[Letters From the Labyrinth] Official Brian Keene Newsletter 120
Welcome back to Letters From the Labyrinth -- a weekly newsletter for fans of my work. this is the 120th issue. Previous issues are archived here.
We are six days into 2019, and in those six days, I've been more productive than I was at any time after my accident last summer.
I've also been saying "No" to people a lot more.
These two things may, in fact, be connected.
* * *
Mary got home last night. We leave for Portland, Oregon this Thursday, to attend BizarroCon, where she is a guest of honor and I am her plus one. We get back home the evening of Monday the 14th, and then she's back on the road the following morning.
She's going to be traveling a lot this year. My hope and intention is to stay home, and not do as many signings, because I'd like to remain as productive for the rest of the year as I have been for the last 6 days.
I do have a few public appearances scheduled, however. And a few business trips, as well. In February, I'll be in New York City for a week on business. As far as conventions go, we'll be attending Central Pennsylvania's White Rose Comic Con, and the HWA's StokerCon. I'll be at this summer's Scares That Care Weekend charity event, as always, and will also be at KillerCon in August.
I'd love to get out to L.A. at some point early this year to sign at Dark Delicacies, and to Pittsburgh to sign at Rickert & Beagle.
But otherwise, my schedule is intentionally clear. No big, sweeping signing tours this year. And no saying yes to new projects, either.
This is a year about finishing things up.
Well, I did say yes to one new project. It's not anything I can talk about yet, though. But other than that one mysterious new project, this is a year about finishing things up.
2019 looks a lot like this picture of Thor and Loki, who - while finishing up their last stand against Hela - reduce Asgard to smoking ruins in an effort to save their people.
As I mentioned above, I’ll be attending Bizarrocon 11, which takes place January 10th through the 13th at McMenamins Edgefield 2126 S.W. Halsey St. Troutdale, OR 97060. All of my paperbacks published by Deadite Press will be available for sale there (the best day to get me to sign them is on Saturday). I will also be participating in the following programming events:
SATURDAY:
12:30-1:15pm: SUCK YOUR READER IN (Mod—Jason Rizos, Brian Keene, John Skipp, Carlton Mellick III, Laura Lee Bahr, Danger Slater) — Tips and tricks on how to hook your reader on the first page and keep them addicted until the very end, even when writing the strangest of bizarro fiction storylines.
2:30-3:15pm: ADVANCED SELF-PROMOTION (Mod—Brian Asman, Grady Hendrix, Brian Keene, Jeff Burk, Gina Ranalli, Gabino Iglesias) — We all rely on some form of self-promotion, but for most of us, the skill does not come easily. Our panelists will provide tools and advice for mastering the art of authentic, confident self-promotion.
SUNDAY:
1:00-4:00pm: BIZARRO FILM SCREENING — Watch some short films by your friendly bizarro filmmakers including the feature length film produced by Brian Keene, I’m Dreaming of a White Doomsday. Hosted by John Skipp.
To register for Bizarrocon 11, click here.
This is the cover to the paperback and ebook version of HOLE IN THE WORLD - a novel set in The Lost Level series. (The hardcover came out last year).
Preorders for the paperback and ebook begin january 22nd from Apex Publishing. The book will be available in February.
For this week's podcast, I did something a little different -- readings of my short stories "Mr. Onion" and "Intersectionality". The whole thing only runs 20 minutes.
It is available on YouTube. It is also available on iTunes – Spotify –Project Entertainment – iHeartRadio – Stitcher.
I hope you enjoy the stories.
Had one of those dreams last night that seem to last for hours. In it, Jack Ketchum was here in Pennsylvania, and we'd done an event together, along with some other local authors. After, he kept urging me to drive back to his place in New York City for an after-party. I was hesitant, because it was a four hour drive, but Dallas (Ketchum's real name) was insistent. The dream ended with us standing in the bookstore's parking lot, debating how long the drive was. Then my 10-year old woke me up by turning on the XBox. (We have the Forza edition which -- upon powering on -- sounds like a race car starting).
Now, I don't think this was Dallas trying to send me a message from beyond. I do believe that happens. JF Gonzalez and Tom Piccirilli both visited me after their deaths, and it was very real. I chronicled that in END OF THE ROAD.
But this? This was just a dream. Even still, it was nice to see my friend again, and hear his voice.
The anniversary of his death is coming up soon. I suspect the dream was mostly inspired by an exchange on Twitter yesterday. You can read it here. Enjoy the pics.
That's it for this week. 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.
YOUTUBE - Where I'm posting free stuff each and every day.
I'll see you back here next week!