Brian Keene's Blog, page 109
February 3, 2015
How I Got A Job Working The Night Shift
I’ve got a new essay over at Stephen King Revisited, in which I talk about how all this is all Stephen King’s fault (with a little help from Steve Gerber and F. Paul Wilson).
January 30, 2015
THE HORROR SHOW Episode 001
Listen for free! In this episode, Brian and Dave interview USA Today bestselling author Robert Swartwood, and discuss J.F. Gonzalez, David B. Silva, Amazon’s Kindle ban of Wrath James White’s new novel, Deadite Press book covers, mainstream disparagement of horror fans, the impending Marvel Comics reboot, and much more. Plus, things go terribly awry when, after six beers, Brian needs a bathroom break and Dave refuses to hit the pause button. Available now on iTunes. Don’t have iTunes? Click here to listen, via Project iRadio.
January 26, 2015
THE EXIT’S REAL NAME REVEALED
In chapter 4 of THE SEVEN: THE LABYRINTH, Book 1, which is live now for subscribers. That’s four chapters plus four appendixes in the first month, for those keeping count.
January 21, 2015
THE HORROR SHOW
Wasn’t quite ready to announce this yet, but the news slipped out today and so… coming very soon, THE HORROR SHOW, a free weekly podcast hosted by me. In each episode, I’ll do an in-depth interview with a special guest, and we’ll also examine the latest news and controversies from the world of horror fiction, movies, comic books, and games, as well as offering historical perspectives on the genre. Think The Howard Stern Show meets WTF with Marc Maron meets Tell ‘Em Steve Dave meets Tom Monteleone’s M.A.F.I.A. meets Inside the Actor’s Studio. But focusing on the horror genre.
I’ve been secretly planning this for the past year. The website and studio are still under construction. Waiting on a few more pieces of equipment for the studio. We’ve set up a Twitter page (but will probably forgo other social media). We hope to record a pilot episode this weekend (weather permitting) which probably won’t feature a special guest but will give you a taste of what to expect. But that pilot (and subsequent episodes) won’t go live until I’m happy with them.
This (and things like THE SEVEN: THE LABYRINTH, Book 1) are all part of a plan that close friends of mine have heard me refer to in whispered mumblings as “The Endgame”. It’s a plan I came up with a year ago, and have been slowly implementing. You’ve probably already noticed less Blogging and less social media participation since Jan 1st (unless it’s a news announcement like this). That is by design, and long overdue (a fact that was personally reinforced for me recently after interacting with a pair of brain-damaged Tribbles). But I digress. Where was I? Oh, yes. This is all by design, and will further allow me to focus on writing and contractual obligations. Expect that to increase significantly once THE HORROR SHOW goes live. I’m not going quiet, but I am changing the venue.
January 20, 2015
A Country Boy Can Survive: On Writing THE LOST LEVEL
My new novel, THE LOST LEVEL, is officially available now in paperback, Kindle, Nook, and Kobo. To celebrate, I’ve written a new essay for my pal Nicholas Kaufmann’s The Scariest Part. You can read the essay here. I talk about survivalism, prepping, and how the universe decided to teach me a lesson, and how all of this relates to THE LOST LEVEL.
And if you haven’t yet gotten a copy, as I said, THE LOST LEVEL is available in the following formats: PAPERBACK – KINDLE – NOOK – KOBO
January 17, 2015
Of Dark and Yesterday
Michael T. Huyck Jr., aka Mikey, is one of my best friends — enough so that he’s been in one of my weddings and is tattooed on my back. We’ve also written a few things together (4X4 and the short story “Pantheon Version 2.0″).
His new short story collection, OF DARK AND YESTERDAY, is out now on Kindle and Nook for $3.99. You should buy it, because it’s a solid collection of surreal, literary horror. And also because I wrote the Introduction for it.
How T-Shirts Get Made
Nick Gucker, who did the amazing artwork for the EARTHWORM GODS t-shirt (part of Skurvy Ink’s line of Brian Keene t-shirts) offers a view of the creative process here. Includes unused concept sketches. Pretty cool read.
To purchase THE RISING or EARTHWORM GODS shirts, click here. More designs on the way, including URBAN GOTHIC.
January 16, 2015
2015 BEGINS WITH FOUR NEW BOOKS
THE SEVEN: THE LABYRINTH, BOOK 1 – A new online serial – Name your own monthly price – First three chapters already posted – Ob. Nodens. Leviathan. Behemoth. Meeble. Kandara. Part of a group of supernatural entities known as the Thirteen, they are waging war against the universe, the multiverse, and reality itself. Already, numerous Earths are dead in their wake. Now, they have joined forces for a final assault against Creation. Only seven heroes, drawn together from across the universe, can stand against them. But humanity’s saviors could be even more destructive than their foes… Featuring characters from THE RISING, CITY OF THE DEAD, EARTHWORM GODS, DARK HOLLOW, and many more! The End is here!
THE LOST LEVEL – Available now in paperback and Kindle – (Nook, Kobo, and iBooks forthcoming) – When modern-day occultist Aaron Pace discovers the secrets of inter-dimensional travel via a mystical pathway called The Labyrinth, he wastes no time in exploring a multitude of strange new worlds and alternate realities. But then, Aaron finds himself trapped in the most bizarre dimension of all — a place where dinosaurs coexist with giant robots, where cowboys fight reptilian lizard people, and where even the grass can kill you. This is a world populated by the missing and the disappeared, a world where myth is reality and where the extinct is reborn. Now, side-by-side with his new companions Kasheena and Bloop, Aaron must learn to navigate its dangers and survive long enough to escape… THE LOST LEVEL
TRIGGER WARNINGS – Available now on Kindle, Nook, and Kobo – (Paperback and hardcover forthcoming) – This incendiary new non-fiction collection by World Horror Grandmaster Award winning author Brian Keene walks the line between profound and profane, poking and prodding everything from pop culture to politics. Whether it’s the downfall of America’s oldest mass-market publisher, the Second Amendment, advice on writing, marriage equality, crazed Internet trolls, writer’s organizations, the death of the Borders retail chain, misogyny in comic books, the history of the horror genre, or the apathy of a fading political system, Brian Keene shares his thoughts in that blunt, sardonic style readers have come to love.
LIBRA NIGRUM SCIENTIA SECRETA – Co-written with J.F. Gonzalez – Coming soon as a signed limited 400-copy hardcover edition and signed limited 26-copy Lettered edition – 10-copy Ultra edition sold out – Examining the back-story behind the mythos of Brian Keene and J.F. Gonzalez, and drawing inspiration from sources as varied as H.P. Lovecraft’s Necronomicon to J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Silmarillion, this profusely-illustrated work of art is a dream come true for devotees of both author’s works. Part spell-book, part history, and part religious text, Libra Nigrum Scientia Secreta reveals the secrets behind the Labyrinth, Hanpa, the Thirteen, the Dark Ones, and much more. It is a dream come true for devotees of both authors.
January 8, 2015
More from THE LOST LEVEL
Preorders for the trade paperback edition of THE LOST LEVEL close tomorrow, January 9th, at 11:59pm EST. To get your hands on this new lost world, adventure novel as soon as possible, you’ll want to order now! Plus, pre-orders get free domestic shipping and you get the eBook immediately.
Kindle edition pre-orders will continue on Amazon until the release date for THE LOST LEVEL, which is January 19th.
I’m also happy to announce that Apex Publications will be publishing paperback and digital editions of both the sequel, RETURN TO THE LOST LEVEL, and the prequel, HOLE IN THE WORLD. In addition, Camelot Books will be publishing a signed, limited, first edition hardcover of HOLE IN THE WORLD. Of these two novels, the second draft of HOLE is completed and the first draft of RETURN is halfway completed.
January 5, 2015
Lifetime Subscriber Update
This is an update for Lifetime Subscribers.
Those of you who had books back-ordered should be reciving them soon. They are en route to Thunderstorm right now, via Media Mail. (Note: This has been updated from earlier, when I said he had received the books. He has not yet. This was a miscommunication between the two of us).
In addition to that, all of you should soon be reciving 4AM, THE LAST ZOMBIE: THE END #5, BLOOD ON THE PAGE, and APOCRYPHA soon. The first three are here, all signed and ready to ship to Thunderstorm. However, the copies of APOCRYPHA that Thunderstorm’s binder sent me to be signed were delivered somewhere else by UPS. We’re not sure where. Could have been California. Could have been Yuggoth. So I’m waiting to get replacements, and then all of that will ship.
After that, copies of the RISING trilogy, the EARTHWORM GODS trilogy, LAST OF THE ALBATWITCHES, and THE LOST LEVEL will ship. My intention is for those to go out end of February/beginning of March.
And then you’ll be all caught up.
