Brian Keene's Blog, page 132

Maelstrom IV Early Warning System

This is a test of the Maelstrom early warning system. If you don’t know what that is, read yesterday’s Blog post. The signed, limited edition books in this year’s set are as follows:

THE RISING: 10th ANNIVERSARY UNCUT EDITION by Brian Keene – A must have for fans of the novel and a perfect bookend to the original limited edition. It will contain material not included in the new paperback or digital editions.

THE LAST OF THE ALBATWITCHES by Brian Keene – The latest chapter in the Levi Stoltzfus saga, and an important prelude to the beginning of the end of everything (hows that for a tease)?

A NECESSARY END by F. Paul Wilson and Sarah Pinborough. Two giants of the genre (the man who brought you Repairman Jack and the woman who made spiders even scarier than they already were) team up for a terrifying and brand-new collaborative novel!

Artwork for all three books is by Wayne Miller.

Pre-orders begin on October 12. Books are expected to ship on Halloween. Pricing will be the same as previous sets. The early warning system has been activated to give you time to save your money. Due to the large readership of all three authors, we expect this year’s set to sell out extra fast. Be ready on October 12!

What is MAELSTROM? A Brief Primer

This information is mostly for new fans, since long-time readers know this already. Maelstrom is my signed, limited edition hardcover imprint at Thunderstorm Books. It was created to address three concerns impacting today’s book collector. 

1. Pricing: Many publisher’s prices have steadily increased to levels higher than many collectors and readers are willing to pay.

2. Uncertainty: Customers are hesitant to spend money on a signed, limited edition book by an author who they are unfamiliar with. For every stellar new author who has debuted in the small press over the last few years, there are a dozen who weren’t so stellar. Unless there is a ringing endorsement by someone whose opinion they trust, consumers are holding off on purchasing such volumes by new authors.

3. Value: Collectors are seeking more than a simple signature and limitation page. They want extra material for their money. They want assurances that if they spend a generous sum on a book, that same book won’t necessarily be available a month later in trade paperback or digital. They want limited runs that are actually limited, rather than numbering in the thousands. They want collectible value.

Maelstrom has met those concerns with each annual release. Each release has involved a set of three books — a novel-length work by me, a novella by me, and a novel-length work by a new author whom I endorse, and who, more importantly, I think you’ll enjoy. Sets have been priced at around $125, which puts the books firmly in the $40 to $45 price range favored by the majority of small press customers. All Maelstrom releases have been published as signed, limited hardcovers. Sets have been limited to below 300 copies, thus making them true collectibles. Each set has also included special offerings to further increase value and collectibility (free exclusive chapbooks, guarantees that certain titles will never be reprinted, etc.)

Maelstrom Set I (2010)

A Gathering of Crows by Brian Keene

The Rising: Deliverance by Brian Keene (no reprint until 5 years after pub)

Six Days by Kelli Owen

Maelstrom Set II (2011)

A Conspiracy of One by Brian Keene (never to be reprinted)

Alone by Brian Keene

Once Upon A Time In Midnight by John Urbancik

Maelstrom Set III (2012)

Deluge by Brian Keene

Sundancing by Brian Keene (never to be reprinted)

Answers of Silence by Geoff Cooper

Maelstrom Set IV (forthcoming October 2013)

Details forthcoming within the next 24 hours…

 

The Rising Continues This Month

Later this month. the Uncut, Author’s Preferred Edition of THE RISING (currently available in paperback) will hit Kindle and Nook.

Also later this month, as you probably guessed from the awesome cover to your left, the Uncut, Author’s Preferred Edition of CITY OF THE DEAD will be out in paperback.

And coming this fall, the third book in the trilogy – THE RISING: SELECTED SCENES FROM THE END OF THE WORLD.

Not so Spectacular Productions – A Warning for Writers (UPDATED x2)

There’s a warning making the rounds among up-and-coming writers and artists, especially those writing or illustrating in the Bizarro genre, concerning a small press called Spectacular Productions, which is operated by Christian Hanner (who sometimes uses the alias ‘Lee Spectacular’). 

Spectacular’s stable of authors report that novels accepted for publication as far back as 2010 have still not seen publication, despite assurances from Hanner that they were “at the printer” or would “be on Amazon next week”. More disturbing are reports that when authors inquired publicly on Facebook about the status of their books (after Hanner failed to respond to private emails) he blocked them from his page, and in some cases, those authors found their Facebook accounts suspended. Hanner is also reportedly not responding to customer requests. There are also reports that Hanner accepted stories for anthologies and a magazine but no contracts were ever sent. Another author reports acceptance for an anthology in August of 2012, but has still not received a contract or an advance, despite having been promised both “within 30 days”.

For more such testimonies from Spectacular Productions authors, I’ll refer you to this. There are too many to recount in detail here. There are many cases of creators having work accepted but without a contract, promised payments that never arrive, etc. There are also, more personal allegations regarding personal behavior at conventions, which I’m choosing not to run here at this time.

A quick perusal of the Spectacular Productions website shows a lengthy list of upcoming projects, some of which have apparently already been assigned ISBNs and cover art. (In at least one case, the cover artist never received promised payment). Their catalog confirms a few more titles. However, it does not appear (as of this writing) that any of the books are actually available for purchase. The Spectacular Productions Facebook page shows that they had funds to travel to conventions and produce t-shirts to give away to the public, but not, apparently, to actually produce the books they were contracted for.

Sadly, this is an all-too-common occurrence within the small press. A start-up publisher emerges, announces a bold list of titles, issues contracts, and then crumbles after publishing a few or none of the books, leaving authors to sort out their rights reversion and customers frustrated with the small press in general. This isn’t always done maliciously. Sometimes, the publisher is just woefully inept or ignorant of the business or finds they ran out of start-up cash quicker than they thought. Other times, there is clear malfeasance on the part of the publisher. In this case, I’m not sure which applies (as Hanner had not responded to my requests for comment by press time) but I suspect that it started out the former and has now segued into the latter. And that is unfortunate.

The common denominator in ALL such cases, be it Imaginary Worlds, Medium Rare Books, Open Casket Press, Full Moon Press, Endeavor Press, or the multitude of others that have popped up and imploded over the years, is LACK OF COMMUNICATION. Shit happens. Problems occur. A press may have been impacted by financial reasons, medical problems, divorce, distribution issues, printing errors, etc. But if a publisher doesn’t communicate clearly, quickly, and truthfully to their authors and customers, then they really shouldn’t be surprised when there is a public outcry.

And thus, this is a good time to bring up Brian’s rules for submitting to a small press (because just like you, I signed with several of these fly-by-nighters early in my career, and have similar stories to tell. Indeed, I think such things are almost a perverse right of passage in this business).

1. Always get a contract. Always, always, always. No contract, no sale. Even if you are only getting “paid in copies” or “paid in exposure”, you should still get a contract.

2. Make sure that contract explicitly states what rights the publisher is acquiring and how long they hold those rights.

3. Insist on a clause that clearly states when your rights will revert back to you, including a sub-clause that clearly states if the publisher has not produced the book by X time, all rights revert back to you.

4. A publisher who is willing to pay you an advance (even a pittance) is more likely to not do things like this to you later because they have already made a financial investment.

In this particular case, my advice to authors currently under contract with Spectacular Productions is to send a registered letter informing Mr. Hanner that you are pulling your story from publication and demanding an immediate reversion of your rights. Why? Because this is 2013, and your generation of writers have options available to you that my generation didn’t. In the age of Kindle and do-it-yourself publishing, you don’t have to put up with this sort of nonsense.

*Christian Hanner and Spectacular Press did not respond to requests for comment.

UPDATE: A post on the Spectacular Productions Facebook page states, “There will be an official response posted and emailed via blog on the afternoon of Tuesday, the 3rd of September 2013 addressing the recent allegations against Spectacular Productions and their founder. Thank you for your time and patience in this matter.”

UPDATE #2: The promised statement has not surfaced, which seems to be par for the course with this company. At this point, I strongly urge readers to boycott anything published by Spectacular Productions (including ancillary items such as t-shirt sales), and urge writers to avoid submitting to this scam.

Not so Spectacular Productions – A Warning for Writers (UPDATED)

There’s a warning making the rounds among up-and-coming writers and artists, especially those writing or illustrating in the Bizarro genre, concerning a small press called Spectacular Productions, which is operated by Christian Hanner (who sometimes uses the alias ‘Lee Spectacular’). 

Spectacular’s stable of authors report that novels accepted for publication as far back as 2010 have still not seen publication, despite assurances from Hanner that they were “at the printer” or would “be on Amazon next week”. More disturbing are reports that when authors inquired publicly on Facebook about the status of their books (after Hanner failed to respond to private emails) he blocked them from his page, and in some cases, those authors found their Facebook accounts suspended. Hanner is also reportedly not responding to customer requests. There are also reports that Hanner accepted stories for anthologies and a magazine but no contracts were ever sent. Another author reports acceptance for an anthology in August of 2012, but has still not received a contract or an advance, despite having been promised both “within 30 days”.

For more such testimonies from Spectacular Productions authors, I’ll refer you to this. There are too many to recount in detail here. There are many cases of creators having work accepted but without a contract, promised payments that never arrive, etc. There are also, more personal allegations regarding personal behavior at conventions, which I’m choosing not to run here at this time.

A quick perusal of the Spectacular Productions website shows a lengthy list of upcoming projects, some of which have apparently already been assigned ISBNs and cover art. (In at least one case, the cover artist never received promised payment). Their catalog confirms a few more titles. However, it does not appear (as of this writing) that any of the books are actually available for purchase. The Spectacular Productions Facebook page shows that they had funds to travel to conventions and produce t-shirts to give away to the public, but not, apparently, to actually produce the books they were contracted for.

Sadly, this is an all-too-common occurrence within the small press. A start-up publisher emerges, announces a bold list of titles, issues contracts, and then crumbles after publishing a few or none of the books, leaving authors to sort out their rights reversion and customers frustrated with the small press in general. This isn’t always done maliciously. Sometimes, the publisher is just woefully inept or ignorant of the business or finds they ran out of start-up cash quicker than they thought. Other times, there is clear malfeasance on the part of the publisher. In this case, I’m not sure which applies (as Hanner had not responded to my requests for comment by press time) but I suspect that it started out the former and has now segued into the latter. And that is unfortunate.

The common denominator in ALL such cases, be it Imaginary Worlds, Medium Rare Books, Open Casket Press, Full Moon Press, Endeavor Press, or the multitude of others that have popped up and imploded over the years, is LACK OF COMMUNICATION. Shit happens. Problems occur. A press may have been impacted by financial reasons, medical problems, divorce, distribution issues, printing errors, etc. But if a publisher doesn’t communicate clearly, quickly, and truthfully to their authors and customers, then they really shouldn’t be surprised when there is a public outcry.

And thus, this is a good time to bring up Brian’s rules for submitting to a small press (because just like you, I signed with several of these fly-by-nighters early in my career, and have similar stories to tell. Indeed, I think such things are almost a perverse right of passage in this business).

1. Always get a contract. Always, always, always. No contract, no sale. Even if you are only getting “paid in copies” or “paid in exposure”, you should still get a contract.

2. Make sure that contract explicitly states what rights the publisher is acquiring and how long they hold those rights.

3. Insist on a clause that clearly states when your rights will revert back to you, including a sub-clause that clearly states if the publisher has not produced the book by X time, all rights revert back to you.

4. A publisher who is willing to pay you an advance (even a pittance) is more likely to not do things like this to you later because they have already made a financial investment.

In this particular case, my advice to authors currently under contract with Spectacular Productions is to send a registered letter informing Mr. Hanner that you are pulling your story from publication and demanding an immediate reversion of your rights. Why? Because this is 2013, and your generation of writers have options available to you that my generation didn’t. In the age of Kindle and do-it-yourself publishing, you don’t have to put up with this sort of nonsense.

*Christian Hanner and Spectacular Press did not respond to requests for comment.

UPDATE: A post on the Spectacular Productions Facebook page states, “There will be an official response posted and emailed via blog on the afternoon of Tuesday, the 3rd of September 2013 addressing the recent allegations against Spectacular Productions and their founder. Thank you for your time and patience in this matter.”

THE LAST ZOMBIE: BEFORE THE AFTER – On Sale Now

In stores today is Volume 4 in THE LAST ZOMBIE series. If your local store doesn’t have it, buy here.

THE LAST ZOMBIE: BEFORE THE AFTER - As the group continue their trek eastward, Doctor Ian Scott desperately struggles to conceal his slowly worsening infection from the others. When a vicious blizzard halts their progress, the team takes shelter in an abandoned hotel. As the snow piles up outside and boredom sets in, stories are shared and secrets are revealed…and Ian’s vaccine starts wearing off.

Volumes 1 through 3 also available! Click here.

FAST ZOMBIES SUCK Status Update

FAST ZOMBIES SUCK is a short film based on my short story of the same name (which appears in this book). It is the inaugural movie from Drunken Tentacle Productions.

The film is directed by Jeff Heimbuch (The Ties That Bind, The Device) and stars Matthew Blazi (Land of the Dead, Survival of the Dead) and Karin Crighton (The Soldier Dreams, California Suite). Mike Antonio (They’ll Never Get Me, Elkton’s Undead) serves as Assistant Director and Dylan SC (The Stall, Long Pig) is the Director of Photography. Mike Lombardo (The Stall, Suburban Holocaust) delivers the special effects. The score is provided by Musician/Animator Dave Thomas (Railroad Tycoon 3, Hidden & Dangerous 2). Brian Keene (that’s me) is the Executive Producer.

We finished shooting the movie this past Sunday. (Some additional scenes needed to be filmed and unfortunately, because they were outdoor shots, we had to wait for the weather and seasons to be right again).

Over the next few months, part of the team will edit the film and begin scoring it. The other half of the team will begin combing through over 12 hours of B-reel footage, and compile it into about 3 hours of extras for the DVD.

We have a December 31st deadline to complete everything, and will send the DVD off to be manufactured the first week of January. If — IF — we finish post-production faster than that, we’ll release the DVD earlier, of course. But for now, it looks like an early 2014 DVD release. Thank you for your patience and support in this endeavor. We are confident it will be worth the wait.

In the meantime, we’d love if you’d “Like” Drunken Tentacle Productions on Facebook, and follow Drunken Tentacle Productions on Twitter. We’ll be posting more news at both in the months to come.

Finally, a special round of thanks to everyone who showed up to be an extra in the film. Yes, that was almost a year ago to the day, and yes, we made you stand out in the hot sun for hours, covered in fake blood, while you fended off attacks from killer bees. This would not have been possible without you and your enthusiasm, and we are all very grateful.

Below is a quick 32-second clip that I shot on my iPhone of Dylan, Mike L., and Matt during this past weekend’s re-shoots. In this scene, Matt’s character’s biggest fear has come to life. The zombie apocalypse is occurring, and he’s going to go deal with it in his panic-stricken state. Look for more official clips, teasers, and a trailer in the months to come.

(If the video does not appear, refresh your browser).

Brian Keene on WhoSay

Robert Ford made this because he is an idiot…

This spun out of the re-shoots for FAST ZOMBIES SUCK (which I will tell you more about tomorrow). It was made by Robert Ford, who has a new zombie novel on Kindle.

Yesterday and Today

In which we talk about yesterday’s signing, today’s movie shoot, empty nest syndrome, and a demonstration of real powwow that I witnessed with my own eyes.

Yesterday was the umpteenth annual Comix Connection Creator Cookout in which local comic book and book folks raise donations for the Central PA Food Bank while signing for, chatting with, and feeding readers and fans.

The event is always a good time. You can usually find Mike Hawthorne, J.F. Gonzalez, and myself there. (Mike and I help Comix Connection’s Bill Wahl and Ned Senft, and their awesome crew organize it every year). Current and past participants include Duane Swierczynski, Rick Leonardi, Andrew Griffith, Dirk Shearer, Mary SanGiovanni, Jess Eppley, Brandon Perlow, Karl Bollers, Kelli Owen, Robert Ford, and many others. It’s a very relaxed setting, and I always enjoy it. But this year I enjoyed it even more than I usually do, for two reasons in particular.

First, reader Mark showed up with his dad. Mark’s been a reliable source for me in the past on all things related to powwow magic (indeed, some info Mark gave me the last time I saw him has been worked into a major plot point in the next two Levi Stoltzfus books — THE LAST OF THE ALBATWITCHES and INVISIBLE MONSTERS). Mark’s father knows a bit about the art, as well, having lived in the area his whole life. His particular gift is dowsing for water. I’d seen folks do this when I was very young — too young to really take notes or observe it critically. I told him I’d love to see him do it some time, and that led to an impromptu demonstration right there at the cookout.

He got a forked tree branch that was suitable for a dowsing rod, and then we walked over to a grassy area and he went to work. He paced the ground and when he stood over top an area with water hidden underground, the rod snapped down in his hands, pointing at the spot. Sensing my mix of glee and skepticism, he then invited me to hold his wrists while he dowsed. I did, gripping them firmly so it was impossible for him to bend them. Then I walked forward, facing him, while he dowsed. When we got back over the same spot as before, the rod snapped down with such force that it hurt my own wrists. Understand, I had his wrists in a vice-grip. There was no way he broke it on his own. He also showed me his palms afterward, and the pads were red — almost bruised — from the force of the pull.

I asked him if I could take a turn, and he showed me how to properly hold the dowsing rod. Unfortunately, I didn’t seem to have the gift. In my hands, the tree branch was simply that, and nothing more. But the overall experience was awesome and delightful, and I’m pretty sure you’ll see Levi dowsing sooner or later as a result.

The other reason yesterday’s signing was so enjoyable was because I stole a baby.

My 5-year old started all day kindergarten this week, and while he’s been enjoying it immensely, I’ve been struggling. His absence during the day gives me time to write, something I haven’t had for the last 5 years, and I’ve been taking advantage of it, but while he’s at school, the house is too quiet. In that silence, I start thinking about things, and then it hits me that my little boy ain’t so little anymore, and that one day soon, I’ll ask him if he wants to play superheroes and he’ll be a young man, just like his older brother, and I am 46 next month, and that’s way too old to have anymore kids, and I wouldn’t want anymore anyway because the two I have are just fine, but holy Christ I miss it when they are little and what are the odds my older son will make me a Grandpa in the next 5 to 10 years because it would be awesome to have a baby around that I could play with but then return to the parents.

Enter Zaius (whose parents are as big Planet of the Apes fans as I am). Little guy is 7-months old, cutest baby ever, and very inquisitive about everything. I signed some comic books for his father and the baby was reaching for me the whole time, so I held him for a while. He smiled and bubbled and tugged on my beard and my glasses and rubbed snot and drool in my hair, and we had a grand old time. So grand, in fact, that I approached his parents later on during the cookout, and asked if I could hold him again, and then Zaius and I walked around the store and I told him all about writing for a living and how it’s a horrid job, and how he should study HVAC or computer systems instead when he grows up. Then I gave him back.

Yeah, I think I’ll be okay with being a grandpa. Not yet. Not yet, for sure. But eventually, when it happens, that will be fun.

Anyway, that was yesterday. Today, me and the rest of the Drunken Tentacle Productions crew are getting together to re-shoot some scenes and additional footage for FAST ZOMBIES SUCK. We’re hoping (fingers crossed) that after this, we’ll have everything in the can, and can begin true post-production, and have the film available for you by the end of the year. I’m still debating how best to release it. The original plan was to release it on DVD, in a package similar to THE TIES THAT BIND, but there’s a part of me considering releasing it for free to the internet, instead, to act as sort of a business card for those involved. Not sure yet which method we’ll take, but regardless, I’m sure you’ll see it before year’s end.

Lifetimers, Manuscripters, and Message Boarders

Lifetime Subscribers: I’m working on your next shipment now. It is massive, and it is taking me quite a while to sign everything. Expect it sometime in the next few weeks (allowing time for me to ship them to Thunderstorm, who will then ship them to you).

Manuscript Reviews: Several more have been mailed back. If you haven’t received yours, I am either waiting to hear back from a publisher I might think you’re a good match for, or I am (in the case of two) writing you an Introduction to help you sell the book. If you’d rather not wait for these things, email me at briankeene@live.com and I’ll forgo.

Forum Members: I know I’ve been missing in action. But the last month has been a blur of deadlines and getting my little guy ready for kindergarten. I’ll pop in this weekend and catch up on everything.