Welcome to this instalment of my Author Spotlight series of interviews, which aim to give an overview of each author’s background and approach to writing, and a slightly more detailed look at one of their books in particular. In this instalment I spoke to Denny Flowers about his background, influences and route to writing for Black Library, some great writing advice, Drukhari love stories (…sort of), and his new Necromunda novella Low Lives (which is available to buy right now).
Without further ado, let’s get straight into the interview.
Track of Words: Tell us a little about yourself as an author – who you are, where you’re from, what you like to write, etc.
Denny Flowers: I was born in Kent and never moved. I’m still in walking distance from the house I grew up in. I did go to University in Brighton and then spent a few years commuting to London where I worked in a children’s hospital. My job was collecting and analysing the morbidity and mortality data for children in intensive care, something an acquaintance once cheerfully referred to as ‘The Most Metal Job Ever’. Bleak as it sounds, it was really rewarding (and sometimes heartbreaking) work, but the commute was four hours a day and it slowly killed me.
I read a lot on the train. All sorts of genres and authors; whatever I could find. One day I ran out of books but had some paper in my bag. I decided to try writing a story, which soon became a novel, and then became a completely different novel. I experimented with a variety of genres and formats and was wildly unsuccessfully, but kept trying.
It turned out that writing was quite hard.
But I’m pretty stubborn. Years became a decade. I kept submitting things here and there but without much success. Until about a year ago, when a very nice chap from the Black Library got in touch with me regarding a recent submission.
ToW: Can you remember a defining moment when you were growing up, or a particular book or author, that steered you towards science fiction and/or fantasy?
DF: I can’t really recall a time I wasn’t into sci-fi and fantasy. My dad read me Michael Moorcock and Robert E. Howard as bedtime stories when I was, in hindsight, way too young. I grew up reading Terry Pratchett and David Gemmell, and would probably still consider Waylander my favorite fantasy novel (and possibly character) of all time. I’ve also always loved Fritz Leiber; I suspect my affinity with all things Skaven can be at least partly attributed to the rodent antagonists in The Swords of Lankhmar.
Iain M. Banks is my favorite Sci-Fi author of his time (though I love his non-genre fiction too), but my love of sci-fi really originated from reading comics as a kid, especially 2000AD. The blending of the horrible, humorous and bizarre with just a hint of satire is something I think carries forward in my own work.
ToW: What would you say your strengths are as a writer? Alternatively, what do you enjoy writing the most?
DF: I always feel like I’m still learning my craft, but I have been praised for my characters and dialogue, as well as my handling of plot, pace and structure. I also have an unpleasantly active imagination. Or perhaps it’s just unpleasant. Either way, directing it towards world building is probably for the best. I wouldn’t like to leave it unoccupied for too long.
I enjoy the subtext of a story, especially in dialogue, where characters may converse on one topic whilst something else unspoken is nevertheless being actively discussed. I also enjoy the moments within stories where a twist changes everything yet makes perfect sense, to the point where you almost want to start the story over just so you can see how the idea was foreshadowed. I would not in any way say I have mastered this skill, but I do enjoy seeding hints and writing the payoff.
ToW: You came to writing for Black Library during the 2018 open submissions window – how did you find that process?
DF: I submitted two stories for the 2018 open submission and received a rejection letter shortly afterwards. For some reason I assumed the rejection was for both stories (I was a bit dejected and probably didn’t read it properly). Life continued for a few months. I was attending a management training course when an email popped up on my phone from the Black Library submissions editor.
My pitch needed significant revisions and went back and forth a few times but evolved into the short story The Hand of Harrow. I was working full time back then and had a four-year-old at home, so the timeframe felt quite tight but my editor was really supportive and guided me through the process. Since then I’ve written another four short stories and one novella for the Black Library, as well as being invited to the Black Library Weekender. It’s only been a year since that first email, so it’s honestly all a bit of a blur.
ToW: Can you share any insight into what you’ve learned since then, whether in terms of pitching, writing or generally just working with editors, as advice for anyone wanting to write professionally?
DF: It does go without saying, but the most important thing is the quality of the writing. If you don’t have that the rest doesn’t matter. But beyond the craft, I think a prospective writer should endeavor to treat pitches and submissions like any other job. Be polite, professional and reliable. If you are given a deadline strive to meet it and if you are given feedback act on it. Always try and say yes and remember the editor may be under their own constraints. Perhaps they are looking for certain kinds of stories, or some areas of the lore cannot be touched at present due to future plans. No matter how awesome your idea or amazing your prose, if it does not fit the brief it will not be accepted.
Also don’t take rejection or negative feedback personally. I say this despite the fact I will rant and scream whenever I get that dreaded ‘Thank you but…’ email. But once I’ve gotten over myself (which usually requires a good night’s sleep) I try and consider the feedback objectively, and usually it is on point. Even if it isn’t, my job is to take what I have been given and make it as good as it can be. My favorite short story (which won’t be out for a while) is virtually nothing like the original pitch (which involved a lot more genestealers). I was really disheartened when I got the initial feedback and advice to move in a different direction, but I went with it and ultimately I think the final story is much better than my original idea.
ToW: Can you talk a little bit about your first few Black Library stories and what readers can expect from them?
DF: Most of my stories are set on the planet of Necromunda, a Hive World that long since squandered its natural resources and subsists by harvesting its own toxic heritage. I have played the game ever since the original plastic box set was released when I was a kid and I’ve always loved the setting with its 80’s punk/horror/sci-fi vibe. The lore has undergone revision and expansion in the new edition and there is an awful lot to play with. I’ve particularly enjoyed exploring the world beyond the violence in the Underhive (though naturally that comes up quite a lot anyway!).
I’ve also written a short for the Blackstone Fortress Anthology Vaults of Obsidian featuring everyone’s favorite pirate-vampire-space-elves, the Drukhari. This was a very different prospect, dealing with a trio of pariah assassins with virtually no redeemable qualities. I really admire how Andy Chamber made the characters in Path of the Renegade compelling and almost tragic figures, and I tried to do likewise. I somehow ended up writing a Drukhari love story, though ‘love’ to a Drukhari equates to needing to own someone body and soul and being willing to murder anyone who tries to prevent this, including the object of the affection.
But all the best love stories are tragic, right?
ToW: Your latest big release for Black Library is your first novella, Low Lives. How would you describe this story?
DF: Low Lives is the story of Caleb Cursebound and his partner Iktomi, two outlaws with a serious bounty on their heads. They flee to the destitute settlement of Hope’s End, situated in the depths of the Underhive. It would be a perfect place to lay low, except a gang of Orlocks has taken over the settlers’ mining operation. Most outlaws would keep their noses well out of such a dispute, but Caleb is no normal outlaw. For starters he has little common sense and poor impulse control. Caleb finds himself promising far more than he can deliver but is unwilling to back down. More worrying, it transpires that the flight to Hope’s End may not have gone entirely unnoticed. Someone with a very personal grudge is hunting Caleb, and they intend to take more than just his life.
Thematically it is a story about stories; the tall tales that are told throughout the Underhive, and what happens when myth meets reality. It is also a story about keeping your word, where most of the main characters are in some way bound by a promise or oath which may not be in their best interests. But honour is at stake, and even in the Underhive giving your word is taken very seriously.
ToW: Without spoiling anything, who are the main characters and what do we need to know about them?
DF: Caleb Cursebound is the Underhive’s ninth most dangerous man, and a skilled thief, fighter, lover and liar. Probably. There are certainly plenty of stories that paint this picture, though the origin of most of these stories appears to be Caleb himself. He is prone to arrogance, greed, drunkenness, and not considering the consequences of his actions. However, Caleb has one redeeming quality, something rather unusual for the Underhive; in his heart he is a hero. Not because of a desire for glory and fame (though that certainly is a driving force too), but because somewhere under his neuroses and insecurities is a spark of goodness, and an unwillingness to look the other way.
Iktomi, Caleb’s stoic partner, is of ratskin heritage and has little time for the inhabitants of the Hive. Cold, insular and amoral, Iktomi is nevertheless bound to Caleb by their shared history. A nihilist a heart, she has made her choice to stand with Caleb and therefore will do so to her dying breath, despite the annoyance of his company. Without him, she would probably be far richer, but her life would then be without purpose. And this is probably one of the few prospects that actually scares her.
There is a third significant character in the story, but it’s difficult to talk about her without straying into the realms of spoilers.
ToW: Where and when is it set?
DF: Deep in the Underhive lies a vast sump lake of toxic filth. Beneath it sits Hope’s End, a settlement that was once part of an industrial hub but now ekes out a pitiful existence mining the mineral deposits situated in the bedrock beneath the toxic waters. Though a mongrel settlement, it was founded by former members of House Orlock and this culture shapes the inhabitants. Dangerous as their life is, the people take pride in their toughness and willingness to endure adversity.
Despite the terrible risks of mining beneath toxic waters, the settlement has been relatively peaceful, surrounded by a desert of ash and containing little worth stealing. But the miners have struck a valuable mineral seam, and this has led to gangers moving in to exploit it.
ToW: Is there anything that you’d recommend fans check out before reading this?
DF: There is a prequel story The Hand of Harrow in Inferno! Volume 4. You do not need to read this story to understand Low Lives, but it does reveal exactly why our heroes are on the run and gives a little more insight into Iktomi’s backstory.
ToW: Why this story? Of all the possible stories you could have written about these characters, what made you go for this one?
DF: The story was a natural follow on from The Hand of Harrow, where our heroes’ somewhat rash choices were inevitably going to have consequences. Low Lives opens with the two of them escaping the latest batch of bounty hunters, and life on the run has begun to take its toll. Caleb is drowning his fears and Iktomi is increasingly paranoid and aggressive. Low Lives gave me the chance to explore how they react under pressure, their unusual friendship, and exactly how far each is willing to go to keep their word and honour intact.
ToW: What do you hope 40k and Necromunda fans will get out of this by the time they’ve finished it?
DF: I just hope they enjoy it; I’m so grateful for this opportunity and the chance to write for a company that has been a big part of my life for at least twenty years (man I’m old…). I think it will appeal to fans who like their sci-fi a little more low-key and character driven. Its tone is a little closer to Firefly than Star Wars.
It also contains one of the most impressive hangovers in the history of the Black Library.
ToW: Is it a standalone story, or can we expect more from these characters in future?
DF: Let’s just say you have not heard the last of the Underhive’s ninth most dangerous man.
Seriously; he never shuts up.
ToW: What else can you tell us about what you’re working on, what else you’ve recently had released or what you’ve got coming out over the coming months?
DF: I am currently beginning work on my first novel for the Black Library. I can’t say much at this point, partly because I’ve not actually started it yet! But I am very excited by the story and characters; there may even be one or two familiar faces popping up.
Those who were lucky enough to attend the Black Library Weekender may have picked up the Events Anthology which contained the short story Salvation’s Crucible. A sister piece should be making an appearance before the end of the year; keep an eye out online if you are interested. There are another couple of stories in the works, but I’m not sure when they will be coming out.
ToW: When you’re not writing, what might we find you getting up to?
DF: I recently took voluntary redundancy, so in the last couple of months I have gone from working full time to being primary carer for my son and being a full-on house husband. So cooking, shopping, washing clothes and/or watching The Lego Batman Movie for the sixty-fifth time are all distinct possibilities. I also read and write, though not usually at the same time.
I enjoy working out. In theory anyway; I haven’t really done it properly for years. But I’m hopeful that if I bring it up here it will shame me into getting off my butt. So if you happen to run into me feel free to ask how the gym is going so I can shuffle my feet awkwardly before throwing a smoke bomb and fleeing.
I play various games depending on my time constraints. Currently I’m in my third Blood Bowl league; it’s such a well-designed game and it fits neatly into my gaming time constraints. I’m also painting up some Death Guard that have only been sitting on my painting table for a couple of years, an impressive turnaround for me.
ToW: If someone wants to keep up with what you’re doing, how’s best to do that?
DF: My ineptitude with social media is staggering. I never joined Facebook, and whilst I occasionally read about politics on Twitter it usually makes me feel depressed. I have recently joined Instagram and will no doubt figure out exactly how a hashtag works any day now. If you would be willing to chuck me a follow please do so; perhaps my number of followers can rise to double digits.
I also lurk on Warseer and Dakkadakka under the imaginative username ‘Denny’. I have a couple of painting blogs if you are interested in my ongoing battle against my backlog of plastic crack.
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Thanks so much to Denny for taking the time to talk to me for this interview! If you haven’t already, do check out some of Denny’s Black Library stories, and if you’re on Instagram head over there and follow him to keep up to date with all his writing news! Make sure you have a read of my review of The Hand of Harrow, and keep an eye out for reviews of more of Denny’s stories coming soon.
