[Letters From the Labyrinth] Official Brian Keene Newsletter 107
Like we always do about this time, I'm Brian Keene and this is the 107th issue of Letters From the Labyrinth -- a weekly newsletter for fans of my work.
Previous issues are archived here.
SILVERWOOD: THE DOOR — by myself, Richard Chizmar, the Sisters of Slaughter, and Stephen Kozeniewski — launches next Wednesday.
Click here to read a free preview.
Click here to purchase the entire season. Use promo code SILVERWOODBK to receive 15% off the audiobook and ebook bundle.
But between now and Wednesday, you can take a trip to Silverwood for yourself, and be there when the door opens.
The entire previous SILVERWOOD saga is available for free online.
Click here to watch season one on YouTube.
Click here to watch season two on YouTube.
Click here to read the prequel graphic novel.
This is it, folks. This is what I've spent most of the year working on. Please support it. I hope you enjoy it.
This was a fruitful week.
On Monday, I finished and posted the last chapter of THE SEVEN (the first book in a heptalogy called THE LABYRINTH).
I started that serialized novel on January 3rd, 2015. It was featured for one dollar per month on a then-new website called Patreon. Here we are three years later and Patreon now accounts for roughly 49% of my annual income, and THE SEVEN is finished. Along the way, long-time readers have re-acquainted themselves with characters and situations from THE RISING, EARTHWORM GODS, CLICKERS, DARK HOLLOW, THE COMPLEX and many more of my books.
Now that it is finished, I will edit the serialized chapters into actual novel format. Eventually, it will be released in hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audiobook. But it will also remain available on Patreon, for all subscribers. And just like they did for THE SEVEN, those same Patreon subscribers will now get to experience the next book in the heptalogy — SUBMERGED — which deposits our cast back into a world where it started raining one day and then never stopped...the world of EARTHWORM GODS.
If you wanted to wait until THE SEVEN was finished to start reading it, now is the time. You can do so by paying a dollar a month over on Patreon. All of the chapters are archived there. And they will remain there when SUBMERGED begins.
So, that was Monday. The rest of the week was spent recording three podcasts and working on CURSE OF THE BASTARDS -- the sequel to KING OF THE BASTARDS and THRONE OF THE BASTARDS.
The Bastards books are co-written with Steven L. Shrewsbury. Each collaborative process is different. For Steve and I, he comes up with the plot and writes the entire first draft. Then I sit down with that first draft and re-write things -- changing plot elements, adding stuff, taking other stuff away. That gives us a second draft. Then we both look at that, and then we send it off to our pre-readers. Once we get their feedback, we do our final draft.
Today, my 10-year old and I are heading to Baltimore Comic Con for the day. He is looking for back issues of Spongebob Squarepants, The Simpsons, Sad Sack, and Beetle Bailey. I am looking for various Bronze Age Marvel, DC, Charlton, and Gold Key titles.
Next week will be dominated by promotion for SILVERWOOD: THE DOOR. I'll also still be working on CURSE OF THE BASTARDS and I've got two short stories whose deadlines are approaching fast, so I'm very much looking forward to today. Baltimore Comic Con is one of our favorite father-son activities -- something we've done regularly since he was five years old.
THIS WEEK'S PODCASTS:
I AM PROVIDENCE - The Horror Show with Brian Keene - Ep 187
The Horror Show book club continues as Brian, Dave and Mary discuss in-depth the satirical, incendiary, heartfelt meta-fictional murder mystery I AM PROVIDENCE by Nick Mamatas. Plus, more allegations against Nocturnal Readers Box and Horror Bees, trouble at Telltale Games, and a discussion of labor unions.
Listen for free on iTunes – Spotify – Project Entertainment – iHeartRadio – Stitcher
DEFENDERS DIALOGUE 42
In this special episode, Brian digs even deeper into Devil Slayer’s origins with an in-depth look at Atlas Comics’s short-lived Demon Hunter.
Listen for free on iTunes – Spotify – Project Entertainment – iHeartRadio – Stitcher
THE HOUSE ON THE BORDERLANDS PART 2
Mary SanGiovanni and special guest Brian Keene continue their discussion of William Hope Hodgson’s seminal novel THE HOUSE ON THE BORDERLAND and its influence on cosmic horror over the past century.. Listen via this link or on Spotify, iTunes and elsewhere.
S.T. Joshi was kind enough to reveal the table of contents for his new book about how my friends and I have destroyed horror fiction. (Yes, that's an actual screenshot).
So author and padawan Wile E. Young was kind enough to make this meme in response.
Wile E. Young is a good kid, and I predict he's going to go far as a writer. He's published several short stories in notable magazines and anthologies, and he's got some novels coming next year.
Follow him on Twitter, if you would please.
Currently Reading: Bastion by Simon Clark
Currently Listening: Piano and Microphone 1983 - Prince
Currently Watching: The Six Million Dollar Man season one
That's it for this week. Little man is ready to go to Comic Con. Please, please, please support SILVERWOOD: THE DOOR. And as always:
PATREON - Where I post new short stories, writing advice essays, two serialized ongoing novels, 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!