The next Anita Blake novel…

Feb 06, 2019

A lot of you have asked me what the next Anita Blake novel is about, so I came up with a way for you to guess and me to answer without me giving away too much. I’m usually terrible at oversharing when I try to give hints, so let’s try this – the last few weeks the quotes that go up on Monday on my social media have been from one of the books that I reread as research for the latest novel.
Guess why I reread that book and if you’re right it will reveal some of the characters or plot of the novel I’m currently writing. This would have been much more challenging if you had to read the books to find the quotes. I even thought about asking people not to use electronic search for them, but it seemed unfair to make you read over all twenty-six books for this game. Also, you know someone will use an electronic copy and search for the quote, so it’s not fair to those who would play by the rule, so no rule. Find the quotes the way you want to find them. Once you know the book I used for research then let the guessing begin as to why. Why this book? Is it character, plot, world building point that I wanted to double check, or something completely different? There will be several quotes from each of the books I reread as research for the one I’m writing now.
Correct guesses as to why I needed to refresh myself with the novel/s that we quoted from may get a signed book, though not necessarily a copy of the book in question. I say, may, because if a lot of you guess correctly then we may have to pick random winners from all you excellent guessers. Or maybe we’ll ask your reason for the guess, and the best logic trail wins a book? I’m not entirely sure, because we’ve never tried to do anything quite like this before, so like writing a novel, we’re making it up as we go.

43 thoughts on “The next Anita Blake novel…”

  1. It should prove challenging but looking forward to it. Thankful we can use searc engines as my memory and recall are shot.

  3. I wonder if Richard is finally going to wake up and realize he can’t undo what has happened and he finally embraces his wolf.

    But then I wonder if Belle Morte, or *gasp* the mother of all darkness come back to haunt us.

  4. the quotes are from Bullet, maybe Richard or asher is making an appearance in the new book

  5. When is she going have the wedding, because I want too hear what happen there going too something will happen before the wedding,or something happen the one of the men in her circle

    1. I am beyond eager for the wedding my self <3 am hoping the next book has the amazing wedding in it.

  6. The quote is from Bullet . . . I think the wedding will be sidelined by her pregnancy. . . . Regrets anyone?

  7. Good thing I have been re-reading the series before I read Serpentine. I’m currently almost finished with Affliction!

    1. Me too… I started January 1st and wanted to see how long it took to read all of them. I do it before every new book that comes out.

      1. Same here , it takes me about 2 weeks to finish the entire series. Serpentine was abouts 18 hours. Lol

  10. It’s from Bullet. I wonder if Asher will be trying to come back because he sees that J.C is at a good place with Anita and that he is getting married. Maybe Anita will look back at what happened and how she had to kill one of her people because of the jealousy.

  12. I’m confused and not sure if I should respond here or on Facebook so I’m just gonna copy and paste my theory here.
    ~~~~~~~~~

    So I’ve been reading the comments and it seems like not many are even making an attempt to guess. It’s all about the other series and honestly I don’t get the hype about Merry. I like the other series but I love Anita. And It’s obvious that Anita is way more connected to the author. Other comments just seem prude and I’m wondering why they even follow. How in the hell did they get past Narcissus in Chains? Hey… to each their own closet.

    OK, Here goes my guess.

    Anita has been preparing for the wedding in the last two books. Now that Edward has ‘bit the bullet’ it’s Anita’s turn. Yes, pun intended… I believe Anita will have the wedding in this book.
    Now… based on the four most recent quotes, three from bullet and one from affliction, Asher will return. (Even if not permanently.) I’m not sure, but possibly even as a member of the nuptials. It’ll hurt Anita, but she’ll allow it because it means so much to J.C. I also have a feeling Asher and Richard will have more of a relationship now. Especially now that Asher has more of a lycanthrope community for himself. I know, his animal is hyena, but he has always been infatuated with Richard because it’s unrequited and Richard is way more open now. I haven’t even touched on Nathaniel and Micah but I believe they’ll at least start trying to get pregnant.

    Am I even remotely close!? I feel like one of the quotes was meant to throw me off. Also LKH is so unpredictable at times. I get into a scene and all of a sudden I feel like screaming “why didn’t I see that?”. Other times I’m like “yeah that was obvious”. But it’s not as often.

    Personal note: I hope Requiem makes an appearance. I miss that character, but I understand why he felt he had to leave. Also, more boots please!!! Sorry… I just love boots. Don’t judge me.

  13. I’m going to guess that the next book is about Belle Morte or the council in some way due to the fact that the quote was from Bullet and Bullet dealt with Belle, Mother of Darkness, etc.

    Maybe Anita and Jean-Claude must go to Europe and speak? Like Burnt Offerings Part 2 or something of that nature? Maybe Asher will accompany them.

  14. I’m so excited! Also, I reread all of the books in order every six months so rereading them again to find the quotes is not a hardship for me lol.

  15. What if Oloaf kidnaps Anita and Edward/Ted has to come to the rescue. Edward has to hunt Oloaf to get her back.
    Making Oloaf her bride right before he gets to her and then make Nicky her Rex.

  16. Is Anita finaly going to find a lion to call ?
    Another option may be : Olav is trying to kill Nathaniel just like Haven and gets punnished … on the day they’re doing the group marriage ? please, don’ let this be it ….

  17. You’re going to carry on with Richard, and there will be an interaction with Belle Morte ? Please tell me that’s it *-*

  18. Maybe something more about the Vampire council (what’s left of it) in Europe? Or maybe more about the baby issue? Or something about Anita’s triumverate exceeding Jean Claude’s in strength?

    Just want to say thank you for writing. I re-read all your books in both the Blake (4th time through) and Gentry (2 times) series, and really liked Strange Candy, too.

    Hope you continue to be well and strong and write! Thanks!

  19. Well since it comes from Bullet, I’m guessing it revolves around Richard or Asher coming into their own as both people, and a complete part of Anita’s group.

  20. I wonder if Anita has to go deeper into the Gold Tiger’s world or the Haliquin return xx

  22. with a title like media minion, i was thinking that it was about jean claude representing the vampires as king.
    and i don’t know what the quote is. So i’m going to tell you my favorite quotes: one from lunatic cafe when anita tells marcus “i never bluff” and the other one is in NIC jason tells anita to breathe. and the other one is in nic, between anita and merle, i’m beginning to agree with what the were rats said…. and what was that? that you were scary enough all on your own without being nimirra, and anita said this isn’t even close to as scary as i get………… oh and final one is in incubus, where anita and jason have a talk, and anita wonders how jason gets away with saying stuff and jason says, idk, but jean claude would pay a lot of money to bottle it. or something to that effect…….

  23. What’s left of the council is definitely going to make an appearance.
    Trying to decide if it’s for the wedding or something more sinister.
    I’m hoping Edward will make an appearance but I think it will be Peter that gets called up because Edward is in the middle of something else.
    Olaf may appear to stake his claim before or during the wedding I feel.
    I also think we are going to see some of the extended family of some of the guys 🙂

  24. Danse Macabe. In, Serpentine, Anita’s internal Lioness is looking for something. She is looking for a mate. Nicky is her bride, so can’t be her mate. In Danse Macabe we are introduced to Lions, Auggie, and Chicago. I am assuming you are rereading Danse Macabe because the next Anita book will explore and deal with her Lion problem.

  25. Hi! Ok, here’s my disclaimer: I have just finished Affliction for about the twenty-seventh time, but I’ve just begun re-reading Bullet. Still, I think I’m familiar enough with it to make some educated guesses based on the quotes.

    Affliction is, at its roots, about loss and redemption (in my opinion). So, based on the quotes, here goes:

    1) Jason dies. Anita accidentally makes Richard her new wolf to call (in spite of him already being Jean Claude’s wolf to call). This binds them together in a whole new way, opening new doors for their triumvirate.

    2) Anita gets pregnant and suffers a miscarriage. She is shocked, because she never wanted kids in the first place, at how much she mourns. Her lovers help her through it.

    3) We finally meet her family (perhaps in conjunction with the upcoming wedding). One or more of them is kidnapped. Anita, Edward, and company must save them.

    After reading the Bullet quotes, I also believe this to be part of the plot:

    1) Some bad guy becomes a temptation to Anita. He/she/they are beautiful and powerful beyond her wildest dreams. It takes everyone she loves to break her free.

    2) A couple of things I feel pretty sure about: somehow a child or pregnancy is involved, and somehow Asher is involved.

    I’m sure I will have more thoughts after I’m done reading Bullet! Have a splendid day!
    -k

  26. I know it’s not the best place to state this but I was hoping that she would get back to her roots of dealing with the dead. In a couple of her early books she talked about being engaged and the mother didn’t like her because of her background. I always wanted Anita (Laurell) to address the mother and the son. Sort of to say “You chose poorly”.

  27. I have read your books since 2008. The character I really like is Richard because he’s the only one that seams aware just how fantastical their universe is.
    I’m also fond of Micah as he is the next most aware. It occurred to me in Danse Macabre that they are almost identical apart from the latters intolerance to his universe. Also, Richard’s bygone views that as a teacher I don’t think he would have, at least from all the ones I’ve met over the years.
    I would like to see this on TV, can you write a pilot based on his introduction in Circus and deviate towards a story that has JC and Anita as supporting characters.
    This would also eleviate a lot of the sexual antics that are central to a lot of plot after the first few books.

  29. More theories:

    Olaf kidnaps Anita. She accidentally, because of metaphysics, makes him her lion to call. He is different now with her, gentle, strong, loving, but still so dangerous, and she, as we all know, loves for her men to have that edge of danger. It takes both of the triumvirates and all of her lovers to get her back in one piece. Nicky plays a special role and breaks the bonds between Olaf and Anita. Anita makes Nicky her lion to call.

    Or…Anita is finally forced to kill Asher.

    And…Dev fits in here prominently somehow.

  30. It’s funny u mention people searching through search engines for your book quotes, and that making things easier. I must say, that sometimes the things that Anita says are so wonderfully quotable. That I go out and search for them. When they conjure themselves out of thin air in my mind. In more than a few occasions. Those quotes have been rather hard to find. Like the one about some people being like rigged tests. I had to look for that one so long. That it’d have just been easier to reread the book I think lol. I cannot wait for ur next installment!

  31. I’m looking for more Larry and his wife Tammy and there little girl. I can see Larry calling Anita for help, The wife and daughter are missing in his home town. Maybe something to with that cave he talked about once before.

  32. What about Anita’s Mother someone brings her back or maybe bring in her brother whom we heard about but never seen. Stepmother and father comes to visit and they tell her Anita’s Mother called

  33. The quote came from bullet when there’s enough love enough sex you don’t have to be jealous of anyone also in bullet Nicky’s old Rex called Anita to warn her about assassin’s after her and Jean Claude and Richard Jacob said you rolled me a little Blake and I’m not sure I’m free of you did I call you to help Nick or because at some level you’re my master too and I had to warn you Blake do you understand I couldn’t not warn you as if I were your lion to call or something.in serpentine Anita lioness wants a mate and Nicky can’t be her Lion to call or mate because he’s Anita’s bride so maybe in the next book Anita will find her Lion to call and maybe it will be Jacob

  34. The last three quotes are from ‘Bullet’. I believe the next book will be dealing with the shape shifter community. Anita is shy of a few animals to call. Apparently, Raphael exposed Anita to rat between books, which I take to mean he recovered from his wounds around the same time. Possibly, more of the tigers could be coming into their powers or maybe a couple pregnancies. I hope Anita isn’t one of them. I look at the cast of characters in ‘Bullet’ and hope Monica isn’t coming back. I wouldn’t mind seeing some of Wicked and Truth. After the last two books, I would also like to see a little less of Nathaniel, and more of Jean Claude. Maybe JC will gain more animals to call? Of course it wouldn’t surprise me if Asher causes problems.

  35. Anita, actually has a lot of good quotes. Like the one about not being able to disprove a negative. There should be a whole book of Anita Philosophies.

  36. Five books ago (I’ve been with the series faithfully since you were a newbie author in our local Waldenbooks, which dates the fact that my entire adulthood has been very intertwined with Anita Blake books), I asked you when you were going to go back to the prophecy made by Anita’s witch friend in a tarot reading. It was supposed to cover the arc of the fate and there was implication that it was exactly tied to her true powers, which she did not yet know the extent of (and I suspect still does not) and it stated she would be going back to this friend to learn more about what they were and how to finish mastering them, without anymore chaos, trauma and fallout. I hope this is the ‘closing of the circle’ by the tarot reader, going over who and what is fulfilling her vision, and bringing harmony to Anita, finally. If I were to comment on where the last book left me in feelings about the characters, I think that Nathaniel, while one of my faves, has outgrown much of Anita and her dynamic. In a real life view, he is causing discord between Anita and Micah, and desires a child that I don’t think is in Anita’s best interests to be pregnant with. Coming from a family of psychic gifts and military, law enforcement and medical folks, I know first and second hand what kind of chaos pregnancy causes with psychic ‘gifts’, and have worked on cases or been at trauma scenes which adversely effected us working there, even long after the child was born. That many of our children also have gifts and effects would raise serious concerns about daily life in a ‘normal’ world, but a paranormal one much more so. Anita herself has also expressed (in Bullet and other times) that anyone she loves or is a vulnerable innocent would also be targeted by forces beyond even her control, for as long as they existed. I love this series and do not want to see a Twilight-like baby twist just to explain picket fence-and-children happy endings. Being that Anita’s other shared world is BDSM/The Life culture, it’s also not a realm for children. It makes more sense for Nathaniel to have a child with one of the female shifters, that Anita and Micah and the others can dote on. Cyn’s role needs to be better addressed as well, as it is reasonable for him to have needs and assert or find someone else to help meet them. Nicky will always gladly be her Bride, and I have enjoyed him as a character despite the quirk and concern over his lack of free will where Anita is concerned. The same could be said of anyone deeply in love, however. But the issue of Olaf being ‘more alpha’ in othet people’s lives needs addressed. Edward brought him into her life, and it would be fitting if Edward and his son got to take him out. Please resolve the disturbing hints with his son. Two of the things I have always loved about this series is the themes of evolving out of the family and identity of our birth, into a self we define ourselves and build the family (often not conventionally related) to match our souls, not our bodies; and the more frequent metamorphosis of the previous ‘victims’ into being stronger and better able to turn the changes from the surviving into something beautiful or beneficial to all. It’s one of the things I made a point of really learning about in real life with the BDSM/Life community because of your book, and how just like writing, painting, music…even that can be a healing form of art. It’s time for Anita to find equilibrium and her world to leave behind unnecessary drama. Blessings to you, and those in Anita’s world ~

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