Steve Hugh Westenra
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stevewestenra.bsky.social
Steve Hugh Westenra
@stevewestenra.bsky.social
7K followers 4.2K following 14K posts
Dr. Monster (PhD)

E-mail: stevehughwestenraATprotonDOTme

Author of questionable taste. Words in New Edge Sword & Sorcery. Trans. Book reviewer. #SFINCS judge. #SFFChat Academic expert on monsters. HWA. He/him

linktr.ee/SteveWestenra

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stevewestenra.bsky.social
Steve Hugh Westenra @stevewestenra.bsky.social · Jun 2
Remaking my pinned to include my Itchio!

If you're looking for a #queerbook by a #transauthor, I have two published novels.

Itchio: steve-westenra.itch.io

The Erstwhile Tyler Kyle (wide + paperback): books2read.com/u/boB9YL

The Wings of Ashtaroth (eBook): books2read.com/u/49dn8Y

#pridereads 🌈📚
Reposted by Steve Hugh Westenra
mvc.ink
I love the responses to this!

Convincing you to read my novel by the first sentence. Share yours if you want!
Chapter 1 of MVC's book, from Mary's POV. The first sentence is: "What's the name of your condition again? Ugly sperm?" Mary signed.
November 11, 2025 at 4:50 PM
Reposted by Steve Hugh Westenra
theronshan3666.bsky.social
my Sith Warrior has definitely had a roller coaster ride with his development, relationships, and his emotions
#SWTOR #StarWars #theOldRepublic #OriginalStory #WownomoreLegacy #ArchiveofOurOwn
the Broken Throne Wownomore Summary: Lord Borias returns to Odessen with amnesia and goes to meditate, only to encounter an unknown threat and a mystery aboard the GRAVESTONE Part two of the Wownomore Legacy trilogy Note: the Gods of Zakuul are original characters inspired by "Gods from the machine" Zakuulan lore was used in their creation with original story. Edit Chapter Chapter 1: the Trouble with Borias 3632bby Odessen The Cantina hustled with activity. The Alliance base now had new residents. the Mandolorians. They drank and danced and whooped while they celebrated. Borias was still absent, having been gone for about a week. Vette sat alone at a table, sad and detached from the group. She just couldn't get her mind off of Borias. She raised her head when she heard a gruff voice behind her. "Something got you down little blue?" She looked up at the tall, muscular Mandolorian standing in front of her.
November 11, 2025 at 4:27 PM
Reposted by Steve Hugh Westenra
theronshan3666.bsky.social
I’m really anal about representation, so I always make it a point to put LGBTQ characters in my stories.
from “Family is more than blood”
#SWTOR #StarWars #theOldRepublic #OriginalStory #WownomoreLegacy #ArchiveofOurOwn
family is more than blood Wownomore Summary: the triad continues, starting the next generation. Note: this is a WIP. Updates will be posted regularly. Part Three in the Wownomore Legacy trilogy. Edit Chapter Chapter 1: Gay plus one equals Polyamory Summary: early years of the triad, setting after the war and family development 36328bby the Alliance base Odessen Lord Borias looked on as the construction continued at the Odessen base. things were peaceful now. the war was over, the gods were back, and everything was as it should be at last. He stood there quietly, the soft breeze gently blowing his long black hair off of his shoulders. he flipped it back thoughtfully. He heard a shuffle behind him as he stood there on the Mesa across from the new command center atop the Cantina building.
November 11, 2025 at 4:15 PM
Reposted by Steve Hugh Westenra
jimthevampire.bsky.social
An attempt: 😊

'She'd kicked and fought against the impossible grip of the faceless Droid, the one with 809 painted in black across it's white torso.'
stevewestenra.bsky.social Steve Hugh Westenra @stevewestenra.bsky.social · 4h
From The Erstwhile Tyler Kyle!

Convincing you to read my novel by the first sentence. Share yours if you want!
November 11, 2025 at 3:48 PM
Reposted by Steve Hugh Westenra
professoremily.bsky.social
Convincing you to read my novel by the first sentence. Share yours if you want!

In case it wasn't clear...
#Tenement
Screenshot of the first lines of my surreal dystopian mystery, TENEMENT. ------- CHAPTER ONE: THE RULES No one ever left the Tenement. That was Rule Number One. [Text Box:] [~~~RULE ONE~~~] [Under no circumstances shall anyone leave the Tenement.]
November 11, 2025 at 3:37 PM
stevewestenra.bsky.social
New in, "Steve comes to everything late," I am now listening to The Magnus Archives (on the last season) and my best friend has leant me their PS5 and I'm playing Baldur's Gate 3!

Possibly I already shared this, but I have no memory anymore
November 11, 2025 at 3:37 PM
Reposted by Steve Hugh Westenra
akiwitch.bsky.social
From Ghost Punch! Ghost hunting for fun and profit (until it's not fun or profitable)

Convincing you to read my novel by the first sentence. Share yours if you want!
November 11, 2025 at 3:29 PM
Reposted by Steve Hugh Westenra
sayaashrah.bsky.social
From This Is How Immortals Die!

Convincing you to read my novel by the first sentence. Share yours if you want!

#WorldWithoutLove
Prologue. Aphrodite's graceful smile threatened to shatter my heart into pieces.
November 11, 2025 at 3:23 PM
Reposted by Steve Hugh Westenra
kmenright.bsky.social
From MISTRESS OF LIES

Convincing you to read my novel by the first sentence. Share yours if you want!
A screengrab of the opening of MISTRESS OF LIES. It reads: Chapter One: Shan It should have been more difficult to assassinate her father.
November 11, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Reposted by Steve Hugh Westenra
ringles.bsky.social
I'll play along!

Convincing you to read my novel by the first sentence. Share yours if you want.
Three people on the planet are fluent in English, and I taught the other two. Not more than forty have learned to recognize an alphabet. Nobody can read cursive–especially
November 11, 2025 at 3:13 PM
Reposted by Steve Hugh Westenra
sophiajt.com
From Machines of Consent!

Convincing you to read my novel by the first sentence. Share yours if you want!
Prologue “Fuck!” 
The shock had caught Jess — newly Dr. Jess Stockton in formal settings — unaware. Luckily, it hadn’t appeared to damage the main board.
November 11, 2025 at 3:00 PM
Reposted by Steve Hugh Westenra
wildfaeriecaps.com
joining the "convincing you to read my novel by the first sentence" train. feel free to play along.

this one's from That Bitter Sting (wildfaeriecaps.com/tbs/)
reads as follows: Chapter One: A literal ghost in the machine. Dominik "I give up. The fucking espresso machine is haunted," Dominik said with a heavy sigh, throwing the damp coffee-stained rag onto the countertop.
November 11, 2025 at 2:42 PM
Reposted by Steve Hugh Westenra
nils.readindiefantasy.com
From: At the Road's End.

Convincing you to read my novel by the first sentence. Share yours if you want!
Picture showing the first line of At the Road's End. The line is: Everyone knew Toini died sixteen years ago.
November 11, 2025 at 12:50 PM
Reposted by Steve Hugh Westenra
helynalc.bsky.social
Convincing you to read my novel by the first sentence. Share yours if you want!

Skylark in the Fog // Imbued
A screenshot of the start of the first chapter of Skylark in the Fog by Helyna L. Clove Chapter 01: Wild Lark Chase The moment the first missile crashed into the Skylark, Captain Jeane Blake realized she had gravely underestimated the danger they'd gotten themselves into. A screenshot of the first sentences of Imbued by Helyna L. Clove Prelude Magic was always going to be my downfall. I'd known that from the start.
November 11, 2025 at 12:58 PM
Reposted by Steve Hugh Westenra
thepinkhydra.com
Convincing you to read my novel by the first sentence. Share yours if you want!

From the moment I decided my epic fantasy needed a prologue, I've never looked back. 😜

books2read.com/forestofthemorning
First page of the print layout of my novel Forest of the Morning. Text reads: Prologue The Armour Hills were brilliant with moonlight. Behind them, the city was burning. Hiram kept a fast grip on his daughter’s hand, willing her not to look back and think about the two they had left behind, willing himself not to stop. They were almost clear of the madness, the slaughter and the burning. They were at the top of the gulley. He stopped to catch his breath. Lathea’s hand, slick with sweat, slid out of his. Her breathing—as it well might be, in her condition—was strained. “They’re killing everybody,” she gasped. “Only those with the Gift,” Hiram insisted. “You and I, we don’t have it. We’ll win free.” She stared at him, huge tears beading in her amber-brown eyes. “Mother has the Mage-Gift.” Her voice shook. “Karat has the Mage-Gift.” She placed a hand, protectively, on her distended stomach. “And you know as well as I do”—her voice broke—“that there’s an even chance my children will have it.”
November 11, 2025 at 1:00 PM
stevewestenra.bsky.social
No Adobe Acrobat, I do not want your plagiarism machine to distill the main themes of my own dissertation for me. I do want a functional search back. 😡
November 11, 2025 at 1:14 PM
Reposted by Steve Hugh Westenra
devinmadson.bsky.social
convincing you to read my novel by the first sentence. share yours if you want!

(The Gentleman and His Vowsmith)
Chaptor 1 Death is the only way to escape being a Monterris. Nic had been five when his father told him so, which was, if one thought about it, a bit messed up. When Nic was eight he'd said love was nothing but a bargaining tool. At eleven he'd clarified it was a bargaining tool should someone love him, a weakness should he deign to love another. And at fifteen that it was a weakness he could never indulge. Wine, on the other hand, was encouraged. Thank. God.
November 11, 2025 at 12:40 PM
Reposted by Steve Hugh Westenra
sorayaequinn.bsky.social
Lots of tasty stuff bubbling in my crock pots! 🥘

I wrote a book & accidentally opened a portal to unlimited creativity—whoops 🤷🏾‍♀️

Grab my debut, Teeth, while you wait on all this other goodness to get plated 🍽️

Payhip: payhip.com/b/PNV6Y

Kobo, Smashwords, etc: books2read.com/teeth
The last work in progress that I… The last work in progress that I hyperfixated on included weird small town vibes, things that made my tummy hurt, and writing that I think will make people want to fuck a bug. The last work in progress that I started includes two trans-for-trans punks, a lizard and a demon, who do nasty stuff at a punk show. There’s lots of sweat, blood, and vore. The last work in progress that I allowed to haunt me is a Y2K erotica with monsters doing sex work and a depressed main character who uses fucking to feel something. Very horny!
November 8, 2025 at 12:31 AM
stevewestenra.bsky.social
From The Erstwhile Tyler Kyle!

Convincing you to read my novel by the first sentence. Share yours if you want!
The Echo Island Diary: Entry 1 Tyler Kyle Went to the Island July 12th, 2019: 10:00 AM It is a truth universally acknowledged that a man in possession of the name Tyler is definitely an asshole. Combine that with the name Kyle and you’ve got yourself not
November 11, 2025 at 12:13 PM
stevewestenra.bsky.social
This is a weird one (and possibly imposter syndrome adjacent), but does anyone else experience this feeling of "I am tricking people into thinking x" when that's super irrational? Like, by doing the work associated with being skilled at x I am tricking someone into thinking I'm I have the skills to
November 10, 2025 at 8:16 PM
Reposted by Steve Hugh Westenra
stevewestenra.bsky.social
#WIPSnips - "Local"

A little Tyler-style snark for today's!

Art by bsky.app/profile/litt...

Find the book here! books2read.com/u/boB9YL

Itchio: itch.io/b/3352/trans...

#indiehorror #queerhorror #transhorror
"The resort is at the edge of town, which is a five-minute walk from the middle of town. Already I feel both like I’ve seen everything I need to see, and like this is the kind of place that probably has a hidden network of tunnels underneath it to accommodate the otherwise short-for-space Lovecraftian cult and their Tuesday-evening virgin sacrifices. In a small town like this the local cult is probably low on virgins." - The Erstwhile Tyler Kyle
November 10, 2025 at 2:55 PM
stevewestenra.bsky.social
Sleepy today. D :
November 10, 2025 at 3:13 PM
Reposted by Steve Hugh Westenra
jennelikejennay.bsky.social
Have y'all seen the cover for Invasive yet?

I've been quietly uploading it everywhere but this is the official reveal.

This was made by my designer @evensong.bsky.social. She and I worked together to get the Eosian forest looking just as I described it. There are a couple tiny details to find!
The cover for Invasive, by Sheila Jenné. The cover shows a scene of a forest with strange-looking trees and birds, all in shades of purple. Behind a fern lurks a pair of green eyes. A shadow shaped like a panther slinks in the background. There are definitely dangers here, and yet you kind of want to venture in anyway. Or maybe that's just me.
November 10, 2025 at 2:08 PM
Reposted by Steve Hugh Westenra
mzakharuk.bsky.social
#MutualAid #HelpSky
mzakharuk.bsky.social M Zakharuk @ IMAGO OUT NOW @mzakharuk.bsky.social · 5d
Been a while, enough for the name and pronouns on the GFM to become outdated 😅 However, thanks to your donations, I've been able to book a surgery date and get a more accurate cost estimate, lowering the overall goal.

Please help me meet it before Jun 18!

gofund.me/8749cfb86
Donate to Help Emma Get Gender-Affirming Surgery, organized by Em Zakharuk
UPD: Thanks to your generosity, I've been able to book a surgery date. Please help … Em Zakharuk needs your support for Help Emma Get Gender-Affirming Surgery
gofund.me
November 10, 2025 at 2:14 PM
stevewestenra.bsky.social
#WIPSnips - "Local"

A little Tyler-style snark for today's!

Art by bsky.app/profile/litt...

Find the book here! books2read.com/u/boB9YL

Itchio: itch.io/b/3352/trans...

#indiehorror #queerhorror #transhorror
"The resort is at the edge of town, which is a five-minute walk from the middle of town. Already I feel both like I’ve seen everything I need to see, and like this is the kind of place that probably has a hidden network of tunnels underneath it to accommodate the otherwise short-for-space Lovecraftian cult and their Tuesday-evening virgin sacrifices. In a small town like this the local cult is probably low on virgins." - The Erstwhile Tyler Kyle
November 10, 2025 at 2:55 PM