We chat with debut author Hannah Nicole Maehrer about Assistant to the Villain, which is Once Upon a Time meets The Office in this laugh-out-loud viral TikTok series turned novel, about the sunshine assistant to an Evil Villain…and their unexpected romance.
Hi, Hannah! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hello all!
I am a chronically anxious extroverted introvert who loves quirky characters and quirky fantasy stories even more! I believe in going about life with an open mind and an open heart, because of this I’ve been so privilege to meet and learn about so many wonderful people and wonderful things! Writing and stories have been a dream since I was old enough to speak them aloud, so publishing my first novel is truly a dream come true and I’m so thrilled to be sharing my story with the rest of the world!
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
I was really young! My parents have endless footage of me at two years old, standing on the hearth of our fireplace like it was a stage and telling them Goldilocks and the three bears. Stories truly shaped my childhood. I have particular memories of my dad creating one about Larry the beetle who lived under our swingset in the backyard. Every night we’d create new adventures with Larry and my parents always let me participate in the storytelling. It never left my mind from then on!
Quick lightning round! Tell us the first book you ever remember reading!
Percy Jackson and The Olympians series made me a reader. It was the first book that ever made me see pictures in my mind and it set my imagination free. I haven’t stopped reading since I picked that series up when I was eleven.
Your debut novel, Assistant to the Villain, is out August 29th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Quirky Fairytale with Funny Villains
What can readers expect?
Hopefully to laugh! This story is a campy quirky tale of a Villain’s office and the slowburn romance between him and his sunshine Assistant. It’s everything I love in one book: Villains, Grumpy Sunshine Romance, Found Family, a Mystery, Humor and just the most absolute ridiculous circumstances you can’t help but laugh at.
Where did the inspiration for Assistant to the Villain come from?
I had always loved the idea of a serious stoic Villain being confronted with a ball of sunshine. I’d done a few videos on my TikTok in that vain until eventually It evolved into posting my first Assistant to the Villain skit! After making the skit series and falling in love with the characters I could not focus on anything else but this story, so I sat down one day to write it and now here we are!
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
The Villain was so much fun for me because in my skit series we only see from the assistant’s perspective where as in the book we get some chapters in The Villain’s perspective. It was so freeing to get inside his mind and play off his grumpy persona. My favorite thing about The Villain is when we meet him he seems aloof and untouchable, but the further we get into the story we unravel some of that and see that he’s secretly a big softie.
Do you have any favourite lines from the book?
I have TOO many. But this one back and forth between The Villain and his Assistant when they first meet is one of my favorites!
“You can’t kill people and be pretty. It’s confusing.”
“…You think I’m pretty?”
Did you listen to music at all whilst writing or are there any particular songs that come to mind for Assistant to the Villain?
I listened to the entirety of Taylor Swift’s speak album on repeat! Particularly “Enchanted”. For me that always felt like Evie and The Villain’s song.
What’s next for you?
Working on book 2 of Assistant to the Villain! Which I’m thrilled about because I am desperately missing my characters and can’t wait to be with them again!
Lastly, do you have any book recommendations for our readers?
The Book of Azrael by Amber V Nicole. It will emotionally destroy you and you will be so happy it did!
Read it–Loved It !! How quickly can we get the next one!!
Bought a copy at Barnes and Noble a bit ago. My puppy at the cover, so I now have a second copy for my shelf.
I preordered it and it arrived on release day! But I’m saving it to read during my anniversary cruise on Monday so that means I’ll probably be ignoring my husband.
Already read it. Such a good book.