Interview with: Hannah Nicole Maehrer

Author of: Assistant to the Villain & Apprentice to the Villain

Romantasy Illustrated had the honor of having an exclusive interview with Hannah Nicole Maehrer at the FaeBall in Austin, TX the weekend of August 30-September 1. Hannah is a book influencer and author of both Assistant to the Villain and Apprentice to the Villain, which was released only weeks before our sit down with Hannah. We had the privilege of getting to know her the two days before the interview at her book signing, karaoke, the ball, and more.

We can thoroughly say that Hannah is not only one of the kindest humans, and so funny, but an absolute blast to get to hang out with. In all honesty, before the interview, Rachel had only made it a few pages into Hannah’s book, which Hannah joked that “she also hadn’t even read it”. But even without knowing the entire story, both Rachel and Allison had seen Hannah’s skits for years and followed along her journey and have since both jumped fully into reading Assistant to the Villain.

We enjoyed Hannah giving some of her time, supporting our magazine, and following along the journey that we are on. Enjoy the interview and just know there is so much more to come. We cannot wait to see Hannah again in the future and continue to support and love her.

Please Note: This interview discusses mental health, depression, feeling numb, and the escape of books from both Hannah and Rachel

Watch the interview here:

To kick off this interview, Hannah talks about how being an author was “always the plan” and talks about writing since she was young. “I’m really lucky that I had an audience and community of TikTok that was really supportive of me writing this story and constantly encouraging me, It’s such a privilege to have someone in your comment section before your book is published and saying that they are excited to read it. That is wild for an author to hear, ever.

Hannah goes on to talk about how flattering and blessed she is through this community and her audience. “It’s nothing but a boon to have a community online behind me and I love BookTok and everyone on BookTok, is so wonderful and creative and really kind, it’s a great and supportive community. Books in general, are an escape for so many of us.”

What are the expectations for readers of Assistant to the Villain?

“The hope when I was writing it, people will take from a book whatever it is that they need to take I hope. I really wanted to make people laugh and smile and feel cozy and comfortable, but also have a really good time and to squeal, kick your feet and scream. So hopefully you get some of that! With book 2, I put that at the end in the acknowledgments, “I hope this book made you smile in some way shape or form”.

“Maybe that did make her a monster, but she was quickly learning that it took more to make a monster than a monstrous act.”

-Hannah Nicole Maehrer, The Assistant to the Villain

I’m so honored for anyone to pick it up. There are so many books and for anyone to read an artist’s work is the most flattering and kindest thing ever. (Hannah really is one of the most humble human beings that I have ever had the pleasure of talking to.) I am very very very grateful anytime anyone is like they read it, no matter what they took from it. I hope it made you smile, but if it didn’t I love that you read it anyway.

Apprentice was similar, more than a smile, I wanted to make you feel everything. I just love to make people feel, to have them come out of it feeling something. “I’ve struggled with depression for most of my life, and books have been such a great outlet because they help you feel in moments when you feel really numb. I’ve had books be a saving grace for me, so I really wanted to make something that could make other people feel like those books made me feel.”

We go on to discuss mental health and the escape that books have been for both of us. Something a lot of readers can relate to is the desire to escape, to get lost in the pages. We go on to discuss the space that Hannah has made for mental health and healing through books, both her own and the ones they both love, turning the pages of.

A Note from Rachel: The journey of mental health isn’t easy, I struggle every day with my own anxiety, depression, imposter syndrome, and more. Like Hannah, but also like so many of you, the bookish community has been a saving grace. I was gifted a book at a time in my life when I greatly needed it and that book saved me in so many ways. When the anxiety, stress, and negative thoughts creep in I always know that I can get lost in the pages of a book that makes me feel something that I can understand and that is a gift. But more than that, after being in this community for several years, I also know, like Hannah, that I have my own “found family” in this community that will love and support me through the ups and downs. I sincerely hope that this bookish community can be both you and if it isn’t yet, my DM/s are always open.

What is your favorite quote you have written?

"We are all monsters in the end, but at least mine lives in the light.”

-Hannah Nicole Maehrer, The Assistant to the Villain

Hannah told a little story about how a reader wore the quote on a t-shirt at Apollocon recently and she complimented it (not realizing it was her words) and said, “Oh my god I love that quote,” and about a minute passed before she said out loud, “Oh my god, Hannah, wait, I wrote that.”

“But the reason that I really love that quote and the emphasis that I wanted to put on the story is that we look at some people as villains, but are they are the villain? And sometimes they are. But, sometimes, it is just where you are standing and what perspective you have.”

Who are some inspirational authors for you personally?

My friends, my core group, and the community built around me. Some of her favorite authors and friends are: Amber V. Nicole, Stacey McEwan, Kaven Hirning (check back for Volume 2 for an interview with Kaven!), Samantha Ferrand, Magie Siciliano. I get to watch what they do, and how they write, I personally know someone who can do that. If I told my younger self that, I’d say “Nope”, I manifested this all somehow. I’m just surrounded by really talented women and it makes me feel really motivated.

What do the bookish community and your readers mean to you?

I don’t think I can put it into words. When I found BookTok, I had been struggling with mental health for most of my life and most of us have, it is very normal, and we should talk about it. It is normal, you aren’t alone in it, a lot of people experience the same health struggles. I think finding BookTok was, as books have always been a creative escape for me as they are for a lot of people, finding that community, which is kind of a second escape. It really helped me through a very difficult time, and I am very very lucky that I had resources, a very supportive family, very helpful doctors, it is a huge privilege to have mental health in a medical sense. In addition to that, as home, my escape was making my videos. If I was having a bad day, then I would be Evie for a little bit and make a fun video, and I would interact with people in the comments, it was always positive, kind, and wonderful and all my best and closest friends have come from that community. I’m lucky, this is something I always wanted for myself.

COMING SOON!

Thank you for reading this interview with Hannah. Always this is a brief summary of the somewhat longer interview we did our best to highlight the importance and impact of mental health and books as that is where a lot of our conversations with Hannah went. We look forward to talking with Hannah again soon and wish her the absolute best in her future. For anyone needing resources or a new book friend through their mental health journey, our social media, DM’s and email are always open to you.