This comes in response to some concerns raised on the forum. I do read a lot of forum entries, but I try to stay out of it mostly, because people should be able to express their opinions without me standing over their shoulder.
Some people are worried that if Kate and Curran get together, the tension that makes the series interesting for many readers will disappear. To that, I say, “Trust us.”
I will say that MAGIC BLEEDS is the most relationship-heavy book of the series. I know that there will be people who will wave their arms and lament on Amazon that their favorite series has been spoiled forever, turned into paranormal romance, taken into direction of LKH, and they will Never Buy Another Book Again. (I find it highly hilarious that every single recent book by Lisa Kleypas had at least one review that proclaimed that it was the worst book evah.) They would be wrong, but that’s totally fine. I’m okay with that. We have to write the best possible book we can, which is what we did. Not everyone will like it.
The Kate series moves forward with each book. The relationship between Kate and Curran has to go somewhere as well. Eventually all prospective couples reach the point of no return: that spot in the relationship when they have to decide if they are together or not. This is the book where Kate and Curran decide. Kate’s heritage bites her in the ass, his history comes to light, and they have to pick fight or flight.
This is not a minor plot point that could’ve been negotiated in a couple of pages and shoved aside. This was a major issue that had to have its own book. In essence, Gordon and I rebooted the series, as Reece very aptly put. At the end of it, some doors are closed and others opened. People within the series find themselves in new positions and have to deal with them. MAGIC BLEEDS ends with hope. It ties the plot issues raised in the previous three books and clears the field, so the characters can move on to new stories.
So what about the tension? I can tell you that everyone, from our editor to a prominent reviewer to betas, had come away from the book happy and excited for the next one. If you were hoping for perpetual Ranger/Morelli stand off a la Janet Evanovich, I’m afraid you will be disappointed. While I love that series, the romantic thread weaving through is basically repeated in each book. Yes, the books drip with tension, but by book five, I was growling, “Just pick one, God damn it.”
We’re not going that route. We made a very fantastic world, so we have to strive for realistic human relationships to balance out all of the outlandish details. It’s just not realistic for two consenting alpha adults to dance about each other for the duration of seven books and not do anything about it. They have to either break up or be together, and in MAGIC BLEEDS one of those will happen.
As to the plot itself, as I mentioned, Kate’s heritage comes to light and the effect on her life is catastrophic. She loses everything. It’s probably one of the grimmer books we’ve written, but so far all indications are that we have managed to deliver a satisfying, if a bit bloody, ending. So there you go. The grim, romantic, bloody reboot to the series. We hope you’ll like it.
After I read your other books all I can say is: I trust you. And I just don’t believe that just because people decide to have a relationship everything becomes boring. Don’t get me wrong: I love the tension between K&C but it’s not the whole point of the book!
Totally trusting you here.
And to those that don’t trust you: pppbbbbbbbbttttthhhhh!
first of all I totally agree. a relation has to go somewhere and they have been dancing long enough.
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second this is just a pure evil post, I can’t even count how many teasers it has.
We’ll just have to wait another 210 days, no one is counting
Christ on a stick. I had just gotten to the point where I wasn’t counting down. Now this post just hyped up the addiction again.
Curses!
Another enthusiastic fan of you here who is trusting you!! As I think you two are just awesome authors I cannot believe that you would be able to write something that I do not like! Though I love the romantic tension between K&C, I also like the tension of the plots, sub-plots and not to forget the sarcastic humor.
If I compare it with the Mercy Thompson series of your appreciated colleague Patricia Briggs there is still a lot of tension, though Mercy decided for a mate!
I am really looking forward to Magic Bleed and I am very confident that I will just LOVE it!!
*headdesk* Why isn’t May yet??? It feels like I’ve been waiting forever and everything you wrote in your post just makes me want it more!
I’m actually glad to hear this because I do hate the perpetually hanging relationship. I also dislike the, broken up, back together, broken up, back together or come here come here, get away get away, in trying to get the tension back. There can be VERY good tension in an established couple for many many books and many many years. Natural progression good.
Well said! I’m not worried at all, I’m sure that you and Gordon will not let Kate and Curran become “boring” just because they decide to make a go of it! I would worry more about the series if they just kept on dancing. You are spot on with your comparison to the Stephanie Plum series, I’m so tired of her indecision! It makes me very happy that you and Gordon have chosen to take a different direction with your series, even if it turns out that Kate and Curran wont end up together (but I’m keeping my fingers crossed that they will)!
Yay! I love that there won’t be unending, artificial romantic tension between Kate and Curran. I also like the J.E. series, but echo the “pick one, please!” sentiment.
As for all the teasers, 
May seems so very, very far away.
Oh man, how nerve racking! I don’t like series where the “will they, won’t they” drags on forever; but there’s also the danger they won’t pick the one I’d pick.
This, though,
“MAGIC BLEEDS ends with hope. … I can tell you that everyone, from our editor to a prominent reviewer to betas, had come away from the book happy and excited for the next one.”
is comforting. I can’t do books without hope.
P.S. I love Urban Fantasy, but I have to tread carefully because of the hope thing.
Same for me, both in relationships and the hope thing.
I don’t necessarily need a lot of hope, I just need a book with intense (and realistic) emotions. I’ve read anne Bishops books and all of them made me cry somewhere in the story. They’re still some of my favorite books.
I can enjoy very dark books al long as they have some kind of happy ending. Doens’t have to be HEA, because I manage not to believe in it very well.
You have my trust! I know no matter what it will be an awesome read as all your work is!Cant wait to read it, Im very excited
I look forward to seeing which way they go (I’m rooting for). And I don’t see a relationship as the end of a series since there’s more to the stories than just the relationship – i.e. J.D. Robb’s Eve and Roarke.
You guys haven’t disappointed me in the past, I trust you.
Since you mentioned another favorite author of mine on another thread here, I am totally good with Patricia Briggs and can love a story where the hero/heroine can work as a team and be in love…or not, if it doesn’t work out.
That is one of the biggest difficulties a writer faces — how to play out the relationships in a lengthy series. I may not like how you will play out Kate & Curran’s lives, but ultimately you and Gordon know them the best. No matter what, any book that ends with hope is the very best.
In JD Robb / Nora Roberts In Death series, the characters get together in the first book. A shelf full of books later, they’re still together, still interesting, still changing and growing.
It sure as heck can be done, and be done well – and I have all faith that you can and will do it.
Endless will they or won’t they can get pretty boring too. Can’t wait for the next book.
I applaud your decision to be true to the books and the characters. I am along for the ride wherever that may lead.
Thank you so much for such an amazing post to your readers.I know they are your characters, your creations ,but it is a testament to your writing that we do care very much what happens to them.
I have problems with writers who introduce animal characters to kill them off for a cheap sob. Call me a wuss.
I can obviously appreciate that this is not a death free world you’ve built.I love the big battles.
As soon as Derek was introduced was I thought RIP.I was so impressed with you when he suvived all you threw at him. This is me hoping all stays well with him.So far so wonderful.
first I just want to say ‘I LOVE CURRAN!’ there Ive got it off my chest. Cant wait for the book. Romance is definately a type of book I like to read but then so is sci fi and fantasy. I think they can exist together or seperately. I quite like Lilith SaintCrows style of writing and the relationships in hers definately exists but in the background.
I give you my complete and utter trust! I thank you for the incredible read thus far. With not only Kate Daniels but the Edge too! I anxiously await the coming books!!
And for me personally just because your in a relationship doesn’t mean the “tension”,”I will kill you” or “I am so going to kick your ass” ends. Its just taken to a new level.
I totally trust you guys! I had major heartfail when I read the snippet of Magic Bleeds in the back of On the Edge, but I also recognized how *right* it felt as well. I thought, “Of course! Of course!”
I just have to say that I would have been mighty disappointed if Kate and Curran had an easy-peasy-let’s-jump-into-bed-together kind of relationship. It totally wouldn’t have worked with their characters. I mean, they have big Issues to deal with (Hello! Pack KING! and Spawn of Roland!).
I just finished re-reading Magic Burns the other night and was impressed all over again with the big battle at the end. So I am totally looking forward to bloody endings and the nitty-gritty consequences of both Kate and Curran’s histories.
Totally agree with you, and I’m REALLY releived to hear that you’re not going to have their relationship stagnate at the “attraction without action” stage for a gazillion books.
I also read Evanovich’s books, but now I just get them from the library because I’m irritated that the whole dynamic doesn’t GO somewhere.
you have all my trust. really.
am all excited!!!
I trust you!! I just hope people realize that just because a couple decides to try and work on a relationship doesn’t mean the teasing, the nagging, and the conflict goes away. >:)
I can imagine a thousand new things they can get under each others skin about, and am totally excited to see how it plays out!
That’s one thing about the romance genre that disappoints me – the book ends just when things are getting good!
I like togetherness angst.
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Mandi Schreiner, K.C. Kahn-Malone. K.C. Kahn-Malone said: RT @FictionVxn: RT @smexybooks: Fans of Magic series by Ilona Andrews shld read her post 2day – info on Magic Bleeds http://bit.ly/4cucXC [...]
We (your readers) have tremendous faith in what you and Gordon put out. High quality, fantastic books that never cease to amaze & delight me no matter what the outcome! The fact that you can make readers bite their nails & ponder over the “what if”scenarios is a testament to your ability to create characters people love & care about.
I hope the series gets picked up for more than 7 books, I really do. There’s not a boring character in the bunch and when you expand on someone’s background, it’s always awesome to see how you & gordon weave that into the story.
Thanks for putting up with your hoard of forum nuts
Hey,
You know this post has made me even more desperate to read the next book and I thought I was desperate before! Cancel Christmas! Cancel New Year! Cancel all birthdays! Roll on Magic Bleeds!
I do trust you guys, and I agree 100% with all you said. If books don’t move on I end up pulling my hair out at some point as you mentioned. Of course now I want to read it so bad I may need some meds to handle the wait. BAHAHAHAHAHAHA
I trust you both! But The Edge had satisfied my impatience for a new Kate book…and this just revved it all up again! Cant wait.
I can’t tell you how happy I am to hear this.
You can’t stop change, and to do so artificially is lame.
Do you think you’d ever write a book from Curran’s perspective? He’s fun to read. I love the Curran POVs you give us. While I was rereading Magic Bites, I remembered the Curran POV where Curran and Kate first meet and I just thought, “Golly, I wish I had Curran’s point of view for the rest of their encounters.”
Muchas gracias!
I like your honesty, and I agree that either they fight for it to work, or move on. I also am stoked and anxious to read it. Curious, how many times did you read and re-write this post to leave it completely spoiler free?
I bet it can be hard to talk about your writing and work, when you could say something that could be misconstrued and now everyone thinks they know what to expect.
I agree with ya’ll! Kate and Curran are such strong willed characters, no matter which path they chose will lead to tension.
I love it already! P.S – I’m so team Ranger
You write
Will follow
Personally, I am happy things are moving forward!
“you write”
“will follow”
Completely agree! Whatever happens I will def be along for the ride, Can’t wait to see how it all plays out.
trusting you completely. and i think this book will make me cry.
I agree with everyone. I think this will be the best book so far and the relationship has to go one way or another. If you don’t the book would start getting annoying and I would be yelling just decide already. And I’m sure what ever decision that they make their will be a lot more kicking ass in the next book and this one as well. I can’t wait to see how people will take to Kate’s roots coming to light.
I am looking forward to this book, and what you do with the people in your head is up to you, that you are willing to share it is just our luck.
Also, anyone who compares you to LKH obviously hasn’t paid close attention to the differences in writing styles.
Pikachu, I choose you!
I can handle either decision as long as a decision is made. As you say, fantasy novels need realism in relationships, etc., to anchor them. If you drew out the “will they/won’t they” much longer it would start to grate.
Also, regarding the LKH comparison, there is no way that particular comparison can be made unless Kate starts collecting a harem of males and stops kicking butt in favor of talking for hours on end. I don’t see that happening.
“talking”? Is that an euphemism?
Oh, I’d agree with you… in life, everything changes. In a good series? Everything SHOULD change, or it loses believability, IMO.
And now I know what I’m going to spend to the rest of my day doing. I kicked tail on my deadline, so I figure I can relax a bit more.
Will just have to deal with whatever you deal us! ( or rather Kate and Curran) Will wait with baited breath, and now I know exactly how long too!
x
ACK!! My heart skipped a beat. Hate hearing about Kate getting hurt emotionally.
I’m afraid when this book comes out I will need to go rent a motel room and hibernate till I’m done reading and processing.
“We hope you’ll like it” – I like it already and I haven’t even read it yet!!!
I seriously cannot bear the tension: I keep checking to see if my ears are bleeding!
“She loses everything” – Curran is around for book 5, right? Right????
I have to bring up a point that i brought up earlier way back in another blog. I remember reading the reviews for Magic Strikes and one review caught my attention because they rated the book low and stated that Kate had achieved unbelieveable superwoman status because of her newfound abilities at the end of the novel. I have to say What crock. Throughout a series the characters, their personalities, their abilities cannot stay the same. Then the reader is just reading the same thing over and over. People change and relationships change, hello high rate of divorce. Therefore it doesn’t make sense to me that some writers play the mating dance over and over and over again until it gets nauseating. I will be glad for Kate and Curran to either fess up or get going. I am hoping for the “I love yous” though. I also have to agree with MaryK, there is still so much more interesting angst after the togetherness, as everyone who’s been in a relationship knows, that the reader never gets to experience. Especially for these two with their colorful backgrounds. Damn, is it May yet?
Having read all four of your books, and loving each one more, I have nothing but trust that Magic Bleeds will be absolutely awesome. Considering how much I’m already anticipating it, I just hope it lives up to my expectations. Am also worried that if it’s too dark, I’ll get all messed up. I seem to get far too invested in your books. The bit where Declan kisses Rose for the first time nearly had me melting into a puddle of goo on my living room floor. If Magic Bleeds is too gutwrenching, I may have to take a week off work to recover.
Now I can’t wait for Magic Bleeds and it’s killing me
And reading the post title got me all excited xD
We trust that you’ll make Magic Bleeds awesome. As you can probably see, we’re all hyped up and Magic Bleeds isn’t even out yet. =P
More power to you. Keep it real. Take it somewhere. I can’t stand circular romance and as we all know it is not because two people get together that everything is all peachy keen and happily ever after.
(Sniggered a bit about the LKH reference because that is sooooo true.)
Absolutely trust you guys. ITA with everything you said including the Stephanie Plum series. I’m so tired of Ranger/Morelli/forever28-can-eat-anything-and-not-get-fat!
Anyone who thinks just because 2 people are together the tension in the relationship is over? Heck, the fireworks START when the “Honeymoon” is over. If Kate and Curran can’t make it, I’ll deal.
OMg, omg my mind is racing trying to think what I would do if I had to have a Kate world without Curran as a possible romantic interest . . .shudder . . .I trust you guys will make good no matter what the outcome, but I am routing for a Kate/Curran hookup in a BIG way!
This post just reaffirms that this book will be AWESOME!
Man, I just hope Grendel doesn’t die. I hate it when authors kill off pets.