Brian Keene's Blog, page 168

NEW BOOKS & COMICS

We are days away from the premiere of Ghoul. That will dominate the website this week, so in case you missed them, here are my most recent releases. Click the cover to purchase.

Paperback and Kindle

Paperback, Kindle, Nook, & Audiobook

Signed limited edition hardcover

Trade Paperback - collects #1-5

Issue #1

Issue #2

I'm Not In This Book

I was asked to be, and said I'd try to send something if I finished up some prior deadlines, but this was around the time of my heart attack, so I never did. And since there was no contract, I forgot about it.

Until a few people asked me this morning why my name is on the cover if I'm not in the book. Well, the publisher laid out the cover, hoping to get a story by me, and forgot my name was on there before the book went to print. Honest mistake, so please don't harass them. Looks like a great line-up, though, and it's for charity. If you bought one, I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

The Second Coming of Ryan Harding

About 15 years ago, when my generation of authors were first trying to make it in this genre, one among our ranks, Ryan Harding, was heralded by many as our generation's Edward Lee. Then Ryan surprised everyone by going off to play black metal instead.

Well, he's back now, and Deadite Press has got him.

Genital Grinder by Ryan Harding. If you enjoy the works of Edward Lee, Wrath James White, and Bryan Smith, or my own Urban Gothic, you'll love this. Available now in paperback. $9.95.

CLICK HERE TO ORDER.

Good Reads: Deering, Lansdale, & Piccirilli

There are several reasons why you should be reading Rachel Deering's creator-owned, lesbian werewolf comic Anathema. I just gave you two of them ("creator owned" and "lesbian werewolves"). If you care about supporting the horror genre's creators, or greater roles for female creators within the genre, then support Anathema — a six issue horror comic that tells the story of Mercy Barlowe, a tormented young woman out to reclaim her lover's soul, which has been stolen by members of a sinister cult, bent on resurrecting a terrible and ancient evil. If, like myself, you're a fan of Warren Publishing's Rook or Mike Oliveri's The Pack, then you will most certainly dig this. Rachel has a Kickstarter campaign ongoing right now where you can learn more about the comic and find out how to support it. Click here for full details and please contribute.

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Every year, people try to guess which books and graphic novels will end up on my annual Top Ten of the Year list. Well, even though it's only April, I can virtually guarantee you that the latest novels from Joe R. Lansdale and Tom Piccirilli will both have a slot. Both are among the strongest works in either author's canon. Both are also excellent introductory books if you've yet to read these fine authors.

Lansdale's Edge of Dark Water is a period piece and coming of age tale about three misfit teens who are on the run with some stolen money and the ashes of their dead friend — which they intend to take to Hollywood. Think Huckleberry Finn meets Of Mice and Men meets Boy's Life, as imagined by Hisownself. And that description doesn't even begin to do it justice. The characters are some of his best since Hap and Leonard. Beautifully-written, heartbreakingly-rendered, and a plot that will haunt you. This is Lansdale at his absolute best. Available now in hardcover and Kindle. Click here to order.

Piccirilli's The Last Kind Words is a compulsive, character-driven, deeply engrossing noir novel in which a former thief faces a reluctant homecoming to deal with: his brother's pending execution by lethal injection, a mob boss with a grudge, a serial killer, his grandfather's Alzheimer's, the romance between his childhood sweetheart and his best friend (both of whom he abandoned), his little sister's new boyfriend and his plans for a jewel heist, the fact that his father has been lurking in people's closets, and a host of other problems, both hilarious and disturbing. Piccirilli manages to deftly weave these disparate plot strands together into a taut, tense, and at times bittersweet and funny crime thriller. Available soon in hardcover and Kindle. Click here to pre-order.

CLICKERS VS. ZOMBIES – Now Shipping

[image error]I'm told customers are receiving shipping notices for Clickers vs. Zombies. If you pre-ordered it, expect the book in your mailbox soon! If you didn't pre-order it, there are 5 copies left. Buy one here. (Reminder: this is a signed, limited edition hardcover for collectors. Paperback & digital editions will be released in late-2012 or early-2013).

Earth faces an invasion from two enemies—the Clickers, and Ob and his Siqqusim. Both groups have one goal in mind—the total extermination of the human race.

CLICKERS VS. ZOMBIES – No matter who wins, mankind loses.

THE CAGE – Now in Paperback & Kindle

Last week, my new paperback, The Cage, hit #1 on Amazon's horror bestseller list, selling out. This morning, Amazon has more copies in stock. The Kindle edition is also now available. (A Nook edition is forthcoming).

CLICK HERE TO BUY THE PAPERBACK

CLICK HERE TO BUY THE KINDLE EDITION

For the employees of Big Bill's Electronics, it's just the end of another workday—until a gunman bursts into the store. To survive, they'll have to escape… THE CAGE. Deadite Press is proud to make this novella available again. Also includes 3 rare bonus stories: "Marriage Causes Cancer In Rats," "Lest Ye Become," and "Waiting For Darkness".

March Madness Finale

I was on a writing vacation last month, and posts were sporadic. Here's an update on a few bits of rather big news from the last two weeks.

Mary, Livia Llewellyn, and Kelli Owen were invited to speak at CIA headquarters in Langley, VA. To the best of my knowledge, this was the first time an all-female group of writers gave an address there (I've spoken at Langley several times, but my co-speakers were all men — J.F. Gonzalez, F. Paul Wilson, Douglas Winter, etc.) So this was a pretty big deal.

Since they had to depart for Langley at 5am Tuesday, the girls spent Monday night here. The plan was to go to bed early, but I made them jambalaya, and Geoff Cooper got wind of that and showed up to have some, and we all stayed up until midnight. Despite this, they managed to take off on time the next morning, and I'm told the talk went very well. Mary wrote about it here.

Also, speaking of Mary, there are less than a dozen copies of her Hollower Trilogy Collector's Set left in stock. Order a copy here.

While they were doing that, I was trying to sort out the Ghoul viewing parties, and not having very much luck with it, I'm afraid. Some venues who were previously interested have now had to cancel in lieu of sporting events. Others have insurance concerns. Some cited the economy. Not sure how it will all play out yet, but I may end up scrapping the idea.

I did, however, finish a prequel to the movie. It's a short story that takes place in the film's mythos, rather than that of the book. This was commissioned by Chiller for their website, and as a result, has to be run by the folks at NBC – Universal before it will appear, but I imagine you'll see it sometime later this week. With that out of the way, I've been able to turn my attention back to The Lost Level, Hole In the World, and the initial beginnings of both With Teeth and Suburban Gothic.

Speaking of Ghoul, here's a new review of the movie. Also, if you haven't, head over to Facebook and Like the official page for the forthcoming Dark Hollow movie.

On Thursday, I was honored to learn that The Rising came in at #11 on Complex's list of The 25 Top Horror Novels of the New Millennium.

On Friday, while The Cage was climbing to the #1 spot on Amazon's horror bestseller list, J.F. Gonzalez and I headed for New York to meet with a publisher. I won't say who yet, because contracts haven't been signed, but the editor was someone who we've wanted to meet for quite some time. He took J.F., Mary, and myself out for dinner, during which we pitched a political thriller which was enthusiastically received. More on this when we can say more on this.

Last night, Mary and I had a delightful dinner with Tom and Elizabeth Monteleone. I could happily sit for hours and listen to Tom's stories from the business. It's like a live one-on-one version of his M.A.F.I.A. column. In short, we had a great time. Thanks to them for being such wonderful hosts.

So, yeah. Pretty awesome week in a month of pretty awesome weeks, during which I finished up a LOT of writing.

Finally, here's a plug for The Monster Men, who had some nice things to say about me in their latest show.

And now… back to work.

Thank You (UPDATED: #1 Bestseller)

The paperback of The Cage went on sale last night. This morning, it's #5 on Amazon's Horror Bestseller List. The reason for this is you. 

Thanks for your continued support. It's frustrating to me that I make my living with words, yet I cannot find the words to truly express how continually indebted and grateful I am to you folks. Suffice to say, you make good days better, and you make bad days survivable. You really do keep me going, especially on days when I want to quit this writing thing and go get a factory job again (and I still have those days). So, thanks. I'll keep writing them if you keep reading them.

Thanks also to Rose, Jeff, Carlton, and everyone else at Deadite Press (who published this new edition), and to Brian, Rich, Mindy and everyone else at Cemetery Dance (who published the original hardcover edition several years ago).

And now I have to go grab a shower and then hop a train to New York City with J.F. Gonzalez…

UPDATE: As J.F. and I were halfway to New York and riffing ideas off each other for a book we were about to pitch, news came in that The Cage had reached #1 on the charts. Then news came that we'd completely sold out of every copy in Amazon's various warehouses.

Thank You

The paperback of The Cage went on sale last night. This morning, it's #5 on Amazon's Horror Bestseller List. The reason for this is you. 

Thanks for your continued support. It's frustrating to me that I make my living with words, yet I cannot find the words to truly express how continually indebted and grateful I am to you folks. Suffice to say, you make good days better, and you make bad days survivable. You really do keep me going, especially on days when I want to quit this writing thing and go get a factory job again (and I still have those days). So, thanks. I'll keep writing them if you keep reading them.

Thanks also to Rose, Jeff, Carlton, and everyone else at Deadite Press (who published this new edition), and to Brian, Rich, Mindy and everyone else at Cemetery Dance (who published the original hardcover edition several years ago).

And now I have to go grab a shower and then hop a train to New York City with J.F. Gonzalez…

THE CAGE – On Sale Now!

$7.95 – Paperback (Kindle & Nook forthcoming)

For the employees of Big Bill's Home Electronics, it's just the end of another long workday—until a gunman bursts into the store and begins shooting. Now the hostages are disappearing one-by-one, and if they want to survive the night, they'll have to escape… THE CAGE.

Deadite Press is proud to make this hard-to-find novella available again. Also includes 3 rare bonus stories: "Marriage Causes Cancer In Rats," "Lest Ye Become," and "Waiting For Darkness".

CLICK HERE TO ORDER