Brian Keene's Blog, page 135
July 27, 2013
Week in Review 7-27-13
Although, given the amount of deadlines and traveling I’ve recently been involved with, it’s more of a two-week review.
BLOOD ON THE PAGE is now available in paperback, and for Kindle, Nook, and Kobo.
Also up for pre-order is MISTER OCTOBER, a Rick Hautala tribute anthology in which I have a story.
Tickets and hotel rooms for next year’s Scares That Care Weekend are going fast. Speaking of conventions, last weekend, I went to NECON, visited H.P. Lovecraft’s grave, and tried on sobriety.
I also posted this handy F.A.Q. for new readers, and we took a look at what John Skipp, Sarah Pinborough, Laird Barron, Ross E. Lockhart, and Meghan Arcuri-Moran have been up to.
I’m back on the road again, this Sunday through next week, sequestered once more at a hotel in New York City for another round of Top Secret comic book business, so please continue to be patient if you’re waiting on an email or phone call or manuscript. Hopefully, after this, I’ll be off the road again for a while, and can get back down to writing and catching up on things.
July 26, 2013
Six Degrees of Skipp, Pinborough, Barron, Lockhart, and Arcuri-Moran…
…or what John Skipp, Sarah Pinborough, Laird Barron, Ross E. Lockhart, and Meghan Arcuri-Moran have in common, or… Friday plugs!
There are many reasons why I’ve loved John Skipp’s transition from O.G. Splatterpunk to one of the horror genre’s best and vibrant elder statesmen. His latest column at Fangoria is just one more example. In it, Skipp tackles the subject of Women In The Horror Genre in a way that’s thoughtful, respectful, candid, and much-needed. I’ve seen this discussion taking place in the Science-Fiction and Comic Book communities, but the conversation is long overdue for the horror genre. I’ve only seen a select few discussing it, so far (primarily Nick Mamatas, Ellen Datlow, Monica O’Rourke, and Sarah Pinborough).
I mentioned Sarah Pinborough above, and Skipp does, as well, in his column. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. If you’re not reading her Blog, you really should be. She doesn’t post often, but when she does, it’s a always a gut punch of an essay. Such as this latest discussion on sexual harassment in the genre, or this letter to her teenage self (which I think I’ve plugged here before), or especially this one. There are some in our genre who view Sarah simply by her public persona on Twitter and Facebook, or her horror novels for the now-defunct Dorchester (much as they do me), and that’s sad, because those people are missing out. She’s one of the smartest, bravest truth-speakers we have in the genre right now, and her Blog should be required reading.
Speaking of good things in the genre, Laird Barron (unarguably one of the absolute best weird fiction writers to emerge in the last decade) is editing the inaugural volume of the Year’s Best Weird Fiction for Undertow Press. This will be an important volume for both readers and writers. Undertow Press have posted submission guidelines along with the crowd-sourcing information here. Please consider becoming a backer. It’s going to be a great read.
And while we’re on the topic of great reads, Ross Lockhart’s new anthology, Tales of Jack the Ripper, is now available in paperback and for the Kindle and Nook. It features a stellar line-up of authors, both accomplished and new, and you should check it out.
Finally, speaking of new authors, meet Meghan Arcuri-Moran. She’s very new, with (if I remember correctly) two published short stories and a poem, so far. I haven’t yet read her work, but I did hear her on a panel at NECON last weekend, and was impressed with what she had to say, and then I read her write-up of the NECON convention, and was doubly impressed. It made me laugh out loud. It also felt like a kindred spirit to my own “If We’re Gonna Go To Hell, Might As Well Enjoy The Ride” — which, for new readers, was a write-up of the 2001 World Horror Convention that appeared on my Blog back when I’d had about two stories published and maybe a poem (and was later reprinted in Sympathy For the Devil). Maybe that’s just me being nostalgic. Maybe not. But go read her Blog. I think she’s definitely a name to watch.
July 24, 2013
BLOOD ON THE PAGE – Now in Paperback and Digital
July 23, 2013
MISTER OCTOBER – An Anthology in Memory of Rick Hautala
MISTER OCTOBER, a two-volume tribute anthology for Rick Hautala, is now up for pre-order. 100% of its proceeds go to Rick’s family. Contributors include myself, Neil Gaiman, Clive Barker, Peter Straub, Michael Marshall Smith, Joe R. Lansdale, Duane Swierczynski, Sarah Pinborough, Sara Langan, Tom Piccirilli, F. Paul Wilson, Jonathan Maberry, Weston Ochse, Christopher Golden, Jeff Strand, Thomas Monteleone, Chet Williamson, Kevin J. Anderson, Tim Lebbon, Jack Ketchum, J.F. Gonzalez, John Skipp, and many more. Over 45 contributors, 800 pages, over 240,000 words, and over 30 illustrations.
July 21, 2013
Rumors of Sobriety (with a side-trip to H.P. Lovecraft’s grave)
H.P. Lovecraft’s grave.
So, I’m back home from NECON 33 in Bristol, Rhode Island. NECON is absolutely one of my favorite annual conventions (along with CONvergence and BizarroCon) and this year was no exception.
However, as fun as it was, this year’s NECON was also a very bittersweet convention, and involved a lot of reminiscing with old friends about old friends who are no longer with us. It also involved making sure those old friends who are still with us knew just how much they mean to us, and how grateful we are to have them in our lives.
Among my personal favorite moments:
Sampling of items left by visitors.
*A wonderful, witty, and heartfelt memorial for Rick Hautala, hosted by Christopher Golden.
*Watching Chet Williamson receive his Legend Award.
*Listening to F. Paul Wilson, Tom Monteleone, and Doug Winter talk shop and reminisce. I was a fan of all three of these men long before we ever became friends, and they’ve been very supportive over the years. But even after all this time, I find there are always new tricks of the trade to learn from them, new cautionary tales to abide by, new laughs to be had, and new inspiration to be gained. We are very lucky to have these teachers with us.
Rio Youers, Mary SanGiovanni, Dave Thomas, and Bev Vincent
*Visiting the monument and grave of H.P. Lovecraft with Mary SanGiovanni, Bev Vincent, Rio Youers, and Dave “Meteornotes” Thomas. The five of us headed out early Friday morning while the rest of the attendees were engaged in Olympic sport competitions, and I’m so glad we did. It was perfect weather (despite the heat) and a perfect day for friends.
*Late-night round table conversation with Nick Kaufmann, Jack Haringa, Christopher Golden, James A. Moore, S.J. Bagley, Heather Graham, and the aforementioned Mary, Bev, and Dave.
*Several quiet talks with NECON founder Bob Booth.
*Several fine meals with several fine friends.
*The Roast of Linda Addison.
The NECON Roast is always my favorite part of the weekend. This year’s was no exception. But this year was the first time I’ve participated in roasting (or been roasted) while sober. And yes, that’s why I’m writing this, because I see folks talking about it already on various social media. Allow me to confirm that the rumors are true. I was sober for the entirety of the convention. I have been, in fact, for a few weeks now.
I quit drinking. Nicotine is next, but that’s not something I can quit cold turkey. Nicotine is something I’m fighting in stages. I’ve had no problems so far giving up drinking, but nicotine… well, that’s always been my personal demon. I’ve tried quitting it in the past, and always failed. This time, I intend to win.
So, anyway — that’s the deal. For fifteen years y’all have brought me bourbon and tequila and beer at various signings and conventions, and I’ve always been appreciative and grateful and touched. But from here on out, if you really have to buy me a drink, make it a Diet Pepsi or a coffee instead.
And if I seem grumpy, it’s only because I’m in the depths of nicotine withdrawal…
July 16, 2013
F.A.Q. and New Reader Orientation
Photo copyright John A. Pavoncello – York Dispatch
My name is Brian Keene. I’m a father, lover, and fighter (in that order). I write books, stories, comic books, and other things for money. This week, I am finishing a novella called The Last of the Albatwitches, a novel called The Lost Level, reviewing some manuscripts for a handful of writers, and attending a convention — which means it’s the perfect time to post an orientation entry for people who are new to my work.
-
F.A.Q.: This brief biographical sketch should answer many of the questions I’m frequently asked. I’m an Agnostic. I’ve explored Christianity, Islam, various occult disciplines, Buddhism, Humanism, powwow, and other beliefs, and after doing so, I’m quite comfortable in my Agnosticism. I am a Libertarian but I lean to the Left on social issues (pro-gay marriage, etc.). I have two sons, ages 22 and 5. My 22-year old is about to become a social worker, and I am very proud of him. I have my 5 year old Monday through Thursday, which means I have Friday, Saturday and Sunday to write, go on dates, do laundry, clean house, and all the other things grown-ups do. This is why I haven’t answered your email, and this is why your novel is late. That will all change next month when little man starts all-day kindergarten and I have full work days again (which I am terribly torn over. It will be nice to get caught up on work again, but it will suck losing all that time with him. These last few years have truly been special times. I don’t know many divorced dads who have as much time with their children as I’ve had, and I’m very grateful to have a job that allows that, and a wonderful co-parent who was willing and agreeable to it). I also have a cat named Max (the inspiration for Hannibal in my story “Halves”). I had a dog named Sam, but he died last year, and I’ve yet to bring myself to get a new one. I live in an old house on top of a mountain deep in the forests along the Susquehanna River in Central Pennsylvania. My hobbies include reading, target shooting, cooking, hiking, fishing, astronomy, role playing games, Magic: The Gathering, urban exploration, and fossil and arrowhead hunting. I also collect bourbon and cigars. I enjoy good conversation and debates. I despise willful ignorance, racism, homophobia, and what passes for political discourse in this country.
BOOKS: Here is a complete list of every book I have ever written or edited. It also includes links for you to purchase the books in hardcover, paperback, Kindle, Nook, Kobo, audio-book, etc. Books that are part of a series are listed as such.
COMICS: Here is a complete list of every comic book or graphic novel I have ever written or edited. It also includes links for you to purchase the comics in single issue, digital, hardcover, trade paperback, etc.
MOVIES: Here is a complete list of all the film adaptations of my work, as well as movies I appear in. Currently, Ghoul, The Ties That Bind, and Suburban Holocaust are available on DVD. Dark Hollow, Fast Zombies Suck, Castaways, The Cage, Darkness On the Edge of Town, and The Siqqusim Who Stole Christmas are all in various stages of development.
CONTACT (Fans): Readers and fans are welcome to contact me via the comments portion of this website, my message board forum, or via social media. Here is a complete list of all of my public social media profiles (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr, etc.). I am most active on Twitter. I am least active on Google+ (which I still find pointless). Facebook users, please note: in addition to having a public FB page, I also maintain a private FB profile. That second profile is for family and close friends only. Please respect that. In addition to all of those, you can also mail me at PO Box 281 Craley, PA 17312.
CONTACT (Professionals): Business queries can be emailed to briankeene@live.com. At this time, I am only considering film, video game, RPG, and other media adaptations. If you wish to adapt my work for one of those formats, or wish me to write for you in one of those formats, please query. At this time, I cannot entertain requests to write blurbs, introductions, etc. I am also not actively seeking new novel or comic book work. I won’t be entertaining interview requests again until September (at the earliest). If you are a foreign publisher, please contact my foreign rights agent, Betty Anne Crawford at bc@bookscrossingborders.com
July 15, 2013
Scares That Care Weekend Hotel Reservations
A few weeks ago, I told you all about next year’s Scares That Care Weekend — a horror convention for which all of the proceeds will go to charity, and one of the few public appearances I’ll be making next year. I also told you that I’d keep you up to date on guests, hotel room reservations, ticket info, etc. So, consider this your notice to reserve a hotel room at the discounted convention rate. Click here for all the details, and be sure to mention Group Code: STC to get the discount.
July 13, 2013
Week In Review 7-13-13
When I’m away, Max makes Feline Fortresses of Evil out of my books.
It was a busy week. Here are some things you might have missed.
About a year ago, I began testing the waters of self-publishing, so this week I talked about how that’s been going so far. I also talked about Operation: Thunderbird, an unpublished experiment from the past.
G.B. Michaels returned to writing horror fiction (after an extended gig doing tech writing) with the first chapter of a new e-serial called LAKE FOSSIL II.
Critics are saying some very good things about The Last Zombie: The End #2. And we got John Urbancik’s new book up to #20 (as of this writing) on Amazon’s Dark Fantasy charts!
A reminder that I’ll be at NECON the 2nd half of next week, and racing deadlines the 1st half, so expect things to be a little slower around here over the next seven days or so.
July 12, 2013
Zombies vs. Aliens vs. Robots vs. Cowboys vs. Ninja vs. Investment Bankers vs. Green Berets for just .99 cents!
The title really does say it all.
Zombies vs. Aliens vs. Robots vs. Cowboys vs. Ninja vs. Investment Bankers vs. Green Berets is a new novella from John Urbancik.
July 11, 2013
Self-Publishing: One Year Later
I realized this morning that it’s been roughly a year since Robert Swartwood talked me into self-publishing some of my works (and thus, the teacher became the student). I thought that maybe I’d share my thoughts, one year in. What follows are some rough observations, typed out before my five-year old wakes up and we start the day.
So far, I’ve self-published three novellas (ALONE, SCRATCH, and THE GIRL ON THE GLIDER) and one full-length short story collection (BLOOD ON THE PAGE: THE COMPLETE SHORT FICTION OF BRIAN KEENE, VOLUME 1). They’ve been made available on the Kindle, Nook, and Kobo platforms. I haven’t yet experimented with self-publishing paperbacks, but will next month with a paperback edition of BLOOD ON THE PAGE.
My up-front costs for each book (design, cover art, etc.) have been about $400. In each case, I recouped that within the first month of sales. While I won’t get into exact dollar amounts, I will say that the vast majority of my sales have come from Kindle, making up fully 85% of my monthly royalties (with Nook and Kobo sales providing the rest). I’ve noticed the same thing with my monthly royalties for the Deadite Press Kindle and Nook editions of my work. Clearly, Kindle is the dominant device.
Kindle is also the easiest to work with on the production side of things. Upload the file, enter the info, and usually within a few hours, the book is on sale. Kobo is also very easy to use. Uploading to Nook, however, can be a maddening and teeth-clenchingly frustrating experience. Error messages, time-outs, files not uploading, delays of up to five days for the book to go on sale — a complete cluster fuck.
But, overall, I’ve been very happy with the experience. Between the monthly royalties I make from self-publishing and the monthly royalties I make from Deadite Press, and the mutual respect I’m shown from Deadite, and the ease of self-publishing, I doubt there’s any way I would ever go back to the Big Five mass market publishers. Oh, they want me to. They keep asking me to. But as it stands, they can’t offer me a better deal than what I can offer myself. And after 15 years in this business, I’m very much enjoying that right now. I like where I am — doing a mix of indie press and self pubbing. For me, it’s perfect. Your mileage may vary.
