Letters From the Labyrinth 280
Josie Wales has not moved her new kittens. However, she has them tucked so far back under the porch stairs, and has piled so many pine needles around the base of those stairs, that I’ve only caught brief glimpses of fur. I’m still confident there are only three of them this time, so it should be much easier to find them all homes.
I’ve also got Josie to the point where she will now let me pet her with ease every time I’m near her, for several minutes at a time, so I’m hoping we can soon get to the point where I’m allowed to pick her up and take her to the vet to get fixed. (She remains far too clever to fall for any of my humane box traps, and simply looks at them with disdain). One way or the other, she has to get fixed. I can’t keep adopting out litters of kittens, and she can’t keep having litters of kittens. It’s not good for either of us.
Good morning. My name is Brian Keene and this is Letters From the Labyrinth, a weekly newsletter for friends, family and fans of my work. Previous issues can be read here. You can also leave comments, which I’ll read and answer as time allows.
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With Covid restrictions easing for most of the world, the movie business is picking up steam again. It will be interesting to see how the slowdown of streaming (which I predicted in a Patreon essay last year, and which we are now seeing play out with Netflix, etc.) will impact that. I’ve got several things in development right now, but experience has taught me to just shut up about them until there is actual, quantifiable movement.
For example, there’s a writer taking a stab at a screenplay for URBAN GOTHIC right now, but I haven’t said anything about it, because that’s all that’s happening. A screenplay doesn’t mean a movie is going to get made. Hell, even a director expressing rabid, fervent interest doesn’t mean a movie is going to get made. A few years ago, a very popular horror director wanted to option URBAN GOTHIC. He campaigned for it and pulled out all the stops to woo me. He was excitedly onboard every step of the way until it came time to actually draw up an agreement and some paperwork, at which point he ghosted me. Stopped answering emails and text messages and voicemails. I haven’t heard from him since.
So, yeah. I don’t tend to talk about progress or interest or development on anything these days unless the other parties are doing so (as is the case with the indie video game adaptation of THE RISING), or if there’s actually something to report.
Which brings me to the film adaptation of THE CAGE — a movie Paul Campion (The Devil’s Rock, THE NAUGHTY LIST) has been fighting to get made for several years now. I’ve been quiet about it because we have been through development hell with this project, but it looks like things might finally be turning around. We are happy to announce that, to raise financing, THE CAGE is set to present at this year’s Cannes. Here is an article with more information.
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All stories have an end. And so do heroes…
Preorders for the paperback and ebook editions of CURSE OF THE BASTARDS are now available direct from the publisher. Use code ROGAN30 to save 30%.
Plus, that code gets you discounts off both KING OF THE BASTARDS and THRONE OF THE BASTARDS!
Here’s the cover!
It has been my honor to co-write this trilogy. I know the love Shrews has for this character — absolutely his favorite of his creations, so it meant a lot when he suggested I come onboard to help write the adventures of Old Man Rogan. He is such a fun character to write, because he’s ostensibly the protagonist, but he’s as ruthless as any villain. He’s Conan without even a hint of conscience. I was proud when KING OF THE BASTARDS won the 2016 Imadjinn Award for Best Fantasy Novel. And I've been delighted by reader response. So thank you Shrews, thank you readers, and thank you publisher Jason Sizemore and editor Lesley Conner for this journey.
And remember — even through the trilogy is now coming to an end, that doesn’t mean you’ve seen the last of Rogan. Shrews just wrote and published Killer of Giants, a new book about Rogan's younger days (featuring an Introduction by myself) which you can get here.
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Attention Metalheads: Church of Disgust have a new album coming on May 27th. Thanks to vocalist and guitarist Dustin James for the shout-out in this new interview.
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A reminder that Vendor Tables for 2023’s 2nd annual Scares That Care AuthorCon go on sale TONIGHT (Sunday May 1) at 8pm Eastern time. Watch my Twitter feed for the announcement and link. We expect them to go very quickly.
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Here are the current items from Dave Thomas’s personal collection that are up for bids.
Punktown by Jeffrey Thomas, flat-signed by the author. Click here to bid.
Cold Turkey by Nancy A. Collins, signed by the author and artist. Click here to bid.
A LITTLE SILVER BOOK OF STREETWISE STORIES by me, signed and personalized to Dave by me. Click here to bid.
OF KEENE INTEREST issue 1, signed by me. Click here to bid. This is super rare.
THE RISING: DEATH IN FOUR COLORS by me, signed and personalized to Dave by me. Click here to bid.
A GATHERING OF CROWS by me, signed and personalized to Dave by me. Click here to bid.
We will take a short break from auctions after these end, as I don’t want to be rushing around to ship things right before or after StokerCon.
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Mary is still in New Jersey, so my youngest son and I have been holding down the home front. His mom had to unexpectedly go to Florida this week, so he and I have been staying at her house (me and Mary’s house has too many stairs for their dog, who has bad hips), and then running over to me and Mary’s house twice a day to check in on and feed the cats. My writing this week has taken place at my ex-wife’s kitchen table.
I wrote the last two chapters of INVISIBLE MONSTERS. Will post them on Patreon in the next day or so. I also worked on edits for the GWENDY’S BUTTON BOX graphic novel. I proofed THE NEW FEAR: THE BEST OF HAIL SATEN Vol. 3, which will be reprinted this summer. (Can you believe that book has been out of print 13 years?) Bryan Smith and I talked over a collaboration idea. I worked on J.F. Gonzalez’s non-fiction collections. I worked on a bunch of movie stuff. And I conferred on cover ideas for SUBMERGED: THE LABYRINTH Book 2. So, all-in-all, a very productive work week.
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Me, my youngest son, and John Urbancik took a hike last Sunday. My son wanted to show John the old Hessian Mercenary graveyard we found during the pandemic (see earlier issues of this newsletter for the story and photos behind that). John took this pic of me while on the trek. I need a new author photo for dust jackets and publicity and such. Not sure if this one fits the bill or not. But I like it, regardless.
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For this week’s installment of Brian Keene’s Time Machine, let’s go back to 2005 and 2006 (which is when THE NEW FEAR takes place, so I have those years on my brain right now).
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Currently Listening: John Lennon’s entire solo discography. Have especially been on a deep track kick, with songs like “Isolation”, “Remember” and “Bring On the Lucie (Freeda Peeple)”.
Currently Reading: A Fine Evening In Hell by Kristopher Triana
Currently Watching: The new season of Survivor. I’m not allowed to watch Better Call Saul or the season finale of Snowfall or the new season of Barry until Mary gets home. (Although I totally cheated and watched the first three episodes of Saul anyway…)
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And that does it for this week. I hope things are well for you. And if you’re interested in a Vendor Table for AuthorCon, I’ll see you tonight at 8pm!
— Brian
Liked the photo your friend took. You look like you are having deep (and very sinister) thoughts. Look forward to seeing you at StokerCon!
Thanks for the mention! I’ll be sure to send you a care package once we get the album.