[Letters From the Labyrinth] Official Brian Keene Newsletter 147

Hi. I'm Brian Keene, and after taking a week off last Sunday, this is the 147th issue of Letters From the Labyrinth -- a weekly newsletter for fans of my work. Previous issues are archived here.
Been a busy week. I got back from the sixth Scares That Care Charity Weekend on Monday. Tuesday through Friday I worked on a new draft of episode 6 of THOR: METAL GODS (and finished it), a short story for an anthology that my friend Regina Garza-Mitchell is editing, and my collaboration with Bev Vincent. Also recorded two podcasts, and spent time with friends.
Author John Urbancik is in town and spending a few months (or possibly more) with Mary and I. Author Matt Hayward and his wife Anna (who is my Russian publisher) were also in town, staying at Kelli Owen and Robert Ford's house, so we hung out with them Wednesday night.
This coming week will be busy too. Writing Monday through Wednesday, and then John and I leave on Thursday for Texas. Next weekend, August 16th and 17th, I'll be at KillerCon taking place at the Wingate by Wyndham Conference Center in Round Rock. Then August 18th I'll be at All Hail The Popcorn King Premiere at the Alamo Draft House Slaughter Lane in Austin.
Here are the full details for both:
KillerCon — I am happy to sign any books you bring from home. Deadite Press will also have my books on sale in the vendor room, which I am also happy to sign. In addition to signing books, I’ll also be participating in the following programming:
FRIDAY
12:30pm- Panel- What’s Your Talent Worth?
Wesley Southard, Elizabeth Massie, Shane McKenzie, Brian Keene, Lee Thomas
How much should a professional writer make for a short story? Novella? Novel? Screenplay? When is it okay to accept less? Is it ever a good idea to give your writing away “For the Luv”?
SATURDAY
3pm- All Hail The Popcorn King! Brian Keene talks to director Hansi Oppenheimer and Joe R. Lansdale about the new documentary ALL HAIL THE POPCORN KING
4pm- KillerCommentary! With Shane McKenzie and Brian Keene
Enjoy live, scathing, criticism from the writer (and a few of his closest friends) on Come Back To Me, the film adaptation of Wrath James White’s The Resurrectionist.
7pm- Reading- Brian Keene
8:30 pm- Splatterpunk Awards! Celebrating the best of Extreme and Hardcore Horror fiction. Find out who the winners are in the categories of Best Novel, Best Long Fiction, Best Short Story, Best Collection, and Best Anthology.
9:30pm- Deadite Press Presents The Gross-out Contest! Contestants have 3 minutes to present their most sickening story.
And here is the info for the premiere of ALL HAIL THE POPCORN KING. The screening and party runs from 1pm to 4pm. It is a ticketed event and tickets have sold out. You can try getting one at the door, but I can’t promise you that you’ll have any luck.
Bill Wahl is one of my oldest and best friends. For nearly 30 years, as the co-owner of the Comix Connection, Bill has brought joy to comic book and gaming fans, and has supported a number of industry professionals such as Mike Hawthorne, Brian Keene, Tim Truman, Joe R. Lansdale, Mary SanGiovanni, and J.F. Gonzalez.
Now, it is time for this community to return the favor.
Bill, an uninsured single father of two, suffered complete renal failure last year and underwent several procedures on both kidneys, including a nephrostomy, a stent, and two separate lithotripsies. Bill has spent the last 9 months with no follow up visits because he can’t afford them. He continues to sporadically pass blood and other detritus. He has been paying the urologist, anesthetist, and other charges as best he can — but it is impossible to keep up.
Comic book creators often go without health insurance for ourselves, but we forget that the retailers who champion our work and put it in the hands of readers are often in the same predicament.
We have started a GoFundMe to help Bill with his medical debt and afford follow-up visits. CLICK HERE TO DONATE.
If you'd like more information, Bleeding Cool has an article about it here and Gingernuts of Horror has an article about it here.
Maybe you were going to buy a book by me this week? If so, please consider donating that amount to Bill's fundraiser instead. Again, CLICK HERE TO DO IT.
FEAR AND LOATHING AND LOVECRAFT is a one-man play based on the novel THE DAMNED HIGHWAY, written by myself and Nick Mamatas. It is playing August 15th through August 25th at the Edmonton Fringe Festival. Click here to buy tickets.
This Week's Podcasts:
SCARES THAT CARE VI - The Horror Show with Brian Keene - Ep 231
Brian, Dave, Mary, and Coop are joined by Matt Hayward, John Urbancik, Kelli Owen, Poltergeist Press, Wesley Southard and Robert Ford for a recap of the sixth annual Scares That Care Charity Weekend convention.
Listen for free on YouTube – iTunes – Spotify – Project Entertainment– iHeartRadio – Stitcher
DEFENDERS DIALOGUE - Ep 72
Christopher Golden and Brian Keene discuss The Champions issue 4, the next phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and how both of them tie-in to The Defenders.
Listen for free on iTunes – YouTube – Project Entertainment – iHeartRadio – Stitcher
CURRENTLY READING: He Who Types Between The Rows by Mark Sieber
CURRENTLY LISTENING: Jerry Reed Greatest Hits
CURRENTLY WATCHING: 68 Kill
I posted some pics from Scares That Care on my Twitter and Instagram. Rather than republish them here and overload your inboxes, here's my Twitter and here is my Instagram.
I posted a new short story on Patreon. It's called "Top Five Reasons Not To Get Another Cat". There's also a sneak peek excerpt from THOR: METAL GODS. Click here to check them both out.
That's it for this week. See you back here next week for more.