Nick Kyme

Today it’s been a tale of less Arkham and more working. Yup, I hung up my batarangs for a bit while I got some much needed words down on Grimblades.

Tempting as it was to blow the entire day chasing through Arkham Asylum, my conscience got the better of me and after a little housework (yawn – but fair’s fair when you’ve got an other half), I knuckled down to some serious writing.

I’m glad that I did. Some really interesting and surprising stuff came out as I began to embrace the Stephen King-ian method of story telling i.e. let the story take you where it wants to go. I’m actually really liking the way that Grimblades is coming out, so far. The dialogue and characters feel real, the story is fitting together in ways I never expected and it’s keeping me interested (one of the hardest things, I find, when you’re just over halfway through a novel is sustaining enthusiasm – there’s always that other thing you want to do or that short story you’re tempted to just ‘rattle off’).

After some Chinese take-away this evening, I’m going to have another session on it and see if I can reach the 63,000 word mark. That’s pretty much been my goal for the bank holiday weekend. Not bad, considering the Arkham intervention. I’m still around 15,000 words behind what I had originally targeted before the grip of flu, but at least I’m maintaining pace and not falling behind. I reckon the flu probably knocked me back three weeks in all, and as I tend to write 7,000 words a week minimum (that’s 1,000 a day) then I’m actually slightly ahead – if you see what I mean.

I’m hoping I won’t need a deadline extension. Maybe just for some final editorial tweaks at the end – we’ll see. One thing I will not do is rush it. I’ve been under unnecessary pressure too many times in the past and I won’t go there again. It’ll take as long as it takes (so long as that’s not a silly amount of time – authors take note: be nice to your editors, especially ones that write as well).

So, yeah, about 2,000 words plus today (which is over my usual quota, but when it’s flowing it’s flowing – I deliberately give myself ‘easy’ targets to hit, adhering to that age old adage of ‘under promise, over delivery’ – it’s worked so far…). If I can hit about another 1,000 tonight (doable – the missus is watching that fairly ropey One Tree Hill at 9pm, so I’ll have an hour of peace and maybe then some…), I’ll be just about there.

I’ve actually been building up to a big battle scene that takes place outside Averheim (it’s besieged by the army of Grom the Goblin King – don’t you just hate it when that happens?). Before heading straight into the fray, as it were, I wanted to make some fairly extensive notes and plans for how this scene is going to play out. Multiple viewpoints, ‘phases’ of battle, deployment etc all had to be considered, otherwise I could end up with an incoherent, repetitive mess. I do occasionally find that battle scenes are the refuge of the unconfident writer, the one place where they really go to town on overdoing it and overwriting it.

My belief is that battle scenes are tough to write because of this very pitfall. Like any scene in a novel, a battle scene should be choreographed. It needs purpose, milestones, objectives, complications – really, you should treat it like a mini-novel in itself. It’s way too easy to start throwing in visceral words and more onomatopoeia than you can shake a clanging, crumping, shlerking stick at. Repetition, that most perilous bugbear of mine and every author I’ve ever worked with (every single one, bar none), is a treacherous beast at times such as this. After all, there are only so many times you can cut, cleave, slice, crush, maim, roar, slash, bellow, hammer, thunder, crash, spear, spike, batter, smash someone – phew!

Big battles, you know the Agincourt, Waterloo style affairs with lots and lots of bodies, all fighting in regiments, catapults flinging and people dying or getting impaled all over the place – watch the opening of Gladiator and you’ll know what I mean – big battles are really hard to do. You have to think about individuals AND groups. You need a soldier’s eye view for the really gruesome stuff, the ‘in the trenches’ feel and a general’s eye view so you can figure out who’s winning and why.

They are fun to write, no denying that, and I’m looking forward to the attempted liberation of Averheim. All I’m saying is: planning is everything at these points. You can’t just say to yourself ‘Ooh, battle, battle, battle’ and hope it turns out all right. You’re on your way to narrative soup that way and the sections of books that people skip over (there’s a famous-ish quote attached to that, which I can’t remember – the upshot is ‘don’t write these bits’). Tread carefully, young padawans (and avoid cheesy Star Wars refs too).

Man, not sure where all that came from. In the time and the words it’s taken me to write this post, I could’ve been well on the way to that 1,000 words I was banging on about earlier. Still, this is more like stream of consciousness bloggage – just a warm up for the real deal a bit later on.

Thanks for listening (if you did, that is).

It’s been upgraded from a day to a weekend…

Yes, I have my dirty little mitts on a copy of Batman: Arkham Asylum and it is goooood.

I’ll keep this short and anecdotal as I’m eager to get back to liberating a certain mental institution for the criminally insane from a mental, criminally insane clown.

Tragedy of tragedies, even though I pre-ordered the collector’s edition of Batman: Arkham Asylum from Game, they still were unable to get it to me for its release date of the 28th. I was, let’s say, ‘narked’. Because the problem was, in my infinite wisdom (smell the sarcasm?), I had put down GW as my delivery address, thinking it would come to my desk and I’d have none of the bullshit going to the post office, not being able to get it until Tuesday.

How wrong I was…

The game didn’t arrive (so much for Game’s ‘First to Play’ guarantee – what’s the point of pre-ordering, I ask you, if you can’t even play the game before some schmo who rocks up to the nearest shop and buys it on the day of release – bah, says I!) and I was left with the cold reality that the earliest I could possibly get it would be Tuesday. That meant the entire bank holiday weekend with no Arkham Asylum.

Well, that simply would not do, so do you know what I did? I got in my car and went straight around to Sainsbury’s and purchased that bad boy there and then. No waiting for me, no sir! (I’m usually a much more patient person but Arkham’s been a long time coming and for me the wait was most definitely over.)

What I can say at this point is: Arkham is awesome. I don’t want to sully any potential review with any further comments here, but it’s all I was hoping for and much, much more.

I wanted to say that upon my arrival at GW Uxbridge, and when the signing was in full flow, I had a very nice surprise in store for me.

Not only did I meet the elusive Stealth Buda (aka Adam), but the rather excellent chap had brought a gift for me and not just any gift, oh no…

You see, on Friday there was a signing over in Oxford Street by Paul Dini of the new Batman: Arkham Asylum game. Adam (Buda) had mentioned it to me (the eagle-eyed might have even see the Facebook event link in the comments section of the site) but as I was in London the day after I couldn’t really justify heading down on Friday too (as it was, I was working anyway, but would have loved to have gone and met Paul Dini).

Well, do you know what Adam did? He only went and got me a copy of the special mini-comic book that was being dished out on the day to all the Batman: Arkham Asylum fans. And not only that, he also got it signed to me from Paul Dini himself!

You could’ve knocked me over with a strong breeze I was that taken aback and really chuffed when Adam presented me with it.

Seriously, man, THIS WAS AWESOME. Thank you, so much. I am a huge fan of Batman and love Paul Dini’s work on the character (particularly on Batman: The Animated Series). That was so thoughtful and good of you to do that. I really am very pleased and genuinely touched by the gesture. I actually read it during the signing, in the odd lull, so eager was I to know the story (actually had a few neat little insights too and the art was fantastic – I love D’Anda’s work). I will cherish this, Adam, I really will.

Just to show how proud I am of it, here’s the comic in question together with Paul Dini’s sig!

Yesterday was the last leg of the Salamander UK signing tour. Before I tell you all how I got on at Uxbridge, I just wanted to say that I’ve had a blast doing these few dates signing the new book. It’s been great meeting and talking to folks. You’ve all been very kind, each and every one. Your interest, questions and enthusiasm will give me the impetus I need to get cracking with Firedrake in a few months.

It was also really nice to see quite a few of my backlist novels like Oathbreaker and Assault on Black Reach getting the signing treatment (no Back from the Deads, though, which was a shame). Even Grudgelore got a look in – how about that.

This is actually the first time I’ve done a signing tour like this. I’ve signed at Games Day and the odd GW store but never done a month 0f touring. It’s been great but tiring (all that talking and travelling really knackers you out), and I will definitely do it again. If you live in Oxford, by the way, and were disappointed at my no-show, I can only apologise. That was the only regret in an otherwise really excellent signing tour. All I can say is I would have loved to have been there with you (I had a bunch of family coming over to see me sign too), but my flu was really bad and I couldn’t come over with good conscience knowing my germs (really quite serious and nasty ones at that) would be passed on to others. What I will say is this: when Firedrake is done, GW Oxford with be top of my signing tour list.

Well then, cutting a short story long, how was Uxbridge?

In a word: awesome (and I know this gets banded about a bit, but it is totally true – in fact, Alex and I once considered changing the word ‘awesome’ for something new like ‘umbongo’ as the original word has lost all of its meaning and weight in modern parlance – in this instance, though, it is justified).

It was a long trip down south with a two hour train journey from Nottingham to St Pancras International in London and then from there another hour (ish – it was just less) on the tube to get me to Uxbridge (I was able to do some writing and synopsis planning as a result – so not all bad). Thankfully, the store itself was in a shopping centre very close to the tube station – huzzah.

Quiet initially, I liken GW Uxbridge to a sleeping giant. You see, after being greeted by Zak, Pali and Alex (all totally sound guys who I will buy a beer for some time for their kindness, professionalism and hospitality – I was very well looked after – thank you guys, so much), I was handed a few copies to sign for folks who couldn’t make it. ‘Cool’, I thought, at least it wasn’t a wasted trip. The shop actually felt fairly quiet with a few hobbyists just getting on with painting, gaming or whatever, then, all of a sudden, a queue sprang up out of nowhere! Loads of people had turned up, eagerly clutching stacks of books for me to sign. It was very flattering and humbling.

The two hour slot I’d pegged for the signing was fairly steady after that initial rush. There was time to play a quick demo of Space Hulk (which I won – I was the Terminators, can you believe that – thanks to Alex for the tips) and I even had the honour of judging the store painting competition (prize was a signed Salamander poster for all the winners) – well done to all.

Like all good things, the signing eventually came to an end and I was hot-footing it out of the store to catch my tube train back to Notts. I had a really good time and was made to feel extremely welcome by everyone I spoke to.

As I’ve said, this is the last date on the Salamander UK tour but I will be at Games Day with a bunch of other authors, so if you missed out I shall hopefully see you there…

It’s been a week or two now since most people have been able to get their hands on a copy of Salamander. Some have done it by fair means, others by foul (well, cheeky – foul is a little harsh).

What has been extremely gratifying is the positive response the book has been getting and all the requests I’ve received already for the sequel (Firedrake is the next book I’m writing after Grimblades – it’s all planned out – as much as these things can be – and will tie up some lose ends but loosen others…).

Must say, I only occasionally browse forums (I tend to find them slightly harsh and volatile places with a pretty black and white outlook, but it tends to be the exception rather than the rule) but I’ve been pleasantly surprised and delighted by the comments Salamander has been getting.

So, just wanted to say ‘thank you’ really for all the constructive feedback and praise the book has received. It makes the effort and the late nights drinking coffee a little more worthwhile.

And while we’re in the reviewing vein, here’s another nice one from Graeme’s Fantasy Book Review!

(PS Dan, I’ve not forgotten about the one you posted on Bolter & Chainsword but it’s so laden with plot eviscerating spoilers I dare not link to it! Thanks though… )