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- Warbeast Longlisted For David Gemmell Award
- Hello!
- Asurmen: The Darker Road
- Big Stompy Robot News
- Newsletter Q&A - Phoenix Lords
- Submission Alert
- Blog Round-Up
- Upcoming Events
- Kickstarter - Dwarves of Iron Peak
- Hard Drive Hot List (or, What I'm Currently Writing)
- Bi-Monthly Competition
I'm chuffed to bits that Warbeast has been longlisted for this years Gemmell Awards. I've spoken before about the challenges I had writing in the new Age of Sigmar, and the final novel probably has more of my blood, sweat, and tears in it than any of my other novels (or at least late nights, excessive amount of biscuits, and frustrated editors).
Voting on the longlist takes just three clicks, and you don't have to register. I'd really appreciate your support!
Hello!
“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.”
“Those who cannot remember the past are doomed to repeat it.”
Both of these remarks (the first not really a verifiable quote, the second from George Santayana) could easily be applied to my mindset at this stage of nearly every novel I write. I am in that place where I wish I had been more diligent and disciplined in the opening stages so that I did not have quite so much work to do right now.
It is far from insurmountable, but a reminder of two things:
- No matter how clever the idea, or what you are trying to do, or how you think you might improve things, if you have been successfully writing for twenty years with a particular process and have a deadline to keep, stick to the damn process!
- ‘I’ll do more tomorrow’, is the most terrible of justifications for being lazy.
Regarding the first point, I write to a plan. The plan might change, or even be thrown out of the window, but is what I do. If I do not have a plan, I should take a day or two or twenty to come up with a plan.
I have frequently characterised my process as think-write-think; being plan, type, and then edit. For reasons unknown (see first quote) I sometimes have the wild idea that I can be more organic, perhaps make up some stuff as I go along.
Result? Slow writing, that meanders and gets more difficult with each passing day. I then have to take time to come up with the plan with which I should have started.
The latter point is summed up by the second quote, because I won’t catch up the next day, or the next; I’ll have to catch up every day for the last two weeks before the deadline. That comfy two-thousand-words-a-day I scheduled becomes two and half, and then three, and then four...
While we cannot live in denial of our nature, we should at least try our best to grow, to develop favourable habits, and maybe have a smidgeon of self-awareness.
And hence, this brief newsletter introduction, and then back to more writing. With that in mind, I shall leave with two more happy thoughts, the second of which is an aphorism I created for Warhammer 40,000.
“The road to hell is paved with good intentions.”
“Hope is but the first step on the road to disappointment.”
Asurmen: The Darker Road
Asurmen: The Darker Road, my companion audio drama for Asurmen: Hand of Asuryan, was released this month on CD and MP3.
" It is said the Phoenix Lords arrive on the eve of great moments... Guided by fate, Asurmen the Hand of Asuryan comes to the craftworld of Ulthwé. At the behest of the head of the seer council, he joins the warriors of Ulthwé and the young seer Eldrad on a quest to the Crone Worlds in search of the oracle Hiron-athela. It is believed that this being holds an artefact that could safeguard Ulthwé's future, but in order to obtain it the eldar must travel a dark road... "
In case you missed it over on the blog, you can read my Author's Notes, follow the original script whilst listening to the audio extract, and read my Top Tips for Creating an Audio Drama. There will also be an interview with cover artist Alex Boyd going up soon.
Big Stompy Robot News
After several late nights painting terrain in a freezing garage, I finally managed to get my new Big Stompy Robots game ready to take to the ROBIN wargaming show. Well, almost - you may have seen a picture of me touching up the terrain paintwork 10 minutes before the doors opened...
I won't talk about it too much here, as I've gone into greater detail in the Big Stompy Robots Newsletter, and on the blog, but suffice to say I am happy with how it was received, and am encouraged to continue development of the game. A big thank you to everyone who took an interest and came over for a demo game.
If you would like to receive e-mail updates on progress of my new game, you can sign up below.
Newsletter Q&A
Adam asked: Gav. Since you’re writing about the Phoenix Lords… When it comes to writing about the Scorpion, will it cover Ahrha or Karandras or both? I don’t really think that you could tell the tale of the Scorpion without writing about both.
Well, that’s the question isn’t it? The truth is, it hasn’t been settled yet. That sort of subject will need to be cleared by GW – how much do we say about what and whom – so the scope of the Scorpion(s) installments are yet to be determined. At some point I would like the backstory to cover the breaking of the Asurya, which is based around Ahrha’s betrayal, so it would be difficult to avoid. Hopefully I (or someone else) will get the chance to look at Ahrha as well as Karandras (I take it you have read Path of the Warrior?).
If you want to ask a question, just reply to the newsletter and I'll get back to you as soon as my schedule allows. I'll pick a question to go in the next newsletter, and combine them all into a blog post for the website. Click the button below for the full Q&A round-up for February.
! Submissions Alert !
Bit of a different one this month. Here's a list of Imprints from major publishers, who accept submissions from un-agented authors.
An imprint of a publisher is a trade name under which it publishes a work. A single publishing company may have multiple imprints, often using the different names as brands to market works to various demographic consumer segments.
My first fantasy series outside of Black Library, Empire of the Blood, was published by Angry Robot, who at the time were an imprint of Harper Collins. It's a great way to get a foot in the door with a major publisher, and have the comfort of knowing you have an experienced and reputable organisation at your back.
- Tor / Forge (imprint of Macmillan)
- DAW (imprint of Penguin)
- Hydra (imprint of Random House)
The above links will take you to pages from "Authors Publish", a weekly online magazine for writers. They provide regular updates of publishers who are taking submissions, free eBooks to support your development as a writer, and useful blogs such as "How to know if you are really a writer"! If you're happy to receive a weekly email from them, I would encourage you to sign up.
Blog Round-Up
See a 3D scan of one of my painted mechs, courtesy of the Mixed Reality Storytelling project. This blog also has links to lots and lots of robot minis, if you want to get stompy yourself.
Read more about Warbeast being longlisted for the David Gemmell Legend award, including the story of when I met the man himself. Listen to an interview with Masters of the Forge where we discuss The Beast Must Die, and find out how my books did at UK libraries this year.
Upcoming Events
- November 2017 (date TBC), Black Library Weekender
I'm hoping to take Big Stompy Robots to a few other wargaming shows this year, but nothing confirmed yet.
Do come and say 'hello' if you are attending these events (and feel free to bring any books you'd like me to sign).
Kickstarter
Dwarves of Iron Peak
"Dwarves of Iron Peak is a 20-30min competitive 2 player board game that pits a band of Dwarves, bent on recovering their stolen Relic from an enormous Mountain Troll."
My explanation for promoting this Kickstarter? It's Dwarves innit - nuff said!
One of the most common questions I get asked is "What are you working on?", so here's my (sorry, sometimes cryptic) list of works in progress, plus future releases.
Hard Drive Hot List
- Primarchs Series - Lorgar (Black Library)
- Frontier Worlds - Hostile Takeover (Snowbooks)
- Cryptid Clash - Conquest of the Nu-world: Ban-manush versus Buru (18th Wall Productions)
- Phoenix Lords - Jain Zar (Black Library)
- Sharkpunk 2 - Peregrinus Cibus Cedimus (Snow Books)
- 40k Space Wolves (Black Library)
- Scrape To Victory (Black Library)
- Vengeance of the Immortal (Black Library)
- The Journal (publisher to be announced)
- Ghost Warrior (Black Library)
- Sword In Ritual Splendor (Original Fiction)
Bi-Monthly Competition Winner
All subscribers to my mailing list are entered into the bi-monthly draw to win a personalised, signed copy of one of my books. The next winner will be picked in March, and will receive their choice from my back-catalogue box - if I've got it, you can have it (includes some limited editions, and older titles that are no longer in print).
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