Ancient magic. Secret societies. A thirst for vengeance.

Welcome to The Grigori Cycle, a multi award-winning supernatural thriller series by Jes Honard and Marie Parks, brought to life by the audiobook narration talents of the acclaimed Mary Robinette Kowal.

In 2024, you helped us create the audiobook of Unrelenting, the first book in The Grigori Cycle. The novel follows Bridget's desperate search for her missing sister, leading her to discover a sinister secret and powerful magic.

Now, we're welcoming you back into the story for the second installment. In Undeniable, Bridget must come to terms with the irreparable impact of the supernatural world of the Grigori on her life, while seeking to resurrect a murdered friend. However, the magic that would save them paints a target on her back.

Mary Robinette Kowal has said "yes!" to recording Unrelenting. The book is complete. The audio engineer is in place. 

All that's left is to give you early access as the backers who will make this project possible!

High-quality audiobooks are complex projects that require a significant investment and considerable talent.

We refuse to let AI touch any part of the creative process, especially when such gifted narrators as Mary Robinette Kowal are on board to work with us!

While the upfront costs of hiring talented human beings are more than we the authors and our small independent press can bear alone, with crowdfunding support, we can make this audiobook a reality! And it is SOOOO worth it.

Join the team:

Mary Robinette Kowal (SAG-AFTRA) is the USA Today Bestselling author of a dozen novels, including Apprehension and the Lady Astronaut series. A winner of the Hugo, Nebula, and Locus awards, she is also a professional puppeteer and award-winning audiobook narrator for authors like John Scalzi, Fonda Lee, and Seanan McGuire. She co-hosts the Writing Excuses podcast, served as SFWA President, and has an asteroid named after her. Also, her cat talks. 

Jes is a queer sci-fi/fantasy writer and professional coffee inhaler. Their debut novel, Unrelenting, was cowritten with Marie Parks and published by Not a Pipe Publishing. When not writing, Jes loves to hit the hiking trails, find inspiration in travel, and head to the climbing gym. An Ohio native, Jes currently lives in Kalamazoo, MI with their wife Taormina and two cats.

Marie is a fantasy writer living in New Mexico with her two rescue chihuahuas. While coauthoring The Grigori Cycle with Jes, she wrote her solo-written debut, Flightless, a social justice fantasy heist. She loves to hike, camp, and eat green chile. Her books always have asexual representation, which reflects her own orientation. 

Lucien is a Top40 charting audio engineer and musician with years of high-level industry experience delivering professional results across a wide range of genres, from radio-ready pop records to indie rock as well as audiobooks, voiceover, and podcast production. Known for his precision, adaptability, and polished sound, Lucien consistently elevates projects from concept to final master. 

Not a Pipe Publishing acquired Unrelenting after it was a finalist for the Book Pipeline Unpublished Manuscript Competition. They published the print and eBook editions of Unrelenting in 2022, followed by the sequel, Undeniable, in 2025. Not a Pipe Publishing is a small, independent, activist publishing company located in Oregon. 

We want this campaign to be win-win! It's easy for campaigns to talk about what they want to happen. But we also want to celebrate what you can receive! Each stretch goal is a chance for all of us to dive deeper into the lore and backstories.

At $2,500, we will have raised half the funds it requires to create a high-quality audiobook. With the help of funds we are working to set aside on our end, we will be able to produce the audiobook.

Your reward: Gain access to our Writing Archive. Typically only reserved for backers of our Patreon, you'll explore an archive full of more than 50 unpublished short stories, story snippets, bonuses, and extras.

At $3,750, instead of needing to pony up $2,500 of our own dollars to help fund the audiobook, we'll halve our personal investment to $1,250. This means we'll be able to put more of our energy into writing, rather than scrounging up savings.

Your reward: We will write a brand-new, never-been-read short story exploring the backstory and history of one of the Grigori. We'll give you a chance to vote on your favorite!

We’ve put together a flexible pathway to supporting the Undeniable audiobook campaign, whether you are a fan or new to the series.

The most flexible road starts here: the $5 Build Your Own Pledge!

For just $5, you can join the fun! You can stop here, or you can take advantage of our many add-ons to build the exact pledge you want. Please note that, for physical items, shipping will be charged separately.

Want early access to the Undeniable (Book 2) audiobook, narrated by Mary Robinette Kowal? You got it, plus your name read aloud in the credits.

If you want to start at the beginning of the series, this tier is for you! You'll get access to both audiobooks narrated by Mary Robinette Kowal for Unrelenting and Undeniable. Your name will also be read in the credits for Undeniable.

Have a hard time choosing between audiobook, ebook, and physical book formats? ¿Por qué e no los tres? You'll receive the audiobooks, ebooks, and paperbacks of both Unrelenting and Undeniable, plus your name read in the credits for the Undeniable audiobook.

You're ready for some bookshelf bling. Not only will you receive early access to the Undeniable audiobook with your name in the credits, you'll receive the Unrelenting audiobook and gold sprayed edge hardbacks of Unrelenting and Undeniable. We're happy to personalize and sign them.

Here are the add-ons you can select along with any pledge:

Continue Bridget's story with Undeniable, Book Two of The Grigori Cycle.

“A gritty tale of fierce loyalty, burning rage, and ultimate sacrifice that kept me turning pages far into the night. If you love high-stakes stories featuring strong women, unruly magic, and dark fantasy worlds, don’t miss this powerful sequel to Unrelenting.”

$15: You'll get early access to the Undeniable audiobook narrated by Mary Robinette Kowal, with your name in the acknowledgements. ($20 value)

$5: Receive digital access to the Undeniable (Book 2) ebook. ($10 value)

$20: Receive a signed, personalized physical copy of the Undeniable (Book 2) paperback. Shipping charged separately. ($25 value)

$35: Receive a signed, personalized physical copy of the Undeniable (Book 2) hardback book. Shipping charged separately. ($40 value)

$45: Receive a signed, personalized physical copy of the Undeniable (Book 2) hardback book with gold had-sprayed edges, emulating the magic in the books. Shipping charged separately. ($50 value)

Jump into the book that began The Grigori Cycle. Unrelenting won the New Mexico Book Awards Best LGBTQ Title and was a finalist in the Sci-Fi/Fantasy and First Book Categories. Additionally, it was a finalist for the Book Pipeline Unpublished Manuscript Competition.

“A fast-paced, supernatural thriller that will keep you turning the pages long after you should have gone to sleep.”

$15: Receive digital access to the Unrelenting (Book 1) audiobook narrated by Mary Robinette Kowal. ($20 value)

$5: Receive digital access to the Unrelenting (Book 1) ebook. ($10 value)

$20: Receive a signed, personalized physical copy of the Unrelenting (Book 1) paperback. Shipping charged separately. ($25 value)

$35: Receive a signed, personalized physical copy of the Unrelenting (Book 1) hardback book. Shipping charged separately. ($40 value)

$45: Receive a signed, personalized physical copy of the Unrelenting (Book 1) hardback book with gold hand-sprayed edges, emulating the magic in the books. Shipping charged separately. ($50 value)

Did you know Marie (one of the authors of The Grigori Cycle) had her solo debut release earlier this year? Flightless is a fantasy heist with social justice themes. Marie was a finalist for the Futurescapes Award for Most Promising New Author due to this novel. Fans of Foundryside or Six of Crows will love the heisty action, and anyone with a heart for equality will be ready for the revolution.

“Memorable characters, a fascinating world, tons of action, and deep political intrigue: Flightless, Marie Parks’ impressive debut novel, has it all. Readers seeking a fresh voice and skilled storytelling need look no further—your next addictive series is here.”
-David B. Coe/D.B. Jackson, author of the Thieftaker Chronicles

$5: Receive digital access to the Flightless ebook. ($10 value)

$15: Receive a signed, personalized physical paperback copy of Flightless by Marie Parks. Shipping charged separately. ($20 value)

$25:  Receive a signed, personalized physical paperback copy of Flightless by Marie Parks with sprayed edges. Shipping charged separately. ($30 value)

Our audiobook narrator, Mary Robinette Kowal, is also a Hugo, Nebula, and Locus Award-winning USA TODAY bestselling author. She and Marie (one of the authors of The Grigori Cycle), as well as Sarah Gailey, Premee Mohamed, and Geoff Habiger will be instructors at the Sandia Starforgers 2027 Writers Retreat. You can gain access to this event and support our audiobook, all at the same time! The cost of an off-site lodging ticket is $2,000 on the event page, but you can receive a savings through Backerkit and gain access for $1,795.

Sandia Starforgers is a 3.5-day intimate retreat and workshop for writers of sci-fi, fantasy, horror, alternative history, and other speculative fiction genres. The dates are April 30-May 3, 2027 in New Mexico, and the instructors are Mary Robinette Kowal, Sarah Gailey, Premee Mohamed, Marie Parks, and Geoff Habiger. Your ticket includes a 5,000 word critique, access to classes, all meals, and more. This add-on is for an on-site attendance, off-site lodging option. Space is limited. Learn more here: starforgers.com.

Back in the day, folks would support artists as patrons. If you'd like to support our writing careers or simply help boost us toward our funding goals for this project, consider some additional patron support. You will receive the Undeniable (Book 2) audiobook, if another pledge/add-on doesn't already include it.

You can throw additional support our way in the amount of $100+ (you'll be able to choose the amount). Thank you so much for your support!

The Grigori Cycle won its first award before it was even published, as a finalist in the Book Pipeline Unpublished Manuscript contest. Since then, the fast-paced, supernatural thriller series has continued to gather accolades.


What People Are Saying About The Grigori Cycle:

Unrelenting (Book 1) has a 4.6-star rating on Amazon and 4.4-star rating on Goodreads.
Undeniable (Book 2) has a 4.7-star rating on Amazon and 4.8-star rating on Goodreads.
Flightless has a 4.4-star rating on Amazon and a 4.8-star rating on Goodreads.

As for Mary Robinette Kowal, who will lend her voice to the audiobook project, she’s narrated titles by Seanan McGuire, Fonda Lee, and John Scalzi. In addition to being a Hugo Award-winning author, she’s a SAG-AFTRA member with a lifetime of involvement in theater, puppetry, and publishing.

Digital products will all be delivered via the email address on file with BackerKit and incur no shipping fees.

For add-ons that include physical products, we will ship via USPS. The prices listed in the pledge or add-on areas do not include shipping or VAT, which will be applied within the Pledge Manager after the campaign. Additionally, you will be responsible for any import taxes your country requires of recipients. Shipping will be charged separately when we’re in fulfillment mode.

Final rates will be calculated based on actual weights and postage rates at the time of campaign fulfillment. Here’s an estimate (in $USD) for the cost of one paperback book, based on today’s rates:

If your region is NOT listed above, it doesn’t mean we can’t deliver to you. We’re simply accounting for the most likely regions. For a full list of countries and localities USPS can deliver to, please click here.

Paperbacks are 18 oz, plus the weight of shipping materials. Lighter packages will cost less. Heavier packages (such as hardbacks or multiple books) may cost more. We will do our best to offer the most reasonable rates available at the time of fulfillment.

If we discover we cannot ship to your location, we will refund the amount of your shippable items and the cost of shipping, if already paid, after the campaign.

The following timeline is an estimate. We'll keep you posted via campaign updates!

September 10, 2026: Campaign opens for backers to support us, as part of BackerKit's Printopia
October 1, 2026: Campaign wraps up. If funded, we'll deliver! If not, you won't be charged.
Mid October 2026: Delivery of ebooks and Unrelenting (book 1) audiobooks.
Early November 2026: Shipping of all physical pledges and add-ons.

By end of March 2027: Audiobook delivery, available to BackerKit supporters before public availability.

We're honored and excited to be participating in the BackerKit event Printopia 2026 📚 A celebration of books, comics, and graphic novels featuring an all-star lineup of creators crowdfunding together from September 10–October 1, 2026.

Cross-Collab Freebies — We've joined forces with paired up with Lesbians in Space Comes to Audiobook Pt 2!, which is also narrated by Mary Robinette Kowal! Backers who support BOTH projects at any level, electronic or physical, will get a special bonus: Mary Robinette's blooper reel from Unrelenting and Undeniable.

Jes was an author in the first volume of the Lesbians in Space anthology, and we love both books. And you will absolutely adore Mary Robinette's narration for all of these projects.

Banner Digital Zine Freebie — If you support 3+ creators in the Fantasy banner of Printopia, you'll unlock the Digital Fantasy Zine. Click here to explore Fantasy projects, like:

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