Letters From the Labyrinth 98

Hey there. It's me, I'm Brian Keene, and this is Letters From the Labyrinth -- a weekly newsletter for fans of my work. Previous issues are archived here.
I'm thinking about the road the lot this week.
That's not unusual. I think about the road every summer, because I usually hit the road every summer. Sometimes, it's only for a few signings and conventions. Other times, it's extensive, year-long, cross-country signing tours like the one that inspired END OF THE ROAD (which you can pre-order here).
Normally, I'm thinking about what to take on tour with me. That usually involves traveling as lightly as possible. My laptop and Kindle are always a necessity, as are various Moleskin notebooks and pens and a cell phone charger. After that, things become less necessary.
This summer, I have to make room in my kit bag for not just the above-mentioned necessities, but also my SPF-50 shirts, my sun hat, my compression sleeves and compression gloves, my tubes of SPF50 sunblock, and -- even though all the open wounds are now healed -- vaseline gauze and bandages, medical tape, and tubes of poly bacitracin, because the slightest bump or scratch or exposure to direct sunlight will cause my skin to split or fissure or blister, and I'll need those things on hand when tht happens. Not if it happens, but when it happens. Because no matter how well I protect myself, sooner or later some well-meaning person is going to grab me by the arm and give it a squeeze and tell me how happy they are that I survived the accident...
...and they will squeeze the tip of my elbow right off.
So there's that to look forward to.
Here is where I'll be in the coming months:
July 19 – 22
NECON 38
Baypoint Inn & Conference Center
144 Anthony Rd.
Portsmouth, RI 02871
Note: I will be receiving the Necon Legend Award (along with fellow honoree Carole Whitney).
August 3 – 5
Scares That Care Weekend 5
Doubletree By Hilton
50 Kingsmill Road
Williamsburg, Virginia, 23185
August 24 – 26
KillerCon
Wingate by Wyndham Conference Center
Round Rock, Texas
Note: Wrath james White and I will be hosting the first ever Splatterpunk Awards. This is a historic occasion. If you can be there, do it. You won't regret it.
September 8
Protean Books & Records
836 Leadenhall St
Baltimore, MD 21230
Note: Signing noon to 3 with Mary SanGiovanni, Stephen Kozeniewski, and Wesley Southard.
October 13
Merrimack Valley Halloween Book Festival
Haverhill, MA
I will probably also be at the World Fantasy Convention this year, although not in an official capacity -- just attending as a fan to buy some books and see old friends.
The real question here is going to be one of stamina and exhaustion. A three-hour drive from here to new Jersey currenty leaves me exhausted (and I have to do it dressed like Caliban from LOGAN). If I seem "off" while I'm signing your books, just remember that it's not you -- I'm probably tired. But sign your books I will! Just don't grab my arm when we take a picture together. ;-)
Seriously, it will be good to see you folks. If you can make it to one of the above, please do.
One of my most anticipated films of this year was THE ENDLESS by Justin Benson and Aaron Moorehead, the team behind RESOLUTION and SPRING (the latter of which I have praised here and on my podcast).
THE ENDLESS did not let me down. It is a true horror masterpiece -- a David Lynch meets Stuart Gordon meets Don Coscarelli fever dream of Lovecraftian cosmic horror that demands repeated viewings. I highly recommend it. The movie is available to rent or purchase on Amazon Prime right now.
A note: some reviews make a big deal about how THE ENDLESS ties in to RESOLUTION and it does, but you do not need to see the first film to watch THE ENDLESS. Indeed, I suspect this film is more effective if you haven't yet seen RESOLUTION. My advice is to watch THE ENDLESS first. If you dig it, then go watch RESOLUTION.
THE ENDLESS will probably end up being my favorite horror movie of this year, unless something really exceptional comes along between now and December.

If your email displays images, then above you should see the cover to a new anthology called WELCOME TO THE SHOW, edited by Matt Hayward and Doug Murano. It's not availablr for pre-order just yet, but reviews are starting to come in. Sci Fi and Fantasy Review has a great write-up here, and they say, in part:
"Firstly comes Running Free by Brian Keene, a breezy, almost casual first-person story of a dying mobster who decides to try and kill himself in a rather unique way once he finds out that he has an incurable condition. Keene’s pacing is pitch-perfect here, cleverly laying out the protagonists’ plan to kill himself in the first few pages, and then drawing out the tension as attempt after attempt fails; I became engrossed in the story, Keene creating a protagonist who’s genuinely likeable despite his occupation, and it was a genuine shock when the overt horror elements of the story slowly began to appear. The ending to the story is deliciously ambiguous, and it deserves multiple rereads to really get the most out of it."
Brian Keene Dot Com got a redesign this week. Check it out.
Also, The Horror Show with Brian Keene Dot Com now redirects to there, as well.
That's it for this week. Not much news to report here, but a lot of writing to get done.
As always:
PATREON - Where I post new short stories, writing advice essays, a serialized ongoing novel, and behind-the-scenes stuff.
TWITTER - The only social media outlet I still use regularly.
BRIAN KEENE RADIO - Broadcasting for free 24/7
I'll see you back here next week.