If you’re not a bleeding-edge, every-book-as-soon-as-possible collector, this Saturday’s a great chance to fill out your collection with some of the newer reads in the Black Library.
Grotsnik: Da Mad Dok by Denny Flowers is up for preorder in hardback form. It was only last month the Limited Edition arrived, so this is a nicely quick turnaround from premium to standard availability. Rob Young’s Leontus: Lord Solar, the previous 40K title in the series, saw a premium release last November and a standard one the following February.
I just finished the book myself this past weekend, and while I’ll have a full review coming soon, let’s just say Flowers takes this book in some really interesting directions. It’s a bit like an M. Night Shyamalan film, where once you figure a few things out it puts everything you’ve seen up to that point in an entirely new light.
Dominion Genesis by Jonathan D. Beer is also landing in softcover. This was first published in hardback last September, and stood out for its enjoyable depth in its Adeptus Mechanicus protagonists. Tech Adepts often risk being portrayed somewhat one-dimensionally (my own Warhammer store manager referred to them once as “the Imperium’s Tyranids”), but Talin Sherax and the crew of the Peregrinus offered a welcome counterpoint. You can check out our review of the book here.
Finally, there’s a standalone hardback of First Founding going up for preorder as well. Billed as a “background book” covering the Loyalist Chapters that emerged in the wake of the Horus Heresy, it’s written by Guy Haley, John French, Nick Kyme, David Guymer, and Callum Davis.
First Founding was released in 2023, then again last year as part of a Deluxe Edition featuring zinc alloy coins and some other goodies. Now it’s back as a standalone book for those who just want it to read rather than display.
Finally- way to bury the lede, right?- the final book in Robbie MacNiven’s Carcharodons trilogy will be arriving! It’s been a bit of a wait, with Red Tithe published in 2017 and Outer Dark the year following. Popular with readers and collectors, these books commanded quite a premium on the secondary market before the Black Library rereleased both in special edition form earlier this year.
Don’t forget MacNiven appeared on WarhammerTV’s Scribes & Scriveners recently to chat about this most enigmatic of Chapters, so if you’re looking for something to tide you over for the next two weeks until the book arrives, here you go!
An Open Note to Writers
Whether it be for this Black Library Weekly column, my series on the History of the Black Library, or anything else I write, I always like to do a bit of research on the writers and stories I’m covering. This holds especially true when those writers may not be particularly well-known or established, such as those getting their first story published in the Black Library during a Theme Week.
To be abundantly clear, to what degree writers choose to ‘put themselves out there’ is nobody’s business but their own. And sometimes maybe their agent’s and editor’s, I dunno. But after hitting a couple dead ends for some other articles recently, I posted this on social media.
It was well-received by some authors, such as David Guymer (Verminslayer, Angron: The Red Angel) and Jonathan D. Beer (Dominion Genesis, King of the Spoil).
Award-winning British-Australian horror and thriller author (and whiskey-soaked swear monkey1) Alan Baxter had some very practical insight:
And, finally, here’s the editor of the indispensable Lexicanum wiki:
Admittedly that’s a fairly low bar, but it doesn’t take much to give yourself a proper digital island in the aether for those wanting to learn a little bit about you and your works. A bio, a list of your work, and perhaps a way to let folks get ahold of you if needed.
Bonus points are easy to collect. For instance, links to where folks can purchase your works, a blog section where you share the occasional thought, or perhaps a sample of your writing.
And for me, full marks for having an email newsletter to inform readers of any updates. These are terrific to help keep me in the loop on what’s going on with the Black Library authors, both current and alumni, and lets me highlight that in this very column.
We’ll close the topic with a look at one author who has fully incorporated best practices into establishing his online identity: Josh Reynolds.
Best Practice: Hunting Monsters
Josh Reynolds wrote for the Black Library from 2011 to 2020, penning stories like the Fabius Bile trilogy, Fulgrim: The Palatine Phoenix, and Nagash: The Undying King. He’s written for other gaming properties like Legend of the Five Rings and Arkham Horror, as well as plenty of his own original properties.
He also has a superb online presence, one which I think a lot of authors can take some inspiration from. Reynolds puts a lot of work into keeping his footprint up-to-date and worthwhile to visit, so to be clear I’m not advising that every author needs to do all of the things that he does. We’ve discussed the “bare minimum,” so consider this a case study of best practices.
1. The Home Page
This is a clean, evocative home page that conveys a sense of the author’s identity. “Hunting Monsters” establishes a brand for Reynolds, an “Author and Semi-Professional Movie Monster Enthusiast.” That already gives us a sense of what he’s about, not unlike the “whiskey-soaked swear monkey” we encountered above.
The site’s simple layout and menu also helps. Right away you can learn about the author, his works, and see recent news and updates.
2. About
Again, Reynolds checks all the right boxes and doesn’t make you work to find them. He establishes his level of accomplishment, advises anyone looking to connect professionally on how best to reach him, and offers up a newsletter to stay updated.
Newsletters are another one of those things that takes work to maintain and do well, but if you’re a writer inclined to stay top-of-mind with your readership base it’s a great way to do so. I tend to find newsletters/blogs to be more nutrient-rich than social media (though both have their place!).
3. Blog
From the outset we can see that Reynolds is a fairly steady contributor to his own blog, which makes for lots of opportunities to connect with his audience. He shares both regular news as well as new fiction here, adding in movie reviews and other essays to boot.
Having a certain ‘vitality’ is important for building and maintaining an audience. If you only write a quick update every few months, few folks will be sticking around awaiting them. That’s part of the reason behind this Black Library Weekly column; while I’m delighted that Goonhammer is carrying more Black Library content, I want folks to see value in checking in on the site at least once a week. Come for the Monday updates on all things Black Library, stay for our expanded lore and RPG content for Warhammer!
Whether it’s Goonhammer or Hunting Monsters, if you know you’ll see something new and interesting every time you visit, you’ll enjoy coming around more often.
4. Works
Keen to learn more about what Josh is up to? Works has just the ticket. Note here too how he has it broken out between established IP’s and his own content.
Ultimately, if I wanted to write an author profile of Josh Reynolds, he’s given me every tool I’d need to do it. I have a sense of his brand and identity, the things he’s worked on before, and some recent news he’s chosen to share. Job done.
I’m not sure I’ve ever been a part of a group more impacted by imposter syndrome than writers, so I understand that particularly for less-established authors it may feel uncomfortable, even presumptuous, to make a website about yourself. But speaking on behalf of writers who write about writers, there is value in doing this and it really does help.
Even if it’s just a single page with three lines of “About Me” and a link to your books on Amazon or Goodreads.
Belisarius Cawl Has Arrived
I’ve often marveled on the vastness of the Warhammer hobby, and that a big part of its success is that different people can enjoy it in many different ways. For me it’s the books, of course, but also I love the building of the models and miniatures- especially ones to go on my shelf next to their respective books. Here’s how I entertained myself this past Saturday:
That’s the new Belisarius Cawl: The Great Work limited edition by Guy Haley that dropped this past Saturday as well as a plastic device for spiking one’s blood pressure (some assembly required). They just go together so well, don’t they? And speaking of Guy Haley…
ICYMI
It hit me like a dagger, a keen-eyed reader leaving a comment on my review of The High Kâhl’s Oath this week that it was Guy Haley, not Gav Thorpe, that was the writer responsible for Age of Sigmar’s Dwarf hero Drekki Flynt. Ye gods, I thought, has it… come back?
The idea of ‘cognitive load’ has been fascinating me recently, particularly in light of my wife’s cancer battle where I’ve had to step up and run our little household of seven largely on my own. Full time career, in school for my MBA, reading and writing about the Black Library, nobody can’t say I don’t have my hands full at the moment, but surely you can only fill a bucket with so much water before it flows over, right?
Perhaps the strangest symptom has been my ongoing transposition of Guy and Gav. Likely for no reason other than both are three-letter names sharing the same initial letter, I’ve constantly confused the two of them when writing. But hey, I’m a human, and humans do human things. Once I started noticing it was happening, I made a massive effort to segregate them in my head. Accuracy matters, right?
So when it happened again, I was horrified. I mean, having graduated with my MBA last month surely my cognitive load was lessened, right? Eventually it hit me- I’d written this review a couple of months ago, but as a 2024 book release it had been getting nudged aside by more current releases. Finally Myrtun Dammergot had her turn, and with a ridiculous legacy error no less.
But thanks for keeping me honest, folks! Mistakes may be embarrassing, but far worse is not having the opportunity to address and correct them.
RPG Corner
Cubicle 7 Games revealed the cover for the upcoming Warhammer Fantasy Role Playing supplement this week, Sea Wardens of Cothique. An expansion aimed at High Elf players and campaigns, it releases soon in standard and collector’s editions (and if you haven’t seen any of their collector editions, you really should- they’re every bit as visually arresting as many of the Black Library’s premium releases).
Quick Hits
Once you’re in the Club, you’re in the Club. Here’s what our Black Library writers past and present have been up to this week.Â
- Robert Rath (Assassinorum: Kingmaker, The Infinite and the Divine) is part of the Extra History Complete videocast, and they just dropped their latest lesson on ibn Battuta, the fascinating 14th century scholar and traveler. Extra History Complete does a terrific job of being both interesting and accessible, and well worth checking out if you haven’t before.
- Not directly Black Library-related, but dammit sometimes you just need a feel-good story to restore balance in your universe. Need a quick dose of wholesome? Check out this BBC story of a Warhammer club in Hull helping revitalize their community.
- In our most recent History of the Black Library feature we introduced Simon Jowett, whose first story Hell in a Bottle appeared in Inferno! issue #8. I noted he’d worked with the James Bond license previously, and would go on to also be a writer for 2003’s Warhammer 40,000: Fire Warrior video game. In a funny bit of serendipity, guess who’s a writer for the upcoming James Bond video game? Jowett shared this amazing trailer on social media, well worth a look!
- Justin D. Hill (Shadow of the Eighth, Hell’s Last) often shares quick, one-minute videos on social media all about the craft of writing and what he’s facing at the moment- typically while walking through the beautiful English countryside. Here’s his latest on BlueSky and X about the year ahead. Some more Warhammer in there, we hope!
- If you think it’s tough to get a peek behind the curtain on how our Warhammer stories are made, try wondering how the models are designed! Very little daylight seems to escape the designers’ studio, so it’s notable and exciting when even just a little is shown off. Here’s lead designer Darren Latham talking a bit on Facebook about the Space Wolves refresh this week- enjoy!
- Shauna Lawless has started a Discord read-along group for her book The Children of Gods and Fighting Men. It’s a great way to connect with an author over their work, with Lawless also being the author of The Last Psyker (2024) for the Black Library.
- Orbit Books is holding a giveaway for a copy of Mark Latham’s latest, The Last Vigilant. Latham is a three-time author for the Black Library, including Kovos Falls (2012) and 2013’s Like Father, Like Son.
- Si Spurrier’s writing a new title for Image Comics, The Voice Said Kill. It’s a Cajun crime thriller starring a heavily pregnant park ranger from a veteran comic writer who’s scripted a number of Warhammer titles including Daemonifuge and Plaguebringer. Image Comics has for awhile been what my beloved DC Vertigo once was, a prestige storyteller bringing to life the bold, the interesting, and the unusual. Want a free peek? Si’s got you covered.
- Bona Books has launched a kickstarter for Wrath Month: Stories of Queer Rage. This fantasy, science-fiction, and horror anthology includes a story from Mike Brooks (The Lion: Son of the Forest, Warboss)!
- Warhammer Community has been releasing lore articles on a number of dramatis personae for the Horus Heresy as we edge closer to the release of the latest edition. One that appeared this week was a biography of Jenetia Krole, Knight Commander of the Silent Sisterhood. Want proof that James Workshop plays the long game? A Jenetia Krole eShort story, Jude Reid’s Anathema, was tucked away in the Advent Calendar Subscription this past December. Hidden in plain sight, you clever devil!
- Danie Ware (The Martyrdom of Sister Laurelin, The Triumph of Saint Katherine) took to social media this week to celebrate the one-year anniversary of The Rose in Darkness’s paperback release. Happy birthday!
- Finally, today kicks of the Raiders of the Realms eShorts Week at the Black Library! Five all-new Age of Sigmar stories, one each weekday. Expect a review at the end of this week or weekend, after all five have dropped!
- Although we covered this last week, as a reminder the Era of Ruin limited edition goes on preorder tomorrow, using a queue system and a single global start time. If you’re aiming for one, make sure to familiarize yourself with how that works so as not to be late to the party.
Writers Are Fans, Too
While I’ll never scorn an author making an honest living selling the fruits of their imagination, I take an extra degree of satisfaction knowing how many of the writers whose stories and words populate the shelves of the Black Library are genuine Warhammer fans first, and Black Library writers second. Here’s a few who shared that love this week.Â
Christopher Allen (False Dawn, The Rose of Bhaskar) shared these beautiful ratty lads on social media this week. “Just needs some water effect on the base to finish him off,” he noted. Terrific, yes-yes!
Here’s Chapter Master Argentius of the Silver Skulls from their writer, Sarah Cawkwell (Silver Skulls: Portents, Valkia the Bloody).
Robert Rath wrote one of the Black Library’s most popular Necron novels, The Infinite and the Divine. Clearly the love of the Necron have not left him in the five years since, as some doodles he recently shared clearly illustrate.
When you love what you do, they say, you’ll never work a day in your life. David Guymer (Realmslayer, The Last Son of Dorn) shared a haul on social media of Warhammer RPG and Arcane Journal books, noting “every day’s a work day.”
What’s he working on next, you think?
Finally, an evening spent learning how to play Warhammer 40,000 with Graham McNeill sounds like something you might win from an Omaze charity fundraiser, not a regular Saturday night in Nottingham. All the same, he was doing the Emperor’s work teaching some new folks how it’s done- even if he ended up on the losing side!
And that’s all for this week. May your pages never stop turning and your shelves be forever well-stocked. Have a great one, folks, and thank you for reading!
Footnote
- This is the perfect illustration of what I’m talking about with the writer pages. If you hadn’t heard of Alan Baxter before, you might not remember much about him being award-winning or even British-Australian… but “whiskey-soaked swear monkey?” That stands out- and it’s straight from his own author page.
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