Changes
There are going to be some changes around here over the next month, so if you're just waking up, grab a cup of coffee and read this carefully.
At this stage in my life, I want to do less, not more. And yet, due to a number of factors, most of them financial and most of them caused by the aftermath of the Dorchester meltdown, I find myself back to writing two-books at a time, plus comic scripts, and having very little free time for my sons, my fiancee, or my friends. That sort of output was a lot easier when I was 30 than it is at 43.
Years ago, I switched from the Blog format of Hail Saten to this website. Since then, I've endeavored to have new content here almost every single day. Starting next week, that will change. I'll be taking a page from the Neil Gaiman, Nick Mamatas, and Warren Ellis handbook, and posting a more journal-like entry a few times a week that will include updates on various things (new releases, writing, genre news, links, Deluge, etc.) Basically, the amount of content you see here won't change, but how it gets posted will. This will free up a lot of my time.
The second thing that will free up a lot of my time (and this is the part that will undoubtedly piss off some folks) is that I've decided to shut The Keenedom down for good. See the poll over there to your right? If there's one common theme in the poll, and the thread on Facebook (which as of this writing has 115 comments), and the responses on Twitter, it's that the vast majority of my audience is no longer using the forum. This stands to reason, since research has shown that social media is pretty much turning message boards into dinosaurs. I don't have time to devote to the forum the way I'd like to. I shut it down once before for that, and thought it would be easier now, but as I said, in the aftermath of Dorchester, I'm writing more than ever, just to make ends meet. Something's got to give. I've decided it will be the forum.
Several publishers have stepped forward to offer forums to Keenedom regulars. Cemetery Dance will be hosting an official forum for James A. Moore and several of their other authors on their new message board. Deadite Press will be launching a new forum that will be the official home for Bryan Smith, Carlton Mellick, J.F. Gonzalez, Wrath James White, etc. And if you are a reader or fan looking for a good forum to just talk about books and movies and things, I highly recommend The Horror Drive-In. Just be respectful there, if you sign up. It's a nice place, and they'd like to keep it that way. And although most of Horror World is dead and could use a good culling, The Cellar portion is still fairly active and provides a home for those readers and fans who fled the old Dorchester forums. You might enjoy it, as well.
How will this impact Facebook and Twitter? Well, again, look at the poll. Twitter works as far as getting my news out, so you won't see any changes there. And I'm still reading through all the comments in that long discussion on Facebook, so it's too early to say how that will be utilized going forward.
So, to recap – a more Blog-like approach to this site again starting next week (except on Deluge days and days when a new book goes on sale), and the Keenedom to close its doors forever within a month or so.
As always, thanks for your support and understanding. And I'd like to especially thank Val, Dezm, Noige, Mark, and Brandon, as well as Kent, Deb, and Zombielover, all of whom have kept that forum running over the years, in all of its various incarnations, and who all deserve a big standing ovation.
