It’s been a while since I created my Patreon page, but I finally decided what to do with it:
I’m giving you stories before I publish them, and I’m posting updates about what I’m working on. I tried posting what I wrote every day, and that worked only as long as I was steadily writing one novel at a time.
I’m no longer doing that. I’m jumping between stories, between chapters, between everything. Since I finished the Wolf series, my writing has become chaotic, as I’m trying to find something new to focus on. Apologies also for… some mental health breaks.
This month’s progress report is full of interesting discoveries, just like the one in the picture above. (It’s from Valheim, showing a circular cistern, right between the Swamp and the Plains, This environmental feature tends to pop up in Swamp and Mountains).
Still writing the next Wolf book, A Wolf’s Hacker, not with a lot of speed, alas. But I’m writing fairly consistently, and that makes me happy.
In addition, I have all the ideas for so many more books… I’m sure it won’t ever stop.
Oh, and before I forget, I am still updating my AO3 stories with a chapter a week, every Wednesday and Friday. Both are portal fantasy with shifters, but one is YA and the other is very… spicy. They also ended up being very different stories, despite the similarities. You get to pick:
I just realized I still have to set up the print version of Sun Burns. There was a hiccup on Atticus with the More Books page that didn’t display in print in the way I wanted it to. I have to try one more thing (tedious), and if it works, great, if not, well, you’ll get a book with slight ugliness in one spot.
Just need to find the energy to tackle this.
Next book up is Moon Rises, but you’ll have to wait until 2025 for it. Sorry.
(Want to start reading the series? Book 1 is South Breaks. It’s free.)
Wolves Progress Report
Yep, definitely getting close enough to The End with A Wolf’s Hacker that I need to start thinking about a cover. Probably should commission that soon. I’d love to give you all an October release.
Even better, a new main character is coming out of this story, one of the discoveries I mentioned. The next Wolf book will be about Lucky, an important (and battered) side character in A Wolf’s Hacker. Preliminary title is A Wolf’s Escape, but that might be subject to change.
At any rate, I won’t write this until 2025, because there are two books that I need to do before I can return to the Wolves.
(Want to start reading the series? A Wolf’s Quest is free.)
Penumbra Progress Report
The moment I finish A Wolf’s Hacker, the first Penumbra book is up on my screen. I will ditch most of what I have written so far, but I’m keeping the plot. I’m just going to root it firmly in the 2040s, and my brain is still serving up new images of how that near future will look.
Of course, the science of how the climate catastrophe is actually going to play out is still fluid. And I still haven’t really picked a town to base the story in. Leaning towards Chicago or Cincinnati, because it’s supposed to be set in the US. I may need to find people living there to help me make it authentic.
I will say that Leander is definitely occupying my mind at times already. There are some very firm plot points set for the story, but as usual, the in-between is still open to change.
Valheim Progress Report
Things are about to get exciting again! My friend and I are planning to face the Plains boss, Yagluth. Neither of us have experience with that fight, so we want to do a trial run in my Twink’s world where fights are a little easier.
I’ve been preparing the site somewhat, by taking out a Fuling village, building a base and killing a small herd of lox that were loitering in the fighting grounds. As you can see, we’re close. Wish us luck!
I have been sneaking into the Mistlands, shot my first hares and even killed my first Seeker. But that fog is making things quite miserable.
Life Progress Report
Something fairly shocking happened last week: Pretty much exactly at midnight, one of my big pictures fell off the wall and crashed on the floor, smashing its frame. The crash woke me up out of solid sleep – and finding the debris in the morning was quite a discovery of the not so fun kind.
I made that poster myself, it was basically three Chinese words, painted somewhat crudely. It was part of my coaching practice decorations, and I suppose it was high time to move on from that. I’ve actually been looking for replacements, and this… incident forced my hand. I have ordered a new poster and will pick up a new frame at Ikea next week. Kind of looking forward to that.
If there is a bigger meaning to the whole thing, it’s probably this: This is very much MY life, and I get to live it my way, without being stuck in the past. That’s something I’ve been struggling with, still not claiming the full freedom I get from living in my own space. Because it also includes self-care – something that is difficult for me. Still, I’m leaning into that more now, and it’s… revealing. (More about this next month, I expect.)
Newsletter Progress Report
Some of you who have subscribed to my newsletter might have gotten strange emails yesterday. Apologies for that.
You see, I went through my newsletter system and fixed a few things behind the scenes that were caused by me being a little… inexperienced with automations and the programming behind them. I hope that my system is a little better now and will require less work in the future.
Now, if you haven’t signed up for my newsletter yet, here’s your big chance!
Once a month, always on the 13th, you’ll get writing news (like this post), special book offers, a coupon for my own book store, and maybe most importantly, the Ember Tale.
Ember is my little dragon familiar, and each month, I share a cute, sweet adventure we have together. They are not available anywhere else.
This month’s progress report is full of new beginnings – and I think the picture above (Valheim, as usual) illustrates that bright feeling of hope on a new day. My character stands at a place where three biomes intersect (Meadows, Black Forest and Mountain), and that’s also representative of where I feel that I’m standing.
I’ve actually written more in the first two weeks of August than in any other month for about a year. I have quite a few new ideas for a reason (more on that below), and I’ve been more inspired and happy with my writing than I have been in a long time.
Maybe I’m actually coming out of burnout. That would be a very nice thing. Even so, I’m trying to be careful and not push myself hard. I know where that leads.
Right now, I’m writing the 8th Wolf book (something I never thought I’d do). I’m also thinking about Penumbra because I want to write Leander’s story next, before I pivot back to the Winds & Pillars. I have so many ideas, it is actually costing me sleep at times.
Which is a good thing, and also not a good thing!
Winds & Pillars Progress Report
Right now, they are on break. I still need to publish the paperback of Sun Burns (sorry, that completely slipped my mind), so I’ll let you know when that’s out. There are some formatting issues that bother my slightly OCD mind, and that completely pulled me off track. It’s on the to-do list now, though!
Moon’s story is next, and yes, I have ideas. I just need a bit of a break, and people have been waiting for more Wolves. (Impatiently, I might add.)
In case you missed it last month, there is a quick live-reading of South Breaks on YouTube, on the channel of Katherine D. Graham. I’m talking a little about South Breaks and read Chapter 1 and parts of Chapter 3.
I’m about halfway on A Wolf’s Hacker, word count wise. The story is now starting to get into the action, and Shane and Dylan have actually met in real life, after being online friends for quite a while. Yes, there have been surprises…
Writer Brain has given me a bit of a download for the plot, and for once, the showdown will involve a third person (who might well become the MC for Wolves #9, if things go well). I won’t say more, but it’s great fun to actually see this story develop from a simple idea to a complex tale.
No ETA just yet, but I do hope to have it out in fall, possibly October.
The Wolves are definitely my best-selling series, although the market niche for shifters with low spice and no alphas is small. It’s still big enough for me!
Penumbra Progress Report
I’m having fun with the worldbuilding because it’s set in the near future. I have plans for most of the big nations of today – and they will not stand unchanged. The climate catastrophe as well as the rise of fascism will leave a mark. Watching politics unfold these days is adding fuel to my imagination.
Truth is, I can’t wait to jump into this story, but for this month, at least, the Wolves rule my writing time.
Valheim Progress Report
Yeah, I’m adding this, a little tongue in cheek, because my brain loves that game. And yes, there is definitely progress to report.
Both my Main and my Twink have defeated Moder, the Mountain boss, and are moving into the Plains. I mean that quite literally, because the new plants need to be grown in Plains soil, which means securing areas and building fortified farms.
In even better news, I found out how to invite people to my game (Twink) which is a huge breakthrough. Friend helped with the Moder fight, mostly because I felt too insecure to take her on myself. Now I’m learning to kill Lox, and that… that is also a good step forward. (For those who don’t know: Lox are massive creatures that deal both direct and area damage, very hard to kill. But they can also be tamed.)
Life Progress Report
I’m happier. I’m back to walking in the park (huge thing), Writer Brain is engaged and I’m really enjoying my AO3 posting.
In fact, I’ve basically decided to shift my marketing (which always felt like a chore). I’m already having good results with my Mastodon posting, so I’m going to call posting there marketing and just keep loving it. I’m finding friends and fans there, and that’s so uplifting.
The biggest difference, however, comes from my AO3 serials. I’m only posting twice a week, once for every story, but just having a little feedback and regular dopamine hits from seeing people reading them is building up motivation. Which in turn is revving up Writer Brain.
So you will all benefit from me falling in love with AO3, by getting to read new stories for free. And I benefit by sliding back into the writing joy that I have missed for so long. Win-win in my book!
Here’s a link if you want to see what’s slumbering on my hard drive: AO3
Ember Progress Report Newsletter Reminder
As usual, I’m closing out with the reminder to sign up to my newsletter. It really is only going out once a month (can’t handle it more often), with this progress report, a coupon for my store, some awesome book deals, and of course, the Ember Tale.
Right now, I’m actually serializing a little story about poor Spark who has lost his flame.
Another Valheim pic for this progress report, of course. It shows a fortress my friend and I have constructed in the Mountains, in preparation for a big fight. In fact, we’re planning that for this very weekend when I’m writing this.
To me, it’s quite illustrative of my own progress this month. I have conquered my own monster already – finishing, editing, formatting and then, finally, releasing Sun Burns. More on that below.
Writing is still going very slowly. In fact, I spent most of the last week not writing, and editing Sun instead. I did dive into the new Wolf story that I want to publish next, a Wolf’s Hacker.
And in fall, I want to focus on Penumbra. Maybe you remember me talking about a vampire series set in the near future. Would be fun to publish it around the US elections, since the outcome does impact my timeline somewhat. Still, I can make it work either way. Fun times.
Here’s something very new, though: I joined the Archive of Our Own (AO3 in short). And I’m slowly posting a Joanna Steenen story (spicy shifters with portals) I wrote and never found the right mindset to finish. I’ll add an extra paragraph with a link further below.
Winds and Pillars Progress Report
Big news for this month: Sun Burns is out!
I already updated my Winds and Pillars page here on the website, with all the links to the stores – so head over there if you want to grab it.
I promise all the adventure, some slow burn romance and a peek at a region on the continent no other Wind or Pillar has seen before. And Sun stumbles on an old, old secret (very cool, even if I wrote it).
Honestly, I’m so glad I finally managed to finish this book. It’s been two years since I started the whole Winds and Pillars series, and it’s been quite a ride. (It’ll also take me at least another year to finish the final two books.)
Next up is Moon, and I already know her a little (she has a cameo in Sun Burns). I also know where she’ll go and who she’ll meet. Good stuff, I promise. However, I won’t get to write her until the end of this year.
Oh! I also have a new little video out on YouTube, on the channel of Katherine D. Graham. I’m talking a little about South Breaks and read Chapter 1 and parts of Chapter 3.
Yes, I’m back to writing Wolves, and already putting words into “A Wolf’s Hacker”. The main characters are Shane (who you might remember from “A Wolf’s Peril”) and Dylan, an accomplished hacker who gets into trouble.
Poor Shane is wallowing in guilt over what he did to shifters, made worse by the fact that he is a wolf now. When Dylan needs help, he jumps at the chance to redeem himself… not knowing how high the price will be.
It’s fun, but the book is still in the early stages (although I have the main plot figured out). I’ll do my best to write faster than I have, but… there’s also a lot of other stuff on my mind and to-do list. I hope I can publish it in fall.
Penumbra Progress Report
Penumbra is back on the list! I want to write Lion’s Battle as soon as I can finish Wolves #8, while hoping I can also publish it this fall. (Let’s be honest. Probably won’t happen. But I want to!)
It’s great fun speculating about the near future of our world, especially considering the disruptions ahead. (Well, those aren’t going to be fun to live through, but you know what I mean.) I have plans for the US, Europe, Russia, Asia and possibly South America.
Going to share the cover, just so you get the sense of excitement I have. (Yes, it’s partially AI-generated, by a cover designer.) I really, really want to write Leander’s story. And yes, I know why his hair is white.
Valheim Progress Report
I shared our fortress above – we’re almost ready for the big Moder fight. Moder is the mother of all Drakes – a huge frost wyvern. And killing her is the key to progress with the next biome, the Plains. Moder drops material we’ll need to build the next level of tech infrastructure.
Sadly, I’m more and more convinced that playing Valheim solo is hard and maybe impossible. My poor Twink also has to fight Moder and being alone, she has much more trouble with the stone golems in the region. She needs a harpoon to drag them into pits, and both the gathering of material for the harpoon as well as actually using it on a stone golem is much easier when having at least one companion.
I have not been able to invite anyone to my server for help, though. Something in the settings somewhere.
Life Progress Report
I’m pulling out of the pit of depression and autistic burnout. Life is getting easier. I do a lot of positive self-talk, I am doing my best to worry less and take things easy wherever I can.
Even so, quite a few things are coming up. In good stuff, my sister will spend a few days with me, and then I have another few days off. Very much looking forward to that.
Sadly, there is also admin stuff looming with a very firm deadline at the end of August, and I really need to start moving on that. I’m planning to take it in many small steps to avoid sliding back into burnout. (Who am I kidding? I’m not good at long turn planning and many small steps. Maybe I can learn?)
At least it’s summer, and here in Germany that means pleasant temperatures, reading on the balcony, and lots of light and sunshine (you have no idea how loooong days are here in summer). It really is my favorite season of the year, because those are the few months when I’m not constantly cold.
Ember Progress Report
Ember is actually dealing with quite a big problem: Her friend Spark has lost his fire. Together, we’re trying to get it back for him, but so far, nothing has worked.
Oh, you want to read those stories? Well, you have to sign up to my newsletter, I only share them through there.
Aside from the Ember Tale, you also get writing news, great deals on books you might enjoy, and a coupon code for a special monthly deal in my very own store. Interested? Sign up below!
For this progress report, I’m sharing a gruesome but triumphant image from Valheim: My character Gerla has finally slain Bonemass and hung its trophy on the altar stone, gaining a new power.
Of course, I haven’t gained a new author power, although that would be a fun thing to contemplate. But a few things have changed. I’ll tell you in a moment.
I’m back to writing Sun Burns, more regularly than before. Making progress – and there isn’t much story left to tell. In fact, I will post a cover preview in my newsletter, and I really have high hopes of being able to release it next month.
Yes, you read that right, my cover designer is already on it, and I love what she has done. Sadly, she was ill for a while and the final cover is slightly delayed, or I would have had an official reveal already.
I really hope that I can report a release in the next progress report!
Once I release the next Winds and Pillars book, I’ll pivot back to the Wolves. If you have followed my reports, you already know that the next book is called “A Wolf’s Hacker”. One of the MCs will be Shane (from “A Wolf’s Peril”), and yes, he gets a redemption arc.
Both he and Dylan are talking to me, and Writer Brain is taking notes. This will be fun to write, especially as I’m using IRC for some of their communication. Great memories, IRC. (In fact, I still have my own channel, not that I use it for much.)
Writing Progress Report
I already mentioned that I’m writing more regularly now. That’s because I’m working – gently, easily, being soft with myself – on re-establishing a morning writing habit, and it is already yielding results, even if it doesn’t happen every morning just yet.
Even so, Writer Brain is happier, and that means it’s giving me more ideas and blocking me less. That is a very good thing because writing used to be my happy place.
Store Progress Report
Not much to report. Very few to no sales, and that makes me a little sad. But people are locked into the Kindle and other eReader ecosystems, and so far, it’s still working for them. (Yes, I also have a Kindle, but I do email books to it all the time.)
I’ll drop the link anyway, if you feel curious enough to check it out. So far, it has the Winds and Pillars and most of the Wolves. (Yes. I lack motivation to do more. Yes, it’s a vicious circle.)
Well. This is a bit tongue-in-cheek, but yes, I am making a lot of progress in Valheim, as you saw in the header image. Both MC and Twink slew Bonemass, and I’m exploring the Mountains with both and lugging silver home.
The pattern seeker in me realizes that it’s just “more of the same” with a different name, however, and is getting a little bored. I’m trying to overcome this by envisioning my first full stone castle in the Mountains. One that includes a Wolf Barn. Who knows when I’ll actually build it – and where!
Life Progress Report
I’m alive.
I’m becoming a bit of a hermit, only leaving my apartment for errands or work. Makes it difficult to make new friends, but most of them live online anyway. I learned that a lot of Autistic people do better with online friendships.
Even so, I feel lonely and I wish I had more support. It will be fun to figure out that particular problem, but hey, I’m asking the Universe to send me a meet-cute. That works, right?
Ember Progress Report Newsletter Ad
This is the image for today’s Ember Tale. As you can see, this is not Ember. She has made another friend, and poor Spark has a huge problem.
I only post the Ember Tales in my newsletter. So if you want to find out what happens with Spark, you’ll have to subscribe. (I’m sorry. But I’m not making those rules, Ember is.)
Fortunately, it’s easy – just fill in the form and then click the confirmation link in the email you’ll receive. And I only send it out once a month, on the 13th.
In addition to the Ember Tale, you’ll get my writing news, some awesome book deals that are carefully curated, and a special monthly coupon for my store.
Writing this Progress Report, I feel a bit like my character above – sitting in a dark cave, waiting for the light to come back.
Because, honestly, there is not much to put into a progress report. I’ve barely been writing, my book sales are dismal, and there is very little news – except once nice bit that might (with some luck) give me a good review. More about that below.
Poor Sun is still sitting in the desert, albeit in an oasis where they have food and water, as well as shelter. Not going to last, I need to write a confrontation next, because there is no rest for the wicked.
In good news, I wrote a really cool blurb for Sun, and I commissioned the cover. So there is progress. Have the blurb (the cover will take a while longer):
A power out of control. A Pillar in the hands of a Priestess. A deadly desert burning with heat.
Sun Snake’s life is coming to its sacrificial end. His best friend is already gone, and he’s ready to join Moon in death. When his Power goes rogue as the knives come out, Sun literally falls into a new life fraught with danger.
Scared and lonely, Sun struggles to control the fire that bursts from his fingers at the worst moments. He has a single ally, the Priestess who fell with him – if only he could trust her. Desperate to get out of the Holy Empire, Sun allows Laisal to guide him as they sneak across the mountains to the east. Soon they end up being hunted by Houses, driven into a vast desert, towards certain doom.
Can Sun cheat death a second time?
“Sun Burns” explores a part of the continent no other Wind or Pillar has seen yet, in a tale filled with action, magic and desperate acts.
I wish I could tell you when I can publish Sun. Sadly, that’s very much up in the air and depends on finding motivation.
Writing Progress Report
Instead of forcing myself to write, I’m playing a lot of Valheim. It’s my escape, and it’s the place my Autistic brain homes in on right now. There is so much to learn and explore and gather and hoard and build and… well, you get the point. This is my brain’s happy place right now, and nothing I do will dissuade it. Yes, it’s Autistic Hyperfocus at work. I just wish I could make my brain hyperfocus on writing. That would be much more productive.
Even so, I can give you an interview with Night Beats that I did a while ago (long enough that Sky Falls wasn’t published yet!). It went live in April, but too late for that progress report. So without further ado, here’s the link. You can read about my books, my worlds and what books I would recommend to my friends.
You might have heard of the Self-Publisher Fantasy Blog Off – it’s (as far as I know) the only contest for indie authors that is not a popularity contest asking for votes. Instead, 300 books will be subjected to the scrutiny of 10 different review blogs, with each of them reading and reviewing 30 books. Each will also choose three favorites, resulting in 30 books becoming finalists. They will vote for the winner after that.
This year, they had to change their process, because those 300 books were submitted within just 40 minutes last year, and the organizer decide that wasn’t fair. So this year, they kept the form open for 24h and then picked 300 books at random from the grand total.
I submitted South Breaks, and it’s actually in! I don’t know if I should be scared or excited.
Take a look at the list and see whether you know any of the other authors: Phase 1 And feel free to follow any of the blogs!
Like everyone else, I’m hoping to make the finalist list. That would give my books a much needed marketing boost.
Store Progress Report
It’s working. And every month, I run a special sale for my newsletter subscribers. (Subscribe below, if you want to take advantage of that.)
If you want to buy a real file, and not just a license from a vendor, that’s where you should go. I’m still adding books to it, but the Winds and Pillars are up, as well as most of the Wolves. Enough to get you reading, at any rate.
I already mentioned Valheim. It has taken over my life, in a good way. That’s because playing it generally makes me happy. Yes, sometimes there are drawbacks, sometimes things don’t go smoothly. I just had trolls attack my base and destroy things, but fortunately that was an easy fix.
My brain is already thinking about solutions, though. I love this, coming up with ideas and plans and breaking it all down into easy steps.
Thus I am practicing project management in game – but even better, getting things solved in Valheim gives me the confidence to tackle some problems in real life, like fixing my kitchen light. That’s an old installation from halogen times, and the transformer blew a week ago. I have all components (a new transformer, new cables), and now I just need to put it all together.
So life is progressing as it should, mostly. And we’re having nice weather right now, which also really helps. Have I mentioned my lovely balcony?
The thing with Ember – NOT a Progress Report
As I’m sure you hate pop-ups as much as I do, this is what I do instead. I know it doesn’t convert as well, but I want to spare you the annoyance.
I’ve also did my best to fix this form but there is no welcome sequence for it just yet. Which means you’ll be plonked into my general subscriber group (after clicking the confirmation like MailerLite will send you) without further ado.
What’s in it for you?
Well, you’ll get my writing news, you’ll get links to curated freebie lists and sales that I hope will appeal to you if you like my books. You’ll also never miss another release and even better… you will get the Ember Tale. That is only available through my newsletter.
What in the world is the Ember Tale?
Ember is my sweet, little dragon familiar (a plushie, really) who goes on an adventure every month. It’s always cute and cozy, and it comes with a photo of her somewhere around my apartment or sometimes on vacation.
My progress report will go a lot like the image above. Which is from a game I was introduced to by a good friend, called Valheim. Now, a lot of you already know Valheim, after all, it’s not exactly a new game. Even so, Iron Gate are still adding to it, most recently an entirely new biome.
No, I’m not adding biomes, sorry. But I am adding XP and new skills to my life, thanks to the amazing coach I have right now (and sadly, not much longer). Here’s what’s happening:
I’m still writing Sun. The sad truth is that I haven’t written a lot in the past weeks. At least my writing is now picking up as I’m establishing a new structure with morning writing times.
There is not a lot more story to tell, I almost have them where they need to be to get ambushed and separated. Then Sun will face his personal nightmare… and get much, much more than he expected. That will be so much fun to fill in.
I do hope I can finish the book this month. So with a bit of luck, we’re looking at a release in late May. (Still need to order the cover.)
Oh, and I’m starting to get a much better sense of Moon. She got a cameo in Sun the other day, which was great fun and will actually tie her book much closer into the story line. I love it when that happens.
Wolf Shifter Progress Report
Not much happening with the Wolves, apologies. But Shane and Dylan are stirring in my mind.
However, I do have question for those of you who read “A Wolf’s Christmas”. I put a lot of German into it (kinda had to) and I wonder how well or awkward it read. Would you drop me a comment or an email and tell me if it bothered you, or whether you actually enjoyed it?
I need to come up with a solution for the audiobook – I’ll probably remove the German stuff, which will create new problems.
Penumbra Progress Report
Yes, they are still on my mind. I love all three (or even four!) of them. I’m letting my predictions for the world in 20 years setting in – and they might just get influenced by the recent news about global warming/climate change. Because all of that horrible stuff might be closer than most scientists expected (or hoped). The fallout will not be pretty, and the tales need to reflect that.
Store Progress Report
That is another sore point. Because while I was sure the store was nicely set up and working well, in fact, it did not. Orders were not fulfilled, and it took me a couple of weeks to realize that. Fixing it wasn’t difficult, once I knew there was a problem.
So if you tried the store and didn’t get your books (you should have by now!), please let me know. Or try again. Because you’ll help me earn more per sale at no cost to you – and you will actually get an ebook, instead of a reading license from Amazon etc. that can be revoked at will.
You may have seen on social media that I was traveling. In fact, I stayed with my sister for two week, first housesitting for a few days while they were away (also keeping little nephew company). The best part of that was taking care of the chicken.
You see, one of the hens always settles on a nest at night. She needs to be lifted off and settled on the rod they are supposed to perch on. I was scared of that. But she really was a dear and allowed me to handle her without much protest. And of course, they all love me when I scatter some grain for them.
I also celebrated my sister’s and my dad’s birthdays, did a bit of shopping and visited the spring festival of an agricultural museum one village over (check them out if you know German or just want to see some pictures: Museum auf dem Gutshof Waake). Best part of that was meeting old neighbors from when I grew up, as well as a lady who used to head the table tennis team I played in. Honestly, I have more roots in that area than I thought.
Which feels darn good.
I’m also getting some coaching which is awesome. Sadly, there’s only one more session left in the package I received. Even so, it’s helping a lot. I’m feeling better about my project management skills (after finishing a few scary and complicated projects before my vacation), I’m starting to understand that strange brain in my head and finding way to use it better. And that gives me much hope for improving my life and enjoying it much more.
The Ember Progress Report Newsletter Reminder
Even Ember is making progress. You see, she traveled with me and when we had some time to kill, she dragged me into a store full of plushies. And there she met… but you’ll have to read my newsletter to find out.
I do have quite a bit of news for this progress report. And that makes me rather happy. Let’s this take step by step, however.
My Progress Reports
Winds and Pillars Progress Report
I’m writing Sun. Nothing new there. However, something exciting happened this very morning: He got to speak to members of a House and a certain Moon. Yes, the MC of Moon Rises. So much fun. I love it when such connections happen. And no, it wasn’t planned.
I’m pretty far in with Sun, over 30k in, so I believe the book will clock in at a little over 50k. Which is basically the standard size for my tales. I’m going to have a lot of writing time around Easter, so I hope I can finish the book by then. Tentatively planning a May release.
Wolf Shifter Progress
I’m sorry. Shane and Dylan just have to wait. Right now, it’s Sun’s turn.
I also haven’t found the time to make any progress with the audiobook for Fred and Mark (A Wolf’s Christmas). That is a tad complicated, but I hope I can get to it fairly soon. I’ll admit that I haven’t seen the sales I had hoped for with this book, so I do lack a bit of motivation, to be honest.
Penumbra Progress Report
Stalled out.
It’s an ambitious project, and I definitely want to write it. Partially to challenge myself and partially because the characters have already hammered a hook into my soul. So yeah, those books will come, but… probably only at the end of the year. Maybe.
Business Progress Report
I have a huge step to report for my author business: I created my own store!
That’s right, you can now buy directly from me and have your ebooks delivered by BookFunnel. In fact, I’m working on an option to also sell my Wolf audiobooks directly – but so far, there is no clear integration through BookFunnel, so I’m not there yet.
As I write this, all Winds and Pillars are up there, and I’m working on the Wolves. Eventually, all my books will be there.
What are the benefits of my own store?
First of all, you get to buy a file and not just a license (as you do when you “buy” from Amazon). By using BookFunnel, I’m also giving you a way to have a backup of all your purchases in their Library so computer crash won’t wipe out your ebook pile. The file is an epub, so you can put it on any reader you want, including the Kindle.
Second, I actually earn a little more per sale than when I sell through the big stores. Yes, there are some fees, but all together they are noticeably less than the 30-40% most stores demand.
So this is a Win-Win, and I hope I can entice you to at least check out: Hannah’s Store
Author Life Progress Report
Okay. I have to admit a new weakness: Valheim. As you probably noticed with the header image.
I can so totally get lost in that game. Which made me ponder why? Why is it so attractive?
Remember, I’m autistic. I love exploring and hoarding and building, but I hate pressure. And Valheim has little pressure. I can toddle around at my own speed, build bases, explore, gather stuff and build more. Yes, there are mobs and events, and yes, I have to create defenses, but as of now, it’s not a high-stress game. And I adore that.
Best of all, the friend who introduced me to it is actually playing it with me and showing me tricks. That makes a big difference. (Yes, I also created a Twink and use her to practice stuff with, but that’s me. I’m a character hoarder.)
It does relax my brain. I even bought the soundtrack. And that helps me write.
The Newsletter (not a Progress Report) Part
As usual, you get my newsletter sign-up spiel at the end – sparing all of us those annoying pop-ups. I send out my regular newsletter every 13th of the month (yes, 13 is my lucky number, why do you ask?). Once in a while there might be an extra one, for a release or a special sale. Those happen very rarely.
In the regular newsletter, you’ll get this progress report, you get some awesome opportunities for curated book sales and grabs, you might get a review if a book totally flashes me, but most of all, you get the Ember Tale.
Ember is my cute little dragon familiar (most of the people mistake her for a plushie, to her chagrin), and she gets into sweet little adventures. Those are only available in my newsletters, I don’t post them anywhere else.
Want to sign up? Fill in the form below (there will be a confirmation email):
Yes, that’s right. I just finished setting up an online bookstore via PayHip where you can buy books directly from me. Right now, it only has six books (my Winds and Pillars), but I’ll be adding more in the next few weeks.
Setting it all up wasn’t entirely easy, although there were plenty of good guides and help files. With everything to do, it took me about a week to get it all done. Some of it was really tricky, such as adding a subdomain to my DNS files.
Why my own bookstore?
If you’ve followed me or even just looked at my books and the links, you already know that I sell through a lot of stores, such as Amazon, Apple, Kobo, B&N and even Tolino. Among authors this is called “being wide”.
I never liked to keep all my eggs in just one basket (which in this case would be called “Amazon”). That means I’m foregoing a few perks that Amazon only offers to those authors who work exclusively through them.
Creating my own bookstore takes me even “wider”, if you forgive the pun. It means that readers can buy directly from me, giving me a little more money per sale than the bigger stores or libraries (yes, my books are also in library systems).
Best of all, I don’t have to wait two or three months to get the money I earned through the sales, unlike with all the other stores.
How does the bookstore work?
It’s really simple, actually, because it’s just an online store. You click on a book, and then you can buy it (or download it if it’s free). Payment is through credit card (Stripe) or through PayPal. Easy enough.
I went with a slightly more complicated option for fulfillment, because in the end, it’s easier for everyone involved. Let me explain:
I use BookFunnel to deliver my eBooks (and in the future, my audio-books). They have a whole help desk to help you, my reader, if something goes wrong. Or if you can’t figure out how to get the darn eBook to your Kindle (or other eReader). Yes, you can get any eBook you buy from me to your Kindle, and it’s easy peasy.
If you buy a book from my store, you get to download a PDF with instructions, but you’ll also receive an email from BookFunnel with the download options for the eBook. In addition, the book will always be in your very own BookFunnel library, just in case your computer crashes and you lose all your data.
Where can I find that bookstore?
Simple. I added the link to my books menu, but I’ll also dump it into this post. Here you go:
I’m trying to keep it clean and easy to navigate. Fortunately, PayHip does offer nice ways of organizing the products.
If you are missing a book of mine that you really want to get – let me know. Write a comment, drop me an email, and I’ll do my best to add it as fast as I can. For now, I’m working my way through my series, basically in order of how well they sell. My short stories will probably be last. (But as I said, I’m flexible.)
Unfortunately, I cannot add my store link to those wonderful Books2Read Universal links. I did ask, but it’s just not in the cards. So please, bookmark my store page if you intend to use it.
If you’d rather buy from a big store, don’t feel bad. I’m still earning money, and you can find all my books right here: Hannah’s Universal Book Link. I do understand that it can be much more convenient.
Not a bookstore – the newsletter not-a-pop-up
So that’s it for today, but if you feel like never missing a new release, or any other big news about my books, consider signing up to my newsletter through this form. I send it out once a month (unless I have really big news or a sale). Oh, and you get the Ember Tale, stories about my little red dragon familiar that are exclusive to the newsletter.
In this progress report, I have quite a bit of good news for you. First of all, I am finally feeling better. I’ve done a lot of admin stuff – still some ways to go, but the really difficult things are done.
I’m developing some new habits to keep my mind in a positive state, and it’s making quite a difference. I really hope I can keep that going. But let’s dive into all the other news first!
Winds and Pillars Progress Report
Sky Falls is out!
I’ll repeat the description, even though I already posted it last month. But hey, no need to click back, so here you go:
A daring escape. An unlikely ally. A wicked betrayal.
When the day of his sacrifice draws near, Sky Falcon has nothing left to lose. Daring the wrath of the Priests, he escapes through a clever application of his magic, taking the love of his life with him.
Together, they hatch a desperate and daring plan: After escaping the Holy Empire through different routes, they vow to reunite near Jungle Fortress in the south.
On his own, Sky makes an unfortunate mistake which leads him down the road to doom. Can he escape once more or will he find himself bound on top of a Pyramid, after all?
“Sky Falls” takes you on yet another intense and fast-paced ride through the world of the Winds and Pillars, with familiar characters lending a hand.
If you adore being sucked into a tale of magic, adventure, love and battle, you will devour the second book of the Pillars of the Empire by Hannah Steenbock.
And yeah, I’m not above giving you a purchase link, either (ebook all stores, print from Amazon):
Of course, I’m already writing the next book, Sun Burns. I’m 25k in, so that’s about half-way, and he’s about to sneak out of the Holy Empire. And get into trouble. (What else is new about my characters?)
Wolf Shifter Progress Report
I will admit I haven’t done much since the release of A Wolf’s Christmas. Yes, I know the next book up will be A Wolf’s Hacker, and I already know Shane and Dylan, their backgrounds and quite a bit of the plot. I’ve written a few scenes, and if you have read my Wolf series, you already met Shane – he’s one of the villains in A Wolf’s Peril. Here, he gets his own book and a redemption arc.
Right now, Sun wants my attention, but I promise, I’ll get back to Shane and Dylan. And I have plenty more ideas for more shifters, including Mustangs. I hope I’ll get to them soon.
Penumbra Progress Report
Okay, there is awesome progress to report, because I bought covers! Yes, that’s right. I spotted an insane deal, and I have covers for the first three books.
And the cover for “Lion’s Battle” has already inspired a plot point – now I know how Leander’s dark hair actually turned white and why. I also know where they get their leather jackets. I love it when that happens.
Enjoy!
I really hope you like them as much as I do. I saw these and simply had to grab them. The designer is James from GoOnWrite.
Life Progress Report
I started doing something that I call “Bed Yoga”, very firmly tongue in cheek. It’s basically just tightening the muscles in a body part for 15-20 seconds, and then relaxing – and feeling that relaxation. (Yes, I stole a page from Jacobson, if you know that kind of thing.)
It’s having amazing results. I’m such a slouch that even doing so little has been improving my muscles, I’m sleeping better and my tense shoulders are easing up. Feel free to grab the idea.
In addition, I’m working hard on breaking my limiting beliefs on being happy. (Yes. I had a therapy practice. I know how those work. If you want to know, I’m doing the tapping thing on those.) And I’m seeing results there, as well. It feels really good.
Enter Ember! (Not a progress report.)
You know this part. It’s where I tell you about my newsletter instead of installing a pop-up, simply because I hate pop-ups.
It goes out once a month. It has updates about me, some book deals and of course, the Ember Tale, which you cannot get anywhere else, not here nor on Patreon. If you want to have it drop into your mailbox, subscribe below.
Yes, it’s true! Sky Falls, Pillars of the Empire Book 2, is finally out and available in all stores, with print via Amazon.
I will say that Sky is also a character dear to my heart, at the same level as West. He’s just so much fun, so curious, so sweet. In fact, he’s pretty much a scientist in mind, he loves to experiment and try out new things.
Of course, once he escapes the Sacred Square, he does get a little overwhelmed with all the new things he has to learn.
Once again, Taire Morrigan has created an awesome cover for me and the series. I really think it captures the essence of Sky – all of his power in the flash of lighting, but also his intelligence and quick understanding of situations.
For this book, I also had a wonderful beta-reader. I have to thank them for catching quite a few errors and typos – so if there are any left, you have to blame me for them.
I really hope you’ll like Sky Falls as much as I do. And well… don’t start this story in the evening because you may not get a lot of sleep that night.
But see for yourself!
Description for Sky Falls:
A daring escape. An unlikely ally. A wicked betrayal.
When the day of his sacrifice draws near, Sky Falcon has nothing left to lose. Daring the wrath of the Priests, he escapes through a clever application of his magic, taking the love of his life with him.
Together, they hatch a desperate and daring plan: After escaping the Holy Empire through different routes, they vow to reunite near Jungle Fortress in the south.
On his own, Sky makes an unfortunate mistake which leads him down the road to doom. Can he escape once more or will he find himself bound on top of a Pyramid, after all?
“Sky Falls” takes you on yet another intense and fast-paced ride through the world of the Winds and Pillars, with familiar characters lending a hand.
What people say about Sky Falls:
“Just plowed through Sky Falls. Thank you for this wonderful book! It calmed me when I needed calming (even though a part of me wants to see those priests BURN).”
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