Letters From the Labyrinth 190 - Brian Keene

Hi. I'm Brian Keene and this is the 189th issue of Letters From the Labyrinth, a weekly newsletter for fans of my work. Previous issues are archived here.
Didn't get a chance to pre-write the newsletter this week, so instead we're gonna do this almost live. It's 6:35 AM as I write this and it looks gorgeous outside. The sun is already high in the sky over the river and the water is sparkling. But in 2020, looks can be deceiving, because the temperature here alng the Susquehanna River is only 57 degrees. Here we are in the middle of summer and we have early spring temperatures. 2020 just isn't even trying anymore.
The setting up of our offices is almost finished. It's completed enough that we can work in them now. I posted a sneak peek for Patreon subscribers yesterday. I'll let the rest of you see them in about a month, after I've spackled and painted the stairwell and finished hanging the rest of the pictures.
We had Cathy and Hannah Gonzalez (wife and daughter of J.F. Gonzalez) and author and podcaster Matt Wildasin and his wife over yesterday for a socially responsible social distancing gathering in the back yard. Had a lovely time. Hannah heard some stories about her dad that she hadn't heard before. All of them got to see the new space. Matt got to see his new seating area for when we begin recording podcasts in-studio again. And I've been coming up with a plan to make that happen safely.
Later today, my youngest son and my ex-wife and my parents are coming over and we're going to do the same thing -- socially distance in the backyard. Mary has made 6 trays of baked ziti in the last two days. We'll forgo the tour for them, since they've all seen the new offices already.
But yes, I love my new office space. It is already the favorite office I have ever had. I love the view and the acoustics and the creative energy flowing through it. I've been very productive in it so far.
Which is why my stupid paranoid hypochondriac brain is already trying to convince me that something bad is going to happen and I'll never get to enjoy it. Because I am 52 and this year, it seems like every health problem I beat, two more pop up and say, "Oh yeah, tough guy? How about us, then?"
But hey, at least I acknowledge that I'm a paranoid hypochondriac who subconsciously believes that he doesn't deserve anything good so anytime something good happens (like a lovely new office) he convinces himself he has...I dunno...leprosy or scurvy or parasitic brain worms and that he will die soon without reaping the benefits of the good thing (like the lovely new office). That's progress. Five years ago, I wouldn't have acknowledged such a thing was even happening.
Mary sometimes says, "It's exhausting to be in love with you."
And then I say, "You think that's exhausting? You should try living inside my brain."
Anyway, weird weather outside this morning, but the view is gorgeous.
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The new Ozzy single probably hasn't helped my current state of mind, but holy cow, have you heard it? Have you watched the video? The video just wrecks me every time. And those lyrics!
Here. If 2020 hasn't been hard enough for you yet, let Ozzy Osbourne break your heart.

And here is a direct link if your email provider didn't allow the embedded video above.
Anyway, yeah...
In other news, I've got about 10 pages of edits to finish on NEMESAI, and abut 150 pages of edits to finish on SUBURBAN GOTHIC, and I just got copy-editor notes from Thunderstorm Books for THE SEVEN: THE LABYRINTH BOOK 1 yesterday.
All of this is compounded by the fact that the O key on my still fairly new Spectre x360 laptop cracked in half this week. To get it replaced, all the computer repair companies here locally would either have to send it out or order a part and keep my laptop for a week. That doesn't work for me, for obvious reasons, so instead I've made due by putting a piece of tape over the key. Now I have to hit it extra hard to get it to type O, which slows me down. And then I have to go over the paragraph I just wrote and search for missing O's and then go back and add them.
It's just been a spectacularly fun week here at Casa Keene, folks.
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TRIGGER WARNINGS is now available in paperback, featuring a brand-new cover. (The e-book, which was previously available, has been updated to reflect the new cover as well).
’This incendiary new non-fiction collection by World Horror Grandmaster Award winning author Brian Keene walks the line between profound and profane, poking and prodding everything from pop culture to politics. Whether it’s the downfall of America’s oldest mass-market publisher, the Second Amendment, advice on writing, marriage equality, crazed Internet trolls, writer’s organizations, the death of the Borders retail chain, misogyny in comic books, the history of the horror genre, or the apathy of a fading political system, Brian Keene shares his thoughts in that blunt, sardonic style readers have come to love. TRIGGER WARNINGS includes acclaimed essays, speeches, and articles such as “Roots”, “Seminal Screams”, “The Dorchester Wars”, “More Than Man’s Best Friend”, “Cold Warriors”, “How to Write 80,000 Words in a Weekend”, “Children Playing with Guns”, “On Rape and Repugnance”, and many more. Brian Keene’s TRIGGER WARNINGS. Don’t say you weren't warned.’
Click here to purchase the paperback or download to Kindle.
(Lifetime subscribers will receive this book with their next shipment).
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THE LAST ZOMBIE: RESKINNED (Hardcover, B&W, 664 pgs., $49.99 U.S.) collects my entire comic book series in a new hardcover. Each copy is signed by me and primary series artist Joe Wight!
Available in all good comic book stores June 24! Reserve your copy with your local retailer by giving them the Diamond Previews Code APR201547
Here's the cover.
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On this week's episode of The Horror Show with Brian Keene we talked about a LOT of things, including Brian Hodge, Wayne Allen Sallee, DC Comics vs. Diamond Distributing, Adam Donaghey, and Cinestate. You can listen to my son, Mary, Matt, Kelli Owen, Dave Thomas, and myself discuss them all at the usual locations. Listen for free on iTunes – Spotify – Libsyn – iHeartRadio – Stitcher - YouTube
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Currently Listening: That new Ozzy song, still.
Currently Reading: BIG LIZARD by Joe R. Lansdale and Keith Lansdale
Currently Watching: DA 5 BLOODS -- as I said on Twitter last night, it's a staggeringly phenomenal film. Easily Spike Lee's best. In my opinion, it stands right alongside Apocalypse Now, Full Metal Jacket and Platoon. Indeed, given repeated viewings, it may stand over them. Watch this movie.
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That's it for this week. As always, a few reminders:
PATREON - Where I post new short stories, writing advice essays, two serialized ongoing novels, and behind-the-scenes stuff EVERY SINGLE DAY!
TWITTER - The only social media outlet I still use regularly.
I'll see you back here next week. Be good to each other.