Nick Kyme

Welcome one and all, welcome back and hello 2012!

Normally, I provide some sort of retrospective on 2011 but as I am busier than a busy thing I’m going to forego that tradition in favour of a short blog (with pictures) and then get on with The Great Betrayal. What I will say, just briefly, is this is the year I finished a trilogy! Bwoop!

Yep, Nocturne is the last book in the Tome of Fire trilogy (sort of…) and I am heartily pleased by A) the fan reaction and B) that I finished this epic story. Some bloggers, Facebookers, Tweeters (etc, etc) have commented that it still has some loose ends a la Lost. That’s deliberate, folks. I am returning to the Salamanders this year/next year (that’s 2012/2013 now) for the Circle of Fire trilogy where some of those threads will be taken up and run with.

I’ve actually just finished writing and scripting my fourth (I thik that’s right…) audio drama for BL, Perfection, which has some connective tissue in it to the upcoming new series.

This was also the year that I wrote my second Horus Heresy novella, Feat of Iron (which is to be released in June in The Primarchs collection). Together with another new short story (’At the Gates of Terra’) and my previous works in the series, a novel is on the cards in the near future.

Going back to the Sallies, I mentioned that the Tome of Fire trilogy wasn’t completely done with. That’s because there’s going to be a fourth volume that will come out between Nocturne and the next book in the new trilogy (tentatively titled Rebirth at the moment, which may change if the sales and marketing daemons don’t like it…). It’s actually going to be a collection of all the short stories (including the audio) that tie-in to the series and include some of the main characters (oh, The Burning will be in there too – I know a few people have contacted me on FB about how to get hold of that one).

Contents (but not running order) looks something like this, I believe:

Vulkan’s Shield
Hell Night
Fires of War
Fireborn
Prometheus Requiem
The Burning

I’ll also be writing an exclusive novella for the book. Hopefully, this will come as welcome news to fans of the series who want a complete collection for their bookshelves. It’ll have the same artwork style as previous volumes and fit in nicely with the three main books of the series.

So, what was supposed to be a fairly short retrospective turned into a rather long one.

In really brief, brief then, Christmas was awesome (hope yours was too) and although I’ve eaten more than I usually would (and not as healthily) and not been running, I still feel pretty trim. This is the year I will run round Silverstone and, hopefully, do the Great North Run in Newcastle. Training begins in earnest on Tuesday when I’m back in the office (oh, that’s tomorrow…).

And finally, finally, in 2011 I joined Twitter and have sent a bunch of tweets. Follow me @NickKyme for my various comings and goings. I’m now part of a bowling league too. I also met my wonderful lady, Stef. Here we are at New Year looking all swanky pants.

It's New Year, baby!

I went clay pigeon shooting for the first time too, and here’s the pix (if you follow me on Twitter and have been waiting for these, some technical difficulties prevented me putting them up but here they are now…).

Bring the rain!

Death to all clayliens!

In the words of Clarence Boddiker, 'Guns, guns, guns!'

Stay still you wascelly wabbit... (of course, I was shooting clays and not rabbits; anyone who does that should be shot in the arse if you ask me... grrr...)

So, now I can wield a shotgun with deadly force. Bring on the zombie apocalypse!

It’s been a packed and eventful 2011 then. Here’s hoping that 2012 will be even better.

Love, life and happines to everyone who comes to the blog, friends and messages me on Facebook, reads my tweets or who simply just like reading my novels and stories. Keep up the support, spread the word. There’s much more to come in 2012 and beyond.

And come back, y’hear. I know I don’t blog as much (busy writing) but let’s see some comments gang…

Bwoop!

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!

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!

Seems like that little Space Wolf story I did is causing quite a stir amongst the masses.

Thunder from Fenris is audio drama, my first as it happens, starring a trio of Thunder Wolf Cavalry on the hunt for one of their fallen brethren against the background of an ice world succumbed to a zombie plague – grr, braaaiiiins…

I’m not sure, but I think when I was pitching this piece (not something I’d planned but that came to me none-the-less and no one else was going to do it), I knew I had the ingredients of something cool. Generally, a good rule of thumb is that if you’re excited about it then other people will be excited about it too. It had all the good stuff I like, certainly: zombies, Vikings in space, monstrous cybernetically-altered super wolves and snow. How could it lose?

Well, despite the fact it wasn’t released to the trade (a huge shame and a missed opportunity in my opinion, but I don’t make the rules about that), Thunder from Fenris has been doing the rounds and garnering some pretty damn favourable reviews wherever it goes.

The latest comes from Mass Movement Magazine, a hugely flattering piece that sings the audio’s praises, my story and Toby Longworth’s expert skills at delivering it so well.

It was also featured on the highly prestigious SF Signal blog, here. Admittedly, the reviewer did get the story a little wrong in the review, but high praise was foisted upon my Wolves yet again.

The one enduring, and perhaps contentious, piece of feedback I get from it whenever I speak to anyone about Thunder from Fenris is the voice we used for Thorgard. Before you ask, yes it was meant to sound a bit like a Scandinavian Arnie. Love it, hate it or just find it plain bonkers, it’s one of those things that’ll always be memorable. I thought it sounded great and it always raises a cheeky little smile on my face.

Getting hold of the audio is proving a bit of a challenge for some people, especially with the Black Library website still down (yes, I know, it’s been like that for ages – be patient people! ). Well, here’s a link to Games Workshop’s website where you can buy the action-packed Thunder from Fenris quite easily. And it’s free shipping in January for orders over a tenner, so get your butts over there, bag Thunder from Fenris and treat yourself to Salamander, too, if already haven’t. Shameless plugging I know, but I’m feeling slightlyreckless today.

Tell you what, too, it’s kinda weird discussing and seeing reviews for a thing you wrote months and months ago. I’m currently embroiled in all things Firedrake at the moment, the sequel to Salamader that is gathering more and more momentum on a daily basis (more on the progress on that later), but it’s nice to go back and remember some of what will become my back catalogue material.

Hokey dokey, back to the keyboard for some fiery Salamander action!

Apologies it’s a little late but I’ve finally drawn the winners to the Fireborn competition. I’m blame the onset of Xmas for my tardiness and all the malarky that goes hand-in-hand with that.

Okies, cast your minds back… up for grabs was a copy of the Fireborn extract booklet as read during the Warhammer Club Day held at GW Head Office.

Many entered, but only five were called… Step forward, venerated winners:

Dan Potts
Eric Burney
Darin Haley
Moffen
Andy Nisbet

Commiserations to the rest of you, but thank you so much for entering the comp, which had proven to be my most successful one yet by a clear, country mile!

Almost 90 people (yes, 90! I could hardly believe it myself) had a go and, hopefully, you’ll all be checking out the audio book as soon as it’s released next year.

Winners, I shall be contacting you via email in order to get a mailing address where I can send the extract booklets!

In the meantime, I’m working on a short story for the BL Live chapbook called ‘The Burning’ (yes, it’s Salamanders) and then it’s on to Firedrake…

Have a great Christmas, everyone (or whatever celebrations might be taking place for you) and a very Happy New Year!