Nick Kyme

…I’ve been putting the final touches to my first Horus Heresy short story, ‘Forgotten Sons’. It’s done now, first draft anyway, and resides with my editor for his perusal. It weighed in at an impressive 18,000+ words. For some reason, I’m whacking more words on the page at the mo, which is fine, because I’m on to Fall of Damnos next. At a mighty 100,000 words (and then some – maybe…), I’ll regard the long-shorts as training.

Tough experience writing the Heresy piece. I enjoyed it. It’s also a different type of story for me. Main issue is the feeling that I don’t quite have carte blanche to do what I want within the milieu. It’s daunting, being in a collection alongside some of BL’s heavyweights. These guys have got frightening creativity and intelligence, and know how and where to bend the envelope (or push it, or whatever).

Still, that’s said, it’s given me a taste for it and I’d like to delve into the series on a deeper level if I can just bypass all the flaming hoops I’m having to jump through. There’s a story scripted already, and it’s a biggy – I just hope I get to tell it.

Anywho, lots of printed product coming out with my name on it or thereabouts recently.

First up is Sabbat Worlds, Dan’s awesome anthology on the aforementioned eponymous theme. My story is called ‘Blueblood’ and is another bloater at over 20k. That’s around 40,000 words in short story mileage of late – almost half a novel. Sheesh! I’ll be joining some of the other luminaries (okay, so they’re a little bit more luminous than me) at Forbidden Planet in London on the 9th of September for a signing. Details are in a previous post, but if you like this sort of thing get your asses over there as it’s a rare opportunity to get all of these great authors in a room together.

Also through the printer’s pipe was Grimblades – now released and getting some decent reviews. Still need to do my BL blog on this one, but have been a little snowed under to get around to it just yet (you’ll probably have noticed my own website’s blog has been a little quiet lately too…). I’ve had a copy of Fear the Alien, and a big thanks to the fans who’ve got in touch via Facebook to tell me how much they enjoyed my story ‘Prometheus Requiem’.

Finally, and I’ve really saved the best until last. Firedrake has landed in all its flaming glory!

It’s not out until November or UK Games Day at the end of September if you’re lucky enough to get it on pre-release at that event. I’m also doing two signings in early October at Oxford and Uxbridge GW (apparently, Aylesbury won’t be open or ready in time, so I’ve had to nix that date – sorry ). There’ll also be signed copies heading over to GW King’s Lynne in limited numbers, so if you just want a daubing and no face time then that’s the place to be.

One quick addition to all of this Firedrake fun. For some unfathomable reason (I suspect the influence of Chaos or something…), a rather important acknowledgement was missed out of the first printing. It’ll be on subsequent printings, but the first few won’t have it. Anywho, as it name checks a lot of good people who really helped me during the completion of this novel, I wanted to put it here. You guys are awesome and my appreciation to your efforts and counsel is vast. From my heart, a sincere thanks…

‘A sincere nod of thanks to Aaron Dembski-Bowden, Dan Abnett, Steve Parker, George Mann and Caroline Law for going above and beyond. Also to Christian Dunn for letting me write this thing.’

I’m sat at home ill today. I’m nursing a bloody annoying cold (yeah, it’s man-flu – shut up, okay), thanks to my plague-ridden desk editor at BL.

I wish crush you, Davis. Crush. You.

I watched Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths again (and the DC Showcase: The Spectre – both of which are awesome), have eaten breakfast, lolled about feeling sorry for myself, taken max-strength flu tablets and am Lemsipped up to the freakin’ eyeballs – now I’m bored.

So to the blog cave, Blog Man, for some bloggage – o’h yes…

So, what’s new?

Well – he says between sniffles and coughs – again, Davis I will snap you in two for this (I’m Best Man at a best mate’s wedding at the weekend and really need to write my speech…) – I’m officially past my word count on ‘Forgotten Sons’ (that’s the Heresy short I’m doing for Age of Darkness). It’s gonna be a mite longer than 12,000 words, methinks (sorry eds, but that’s the way I’m rolling at the mo – sometimes you write short; sometimes long – I’m on ‘long’ right about now, so suck it up ‘kay). I’m chuffed with the way it’s panning out; part legal drama (but in a cool way), part thriller – I think/hope you’ll all likey.

Fretting over Fall of Damnos (though there was a saweeeet looking dps in our latest trade catalogue of this bad boy, complete with quote about how someone really liked my writing and characters – woot!), not because it’ll be tough to do; yeah, it’ll be tough but that’s not why – I just need to get this Heresy short nailed and my speech written and my health back in order so I’ll be able to get somewhere in the ball park of the deadline. Arggh!

Okies, so I’ve been watching a few films lately, taking advantage of my membership to Lovefilm.

Most recently, Youth in Revolt and Edge of Darkness. The former was very funny, quirky and odd (a typical Michael Cera movie of an independent bent); whilst the latter was Mel Gibson dullness, dressed up as political thriller – yawn.

On the silver screen, I watched Inception (a separate post on that is in order, given it’s sheer awesomeness) and Shrek Forever After (yes, I’m still a sucker for 3D, and yes I will be going to watch Toy Story 3 in the same medium – do one).

Culturally, I had my first ever experience of Cirque du Soleil (my girlfriend informed me, a few weeks prior to the performance, that there was more than one type – ignorant beast that I am, I had no idea), the Saltimbanco show. It had a real street festival feel to it, apparently a little smaller in scale and grandiosity than some of the other shows, but was charming, mischievous and wonderful all in the same colourful, flashy hat. Recommended.

Last week I was out with the BL posse (the entire gang, barring Davis who was busy brewing up his lurgy to infect us all with – Crush. You.) on an ‘away day’. Lot’s of team bonding and crazy-ass antics ensued – photos headed to the blog in the next day or so.

Got some signings coming up. There’s UKGD, of course in September (27th, methinks?), but I’ll also be doing a mini-tour for the release of Firedrake - that’s going to be in early October in Oxford, Aylesbury and Uxbridge. If you’re around or can be around and can’t make GD then I hope to see you then. Oh, and don’t forget that in early September (see previous post of the exact date – I will update the events diary soon, I promise…) that I’ll be crossing signs pens with the big dogs: Abnett, McNeill, Swallow,Vincent and Mitchell (and possibly more besides) at the Forbidden Planet mega-signing of Sabbat Worlds - that there big anthology with Mr Dan’s name on it. Banzai!

That’s about it for the non-specifics. I may be back later with some other guff; for now, I’m going to make lunch and have a little sleep in the vain hope that when I wake up my head won’t feel like it’s filled with play dough.

PS Grimblades is now officially released and just want to give it a quick shout out. As I was saying to the missus the other day, I am very proud of this book and while it won’t get the same attention as a Salamanders novel I still hope that folks go out and get a copy. I’m supposed to be writing a guest blog spot about it for BL, so if you’re still undecided, take a look at that and see the light…

Good morning everybody peeps!

I always seem to be apologising for my lack of/inconsistent bloggage – I’m trying to do better. Honest, I am!

So, what’s in the pipe then. Well, Firedrake is due to be signed off on Monday when it will go to the printers and return all spanky and new and, well… like a book. Cool. Nice to see there’s references in the back to Salamander andFireborn, so if you yet to sample the delights of the sons of Vulkan then that’s the place to start.

Looking at that ad got me thinking about how The Tome of Fire trilogy has become a little mini-franchise in its own right. Funny, but I’d never intended this – it just sort of happened. Regular readers will already know I have plans to extend the franchise further with at least one more short story about the Dragon Warriors and a hardback novella (if they’ll let me) relating those terrible events that went down on Moribar that created the DWs in the first place – oooh…

Once I get done with Nocturne (of which there’s a little trailer for in the back of Firedrake) then that’ll be the close of the Tome of Fire and I’ll be putting my scribe’s quill to some other works instead. Still, a pretty hefty body of work. Someone do a word count for me at the end of it all, ‘kay?

Ooh, ooh, forgot to mention that Salamander just went into its fourth printing. This is big news for me and I want to say a big thanks very much to everyone who enjoyed and bought the book, and who are still buying it. Without you chaps and chapesses, there’d be no Tome of Fire. So, you’re legends – all of you – each and every one. I’ll do my best to reward you faith and support with awesome stories about the Salamanders. Natch.

At the mo, I’m working on ‘Forgotten Sons’ and have got about 5,000 words in. Writing for Heresy, though, it’s like having to learn a whole new language. It’s not like 40k, or at least it is but is different in a way you really need to be aware of or you’ll end up writing something that doesn’t really fit into the milieu – bad Kyme; don’t do that. Don’t worry, I won’t. Must say, having just read the first drafts of both The First Heretic and Prospero Burns, I was definitely thrust headlong into ‘the zone’. And scared shitless, given how good both those novels are.

In other news, keep you eye out for Grimblades or ‘Grimsbyblades’ as one amusing wag had it in the office (Mark Newton, please step forward…). This is my Empire Army novel, a story of brotherhood, war, magic, mad shit and intrigue in the Warhammer world. It’s easy sometimes to forget about these smaller books (I know I do) in favour of the shiny Space Marines but I’m proud of Grimblades and think you’ll be missing a treat if you let it pass you buy. Okay, end of sales pitch. It’s out in August, so go haul ass.

Another imminent-ish release that I’m associated with if not authoring solo is the excellent Sabbat Worlds. This is an anthology edited by and featuring two stories from Mr Dan Abnett, as well as a host of other BL luminaries. God knows how I got in on the action (desperation maybe? Just kidding…), but I’m thrilled I did. Like Firedrake, Sabbat Worlds is pre-released at UK Games Day 2010, but that’s not why I’m banging on about this excellent collection, o’h no…

Together with the mighty Dan Abnett, Graham McNeill, James Swallow, Nik Vincent, Sandy Mitchell and possibly some additional special guests (to be confirmed), I will be attending a signing at Forbidden Planet in London. All the details are linkyed here.

Okies, that’s your lot. Look out for a guest blog spot by yours truly on the Black Library website. Deadline’s next Friday, so you may or may not see it some time after that.

Toodles.

PS I’ll be announcing the signing tour for Firedrake in the next few weeks. Keep you eyes and ears pinned here and on the Black Library website for dates, times and details. If anyone brings me Hobnobs (the King of Biscuits), then I’ll be eternally grateful.

PPS Seeing Inception tonight. Hopes are high after it’s quality reviews. My own thoughts to come…

Howdy, peeps!

I’m pleased to report that as of *checks time* 9:43 this morning I finished all my amends for the second draft of Firedrake. I’m happy to say that there was mercifully little needed to be done, just some very minor tweaks that took me about 20 minutes to do and an extra bit added to the epilogue, which was about half an hour more as I had to actually write fresh material.

This is actually a really nice part of the process (provided you’re not lumbered with copious rewrites, of course). Generally speaking, it’s honing and all us writers like doing that – to our cost, most of the time.

So, yep, all done and a nice shiny second draft of Firedrake will be winging its way to my editor first thing Monday morning. Huzzah! Please all tip an imaginary glass to that, if you will. With Firedrake in the bag, just about in time for the printers, it means that you’ll see it at Games Day on pre-release (get I get a ‘Yeah baby!’ in true Bruce Campbell stylee).

In Firedrake-related news, and this might seem a little premature given that I’ve not even started Nocturne yet (but I do know what’s going to happen, well the big stuff at least – the character development and subplots keeping surprising me everyday), but I think I will write another trilogy after this – assuming BL want one (and it appears like they do). This, I hasten to add, humble blog citizen, was not part of my original plan. I always thought I’d leave it at three books, figuring I’d said all was needed to be said about Messrs Tsu’gan, Dak’ir, Ba’ken, Elysius et al.

I actually thought I’d do something about Kadai’s tenure as captain, a sort of prequel trilogy if you will (and still might if I can settle on a cool story and demand is there).I’m done with Tsu’gan and Dak’ir after book three, aren’t I?

No. I was wrong. There’ll be more, but I don’t want to bang on about that as I want you to get all excited about Firedrake, which, incidentally, kicks celebrated ass. I was heartily glad to hear Christian say that he thinks this one is a better book. I’ll leave that to individual opinion, suffice it to say: I think fans will feel like they’ve been rewarded for their wait (and how very grateful I am to you all for your patience…).

Also, I shot a trailer for Firedrake yesterday with the BLTV guys. How cool is that? Yup, you’ll be seeing a cheeky little 30 second promo for the book, all singing, all dancing (not literally… well, there was that one bit… ) in the near future. Doubtless, it’ll appear on the BL site and I’ll have it here on the blog too, of course.

Exciting stuff, as one of my friends told me.

What else? Well, after a brief discussion, it seems like the general feeling regarding a Salamanders omnibus is that everything is going in. Yes, the entire shooting match. Now, I hesitate to say ‘comprehensive’, as I don’t know what I’ll write pertaining to the sons of Vulkan beforehand (there are plans for a novella and a short story featuring the Dragon Warriors for instance), but as of writing, I want and my editor wants the omnibus to be rammed. Coolio. You’re going to have to wait a while for that, though. Firedrake’s where it’s at right now – o’h yeees…

So, yeah, kicking ass and takin’ names is the phrase that springs to mind about all of that. Woot!

(*Warning! Subject change imminent*)

And speaking of said ass kickery, I have been enjoying a graphic novel called The Boys immensely of late. It’s Garth Ennis, the twisted genius behind the likes of Punisher: Welcome Back, Frank (one of my all-time favourite Marvel books) and Preacher.

In The Boys, a bunch of CIA operatives are charged with keeping tabs and keeping in line the super heroes that are currently proliferating the entire world. In this reality, super heroes are not the goody two-shoes, the whiter than white, even the troubled anti-heroes you might have seen in more mainstream comic book fiction; no, they’re total masochistic sadists. I feel I should say, before going further, that The Boys is a strictly 18’s only graphic novel. It’s violent, full of filthy language, sex and other depravities that I couldn’t possibly discuss here.

So, what’s not to like, right? Actually, it is genius. The writing, as you’d expect from Ennis, is top-notch, full of humour so black, even a Salamander looks grey in comparison. I’m currently two volumes down (with plenty more to go, I’m pleased to read) and loving it. It had me laughing out loud last night as I finished off volume two. It doesn’t pull its punches and is full of surprises – some you really have to see/read to believe (I mean, seriously, the end of the first story in volume two is just wrong…). Oh, and Darick Robertson’s artwork is amazing too.

So that’s my recommendation of the week, or whatever. If you like hardcore graphic novels and have a dark sense of humour, then go get a copy of The Boys. I’m heading out to pick up volume three today.

See ya later.

Yes folks, your eyes do not deceive you – the first draft of Firedrake is finished!

It’s been a while coming but sequels, as I’ve come to learn, are tough. I had hoped to get the second book in the Tome of Fire trilogy completed much sooner than I have, and there’s still the possibility of editorial changes, but it’s in now and I’m very happy with how it all turned out.

I’d say this is a different tone to Salamander. The viewpoint is a little smaller in scope. You’ll get several of the key plotlines established in book one moved forward as well as some new ones to ponder for the grand finale in Nocturne (which is book three).

Not sure there’s a lot more to add, save that I may tweak the ending just a little bit and that I still haven’t decided what Dak’ir’s fate will be at the end of the trilogy (I have three options in mind – none of which I’ve settled on yet).

It’s a relief to have it all done. I’m going to take a few days off now (think I’ve earned it). As Firedrake is now done, it should be available for pre-release at Games Day. I hope I see a bunch of you there to get it signed.

Next up for me is ‘Forgotten Sons’, my short story for the Horus Heresy anthology Age of Darkness and then Fall of Damnos in the Space Marine Battles series.

Oh, and please don’t forget that Fireborn has been recently released and fills in the gap nicely between Salamander and Firedrake. If you want the full story between the two books (or as full as I’ve written it) then read ‘The Burning’ (BL Live chapbook) and ‘Prometheus Requiem’ (from Fear the Alien, which is released very soon).

If you’re a Warhammer fantasy fan then Grimblades is the Nick Kyme book for you. That’s on the horizon, late July/early August I believe. I hope lots of folks decide to check it out, as I’m rather proud of my achievement with that one, too. You don’t need to have read the other Empire Army books – far from it – this stands alone very nicely (it’s actually set during a completely different time period).

Anywho, shameless plugging aside, rejoice! Firedrake is in the can and the Salamanders march on…