look forward too. I always hate this holiday and we’re also dealing with some heath issues here so this is wonderful.

  192. It’s exactly what I wanted, how did you know?!?! Hahah, best holiday / birthday present, thank you so much!

  193. Yeah!!! We have a pre-Holiday gift in Sweep of the Heart and a post-Holiday gift with Magic Tides. I knew there was going to be awesomeness but this is next level. So excited. I will not lie I really want there to be a mug or shirt with ““What do you think she’s going to do?” Paul asked.

    “She will find the hornet’s nest and set it on fire. When the angry hornets fly out, she’ll poke them with her sword.”” Along with shirt/mug/magnet with Hugh saying “put down that cow”.

  195. oh wow. you love us, you love us. happy squeeeeeeeee. ❤️ per ordered before I even read the snippet.❤️

  196. Ha! Of course it’s Kate. “…I walked out wearing my work clothes: a pair of jeans loose enough to kick someone taller than me in the face….” Who else?

    So very cool! Thank you, dear and fluffy HA! You are absolutely the best!!!

  197. Yay!!!!! When I saw the snippet earlier in the year, I was wondering if it led into more of a story. And it does! Sweet! (Sorry, a little too excited. I’ll pre-order it right away.)

  198. You are the best! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to us! 🙂

    I hope you have great holidays and have peace and love in your heart, good food, a warm smile to share and your loved ones close by. And I mean that for the whole Andrews Household, ModR and all the great artists you work with all year long too.

  199. oh my gosh oh my gosh – thank you so bloody much – you all rock and this is the best news – needed it!!!

  200. I remember, nice smile = psychotic grin…. 😉

    Thank you for this, it made me smile a bit. We lost one of our furbabies yesterday, so I desperately needed a pick-me-up.

    It is really interesting how this subtly changed from the first snippet version. I am really glad to get to see how Kate will retrieve the boy from the bad guys.

  203. I cannot wait 😃😃😃😃😃 Thank you so much. Happy Christmas. And a safe and wonderful New Year.

  206. What a wonderful New Year present! Thank you! Can’t wait to see more of Kate-Curran-Conlan dynamics!

  207. Ok, so I’m admitting this here only cuz the Horde will totally understand, I teared up a little when I read this post!! LOVE KATE!! I missed her more than I realized. I’m super excited about the book tomorrow (or actually tonight, squeeeeee!!!!) but MORE KATE!?!?! With both of these I might need CPR!!!! Good thing I’m at work in a hospital. (swoons away like an old fashioned romance heroine).

    Thanks HA.

  209. Kate ! Sooo happy ! Thank you so much ! The timing is perfect I just reread the all the books. Wonderful Christmas gift.

  210. So pumped for this one. Preordered and ready to go. Thank you. You made my Xmas. Best to you and yours always.

  211. Oh happiest of holiday surprises!
    Thank you so much for your efforts on our behalf.
    I’m hustling out to preorder this right now!
    Wheeee!!!!

  213. The image is wonderful and thank you so much for the story! I am super excited! You guys are really amazing!

  215. aaaaaaaaasaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh🎆🎆🎆🎆🎇🎆🎇🧨🧨🧨🧨🧨🧨🧨😍😍🥰🥰💗💓💞💕❤💖💔❣️💜💜💜💜💜💜💙💙💙💜💙🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳

    now that I’ve got that out of the way, and pre ordered the book as soon as I read the title in the blog… then went back in to read the rest of the blog.

    Thank you very much house andrews. you’ve made a bla ‘holiday’ to commercialise coupledom of the ba k of a much bloodier origin story(ies) of the festival.
    I’m now very much looking forward to reuniting with old friends and stampeding over tables of high tea😆

  216. OMG. So excited, so grateful. You JUST MADE my 2023. Seriously.

    And your writing…wordless.
    You are treasures.

  218. I just pre-ordered before reading the snippet, Yeah Kate and Curran!

    Gotta love Curran with his “She’s almost as good as she thinks she is. Don’t tell her I said that. Seriously.” I laughed so hard, my office mate thinks I’m on drugs.

    • Awww! Thank you so much for the wonderful intentions- House Andrews are not comfortable receiving presents, buying or borrowing the books from the library is more than appreciated!

    • So if I read the first chapter for the third time, will I finally calm down enough to stop freaking out? So excited. Plus innkeeper with the final chapter tomorrow. So lucky.

  225. Grin…

    Ya’ll spoil us..

    House Andrews is simply the best.

    Ya’ll are the only author I follow that truly make me feel like you are giving me a gift by writing a story. Like it’s a privilege to buy your books…

    *off to tear down a wall cause I’m all giddy at soon having a new Kate book*

  233. Did Curran shrink again after the God eating miracle business? I thought he stayed taller, like 6′ 4 or whatever.

    • No, as the divine “wears off” he loses the traits imbued by it- height amongst them 🙂 . We’re about 7 years from Magic Triumphs here, so he’s back to his regular height.

  237. I am super excited! I pre-ordered when it came up my search.. (I’ve been backfilling my missing catalog when I get the digital credits for later deliver dates). Then came here and they have an excerpt posted!!! Yay!

  239. I have just realized that this will be coming out just before I will be flying back home from Auckland. A 15 hour trip. Something to read on the plane!!!! Oh the joy!!
    Thank you for the present!

  240. Squeeee!!!!!
    Read the post, thought, no it can’t be, saw the lovely cover, headed right over to preorder (even though I had to scroll a bit, a mere 2 hours before the Innkeeper release (over here) of course Dina is at the top of the list….. And now I have a Kate&Curran&Conlan book to forward to in addition to the sleepless night ahead, Double squeeeeee!!!!
    I am so happy that Kate was the one to tickle your creative genius, and it’s the best present I’d never hoped to get……. And now I can scroll up and read that chapter you posted- what a spoiled horde we are, thank you for the lovely surprise!

  241. Thank you!!!!! already pre ordered!!!! ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

    the snippet feed something in my heart that I didn’t know I needed 🫠

  242. Thank you.

    Even when we’re demanding, thank you; even when we’re jumping up and down in excitement, thank you; but especially, thank you for continuing to make a difference to so many people’s lives by providing some escapism – it really is appreciated!

    Thank you.

  243. I’m just so insanely happy! Ilona is right that after all the holidays there is def a feeling of….”let down.” This announcement makes me want to skip the holidays right now! lol!

    These characters literally are my family and friends and I have missed them so much (I totally know they are not real but I love to pretend in a very sane and adult way 😀)

    Bless you House Andrews and thank you for everything. Ruby Fever blew me away- I am definitely in love with Catalina and Alessandro and all the characters in those HL books.

    I’ve very patiently waited for Sweep of the Heart to come out and didn’t read it online so I could read it all together. And I hear I can learn more about my friends and family from the Edge again? Super excited!

    And now this….just…thank you!

  244. Oh my god !!!!! OH MY GOD !!!!
    OOOOH…. MYYYYY… GOD !!!!
    What a wonderfull christmas Gift !!!!
    TT______TT

  248. I was hoping the bit we got before wasn’t just an errant thought in your fertile brains! BDH, assemble!

  249. YES. Kate telling a school official to pee themselves? I am here, pre-order is made, I am a happy deranged book hordie. Thank you both so much!!!

    • There’s a book release tomorrow 😂.

      I know we want a book a day lol, but that way trouble lies hehe

  252. Yippee! Thank you SO MUCH for the surprise novella! January is usually a blah month….so much so that I usually book my summer vacation then to cheer myself up and have something to look forward to. Now I have this to anticipate and keep me going. Hmmm…might have to schedule a day off as well! Happy Holidays to all and Happy January 17th!

  254. You are so good to us! I love being a member of BDH!

    What a grand surprise! such a delightful beginning to a novella! One of my favorite things about your writing is the humor. Your books make me laugh and we certainly need more of that!

    I’ve ordered Magic Tides!

    What a grand Monday!

  255. OMG OMG OMG! Yes!!! More Kate/Curran! Can I put in a vote to continue to have even small stories over nothing at all??!!??

  257. We get a book in December and a Novella in January, and it is a Kate novella!

    I cannot think of proper phrasing to convey my appreciation without sounding sarcastic, but I am seriously happy about this.

    You are too kind.

    Thank you very much.

    See? Sounds sarcastic. But it isn’t meant that way.

    By the way we have 4 birthdays in January, one son and 3 grandchildren. So my fun doesn’t end at Christmas, and in February the gardening starts.

    But don’t take that to mean that I don’t really, really, want this novella. I do. I really do.

  261. OMG Yes! Thank you! And that artwork is STUNNING. I haven’t changed my home scream on my phone in years but this is gonna be it. I just want to see it all the time.

  262. I screeched so loudly that my hubby paused his Zoom meeting and came upstairs to check on me. Silly goose thought I’d fallen. You fall ONE time….
    Thank you for the absolutely wonderful gift!
    We love you in this household. We just drove from Washington to Oregon and listened to Clean Sweep the whole way there and back (our 12 and 14 year olds too)!

  263. OMG, OMG, OMG I’m so excited I’m shaking and dancing in my car seat. I’m doing this while trying to look respectable to the other parents sitting in the parking lot waiting for their kids to come out of class. I must look like a goofball but I don’t care. Stupid Amazon won’t let me order through app. Have to wait until I get home. You guys rock!!!!

  273. Oh Yes, I just came home, and here is Kate & Fam!! Ah, I feel so happy, and warm, and fuzzy. Good times. Thanks, and I’ll be going over to my Kindle, RIGHT NOW!!!!

  274. i am thrilled!
    Not only do i get to read
    Sweep of the Heart again but

    Kate!!

    I get to read Kate again.
    Yes i will, i am totally open to read
    Kate, Baylor Familiy, Inkeeper in a regular pattern..
    stop.

    This is a gift, do not demand anything just be happy <3

    I am happy :))

  275. Ordered and I can’t wait. I haven’t read the chapter yet as Sweep of the Heart has downloaded over night in Australia. Two books one a Christmas present and the other an early Chinese New Year gift. Excited is a serious understatement.

    • Happy reading! Don’t forget to come to the spoiler thread tomorrow and tell us what you thought!🥰

      • Definitely, but since I absolutely adore everything that is produced in the Andrews “bat cave” it will be full of superlatives. 🥳

  279. Oh I can’t say enough what a delight it is. what a wonderful visit with old friends it feels like! It has been a year in a week. Can’t wait to read more!

    Kate!!!

    🤩🤩🤩🤩

  280. Thank you, I’m so excited for this! I especially love insights into the more day to day life of characters I love.

  282. I was just complaining about how I had no releases to look forward to in the new year – thank you so much!!!!! You have no idea how much this means

  288. Hurray!!!

    New story to look forward to on this oh so Monday, Monday.

    Seriously today is pants but this is nice and I’m glad to have some happy

  290. Happy birthday to meeeee! A snippet here and Sweep of the Heart in the mail! Gloriousness abounding!

  291. Thank you Ilona & Gordon!!! What a Xmas gift! No wonder you were so secretive lately… New Kate Daniels book: PREORDERED ✅
    Happy Holidays to all your family!

  294. So exciting to be reunited with Kate, Curran, Conlan and the best dog ever! (Don’t tell my guys I said that!)
    Dear Mod R, I don’t really know how this stuff actually works, but are we gonna break the internet when the book drops and we all try to download it at once?

    • Hopefully not hehe. If all goes well, the book is sent to our devices from the retailer, rather than us all having to access the same page and indeed, cause a Horde stampede to end it all 😅

  296. OMG! Two books/novellas/writings barely a month apart?!?! And it’s only Monday of a week that was promised as surprise-filled!!! I’m gasping with delight.

  297. OMGOMGOMGOMG

    I hit “pre-order” faster than the speed of light (well, delayed by Mod R’s teasing).

    House Andrews is the best!!!! Wahoooooooo!!!

    Thank you!!!!

    • OMG, I just read the chapter (and the comments)- I felt so giddy reading it, I was just so happy! I can’t wait, thank you so much!

  300. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! This made my Monday so much better, I was having a blah day but now I am super happy!

  303. The best kind of surprise to get 🥹
    It’s helping me deal with the fact it’s already after 12pm on Tues 13 in NZ but Sweep of the Heart won’t be on my Kindle for hours yet 😬

    I loved when this was released as a snippet, it was great getting a peek at what Kate and Curran were up to. So happy that you guys decided there was a story to be told.

    Hope the Andrews, Moderator R, and BDH households have a wonderful holiday season.

  305. I am currently re-reading the KD series and this will arrive a couple of weeks after I finish. This makes me sooooo happy.

  306. I am still jumping up and down, up and down, up and down, smiling like kate. I can´t be more happy. oh, crazy happy. Look:
    Magic Tides (Kate Daniels: Wilmington Years Book 1) (English Edition) se entregará por transmisión inalámbrica automáticamente a tu Kindle el 17 de enero de 2023.
    THANKYOU

  307. Squeeeee! I didn’t even finish reading the post! I scrolled to the bottom and immediately placed my order! Take my money! 🙂

  309. My day has been pretty stressful and just learning their will be a new Kate AND a snippet has made my day. Thank you for everything that you do. 🙂

  312. I ❤️ HA!!!!!🤸🏻‍♀️🤸🏻‍♀️🤸🏻‍♀️. I hope you still continue to love KD world as much as we do!!!🥰. Thank you!!!

  313. “Set the hornets nest on fire and then poke any that fly out with her sword.” I didn’t have any doubts, but that is Kate in a sentence.

  314. Think the picture of Kate looks like the actress who plays Wednesday Addams on the Netflix show- Jenna Ortega

  318. Pre-ordered as soon as the link showed up before I read any further!
    Woo hoo! Awesome start and so thankful to HA! You are so good to your loving (and often stalker-y) BDH! 🥰

  321. I love all of the different worlds/books. I really do. I even own both physical and electronic versions. You know – just in case. But the KD series will always hold a special place in my heart because I’ve been a fan since I found Magic Bites at Barnes & Noble in the New Releases and thought “This looks interesting”. Little did I know Ilona Andrews in general and KD in particular would become an obsession. I realized I am one of the people who really puts the fanatic in fandom when I read the super awesome blog post about the Fandom Tea Party and didn’t need to look up the translation of the commands spoken in the old language of Kate’s world… When I sent the link for the new KD book to one of my daughters, I heard her happy scream from Alaska to where I am in the lower 48 states. Yeah – it’s a family wide obsession😊. Thank You So Very Much for Magic Tides! Now I have a pre-holidays book (coming soon!!) and a post holidays treat to devour, reread to savor, obsess over… The rest of my life might be somewhat stressful, but my BDH inner person is doing a happy, loud dance!!!

  322. ❤️❤️❤️

    The second best thing about this is “Year 1” carries with it the implication of “Year N+1”.

  324. I screamed and scared both the dogs AND the husband when I saw this. They aren’t happy but I am over the moon!! More Kate and Company! So excited!!!

  327. My eyes bulged at the reveal and I preordered as soon as I saw the link. Thanks so much, House Andrews! And I loved the preview — can’t wait!!

  328. I was already begging for the holidays to be over. Now I am ready to sacrifice something. Do stuffies count?

  331. So freaking excited , best news this year !!! I love this series so much thank you , thank you , thank you !

  332. Yeah! Happy happy happy! You are so sneaky— I had no idea you had such a wonderful present lying in wait for the Horde!!! Thank you!

  334. Awesome surprise. Thank you for the great Christmas present.

    The new book coming out tonight is perfectly timed for the blizzard that has already started as well. Now if I just didn’t have to go into work.

  335. Kate Daniels Wilmington Years Book #1

    Wilmington Years! What a delicious thought and a hopeful wish that this portends an eventual Wilmington Years Book 2 and 3 and 4. No pressure but a gal can dream, can’t she?

    But for now, many many thanks for this gift to the BDH. IA, you are the best!

    Anne in Virginia

  337. I’m so excited, that’s my birthday, this is the greatest birthday present ever! I cannot wait. I’ve loved the snippet of this when you first taunted us with it. I cannot wait!

  342. yes I remember reading the first part a while age . yay for more ordering it once I post this 🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂.
    thank you

  343. I was at the grocery check out line exhaust from our weekend vacay. This gave me more energy than a red bull chased with a 5 hrs shot!!!!!!!! So excited 😆

  347. Just saw this when I was browsing the Kobo website and immediately came here to see if it was true!

    Back to Kobo to pre-order!

  351. sqeeeerreeeeal!!

    So excited to see Kate in action again. And we get the whole family in on it?!? Happy second Christmas to us!!

  354. I’m literally about to cry. I’m in a new job, living in a new city and a new state, half a country away from my family feeling horribly homesick and you just gave me the gift of my favorite series family coming back to let me get lost in their world again.

    Tears of joy and happiness, thank you.

    • Me, too!

      It’s been rough at the new job and all… but, thankfully it pays enough to help keep the lights on and the gas in my vehicle and food on the table.

      Good luck! 🙂

  358. OMG a best gift ever! Today has been a rough day and this snippet was EXACTLY what I needed. Thank you!!

  359. ::JUMPING UP AND DOWN SO EXCITED I CAN’T EVEN STOP TO READ THE EXCERPT AND DINNER WILL BE LATE BECAUSE I CAN’T NOT READ THE EXCERPT::
    Thank you; what a wonderful surprise!

  361. Just…wonderful. I feel like I have come home to a cup of tea, a glass of wine, a warm soft blanket and chocolate.

  363. Where is that east bottom? One click and it will drop and I’ll be a happy camper in January! Thank you!

  367. Sorry to bother. But is this only being sold in Ebook format or will there be a printed copy available?

    • At the moment, it’s only e-book but there will be both print and audiobook format and we will have links for both soon! It will be announced on the blog asap!
      Thank you for your patience 🥰

  368. I feel ridiculous about it but I genuinely teared up when I read that there will be a new KD story.
    How is it, that HA has such power over my emotions?
    Please tell my I’m nit the only one.

    • You are definitely not the only one! The comment section is full of big hearted people who missed old friends 🥰

  378. HA, did you happen to see that Amazon already has ‘Magic Tides’ preorders tagged as “#1 Best Seller in Paranormal Werewolves & Shifters Romance”? Which surprises no one. 😁

    Hope this is a great start to a happy holiday season for everyone!

  379. Happy Dance! Happy Dance! We of the BDH thank House Andrews for the wonderful holiday gift! 2023 is off to the best start!! 😍🎉🎊

  393. I am so happy you turned the snippet into a novella. I was missing kate so much I am re-reading the series.

  396. I haven’t read the excerpt yet, I just wanted to thank you first, thanks so much for this coming surprise. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!. I’m gushing and I just don’t care. 😁

  397. Love the 1st chapter, especially since I just finished Magic Triumphs! Have ordered it, only problem is, I Want It NOW! NOW NOW NOW!!!
    lol, mostly kidding

  406. THANK YOU × 3000.
    I didn’t realize how much I missed Kate until Blood Heir came out.

    I truly want to be greedy and say more, more , more.
    But I will settle for being grateful and wishing House Andrews, their family and Mod R a JOYOUS HOLIDAY SEASON

  407. Never hit preorder so fast before. and I didn’t read the excerpt coz then I wouldn’t be able to wait till Jan 17th
    What a surprise, I couldn’t have asked for anything better. Thank you House Andrews. I hope you have as wonderful a holiday season, as you’ve made mine

  410. I love Conlan character and hope you guys will one day make him a main character in his own books the same way Kate has hers.

  412. This is so exciting! Thank you!
    (Preordered!!!)

    Much love and happy holidays to House Andrews and the BDH!

  415. First the lovely Sweep of the Heart appears on my Kindle, and then I get another early Holiday present of a visit with Kate and the Fam!!

    This calls a reread!

  416. OMG YAYYY! I was prepared for excitement because of your lovely hints at new project announcements this week but this is even better and more unexpected than I was anticipating! And such a soon release! YAY!
    Also, when did you have time to write this??? It seems like you have been SO busy putting out other awesome things for us (Ruby Fever, sweep of the Heart, your involvement with the webcomic, Frinndays, etc) that I’m shocked you managed this seemingly concurrently. My sincerest thanks both to your creativity and your work ethic. I cannot wait to read it! YAY!

  418. KATE!!!!

    One of my co-workers (who I got hooked on IA hehehe) walked by my desk earlier today and said “have you seen the blog?” I was like not yet and she replied, “Its sooooooo good!!!!” So of course I had to jump on the blog LOL. What a lovely surprise !!! Thank you House Andrews for the gift of Kate, Curran, Conlan, and family 🙂

  421. Insert excited Jonah hill gif here!!!

    I saw the pre order in the Apple Store before I became here to confirm I wasn’t hallucinating 😂

  422. Oh, man, I’m dyin’ here! Talk about an adrenaline rush! I had to settle down for a minute before I could read it. I can’t even tell you how happy this makes me and how thankful I am that you guys are gifting us with this. You brightened my day.🌻🌻🌻

  425. You are absolutely the best!
    I love so much your books I think I could enjoy reading your shopping list!
    Thank you so much!

  428. What an absolute delightful present to look forward to in january! Oh thank you thank you thank you! You are the most awesome authors!

  429. Aaaahhhhhh!!! all is right with the world. and yes I did stay up until midnight to finish the new in keeper.

  430. I didn’t really need to read the tidbit first but I couldn’t stop. And then I pre-ordered. Of course.

  432. It’s a really good day when I have to stop reading one of your books to read part of another one. The BDH salutes you! Okay, I gotta go now, I live in Hawaii so the digital book just dropped for me. Going to be a long night of devouring. So excited!!

  433. This is so embarrassing. I rarely squeal. I checked my email and didn’t see any new ones. I decided to check the website. When I saw this, I squealed in surprise and happiness. And immediately pre-ordered it. Thank you!!

  437. Thank you so much. This is such a great surprise. I love all your books, any book by HA is a must read for me, but Kate Daniels series/universe is my favourite. I’m writing this with tears in my eyes, didn’t even realise how much I missed Kate and all the characters I’ve grown to love.
    I only wrote here maybe a couple of times, although I always follow/read your posts, but today I felt compelled to write and express my thanks more then usual.
    Needless to say I’ve already made a pre-order.
    Thank you so much, I wish HA and all their family and Mod R a very blessed and joyous Christmas and a prosperous and healthy 2023.

  439. So great. Thank you! I remember you posted some of this chapter before except Paul came to her and asked for money. I like this version even more with the connection to Conlan.

    Preordered. Great stats! Amazon is showing it as #11 overall
    #11 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
    #1 in Werewolf & Shifter Romance
    #1 in Paranormal Werewolves & Shifters Romance
    #2 in Paranormal & Urban Fantasy (Kindle Store)

  442. This is like finding out that those insane family members that you love more than any others are coming to visit, and you start counting the days until they show up on your doorstep. It is going to be wonderful to open the front door to the Kate Daniels family and let them in.

  443. Preordered!
    Thanks for the upcoming mid-January pick-me-up.

    Did anyone else notice how Kindle has this flagged as book 1 of a new SERIES?!!!!

    I bet this is what nirvana feels like.

  444. YESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYES!!!! I am crying happy tears; hadn’t realized just how much I missed this crew (even with re-reads of the series) until you gave us this gift! THANK YOU!

  450. Today is like my surprise 17th birthday party, admission to college, wedding day, day of birth of each of my two daughters, are rolled into one.

    Sweep of the Heart waiting for me on my tablet for my commute home (I promise my self NOT to peek during the workday) AND this splendid Kate, Curran, Conlan story.

    Chichichichichichi!!!!!!!!!!

    You make me forget my miserable almost-cold.