Brian Keene's Blog, page 145

Pre-order EARTHWORM GODS II: DELUGE in paperback

Amazon has paperbacks of EARTHWORM GODS II: DELUGE available for pre-order. It should ship later this week. As always, digital editions will follow next month.

In Brian Keene’s cult-classic, Earthworm Gods, global super-storms decimated the planet, eradicating most of mankind. In the midst of this ecological nightmare, the remnants of humanity fought against a supernatural menace in a war that ranged from the rooftops of submerged cities to the mountaintop islands jutting from the sea.

Now, the battle continues. As the last of the mountains sink beneath the waves, the survivors make a desperate final stand. But the worms aren’t the only enemy they face. The world-wide ocean is host to a legion of monsters, each more terrifying than the last, and mankind is vastly outnumbered by these new horrors. Adrift at sea and struggling to stay alive, the surviving members of the human race cling to a thin strand of hope. But their possible salvation may be worse than their looming extinction…

Earthworm Gods II: Deluge – This is how the world ends.

Sex, Dreams, Shadows, Aliens, Pale Men, and Self-Publishing Help

If you’re an author or publisher looking for affordable but professional e-book design, Robert Swartwood is currently accepting a limited number of jobs. Rob designs all of my self-published Kindle, Nook, and Kobo editions. I highly recommend him. For full details and pricing, click here.

DREAMS AND SHADOWS by C. Robert Cargill

I read Dreams and Shadows in manuscript form because Cargill and I have been friends for a long time, and I’d hoped to help him get it published. Unfortunately, this happened at the height of the Dorchester fiasco, when everybody who worked for the Big Publishers decided I was the Devil for saying things like, “Big publishers should pay authors the money they owe us.” And then I went on to have a heart attack and a nervous breakdown, and I wasn’t much help to Cargill, or anyone else, after that.

Luckily, Cargill had no problem selling the book himself. That’s because it’s an amazing debut novel. If you like the works of Neil Gaiman or John Urbancik, or the Fables comic book series, you’ll absolutely love this. Available in hardcover for $13.85 or for Kindle for $10.67.

THE PALE MAN by Nate Southard

The Pale Man is a brand-new novella from Nate Southard. I’ll confess – I haven’t read it yet, but I have read everything else Nate has published (and I wrote about that here). Based on the strength of that impressive body of work, I have full confidence in recommending this one, as well.

Also, this looks to be the deft mix of hard-boiled crime and supernatural horror that Nate excels at. It’s part of a mystery series, but I’m told you don’t have to have read the other books to enjoy or understand this one. Available for the Kindle at just $1.99.

MANHUNTER by Richard Long

Richard Long is the pseudonym of a successful horror novelist who used to moonlight writing stories for adult magazines like Busty and Penthouse.

No, I won’t tell you who Richard Long really is, even in private. I’m willing to bet that almost all of you have read and enjoyed his or her horror novels. And if you’re looking for something truly kinky to read (rather than the bland, vanilla bullshit that was Fifty Shades of Grey), then you’ll really enjoy this. Available for the Kindle at just .99 cents.

OMEGA RISING by Joshua Dalzelle

Omega Rising is Joshua Dalzelle’s first published novel. I’ll admit to approaching it with some hesitation, at first, simply because of the plethora of bad, self-published books available on Kindle. I was pleased to soon discover that Joshua’s book isn’t one of those.

Instead, Omega Rising is a fun, imaginative slice of New Pulp sci-fi — perhaps best described as tossing Edgar Rice Burroughs, The X-Files, Larry Niven, Douglas Adams, The Last Starfighter, and Coast to Coast AM into a literary blender, and served chilled. Available for the Kindle at just $2.99.

Hollywood, Take 2

So, Ghoul has been out on DVD for a few months now. You can buy it here, catch a rerun on Chiller, or rent it via Redbox, etc. Some of you liked it. Some of you didn’t. I’m cool with both camps (except for the element of the ‘Didn’t Like It’ crowd who seem to think I personally made the movie and berate me about it on Facebook and Twitter. A note to those folks: I didn’t make the movie. I just wrote the book — which is currently available in paperback, Kindle, and Nook.)

Anyway, now Dark Hollow is gearing up for production (which will hopefully start soon). If one of your complaints about Ghoul was that it diverged from the book, then I hope you’ve ‘Liked’ the Dark Hollow Facebook page. If so, then you’ve probably seen by now that Raven Banner and director Paul Campion are staying true to the novel — Satyr penis, and all.

You’ve probably also seen how interactive they are, asking fans to chime in on casting suggestions, etc. And all the cool freebies they’ve been offering, like a high-resolution download of the movie poster.

If you haven’t seen these things, go ‘Like’ the page now.

And if you’re new to my work, Dark Hollow is currently available in paperback, Kindle, and Nook.

Important Updates

To the left, me signing a customer at Comix Connection’s 25th Anniversary party, which you can read about HERE.

Okay, so the next seven days or so will be one of those weeks when my head is buried in work. With that in mind, here are some important updates and news items on various things.

1. My new comic, Masters of the Universe: The Origin of Hordak, is up for pre-order here.

2. There are still a few copies of the collectible edition of The Damned Highway left in stock. Buy one here.

3. The deadline for professional manuscript reviews is approaching. Details here.

4. If you’re an author or publisher looking for someone affordable but professional to do e-book design, Robert Swartwood is accepting a limited number of jobs. Rob designs all of my self-published Kindle, Nook, and Kobo editions. I recommend him highly. For details, click here.

25 Years in Four Colors

Ned and Bill in 1988

If you’ve read Ghoul, then you’ve pretty much read about how I grew up — just minus the monsters. As a kid in York County, PA, I had two options for buying comic books.

The first option was the Spring Grove newsstand. I bought my first 3 comics there at the age of five (they were Captain America, The Defenders, and Kamandi).

And I continued to buy them there every week, peddling my bike into town every Saturday, and spending most of my allowance on comic books, and whatever was leftover on a slice of pizza at Genova’s.

My second option was our annual once-a-year trip to Baltimore, when my folks would let me visit Geppi’s (who had a store dedicated just to comic books — something unheard of back then).

Ned and Bill in 2013

Time passed. I discovered girls, music, and mind-altering substances, and thus, I lost my passion for many childhood things. But I never lost my love and appreciation of comic books as a storytelling medium.

Fast forward to 1988. I was fresh out of the Navy, and had returned home to a York County, PA that I no longer recognized. Everything seemed different. Having trouble adjusting, my first week home, I decided to visit some old haunts. My hope was that I’d recapture some old magic and feel settled — or at least comfortable again. One of those haunts I visited was the old Delco Plaza mall, where my friends and I used to go see The Rocky Horror Picture Show together on Friday nights.

While walking through that mall and reminiscing and trying to determine if everything around me had changed or if it was just me who had changed, I came across a slim little store — almost a closet rather than an actual retail space. The store measured 100ft long by 15ft wide, and it was filled with comic books. I stared, gaping, as an angelic choir sang on high from the mall’s rooftop.

It was at that moment that I felt home.

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J.F. Gonzalez, me, and Mike Hawthorne at one of the store's annual food drives

Walking inside the store, I learned that Ned Senft and Bill Wahl, two guys who used to sell comics at an indoor flea market in York City (that would later become the York Emporium) had just opened the store. I chatted for a while, and became subscriber number 19 (a box number that I kept until moving to Buffalo for a short time many years later. When I returned to York, my new number became 219).

That first visit, I gave them money, and in return they gave me comic books. And in the 25 years since then, they’ve given me long-lasting and valued friendship and support and made me laugh and gotten me through some damn hard times, and I’ve done my best to do the same for them.

Bill and Ned and the rest of the counter monkeys have become family. When my oldest son, David, was 4, I took him on his first visit to Comix Connection. Bill sent him home with a Godzilla comic and toy. David is now 22 and still enjoys Godzilla and still shops at Comix Connection. When my youngest son, Turtle, was old enough, I began taking him to Comix Connection, as well. Ned sent him home with an Iron Man comic and toy. Turtle is now 5 and wants to be Iron Man when he grows up. And I’ve no doubt that if, like his Daddy and his older brother, he still enjoys comics as an adult, he’ll buy them at Comix Connection.

They’ve been a pop-culture Mecca for Central, Pennsylvania over the years, hosting signings by everyone from Joe R. Lansdale, Tim Truman, and Duane Swierczynski to locals such as J.F. Gonzalez, Dirk Shearer, Mike Hawthorne, and myself. They give back to the community with regular food drives, toy drives, and various charitable fundraisers.

Me and the staff celebrating The Last Zombie's release

Comix Connection has gone through location changes and collapsing ceilings and expansions and a lot of growth over the years. And I know that I’m not the only long-term customer who has gone through that growth with them. Things change. To quote Rush, “Children growing up, old friends growing older. Freeze this moment a little bit longer.”

During Comix Connection’s first year in business, I bought the first issue of Hellblazer. This week, 25 years after it launched, Hellblazer ended with issue #300. But Comix Connection is still going strong. And it’s done that without rebooting continuity, jumping from one event to the next, or having non-stop crossovers. Instead, it’s done with a knowledgeable and friendly staff, brightly-lit and welcoming stores, and a genuine desire to make people happy, and share the love of a wonderful medium.

Freeze this moment a little bit longer, indeed…

Happy Anniversary, Comix Connection.

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MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE – ORIGIN OF HORDAK Pre-Orders

Masters of the Universe: The Origin of Hordak, written by me and Keith Giffen, with art by Keith and Scott Koblish, is up for pre-order. It will be in stores May 29th, but to make sure you get one, reserve a copy at your local comic shop or pre-order it online HERE.

How does one go about becoming a demigod? And, what the heck is a demigod anyway? These questions and more will be answered in MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE: THE ORIGIN OF HORDAK! Travel to the distant past and learn how the old gods died and how Hordak went from being a conqueror of the cosmos to something very like a god.

This Saturday – PA & GA

If you live in or near Pennsylvania or Georgia, then don’t make plans for this Saturday, February 23rd. I’ll be signing books and comics from noon to 3pm (as will Mike Hawthorne and Dirk Shearer) at Comix Connection, West Manchester Mall, 1800 Loucks Road York, PA 17408. At the same time, Professor Andrew P. Williams will be presenting “The End of the Symbolic Liminal: Brian Keene and the Rise of the Fast Zombie” at the American Literature Symposium at the Hyatt Regency, Two W. Bay Street, Savannah, Georgia 31401.

Professional Manuscript Reviews

I recently accepted a limited number of manuscripts for professional review. I am now accepting them again for another limited time. What follow is two parts – an update for those who already submitted, and instructions for those who wish to submit.

PART ONE: For Those Who Previously Submitted

All manuscripts have been mailed, except for the following people (last name only to protect your privacy): Killian, Motz, Shaw, Day, Mollard, Turnok, and Ellis. If you are not one of those people, and have not received your package, email me at briankeene@live.com. If you are one of those people listed above, you should have your manuscript back within the next month. In each of your cases, I’ve wanted to give the manuscript another run through.

PART TWO: For Those Wishing To Submit

1. Manuscripts should be no more than 100,000 words, and should be printed (hard copies only, no file attachments or discs) double spaced on 8 1/2 x 11 paper (Times New Roman 12 point font preferred).

2. Include a one-page synopsis. Pretend I’m the publisher you are pitching it to.

3. Include a check or money order (non-refundable) for $350.

4. Mail the manuscript, synopsis, and payment to Brian Keene, PO Box 281 Craley, PA 17312

5. Please include a valid mailing address, email address, and phone number.

In return, you will receive from me:

1. A thoroughly red-penned manuscript, with emphasis on spelling, continuity, characterization, dialogue, structure, and plot.

2. A lengthy, detailed, typewritten analysis of the manuscript, including commentary and (if required) suggestions for improvement on all of the above.

3. My suggestions (if possible) for potential publishers to submit the manuscript to.

4. A letter of recommendation and referral from myself (if possible) for you to include to those publishers.

IMPORTANT: I can only accept a limited amount of manuscripts. Therefore, this offer is only good until Tuesday, March 5th. All mailings must be post-dated by then. Any posted after that will be returned unopened.

Adrift in the Boat of Ra

Photo copyright 2013 Weston Ochse

Yes. Don’t let the lack of updates fool you. I’m still alive. Just busy working.

Author Weston Ochse is about to be deployed again, so me and fellow authors Drew Williams and M. Stephen Lukac gave him a little send-off this past weekend — which can best be summed up by this quote from Weston himself: “Here we are, four middle-aged white guys, driving through the backwoods of Pennsylvania and complaining about the current state of hip-hop.”

Last Week: Finished the scripts for The Last Zombie: The End #1 through #3, and some of new novel The Lost Level.

This Week: Scripts for The Last Zombie: The End #4 and #5, and some of new novels The Lost Level and Hole In The World.

I’ve also been reading through these manuscripts for review. If you haven’t yet received yours in the mail, you should by the end of the month.

THE LAST ZOMBIE: BEFORE THE AFTER #4 – On Sale

On sale now! If your comic shop doesn’t have it, order direct from the publisher HERE.

Sergeant Warner demands the best from the people under his command, but what does he demand of himself? As the blizzard ends, the demons that drive Warner are finally revealed. But what of Ian’s secrets? Is Doctor Federman about to discover the truth about them?

This is a special issue. If you’re the parent of a gay teen and you’re sometimes unsure how to communicate with your child, then I encourage you to read and discuss this issue together. I hope it will inspire.