17 days left until IGNORE ALL PREVIOUS INSTRUCTIONS hits the stores! And I've got some treats for you today, + some cool announcements. Scroll down to the part with the pictures if the announcements are all that you want.

By now, you've met IGNORE's two lead characters, but I couldn't resist introducing you to a few more of the characters as well.

Elaine Liyanage

Elaine is a precocious goth who loves sharks, villains, and everything evil - and who's having a bad time at home. As a child, she fits right in with Rowan and Kelli's games of pretend, diving gleefully into antagonist roles that make the stories more interesting and exciting. As a teenager, it's more complicated. Elaine loves bad boys and looking sexy. When Rowan won't join her in those kinds of games, she reacts first with bafflement, then with hostility - and hurts Rowan in the process much more deeply than she ever meant to - only to realize later, to her own chagrin, that maybe being a straight girl isn't working for her after all. Rowan and Kelli struggle to work out who Elaine should be to them: a bully, a frenemy, a fellow queer, or maybe even something more. Either way, and more than they realize, she's at the center of something that will change their lives forever.

Ting Jiang

A professonal thief who's about Rowan's age, and one of the few other trans people in the Brimstone Syndicate, Ting is one of Rowan's best friends. They're upbeat, friendly, and excited about their job. Ting is one of the first people to meet Kelli and show her around when she agrees to meet the syndicate to help Rowan. But even Ting doesn't know just how badly the syndicate is planning to upend Kelli's life. When everything with Kelli goes wrong, it leads Ting to question their loyalties - and maybe to become the unexpected ally that she and Rowan need most.

Zhaleh Attar

Zhaleh is coolheaded, glamorous, fond of the occult - and much more important in the Brimstone Syndicate than she seems. She's also Rowan's ex-girlfriend. Shortly before the mission with Kelli began, she betrayed his trust in a way he's still reeling from. To Kelli, she's beautiful and baffling; she seems to understand things about Kelli's mind that Kelli is rarely able to explain to anyone. But Zhaleh has an agenda that even Rowan doesn't fully understand. She might be about to save him and Kelli - or to make things much, much worse.

And now, some news!

IGNORE got a great review from Library Journal earlier in April. It's paywalled, but here's a good pull quote: 

Hoffmann (The Infinite) writes a thoughtful and hopeful story that features neurodiverse and queer characters dealing with censorship and creative freedom in outer space.

Booklist also gave it a starred review. The full thing won't be up until May, but I'm allowed to give you a pull quote from this one too:

It’s sweeping, personal, and touches on many timely topics. Lovers of character-driven sf should make this a must-read.

That's three positive reviews from the big professional trade reviewers, two of which are starred. (If you missed the other starred review, it came out from Publishers Weekly earlier.)

Another review I've seen in the wild is this one, from Shades of Orange. (I don't go looking for my own reviews because that way lies madness, but sometimes my publicist forwards one to me.) Rachel loved the Outside books, so I'm delighted to hear her say she loves IGNORE, too.

I had a great pre-launch event at the university last week before everyone ran off for the summer. People laughed at the jokes and bought the book! Here's me, answering some fun and hard-hitting Q&A about generative AI from my conversation partner:

If you missed the event but are in Kingston, you should swing by the Campus Bookstore; I heard there are some leftover early copies of IGNORE for sale in there. You can't get them anywhere else in the world until the launch day, so this is super-exclusive.

I also had a great time moderating the panel REVOLUTION IS NOT FOR THE SANE at Virtual Can*Con. I would have stayed longer if my spoons permitted! But the one panel was awesome and everyone was so smart. I love moderating, tbh - 90% of it is just coming up with some good questions and handing them to some people who are smarter than you on this topc, and then you get to just sit back and watch them go.

Now I'm gearing up for my trip to Toronto in a few weeks for the real launch:

If you are in Toronto, come to Bakka Phoenix and say hi! I'm planning to stay a few days, since I'm there, and take in some of the tourist sights.

In more minor but delightful news, here's a bit of Bluesky microfiction by V Astor Solomon that was inspired by me.

And just one more thing: Jaymee Goh, who edited IGNORE ALL PREVIOUS INSTRUCTIONS and did a fabulous job, is up for the Hugo this year for Best Editor - Long Form. It is very well-deserved and I'm so excited for her!!

Take care. More soon. This book is really happening.

- Ada