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Note to aspiring writers: 
It’s always good to hear from you, and I’m more than happy to answer your questions about the craft of writing and the publishing business if I can.  What I can’t do is undertake to read/critique your manuscript.  Nor can I help you find a publisher or agent.  Sorry, but if I said yes to the many requests I get I’d spend all my time reading your work and never doing my own.  The best advice I can offer if you want to be a writer is … write.  A lot.  And read copiously too, to learn from the way others do it. 
Good luck!

July 2010

ORCS INVADE BRAZIL …

This is the cover for the Brazilian edition of Bodyguard of Lightning, book one of my Orcs: First Blood trilogy, published by Panini in June. Another interesting take on how an orc might look.

 

. . . AND THEY'RE BACK IN ITALY

Also published last month - the Italian edition of Army of Shadows, book two of the second trilogy, Orcs: Bad Blood, from Mondadori.

 

ABOUT THE AUDIOBOOKS

Following the item last month about the forthcoming American release of audiobook versions of the Orcs series from Tantor Media Inc, readers in the UK have been asking if they can buy them here.  They’re available from Amazon UK, and there are three options.  Details of the standard version are here.  There’s also a library edition and an Mp3 download.  These are unabridged readings, by John Lee, running to 23 hours, 30 minutes.  Release is set for 30th August.

 

NEUCHATEL INTERNATIONAL FANTASTIC FILM FESTIVAL

Now in its tenth year, the Neuchatel International Fantastic Film Festival has grown into one of the most important global fantasy film events. 

I’m going to be in Switzerland for the festival, participating in a literary strand entitled New Worlds of Fantasy.  The programme items are being finalised as I write, but it’s been confirmed that I’ll be taking part in two open discussions on Saturday 10th July. 

In the first, New Frontiers in SF, I’ll be with French authors Serge Lehman and Richard Marazano.  The second, New Frontiers in Fantasy, has me alongside Pierre Pevel and Serge Le Tendre.  Details here.

 

 

 

DAVID GEMMELL AWARDS 2010 - THE WINNERS

The second annual David Gemmell Awards for Fantasy were presented at the Magic Circle headquarters, London, on 18th June. 

 

There were three categories this year: the Ravenheart Award for best cover art, the Morningstar Award for best debut, and the Legend Award for best novel.  The winners were:

 

 

Ravenheart: Didier Graffet, Dave Senior and Laura Brett for the cover of Best Served Cold by Joe Abercrombie (Gollancz).
Morningstar: Pierre Pevel for The Cardinal’s Blades (Gollancz).
Legend: Graham McNeill for Empire (The Black Library). 

The awards are decided by open vote, and just over 15,500 were cast this year (as against almost 11,000 last year).  The Ravenheart received votes from 64 countries, the Morningstar 34, and the Legend an astounding 91,   confirming that the awards are proving to be truly international. 
You can find out more about the Gemmell Awards at our official website.

Here are a few photos from the evening, reproduced by kind permission of photographer Rob Monk and our media partner, SFX magazine.

Didier Graffet and Laura Brett with the Ravenheart Award

 

Pierre Pevel and the Morningstar Award

 

Graham McNeill with the Legend Award

 

 June 2010

FRENCH EDITIONS As I mentioned in the last couple of news updates, my French publisher, Bragelonne, is celebrating its tenth anniversary by publishing special editions of ten titles from its first decade.  These include my Orcs: First Blood trilogy, and this is the cover.  The books were released on 28th May in a promotion called “10 years, 10 titles, 10 Euros”.

By the way, in last month’s update I was wrong to say that the two David Gemmell titles, Legend and Waylander, were going to be published in a single volume. Here are all the covers:

And this is a promotional poster for the campaign:

 

LEGION OF THUNDER IN ROMANIA

My Romanian publisher, Nemira, released Legion of Thunder (book 2 in the Orcs: First Blood trilogy) in May with this striking cover.
Here’s a promotional banner:

 

ORCS AUDIOBOOKS

We now have a US release date for Tantor’s audiobook version of the First Blood trilogy (cover above) - 30th August.  Read by British actor and renowned voice artist John Lee, this is an unabridged reading running to 27 hours.  It’s going to be available as a 22 disc CD package and in Mp3 format.  I can’t wait to hear it!

 

2010 DAVID GEMMELL AWARDS

I have the honour of being Chair of the David Gemmell Fantasy Awards.  This year’s ceremony is fast approaching, and it’s your last chance to apply for a ticket.  Here’s a message from Awards Administrator Deborah Miller: “Because the DGLAs are all about readers and fans, it’s very important to us that the 2010 Award Ceremony is again open to both the publishing industry and fans of the fantasy genre.   ”Last year’s ceremony was a glittering night of fun and surprises, held in the enchanting Magic Circle headquarters in London’s Euston.  Many fantasy authors attended to meet and mingle with the fans; and Raven Armouries - creators of the ‘Snaga’ battleaxe trophy - came to show off a full-scale Snaga and their newly completed Swords of Night & Day.  A lucky few were able to have their pictures taken with the awesome weapons.   ”This year’s ceremony is at the same venue on Friday 18th June.  The Magic Circle theatre only holds 162 people, so if you’d like a ‘non-industry’ - or as we prefer to call them ‘Friend & Fan’ (F&F) ticket - you’ll have to move fast.  F&F tickets are £20 per person, and include a quality buffet and welcome drinks.    ”To apply for tickets come over to the DGLA website: http://www.GemmellAward.com   (Note that you DO NOT HAVE TO REGISTER and become a member in order to get tickets.)  Click on ‘Award Ceremony & Ticket Purchase’ at the top of the page, which will take you to all the information you need. “Do remember that the dress code is formal, i.e. long dresses for the ladies and suit and tie or DJs for the gents - no swords or battleaxes, unless you win one! “If you have any questions, just email Deborah Miller, Awards Administrator on millerlau@clara.co.uk ”We hope to see you on the night!”

 

 

May 2010

FRENCH EDITIONS Bragelonne published an omnibus of my Quicksilver trilogy on 16th April, with this fine cover by Didier Graffet.  2010 is Bragelonne’s tenth anniversary, and as part of the celebrations they’re publishing a selection of titles from their first decade under the banner: “10 years, 10 titles, 10 Euros”.

These special editions will be released on 21st May, and here’s the list:

Légende and Waylander  by David Gemmell (Double volume)

Orcs – L'Intégrale by Stan Nicholls

Ayesha – La Légende du peuple turquoise by Ange

La Moïra – L'Intégrale by Henri Loevenbruck

Les Chroniques des Féals – L'Intégrale by Mathieu Gaborit

Le Maître du Temps – L'Intégrale by Louise Cooper

A vos souhaits by Fabrice Colin

Wonderful by David Calvo

Lord of the Ringards by Henry N. Beard & Douglass C. Kenney

 

ORCS IN ITALY

My Italian publisher, Mondadori, will be publishing Orcs: Bad Blood 2 : Army of Shadows as Orch: L'armata delle ombre in July.  I’ve not seen a cover yet, but I’ll post it here when it turns up.

 

MEANWHILE, IN HOLLAND …

Pure Fantasy is one of Holland’s leading genre magazines.  This is the cover of special issue 18+, published in April.  As the title (or rather the number) implies, this is an “adult” issue, containing fantasy stories with an erotic twist.  They include a story by me entitled Three Whimsies.

 

 

 

THE WRITE FANTASTIC ANTHOLOGY

Here’s the jacket for Anniversaries, an anthology of all new fantasy stories published by NewCon Press to celebrate the fifth anniversary of writing collective The Write Fantastic.  It contains stories by Sarah Ash, Chaz Brenchley, Juliet E. McKenna, Jessica Rydill, Kari Sperring, Freda Warrington, Ian Whates and Liz Williams; and I’ve supplied an introduction.  Anniversaries is published as both a trade paperback and a limited hardback edition.  Details of the book, and TWF’s fifth anniversary event in Oxford on 8th May, can be found here.

 

PERSONAL APPEARANCE

I’ll be giving a talk about fantasy fiction and the writing life on Thursday 13th May, between 1.30 and 2.30 at Weoley Castle Library, 17 Beckbury Road, Birmingham B29 5HR.  It’s a free event but places are limited.  To ensure a place you can contact the library on Weoley.castle@birmingham.gov.uk, or call 0121 464 1664. 

 

GEMMELL AWARDS SHORTLISTS

The shortlists for the 2010 David Gemmell Fantasy Awards have been released.  There are three categories this year …

The Morningstar Award for Best Fantasy Newcomer

The Sad Tale of the Brothers Grossbart by Jesse Bullington
The Adamantine Palace by Stephen Deas
The Drowning City by Amanda Downum
The Cardinal’s Blades by Pierre Pevel
Lamentation by Ken Scholes

The Ravenheart Award for Best Fantasy Cover Art

Didier Graffet & Dave Senior for the cover of Best Served Cold by Joe Abercrombie
Jackie Morris for the cover of The Dragon Keeper by Robin Hobb
Larry Rostant for the cover of Fire by Kristin Cashore
Jon Sullivan for the cover of The Cardinal’s Blades by Pierre Pevel
Jon Sullivan for the cover of Empire by Graham McNeill

The David Gemmell Legend Award for Best Fantasy Novel

Best Served Cold by Joe Abercrombie
The Gathering Storm by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson
Empire by Graham McNeill
The Cardinal’s Blades by Pierre Pevel
Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson

The winners will be announced at a ceremony on Friday 18th June atThe Magic Circle headquarters in London. You can vote on these shortlists, and have a chance of attending the ceremony, by visiting the awards website. 

 

 

April 2010

SHADOW ARMY REACHES HOLLAND

Here’s the cover for the Dutch edition of Orcs: Bad Blood 2: Army of Shadows, which Luitingh-Sijthoff of Amsterdam published in March. The Dutch edition of book 3, Inferno, should appear late this year or early next.

 

 

 

 

 

BRITISH SCIENCE FICTION & FANTASY:
TWENTY YEARS, TWO SURVEYS

That’s the title of an interesting book just published by the British Science Fiction Association, and here’s the cover:

Compiled and edited by Paul Kincaid & Niall Harrison, the book combines the results of surveys conducted in 1989 and 2009. The same ten questions were asked on both occasions (with a bonus eleventh question in 2009) and responses were solicited from over 120 authors. (I was fortunate enough to be one of them.) The result is a fascinating insight into the way the sf and fantasy fields have developed over the past two decades. Well, actually it’s intriguing to see how some things have radically changed and others have stayed just the same. The book’s very well put together, and I’ll be surprised if it doesn’t get at least nominated for one or more of the genre’s major awards. If you’re a BSFA member you’ll have received a free copy in their last mailing; otherwise, copies are on sale here.

 

 

 

 

THE WRITE FANTASTIC:
ONE DAY EVENT AND ANTHOLOGY

A press release:   The Fifth Anniversary Event May 8th 2010

Since our launch in May 2005, The Write Fantastic's diary has seen over 60 engagements, ranging from library and bookshop events, talks to local writers' groups and contributions to literary festivals to teaching creative writing.

We've found readers' appetite and enthusiasm for fantasy fiction is boundless, from epic tales of sword and sorcery to gritty urban myth. It's been our pleasure to help make sure that no one is missing out on all the wonderful reading currently on offer.

To celebrate TWF's fifth year, we're welcoming Kari Sperring, Ian Whates, Freda Warrington and Liz Williams to the team and holding our first day event, at the Jacqueline Du Pré Building, St Hilda's College, Oxford on May 8th 2010.

We're inviting friends and colleagues to share their insights and recommendations in a wide-ranging programme. Our author guests are Stephen Deas, Ben Jeapes, Geoff Ryman, Mike Shevdon and Ian Watson. We'll also be joined by David Moore of Solaris Books, Oxford's very own SF&F publisher, who'll be offering his editorial perspective.

The day will also see the launch of TWF's anniversary anthology of original stories.

Check our website for updates as details of the day are finalised!
- End of release -

The founding members of The Write Fantastic were Sarah Ash, Chaz Brenchley, Mark Chadbourn, Juliet E. McKenna, Deborah J. Miller, Jessica Rydill and myself. A couple of months ago, and due to our commitments elsewhere, Mark and I stepped back from direct involvement with TWF. But we continue to support the group, and we’ve both supplied introductions for the anthology mentioned above. As soon as I have details of the anthology’s contents I’ll post them here. Meantime, think about attending the fifth anniversary event; it’s going to be a good day.

 

GEMMELL AWARDS SHORTLIST

By the time you read this, the shortlists for the three categories comprising the David Gemmell Fantasy Awards will have gone online. There are five finalists for each of the following: the David Gemmell Legend Award (best fantasy novel of the year), Morningstar Award (best debut) and Ravenheart Award (best cover art). The winners are decided by public vote. If you’d like to decide who wins, just go over to the official Awards website. Voting is simple and free.
The Awards ceremony is going to be held at the HQ of The Magic Circle in London on Friday 18th June. Details on the website.

 

 

March 2010

I’m going to be among the authors appearing at this year’s Foire Du Livre De Bruxelles, on 5th, 6th and 7th March. Held annually in Belgium since 1969, this is one of Europe’s biggest and most prestigious book fairs. They’ll be around 1000 authors present, and some 200 panels, readings and debates. 70,000 visitors are expected. I’ll be there as part of the contingent accompanying my French publisher, Bragelonne, along with, among others, leading French fantasy authors Henri Loevenbruck and Pierre Pevel. The venue is the massive exhibition centre at Avenue du Port, 86C ,1000 Bruxelles. You can find out more about the fair at its official website.

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BRAGELONNE!

Talking of Bragelonne, this Spring marks their tenth anniversary. Over the past decade the company has grown to be mainland Europe’s largest and most successful publisher of fantasy and science fiction, and I’m proud to have been associated with it since its instigation. The Bragelonne Dream Team has come up with an innovative way of celebrating the anniversary. They’re going to publish deluxe, limited editions of ten books from that initial decade, and I’m very pleased to say that one of them is going to be the omnibus of my first Orcs trilogy. I’ll let you know the publication date when I have it, along with a list of the other titles and a preview of the jacket.

AND TO COMPLETE THE HAT TRICK …

Bragelonne are also going to publish an omnibus edition of my Quicksilver trilogy (Vif-Argent trilogy in France) this April. I like omnibus editions; they’re good value for readers, and people don’t have the frustration of waiting for subsequent volumes in a trilogy to appear. I’ll post a jacket here when it’s available.

 

THE SFX WEEKENDER

I mentioned this as pending in last month’s news round-up. The event, held in Camber Sands, Sussex over 5th and 6th February, turned out to be very well attended, with around 3000 people present, and it was lively and fun. Here are a few photos …

Me, fellow author Deborah J. Miller and the Tardis!

From a panel discussing the David Gemmell Awards … L to r: Richard Morgan, Adrian Tchaikovsky, Joe Abercrombie, Awards Administrator Deborah Miller, and SFX Editor-in-Chief Dave Bradley acting as moderator.

And during the panel there was an …

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT THE GEMMELL AWARDS

To the effect that SFX is now the Awards’ media partner. Yes, the world’s leading multimedia science fiction, fantasy and horror magazine has come on board as of this year’s ceremony. We’ll be letting you know more about what this means just as soon as we iron out the details.

Meantime, keep an eye on the David Gemmell Awards website, where voting is now open for the Legend Award (best fantasy novel), Morningstar Award (best fantasy debut) and Ravenheart Award (best fantasy book cover art).
As last year, the awards ceremony will be held at the headquarters of The Magic Circle, in London’s Euston; on Friday 18th June. And you can be there - details on the website nearer the night.

 

February 2010

I’m pleased to report that I’m going to be a guest at one of 2010’s biggest multimedia science fiction and fantasy events, SFX magazine’s Weekender. Held 5th/6th February at Pontin’s, Camber Sands, East Sussex, the Weekender has a very impressive line-up. Other authors attending include Joe Abercrombie, Paul Cornell, Peter F Hamilton, Stephen Hunt, China Mieville, Richard Morgan, Robert Rankin and Justina Robson.

Among the visual arts guests are Tom Baker (Dr Who), Gareth David-Lloyd (Torchwood), James Marsters (Buffy and Angel) and leading graphic novel artist Dave Gibbons (Watchmen). (This is just a small selection; there are lots more guests.) There’s going to be a maskerade ball, live music, a mega-quiz and presentation of the 2010 SFX Awards.

Among other things, I’ll be on a panel discussing the Gemmell Awards, of which I’m Chair, along with Awards Administrator and author Deborah J. Miller.

To find out more about the event, and for ticket availability, check the Weekender blog and website. Hope to see you there!

ORCISH HAPPENINGS

 

This is an advance jacket for the German edition of Orcs: Bad Blood 3: Inferno (re-titled Blood Hunt in Germany).

Heyne publish this October.

 

 

Luitingh-Sijthoff will be publishing the Dutch edition of Bad Blood 2, Army of Shadows (as Leger van Schaduwen) this March. I haven’t seen the cover yet; I’ll post it here when I do.

 

Russian publisher Eksmo, which put out the first orcs trilogy and my Quicksilver series, has now bought the second trilogy; publication dates tba.

 

The first orcs trilogy has now been taken up by Panini for publication in Brazil. Again, publication date tba.

 

  AND ORCS FIND THEIR VOICE!

A piece of news I’m really excited about is that Tantor Media, one of the leading American companies in its field, will be producing audio-book versions of the two Orcs trilogies - and they’re going to be unabridged. The deal’s just been struck, so we don’t yet know who’s going to be reading them, or release dates. I’ll give details when I have them.

 

DAVID GEMMELL AWARDS FOR FANTASY

Followers of the Gemmell Awards continue to grow - the number of people registered with our website passed the 1000 mark over Christmas (it’s nudging 1100 as I write). Voting for the awards is now open, and this year there are three categories - the Legend Award (best fantasy novel of the year); the Morningstar Award (best newcomer); and the Ravenheart Award (best cover art). Anyone can vote; just visit the website for details. This year’s David Gemmell Awards ceremony will again be held at The Magic Circle headquarters in London, on Friday 18th June.

All previous news updates can be found in the News Archive

 

 

© Stan Nicholls

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