Shiny!

Hey folks,

Received this in the post yesterday, and thought I’d share…

It’s always a great feeling to finally hold a book in your hands that you’ve toiled over – it makes it all seem worthwhile, and actually real. I can’t believe I’ve finished my first trilogy of 40K novels – it really only feels like yesterday when I was first pitching BL with a handful of Chaos Space Marine novel ideas, having just finished writing my first novel, Mark of Chaos. I pitched ideas for the Alpha Legion, the Deathguard, and the Word Bearers – I’m glad that BL liked the Word Bearers one most.

I’ve come to really like the set of characters I created for the Word Bearers series, and I’d love to come back to them at some point. In the near future, that will most likely involve one or more short stories, allowing me to tell some cool little sideline stories involving Marduk and co. I’m definitely keen to explore what happens after Dark Creed – things were set in motion at the end of the latest book that will lead to some interesting confrontations… But that is a tale for another day.

For those of you in Australia, I’ll be doing a few book signings in early December. I think the plan is to have some early copies of Dark Creed on sale (but I’ll confirm that closer to the dates). It looks like I’ll be signing in Brisbane and Sydney, on the 4th and 5th of December. I’ll post details when I get ’em. It would be great to see some you there.

What am I reading at the moment?

Re-reading Elements of Style, by Strunk and White. Essential reading for anyone with even a passing interest in improving their writing.

I’m also reading an early version of a piece of work by my good mate, Graham McNeill. Not sure if it has been announced yet, so I will keep schtum on what it actually is , but believe me when I say it is mighty fine indeed.

Finally, I’m also reading Robert Holdstock’s Lavondyss. I love his Ryhope Wood novels. The Hollowing is probably my favourite (yes, I’ve read the series all out of order, but don’t think it matters too much), but they are all fantastic, wonderfully written and incredibly rich books. I’d love to write fantasy like his.

What am I listening to?

Alice In Chains’s new one, Black Gives Way to Blue. Loving it. Current fav’s are ‘Check My Brain’ and ‘A Looking In View’. ‘Last Of My Kind’ really sounds like the Melvins to me, which is not a bad thing at all.

Thank you to everyone who has read my blog since it went up a few weeks ago, and especially to all those who left comments. It’s great to get such support, so a big thanks to all of you! Please feel free to ask any questions, and I’ll do my best to answer them. So, without further ado, here are some answers:

Mrki: Glad you are enjoying the Word Bearers series! You are keen on getting an insider scoop on Dark Creed, eh? Hmm… The story revolves around a system called the Boros Gate, which houses a series of rare, stable paths through the warp. The system would be the ideal staging ground to launch attacks into the heart of the Imperium. White Consuls of the Adeptus Praeses guard the system. The Word Bearers want it… Carnage ensues. How’s that?

Xisor: Frasier is indeed pure awesome. We are halfway through season 8 at the moment. I don’t want it to end!

Pyroriffic: Yeah, the autobiographical section at the start of On Writing is great. Amazing to think how tough he did it in the early days, living out of a caravan with his missus and kid, frantically writing and paying the bills with cleaning jobs. Inspiring stuff.

Bennylicious: Cheers mate, glad you are liking my Bretonnnian sequence. Warhammer kind of gets overshadowed by 40K, and the Bretonnians are hardly mainstream for Warhammer either, but they have always been one of my favourites factions. The next story takes Calard to the cursed realm of Mousillon, which is looking like a lot of fun to write.

The Gavinthrope: Definitely looking forward to Zombieland. It’s not out here yet, but looks like comedy gold. Hope all is going well with Crown of Blood, I’m really looking forward to reading that. Let’s get skype going, huh? Oh, and I might just use your post for the ‘about’ section of my blog, it cracked me up. Were-Wallaby. There Wallaby.

Bastiaan Vergoossen: Awesome, thank you very much for the high praise! Are there going to be more Word Bearers? See above. The short answer is probably, but most likely not for a little while. Would I like to write about Heresy-era Word Bearers? I’d love to write a novel for the Heresy, but there are no plans to do so at the moment. I will be sure to let you know if things change! As to the Word Bearers in 30K, I believe another author is currently working on something focussing on them, which I’m sure will be great.

Nick: Good stuff! If you do give the Word Bearers a go, hope you like ’em!

And lastly Matt: cheers mate, I don’t think I would have started the blog without your encouragement, so thanks. Oh, and ‘drink yer ain’.

Till next time.