Letters From the Labyrinth 430
Now With Hand Puppetry
Somebody — I believe it was Sonora Taylor (who is knowledgable about these things) — once told me that online engagement drops during the summer months, because people are on vacation and such. This includes people’s engagement with email newsletters. Which bums me out because I thought last Sunday’s newsletter was really good, and it only had a 46% open rate, which is a low for this endeavor. (It also probably doesn’t help that I’m opening this week’s newsletter talking about things like online engagement, because I’m sure that will trigger some of your spam filters, as will the words “spam filter”).
So, with all of that in mind, here is Ronald Malfi performing with a hand puppet.
Good morning. I’m Brian Keene and this is Letters From the Labyrinth, a long-running newsletter for friends, fans, and family.
And thanks to everyone who braved the heat and humidity to attend the sold out Evil Embers event at Bube’s Brewery last night. The event started outside, but a few minutes into me and Mary’s reading, it started to rain, so we moved it indoors. (You can catch parts of that reading here and here).
We weren’t able to stay for the entire night, since we both have to be up early this morning to reopen the store (and also type up this newsletter), but it was great to see so many awesome folks, like long-time reader Susan Repasky, and Angel and Vince from Scares That Care, and my high school pal Jessica, and so many more.
I love living in a time when localized horror author events like this one are popping up all over the country. If one happens in your area, please support it.
We also had two great signings at the store this past week — Tim Waggoner on Thursday evening and Jonathan Janz yesterday before the Evil Embers event. Both were very well attended. (Also got to meet Joe Mynhardt from Crystal Lake Publishing, who stopped in on Thursday as part of his first trip to the U.S.)
And here are a few more from Bube’s Brewery and Evil Embers
Thanks again to all who supported these three events.
In case you were one of the people who missed last week’s newsletter, SPLINTERED: THE LABYRINTH Book 3 is now on Audible and Apple.
All is lost in the aftermath of The Seven's confrontation with Behemoth, Leviathan, and Nodens. Frankie, Bloom, and Lucifer are missing and feared dead. Tony is in ancient Rome. The Exit is imprisoned outside of space and time. Teddy, LeHorn, and Sarah are on a quick mission to Teddy's hometown, where both old friends and enemies await. The remaining Thirteen are on the offensive. Heaven and Hell are mustering for war. The Labyrinth is damaged. The splintering of reality has begun. And the universe's last remaining hope may be... Ob, Lord of the Siqqusim?
Brian Keene's SPLINTERED: THE LABYRINTH Book 3
The End continues, and this is the last dance...
On an all new KEENEVERSATIONS, Bram Stoker Award nominee Todd Keisling joins me to discuss social climbers, hangers-on, privacy, and how real life influenced his new novel The Sundowners Dance. Available on Apple, Spotify, and Patreon. Click here to listen. You can purchase individual episodes for $5 or you can subscribe to ALL episodes for $10 per month.
Currently Watching: Frankenstein’s Army and YellowBrickRoad (rewatches and personal favorites)
Currently Reading: Before the Play by Stephen King (a reread)
Currently Listening: Nebraska by Bruce Springsteen, The Joshua Tree (Deluxe Edition) by U2, and Greatest Hits by Foo Fighters
There are very few ‘I’m having a day, and intend to drive very fast and recklessly’ songs that are better than “All My Life” by Foo Fighters. And as readers of my Daily Journal over on Patreon know, it was that song and that mood and a random duck that almost led to one helluva wreck this past week.
That does it for this week. Thanks, as always, for reading. I’ll see you back here next Sunday.
This email is something I enjoy including in my Sunday morning lazy reading time.
I also enjoy the (intentional?) appearance of horns growing from various people's heads whenever you share a picture from the store with that statue behind you.
Malfi's going to be at an event I'm attending in November - I hope he brings the puppet to it!
I love these newsletters and look forward to them every Sunday. A true highlight. I’m looking forward to delving into the Labyrinth world. Just began my 4th listen of The Rising and will follow that with City of the Dead. These are comfort listens for me.
Also, I have a question about the store. Do you and Mary staff it yourselves? I’m planning to visit in the not so distant future and not sure of proper etiquette. Don’t want to see either of you and embarrass myself by acting like a 10 year old girl at a Taylor Swift concert.