# Ilona Andrews

Ilona Andrews is the pen name of Ilona Gordon and Andrew Gordon, an American husband-and-wife duo who write urban fantasy and romantic fiction together under a portmanteau of their first names.

## Early lives

Ilona Gordon was born in the Soviet Union and immigrated to the United States as a teenager to attend private school. She attended Western Carolina University, majoring in biochemistry and it was there she met her future husband and writing partner, Andrew Gordon.
Andrew Beauregard Gordon was born in Florida, U.S., and spent part of his childhood in the Appalachia region of North Carolina. He explained in one interview that he was named after the confederate general P. G. T. Beauregard who fired on Fort Sumter and started the American Civil War, but most often chooses to go by his last name "Gordon" since that is what he went by during his military service. Andrew served four years in the United States Navy as a communications officer.
He attended Western Carolina University to study history and political science where he met Ilona in a writing course and they began collaborating and editing one another's work and essays. Gordon's studies in history and mythology and Ilona's knowledge of Slavic folktales went on to influence the world building and inspiration behind their bestselling novels. Ilona usually writes the lines of the female characters and Gordon the lines of the male characters.

## Early career

According to interviews and their own recollection of their early publishing history, Ilona and Andrew were interested in publishing novels as early as their college years. In a recollection of their publishing journey on their website, Ilona recalls that after completing drafts of two novels, she attempted to get traditionally published with very little prior knowledge and it went very poorly. In one interview, Ilona recalls attempting to write a "horrible ninja hobbit novel" that ended up being rejected for publication. Similarly, Andrew stated that he wrote a failed "James Bond-y fantasy" series that eventually ended up partially inspiring parts of their future novel Bayou Moon (2010).
Ilona started writing what would eventually become the first entry in the Kate Daniels series as early as 2002, but it went through multiple edits before they managed to find a literary agent and get published. One publisher rejected it on the basis that it was too similar to the Anita Blake series by Laurell K. Hamilton. The novel went through multiple stages and various cycles of rejection, and Gordon helped Ilona rewrite one of her discarded submissions into "Lost Dog" which was eventually accepted and published as their first novel Magic Bites (2007).

## Reception

Their first novel, Magic Bites (2007) was released to good reviews and decent sales. And its sequel, Magic Burns, reached even greater success, managing to reach the #32 spot on the New York Times extended bestseller list in April 2008. Since their debut they have published at least 30 novels, in addition to dozens of additional novellas and short stories. Their novels have reached #1 on the NYT and Wall Street Journal's Bestseller Lists, and #2 on the USA Today Bestseller List, with over 3.5 million of their books in print and foreign rights sold in at least 18 countries.
After the immense success of the first book in the Aurelia Ryder series, Blood Heir (2021), they have indicated that they are considering moving away from traditional publishing contracts in the future since they now have a large enough audience to make a living off of self-publishing.

## Personal lives

The Gordons live in Texas, they write a highly successful blog chronicling their lives, the publication process, and post snippets of free fiction and serial novels. They have two adult daughters, anonymized as Kid 1 and Kid 2 on their site. Their blog posts include fan engagement, polls, recipes, stories, publishing advice and updates about their current works in progress.
In the lively comments sections of their website moderated by their assistant (anonymized as Mod R), they are known as Ilona or Gordon and collectively as House Andrews, while their fans have adopted the nickname of "BDH" or "Book Devouring Horde" as a play on the Hope Crushing Horde from their Innkeeper book series.

## Works
### Kate Daniels (2007–)

Kate Daniels is an urban fantasy series. The first ten books were published under the Ace Books imprint of Penguin Random House from 2007 to 2018. The series was continued in a new setting - Wilmington, North Carolina, beginning with a novella titled Magic Tides that was self-published on January 17, 2023.
The first ten books of the series are set in a post-magic apocalypse version of Atlanta, where the world switches between periods of magical and technological dominance, and follows Kate Daniels, a sarcastic mercenary who makes a living dealing with a vast array of magical and mythological creatures. The series follows Kate as she navigates the various factions of shifters, necromancers, magic users and magic-based organizations that hold power in the city.
The various entries in the series include conflicts with monsters, gods and beings from Slavic, Celtic, Islamic, Jewish, indigenous, Hindu, Greek, Nordic, Babylonian and Assyrian mythologies. Featuring beings such as upir, formorians, djinn, golems, wendigo, rakshasa, greek gods, draugr, and lamassu alongside a modern take on werewolves and vampires.
Kate Daniels Series :
| # | Title | Point of View | Publication Date | Publisher | Type | ISBN | Included in |
| 0.5 | A Questionable Client | Kate | Jul 2010 Sep 2011 Dec 2019 | St. Martin's Press Subterranean Press | short story | 978-0-312-59834-1 | free story on authors website Archived 2019-01-08 at the Wayback Machine Dark and Stormy Knights Magic Graves Small Magics |
| 1 | Magic Bites | Kate | Mar 2007 | Ace Books | novel | 978-0-441-01489-7 | |
| 2 | Magic Burns | Kate | Apr 2008 | Ace Books | novel | 978-0-441-01583-2 | |
| 3 | Magic Strikes | Kate | Mar 2009 | Ace Books | novel | 978-0-441-01702-7 | |
| 3.5 | Magic Mourns | Andrea | Sep 2009 | Berkley Books | novella | 978-1-101-53185-3 | Must Love Hellhounds |
| 4 | Magic Bleeds | Kate | Jun 2010 | Ace Books | novel | 978-0-441-01852-9 |
| 4.1 | Magic Dreams | Dali | Apr 2011 | Berkley Books | novella | 978-0-425-24176-9 | Hexed |
| 4.5 | Curran POV Collection | Curran | May 2016 | | short stories | | published as a free ebook on the author's website |
| 5 | Magic Slays | Kate | May 2011 | Ace Books | novel | 978-0-441-02042-3 | |
| 5.2 | Magic Gifts | Kate | Jul 2012 | Ace Books | novella | 978-1-101-58519-1 | was originally published as a free ebook on the author's website Dec 2011 Gunmetal Magic |
| 5.3 | Gunmetal Magic | Andrea | Jul 2012 | Ace Books | novel | 978-1-101-58519-1 | |
| 5.5 | An Ill Advised Rescue | Kate | Jul 2013 | Ace Books | short story | 978-1-937-00758-4 | Magic Rises |
| 5.7 | Retribution Clause | Adam | Jun 2012 | St. Martin's Press Subterranean Press | short story | 978-1-466-80259-9 | Hex AppealSmall Magics |
| 6 | Magic Rises | Kate | Jul 2013 | Ace Books | novel | 978-1-937-00758-4 | |
| 7 | Magic Breaks | Kate | Jul 2014 | Ace Books | novel | 978-0-425-25622-0 | |
| 7.5 | Magic Steals | Dali | Nov 2014 | Berkley Books | novella | 978-0-425-27392-0 | Night Shift |
| 8 | Magic Shifts | Kate | Aug 2015 | Ace Books | novel | 978-0-425-27067-7 | |
| 8.1 | Magic Stars | Derek | Dec 2015 | Ace Books | novella | |
| 9 | Magic Binds | Kate | Sep 2016 | Ace Books | novel | 978-0-425-27069-1 | |
| 9.5 | Magic Tests | Julie | Sep 2011 Aug 2014 Dec 2019 | NYLA Ace Trade Subterranean Press | short story | 978-0-425-25680-0 | Magic GravesAn Apple for a CreatureSmall Magics |
| 10 | Magic Triumphs | Kate | Aug 2018 | Ace Books | novel | 978-0-425-27071-4 | |
| 11 | Magic Tides | Kate | Jan 2023 | NYLA | novella | 978-1-641-97251-2 | Book 1 in Kate Daniels: Wilmington Years |
| 12 | Magic Claims | | June 2023 | NYLA | novel | | Book 2 in Kate Daniels: Wilmington Years |

### Iron Covenant (2018-)

The Iron Covenant is an ongoing spinoff novel series set in the Kate Daniels World, published independently through NYLA, which follows Hugh D'Ambray, a character who previously featured as a villain in the main Kate Daniels series. The series takes place between the events of Magic Binds and Magic Triumphs and follows former warlord Hugh and his army, The Iron Dogs, as they attempt to move on from their dark past by creating an alliance with a colony of druids ruled by Elara Harper, a powerful and dangerous witch with unknown and terrible powers.
Ilona Andrews originally stated the series would likely eventually be a trilogy. The release of the second book in the series has been delayed with no current date of expected publication.
| # | Title | Point of View | Publication Date | Publisher | Type | ISBN |
| 1 | Iron and Magic | Hugh d'Ambray | Jun 2018 | NYLA | novel | 978-1-641-97040-2 |

### Aurelia Ryder (2018-)

A second spinoff of the Kate Daniels World, featuring Kate's adoptive daughter Julie Lennart-Olsen, now going by the name Aurelia Ryder. Taking place 6 years after the events of the main Kate Daniels series, the Aurelia Ryder series follows Aurelia's return to post-apocalyptic Atlanta as she attempts to solve a series of murders and comes face to face with a changed version of a man she once loved.
The first novel in the series, Blood Heir (2021) began as a serial work on the Ilona Andrews blog in 2020 originally titled "Ryder" and was later edited for self-publication. Despite being self published, Blood Heir climbed to the #5 combined print and ebook fiction ranking on the New York Times Fiction Bestsellers List and #2 on the USA Today Bestseller's List shortly after publication.
| # | Title | Point of View | Publication Date | Publisher | Type | ISBN | Notes |
| 0.5 | The King of Fire | Julie | Sep 2018 | | short story | | free story on author's website |
| 0.7 | Grand Master Damian Angevin, In His Own Words | epistolary | Sep 2020 | | short story | | free story on author's website |
| 1 | Blood Heir | Julie | Jan 2021 | NYLA | novel | 978-1-641-97158-4 | |
| 1.5 | Sandra | Kate | Jun 2021 | | short story | | free story on author's website |

### The Edge (2009–2012)

The Edge is a completed urban fantasy series under the Ace Books imprint of Penguin Random House. The series is built on the premise that there is a magic parallel world called "the Weird" that exists adjacent to the continental United States, as well as a lawless buffer region between the two realms known as "the Edge" where the mundane and magic collide. The series follows multiple couples on adventures of espionage and survival through the Edge and beyond as they come up against a variety of dangerous factions and forces.
Four characters from Edge cross-over to the Innkeeper series - George, Gaston, Jack and Lark/Sophie Camarine - but no mention or explanation of the link between the two "universes" is made in that series.
| # | Title | Point of View | Publication Date | Publisher | Type | ISBN | Notes |
| 1 | On the Edge | Rose | Sep 2009 | Ace Books | novel | 978-0-441-01780-5 | |
| 1.5 | George and Jack in School | George/Jack | | | short story | | short story posted on author's website |
| 2 | Bayou Moon | Cerise | Sep 2010 | Ace Books | novel | 978-0-441-01945-8 | |
| 3 | Fate's Edge | Audrey | Nov 2011 | Ace Books | novel | 978-0-441-02086-7 | |
| 4 | Steel's Edge | Charlotte | Dec 2012 | Ace Books | novel | 978-1-937-00782-9 | |

### The Kinsmen Universe (2009–2021)

The Kinsmen Universe is an unconnected series of self-published novellas set in a sci-fi spacefaring future where human genetic modification has resulted in a select few families possessing deadly and dangerous abilities. These families, known as "Kinsmen", run vast corporate empires and compete amongst one another for business and power. Each novella follows a different action-packed romantic pairing within this world of cutthroat sci-fi politics.
| # | Title | Point of View | Publication Date | Publisher | Type | ISBN | Notes |
| 1 | The Kinsmen Universe | Multiple POV | Aug 2018 | Samhain Publishing | novella collection | 978-1-641-97069-3 | |
| 1.1 | Silent Blade | Meli | June 2009 | Samhain Publishing | novella | 978-1-605-04574-0 | Also published in The Kinsmen Universe |
| 1.2 | Silver Shark | Claire | Apr 2011 | Samhain Publishing | novella | 978-0-983-95461-3 | Also published in The Kinsmen Universe |
| 1.3 | A Mere Formality | Beatrice | Aug 2018 | Samhain Publishing | short story | | Initially published for free on author's website Also published in The Kinsmen Universe |
| 2 | Fated Blades | Ramona/Matias | Nov 2021 | NYLA | novella | 978-1-662-50043-5 | |

### The Innkeeper Chronicles (2013-)

The ongoing Innkeeper Chronicles series is composed of a variety of novellas and self-published novels that all started as free weekly online serials on Ilona Andrews' blog. Each entry in the series is published for free before being edited and published as a novel or novella.
The Innkeeper Chronicles is a sci-fi and fantasy series which follows Dina Demille, a young woman who presides over an old Victorian mansion and bed and breakfast called Gertrude Hunt in the quiet town of Red Deer, Texas. Gertrude Hunt is secretly an intergalactic waypoint known as an "inn" that offers refuge and lodging for a vast variety of extraterrestrial visitors during their visits to Earth. The colourful cast of characters includes a former wanted intergalactic tyrant named Caldenia, her monstrous and adorable Shih Tzu, a race of warlike space vampires known as the Holy Cosmic Anocracy, and a persistent and attractive war veteran named Sean Evans who turns out to be a genetically modified werewolf. Throughout the series Dina must balance the standing of her business, the safety of her guests and continue to conceal the truth of the greater galaxy from other humans, all while dealing with the needs, agendas and threats posed by her many guests and enemies.
The Innkeeper Chronicles has been received well by fans and readers of Ilona Andrews' blog. Due to the weekly format, the comments sections of each blog entry receive large amounts of comments and fan engagement.
In 2022, the first novel of the series Clean Sweep was adapted into a 50 episode webtoon on the online comics platform Tapas in collaboration with Tapas Media, Kisai Entertainment, webtoon artist Shinju Ageha, and writer ChrossxXxRodes. After achieving modest success on Tapas, the first season of webtoon will receive a graphic novel print release on March 5, 2024, through Andrews McMeel Publishing and Simon & Schuster.
| # | Title | Point of View | Publication Date | Publisher | Type | ISBN | Notes |
| 0.5 | Gerard Demille and Helen Meet | Gerard | Nov 2015 | | short story | | short story posted on author's website |
| 1 | Clean Sweep | Dina | Dec 2013 | NYLA | novel | 978-1-625-17343-0 | Also in The Innkeeper Chronicles: Volume One |
| 2 | Sweep in Peace | Dina | Nov 2015 | NYLA | novel | 978-1-943-77232-2 | Also in The Innkeeper Chronicles: Volume One |
| 3 | One Fell Sweep | Dina | Dec 2016 | NYLA | novel | 978-1-540-85721-7 | Also in The Innkeeper Chronicles: Volume One |
| 3.5 | The Innkeeper Chronicles: Volume One | Dina | May 2017 | Subterranean Press | novel anthology | 978-1-596-06836-0 | Published compilation of books 1-3 |
| 4 | Sweep of the Blade | Maud | July 2019 | NYLA | novel | 978-1-641-97107-2 | |
| 4.5 | Sweep with Me | Dina | Jan 2020 | NYLA | novella | 978-1-641-97137-9 | |
| 5 | Sweep of the Heart | Dina | Dec 2022 | NYLA | novel | 978-1-641-97239-0 | |

### The Hidden Legacy (2014–2022)

Hidden Legacy is an urban fantasy romance series published under the Avon imprint of HarperCollins publishing between 2014 and 2022. The series is set in a fictional version of the United States where magical abilities were introduced into the population in the 1800s through the discovery of the Osiris Serum, a concoction that gave users inheritable magic abilities. Centuries later, the Osiris Serum has been banned but the world is ruled by magical dynasties called Houses, who marry for magic, maintain private armies, and own global corporations. Magical Houses are ruthless and cunning and constantly engage in competition and warfare with one another similar to the warring families of Rennaissance Italy.
The series follows the daughters of the Baylor family; Nevada, Catalina, and Arabella, who run Baylor Investigative Agency in Houston, Texas, a small family private detective firm inherited from their deceased father. However, after the eldest daughter Nevada is assigned one fateful job, the entire family is swept into the cutthroat world of Primes, politics and the magical elite, and end up getting entangled with very dangerous (and very attractive) men in the process.
| # | Title | Point of View | Publication Date | Publisher | Type | ISBN | Comments |
| 0.5 | Of Swine and Roses | Alena | Mar 2011 Sep 2015 | Kindle Direct Subterranean Press | novella | 294-0-012-23747-7 | Originally published for free on author's website. Published as standalone novella on Kindle and Nook. Also published in Small Magics |
| 1 | Burn for Me | Nevada | Oct 2014 | Avon | novel | 978-0-062-28924-7 | |
| 2 | White Hot | Nevada | May 2017 | Avon | novel | 978-0-062-28925-4 | |
| 3 | Wildfire | Nevada | Jul 2017 | Avon | novel | 978-0-062-28927-8 | |
| 3.5 | Diamond Fire | Catalina | Nov 2018 | Avon Impulse | novella | 978-0-062-87841-0 | |
| 4 | Sapphire Flames | Catalina | Aug 2019 | Avon | novel | 978-0-062-87833-5 | |
| 5.2 | A Misunderstanding | Arabella | Jul 2019 | | short story | | free short story published on author's website |
| 5 | Emerald Blaze | Catalina | Aug 2020 | Avon | novel | 978-0-062-87836-6 | |
| 6 | Ruby Fever | Catalina | Aug 2022 | Avon | novel | 978-0-062-87839-7 | |
| 5.5 | The Cool Aunt | Arabella | Aug 2022 | | short story | | free short story published on author's website |

### Anthologies and collections

| Anthology or Collection | Contents | Publication Date | Publisher | ISBN | Featured Authors |
| The Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance | Grace of Small Magics | Mar 2009 | Running Press Robinson Publishing Constable & Robinson | 978-0-762-43651-4 | Carrie Vaughan, Cheyenne McCray, Kelley Armstrong, Anna Windsor, Anya Bast, Jean Johnson, C.T. Adams, Cathy Clamp, Holly Lisle, Mary Jo Putney, Eve Silver, Ilona Andrews, Dina James, Maria V. Snyder, Catherine Mulvany, Jeaniene Frost, Lori Devoti, Sara Mackenzie, Lynda Hilburn, Alyssa Day, Michelle Rowen, Rachel Caine, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Meljean Brook, Allyson James |
| Must Love Hellhounds | Magic Mourns | Sep 2009 | Ace Books | 978-0-425-22959-0 | Charlaine Harris, Nalini Singh, Ilona Andrews, Meljean Brook |
| Dark and Stormy Knights | A Questionable Client | Jul 2010 | Ace Books | 978-0-312-59834-1 | Ilona Andrews, Jim Butcher, Shannon K. Butcher, Rachel Caine, Deirdre Knight, Vicki Pettersson, Lilith Saintcrow, Carrie Vaughn |
| Under Her Skin | Grace of Small Magics | Oct 2010 | Smashwords | 978-1-452-47989-7 | Jeaniene Frost, Meljean Brook, Ilona Andrews |
| Hexed | Magic Dreams | Jul 2011 | Berkley | 978-0-425-24176-9 | Ilona Andrews, Yasmine Galenorn, Allyson James, Jeanne C. Stein |
| Magic Graves | A Questionable Client | Sep 2011 | NYLA | 978-0-983-95460-6 | Jeaniene Frost, Ilona Andrews |
| Angels of Darkness | Alphas: Origins | Oct 2011 | Berkley Books | 978-0-425-24312-1 | Ilona Andrews, Nalini Singh, Meljean Brook, Sharon Shinn |
| Hex Appeal | Retribution Clause | Jun 2012 | St. Martin's Press | 978-0-312-59072-7 | Ilona Andrews, Jim Butcher, Rachel Caine, Carrie Vaughn, Erica Hayes, Carole Nelson Douglas, Simon R. Green, Lori Handeland, P. N. Elrod |
| An Apple for the Creature | Magic Tests | Aug 2012 | Ace Books | 978-0-425-25680-0 | Ilona Andrews, Amber Benson, Rhys Bowen, Mike Carey, Charlaine Harris, Donald Harstad, Steven Hockensmith, Nancy Holder, Faith Hunter, Toni L.P. Kelner, Marjorie Liu, Jonathan Maberry, Thomas Sniegoski |
| Night Shift | Magic Steals | Nov 2014 | Ace Books | 978-0-425-27392-0 | Ilona Andrews, Nalini Singh, Lisa Shearin, Milla Vane |
| Small Magics | A Questionable Client Retribution Clause Of Swine and Roses Grace of Small Magics Magic Tests | Sep 2015 Dec 2019 | NYLA Subterranean Press | 978-1-596-06961-9 | Ilona Andrews |
| Teeth, Long and Sharp | Foreword | Oct 2016 | Kindle Direct | 978-0-997-13914-3 | Aria M. Jones, Grace Draven, Jeffe Kennedy, Antoich Grey, Mel Sterling |
| The Innkeeper Chronicles: Volume One | Gerard Demille and Helen Meet Clean Sweep Sweep in Peace One Fell Sweep | May 2017 | Subterranean Press | 978-1-596-06836-0 | Ilona Andrews |
| The Kinsmen Universe | The World of Kinsmen Silent Blade Silver Shark A Mere Formality | Aug 2018 | Subterranean Press | 978-1-641-97069-3 | Ilona Andrews |

### Short stories and assorted publications

* Alphas: Origins (2016), NYLA, ISBN 978-0-451-48790-2 (novella)
* A Small Blue Key
* George and Jack in School
* Questing Beast (2010) Archived January 8, 2019, at the Wayback Machine (free short story)
* A Mere Formality (2011)