Blog | Hannah Steenbock | Feel-good Stories. In Any Universe.

Not a Review – Hannah’s Deep Thoughts about her Intense Reading in May 2023

Posted on 13/05/2023 by Hannah Steenbock

Book I might have chosen for a Review - Broken Warrior by Jocelyn Drake and Rinda Elliott.

This is not a review. I don’t have the energy to write up a good review for a book this month, for various reasons. (Still crawling out of Burnout. I’m reading a lot of comfort books, discovering new ones, and they all have one thing in common.)

The truth is that I’m a bit ashamed to admit that I’ve been binge reading more M/M romance, from mafia to vampires to magic users. And it’s mostly series by Jocelyn Drake, and yes, the Weavers’ Circle is one of them. (Also go and read Haelan by AJ Sherwood.)

All of this has me pondering the big question: Why?

Why am I so hooked on M/M romance?

To be clear, it’s not the bed scenes. They are well written, don’t get me wrong, but there are only so many ways guys can be together. Eventually, you’ve seen (or read) it all.

If you already read my progress report, you got a glimpse of what’s in my thoughts. I decided to go into more detail here.

The Gender Stuff (not a lot of reviews go into that)

For me, the biggest part of romance is the relationship (d’uh). It’s the dance of daring to meet, date, fall in love. It’s the misunderstandings, the hangups, the fears, the feelings of inadequacy, the terror of being rejected (again). And of course, the wonderful decision to face it all together, and make it work out.

And during all of that, in M/M romance, the partners are more or less equal. They are the same gender. That is the point, after all.

Which means, that while they might be fighting through all that relationship stuff (on top of whatever adventures the author chooses to throw at them) they do not run into the traditional gender drama.

There are no stupid stereotypes about women in M/M romance. (D’uh again.)

In most of F/M romance, gender stereotypes rule. Worst example is the horrible, HORRIBLE alpha trope, with the male the big, growly protector, and the woman the small, sweet-smelling, (often spunky), loving, caring, perfect person who needs to be protected despite her own aspirations of success. Yes, people play with that trope, but man.

I am so freaking tired of it.

And just yesterday, in a class on the Mythical Hero, the teacher explained that

Male Hero = Strength
Female Hero = Beauty

Yes, I invite you to puke with me.

F/M Romance Relies on Gender Stereotypes (doubt that appears in a review, either)

Okay, I’m going out on a limb here, but bear with me.

I am still looking for F/M romance where both partners are truly equal. (In fact, I tried to do that with my Wolf stories, not sure I completely succeeded.) Where the male does not have to impress her with his prowess and where the female does not need beauty to be desirable.

Let me take a sweet little detour here:

In my neighborhood, there’s an elderly couple I have been seeing around for years and years. They are both very elegant and they are devoted to each other (I always see them walking close, holding hands or even having arms around each other.)

She is really tall, with long white hair. He is really short. Her arm goes around his shoulder. She pulls her steps so they can walk together easily. She looks protective.

And I love it. I love seeing them. They break stereotypes.

I wish I could read romance with a couple like them. YetI doubt I ever will. Here’s why:

Romance authors are smart. They know exactly what their audience wants and how to hook them. I’m in awe of what the authors I’m reading are doing, both in their stories and in the way they interact with fans. Just… so impressive.

Let me tell you, the majority of fans of M/M are women (and possibly of the authors, too). I believe they are precisely those women who adore equal partners and equal roles. Who adore men who cook, clean and get groceries. (Ahem. Listen up, men!) Who allow themselves to be weak and vulnerable at times.

The readers for F/M romances are different. I believe that they are also mostly women, but they are looking for a different relationship energy: That of the male hero protecting the female beauty. Winning her heart, yes, but through saving her. Yup, the old damsel thing, just much less obvious. Those readers want the classic hero. And the classic woman lead. The beautiful, spunky, modern… damsel.

And I get it. It’s a thing. So many women in so many countries live under incredible pressure, trying to make family and their job work. Trying to live two full lives in 24h a day. They are so tired, so worn down by it – they want their knight to ride in (maybe in the shape of a billionaire, an alpha wolf or a badass mafia boss with a good heart) to rescue them, at least when they can find a few minutes to read.

It’s just not my thing. I want the strong woman, the one who can handle herself and her lover in an emergency when necessary. I want them to be on equal footing. That’s just not something that works well in the F/M romance niche – because those readers do not want it.

I do hope that tales with strong women will become their own little subgenre. Because I’d be binging that so hard.

Tell Hannah what else she could be Reading so she can write a Review

So if you happen to know of an author or a series that does the strong woman equal partner in an F/M romance – let me know. Drop recommendations. Please. Let’s make this a thing.

The Newsletter Popup – also Not a Review

SEO sucks. It makes me use these stupid headers. Apologies.

So this is what I put at the end of my posts instead of inflicting a pop-up on you. I’ll make it short and sweet here: Sign up to my newsletter.

You’ll get links to my stuff, my reviews (or not-reviews), to book sales and opportunities, and the Ember Tale (that you’ll get nowhere else).

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April 2023 Review: Rebel Dragon by Steve Turnbull – epic fantasy

Posted on 13/04/2023 by Hannah Steenbock

Earlier this month, I read Rebel Dragon by Steve Turnbull, the first book in his Dragons of Esternes series.

Esternes has been occupied by an invading force and its original people, the Kadralin, have become enslaved. And the dragons (called zirichasa in the book, and technically wyverns – yes I am a nerd) have been turned into toys and are used for races, like horses in our world.

Kantees is slave to a fairly good Master, tasked with taking care of Sheesha, a young ziri who is a really good racer. When the ziri wakes her in the middle of the night, warning Kantees of an attack, the young woman does something she’d be executed for: She rides Sheesha into the night, warning the defenders of her home and actually taking action to thwart the invaders.

Of course, the whole deed does eventually come out into the open, and Kantees is forced to flee. This is just the beginning of a fast-paced adventure that gradually reveals more of the magical world and the history of it.

Kantees turns out to be much more than a slave, and Sheesha reveals there is much more to him, as well. But you’ll have to read all about that yourself.

What I really liked about Rebel Dragon

I love how Steve Turnbull gradually reveals the depth of the world he has created. Esternes is so much more that it seems to be which makes me very curious about the rest of the series.

And while Esternes is clearly a fantasy world, it’s not just a mix of classic magical tropes. There are amazing creatures, both animal and plants, strange magic that can’t be slotted into familiar systems, and plenty of adventures. That alone is worth a read.

There is more, however.

While Kantees is the hero and focus character, she’s not without doubt and flaws. She makes mistakes and pays for them dearly. And sometimes, others pay for her mistakes – which is even more painful. That gives her depth and makes her more relatable.

My favorite character in Rebel Dragon

I’m a dragon lover. So my favorite character in Rebel Dragon is Sheesha. He’s a clever dragon/wyvern with his own magical power. He’s also a little snarky and has a sense of humor, even though we don’t see that at first. It takes a while for Kantees to see him as more than an animal.

The ziri are certainly fascinating creatures, and I really hope that they will come fully into their own during the series.

I also started to really like Daybian, even though he starts out as the arrogant heir of the master (and rider of Sheesha). That young man finally developed a bit of a personality and started to actually grow up during their adventures, and he even became a bit of a hero. I won’t say more – not going to spoil anything for you.

Rebel Dragon is an indie book

You probably know that I’m an indie author and self-publishing my books. That’s why I like to support fellow indies, and Steve Turnbull is one of them. In these days, it matters a lot.

Let me just point out that I didn’t find any typos in the book, either. Being indie doesn’t mean you get sloppy books. Rebel Dragon is anything but.

So, if you like dragons, adventure, a determined heroine, and a mysterious fantasy world, go and grab Rebel Dragon here: Smart link that takes you to your favorite store

Newsletter Pop-up

If you liked this review, you can just sign up to my newsletter and never miss one. Or miss a new release. (Yes, this is my self-promotion, without the icky pop-up we all hate. Do me a favor and sign up, okay? No? Ah, well.)

If you do choose to sign up, you’ll get one email per month (unless something really exciting happens, like a new book out, then you might get more). It will contain writing news, a review like this one, BookFunnel opportunities to grab free or cheap ebooks, maybe some other fun stuff, and definitely an Ember tale.

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Posted in Review | Tagged dragons, fantasy, review | Leave a comment

Progress Report April 2023

Posted on 13/04/2023 by Hannah Steenbock

This progress report is rather hard to write. You see, I stopped writing this month.

Yes, that’s right. I gave up on my daily writing habit, after clinging to it for over four years.

The sad truth is that it had become very hard to write up even a hundred words a day. I usually left it until I couldn’t stall any longer just before bedtime. And it poisoned my entire day.

When my sister came to spend a week with me, the chore of writing sucked the joy out of her visit. On day three, I gave up. I didn’t want to let a habit that had continued beyond its due date to spoil our vacation together.

I haven’t written since. It’s been two weeks now that I filled with reading, with walks, with fun. With joy, even.

Yesterday, I got back home after a visit with my family. One that was better than ever before, simply because I had freed myself from the chore of pushing words that I didn’t really feel.

Of course, the question now is… what can I put into a progress report? Let’s see:

Winds and Pillars Progress Report

Sun has been dragging his feet and refusing to talk to me. That was mostly the reason why my writing has slowed down and become a chore. So – following advice from a good author friend – I decided to let him stew for a bit.

Instead, I’ll go through Earth Splits, rewrite the ending (that will be so much fun!) and give someone quite a reunion. (Can’t say more, spoilers.) I do want to write the description tomorrow and commission the cover. And then I’ll do a thorough edit. I hope to be able to publish the book in May, hopefully before the next newsletter rolls around.

I also have ideas for Moon Rises, which is going to be the last book focusing on one main character. I already know she’ll be a bit of an overconfident bitch. And she’ll meet someone that connects back to North. (*evil snicker*)

The final book will be Spirit Sings, and all of the Winds and Pillars will get screen time in that one. (Yes, I am a little scared about writing that one…)

The only thing that does make me a little sad is the fact that people are not reading (aka buying) the series. There are four books out already!

I’ll share a few words from a lovely review I got for North, though:

If you have read the other books of the series, you can already anticipate that this is the fourth wind escaping certain death.

But, like in the other books, the way it happens and what happens afterwards is quite unique and tied to the specific abilities and magic of the escaped. And, oh, boy, is this story going through some twists and turns.

Read it here: “You will need to hold your breath!”

Proofreading Progress Report

I have another proofreading job coming up end of April, but if you’re interested in having me proofread your book, let me know. Depending on how much work it is (I do a test chapter), I may be able to fit you in. There are definitely openings in May.

Check out my Editing Offers.

Progress Report of Other Things

Well, there aren’t a whole lot of other things. I’m working on marketing (mostly BookFunnel, I put those in the newsletter), I am building a bubble on Mastodon and posting in my Facebook group.

In fact, I’m just getting back into the swing of things after a nice, long vacation. I really needed that break… more than I thought, to be honest. I was close to burnout from stress. And most of that stress came from forcing myself to write.

The trick is now to actually change my life to avoid getting this stressed out again. I’m planning on adding walks (failed that today…) and finding ways to meet new people and build friendships here where I live. I might even try to teach some English. There is irony in that – I have a teacher degree in English and Spanish from university. (Bet you didn’t know that.)

The Newsletter Pop-Up (not a Progress Report)

We all hate pop-ups. Or at least I do and that’s why I’m not inflicting them on you. Instead, I put a reminder at the end of each blog post. And if you read my posts, you should be able to tell they are always different and new.

So why would you want to read my newsletter?

Well, you’ll never miss another release. I’ll also share a review, this progress report and awesome opportunities to grab books for free or on a deal.

Not good enough?

Okay, I’ll give you Ember. She’s my little dragon familiar, and every newsletter contains a little tale about her (most often sweet). You can find them nowhere else.

This is an old image where she was hoarding my fountain pens. The collection has since expanded considerably, by the way. (Yes, I can be a bit… intense with things I love.) I now have almost all Pilot Metropolitans.

So if I managed to entice you into signing up, just use the form below, and you’ll receive a few short story as a welcome gift. Cool, eh?

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Posted in Progress Report, Writing | Tagged progress report, writing | Leave a comment

March 2023 Review: Johann by Grae Bryan – love it

Posted on 13/03/2023 by Hannah Steenbock

“Johann” is another one of those M/M fantasy romances I’m reading as comfort books. And this one is even more special to me, because Johann, one of the MCs, is possibly autistic.

But first things first.

“Johann” by Grae Bryan is actually the fourth book in a series about vampires finding their fated mates. And yes, it would be better to read them in order, simply because the inside jokes are much more fun that way.

My favorite character in “Johann”

Obviously, my favorite character is Johann himself, or Jay, as he prefers to be called. Jay is an old, old vampire who hasn’t seen much of the world. He comes across as quite naive, really, but that’s because he has such a zest for living that he considers everything an adventure. And he is so clearly autistic in his mannerism and thinking that I absolutely adore him. (I’m on the spectrum myself.)

For example (this is from another book in the series, “Lucien”), Jay actually pokes a cactus, knowing it will hurt. Because the pain means, it’s real and he is truly there to feel it.

He is also mercilessly kind. He waves to everyone, human or pet. He talks to everyone and throws out compliments, again to everyone. In fact, he utterly charms Alexei, the second MC, when he adores Alexei’s eyes (hazel) and hair (multicolored).

Of course, Johann (as well as Alexei) carries deep scars from emotional abuse from the centuries he spent as a companion to an ancient vampire lady. Naturally, those scars will come to the surface during the story, and will be healing at the end.

What I really liked about “Johann”

The story is told in third person and past tense (which I prefer), from the viewpoints of the two main characters. They don’t always alter, but PoV is indicated at the beginning of each chapter. That makes it really easy to follow the story.

I also love how all the characters from the previous novels appear as side characters. You can see how their relationship has grown in the meantime. And even some other side characters poke their heads in again, which is always fun. It turns Hyde Park, the fictitious town the stories are set in (except “Lucien”) into a place that’s populated by recurring people, and that gives it a more real feel.

In particular, I love how the author uses props to indicate the characters’ moods. Jay, for example, loves the little bell on the door of the coffee shop where he works (Death by Coffee, what an awesome name!), while Alexei is grumpily annoyed by it. Oh, and Death by Coffee is a setting that sees much use in the series, as well.

The basic plot of “Johann”

Well. This is a romance novel, so of course, the couple meet, dance around each other, fall in love, face difficult obstacles and have a happy ever after.

In this case, the obstacles arise from both Jay’s and Alexei’s past, with vampires from Jay’s old, awful den causing most of the trouble. Turns out that there are agreements which Jay decided to keep secret, because he wanted to pretend he was free – for a year. And when a vampire comes to collect, things get dire quickly, with Alexei paying the price.

Even so, the story is never totally brutal or gory. This is cozy fantasy, in a way, which is why I enjoy reading it. Right now, I cannot deal with dark or too harrowing.

If you enjoyed the books by AJ Sherwood that I mentioned earlier, you’ll love Johann and the entire series. Definitely recommend!

The book is in Kindle Unlimited, you can grab it here: Johann

Newsletter Popup

If you’ve been reading my articles for a while, you know that I stick in a paragraph or two in lieu of a popup – because I hate popups with a passion. So this is my spiel for the newsletter.

If you enjoy – *takes deep breath* – writing news, new releases, reviews, great book deals and the odd joke or fun thing, consider signing up below. And if you want to read the adventures of little Ember, my dragon familiar, you will have to sign up. Because I don’t share them anywhere else.

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Posted in Review | Tagged autism, review, romance, vampire | Leave a comment

Progress Report March 2023 – the good and the bad

Posted on 13/03/2023 by Hannah Steenbock

ArtBreeder Header for the Progress Report March 2023

Progress Report for the last four weeks or so. Writing has been difficult, as it has been for the last year or so, but I have a new aspect to consider.

You see, I’ve known for a about a year now that I’m very likely on the autism spectrum. I’m still figuring out what exactly that means, of course. Even so, it seems I’m sliding into Autistic Burnout. Recognizing this is the biggest step of all, because now I can set a course to getting better.

Unfortunately, this will affect the Winds and Pillar series, because the most important step is reducing stress.

Progress Report for the Winds of Destiny/Pillars of the Empire series

I have been writing Sun’s story for a few weeks now, making very slow progress. Annoyingly slow progress. In fact, I have been so fed up with his stalling tactics (poor guy is rather embarrassed) that I started the story of Moon.

And Moon, let me tell you, has a plan. In fact, she has spent years planning her escape, and once she moves, she is unstoppable. Or so she thinks. (I’m starting to really like her, as well, even though she is so different from everyone else.) And I just thought of a really neat plot point, too.

Now for the bad news. I did mention Autistic Burnout and reducing stress, didn’t I?

That means I will not release the next book in the series in April. Instead, I’ll take a bit more time to get “Earth Splits” all sorted and polished, and I’ll publish it in May. I’m really sorry about that, but this is actually such a relief. I hope this will make writing fun again.

Dragons Progress Report

I’m slowly, meticulously pondering an update for “Dorelle’s Journey”. I did write a prequel about how Dorelle ever met Mashira and gained her place among the dragonriders. I’m thinking about merging it with the journey book, add another chapter or two, and releasing a new book called “Dorelle’s Dragon”, to replace the old first book in the series.

And I’d love to get a really good cover for it.

Now, this is big for me, and I worry about upsetting my readers. Let me know what you think okay?

Proofreading / Editing Progress Report

I’m booked for March and possibly April. I have openings after that. I prefer editing fantasy, feel-good stories and funny tales. If you’re interested, check out my editing offers. There’s a form to fill in, if you want to connect with me.

The Newsletter Popup (not a Progress Report)

By now, you know the deal. Want the Ember tales? Writing news? Book deals? Never miss a new release?

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Progress Report February 2023

Posted on 13/02/2023 by Hannah Steenbock

Landscape created with ArtBreeder for entertainment purposes for the Progress Report. It shows a dreary valley with broken trees and a strange crystal growing out of the ground on the right. A green tree on the left offers hope.

This is the Progress Report for the end of January and the beginning of February. I write these primarily for my newsletter, so expect them on or just before every 13th of the month. (Of course, you also also simply subscribe to the newsletter, there’s a form at the bottom. You’re welcome.)

I’m still having trouble writing more than a few hundred words every day. This is frustrating, but right now, it is what it is. I’m working to rebuild energy and creativity, but I really haven’t found the right potion for that just now. If you know a mage who sells them, let me know.

The image above does reflect my bleary emotional landscape right now. At least the days are getting longer and I really hope that once we make it out of the gray darkness that is winter these days, some of my energy will return.

Progress Report for the Winds of Destiny/Pillars of the Empire series

The biggest news first: North Shatters has been released!

I did get the book up yesterday and it’s finally available in all stores (yes, Apple, looking at you, with your snail-speed servers). Print will take a little longer this time, my cover designer is still working on that.

North was tricky to write. She is basically rescued by a Priest who quickly becomes her love interest, a guy called Varden, with dark red hair and lovely green eyes.

When they just lounged around in the icy wilderness with no interest in moving, I had to get them into trouble, and then I had to rip Varden away from her. Yet I didn’t want to kill him, either. So I found another way to send him packing and give North the space to find her new family and grow. That was great fun, and to my surprise, she discovered something that developed into a huge plot point. You’ll see…

Oh, grab the book here, with a clever Books2Read link so you can pick your favorite store: North Shatters

It’s the final book about the Winds and the series will continue with the Pillars of the Empire books next. I’m planning to release Earth Splits in April. The story is basically all written, except for the showdown which I need to revisit and change. It will be fun because she (and her lover) will end up in Iceburg and meet North. (Mwuahahahahaha.)

Sky’s book is also basically done (Sky Falls), I still have to make some tweaks and tied up loose ends for side characters that I brought in and then sort of lost along the way. That’s no good, but there is plenty of time to clean that up.

Right now, I’m writing Sun Burns, and dear gods, this afternoon I had some nasty ideas for the poor guy. He’ll go through hell (don’t they all?).

Also this morning, when chatting with my author friend in our mastermind meeting, I discovered who Moon Owl is (Moon Rises, Book 8). She’s going to be so much fun to write. I just hope you won’t hate her, she’s the kind of person that will be easy to hate. (Not that I can really write hateful main characters never fear.)

Dragons Progress Report

There is the Marick story, aka Dragon Pawn, set in the Cloud Lands Beginnings. It’s very close to completion, but my focus hasn’t been there. Do you want it? Let me know.

Mastodon Progress Report

Yes, Mastodon. Because that has very quickly become my favorite place on the interwebs. Seriously. Come on over there. The #WritingCommunity is strong and full of good people. You see, the trolls simply get blocked and there is no algorithm to push their posts. They just fade away.

Did I say come on over? Please. Do and chat with all the great authors there. You might rediscover the joy we all had in the early days of the www.

You’ll find me here: Firlefanz on Mastodon

Yes, I’m still on Facebook, and I won’t leave anytime soon. There’s my fan group – Hannah’s Dragonriders – but my author page is pretty dead, their algos killed any reach and I’m not a posting slave. I have writing to do, even if it *mumble mumble*, well. I have writing to do.

Proofreading Progress Report

I’ll be busy for the end of February/early March, but I have room for a client after that. I’m not taking on a lot of clients – you did see me talk about not having a lot of energy, right? – but I’m willing to work with one more person in March.

Let me know if you’re interested. (Err. Hop on over here.)

The Newsletter Pop-up. (Kind of a Progress Report)

If you’re a regular reader of my blog, you already know this: I hate pop-ups. Even though every SEO page tells me that they are more efficient at getting people to subscribe than anything else. I hate them enough to not use them.

Help me prove those people wrong, okay?

If you sign up below, you’ll receive my newsletter on every 13th of the month (come Fog, Fall or High Water (do you get the reference?)). It’ll have writing news (aka a link to this blog post with a Progress Report), news about new books, a link to a review and some opportunities to get free or cheap books.

And it has the Ember Tale. (Don’t know what that is? You could, you know, sign up below.)

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Posted in English, Progress Report | Tagged progress report, writing | Leave a comment

February 2023 Review: Magic and the Shinigami Detective by Honor Raconteur

Posted on 13/02/2023 by Hannah Steenbock

Cover of Magic and the Shimigami Detective by Honor Raconteur (Book 1 of The Case Files of Henri Davenforth)

“Magic and the Shinigami Detective” is the first book in an ongoing series of detective cases in a world were magic and steampunk mix, The Case Files of Henri Davenforth.

Henri is a Magical Examiner, a very smart mage, but alas, not a very powerful one. He is also a bit of a hermit, a clever sleuth and very proud of the fact that he scored top of the academy in his exams. Not even the Court Mage beat him.

In his first case, he teams up with a somewhat mysterious woman who is mostly famous for killing the worst rogue witch the world has seen. She is both feared and hated by his colleagues, especially as she is very good at what she does.

Jamie Edwards, on the other hand, knows very well who she is and what she can do, but she is new to this world (as we find out in a prologue and in her chapters). She adores Henri because he can actually accept that she knows what she is doing.

Together, they have to stop a band of thieves who get through every magical ward with brute force. Soon, Henri and Jamie find themselves in a race against time to uncover the mastermind and stop that gang from reaching their ultimate target – which may or may not be the Royal Palace.

What I like about “Magic and the Shinigami Detective”

This is very much a Sherlock Holmes and Watson series, with two partners solving crime in a steampunk world – except they are more balanced than Holmes and Watson. Henri is very much the thinker and magic expert, Jamie is much more the active one who beats up people. I do like that the woman is the one who goes on the offensive if needed.

I love the way Jamie leaves comments on Henri’s reports, mostly ones that absolutely baffle him because they are references to her world (ours). She does play with a lot of current (or not so current, this book came out in 2018) entertainment tropes that of course, fly way over Henri’s head. This is rather quirky stuff done in different fonts, and I really love how that breaks up the usual somewhat boring e-Reader books.

The entire tone of the book leans towards cozy, even though bad things happen and some people are blatantly nasty. It’s a feel-good story in the best sense.

What I didn’t like about “Magic and the Shinigami Detective”

Yes, it is cozy fantasy/mystery, and yes, that means that the world can get hilarious and silly. And yet I wish some of the side characters had a bit more nuance to them. Many of them are fairly cardboard, especially the misogynistic ones in the police system.

I also miss a bit of the fun that Honor Raconteur’s more steamy books (which she writes under different pen names) have. These are more regular fantasy stories, not boring, but also with less… irreverent fun. I was looking for that and didn’t quite find it. Which is totally on me.

Where can you get “Magic and the Shinigami Detective”?

This book – and the entire series – are in Kindle Unlimited. That means you can read them for free if you have a subscription (yes, the author does get paid for that, no worries), or you can buy them on Amazon, and only on Amazon.

Here’s the link to the COM store, you may have to change the country extension to get to yours: Magic and the Shinigami Detective by Honor Raconteur

Newsletter Pop-up

I hate pop-ups and I assume that you do, as well. Which is why you’re getting this extra paragraph below the review where I plug my newsletter.

Sign up if you like cute stories about an even cuter little dragon familiar, if you want news about my writing and new books by yours truly, and if you don’t mind getting links to more book deals. You will have to click a confirmation link – and you’ll get a freebie story as a gift.

I also won’t spam you, my newsletter goes out once a month, always on the 13th – because I like that number and happen to think it’s a lucky one.

Posted in Review | Tagged fantasy, Honor Raconteur, mystery, review, steampunk | Leave a comment

Must Read Review: Forsaken Fae by RA Steffan

Posted on 13/01/2023 by Hannah Steenbock

Forsaken Fae series image, showing a boxed set of hard-cover books.

The Forsaken Fae is an enemy to lovers story, set in a world where Earth intersects with Dhuinne and Hell – home of the Fae and the Demons, respectively.

Of course, Earth is caught in the middle of an epic war between the Fae and the Demons. And Len Greyson has been dragged into the fight, first by his ex-coworker Zorah Bright, then by his boss Guthrie Leonides and of course, his other ex-coworker Vonnie Morgan.

You’ll find those stories in The Last Vampire series and Vampire Bound series (and yeah, you kinda should read those first, there’s a catch). They are worth it.

So why am I going to talk about Forsaken Fae instead of the other two series?

Because this series is something else. It starts out with quite a funny scene – two vampires knocking on Len’s door with an unconscious Fae slung between them. It quickly becomes a fast-paced ride into heart-break land with ultra high stakes.

I love how this whole tale is told entirely from Len’s point of view, with plenty of snarky comments and little detours inside his agile mind. Not to mention all the guilt and trauma he has to work through, both old and new. Len is a mess, gay, bondage rigger, drug addict, seer of ghosts. And yet, despite knowing better, he gives everything and more to help his friends.

What I love about Forsaken Fae

Some of my favorite moments were the scenes where Len and the annoying, arrogant and irritating Fae Albigard are beginning to bond, especially after they literally came to blows in the earlier series. Len really has a kind heard – and he pays for that.

I also very much enjoyed learning more about Albigard’s history, as painful as it is. Step by agonizing step, it becomes clear why he is (NOT!) a friend of the vampire Ransley Thorpe or why he cooperates with Nigellus, the Demon. Why he goes against the Unseelie Court and actively works to thwart their plans. And it costs him. Dearly.

Now, if you like intense tales, if M/M love and sex don’t phase you, if you enjoy some gentle bondage set in a paranormal world with high stakes, if you feel like visiting Dhuinne and find out about Fae magic (and necromancer magic while you’re at it), then you should pick up this series. (Possibly after reading the other two, though.)

This series gets 7 of 5 stars, totally recommend.

Where to get Foresaken Fae

Find the Forsake Fae and the other series HERE (they are in Kindle Unlimited, if that appeals to you.) This is a set of three boxed sets, lots and lots to read for you.

There’s also a follow-up series, The Sixth Demon, which is about Nigellus. I started to read it, and it’s not quite as intense as the Forsaken Fae. It switches between two points of view, the reason for which becomes painfully obvious at the end of book 3. Book 4 comes out in May, and I would suggest holding off until then, just to save yourself some sleepless nights. Fair warning. (Now get out of my head, Nigellus!)

Newsletter Pop-up

If you’re like me, you hate pop-ups. And that’s why you get a little reminder at the end of every post that, yes, I do have a newsletter, thankyouverymuch.

It comes out every month, on the 13th because I love that number. Even better if it falls on a Friday.

You’ll get some writing news, new book news, some book promotions, a review and – last but not least – an Ember tale. Ember is my cute little red dragon familiar (don’t tell her she’s a plushie, she’ll flame you!), and she’s responsible for the pet content in my newsletter.

Posted in Review | Tagged demons, fae, fantasy, M/M, review, romance | Leave a comment

Progress Report January 2023

Posted on 13/01/2023 by Hannah Steenbock

This is the usual progress report, this time for the rest of 2022 and the beginning of 2023. The image is an Artbreeder AI generated one. It is a poignant reminder that we’re set to loose almost all glaciers on Earth… but I’m digressing.

To be honest, not much has changed, although I do have a new book out. That deserves its own little paragraph of fame, because it has a bit of a story right there.

I’m also playing therapist tricks on myself (you may or may not know that I am a trained therapist), mostly to improve my mood and sense of self. It’s starting to work, I’m happy to report.

In addition, I’m using my new daylight lamp in the mornings (as much as I can with having to be in the office for two days a week for the day job). Need to resume the walks in the park, but the weather has been rather beastly for weeks.

New Book Release Progress Report

Okay, new “book” is a bit overblown, it’s a little short story I published this week after the rights reverted back to me.

“The Backup” is a sweet little SF story that I wrote in 2018 for Neil A. Hogan. Yes, the man running Alien Dimensions, among other things. He published it in 2019, in his “Fantasy Short Stories Anthology Series Book 2”. Don’t bother looking it up, it’s no longer available. Neil took it down after the rights reverted to the authors.

I was reminded of that anthology last week and realized I could publish the story myself. So I looked around on Depositphotos for an image I could use for a cover, found something awesome, grabbed it and did the typography myself. Here you go:

The Livingstone is in serious trouble.

Emmaley’s brain is handing her one scenario worse than the other. Unless they find oxygen soon, she’ll have to freeze the crew to survive. If they get back, she’ll rip the repair yard mechanic a new one. If.

Being a rogue out in space isn’t easy, but Emmaley has managed to get out of scrapes before. This time, however, it looks bad. Their only chance is an unknown planet, and the best they can hope for are some slimy algae. But how come it looks like Earth?

This is a hopepunk SF short story with an ecological twist. If you like a glimpse of an optimistic future, an environmental mystery, some native lore and a surprise ending, this book is for you.

Grab the book here: Books2Read buy links

Progress Report for the Winds of Destiny/Pillars of the Empire

I’m still writing Sky, although I’m moving in on the big showdown. And yes, there’s a certain black mule in the story, and poor Jeko is getting battered. Again.

I’m struggling with editing North, especially as the release date for her tale is coming closer. I’m still planning to get the book up early February, but I’m running out of time. The cover is commissioned, I hope to have it by January 20th, and then I’ll show it off.

In addition, I have to rewrite parts of Earth, but there’s still plenty of time to get that done. I’m planning to release that book in April.

I will admit that going to a release schedule of one book every two months is much, much easier on me than the Wolf series. This is especially true now that my writing speed has gone down so much – I don’t even manage to write 1000 words a day. (The plan is to get that back up, but it takes some time.)

Social Media Progress Report

Hey ya’ll, come on over to Mastodon. I’m serious. Best place on the internet if you’re a good person looking for decent human contact.

On the other hand, don’t bother if all you want is reach and to stir up the pot. That simply does not work on Mastodon, for a very good reason:

There are no algorithms. The only way to get reach is when people boost your post. All the Twitter rage building practices do not work there. People share with their friends what they like, not to build a bigger echo chamber. They mute or block what they don’t like.

That took me a while to understand.

By now, I’m so relieved and glad I made the choice to leave Twitter behind. I did check back in the other day (keeping my account, although it’s locked), and most people are simply going on, more or less cheerfully.

Serious moment warning: I cannot. I’m German. I know what fascism looks like, I know a lot of arrows are pointing in that direction right now, and I will not aid one of the tools dragging people there. I’m not adding content to Twitter anymore. That’s the dark side now.

And if you like me and if you want to keep our world as safe as possible – leave Twitter. Now. Come over to Mastodon. Support the good side, grasshopper.

Find me on Mastodon: @Firlefanz@WritingExchange. I’d be happy to see you there.

Proofreading / Edition Progress Report

I’ll be honest here: I could use a few more clients. I have one proofreading job coming up end of January, and then I have openings. Right now, you’re getting entry level prices.

Being German, with English a second language, I can actually pick out errors better than many native speakers. And I am very, very good with continuity. I will pick it up if your heroine’s horse changes color mid-story, or if your MC’s car switches from automatic to stick shift or vice versa. (Yes, I have seen that happen.)

Interested? Check out my offers HERE. Talk to me if you have questions, all right?

The Newsletter Popup (not a Progress Report)

We both hate popups. I know they work, but I won’t inflict them on you. This is what you get instead.

My newsletter goes out once a month, always on the 13th. It usually contains some book news, a review of something I enjoyed reading, some special offers (ie. promo links) and of course, the Ember Tale (TM). Ember is my little red dragon familiar, and I only ever share the stories about her in my newsletter. Only way you can get them.

So here’s the deal: Fill in that form, confirm your email addy, and you’re all set for the next round.

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Posted in Progress Report | Tagged new book, Pillars of the Empire, Winds of Destiny, writing | Leave a comment

Progress Report December 2022

Posted on 13/12/2022 by Hannah Steenbock

Hey, I’m back for another progress report – the last one for 2022.

My inner life and my outer life do not match this month. I’ve been having a lot of successes, really, including making #1 in an Amazon category with my Wolf book. And making audiobooks for the Wolves.

Inside… it’s dark. Lonely. A hard place to be in right now, and it takes a lot of energy to just keep doing what needs to be done every day. Writing has suffered. I’ll climb out of this eventually.

So let’s move on with the progress reports.

Winds of Destiny / Pillars of the Empire Progress Report

I’ve been focusing on Sky – still writing his story since NaNo didn’t work out for me. About 10k left to do, so I think I can get it done this year. And then I’ll need to get North (Book 4 of the Winds) ready for publication in February.

I’m glad I gave myself some time with this series. I still have to finish Earth (Book 1 of the Pillars), which will probably happen in January.

In addition, I’m getting more of an idea for a Prequel, which will explain how the Pyramids and the Veil actually came into existence. I might even have found a point-of-view character for that, although he doesn’t have a name yet.

Oh, and I do have a giveaway for South in January, through my newsletter. You can sign up below.

Wolves of the South Progress Report

No, still no print books. That’s because I have to go back to the designer and rewrite the blurbs and ugh… I do not have that in me right now.

But I have great other news: There are now audioboooks!

That’s right, I made audiobooks for the Wolves (for now, book 1-5, the last one will come as soon as I find the energy to listen to the five hours it’ll take). There is a catch – unfortunately.

You see, the only audiobooks I can afford at this point are autonarrated ones. Yes, the scary and potentially amazing world of AI has arrived, and Google Play Story has allowed me to make audiobooks narrated by their text to speech system.

I have listened to them. They are okay. Not great but okay, and if you want to “read” my Wolves on a commute, they should work for you. Take a look at them on the Google Play Store.

In very exciting news, I had a promotion for “A Wolf’s Quest”, which led to over 1,000 downloads on Amazon alone. That propelled the book to #1 in the Werewolves and Shifters Suspense category – the free one, alas, which means no bestseller tag. But I got proof.

Social Media Progress Report

Mastodon is great. I’m very happy with my server and the connections I’m building there. It’s much more direct, clean and amazingly friendly over there. I can only encourage you to join me there.

In fact, I will be dropping Twitter. I’m posting less, but I do not want to give up my account for anyone else to grab. And I most certainly no longer want to create content for a deranged billionaire. To be brutally honest, my country has some experience with Nazis. Do not recommend, will not support.

Proofreading / Editing Progress Report

I’m full for December. I have a novel to proofread and three short stories to edit. I’ll have another novel to proofread end of January, but I can slide in something short.

I will pick out things that make me stumble and I have a good eye for typos, but I will never diss you. In fact, my current clients love all the encouraging comments I make.

Interested? Hop over to my Proofreading Page, fill in the form you’ll find there, and then we’ll talk.

The Newsletter PopUp

Yes. This is my way of doing pop-ups, since I absolutely hate them. But I have to remind you of my newsletter, after all.

It goes out once a month, and you’ll get a progress report, book deals, a review and most of all… an Ember story. That’s my dragon plushie, and she is both cute and cheeky. Sign up below.

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