How to add an eBook to your Kindle

Posted on 08/12/2025 by Hannah Steenbock

In this post, I’ll teach you how to easily sideload ebooks you bought outside of Amazon to your Kindle eReader so you can read them just as comfortably as your other books.

Table of Contents

You may have seen that I now have my own store where you can buy my ebooks – courtesy of PayHip. Those books are delivered to you via BookFunnel in my case, but of course, that only means you now have the ebook you bought sitting on your computer. (And in the BookFunnel library, in case something happens to your computer.)

So how do you get the ebook to your Kindle?

It’s actually very, very easy, but you have to figure out your Kindle Email to set it all up. Bear with me, I’m slowly going to take you through all the steps, and after that, it’ll be easy peasy. And then you can start supporting your favorite authors by buying directly from them.

Once you have bought an ebook from a store like PayHip or an author’s website, you’ll download or save a file (generally an epub) to your computer. Then, you can simply email it to your Kindle account as an attachment. (I suggest setting up a folder for your book files so you can find them easily to attach them.)

Just write an email to your account, attach the epub, and it’ll show up in your content list in your Amazon account. Cool, right?

Let’s get started!

Find your Kindle Email

Before you can email anything to your Kindle, you need to find the exact email of your account with Amazon. That means getting a little familiar with your Content page in your Amazon account.

(Don’t worry, you only have to do this once. I promise.)

1. Log into your Amazon account online

    I’m sure you can do this, after all, this is how you probably buy most of your ebooks. Go to the Amazon website and log into your account.

    2. Find your Content Library

    You’re probably aware of the Content Library, since you can also use it to send your books to different devices. At least I do that a lot (after every purchase, actually).

    I made a screenshot to show you where to find the Content Library, just in case. Click on “Account and Lists” and you’ll see this:

      3. Go to your Content Library and pick Preferences.

      Your Kindle Email hides under the Preferences tab in the Content Library. That’s the fourth tab from the left (or second from the right). The page automatically opens on the second tab, Content.

      4. Find your Kindle Email

      Scroll down in Preferences (pretty far, don’t despair) until you find the heading Send-to-Kindle E-Mail Settings.

      There you’ll find one or more email addresses that all end in @kindle. They correspond to the devices you use, either your actual Kindle or the things you use the Kindle App on. In my case, that’s the phone, my PC and a laptop I use for traveling. (Sorry for the graying out stuff. I do not want you to send me books by mistake.)

      Take the first one. (It doesn’t really matter, they all talk to your content library, but you can also pick the one corresponding to the device you read most on.)

      5. Put that Kindle Email into your contacts/address book of your email program.

      This will be very helpful. Give your Kindle Email address a clear name, because you’ll be using it a lot. (Well, I hope you will.)

      Wait! Don’t close that webpage just yet!

      6. Approve your own email for the Send to Kindle process

      Amazon wants to know which emails are safe to receive epubs from, the setting is called Approved Personal Document E-mail List. You can add those emails just below the Send-To-Kindle E-Mail Addresses.

      As you can see, I have three emails that I use to get ebooks to my Kindle, including my own author email. After all, I want my own books on my Kindle!

      Did you notice it’s called “Personal Document”? That’s because Amazon puts those books you send to your Kindle into its own content category called “Documents” (or Docs) in the Content Library.

      Now you can email ebooks to your Kindle at any time!

      Now every time you buy an ebook directly, you can simply attach the file to an email that you send to your Kindle email addy. No need to put anything else into the email. It should show up on your Kindle almost right away.

      Well… should. Amazon does not always work the way it should. But I’ve got your back.

      I don’t see my new book on my Kindle? Help!

      If you can’t see the book on your Kindle, go to the Content Library in your Amazon account, look under Docs and deliver it to the device you want to read the book on. Hang on, I’ll walk you through the steps:

      1. Go to the Content Library and pick Docs (second image from the left).

      Yes, sorry, I got carried away a little with the arrows. But this is where all those lovely books you purchased directly from authors (while really supporting them!) will live.

      2. Ask Amazon to deliver the content to the device of your choice.

      Find the book you want to read – there is a nifty search function, go for it. You’ll get a nice result like this (yes, I used my own book for the demo). Then click on “Deliver to Device”.

      You get to check which device you want to have this book in (you can pick all of them, too), and then all you have to do is hit “Make Changes”.

      Check your device – your book should be there. Happy reading!

      Thank you!

      You deserve a huge thank you at this point.

      First of all, for bearing with me and learning all this tricky new stuff about your Kindle and your ebooks. I know that it can be scary to figure out a new way of buying and reading books. It’s also hard to change habits and then pick a system that is slightly more complicated than just buying a book from Amazon.

      Even more so, you deserve a huge thank you for actively choosing to support indie authors directly. You are choosing to send your money to the creators, rather than a big corporation that is already abusing its power. And you do that by accepting a slightly more complicated process than you have to.

      That’s wonderful.

      This is a way to change the world, with a little step at a time. You are making life better for me and many others.

      Thank you.

      Posted in Bookstore, Reading | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

      November 2025 Progress Report

      Posted on 13/11/2025 by Hannah Steenbock

      By now, you’re probably used to my screenshots from Valheim for these Progress Reports. This one is from yesterday – yes, it’s a new char in a new world. And I love the crisp day and the freshness in this image.

      I finally went back to writing Moon, and some of that feels just as fresh (right now, she is weathering a storm, though). But first things first.

      Table of Contents

      Writing Progress Report

      Writing is still not easy, but I’m managing a rhythm of writing in my early mornings, aiming for 1k words in that session. Doesn’t always work, sometimes my brain fixates on something else, and I was struggling with a histamine headache this week, which turns my brain to mush. Which is why it usually takes me two or three days to remember that antihistamines exist.

      The morning sessions do work really well, unless I’m too tired to think. And as I haven’t been sleeping enough lately, that is a problem.

      Winds & Pillars Progress Report

      Still, I’m writing Moon, I finally feel happy with her, and I’m sending her on a long (and dangerous) hike to West Harbor, where new adventures are waiting for her. I have a few ones planned, and I can feel more adventures bubbling up as I’m writing this.

      Definitely some encounters of the unpleasant kind during the walk… and a heroic deed inspired by the writing games on Mastodon (would you consider joining me there?).

      Wolves Progress Report

      Still stuck on the audiobook for Mate. Even so, I’m considering switching voices according to the PoV character (which means redoing the audiobooks, meh). Still, what do you think? Is it a good idea to switch between male and female voices, depending on whose chapter it is?

      In lovely news, I have three more reviews for the series (books 7-9) on Amazon, and they are truly sweet (quoting with permission):

      A Wolf’s Christmas:

      This particular book had a great plot. At first I was a bit put off that some parts are written in German, but there is a translation at the end of each chapter. I also studied German in college and could get the gist of the conversations. There is not a lot of German and even skipping over those bits, the book is understandable. I highly recommend this book and the whole series. There are great characters and I love the thought of being able to turn into a wolf.

      A Wolf’s Hacker:

      This book was exciting. I loved the idea of taking down a Hunter forum of wolf haters. I loved the characters in this book and how the author presents them. Although this set of characters continues on in the next book, this book is complete in solving this adventure.

      A Wolf’s Mate:

      This was a wonderful read. I loved how Heather hid her identity from Lucky, but was very relieved when it all became known to him. He frustrated me that he would not listen to anyone trying to tell him about becoming a wolf. However, that all changed. Yay for Heather and her success! Such a brave woman and wolf.

      Oh, if you want to start reading my Wolves, you can grab the first book for free: A Wolf’s Quest

      Twin Worlds Progress Report

      Steps of Courage are finally out everywhere (yes, even Apple)!

      I will say that I totally love those four characters, even grumpy Krighen. The contrast between him and Judy (all explosive, highly emotional) and Crash and Sara (very low-key but deeply caring) was so much fun to develop and explore.

      It’s my first clear YA book, not that I intended it that way, but the characters soon made their wishes known. And yes, the themes are also very much YA, starting from finding out what to do with your life and not ending with discovering attraction and romantic feelings.

      In addition, it’s quite a bit longer than my other books, practically double the size. Not surprising, considering there are four main characters vying for attention.

      Here’s the description, even if it’s long:

      An ailing Queen. A forbidden Portal. Two young women in a new world with Magick.

      When Prince Kreshanaris sneaks to Earth, he doesn’t know that his quest to save his mother is a nasty trap. Even worse, two young women from Earth are snatched up during the fights with the portal guards, doomed to spend their lives on the Twin Worlds where magick exists.

      Judy is assigned to the guard Krighen, who caught her. Putting up with the dour warrior is a challenge of its own, not to mention adapting to the fact she’ll never see her father again.

      Sara, on the other hand, is held with the prince. After they escape together and make their way through the dangerous forests of Langallen, they grow close, especially as she’s missing her bestie, Judy. When Sara is reunited with Judy against all odds, the real adventure only begins.

      Can Judy and Sara make a new life on a new world? Can Kreshanaris help his mother despite the intrigue? And what is Krighen’s deadly secret?

      If you enjoy a fast-paced fantasy adventure, with massive shape shifters and magick, with a sweet, difficult romance and steadfast friendship in high danger, Steps of Courage is the book for you.

      Tags: isekai, magical portals, academy of magic, ill mother, caring prince, smart girls, enemies to lovers but not even a kiss, lots of cuddling, dark secrets, evil magic, surprise magic, shifters, terrible beasts, friendship, grumpy guard with a heart of gold, high adventure, a musical interlude, dangerous events, strange horses, creative goddesses, the author clearly had too much fun with this.

      Are you interested? Click the link and pick your favorite store (you can even buy directly from me through the PayHip link): Steps of Courage – Mages of the Twin Worlds Book 1

      Life Progress Report

      Life is okay, even though there are rumblings and problems in every corner of it. Work is hard because of a highly toxic person causing much damage. Friends are struggling. The world is on fire (quite literally). I do my best to ignore the news, but it’s not entirely possible. And a new Valheim buddy turned out to be toxic, as well, so I cut that world. Back to playing alone, most of the time – but hey, I have time to take pics that way.

      A dear friend is sending me Moon Advice (astrological), and her emails are incredibly sweet and uplifting. I’m her test recipient for her new service – please let me know if you’re interested. She is wonderful and very caring, too. (No website just yet.)

      Ember Progress Report

      Well… little Ember has set me up with quite a challenge, and I’m not sure how to handle it all. But I’ll think of something, and I hope it’ll please you all.

      The problems is that you have to sign up to the newsletter to get her stories. That’s my little blackmail, ahem. Sorry, not sorry.

      Along with the Ember tale, you get book deals, news, recommendations and freebies, once a month. If you’re game, use the form below to sign up.

      Posted in Progress Report | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

      October 2025 Progress Report

      Posted on 13/10/2025 by Hannah Steenbock
      Screenshot from the game Valheim. It shows a lone Viking in armor and holding a bow in a very hostile, hellish environment - the Ashlands

      Another Valheim screenshot for my progress report, showing my char in the Ashlands. It’s a rare quiet moment, even though the environment is fairly hellish, with a threatening orange sky and a large ruin to her left.

      It is a bit like I feel, but more on that below. (And in all honesty, my life is not hellish, in no sense of the definition.)

      Table of Contents

      Writing Progress Report

      Writing is hard. The words are not coming, but at least Writer Brain is plotting, to a degree. I have pivoted to what I call my “Spicy Shifter” tale, since Moon is still pouting and I feel bad about writing another Wolf tale when I have so many unfinished books.

      In a big win, I figured out how to make LibreOffice read my writing to me. (It’s simple. Install the “Read Text” expansion, and under Windows, it uses the Windows narrator to read text. Under Linux, you need Festival, but there, you even get to choose the voice.)

      Anyway, that will definitely help me edit my books much more easily, and is great.

      Wolves Progress Report

      While I’m not writing the new Wolf book just yet (yes, there is one in the works), I still have news for you:

      I set up two more auto-narrated audiobooks in the Google Play Store, A Wolf’s Christmas and A Wolf’s Hacker. I also started the one for A Wolf’s Mate.

      That took quite a bit of time, since I had to somehow get the German into Christmas. It worked, eventually, even though the German there now has an American accent. Ugh.

      I did listen to both of them and fixed typos (*sigh*). Still need to upload the new version of Hacker, simply because that is the only epub I actually need to hack (so ironic) to make it look better. (It is a simple thing, I have to change a color value in the CSS, nothing big, but the task takes energy to work up to.)

      So yeah, there is progress with the Wolves.

      Winds & Pillars Progress Report

      *heaves another sigh*

      No progress. Moon is not talking to me. I’m trying to simply get back into the habit of writing – which is hard enough – and then hope she’ll come around. I have delicious things planned for her.

      LitRPG Progress Report – The Mengarian Conspiracy

      A Goblin’s Plight is now wide and available everywhere (even on Drive Through Fiction).

      It’s actually doing fairly well, at least for me. It has already sold in the low two digits, and there is a lovely, lovely review for it out on the web, albeit in German:

      Review of A Goblin’s Plight

      If you have missed the fun adventure with my four heroes and the little goblin, you can get it here. And let me repeat: If you, at any point in your life, enjoyed table top role-playing games, this is the book for you.

      A Goblin’s Plight in all stores

      And yeah, I have two more novels already written in that universe and at least one of them will be published next year.

      The Twin Worlds Progress Report

      I have started letting LibreOffice read the manuscript to me (and found a heap of typos already!). This is clearly pre-production, but I’m determined to get this book to you before Christmas.

      I’m counting down to the last few chapters on AO3, so you have to hurry if you want to read it there. It has to come down before I can publish it, rules of AO3.

      With a bit of luck, I’ll have a link for you in the next newsletter (sign up below!).

      Life Progress Report

      Well, life is progressing whether we want it or not, but I have been working on my inner emotional landscape (would that be called emoscaping?), mostly connected to accepting that things change in my life. That is hard for the Autistic brain that sits in my head. But as we all know, change is inevitable. Things wear down and break, people come and go in our lives, and some I’ll miss dearly, and some I’ll be glad to see riding off to other pastures.

      So yeah, that’s the connection to the Valheim image, I’m working through an inner landscape with a lot of pain. But the results are worth it.

      I’m reading another book by Devon Price, Unmasking for Life, which is helping a lot. I already knew I have difficulties handling change, especially with people moving out of my life, but the insights from the book are making a difference. Definitely recommend for my fellow Autistics.

      Ember Progress Report

      Well, I have written myself into a fine corner with Ember, and no idea how to get out of it. But I have to, because a new Ember tale is due tonight.

      Want to know how it turned out? Simply fill in the form below and hit send.

      Oh! Here’s what to expect with my newsletter: It comes out once a month, on the 13th. You’ll get some writing progress, some book deal info and the latest releases, or books from friends that I recommend.

      You will also, always, get a coupon to redeem in my own store, where you can buy a DRM-free ebook (not just a license!). Delivery is through BookFunnel, who also store a copy for you, just in case.

      Sounds good? Go for it!

      Posted in Progress Report | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

      September 2025 Progress Report

      Posted on 13/09/2025 by Hannah Steenbock

      This month’s image for the Progress Report shows my character encountering her first bear, after an update in Valheim. They are fierce creatures, difficult to fight.

      I feel a bit like that, wrestling with a bear or two in my writing life. More about that in the part about the Winds & Pillars. Other than that, however, I have mostly good news!

      Table of Contents

      Writing Progress Report

      Writing isn’t really happening. Which is beyond frustrating, but Writer Brain is refusing to make words. So I’m brushing up old manuscripts, editing them, polishing them, making covers, and yes, even publishing them.

      All of this means I have a new book out this month, which I’ll share below under its own heading. Fun stuff.

      Wolves Progress Report

      Yes, there is a new story on the backburner for the Wolves. If you have read A Wolf’s Mate, you already know that it’ll involve Timothy McCraw, who has become a good friend to Heather.

      Poor Timothy struggles with unrequited love, and absolutely fails to see how someone else, brought in to help his and Heather’s pack deal with the sabotage perpetrated by her enemies, has a budding interest for him.

      I have no idea what exactly will happen in this story, but that’s how Writer Brain rolls. I hope I can write that as soon as I finish writing Moon. Which brings us to the next item on the list.

      Winds & Pillars Progress Report

      *sigh*

      I have about 10% of Moon’s story written. I even know how to move her from her safe place and out into the world, to face danger and hardship. I know where she’ll end up. I even have lots of fun planned for the time she reaches West Harbor.

      But the words won’t come. And I have learned that forcing them is never a good idea.

      I’ll get there. I always do.

      In the meantime, I have gone through an old manuscript and turned it into a book.

      LitRPG Progress Report – The Mengarian Conspiracy

      I wrote this story during a time when I couldn’t make progress with my “scheduled” stories. It happens, Writer Brain does not like having to write something – pressure is detrimental to my creativity.

      So I deliberately chose a tale that was far from what I was writing at the time (can’t quite remember what it was, to be honest, it’s been a while). Which means that while it’s still fantasy, it’s a little different from my usual stories, mostly because it has a large cast. And it hits a lot of the tropes of epic fantasy, because I wanted to have fun. And so you get to have fun, as well.

      Now the first book is out – in my store for now, but it’ll be available everywhere else soon.

      Join our heroes on a fun romp through a fantasy world full of sentient species, surprising enemies, new allies and evil overlords. If you ever enjoyed fantasy roleplaying games, this book is for you!

      You can find all the details on the actual page for the new series: The Mengarian Conspiracy

      The Twin Worlds Progress Report

      I’m still posting chapters on AO3, but there aren’t many left to put up there.

      And since I already have a cover, I will go ahead and publish the story as a book of its own in November. This, in turn, means I’ll have to take it down from AO3. (In other words, if you want to read it for free, get started now!)

      Since images do spice up a blog post, I’m sharing the cover already, and I really hope I can interest you in some sweet, almost cozy YA fantasy that includes portals and shape shifters. Yes, once again I’m hitting all the tropes!

      I will say that I’m rather proud of this story, it has come a long way and I really love my four main characters, Sara, Judy, Kreshanaris and Krighen. They have a lot of exciting and intense adventures together, with some relationship drama fitting Young Adult tales.

      Sara and Judy are young women from Earth who are pulled into intrigue on Langallen, one of the Twin Worlds.

      Kreshanaris, on the other hand, is a prince with a forbidden magical power, while Krighen is a surely guard with a deadly secret. Both can shift into Wild Shape (a little like our werewolves), and they start out as clear enemies. Of course, they will eventually become friends, because that’s what happens in my books.

      I hope I’ve made you a little curious with that – but on to other things for now.

      Life Progress Report

      Not really much to report, to be honest. I work, I write (or try to), work on promoting my books, post on social media (i.e. Mastodon), and I play Valheim. My life is kind of boring, but that’s fine.

      I actually believe I’m doing better. I’m slowly losing weight, I’ve not been sick (I keep wearing a mask in public transport), and my mind is mostly doing fine.

      The current developments in the world are affecting me, not personally (yet), but they are certainly depressing. Being Autistic, I can see the patterns very clearly, and they are beyond disturbing. Humanity will need a lot of luck to get through the next 50+ years with civilization intact – because I see mostly destructive patterns at the moment. But enough of politics, this is a writer’s blog, after all.

      Ember Progress Report

      I will say that I have no idea what Ember is getting herself into these days. Last month, we had a surprise visitor, and I really hope that some part of my brain can tell me what is going on with that.

      If you want to know more, sign up to my newsletter – that’s the only place where you’ll find Ember. In addition, you’ll get writing news, new releases, book recommendations (mostly by author friends), BookFunnel deals – and always the Deal of the Month in my own store!

      What are you waiting for? Sign up below!

      Posted in Progress Report | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

      August 2025 Progress Report

      Posted on 13/08/2025 by Hannah Steenbock

      For me, this pic from Valhem fits this month’s progress report perfectly. You see, my char is in the Plains (the last mid-level biome), and here, we have a special location, a real prize – the Sealed Tower. It’s a hard nut to crack, but you get nice rewards from it. And with patience and perseverance, I cracked it.

      This month, I had a hard nut to crack in real life, and the reward is the new book that I officially release today. More in just a moment.

      Table of Contents

      Writing Progress Report

      Writing has been interrupted constantly this month, by family meetings, functions and travel. As I write this, my sister is visiting. Family is welcome – I do love them! – but my writing always suffers when my routines get interrupted.

      Having said that, July has been the month with the most new words for the entire year, I cracked 20k and finished writing Wolf book #9. I even started diving into the Winds & Pillars book 8, so there’s that.

      Currently, however, I’m stalled out again. I do hope I can reach 20k once more at the end of August. Wish me luck.

      Wolves Progress Report

      Lucky’s book is out! A Wolf’s Mate, Wolves of the South Book 9 is done and up in all stores!

      Let me tell you how relieved I am. This story was a bit difficult to figure out, but my mastermind buddy handed me the key idea a few weeks ago, and then it got easy. Writing the final chapters with the fast and furious showdown was great fun.

      Getting the cover was much more difficult, Fiverr is giving me problems ordering from my usual designer (this is the nut I mentioned above). I finally did get my order through – and then I had to ask them to replace the model for Lucky because the first version really didn’t fit. No hacker will wear a silly blue/white checkered lumberjack jacket. Ahem.

      I can live with this one (not quite as cute as I imagine Lucky, but good enough). Heather was fine, I think her model is a good fit. She’s generally cheerful, even though she has quite a few problems herself.

      If you want to take a look, check out the book in my store.

      The best part of finally finishing this book? Timothy turning out very different from what Heather expected – so different that he is now the male MC for Wolves #10, which has the working title A Wolf’s Courage. Can’t wait to write it, but for now, the Winds & Pillars get their turn.

      Winds & Pillars Progress Report

      Yes, I’m finally writing Moon’s story. I got her out of the Sacred Square and into the city. She’s in a fairly safe place right now (no spoilers), but she can’t stay there. I want to send her to West Harbor (won’t be a simple journey), and from there, her new, big adventure will take off.

      *rubs hands and cackles*

      I am looking forward to writing her. However, I probably can’t publish the book before January 2026, because financing the cover is a problem. (More about that further down.)

      Twin Worlds Progress Report

      Still posting the story, but we’re getting closer to the end (and the part where I have to shift chapters and fix what remains). For now, it’ll stay on AO3. Their rules state I have to take it down before I can publish it as an ebook, but I’m pushing that into 2026, as well.

      If you haven’t taken a look yet, here’s a link for you: Steps of Courage, Mages of the Twin Worlds’ Book 1

      LitRPG Progress Report

      Nothing new, really, except that I’m planning to publish Goblin Invasion in fall this year, probably in late November, to try to hit the Christmas sales.

      This book is probably the one closest to “classic fantasy” that I have written, and I hope I might reach more readers with it.

      In good news, there are two more novels practically done for the series, as well as a short story and a prequel. You’ll have to make do with home-made covers like this one, however.

      If you like D&D, this book is probably for you.

      Life Progress Report

      I’m doing fairly well, although I am now definitely craving a few months of boring routine. My brain wants routine and structure, and I’m not getting that right now.

      I also want more sleep, and since summer is nearing its end and the days are getting noticeably shorter, sleeping is getting easier. (I will say I do not want summer to end, those long evenings are wonderful.)

      In other news, I turned 60 last month, and while I feel no different, that number seems both a little scary and utterly untrue. How in the world can I be this old? Time waits for no-one, though, and I guess it’s just been so long since I entered life on Earth.

      The good thing is that I’m starting to care even less about appearances and expectations – it is so much more fun to just live my life the way I want it.

      Publishing House Progress Report

      I did a lot of thinking, a lot of math, and I will shut down my publishing house, as an official business, by the end of the year. I plan to keep the name, but will continue my indie author career as a hobby, at least officially.

      It feels like failure, in a way. But:

      I’m not selling a lot of books, and what I earn barely covers cost. I’m cutting back on marketing, on covers, on even publishing some books, under the pressure of coming out with earnings at the end of the year. It’s a lot of stress.

      And honestly, I don’t think the situation will improve for indie authors, not short term. The US is my main market, and we all know that a lot of people there are living in uncertainty, are suffering, and are losing their jobs, their income, if not even their homes. I can already see my sales from there dwindling.

      In addition, AI is messing up the book market, both clogging it with stupid AI-“authored” books and pirated copies, as well as marketing algos ruined by the “wisdom” of AI.

      It’s getting so that I’m slowly losing the joy of writing, of feeling my creativity suffering, from the constant financial pressure. It’s time to free myself from those constraints and stress.

      I hope I can keep my publishing imprint, in name, at least, but I want to be able to write and create with more freedom and more joy. And that is good news, in my eyes.

      Ember Progress Report Reminder

      Ember wants you to know that she is young and having fun! So much fun, indeed, that I write a little Ember Tale every month for my newsletter subscribers.

      (Ember is my small dragon familiar, and she is both cheeky and very cute. Don’t tell her I said that, though.)

      My newsletter goes out every 13th of the month, with writing news, book sales and other fun things. I even give you a discount for my store every month!

      Sounds good? Sign up below!

      Posted in Progress Report | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

      Juli 2025 Progress Report

      Posted on 13/07/2025 by Hannah Steenbock
      Screenshot from the game Valheim, my char is sitting inside a cold cave, with a fire going.

      This image from Valheim fits this month’s progress report, I believe.

      You see, it’s not really a comfortable place (it’s the entrance of a frost cavern), but it’s the safest place imaginable in the Mountain. And with a fire, it’s even warm, despite the frigid environment.

      This is how I often feel in life. My home is safe, warm, comfortable, but challenges abound outside of it. Yes, that includes people, groceries and my job, but really, mostly people.

      Writing Progress Report

      I’m actually writing more regularly and producing more words. That is a very good thing, maybe I am finally making my way out of lingering burnout.

      I also bought a new keyboard. This time, I got a gaming keyboard (love the backlit keys) which reminds me a lot of the massive, trusty Compaq keyboard I had when I started writing and which went out of commission because my new computer didn’t have a PS2 socket anymore. The clicking sounds are bit annoying, but I can type amazingly fast on it. And it is way more precise than the soft, gentle Logitech was (on top of that one having keys failing).

      I suppose that makes writing more fun. In all honesty, I’m not always sure what makes my Autistic brain light up, but this keyboard does. It connects me to my years of massive writing in more ways than one, and that is a really good thing.

      Wolves Progress Report

      I am *this close* to finishing Lucky. Really, it’s probably another 4-5k words, a fast-paced showdown, the resolution and an epilogue. I’m having all players in place, so I really just need to write it out.

      But as I’ll explain below, “just writing it out” is not happening because life is a bit crazy right now. I hope it’ll all calm down in August, but that is not a given.

      I’ve also started the first bonus story that I want to add to the Boxed Set that I unpublished because nobody bought it (yes, a real bummer). Those bonus stories will only be available in the Boxed Set and on my Patreon for paying members. In “Meeting the Parents”, Ben will do just that, when Sylvia insists they have to visit. Fun times.

      Winds & Pillars Progress Report

      Moon is waiting in the wings. She’s starting to nag me, and yes, her story is what I’ll write next. Depending on sales, I may be able to buy the cover this year, or I may have to push it back to next year.

      In other words, if you want Moon’s story sooner, tell your friends about the series! Every single sale actually matters.

      In better news, I did something I thought I’d never do: I started translating South Breaks into German. Thanks to some great help from friends over on Mastodon, I finally got over the mental hurdle that translating the names had become in my mind.

      So South Rabbit will become Süden aus dem Haus Hase in the German version. And since I’m the author, I can take some slight liberties with the wording, right? Right?

      At least this is fun and the perfect procrastination project. In addition, the covers won’t be a problem, I’m certain my cover designer is quite willing to switch out some text for a small fee. This is definitely a silver lining.

      Twin Worlds Progress Report

      Still posting on AO3, but I’m getting close to the end. I will need to edit it a little, because I’m choosing to shift some chapters into the beginning of book 2 where they make much more sense.

      Because finances in my business are such a problem (ended up with about €100 in earnings for the entire year of 2024), I’m playing around on Canva for covers. I am not totally happy with them, but it’s very hard to argue with free.

      Here’s a sneak preview of all covers I made for the series (there may be a book 4, eventually, I have some ideas, but… they are very vague).

      Book 1, Steps of Courage, will probably be what I publish after Lucky’s story, this year in fall. Mostly because I have no idea how much time it’ll take me to write Moon of the Winds & Pillars.

      LitRPG Progress Report

      I may have mentioned that I’ve also written some novels in what is basically LitRPG, aka a bunch of people going on a quest and becoming a team along the way.

      My series is called The Mengarian Conspiracy and will have several books before the big arc finally finishes. Three books are basically written, definitely epic, with plenty of view points and classic characters:

      • the retired, worn fighter
      • the mage who doesn’t know about his powers
      • the bard who is a sneaky fighter, as well
      • the orphan assassin
      • the cute little goblin who is smarter than she looks
      • the druid recluse with a secret
      • a whole menagerie of familiars and other animals

      And yes, I made a quick and dirty cover on Canva for the first book, as well:

      The story is about a small village that finds itself the victim of a lot of little goblins stealing things like bread, chicken or clothes.

      The sheriff and the baker decide to do something about that, and the sheriff calls in a member of her former mercenary group for support. Along the way, an assassin joins them who needs to lie low for a bit.

      When they finally reach the goblin lair in the mountains, the real fun starts – our heroes have to oust invaders who have displaced the poor goblins.

      The story is full of adventure, action, some snark and a lot of the kind of fun you’ll find in role-playing groups. Yes, I was pulling from my D&D days when I wrote this mostly for fun.

      Do you want to read this story? Do you want me to push this book out into all stores? Let me know in a comment. (I need a bit of an incentive to tackle the proofing.)

      Life Progress Report

      The past four weeks were a whirlwind of travel and family meetings, and that hurricane isn’t over just yet.

      One weekend was the celebration of my nephew’s graduation, as well as a school reunion for myself. (It’s been 40 years since I graduated. Unbelievable. Unreal.) It was great, but also full of a lot of people and meetings. Brain was slightly overwhelmed at the end of four days.

      The weekend following that, I had to attend a funeral, which also turned into a reunion with a lot of family I hadn’t seen in literally a decade or more. Bittersweet. And overwhelming.

      And the next weekend, I’ll celebrate my birthday with family, and since it’s what we call “a round” birthday in German, meaning it has a zero in it, I’m actually doing something for it. My sister will spend a few days here, for once with her husband, and that… that means I’ll be busy getting my apartment into a state befitting visitors.

      Plus taxes are due in Germany at the end of the month, and the less said about that, the better.

      *cue some screaming into the abyss*

      Ember Progress Report

      Well… as you might know, this is my pop-up replacement, telling you to sign up to my newsletter if you haven’t done so already. (I’m sure you all have, thank you!)

      Ember is my cute little dragon familiar (in reality just a plushie, but don’t tell her that!) and in every newsletter, I share a silly little adventure with her.

      In addition, every newsletter offers a special sale for my store, more books through BookFunnel promotions, as well as updates about me and my books. It only goes out once a month, because I don’t want to firehose anyone (and because there are too many newsletters out there already, right?).

      Anyway, fill in the form below, and you’re all set.

      Posted in Progress Report | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

      June 2025 Progress Report

      Posted on 13/06/2025 by Hannah Steenbock

      I picked this screenshot for my progress report because it represents a bit of a dream. I finally got to build this structure in Valheim, and I think it’s truly beautiful. In addition, it wasn’t really hard to build since I had instructions, it was just a little tedious. It also took focus and attention, and there were a couple of errors and mistakes to deal with before it ended up this way.

      I can’t help but compare the process of building this portal hub to my dream of building a thriving author and publishing business – because that’s what I will need when retirement from the day job arrives in a few years. Of course, the instructions are much less clear, and instead of using simple build pieces in the game, in real life I need to rely on my good sense, on the experience and help of other authors, and most of all, support from my wonderful readers to reach my goal.

      Having said all that, there is quite a bit of progress to report (with good news for you all):

      Table of Contents

      Wolves Progress Report

      I’m still writing Lucky’s story, in fits and spurts, but the tale is truly starting to come together. I know all the plot points I want to hit, and I even know who to introduce as the next main characters and couple for Wolves #10 (A Wolf’s Pack). It’ll be so much fun!

      I also have a special treat for you!

      You see, I made a Boxed Set for the first three Wolf books (A Wolf’s Quest, A Wolf’s Fear and A Wolf’s Honor), basically the original trilogy I had planned with the McMullen siblings Ben, Liz and Nessa.

      And yes, if you buy the Boxed Set, you’ll save a bit of money compared to getting all three individually, even if the first one is free.

      May I humbly suggest you buy it from my store?

      Of course, it’s up on all the other stores, I’d never keep it from you and your favorite place to grab ebooks.

      There is no bonus content (simply because I don’t have any), but let me know what you’d like to see, and maybe I can make up some short stories for you all. Okay?

      Winds and Pillars Progress Report

      Moon is definitely stirring in the back of my mind, and well… she is a force of nature. She’ll also run into a lot of hard walls because of that. However, she’ll find an important ally fairly soon after her daring escape, or she wouldn’t have made it through the first day in freedom.

      (I also think she’s queer. We’ll see when I finally get to know her better.)

      I’ll pivot to that story once Lucky (Wolves #9) is done and published, and along with you, I hope that’ll be soon.

      AO3 Progress Report

      Still posting chapters to the Twin Worlds every Wednesday, but we’re getting closer to the end of the story.

      Since AO3 is cracking down on original works right now, over fears of copyright snags, I had to add a fandom, so don’t be surprised to see it called “isekai”. (Which is is, in a way, I mean, Sara and Judy have been transported to another world. No truck-kun, though. Apologies.)

      More importantly, I will be forced to pull the story from AO3 the moment I publish the book through my publishing company. In other words… read it now while it’s still free, even if it’s not complete just yet. I’ll give you plenty of warning, in any case.

      LitRPG Progress Report

      LitRPG? Yes, I’ve had an entire trilogy plus two short stories on the backburner, a series called The Mengarian Conpiracy. They are not quite as deep as the Winds and Pillars, they have less romance than the Wolves – and a considerably larger cast of characters.

      It’s mostly a fun romp through a classic D&D fantasy universe, with a warrior, a mage, a bard, an assassin and more. I’m planning to release parts of the series in between my other books since they won’t take a whole lot of work to finish. I also just found a rather affordable cover designer, even if that means simple symbol covers for that series.

      I’ll talk more about this once I have a release planned (probably this fall, if I can’t get Moon Rises in shape fast enough).

      Life Progress Report

      I don’t know if I ever told you that I’m battling a condition where my body does not break down histamine as well as it should. Sadly, it seems that too much histamine not only causes any allergic reaction you can imagine, it also causes a loss of energy and focus – a bit like symptoms of depression.

      Which makes sense if you consider that it is a smart idea to get lots of rest and sleep when the immune system ramps up to fight an infection. It’s less optimal, however, when there isn’t one.

      The only solution is to eat a diet low in histamine or dose myself with antihistamines which causes other problems. That is a work in progress. (Imagine having to give up chocolate. *wails*)

      All of this makes it hard to write at times.

      It’s not an excuse, but it’s one of the reasons I’m slower than I want to be in writing new books. I’ve known about this for more three years now, so I have some experience handling it all. That doesn’t mean I don’t push the limits at times, because… chocolate!

      Ember! This is not a Progress Report

      Those of you who are reading my blog (and monthly newsletter!) already know about Ember, I hope. She’s my dragon familiar, and I tell cute little stories about her and her friends in my newsletter.

      If you want to read those, you have to sign up below. No exceptions.

      Sorry. Not sorry.

      Hey, Ember is worth it, okay?

      (You’ll also get writing news, you’ll never miss when a new book comes out, you’ll get to participate in sales and – this should really convince you – you’ll get special deals for my own little bookstore. Saving money is always nice, right? Use the form below.)

      Posted in English, Progress Report | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

      May 2025 Progress Report

      Posted on 13/05/2025 by Hannah Steenbock

      For this progress report, I chose a very peaceful picture from Valheim. It shows my character standing in a meadow, with several trees in the background, lush and green. The thing is, I have planted most of those trees, definitely all the fir trees and the oak trees to the right.

      This feels like an analogy to writing life: We start writing a story from an idea seed, and it’s a little like planting a tree – we hope to see them grow into impressive beings (or books in our case). By now, I do have a veritable grove of published books, if we run with this analogy.

      Today, I’m sharing how my trees are doing.

      Table of Contents

      Wolves Progress Report

      Still writing Lucky aka A Wolf’s Mate. However, this month, I’ve already written double the amount of words I managed in all of April. Granted, two weeks in April were “lost” to family visits where I just didn’t write much at all. Even so, Lucky’s story is finally growing and I know several plot points that I’m looking forward to reach.

      In other news, I’ve already formatted a Boxed Set for the Wolves. It combines the first three books of the series into one big file that I want to offer soon for all my readers. I’m stalled because it’s a bit difficult to get a cover for it, but I’m sure that’ll be resolved soon.

      Definitely hope to be able to present the Boxed Set in next month’s progress report.

      Winds & Pillars Progress Report

      Moon Rises is definitely the next project I’ll tackle after I finish Lucky’s tale. I’ve been brainstorming a little with my Mastermind buddy, and I know now what will happen to Moon after she sneaks out of the Sacred Square.

      I’m also having glimpses of Spirit, and that feels really good. That book scares me, to be honest, because it’ll have eight (8!!) different Points of View. I mean, all my Winds and Pillars are getting involved in the final push to overthrow the Holy Empire. It’s both exciting and scary – but now I can see who goes where and what the dynamics feel like. It’ll be so much fun to write (but not before 2026).

      Terragon Progress Report

      For now, those two books are it, even though I have vague plans for sequels. They are also not selling in droves (really, universe?), but I did get very lovely reviews from a friend of mine for both books.

      Fast and Furious!

      A fast and furious introduction to the realm of Terragon and the perils its citizens face, even when they’re housed on Earth. Great pace, good characters despite the short read and very promising for the sequels.

      Grab the book from my store!

      Buy it everywhere else.

      Look at the review on Bookwyrm (a great alternative to Goodreads) here.

      A great sequel to the start of the series!

      A fabulous sequel to the start of the series. You will call Ghostbusters for Ghosts, but count on Greg, Shivai and the team if you’re facing a demon infestation.
      Fast paced, lots of action and all the other good things.
      Certainly recommended.

      Find the book in my store!

      Get it everywhere else.

      Read the review on Bookwyrm here.

      AO3 Progress Report

      Still adding chapters once a week. Right now, my characters are holed up in a cave on a mountain (for reasons), and they are dealing with several shocks at the same time. Definitely an exciting place of the story.

      Interested? Read Steps of Courage on AO3 for free!

      Life Progress Report

      Taking time off with my sister and my family was great. I needed that break, and I even used part of the time to connect with the community my sister lives in. I have hopes of going there when I retire and no longer need a day job here in town. Those are good people – and it’s always easier to feed yourself in a country town when things get rough.

      Which they might, considering the state of the world. I don’t see a wonderful future ahead of us, to be honest. But enough of the gloom and doom, Ember is waiting!

      Ember – the Newsletter Progress Report!

      Yes, I know, you’re familiar with this spiel. But really, if you want to stay connected to me (and you’re not on Mastodon), my monthly newsletter is the best option. (Join Mastodon, too!)

      I share book news, of course, but also set up a special offer for my store that you can only find in my newsletter. In addition, there are more great book offers and deals, and of course, the Ember tale. Which is also exclusive to my newsletter.

      Sounds good? Fill in the form below!

      Posted in McMullen Wolves, Progress Report, Terragon, Winds and Pillars | Tagged , | Leave a comment

      April 2025 Progress Report

      Posted on 13/04/2025 by Hannah Steenbock

      Progress often looks like this: Finding treasure in the mist, and then taking action on it. That’s what I’ll report in this month’s progress report. (Screenshot from the game Valheim, I’m sure you can recognize these by now. This is an elaborate henge in the Plains.)

      Table of Contents

      Writing Progress Report

      I finished the short story Wolf Beach for the charity anthology and submitted it on the day of the deadline. It’s a spin-off from my Wolf series, not sure if it’ll become canon or not – it is set several years in the future of the current Wolf books.

      I’m also back to writing – but now it’s Easter and family vacations are cutting into my writing energy. Still, I enjoy adding words to my story.

      I’m also having a lot of marketing ideas, it’s as if something gave in my mind and I’m getting all these fun projects to consider. You’ll see more of that in the actual newsletter.

      Wolves Progress Report

      Yes, I’m writing Lucky (again), and it’s fun. I want to push it a little, and with a bit of luck, I think I can publish it in June. Definitely in summer.

      Heather and Lucky are talking to me, which is great. I also know what I’m writing towards, I have great, dramatic scenes in mind for the showdown and aftermath.

      And here is one of my new marketing ideas: I want to make a boxed set of the first three Wolf books (A Wolf’s Quest, A Wolf’s Fear and A Wolf’s Honor) and offer that in all stores.

      What do you think?

      Terragon Progress Report

      Both Terragon Books are out!

      I do have ideas for writing two more books with Greg and Shivai, but they are a bit further down in the queue. First, I need to finish Wolves #9 and then I definitely must write the next Winds & Pillars book (Moon Rises).

      Even so, I have great news for you!

      Amazon has set up an Audiobook program with “virtual voices”, using their text to speech system. I have used it to create an Audiobook for Terragon’s Fate, in order to test it. There are some glitches (the pronunciation for Devi varies with punctuation (urgh), but other than that, it is fairly good.

      If you want to give the Audiobook a try, you can get it through Amazon/Audible.

      Terragon’s Fate Audiobook

      Winds & Pillars Progress Report

      Still working on updating the ebooks. I also want to add the map that I bought from Hiisikolo Art earlier this year.

      Not enough time, not enough energy.

      Moon is the book next in line, though, so I hope I can start reporting about her progress in May!

      AO3 Progress Report

      There are now almost 40 chapters up for the Twin Worlds story, and we’re a little more than half-way through the story. Lots of shocking things happened in the last few chapters, so now is a good time to start catching up on it.

      Free to read on AO3: Steps of Courage, Mages of the Twin Worlds Book 1

      Life Progress Report

      I am doing better.

      I’m finding friends, I’m walking more, and right now, I’m enjoying time with my family. I’m also getting healthier, which is a very good shift.

      Of course, Autism is for life, but there are ways to adapt and handle the way my brain works and sees the world. For example, today is a “Me-Day” so I can take time out to write this blog post and set up the newsletter. I’m learning how very important those days are, even if I have visitors.

      And my visitors are learning, as well.

      Ember Progress Report Newsletter Not A Pop-Up

      Yes, I know, you know this game. Maybe you’re even getting tired of it.

      But my newsletter is funny and cute and gives you deals, so maybe it’s in your best interest to subscribe. Just sayin’.

      I’m sending out my newsletter once a month, and it contains writing news, a special deal for my store, more special deals through BookFunnel, and naturally, the Ember Tale.

      Just fill in the form below.

      Posted in Progress Report, Terragon | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

      March 2025 Progress Report

      Posted on 13/03/2025 by Hannah Steenbock

      I picked this image from the game Valheim for my Progress Report because represents my writing – and in a way, how Terry Pratchett described his method. Discovering a story is like wandering through a valley hidden in fog, he said, with just a few landmarks visible. Only by writing do you discover what is hidden below.

      This, of course, is another image taken from the Mistlands, but the snow belongs to a Mountain area.

      Table of Contents

      Writing Progress Report

      I seem to barely manage any writing this month. Morning sessions work best, but energy levels are still low, and I get easily distracted by all the horrors of the current situation in the world. Even so, I have plenty of ideas, just this morning I saw part of the showdown of Lucky (of the Wolves) – a very intense scene. Now I want to write towards it.

      I am deliberately staying away from most of the news, but enough trickles through to keep me unsettled. Of course, Writer Brain is good at creating awful scenarios for the future… this really is not the timeline I booked at the beginning of this century! I protest!

      Wolves Progress Report

      Not making much progress with Lucky, sadly. I’m stuck at a moment where a wolf grabs his arm to drag him off. I know what will happen, but the words won’t come.

      I did have a Fussy Librarian promotion for the first Wolf book (A Wolf’s Quest), and so a lot more readers got their eyes on it. Moved more than 1k copies across all stores, which really makes me happy. Some readers have started to work their way through the series, too. Yay!

      Haven’t read it? Grab it for free from your favorite store, or even consider buying it directly from my store (where you get an epub file, rather than a reading license that can be revoked).

      Terragon Progress Report

      It’s Release Day!

      The story line jumps from the past of the Prequel into the near future when Shivai meets Gregory, an Exterminator. Because reality has worn thin and the veil between the worlds is no longer always strong enough to keep things out, apparitions, manifestations, and even demons are able to sneak to Earth.

      Greg and his team of misfits are doing what they can, but they are they strong enough to handle a full-blown demon invasion?

      Thank the stars they have Shivai…

      If you want to grab your copy, head to your favorite store, or buy directly from me.

      And if you like it, please tell your friends or write a review. (Reviews have become very rare these days, and they do help a lot.)

      Winds & Pillars Progress Report

      No writing. (Yes. I’m sorry.)

      I can sense Moon, which is better than it has been in the months before.

      In fun news, a friend is going through the books, and I’m getting typo reports. So I will upload new versions soon, but feel free to report typos to me, as well. (Please, do not mark them in Amazon’s reporting system, that creates enormous problems for us authors.)

      AO3 Progress Report

      I’ve actually added chapters not only to the Twin Worlds (which is easy, because the story is basically written), but also the Spicy Shifters. Yes, the words flowed for a bit there.

      Our four heroes of the Twin Worlds are making their way across a dangerous mountain range, traveling to the capital and the Queen.

      Krekhshan and Sellandra of the Spicy Shifters are putting in motion their daring plan to start a new colony away from the Regent’s women-grabbing arms. That means boarding a ship and setting up in dangerous territory.

      Yep, it’s fun. Find my AO3 stuff here.

      Penumbra Progress Report

      It’s dead in the water.

      You see, it’s set in the near future, but right now, any extrapolation is shifting so quickly that I cannot get a handle on it. I love Leo, I really want to write his story, but… it’s like quicksand.

      And honestly, I do not want to follow the news closely right now. I cannot. It’s destroying me.

      Eventually, I’ll write the tale.

      Valheim Progress Report

      My friend and I are struggling with the Mistlands. I mean, we *are* getting better, having magical weapons does give us a distinct advantage, but we still don’t have the means to fight the Queen. And unlike with other biomes, I can’t quite survive there on my own just yet. So we’re only making progress when we can play together.

      On the other hand, my Twinks are multiplying. I have found an easy way to combat both the Elder and Moder, I’m building bases and learning what I prefer (bigger isn’t automatically better), I’m exploring and having fun. Oh, and I learned how to use a troll to mine for me.

      That game is still saving my sanity.

      Life Progress Report

      I made an important change: I took Intermittent Fasting to a new level, basically doing morning fasts. I start with breakfast in the early afternoon on most days.

      This definitely helps my body break down the excess histamine from food, symptoms are generally less. I also seem to have more energy, and it feels as if I’m losing weight (no, not checking).

      I’m resuming my park walks, and that’s another layer of improvement. Meeting people, having a bit of small talk, feeling part of a community once more is… uplifting.

      All of this is very good.

      Ember Progress Report

      This time, I actually do have something to report: I’m moving my newsletter to a new provider, and today, you shall receive an email from the new system. There’s still a lot to set up and fix, but I hope it’ll all work out.

      So now is an awesome time to subscribe!

      You’ll get writing news, release news, book offers, always a special deal for my store – and of course, the Ember Tale! (Ember is my little dragon familiar and she has a cute adventure every month that I only share in my newsletter.)

      Sounds good? Sign up below!

      Posted in Progress Report, Terragon | Tagged , , | Leave a comment