Letters From the Labyrinth 380

Take A Number

Good morning.

The above is a quote from my pal Wrath James White’s latest essay, which you can read for free here. I’ll never forget, either, Wrath. I got yelled at by people on the Right for obvious reasons. I got yelled at by people on the Left for less-obvious reasons. I was accused of “artsplaining” at one point, which is one of those goofy terms that first world suburban white kids who aren’t yet old enough to shave come up with to yell about on social media instead of real things like the increasing militarization of law enforcement, the increasingly oppressive surveillance state, genocide, poverty, food insecurity, or the looming ecological nightmare in which our planet is turning into the inside of a microwave oven. Because… reasons? Priorities? “Our planet is cooking, and our LGBTQ+ youth are coming of age in a world where they have to be afraid again, and there’s pinheads online teaching a generation of young men that women should be subservient, and religious and political extremism (and pretty much every other extremism) is on the rise again, but lets all agree to focus our anger on the cult writer who took a break from writing about giant worms and crabs and zombies to suggest that we artists talk about some of these things in our art like he does.”

But that’s okay. I’ve been getting yelled at by dingbats both within and adjacent to this industry for nearly 30 years now. You learn how to roll with it, and how to flex your shoulders and let it roll off.

But you don’t forget.

I don’t talk politics much anymore, and the reason goes back to that day. I wasn’t even really talking politics that day. It was the morning after Trump’s election, and what I said was “I know a lot of my peers and a lot of authors who look up to us are upset, anxious, or enraged this morning. Horror has always been at its best when it addresses the social upheaval of the times. That’s why you saw upswells of popularity for the genre during World War II, the Vietnam War, the Reagan era, and after 9/11. This morning, there are a lot of scared people out there, and they are looking to us for comfort. let’s get to work.”

And then everyone from both sides of the political aisle yelled at me for a week.

I won’t be talking politics much this year, either. If you’re looking for that, well my goodness. Throw a rock online and you’re bound to find a horror writer who can give you that sort of content. You won’t find much of it here, though, or on my Patreon. I’ll vote in November, but in truth, I don’t reckon it will do much good. The Republicans are running Jabba the Hut with a spray tan and the Democrats are running an even more decrepit version of Grandpa Sawyer from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and those are no choices at all. The only viable third-party contender is Kennedy, who’s like a brain-damaged version of Herb Tarlek from WKRP In Cincinnati, which makes him not viable at all.

I believe we are screwed, no matter who wins the election. If we even have an election. I believe the divisions are too great now. I believe we have gone way past the tipping point, and everyone is now just holding their breath, waiting to see who is going to kick the madness off. The calm before the storm. And it breaks my heart. Sure, as Wrath says in his essay, I'm still a big believer in infusing my art with such topics. I think more recent novels like THE COMPLEX, WITH TEETH, and ISLAND OF THE DEAD are proof positive of that. But as a collective? As a social movement? I personally believe that we are long past the point where our art could have changed anything. Now? Now we’ll just have to sit back and chronicle what happens next. (Note to self: research how well horror fiction has done during times of reconstruction).

I won’t be talking politics here in the months ahead. Nor will I be talking them in my real life. I’ll continue to do what I’ve always done. I’ll be kind and helpful to anyone I meet, until they give me a reason not to. I will continue to focus on my wife, my children, and my friends and loved ones. I will rain absolute hell down upon anyone who messes with them. I will continue to write books and stories and comics and other things, because I love my readers — each and every one of you — and I know you’re going to need something to distract yourself with in the heavy months ahead. You’ll need a place to hide for a few minutes, with some safe monsters to curl up with and distract you from the very real monsters running unchecked in our world.

If you’re looking for that, then I’m still your huckleberry.

If you want to yell at me instead, take a number and get in line.

As always, my name is Brian Keene and this is Letters From The Labyrinth, a weekly newsletter for fans, friends, and family.

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“How is ISLAND OF THE DEAD political?” That’s what some of you are asking right now. Either that, or you’re groaning, “Oh, man. Keene’s putting politics in his books now?!”

Well, I’ve got news for you, cupcake. My stuff has always been socio-political. Sometimes (like in the case of THE COMPLEX, CLICKERS II, URBAN GOTHIC, or DEAD SEA) it’s very apparent. Other times, it’s quieter (EARTHWORM GODS, for example). Art and entertainment are political. Even products produced for pure-escapism are political, because the act of creating art itself is political, whether the artist is even aware of it or not (and often, we aren’t aware of it in the moment).

On the surface, ISLAND OF THE DEAD is a purely fun and escapist story about a barbarian, a young soldier, and their two friends trapped on an island full of the undead. The elevator pitch is “Conan versus zombies”. And you, the reader, will most likely see it for just that.

But beneath the surface, it’s a novel about me and my stepdaughter, Ada, and the things I’ve watched her struggle with as a young trans-woman, and how I will absolutely wreck anyone who hassles her. That’s what the entire relationship between Einar and Mathias is based on. Einar’s characterization is me. Mathias’s characterization is Ada. Our relationship, and the things I’ve seen her struggle with, and the obstacles she’s had to overcome were distilled down into a sword & sorcery novel about zombies. You, the reader would have never known this (because my novels are never a pulpit and I try very hard to never beat you over the head with anything), except for me telling you now, to illustrate an example of how all art is political in some way or another.

That’s why you don’t need to see it in my Twitter feed or on Instagram or Facebook or Bluesky. I’m not out chasing engagement and dopamine hits by posting the perfect viral socio-political take. I — like the rest of my peers — engaged in some of that in the past, but I’ve come to believe that’s a fool’s game. if we believe in something strongly enough to say it, then why give it to the technology companies? Why boil it down to 140-characters? Why not put it into our own art instead? I’m content these days to save the important stuff for my books and stories.

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We have four weeks left to fund DEAD FORMAT (the new movie by Mike Lombardo, Samantha Kolesnik, Nathan Ludwig, and myself). We’re stuck at 55%. Thanks to each of you who have helped get us that far. We still have a long way to go, though, and we’re going to need your help. Share the campaign, tell family and friends. And remember, if you already chipped in, you can add additional perks to your original pledge. Details here.

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Currently Watching: Survivor season 46 (Paramount+)

Currently Reading: You Like It Dark by Stephen King, I Was A Teenage Slasher by Stephen Graham Jones, and Hell’s Angels by Hunter S. Thompson (re-read)

Currently Listening: Lover by Taylor Swift, Fair Warning by Van Halen, and What’s Going On? by Marvin Gaye.

This season of Survivor was a return to glory. Easily the best season in the last decade. It felt like the classic era of Rupert and Boston Rob and Parvati and Lex, etc. all.

You Like It Dark is a remarkable collection. I’ve written at length before about how its fascinating to watch Stephen King’s voice and style and subject matter change over the years. Carrie and The Long Walk, for example, are the works of a young author, and both would have been a much different had he written them now. Conversely, the stories in this new collection are the work of a more mature author, and are infused with an empathy and emotional-level that a younger author probably couldn’t have pulled off (while still remaining visceral and gut-punch-great). Really solid read. not a bad one in the bunch.

As I wrote on social media earlier in the week, Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On? is one of my favorite concept albums of all time. The timelessness of the lyrics to the final track, “Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)”, is both heartbreaking (as a human) and breathtaking (as an artist). If you’re a Zoomer or Millennial who’s never spent time with that song, that’s your assignment for today. Then listen to the whole album.

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And that does it for this week. Thanks, as always, for reading. I’ll see you back here again next Sunday. And please consider donating to DEAD FORMAT if you haven’t. Every dollar helps.

Now, lets scroll down to the comments and see if anyone is yelling at me this week…

— Brian Keene