Nils Nisse Visser

Nils Nisse Visser 

Scribbler on a quest to retell old Sussex Folklore (and some Dutch Sealore) within the genres of historical or contemporary fantasy (including Steampunk). Hopes to become a pirate if/when he grows up.

 


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Fantastic trip to Rye

Photographer Corin Spinks and I have worked together on various projects during the last six years. Mid-March 2020 we descended on Rye to recreate some of the town's turbulent history, and it was fairly magnificent. This image by Corin's photography pupil Craig.

We're both indebted to the staff and management of Ypres Tower/Rye Museum and the Mermaid Inn for making this possible.

Our main pursuit, was the following account regarding the Mermaid Inn by a citizen of Rye: “when the Hawkhurst Gang were at the height of their pride and insolence having seen them (after successfully running a cargo of goods on the seashore), seated at the windows of this house (the Mermaid) carousing and smoking their pipes, with their loaded pistols lying on the table before them; no magistrate daring to interfere with them”.


WAGES OF SIN

The short story 'Wages of Sin', set at the Mairemaid Inn in Sinneport and featuring Tess and Nell Hawkhurst, as well as some other familiar faces, can now be read in The Dark Design Anthology THE TALE OF THE RED QUEEN AND OTHER STORIES, which Professor Elemental assures you is 'bloody marvellous'.  

Amazon UK Link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tale-Red-Queen-Other-Stories/dp/1916234240

An inspirational visit to Rye to explore it as possible setting

THE WORLD'S BIG SLEEP OUT

So Cair and I participated. We were in an enclosed compound with security, music, companions. So we did not have to face a hostile public raining insults on us, kicking us, pissing on us, or trying to set our sleeping bags on fire. It rained, it stormed, it was bitterly cold, very much an eye-opener we're still digesting. Did raise a lot of money for Sussex Homeless Support.

#artvsartist2019

So apparently this is a thing: #artvsartist #artvsartist2019. I'm tremendously grateful to my visual art friends who have allowed a writer to participate: Corin Spinks, Jack Savage, Heijo van de Werf, Cindy Headley & Nick Bulters have all reinterpreted my characters in their own fashion.

One of  the summer gigs




A NEW WRITERPUNK ANTHOLOGY 

Delighted, chuffed, and ecstatic that my submission THE SKIRRING DUTCHMAN has been accepted for the new Writerpunk Anthology, my third, their sixth. More news to follow, I believe publication due March 2020. 


This is the first story I've woven my version of Piet Visser's Flying Dutchman story into, steampunked of course, unlike my main rewrite, which will be a historical fantasy novel.

The Levellers!!!

I've been a big fan of the UK band The Levellers for all of my adult life. As such, I'm absolutely thrilled beyond bits that I've been invited to promote and sell copies of 'On Brighton Streets' at The Levellers gig in the Dome this Thursday (22 Nov) to raise awareness and funds for Sussex Homeless Support. It's a one-off, but definitely going in my resume.

The Levellers

Fantastic to meet up with Charlie and Jez of The Levellers at the Sunday Street Kitchen today, absolutely brilliant that they are supporting Sussex Homeless Support. 

A NEW SUSSEX STEAMPUNK TALE

Proud that Jewels From the Deep will feature in a new steampunk anthology due out later in 2019. 

Hastings Steampunk Extravaganza

We had a great day at the Hastings Steampunk Extravaganza. Many thanks to Power Events, Linda Harcourt-Smith, and her family.

Learn More

Steampunk Asylum Lincoln

Just got back from an amazing (and inspiring) bank holiday weekend in Lincoln, Lincolnshire. If you want to know more, try this blog by one of my hosts: https://druidlife.wordpress.com/2018/08/29/after-the-asylum-2/

Looking forward to the Brighton & Hove Book Fayre Christmas Special!!!

(Saturday 24 November, 10-4, Open Market, Brighton)


WATCH THIS SPACE

The cover image by Tom Brown is all ready to go, now I've got to finish the contents of my  novel: Flying Dutchman BLEAK FUTURE, the first of a three-part series based on my relative Piet Visser's original story De Vliegende Hollander (1901).

Having a bit of fun


ALL ABOARD!


Part of a successful kickstarter campaign


HASTINGS STEAMPUNK EXTRAVAGANZA

This picture made it to the facebook page SUSSEX FLAG for some reason. 


NEW NOVELLA

The sequel to Rottingdean Rhyme. Brighton, 1871. Alice is adjusting to life in Brighton's slums and it bain't easy. There's no more time for play, it's all about making the weekly rent to avoid the workhouse. When the local constabulary get involved, life is about to get a whole lot more complicated.

Ragged Victorians - "The great unwashed"

Another wonderful image by Corin Spinks, and I was delighted when the Ragged Victorians agreed to let us use it on the back cover of THEM THAT ASK NO QUESTIONS

PROFESSOR ELEMENTAL APPROVES!

At the Professor Elemental gig at the YELLOW BOOK steampunk pub in Brighton. Was a splendid moment I shall treasure.

My fling with High Fantasy

Not really my usual cup of tea, but I had great fun trying my hand at High Fantasy together with veteran author Benjamin Towe, and am mighty proud at the result of our efforts.

KINDLE COVER OF 

DREAMTIME DAMSELS and FATAL FEMMES

the new DREAMTIME FANTASY TALES anthology.


PAPERBACK COVER 

OF DREAMTIME DAMSELS 

AND FATAL FEMMES

Concocted by the talented Guy Donovan.

A Roman Horror Story

Delighted to be in this anthology with my story "The Cursed Stag"

THEM THAT ASKS NO QUESTIONS

This novelette is the sequel to Rottingdean Rhyme, short but sweet, as we learn how Alice copes living in Brighton's slums.

THE SKY STONES 

by Nils Visser and Jovannah Bär

A collaborative effort resulting in 

one hell of chilling tale

CORIN'S MAGIC

The Rottingdean Rhyme cover has had a remake to fit into the whole series of three. And yes, this is your first peek at the cover of 

A FAIR NIGHT FOR FOUL FOLK.

Some books in their natural habitat

(Smuggler's Room, Ypres Tower, Rye)

Steampunk Asylum Lincoln

Just got back from an amazing (and inspiring) bank holiday weekend in Lincoln, Lincolnshire. If you want to know more, try this blog by one of my hosts: https://druidlife.wordpress.com/2018/08/29/after-the-asylum-2/

A few notes on the Lincoln Steampunk Asylum


Another lovely review for 

On Brighton Streets


An Award for the  Dreamtime Dragons anthology

Dreamtime Dragons has been awarded second place for favourite anthology, so is now award-winning. Woohoo!!!

Keep 'em coming folks! :-) 


On Brighton Streets in 

the Jubilee Library!!!

Delighted that the Jubilee library in Brighton now not only stocks Will's War in Brighton, but On Brighton Streets as well.

Some serious reviewing going on. 


So glad people are enjoying 

this read


Steampunk Readers and Writers: Writing Competition

Very proud to have been counted amongst the six finalists, in a field with a lot of entries, and sirageously chuffed to have been awarded second place for my short story: 'LIMBS'

Another new 'short'

Rottingdean Rhyme first appeared in the Writerpunk Press anthology What We've Unlearned: English Class goes Punk. 


It visits the younger years of Time Flight Chronicles protagonist Alice Kittyhawk.


When Yard Pilkin moves from London to Rottingdean, he soon discovers that all the residents conspire to conceal a secret...

New Novelette! 

I'm going to focus on bringing out a few 'shorts', these are novelette length stories (about 20k) and an easy way to get acquainted with my scribblings and world-building. 

DRAKA RAID first appeared in the Dreamtime Tale Fantasy anthology Dreamtime Dragons. It explores the legend of Lewinna, who is mentioned (and possibly makes appearances!) in the Wyrde Woods books Escape from Neverland, Dance into the Wyrd, and Forgotten Road.

In this story Lewinna needs to defend the Wyrde Woods from a Danish raid with only a handful of greybeards, a score of boys, and the women of Wyrdwuda to help her. 

"The Smallest Spark" in the Magical Book of Wands anthology

Proud to be included in this anthology with a dystopian take on magic wands.

Check this link: https://jbbookworms.blogspot.com/2018/10/the-magical-book-of-wands-multi-author.html

"The Smallest Spark" in the Magical Book of Wands anthology

Proud to be included in this anthology with a dystopian take on magic wands.

Check this link: https://jbbookworms.blogspot.com/2018/10/the-magical-book-of-wands-multi-author.html

Absolutely delighted that Tom Brown, the artist behind the amazing 'Hopeless, Maine' series, is supplying the cover for my rewrite of Piet Visser's The Flying Dutchman.  This truly is a cover to be proud of! 




Updated 2019 Events List


ANOTHER SPLENDID REVIEW


Really looking forward 

to this one!!!

Do drop by if you can, the combination of the Steampunk Festival with the authentic steam railway in operation should make this a splendid affair! 

SPLENDID REVIEW!


PIRATE QUEEN

Been asked to scribble a tale about a pirate queen for a local initiative. Top-secret, hush-hush. The story was liked and will be included in Brighton-based project. Chest-thumping will follow at some point.

The day a reviewer casually compares your work to 

Bernard Cornwell is a good day. 


Forsaken 

by Nils Visser & Jovannah Bär

Our short story inspired by Brighton Museum's DIG exhibition is now available in the Elements of Horror: Water anthology.

SPLENDID REVIEW by Home Grown Horror Reviews


A key with a story

At the Brighton & Hove Book Fayre (Christmas 2019 edition) a chap approached me to talk about my smuggler's chest. When I told him it had come without a key, he fished a key out of his pocket. It fit, and he gifted it to me. A wonderful and wondrous experience.

Another addition to the Sussex Steampunk Tales

The paperbacks appear to be exclusively for kickstart supporters for now, with public availability in Spring 2020 sometime.

A NEW WYRDE WOODS STORY

Wyrde Woods fans ​will be pleased to hear that 'The Pook Project', a brand new Joy Whitfield adventure, features in the Witch Lit anthology "Words from the Cauldron", which is due for digital publication on Summer Solstice (2019). 

An Award for the  Dreamtime Dragons anthology

Dreamtime Dragons has been awarded second place for favourite anthology, so is now award-winning. Woohoo!!!

Author Piet Visser (1887-1929)

I have recently discovered that my great-grandfather's second cousin, Piet Visser (1887-1929), was a prolific writer, mostly boy's adventure stuff, with 19 confirmed titles so far. Needless to say I'm really fascinated by this, and am planning a few future writing projects using this connection.

Brighton Fringe 2018

Some of the Invisible Voices team at Brighton's Jubilee Library

Achievement Unlocked

We pulled it off, with a large team of helpers. Official launch of ON BRIGHTON STREETS  at the Brighton Clock Tower Street Kitchen this Sunday (29/4) from 01:00 to 02:30. From Monday 30 April to Sunday 6 May, I will be at the Jubilee Library with co-author Cair to present this new book, and hopefully sell a few copies. Do drop by if you can. 

Race against the clock

Working all out to have "On Brighton Streets", commissioned by Invisible Voices of Brighton & Hove, ready for Brighton Fringe 2018!!! Fingers crossed.

I've had the honour of being asked by Invisible Voices to co-author a children's book for them (12-and-up), based partially on the local success of my "Will's War in Brighton". My co-author is Cair Emma Going.

Our mission is to write a book that would allow kids aged 10-upwards to encounter the realities of the housing crisis in Brighton and Hove through fiction. That entails summarising a very complex situation in edible chunks.

We have been busily brainstorming, and decided to enlist some professional advisers, i.e. some Brighton kids who have knowledge of the local Housing Crisis. We also decided to add some real life locals into the fiction. Jim Deans, Tommy Tickle, Oliver Dall, Maria Garret, Nikkie Brennan, to name a few (provided they don't object). It's gotta be a real Brightonian story, and show what is really happening on Brighton's streets.

The story is now starting to take off, with the rough drafts of the first chapters being passed to and fro between Cair and myself, after which the experts will cast a critical eye on it.

We'll try and keep folk updated on our progress on the Invisible Voices page. The working title of the book is "ON BRIGHTON STREETS"

OPEN MARKET

I'll be at Brighton's Open Market on Friday March 2, with my stall, and hope to meet you there.

February '18 odds & ends


12 February 2018

Very lucky to have some super Wyrde Woods fans model a new idea I'm playing with. Don't they look marvelous? 

7 February 2018

Delighted with my new banners, hopefully you will encounter them soon at markets and/or events.

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