[Letters From the Labyrinth] Official Brian Keene Newsletter Easter Edition
Happy Easter (if you celebrate that sort of thing). My name is Brian Keene and this is Letters From the Labyrinth.
I don't celebrate Easter, but my oldest son is working today and my youngest son is with his mother, so I am spending the holiday with Mary SanGiovanni's family. I am composing this from her mother's kitchen, which is very much like trying to type something in the middle of Penn Station during rush hour.
A reminder that today is pretty much the last day you can pre-order the hardcover edition of RETURN TO THE LOST LEVEL. The book is at the printer right now, and will begin shipping very soon. The paperback and digital editions will be released later this Fall. So if you can't wait until then, click here and snag a hardcover.
Work this past week consisted of:
* Edits on HOLE IN THE WORLD
* Untitled short story for Patreon
* Edits on END OF THE ROAD
* Comic Book Project A
* Comic Book Project B
* Pitches for Television Project A
* Pitches for Television Project B
* The podcast
* Construction on the new office/recording studio
Yes, you read the above correctly. Despite my protestations, I've been dragged kicking and screaming back into comic books. Look, it may be a toxic environment, but it also pays $100 or more per page. That's hard to turn down. I've found the way to keep ones sanity and not burn out the way so many comic creators do is to dip your toe into the cesspool, get paid, and then go write a novel.
I can't tell you anything about the comic book projects, but I did post a clue on Twitter, in the form of two seemingly unrelated pictures. I've seen good guesses from folks, but so far, nobody has figured it out.
Queensryche is one of my second favorite bands of all time (succeeded only by Prince and Faith No More). Last week, former lead singer Geoff Tate, who is now enjoying a fantastic solo career, was ind enough to appear on my podcast, The Horror Show with Brian Keene.
We talked for a good forty-five minutes about artistry and creativity. The response from listeners has been incredibly gratifying. Some have said it's the best interview I've conducted yet. Click here to listen to it for free on your computer. The show is also available on iTunes, Roku, Stitcher, Google Play Music, and now... iHeartRadio!
We got to see the soundcheck, and the concert, and the backstage antics. Geoff spent some time hanging out and talking to Mary and I both before and after the interview. He's a kind, gracious, funny guy. Thanks to him and his entire crew, who made us feel welcome and a part of everything.
So, yes. The podcast is growing. Stephen King was kind enough to contribute something two weeks ago. Geoff Tate was kind enough to be on last week. And now we're on iHeartRadio. It's making money weekly -- not enough to pay me, but enough to pay Dave. And I see value on the back end, via increased book sales and increased brand recognition.
I have some ideas about where I want to take it going forward, but I also want to do that slowly, so as not to create a jarring format change. Suffice to say, we're not going anywhere. There was some speculation early on that I'd do this a year or two, and then move on to something else. We're in year three now, and I'm just getting started.
Speaking of podcasts, I was a guest on Scott Edelman's EATING THE FANTASTIC. It's a very in-depth, career-spanning interview. Among the topics discussed -- my moonshiner grandfather; the origins of THE RISING, GHOUL, THE COMPLEX and THE GIRL ON THE GLIDER; collaborations; spirituality and mortality; the forthcoming THE RISING V; and much, much more.
Click here to listen for free, and thanks to Scott for featuring me.
As you can see from the above pic, THE NAUGHTY LIST won 'Best Ensemble Cast' at The Austin Comedy Short Film Festival. I am so proud and thankful and grateful to everyone involved in the making of this film, particularly director Paul Campion.
I've been working on finding the best location for the Evening With Paul Campion and Brian Keene event I talked about two months ago. I've finally found it. Now it's just a matter of finding a date that will work. Paul's schedule is pretty much free, but I've got a business trip to New York and a business trip to Los Angeles, both in May, to contend with. I'm guessing late-May or early-June. Should know for sure next week.
I'm also finishing up sending out the rest of THE TIES THAT BIND DVDs that were part of THE NAUGHTY LIST Kickstarter. Thanks for your patience. I had to wait until I got a royalty check so I could pay the postage. The remainder will ship this week.
It occurs to me, as I sit here typing this next to Mary's mother, that I put a lot of vague teasers in this issue. Two forthcoming comic book projects, two TV things. I wish I didn't have to be vague, but that's the nature of the best. In some cases, I'm simply not allowed to talk about them yet. In other cases, nothing definite has been signed -- it's still in the pitch stage.
Suffice to say, if everything works out, there's some very cool shit on the way. Things are good. Which, if this is a Brian Keene novel, means that bad things will now happen.
That's it for this week. Again, Happy Easter (if you celebrate it). A few reminders:
PATREON - Where I post new short stories, a serialized ongoing novel, and behind-the-scenes stuff. Like last week, when I posted an excerpt from the forthcoming FINAL RETREAT by J.F. Gonzalez and myself.
TWITTER - The only social media outlet I still use regularly.
Take care.