Nick Kyme

Well, they say all good things must come to an end, and that’s certainly true of 24 which producers announced was coming to a close in its eighth and final season currently airing on Sky One.

As a huge fan of Jack Bauer’s increasingly ridiculous adventures (and please don’t miss understand me, I mean that as irreverantly as possible), my first reaction was something along the lines of ‘balls!’.

No one likes it when one of their favourite shows disappears, and I remember fondly my University days when 24was first airing and the concept of a real-time based (well, sort of, if you factor in time for ad breaks – always thought that was a bit of a shame given it kind of rubbishes the show’s central conceit) action drama was new and shiny.

It’s old hat now, and one can’t help feel sorry for the character played by Kiefer Sutherland. Poor old Jack Bauer is about the unluckiest bastard on the face of the earth given all the shit he’s had to wade through over eight seasons.  I’ve lost count of the number of times he’s been shot, stabbed, tortured, beaten up and then tortured again. So far (because Season Eight has yet to be resolved) he hasn’t got the girl and kept her (in fact, most the time, she either ends up dead, is a traitor or loses her mind – don’t think that murky trend is set to change, either…).

Has to be said, though, that Kiefer Sutherland was a total legend in this role, and even if the later seasons didn’t quite live up to the Golden Age of the President David Palmer years (including Alan Dale as vice-president – holler! Let’s big up the Dale!), it was still a very cool show that crapped on its emulators (in terms of tone, if not concept) from a great height. Eight seasons is no mean feat.

I, for one, shall greet the end of 24with a fair amount of sadness and also relief that it didn’t just roll on until the axe fell. In truth, I reckon it might have had one more season in it but this’ll do I reckon.

So, there were have it. I salute you Jack Bauer. You were a heady blend of both Frank Castle and John McClane. You didn’t have a skull on your chest, nor did you wear a grubby, white vest but you kicked celebrated ass and wowed us all with your crazy, if slightly unbelievable, antics.

And, 24 fans of all shapes and sizes, here’s a cheeky link to a rather short but fairly self-explanatory article on IGN about the show’s final bow.

Figured it was high time for an update as to the status of Kyme.

So, I guess limbo would describe it pretty well at the mo but at least it’s limbo with a rudder and paddle (and at least the creek isn’t full of smelly brown stuff anymore, so that’s good).

Seriously, it has been the maddest six months in my life. Bonkers. Utter bollocks, most it, too.

As I sit here in a towel (sorry, bad mental image I’m sure but it’s my blog so I’ll say what I like, plus I’ve just got out of the shower and I usually find I’m more creative and prone to want to write something after having just emerged – must be the water flow or something; I’ve heard Graham say he’s more creative after having been swimming. Water = Creativity – is that a scientific fact? Calling all those with writer’s block or some such malady, get yourselves in the tub, pronto!), I’m pondering where I’m at right now with life, the universe and writing.

First up, can I say: thank you to all the blog fans who have supported me during this time of bloggage and writing paucity. You have my sincere apologies for my lack of interaction with you through the medium of my site. I hope that will change in the coming weeks. Also, dear friends, I have noted the absence from the blog (and I’m thinking comments here, people – is anybody listening… I mean anybody? Show me your love by posting comments, peeps) of certain folks who used to be regulars. I shall do my best, crestfallen and dejected once-believers, to drag you back into the fold. It’s nice and warm and cosy here, the cold winds are receding and summer is poking through the grey clouds (sort of reminds me of the opening lyrics to the theme tune to Happy Days…).

Randomness aside, there’s a lot to be cheerful about of late. Number one (but not necessarily the most important thing, and understand that the following list has no order as such, it’s just a list that has to come in some sort of order, usually as I think of the thing going into the list…), my laptop has been returned to me! Yes, that’s right, after a dodgy motherboard and £200 later, my beast is back and all-singing, all-dancing again. Crap excuse though it is, I actually blogged a lot less because I was on my tiny, ‘ickle netbook and that little fella, despite being awesome for train, plane and automobile journeys, just couldn’t cut the mustard (or the cheese) in the blog stakes – too slow, you see and with a screen too small. Pah!

Still, with the return of my 17″ beauty, I’m back in the blogging business… and how.

The lack of ‘puter didn’t impact on my writing too much, which brings me neatly to number two on the list of all things cheerful on a sunny Sunday afternoon. Yup, it seems after several weeks (nay, months) of wading through a mire of ineffectual writing and simple work lackage (and I’m coining that term, along with Bowdenian – i.e. something having the characteristics or manner of a certain Aaron Dembski-Bowden – and crimminy – say it with me people, ‘crimminy’ – thanks!), I have finally got back – or least ways am approaching a place where it’ll be back – my mojo.

Sweet baby Moses, it has taken its time but I can start to think again, whereas before I was merely acting. Going through the motions sucks in almost every circumstance (there are, of course, notable exceptions that I shan’t delve into here…), and this was no different. As a result of my newfound ‘writerlyness’, I have reached the midway point of Firedrake. Yeah, yeah, I know, I was pretty damn close to that a few weeks back. Shut it. This is different. I have got to the 50,000 word mark and I can now see forward to the other 50,000 words. This, dear readers, is nothing short of miraculous for me.

I’ve now started to have some fun with the story again and am adding little bits of character development here and there, weaving in new plot threads (only little ones, oh mighty editor of mine – nothing that’s going to make you cry or shout or… twist, I guess). The dark eldar are the antagonists for this one and it struck me as I was writing a scene with Tsu’gan in that I needed to show exactly who these guys were – what makes them tick (nasty, perverse and debased stuff, actually). After adding a few scenes to inject a bit of much needed personality into the dark eldar, as well as establish – or suggest – a relationship that exists between them and the Salamanders, I felt a lot more connected to them and it even resulted in a spinning story thread that won’t get resolved until Nocturne. Coo!

Looking to write another couple of thousand words today for Firedrake too and while I’m going to miss my deadline, it won’t be by a country mile as I had originally feared. Phew!

Just as well, really, as I’ve got a lot of work that’s recently landed on my slightly over-sized plate.

I’ll keep disclosure brief as some of this has yet to be ratified and should be considered speculative, but I’ve been commissioned to write a short story for a forthcoming Horus Heresy anthology. At present, it’s called ‘Forgotten Sons’ (the short story, NOT the anthology) and features an Ultramarine and a Salamander who are on a special mission as the two protagonists. It’s also set post-Dropsite Massacre. Let the speculation begin!

I’m trying out for Dan Abnett’s Sabbat Worlds anthology, too. I have a few ideas for this but haven’t exactly settled on one just yet. In any case, I need to float it by the great man himself first, but I will say that it’s very flattening and humbling to potentially be a part of this book. I’ve been a fan of the Ghosts for years (every since Gaunt said the word ‘balls’ in First and Only, I’ve been hooked) and to add to that world in some small way is a great thing indeed. Now I just need to come up with something awesome (already feeling the pressure…).

It’s really nice to be thinking about some short stories again. I honestly love writing them, and I guess that’s why there’s so many for the Tome of Fire saga and the Salamanders. Fresh, or should that really be ‘hot’, on the heels of Fireborn I also have a hankering to write another Salamanders audio. This one, I think, will be slightly out of time, but shall feature none-other than Forgemaster Argos, possibly when Kadai was still captain. Details yet to be worked out but I have the central story conceit in mind and it’s very cool.

Moving swiftly back to the realm of novels, I have my eye on the book between Firedrake and Nocturne to be a Space Marine Battles novel. Again, nothing has been ratified yet, but if it comes off (i.e. I’m allowed to write it), it’ll signal a return for the Ultramarines of 2nd Company – a sort of unofficial sequel to Assault on Black Reach. Watch this space for more in due course.

The upshot of all that is, the pipe is pretty full at the moment, which is great. I’ll definitely need to apply myself over the next few weeks and months, especially concerning getting Firedrake in the bag but it’s nice to be busy and in demand.

Oh, as far as my upcoming releases go, I have a short story in an anthology, an audio book and a new Warhammer novel all recently released or coming soon. Here are the linkys, which will take you to the spanky new Black Library website – can I get a woot!?

Legends of the Space Marines (anthology – May)

Fireborn (audio CD – June)

Grimblades (novel – August)

Ooh, and I almost forget, another short in another anthology…

Fear the Alien (anthology – September)

Shameless plug over, but as folks do ask about my upcoming releases I thought I’d oblige.

Right, that’s it for the mo. I’m off to clean the bathroom, put on some pants and get a cup of coffee (and in that order).

Exeunt!

Good Sunday, blog fans!

It’s time to don your beret’s, hide behind some dark glasses and slip a bit of jazz on in the background.

Poetry corner, everyone… courtesy of Mr Rob Roberts. Enjoy, daddio… yeah, nice.

Promethean Son
Of noble warriors born, flesh to be shaped anew
Taken from home one morn, far from the land he knew
On pillars of fire he rose, into the Promethean sky
Fear mounting, heart pounding, tear falls from scarlet eye

Thoughts returning home at night, as warrior lies bathed in volcanic light
Eyes ablaze in rememberance, upon cot he lies, as in a trance
Piebald body, scarred and burnt, each a lesson painfully learnt
Battles fought and duty done, rest for now, Promethean Son.

Greetings, Salamander fans!

Guess what showed up in the office a few days ago?

Any takers?

Any?

All right, all right – check out the image below…

Yup, that’s right. The audio CD of Fireborn dropped in my lap that a fire-wreathed comet!

This was actually the first opportunity I had to listen to the final produced piece. I’d heard some rushes and even an edit or two with sound fx, but not until a few days ago had I sampled the glory of music, fx and a final editorial pass. Cowabunga dudes – it sounds great. Even the funky effect over the Salamanders’ voices comes across cool.

Here’s a sneaky peak of the innards, so to speak…

Juicy biscuits indeed. I’m seriously chuffed about the production on this CD, yet a further instalment in the Tome of Fire saga.

To summary then, this story features Tsu’gan and Praetor as it’s principle characters (okay, tangent alert! Something interesting that’s come out through talking to folks about Salamander and the various shorts and so on that have been released to add some extra ballast to the series is the divide that seems to exist for some fans between Tsu’gan and Dak’ir. Fact! Aaron Dembski-Bowden – also known as ADB, which just sounds contagious - is a self-confessed Tsu’gan fan. I’ve talked to other folks that prefer Dak’ir. Weird, huh? I wonder if it says something about a reader’s inner psyche depending on which character they favour? Intriguing… Certainly, it was always the plan to introduced two very different focal characters for the series. In Firedrake they literally diverge – Tsu’gan goes off and joins the First Company, fighting alongside the likes of Vulkan He’stan no less; whereas Dak’ir is training to become a Librarian and joins Pyriel on a quest of his very own. Funny, though, that the split between the characters and the narrative has manifest itself in the readership, too. Spooky… End of tangent)… now, where was I? Oh yes, the story in Fireborn…

Right. Yes. Tsu’gan and Praetor are the central characters. They’re sent to a shrine world that’s besieged by Chaos to retrieve a holy relic and save it from destruction. It’s not quite as simple as the Firedrakes first think, though. When a deadly daemon-engine is unleashed against them by the Chaos renegades, matters only get more complicated. Expect carnage by the bucket load, but also a development of Tsu’gan’s character arc and more than one twist in the tale.

Fireborn sits inbetween the first two novels and recounts one of Tsu’gan’s missions before we meet him again in Firedrake. Chronologically speaking, it takes place before ‘Prometheus Requiem’, which appears in Fear the Alien and describes another of the angry Salamander’s missions.

Last but not least then. Here’s a picture of the art work bereft of CD cases and my dodgy digital photogrpahy, since folks have been asking for it…

Look out for Fireborn in June on the BL Website and the GW Webstore , too.

Have to say, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my forays into audio land. Both Thunder from Fenris and Fireborn were fascinating and illuminating experiences. I have an idea for another audio, but it’ll have to wait in line behind Firedrake, an as-of-yet undisclosed project, Nocturne and a HH short story. Phew!