Coming Home

Yup, it’s true–the fourth book in the Magic Thief trilogy goes out into the world today!

Magic Thief 4 Home hc c

When I wrote this book, it was not under contract–I wrote it because I love the characters and couldn’t stand for their story to be over. I’m so happy and lucky that my publisher, HarperCollins, decided to go for another Conn adventure.

As is my tradition, on a book’s publication date I post the dedication and acknowledgements, because a book comes into the world through the efforts of many, not just the author.

So! The ded and acks of The Magic Thief: Home!

Dedication

To Charles Coleman Finlay. Without your mentorship, support, and friendship, I would not be a writer. Thanks, Charlie.

Acknowledgements

Loads of thanks to this novel’s first readers: Greg van Eekhout, Jenn Reese, Ingrid Law, Robin LaFevers, Deb Coates, Lisa Bradley, and Dorothy Winsor.

To my genius editor, Antonia Markiet, an her editorial assistant, Abbe Goldberg. And the always-outstanding publishing team at HarperCollins Children’s: publisher Susan Katz, editor-in-chief Kate Jackson, senior production editor Kathryn Silsand, senior art director Amy Ryan, senior designer Tom Forget, and production manager Esilda Kerr.

To my agent, Caitlin Blasdell, of the Liza Dawson Associates agency.

To readers Edie Parsons, for getting Benet together with Captain Kerrn, Toby Barnes, for the extra bacon, and Tasha Kazanjian and Nancy Fink.

To my mom for the eggplant surprise.

And thanks to all my dear families, especially my mom and dad and the memory of my dear old Sparks-like grandma, Anne Hudson Hankins.

Posted in Uncategorized on 09/16/2014 06:25 pm
 

16 Comments

  1. oh my gosh!!! i just remembered it comes out today!! i cant wait to get it!!

  2. Woo hoo!!! 😀

  3. I’ve been waiting for this day ever since I finished the last adventure of Conn and the other glorious people of Wellmet. Could it be that now that we have a fourth book in a trilogy, there should be a few more, just to make it more quirky? 🙂

    It’ll be a few more weeks until I get to read your latest book, so I’ll just have to gnaw my nails and practice my lock-picking ’till then. I’m sure it’ll be a treat!

    • I hope you do enjoy it!!

      One day I’d very much like to write another Conn/Pip book, but I’ve got a couple of other ones lined up first, so I’m not sure when. Sometimes the books just bubble away on the back burner for a while, maybe years, and then suddenly boil over and demand to be written. It’ll probably be like that. 😀

  4. I purchased it during school lunch on my kindle. I had a mini ceremony with my friends celebrated with snacks. I even made a small speech while pressing the order button to buy the book. (i’m weird, i know :)) Thanks so much Mrs.Prineas!! I’m a big fan of your works. I haven’t read it yet but I will. I hope with all my heart that Conn and Rowan would end up together or some level of romance between them. And if there isn’t, 🙁 One question, is this the last book in the series? If it is, I’m going to be really sad cus it’s an awesome book!!!!

    • This is just the best thing ever. I kind of want to copy your comment, Thanh, and send it to my editor so she can see how awesome my books’ readers are.

      So anyway, you know the answer about Conn and Rowan already, but as I said, there IS somebody out there for Conn. It might not make it into a book, but eventually I’ll write it as a story, at least.

  5. Just finished it, and it was wonderful. I loved watching all of the characters develop and the storyline was great. I especially enjoyed actually getting to know Pip, partly just because dragons are amazing :{)Also, I completely forgot about the acknowledgments and sort of couldn’t believe it when I found them, so thank you.

    • Oh, so glad you enjoyed the book and the acks (as we call them). 😀

      One of the big reasons I wanted to write the book was because of Pip.

  6. I’m just bubbling with excitment!!!!!
    Don’t you get it when you’re so happy and excited you shake, tap your feet, and just want to jump up and down, OR that you do the dance and people stare and laugh but it doesn’t really bother you because a new book is out!

    I want my library to get it so bad!!!

    Thankyou, Mrs. P!

    Ps: You Rock SARAH

    • Totally know that feeling!!

      And hey, libraries are awesome–if you ask them to order a book that you’re keen to read, a lot of times they’ll order it for you!

  7. I’ve been waiting to return to Wellmet for years now, and it was totally worth the wait. Thank you! One question, is a Proper Wizard before or after Home? The treatise is at the end of Home, so I’m assuming after right?

    • I’m thinking Conn writes the treatise right before the events in MT: Home, and Verent could have visited then, too. But after would work too, really.

  8. avatar katie zeigler

    I love the new book! I read in two days and reread it the third.
    will there be a another book? also, who is conn’s father? and would he be a wizard?
    Answers I really want to know!

    • Yayyy!!

      Okay, so if I DO write a fifth book, that’s one of the things I’ll want to investigate: who is Conn’s father? I’m thinking maybe he’s a pirate. Or a con man. Conn con, haha. We’ll see! I’ve got other books to write first…

  9. avatar Kathryn (a librarian)

    Thank you for writing “Home” and the two stories that accompany it. My daughter and I devoured “Home” within 24 hours. It is a lovely book and we were so glad to hear more of Conn, Pip, and their friends. I could hear my daughter hooting from across the house while reading Benet’s lists and also she had great fun pointing out that Rowan and Embre kept adding endearments to their letters and Ro blushing when Embre is mentioned. Please keep writing and thanks again for your books. 😉

  10. hello Dr. Prineas! judging from your reply to Thanh i believe Conn and Rowan don’t get “bonded” to each other. Am i right? if that’s the case, then its sad. i don’t ship them as much as i ship Fer n Rook but i ship them a little….Can’t wait to read Home! i need to survive my exams 1st though…. -_-; i hope i shall prevail! I won’t be getting the book if i don’t! got my fingers crossed!! i’ll write to u the moment i finish reading it!
    P.S. have u finished reading The Whispering Skull? if so, how was it?

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