Letters From the Labyrinth 294
Everyone is now feeling the squeeze as the global economy convulses. That includes writers and readers, of course. I’ve decided to do my part by offering a weekly Reader Recession Relief program. How it works is very simple: each week, I’ll make one of my books available on Kindle and Nook for just .99 cents. Then, the next week, the price will return to normal and a different book will go on sale for .99 cents. Why do this? Because right now, not everybody can afford to buy a paperback book, or an expensive limited edition hardcover, or even an eBook at its normal price. But everyone can afford .99 cents per week. And the 35 cents I get from that 99 cents helps me out. So, you and I both win.
The promotion kicked off with THE GIRL ON THE GLIDER, which is one of my personal favorites of my work, and one that critics seem to agree on, as well. It will be 99 cents on Kindle and Nook until Tuesday, at which point a new book will take its place at that price.
Good morning. I’m Brian Keene and I, too, am beginning to feel the financial pinch. But we’ll get through this together, you and I. And this is Letters From the Labyrinth, a weekly newsletter for friends, family and fans of my work.
I’m writing this on Saturday morning as the sun is just starting to come up over the river. The air conditioning is shut off, and the pre-dawn air is cool, and the only sounds are insects out in the grass, a boat motor somewhere in the fog, and my four permanent indoor kitties talking to Josey Wales (the outdoor kitty) through the screens.
Speaking of Josey Wales, we hit a snag this week. I was supposed to take her, and her three remaining kittens (who we are temporarily housing in Mary’s office) to the shelter this coming week, where all four would get fixed, and get all of their shots, etc. After that, the three kittens were to be adopted out and Josey was to be returned to our yard, where she can live out her life safely and healthily and without having any more babies because I can’t keep spending my days running a kitten rescue and there’s also a detrimental environmental impact that comes with too many feral cats on a property.
But the shelter can’t do the procedure now, because of staff shortages. Indeed, they’re not sure when they’ll be able to do it. So… I’m adopting out two of those three temporary kittens this coming week, without first getting them fixed, etc. That leaves one kitten unspoken for, and Josey herself. If you live semi-local and would like a free kitten, I’d be happy to deliver it to you. We cannot take in any more of them. I don’t mind housing it temporarily, but as I said above, we already have four permanent indoor kitties, and that’s the maximum this old river house — large as it is — can comfortably or healthily hold.
Speaking of healthy households, I’m pretty much recovered from the two-fisted punch of Covid and the flu. I’m testing negative now, and have only a dry, lingering cough. Mary, however, is still testing positive and is still experiencing some symptoms, albeit much milder than previously.
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Because of having both Covid and the flu, I was very sad to miss out on this year’s Splatterpunk Awards, particularly last Friday morning, when I was on the phone with Maurice Broaddus, to discuss some PROJECT BROADSWORD stuff. Maurice was attending the awards, and was up early to, quote “go catch Pokemon”. When Wrath found out about this, hilarity ensued, and I hate that I missed it, and missed the Hall of Legends inductions, and announcing the winners. Thanks to Shane McKenzie for stepping in to cohost with Wrath in my place.
The winners, by the way (listed in bold type).
BEST NOVEL
-- Don’t Go To Wheelchair Camp by David Irons (Severed Press)
-- Trench Mouth by Christine Morgan (Madness Heart Press)
-- The Maddening by Carver Pike (Independently Published)
-- The Devoured And The Dead by Kristopher Rufty (Death’s Head Press)
-- The Night Stockers by Kristopher Triana and Ryan Harding (The Evil Cookie Publishing)
-- Left To You by Daniel J. Volpe (D&T Publishing)
BEST NOVELLA
-- Midnight In The City Of The Carrion Kid by James G. Carlson (Gloom House Publishing)
-- Only The Stains Remain by Ross Jeffery (Cemetery Gates Media)
-- Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke by Eric LaRocca (Weirdpunk Books)
-- A Roll Of the Dice by Matt Shaw (Independently Published)
-- Sacrament by Steve Stred (Black Void Publishing)
-- Talia by Daniel J. Volpe (Independently Published)
BEST SHORT STORY
-- “The Martini Club” by Aron Beauregard (from Beyond Reform, Aron Beauregard Horror)
-- “Fireflies and Apple Pies” by Thomas R. Clark (from The God Provides, St. Rooster Books)
-- “Sun Poison” by Stephen Kozeniewski (from Battered, Broken Bodies, Independently Published)
-- “Start Today” by Justin Lutz (from Teenage Grave, Filthy Loot)
-- “Abigail” by Daemon Manx (Terror Tract Publishing)
-- “Next Best Baker” by Jeff Strand (from Baker’s Dozen, Uncomfortably Dark)
BEST COLLECTION
-- Beyond Reform by Jon Athan, Aron Beauregard, and Jasper Bark (Aron Beauregard Horror)
-- Black Tongue And Other Anomalies by Richard Beauchamp (D&T Publishing)
-- Sinister Mix by Brian Bowyer (Independently Published)
-- Shattered Skies by Chris Miller (Death’s Head Press)
-- Twisted Tainted Tales by Janine Pipe (Pipe Screams Press)
-- May Cause Ocular Bleeding by Nikolas P. Robinson (Independently Published)
BEST ANTHOLOGY
-- Body Shocks edited by Ellen Datlow (Tachyon Publications)
-- Between A Spider’s Eyes edited by River Dixon (Potter’s Grove Press)
-- Bludgeon Tools edited by K. Trap Jones (The Evil Cookie Publishing)
-- Gorefest edited by K. Trap Jones (The Evil Cookie Publishing)
-- Baker’s Dozen edited by Candace Nola (Uncomfortably Dark)
-- Battered, Broken Bodies edited by Matt Shaw (Independently Published)
J. F. GONZALEZ LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD*
-- Clive Barker
SPLATTERPUNK HALL OF LEGENDS INDUCTEES
-- Richard Laymon
-- Jack Ketchum
-- J. F. Gonzalez
-- Charlee Jacob
-- John Pelan
-- Gak
-- David G. Barnett
*The previous J. F. Gonzalez Award recipients are: David J. Schow, David G. Barnett, Edward Lee, and John Skipp
And yes, that is indeed a tie for Best Anthology.
Congratulations to all the nominees and all the winners!
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Earlier this year, Tom Monteleone and F. Paul Wilson graciously turned the venerated Borderlands Writers Boot Camp over to Mary and myself. Since then, many of you have asked about our plans for 2023. All will be revealed next week. The dates will be March 29 - 31 (Wed thru Fri). The focus for next year's workshop will be short stories.
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If you live in or near Baltimore, I'll be signing books on Saturday, September 10th from noon to 5pm at Protean Books & Records 836 Leadenhall Street, along with Mary SanGiovanni, Robert Swartwood, Hailey Piper, Wesley Southard, Mike Lombardo, Somer Canon, Stephen Kozeniewski, Sonora Taylor, Chris Enterline, and Matt Wildasin. Join us for this massive signing!
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For you kids on Twitch, MissyDaGreat is going to begin reading some of my novels and stories live on there, beginning August 22. Give her a follow so you don’t miss out.
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I’ve put some more books from Dave Thomas’s estate up on eBay. This week, it’s all signed mass market paperbacks. You can view and bid on all of them here, including:
Firestarter signed by Stephen King
Neuromancer signed by William Gibson
Lost Angels signed and personalized by David J. Schow
The Rising signed and personalized by me
Usher’s Passing signed and personalized by Robert R. McCammon
The Incredible Hulk: What Savage Beast signed and personalized by Peter David
The Nestling signed and personalized by Charles L. Grant
Red Dreams signed and personalized by Dennis Etchison
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Jim Sajkowicz is a volunteer for Scares That Care, and helps us raise money for other people. Now, he needs some help himself. Jim requires neck surgery. His loved ones have set up a GoFundMe for him here. If you’ve ever wanted to thank our volunteers, this is a good chance to do so with five or ten bucks.
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Currently Listening: Brian Keene Radio
Currently Watching: Better Call Saul (AMC+) and What We Do in The Shadows (Hulu)
Currently Reading: Hank Flynn by Candace Nola
I had so much fun with Brian Keene Radio while I was sick. I still get a thrill when I log in and see clusters of listeners. The most I’ve had at one time is 52. And while I can’t see exact locations, I know that there are clusters of regular listeners in Texas, Nevada, Alaska, Kentucky, Maine, and Germany. So that’s cool. If you’d like to check it out, here’s the link with various ways to listen.
We’ll see what happens in the finale next week, but I’m going to cautiously go ahead and say that I think Better Call Saul is actually superior to Breaking Bad. Yes, ideally you’d watch all of them together (along with El Camino). But if we are considering them individually, rather than as a whole story, Better Call Saul is superior. Although if you never watched Breaking Bad, I’m not sure if this final season of Better Call Saul would make sense to you, as a viewer. But for those of us who have watched them all, it was very cool — without spoilers — to learn the post-Breaking Bad fates of Skyler, Huell, etc. (although we still don’t know what happened to Kuby).
With Jimmy/Saul/Gene truly the last one standing, I’m on pins and needles waiting to learn his fate next week. Will he find some redemption like Jesse? Or will he meet the same fate as Walter, Gus, and Mike? Or — again without spoilers — have that utter soul-crushing moment of totality like Kim did? Or none of the above?
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With professional venues for short multi-genre fiction drying up, it's more important than ever to support the good ones. Apex Magazine is not only good -- they're excellent. Always a joy to read and to write for. Check out their current Kickstarter.
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You, the public, know that I have two sons and a stepdaughter. But those who really know me know that I think of director Mike Lombardo as my third son. So, for the record, I have three sons and a stepdaughter.
I first met Mike when he was in high school. he showed up at a signing J.F. Gonzalez and I were doing. It has been one of the joys of my life to watch him grow into the man he is today, and the creative dynamo I always knew he could be. It was one of Jesus’s joys, as well, until his death. Both of my sons think of Mike as their brother, and indeed, he’s probably as much of an influence on my youngest son as I am.
After directing dozens of award-winning short films and an award-winning feature-length film, Mike has now published his first book — a wonderful short story collection called Please Don't Tap on the Glass and Other Tales of the Melancholy and Grotesque.
Eleven stories of grief, existential dread, extreme horror, and gross out comedy.
After discovering a tape he’s never heard of at a video store closing sale, a VHS collector discovers that sometimes nostalgia comes at a terrible price in Dead Format.
In Weekend at Escobar’s, a man finds himself smuggling drugs across the border stuffed inside the corpse of a cartel boss he’s trying to pass off as living.
An eighteen-year-old virgin’s first trip to the porn store goes horribly awry in Just Like the Real Thing.
With supplies and hope dwindling as they struggle to survive in a fallout shelter, a mother gives her son one last Christmas in the original short story that inspired the award-winning film, I’m Dreaming of a White Doomsday.
These and more await as you are invited to gaze into the depths of the twisted mind of filmmaker Mike Lombardo, just be careful you don’t tap on the glass, you might not like what you stir up...
Available in paperback and for Kindle right here.
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I was legitimately heartbroken to hear about the passing of Olivia Newton John this past week. She was my first crush, yes, but she was far more than that. Her music had a way of lifting my spirits like very few other pop artists during almost every decade of my life. Rest in Peace, queen.
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And that does it for this week. until next time, remember: You have to believe we are magic. Nothin' can stand in our way. You have to believe we are magic. Don't let your aim ever stray. And if all your hopes survive, destiny will arrive, and bring all your dreams alive… for you.
— Brian Keene