Nicholas Herrmann, with his manuscript-in-progress, Short Rains, is a 2022 New Voices writer. Congratulations, Nicholas.

Set over three days, ten years apart, Short Rains follows ‘the mzungu’ – a white Kenyan who returns to join the Kenya Wildlife Service after struggling to acclimatise to life in Britain. As he progresses from rookie to hardened ranger, he has to confront poachers killing for ivory, crime within the KWS itself, and his own demons. Kenya might be the one place he feels at home, but his presence in the country is far from simple.

Inspired by Herrmann’s own childhood in Kenya after his family relocated, Short Rains explores ideas of belonging, identity and exile, while reflecting on notions of the macho Western hero and the legacies of British colonialism. These themes are focused through the lens of noir to tell a story of suspense, violence and corruption.

About Nicholas: Born in England in 1988, Nicholas Herrmann is a writer, editor and photographer based in Edinburgh. He is a graduate of the Creative Writing MA at Bath Spa University, and in 2017 his fiction was shortlisted for the Bath Novel Award. His non-fiction – focusing on place and culture – has been featured in publications such as Places Journal, Ernest and Little White Lies. He has a decade of editorial experience with clients such as HarperCollins, Faber & Faber and Juilliard. For the past five years, he has worked as an editor for Cornerstones Literary Consultancy. His photography has been published and exhibited in the UK and abroad.