Right now it’s after midnight as I write this. I spent a good portion of the day taking a depression nap, and another good chunk watching reruns of The X-Files (we just started Season 3), until I felt capable of focusing on putting some words down. I know. Depression. I sing its refrain often, but I want to focus on time right now. Time and the parts of it I have to give.

Erica and I spent a week in Tennessee earlier this month. My dad has lived in the Smoky Mountain region of TN for over a decade at this point, his house always a destination for everyone else in the family as it’s (mostly) centrally located to everyone else (we being the exception, of course). Still, that’s about 600 miles and 10-12 hours of drive time. We get down there when we can. After six months of events and travel, we both needed some time away to recharge and refocus. Going to Dad’s was a necessity.

I made a point to avoid social media as much as I could. I tried to be as present as possible. Lately, my thoughts have turned to time, how much I might have, and how much I’ve wasted. I don’t get to see my old man as much as I’d like. It’s getting harder the older I get, when travel takes a bigger toll each time I do it, so I’m trying to make a conscious effort to give these rare moments as much of my attention as possible.

That week in Tennessee put some things in perspective. I don’t like being glued to my phone—because I love distraction. I love wasting time. I love not doing whatever it is I should be doing. Call it ADHD, I guess. How many books or stories could I have written by now if not for my love of distraction? Dozens, probably. Maybe more.

My perspective didn’t start in Tennessee, though. It began in Virginia. I didn’t take a lot of photos for Halloween Hangover1 in Richmond at the start of the month. I left that to Erica, who captured the moments when I was “on,” and to my friends who are better at this social media thing than I am. I preferred to talk to everyone, visit with friends whom I don’t get to see more than a handful of times a year, and enjoy their company.

This sentiment extended to my visit with family. I watched movies with Dad and tasted different flavors of moonshine. We walked around Dollywood, rode some rollercoasters, took in a couple of shows. We drove around Cades Cove and saw some black bears in the wild. I got some reading done, turned in a blurb that was long overdue, and simply vibed. No expectations, no deadlines, no answering emails or messages. No drama. Just peace.

Maybe it’s depression. Or homesickness. Probably a bit of both. But I came away from that trip with a sobering understanding: I need to be more present for those who matter, and less present for the internet. I need be more present for myself.

To wit, I’ve decided to take another step back from social media, and plan to disconnect my Twitter account after the first of the year. So, if I appear missing in the coming months, that’s why. Props to Cina / for inspiring me to do this.

Anyway. Hi, I’m Todd Keisling, and this is Messages from the Southland, my (mostly) monthly newsletter. Prior issues can be found here. Comments are turned on, so you’re welcome to drop me a line if you want. I like hearing from you.

Thanks Given

After we returned from Tennessee, I got sick for a week with a persistent cold. Not Covid, fortunately. One of those weird colds where you’re always running a low-grade temperature, your nose is stuffy, and your throat is raw. I blame the crisp mountain air.

Thanksgiving came and went. A nice quiet dinner with my in-laws. Now we’re here. And I realize I never said anything online about what I’m thankful for.

My family, of course. My friends. But something I don’t say as often as I should is that I’m thankful for all of you. Without you, I wouldn’t be where I am in my career. Would I still be writing? Of course. I was doing that long before I was anyone. But it’s because of your likes and shares and hard-earned dollars that I get to do this for a living. It’s the honor and privilege of my life to entertain you.

Thank you.

In the Works

I’m in that weird space between larger projects, which is fine by me since I always try to wind down this time of year. But I do have a couple of shorts in the works. Both are about Appalachia, but only one will be part of the Southland Mythos. Can’t talk about either one of them yet, so that’s all you get for now.

And after they’re completed, I’m jumping back into REVELATION ROAD. I’m going to do what I did with THE SUNDOWNER’S DANCE earlier this summer and reconstruct the plot scene by scene in Scrivener. It worked out really well with TSD. If it goes well with RR, then I may finally begin using it full time.

The audio production of COLD, BLACK & INFINITE continues apace, but I can’t give a definite release date just yet.

Hat Trick

My story “Oneirophobia,” which appeared in Never Wake: A Dream Horror Anthology, was accepted for a future episode of Pseudopod. This is my third sale to them in as many years, which makes a hat trick of sorts. If their production schedule is the same as the last two, then you can look for this one sometime late next year.

SCANLINES en Español!

This was announced the week after Halloween. My novella, SCANLINES, will be translated in Spanish by La Biblioteca de Carfax as part of their Demeter Collection. It’s scheduled for release sometime in 2024, but I don’t have a release date yet.

This marks the third language in which my work is translated. The concept of having fans in other parts of the world still blows my mind. Gracias!

Banshee Chapter

I was a guest on The Necronomi.com Podcast earlier this week, discussing an underrated gem of a horror film called Banshee Chapter. Listen to me try and convince you to watch the movie. Government conspiracies, numbers stations, DMT, MK Ultra, Lovecraft—this film has it all.

Check it out!

Low Stock

I still have copies of Devil’s Creek, Scanlines, and Cold, Black & Infinite available for purchase in my shop. Note that CBI is running low—only two left as I write this—so if you want to snag a signed copy for yourself or for a gift, you should probably do that sooner than later.

Design Discounts

For the month of December, I’m offering discounts on the following design services:

• Standard Interior Formatting - $200 (33% discount)

• eBook Formatting - $50 (50% discount)

I have a couple of openings for design projects, so if you’re an indie author or publisher who needs interior work, cover work, or even a book trailer, please get in touch! My full portfolio can be found here.

Currently…

Listening:

• My 2023 Spotify Wrapped Playlist (3Teeth, Skold, Sleep Token, Phoebe Bridgers, etc.)

Reading:

• In Excess of Dark by Red Lagoe

Watching:

• The X-Files (Season 3)

Playing:

• Alan Wake 2

• Resident Evil Village: Shadows of Rose DLC

• Black Mesa

I think that’s everything for now, friends. I hope you all had a great month, and wish you the best as we head into the end of the year. To close this out, I’ll leave you with this photo from Halloween Hangover.

May your days be as happy and crazy as we all were in this photo.

Cheers!

TK

So here I am, on time for once, to spin yarns of October and Halloween and all the bookish things that have transpired over the last few weeks.

But first, there was a bird…

Yesterday morning was chilly here in rural PA. Alas, I live in an old house, and the radiator feed from the first floor to the second transits my office. The room is a sauna no matter the time of year, no matter the temperature, so it’s not uncommon that I open my window during the day.

The cats usually take turns at the window, but yesterday there was a bird, allowing me the opportunity to snap a photo. That’s Ophelia on the left, Tsar in the middle, and Nym on the right. It’s not often I can get them together like this, sitting completely still.

Anyway. Hi, I’m Todd Keisling, and this is Messages from the Southland, my (mostly) monthly newsletter. Prior issues can be found here. Comments are turned on, so you’re welcome to drop me a line if you want. I like hearing from you.

Sundowning

First, the big1 news. My next novel, THE SUNDOWNER’S DANCE, is officially on submission. What’s this mean?

The writers and authors here already know, but for the muggles, it means my agent has begun the process of sending the manuscript to editors at various publishers. We’ve both gone through the manuscript, revised and smoothed it out as much as we deemed necessary, and determined it’s ready for consumption. Thus begins one of the most nerve-racking parts of the process.

The obvious goal here is for an editor to fall in love with the book, champion it to a boardroom of people who run the numbers and make them fall in love with it, and propose a publishing deal to my agent.

My hope, though, is for this to happen with two or three publishers. Then we can sit back while they try to outbid each other for rights to publish.

Could take a few weeks. Could take a few months. Becky is targeting all the major players for this one. Out of all my work, this one’s probably got the most commercial appeal, even if it leans heavily into pulp horror and sci-fi toward its end. Everything I’ve done until now has been limited to the scope of the independent press, a sandbox with which I’m quite familiar, but going higher up the ladder is new to me. I welcome the experience, be it good or bad.

Anyway, let’s all cross our fingers and toes, say a prayer to the elder gods, maybe light a candle or two with hope that the book finds a new home sooner rather than later.

Buttery Man-Vocals

Last Friday, Pseudopod released their production of my story “Midnight in the Southland,” narrated by the incredible Dave Robison. I’ve been a fan of Dave’s for a long time, from his work on Pseudopod2 to The Drabblecast3, so to hear him reading my words was a surreal experience. You can listen to his performance here.

And you haven’t heard the last of him, either, but I can’t say where and how just yet. Maybe next time…

31 Days of Horror

Paper Cuts Live! co-host Brad Proctor invited me back for his annual 31 Days of Horror feature on his YouTube channel. Check it out:

Why I Love Horror

My essay, “The Horror Was Always There,” was featured on Becky Spratford’s blog, RA For All, as part of her annual “Why I Love Horror” series.

Horror was my escape. It was a warm embrace after spending all day in the cold. Mom had inadvertently introduced me to the one thing in which I could take comfort, where no matter what awful things befell the protagonists of a given story, I could always turn it off or close the cover.

You can read the full essay here.

Halloween Scares in Wilkes-Barre, PA

I attended the 3rd annual Halloween Scares event at Barnes & Noble in Wilkes-Barre, PA this past Saturday alongside Anthony J. Rapino, Kelli Owen, Amanda Headlee, Sam Rebelein, Kenneth W. Cain, Robert Ford, Thomas R. Clark, CW Briar, and Keith Gilman. It was a blast, as always, and the afternoon sped by far too quickly. Many thanks to Maddy for having us back!

Upcoming Events

Halloween Hangover 2 is my last major event of the year. I’ll be at Barnes & Noble Libbie Place on November 3rd and 4th, selling books alongside…well, just look at this roster of talent, folks.

The store will have copies of Cold, Black & Infinite, Devil’s Creek, Scanlines, and The Final Reconciliation on hand for the event. If you’re in the area, drop by and say hello! Buy a book (or five)! Ask Max Booth III () about his obsession with eggs, Brian Keene () about why he has so many pens on his table, or Cynthia Pelayo () about why she’s so damn awesome.

Signed Copies

I have a small quantity (read: 5) of Cold, Black & Infinite paperbacks available for purchase. Signed, of course, and I’ll throw in an extra bookplate, too.

You can order here. Copies of my other books are also in stock (in limited quantities).

What’s Next

I’ve signed a contract for a new story to appear in an unannounced anthology due out sometime next year. Can’t talk about it, of course. What I can say is that it’s the first time I’ve been contracted for a story without it being written. Naturally, there’s some pressure to deliver something that blows the editor’s hair back. I’ll be working on this one closer to the end of the year.

Two other anthology invitations are on the table. Again, I can’t talk about them, but they’re basically going to keep me busy with short fiction into the new year.

And then there’s the next book. REVELATION ROAD is still sitting at the 33k word mark. If you recall, I put it on hold over the summer to revisit (and revise) THE SUNDOWNER’S DANCE. Now that things are settling down, I’m looking forward to digging back into its world of high-octane horror. There’s some revision to be done regarding a couple of the characters, but I see that as a good opportunity to become reacquainted with the story’s finer details.

Design Openings

I have a couple of openings for design projects, so if you’re an indie author or publisher who needs interior work, cover work, or even a book trailer, please get in touch! My full portfolio can be found here.

Substack says it’ll explode if I don’t stop writing, so that’s all for now. Happy Halloween, everyone. See you next month!

TK

Copies of Scanlines, Devil’s Creek, and The Final Reconciliation are also available.

That’s all. Full newsletter to come later. Happy Halloween, everyone!

TK

Earlier this week, The Atlantic published a database of written works in the Book3 dataset. This dataset has been (and still is) being used by Google, Microsoft, Meta, Bloomberg, and probably more to train their generative AI software. You can read more about it here.

My novella, THE FINAL RECONCILIATION, is part of that dataset. These companies did not pay for my book, nor any other work in said dataset. All titles were compiled and made available illegally through online piracy.

The Author’s Guild has provided a great article about what authors can do if their work was obtained and used illegally. The good news is, several prominent authors have filed a class-action lawsuit on behalf of everyone affected, so you’re covered and will be entitled to some form of compensation if/when the case is settled.

They’ve also put together a handy letter you can customize and send to the CEOs of the aforementioned companies notifying them that you do not consent. I have no idea what good (if any) it will do, but it’s worth a shot. And no, you do not have to be a member of the Author’s Guild to make use of it (I’m not).

In the off chance you’re one of the folks who pirated my work… I’m not going to scold you. I grew up in the age of Napster and Kazaa. There’s a multitude of reasons why someone pirates material, and far be it from me to judge.

So, did you like the book? Great! Leave a review. Buy a hard copy. Subscribe to my Patreon. Or, if you feel bad about it, you can always toss a few coins into the hat.

I’m not a huge corporation. Every sale matters and enables me to keep making art my primary source of income. More sales means more art. It’s really that simple. Please try to keep that in mind the next time you consider pirating a book.

The AI Issue: My Two Cents

I’ve watched the AI debate closely over the last couple of years. As a freelancer who makes his living in the creative arts, I’m deeply concerned about what the future will look like. I’m concerned that my design business will slowly dissolve because authors and publishers are using AI-generated cover art. I’m concerned that readers won’t have to buy a Todd Keisling book because they can have an AI write one for them for free.

Is that extreme? Of course, it seems that way now. But in ten years, after the software has been refined? Not so extreme any more. There’s a corollary discussion to be had about UBI (universal basic income) to offset the displacement of workers and jobs due to AI, but I’m not going to get into that here.

My point is that AI may seem silly and harmless to you now, like a fun toy. I admit I played around with MidJourney when it went public, typing in prompts to see what weird stuff it would spit out. But just a month later, those MidJourney prompts became more refined, more detailed, more uncanny. It’s only improved since then, and therein lies the bigger issue for me: It gets better the more people use it. And while ChatGPT and MidJourney may be able to poorly imitate an artist’s style now, in another decade it may likely become indecipherable from the real thing.

That’s the end game for artists, friends. That’s why the major studios in Hollywood resisted the strike for so long because AI was on the table. It’s why so many have been rallying and screaming about the use of generative AI in general. The more it’s trained, the better it will become.

I’ve seen people argue online by saying “It’s not going away” and simply “Evolve.”

I agree, AI is here to stay, and I’ll be the first to admit it has its uses. Adobe Photoshop’s neural filters are powered by AI to make processes like photo retouching less time consuming. As a writer, I’d love to feed a manuscript into a system and have it compile a comprehensive birds-eye view of the plot structure, or to analyze the characters and generate a profile I can reference those little details later on. Not to suggest where a plot may go, or to do anything that involves the actual creation process.

A creative vision should be bolstered by AI.

AI shouldn’t be used to replace a creative vision.

That creative vision is what makes it art. That human touch, the time and dedication and skill to a particular craft, the distillation of failures and successes and experience into a medium—that is what sets art aside from everything else we lowly humans do in our daily toils. We should be using AI to take care of everything else in our lives so that we are free to make more art and live our lives. Give me an AI that will handle my finances, take care of my taxes, or choose a better insurance plan that won’t bankrupt me.

Right now, the way we’re approaching AI is backwards. We should be feeding it spreadsheets, not works of art, and certainly not works of fiction.

Or, maybe, we shouldn’t be feeding it at all.

TK

Todd Keisling's latest horror collection, Cold, Black & Infinite: Stories of the Horrific & Strange, is available now from Cemetery Dance wherever books are sold.

Amazon

B&N

Bookshop.org

THERE IS NO LIGHT, THERE IS NO BOTTOM

Down here in the dark lies a vast and twisted landscape where the wicked, wistful, and profane coalesce. This is where the lonely and lost face their demons, where anxious paranoias are made manifest, and where mundane evil wears a human face. For readers, the sixteen stories found within Cold, Black, & Infinite serve as a harrowing glimpse into the nightmarish imagination of Todd Keisling, Bram Stoker Award-nominated author of Devil’s Creek and Scanlines.

Visit a town where the residents are slowly being replaced by mannequins in “We’ve All Gone to the Magic Show.” Go for a drive and discover your favorite radio host is still transmitting from beyond the grave in “Midnight in the Southland.” Laugh at Karen’s misfortune when she learns necromancy isn’t the best way to raise a child in “Afterbirth.” And uncover the true motivation behind one man’s historical betrayal in “Gethsemane.”

Featuring three previously unpublished stories and an introduction by Bram Stoker Award-winner John Langan, Cold, Black & Infinite establishes Keisling as a leading voice in contemporary indie horror.

Cast your doubts aside and take the plunge. Touch the abyss. It’s waiting.

Advance Praise

“Utilizing well-trod Horror tropes like liminal spaces, haunted house, slashers, and body horror, he probes seriously scary topics like insatiable corporate greed, bullying, and mental health struggles in refreshing ways […] Standouts include ‘Midnight in the Southland,’ featuring an otherworldly radio show, ‘Annie’s Heart is a Haunted House,’ a teenage revenge slasher like you’ve never read, and ‘We’ve All Gone to Crooked Town,’ a nightmare on the page. The result, a collection of meaty, thought provoking, and terrifying tales that readers will happily sink their teeth into.” —Becky Spratford, Booklist

“Take a journey through infinite loops, lonely roads, and supermarket aisles, through disquiet, disenchantment, and dismemberment, to the place where nightmares dwell, in this sublime collection by Todd Keisling. Cold, Black and Infinite is a compelling cocktail of American folklore, gothic hauntings, and urban myth, served up with Keisling’s consummate flair and garnished with a swirl of blood. Resounds with everyday terror.” —Lee Murray, four-time Bram Stoker Award®-winning author of Grotesque: Monster Stories

“Todd Keisling is a cosmic cartographer forging through the darkest depths of our nightmares. He is a bard of the abyss, a voice from the void, and the horrors he's charted within this unforgettable collection will change the literary map for generations to come.” —Clay McLeod Chapman, author of Ghost Eaters and What Kind of Mother

“Filled with anxiety, anguish, and grief, Cold, Black & Infinite tips, bends, and spins reality. This is Keisling at his best.” —Cynthia Pelayo, Bram Stoker Award®-winning author of Loteria and The Shoemaker’s Magician

“It is rare for something so human to feel so uncanny, for something with so much heart and humor to be soaked with so much dread. These stories are indeed cold and infinite--but there's warmth here, too, to lure you into the void.” —Sarah Read, Bram Stoker Award®-winning author of Root Rot

“Todd Keisling’s stories creep up on you and pounce before you even realize you’ve been stalked head on. From siren song radio broadcasts across time to blasphemous gospels and the unflinching judgment of the child you always wanted more than anything, Cold, Black & Infinite is the kind of book that feels like wet breath on your neck in the instant before the tiger's jaws close. Intimate and deadly.”

—Bracken MacLeod, Bram Stoker Award®-nominated author of 13 Views of the Suicide Woods and Closing Costs

In Conversation

Join authors Todd Keisling and Robert P. Ottone as they discuss all things Cold, Black & Infinite tonight at 7 PM ET / 6 PM CT. Streaming simultaneously to YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter.

“Midnight in the Southland” w/ Gus Guthrie

Listen to a playlist of selected tunes which Todd curated to capture the range of moods found within the collection. Sleep Token, Nine Inch Nails, The Cure, Gunship, and more. Give it a listen!

Merch

A variety of CBI-themed merchandise is available on Todd’s website, from T-shirts to prints of the cover artwork.

Click here to shop!

Last Words

Hey, folks. Todd here. I wanted to drop a quick note and say thanks for checking out my latest collection, liking and sharing about it on social media, and for reading my work in general. I hope your trip into the abyss leaves you breathless.

Until next time,

TK

But before I jump into all that, I want to share this photo of me and my dad. We don’t have very many photos together. Not as many as we should. This one, though, is special to me. It was taken at The Taleless Dog in Berea, Kentucky on the last date of the tour.

He’s not a reader. Not a horror fan. But he came to this event to see me in my element, and tell me he’s proud of me. Took all I had not to break down in tears. I would say more here, but I don’t want to get emotional. To quote Trent Reznor, “There’s no smiling in rock ‘n roll.”

Anyway. Hi, I’m Todd Keisling, and this is Messages from the Southland, my (mostly) monthly newsletter. Prior issues can be found here. Comments are turned on, so you’re welcome to drop me a line if you want. I like hearing from you.

Post Mortem: The Summer of Dread

The Summer of Dread came to a close last month. I saw old friends, made some new ones, sold a lot of books, and drove about 1500 miles round-trip. Here are some photos from the events.

Many thanks to Conquest Books & Coffee, Butcher Cabin Books, Barnes & Noble Man o’War, and The Taleless Dog for hosting this weird ex-pat Kentuckian.

And a big shout-out to my dear friends Dave and Samantha, who gave us a place to crash in between events. We quite literally couldn’t have done the Kentucky tour without you.

I’ve heard from several of you asking about when I’ll visit your town, attend your conference, or the travel to the Midwest and West Coast. Believe me, I want to, but it’s a matter of logistics and money.1

The publisher doesn’t pay for this sort of thing, and in a lot of cases, they don’t organize it, either. This was all me.

To do a full-on national tour, one of these things needs to happen:

• A book deal with a sizeable advance, from which I can budget things like air travel, hotel stays, and food.

• A movie deal with a sizeable option, from which I can budget things like air travel, hotel stays, and food.

• A wealthy benefactor from whom I can budget things like air travel, hotel stays, and food.

It all adds up to a chunk of money I simply don’t have. Complicating matters is my anxiety threshold and general dislike of air travel, but they can be mitigated.

Until then, I’ll keep doing what I’m doing, going to cons (within reason) and doing one-off events in my region of the country.

This isn’t to say I’m done with events for the year. I do have a couple more planned for 2023. Speaking of which…

Upcoming Events - 2023

• Paper Cuts Live! - YouTube - Friday, September 22nd at 8 PM EST

• Halloween Scares - Barnes & Noble Wilkes-Barre, PA - Saturday, October 21st from 12-4pm

• Halloween Hangover 2 - Barnes & Noble Richmond, VA - Friday & Saturday, November 4th & 5th

Details may be found here. 2

If you work at a bookstore or library and would like to schedule an event, please get in touch!

Revisions, Rewrites, Releases

I finally wrapped up the rewrites for THE SUNDOWNER’S DANCE a couple of weeks ago. The book gained an extra 30k words (which is about what I expected) in the form of new scenes, plot expansion, and a new part (it grew from three to four).

I can’t speak for all writers, but in my experience, there’s a point in the rewriting/revising stage of draft 3 or 4 where I begin to completely despise the book, its characters, and myself for having the audacity to think anyone would want to read this garbage. Usually, the book is pretty much done when I reach that point (except for copy and line edits), and this one is no exception. I attached it to an email to my agent and clicked “Send” with extreme prejudice.

I have to say, though… Typing “The End” on a new book never gets old.

That’s not all, though.

I finished my story, “Little House on the Borderland,” a few days past its deadline and sent it off to the editor. Yesterday, I got word that they loved it and want to buy it for their anthology. That also never gets old.

Here’s some fun book news. A pair of fans from the Czech Republic and Russia, respectively, sent me the covers for these new translated editions of Devil’s Creek!

As I write this, we’re five days away from the release of COLD, BLACK & INFINITE. The book is getting rave reviews from NetGalley and Goodreads readers (thank you all), but I want to call attention to this one from Becky Spratford for Booklist.

"I want to stress how Keisling's excellence as a visual artist bleeds into his prose. It makes for a reading experience that includes sight without pictures."

You can read the full review on Becky’s blog.

Be sure to watch this space on release day. And if you haven’t yet, you can pre-order the book from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and anywhere else books are sold. Personally, I prefer either ordering direct from the publisher, or through Bookshop.org where you can support your favorite indie bookstore.

Lastly, here are two new releases that should be on your radar. NEVER WAKE, edited by Tim Meyer and Kenneth W. Cain, and OCTOBER SCREAMS, also edited by Kenneth W. Cain. Both are packed with new fiction, including my stories “Oneirophobia” and “The Puppeteer of Samhain.” Check ‘em out!

And that’s about it. Substack says I’m near the email length limit, so I have to wrap this up. Thanks for reading, folks!

TK

Just a quick note to apologize. I know I’m super late with August’s newsletter. I’ve been working nonstop since I returned from the KY leg of the tour. I’m on the last part of rewriting THE SUNDOWNER’S DANCE and I need to keep the momentum going.

So, why am I writing today? For one good reason: Barnes & Noble’s Upcoming Books Sale. If you haven’t pre-ordered COLD, BLACK & INFINITE, you can do so from B&N and save 25% off the cover price. The sale only runs through tomorrow, so don’t delay!

Okay, back to the word mines I go. Wish me luck.

Talk soon,

TK

“Keisling is also a sought after artist, and his skill creating visual unease bleeds into his prose with stories that effortlessly immerse the reader into each story […] The result, a collection of meaty, thought provoking, and terrifying tales that readers will happily sink their teeth into.” - Becky Spratford, Booklist

“Cold, Black and Infinite is a compelling cocktail of American folklore, gothic hauntings, and urban myth, served up with Keisling’s consummate flair and garnished with a swirl of blood. Resounds with everyday terror.”  —Lee Murray, four-time Bram Stoker Award®-winning author of Grotesque: Monster Stories

“It is rare for something so human to feel so uncanny, for something with so much heart and humor to be soaked with so much dread. These stories are indeed cold and infinite--but there's warmth here, too, to lure you into the void.” —Sarah Read, Bram Stoker Award®-winning author of Root Rot

“Filled with anxiety, anguish, and grief, Cold, Black & Infinite tips, bends, and spins reality. This is Keisling at his best.” —Cynthia Pelayo, Bram Stoker Award®-winning author of Loteria and The Shoemaker’s Magician

By popular demand (and with the blessing of my publisher), I will be taking pre-orders for signed copies of COLD, BLACK & INFINITE on my website beginning next Friday, August 25th.

Now, the last time I did this was for the original release of DEVIL’S CREEK, and there were around 150 pre-orders. The logistics of personalizing, packaging, and mailing them all was something I hadn’t really thought through at the time, so…

Here’s how this is going to play out:

·       This pre-order will be limited to the paperback edition.

·       Pre-orders will be limited to 100 copies.

·       Pre-orders will be accepted for one week, with a firm deadline of EOD 9/1/23.

·       There will be a $5 premium tacked on to the pre-order price to cover packaging materials.

·       Your books will not ship until after the release date.

The item listing is scheduled to go live in my shop at 12:00 AM Friday, August 25th. Good luck.

FAQ

What if I already pre-ordered the book? Are those copies signed?

I know several of you have already pre-ordered the book direct through Cemetery Dance, and to answer your question, no, those copies will not be signed. As a solution, I’m offering to send a signed bookplate free of charge to anyone who has pre-ordered direct through Cemetery Dance.

To qualify, all you have to do is send me your receipt/order confirmation with the subject line CBI RECEIPT to my website email todd@toddkeisling.com by the release date of 9/26/23. Limit one per customer.

Should I just cancel my pre-order and order direct from you?

No, please don’t do that. Pre-order sales make the publishing world go ‘round, and a book’s sales numbers matter greatly to both an author and a publisher. If you’ve already ordered the book elsewhere, please don’t cancel your order. Take advantage of the bookplate offer.

I live outside the US and shipping is too expensive. How do I get a signature?

I know international shipping is ridiculously expensive and cost-prohibitive for folks who live outside the continental US. I’m sorry that I can’t make it cheaper. My advice here is to order the book from your favorite retailer and send me the receipt per the instructions above. A free bookplate is the best I can do in this case. Thank you for understanding.

I missed the deadline for the bookplates. Can I still get one?

Yes, bookplates may be purchased from my shop for a flat $5 USD. Ships anywhere in the world.

If you have a question that isn’t covered here, don’t hesitate to ask via my site’s contact form.

Thanks for your continued support and patronage!

Cheers,

TK

“I’ve been on what I call my ‘flying saucer tour,’ appearing in small Southern towns in front of handfuls of hillbillies.” - Bill Hicks1

I’m late and I’ve got a lot of ground to cover, but first…

She’s ornery, she pukes too much, she’s mean to her brothers, and she refuses to let us brush her…but I love her anyway. Ophelia is my shadow, and sits with me pretty much every time I’m in my office. I snapped this photo a couple of weeks ago while working on rewrites (more on that later). Whenever I’m stuck on a scene, I ask her about it, and she usually has something to say.

Anyway. Hi, I’m Todd Keisling, and this is Messages from the Southland, my (mostly) monthly newsletter. Prior issues can be found here. Comments are turned on, so you’re welcome to drop me a line if you want. I like hearing from you.

To begin, I know I’m a week late. I’ve been busy. I will be busy for the foreseeable future. I will be busy for so long that I will no longer remember what it’s like to not be busy. This is the way it should be.

July of Dread

July. A sweltering month. There were two big events I attended: the inaugural Steel City Screams reading series, and Camp Necon. Both came and went in a flash. I read, I hung out with my friends, I traveled, and I crashed hard after both events. Both were, by all accounts, a fantastic time.

This was my first in-person Necon since 2019, so I was long overdue for New England shenanigans and camaraderie. I also participated in the Necon Art Show this year, marking the first time I’ve displayed my visual work since high school.

Special shout-outs are in order for Cat Scully and Tommy Clark, my con mom and dad, who were my designated safe spaces for the weekend. Erica opted to stay home that weekend to rest so I was flying solo. Cat and Tommy stepped up to the plate and made sure I was eating enough so my sugar didn’t crash. Big love, you two.

And many thanks to everyone who bought a book or a print that weekend! It was a validating experience and I hope to do it again sometime.

If you missed out on the prints, I have the remaining stock in my shop for purchase.

(Back) On the Road

I’m writing this on a Monday afternoon. In two days, I’m leaving for the final leg of the Summer of Dread: four dates in Kentucky, beginning this Thursday in Ashland, KY at Conquest Books & Coffee.

Here’s the full rundown:

AUG 10th - Conquest Books & Coffee - Ashland, KY - 3pm to 6pm

AUG 11th - Butcher Cabin Books - Louisville, KY - 6pm to 8pm

AUG 12th - Barnes & Noble - Lexington, KY - 2pm to 4pm

AUG 13th - The Taleless Dog Booksellers w/ Laurel Hightower-Wells - Berea, KY - 3pm to 5pm

All free admission. I may also have some early copies of COLD, BLACK & INFINITE on hand at one of these events, but I can’t say which. You’ll just have to go to all four events for a chance to claim one… ;-)

These four events may end the Summer of Dread, but there are more appearances yet to come this year. Stay tuned!

Words and Words and Words

I screwed up my calendar last month with regard to a writing deadline for an anthology invitation. I thought my story was due on September 1st. Turns out it was August 1st. I realized this a few days before Necon, so I had no choice but to get started while I was at Necon.

I know, writing at a writers conference is such a foreign concept, but I managed to get a good 500 words down that Saturday. I proceeded to chip away at said story every day the following week, and submitted it on the deadline date. It’s called “Little House on the Borderland” and is approximately 5.8k words.

I have no idea if it will be accepted and that’s fine. I had fun writing it, and if it doesn’t make it into that anthology, I can always sub it somewhere else. Erica seemed to enjoy it, though, so that makes it all worth it.

Once it was submitted, I pivoted back to work on THE SUNDOWNER’S DANCE rewrites. I managed to wrap up the first three chapters and send them off to my agent just before I left for Necon, and she gave them an enthusiastic thumbs up, so we’re on the same page there. I’ve been cranking away every day since, slowly integrating new fiction into the existing manuscript to better flesh out some of the setting and characters.

I kept the manuscript pretty lean in its first draft, added about 10k to it during the second, and tightened things up in the third. This time around, I’m moving some plot elements around and adjusting other aspects of the narrative as I go. The idea (in theory) is that the revisions go faster as I progress into the story, as a lot of the work that needs to be done is within the first 30% of the book. So, it’s slow-going in terms of progress, but will pick up over time.

My goal is to finish this thing by September 1st so Becky can begin shopping it around. I think I’ve already added about 10k to the story, but this time I’m doing everything in Scrivener scene by scene, so I have no idea what the total count is at the moment.

One more thing: I got this beautiful hardcover edition of COLD, BLACK & INFINITE in the mail from Cemetery Dance. It’s fucking gorgeous, folks. I can’t wait for you all to hold this in your hands.

Currently Digesting:

• Silent Key by Laurel Hightower

• Danse Macabre by Stephen King

• End of the Road by Brian Keene2

• Fallout 4 - Xbox

• Vampire Survivors - Xbox

• Killer Frequency - PC / Steam

• Talk to Me - This is one of the best horror films I’ve seen in a while. If you haven’t seen it yet, you really should. The less you know about it, the better. Just go enjoy the experience.

More to Come

I have more to say, especially with regard to today’s debacle around Prosecraft and AI, but I frankly don’t have time to get into it right now3. Zachary Rosenberg has already said it more succinctly than I ever could: “How dare you.” You can read the whole viral thread here. And when you’re done, go check out Zach’s work!

I’ll get to it when I’ve finished this rewrite of TSD.

In the meantime, folks, I’ll see you on the road!

TK

This is our ginger cat, Obie (short for Oberon). Known aliases: Dopey Obie, Mopey Obie, Boober, Uber Boober, Ginger Butt, and Gingerbread Man. He’s the most laid back of our fur babies and probably the sweetest. And he’s also the one most of you haven’t seen before, because he’s somewhat timid.

That’s changed in the last couple of months, though. Erica bought one of those cardboard kitty houses (Obie’s is designed to look like a sushi shop) and placed it in our living room. Obie promptly moved in, and since we spend our free time in that room, he’s become so much more social—and vocal.

Seriously, this cat has so many opinions, folks. If we’re out too late, we’re going to hear about it from him. Too late for feedings? It goes on our permanent record. He’s a bit of a hard ass, but we love him anyway. And he growls at the postal workers.

Anyway. Hi, I’m Todd Keisling, and this is Messages from the Southland, my (mostly) monthly newsletter. Prior issues can be found here. Comments are turned on, so you’re welcome to drop me a line if you want. I like hearing from you.

That’s a wrap on June. And what a month! Lots to recap here, mostly about StokerCon, but before I jump into that, I want to give a shout-out to Marie Lestrange and her podcast, Moths to the Flame.

It’s a TODDCAST!

I was a guest earlier in June, and I had an absolutely wonderful time chatting with her. Frankly, I haven’t had this much fun on a podcast (pardon—a TODDCAST!) in a while. If you’ve got an hour to kill, I suggest you check it out. The full episode just became available a few days ago.

StokerCon 2023

What a weekend. Many have already spoken more at length about the conference, so I won’t recap the entire weekend (I’d need more time and about 10k words). However, I will say that Erica and I had a wonderful time in Pittsburgh. It was my first time in the city and I loved it. Great food, great people. Not so great parking and traffic, but that’s any city, really. It’s Romero Country and everyone fully embraces the area’s horror pedigree.

For example, the University of Pittsburgh Library has a dedicated archive to the genre across a variety of mediums. Scripts, various archival collections from a number of authors, movie props, you name it. Erica and I couldn’t make it early enough to take the tour, but based on the photos, it appears to be an extensive collection. Maybe some day my work will end up there. I hope so.

As with Horror On Main, this con was a stop on my Summer of Dread tour. I met a lot of friends in person for the first time, made new friends and acquaintances, and hung out with some old pals of mine. I signed a lot of books, spoke on some panels, and even wore a tie to the awards ceremony.

Some highlights, in no particular order:

• Watching Rob Ottone win the Bram Stoker Award for his young adult novel The Triangle. I can’t properly express how fucking proud of I am of him. He’s come so far in such a short time, and I’m honored to call him a brother. Be sure to check out his recap of the conference.

• Watching my sister Cynthia Pelayo become the first Puerto Rican author to win a Bram Stoker Award for her poetry collection Crime Scene. I’m pretty sure we all cried during her acceptance speech. So proud.

• Hearing from everyone throughout the weekend about how much they loved my design of this year’s souvenir anthology. It’s always a ton of work, but hearing your reactions made it all worth it.

• Finally meeting Joe Lansdale and expressing my love for his novel The Bottoms. That’s one from the bucket list.

• Hanging out and chatting with John Langan, Michael Cisco, and Wile E. Young throughout the weekend. Listening to these guys banter back and forth caused me to laugh so much my abs hurt.

• Chatting with Aaron Dries about what we want out of our careers in the hotel lobby at 3AM.

• Cisco’s impression of Werner Herzog. Give this guy a fucking Academy Award.

• Watching Philip Fracassi drink Ronald Malfi under the table.

• Patrick Freivald’s Habanero Honey Whisky.

• Delivering one of Brian Keene’s pens to Brian Matthews. May it serve you well, sir.

• Chatting with Cherry Weiner about Harlan Ellison and James Tiptree Jr. (aka Alice Sheldon).

• Keene, I guess.1

• Hanging out with Jessica McHugh, Gemma Amor, C.W. Briar, and Patrick Freivald in the hotel lobby.

• Getting to dress up and goth out for the awards ceremony. Erica and I looked fucking fabulous.

There’s so much more, but my brain is (still) mush. Suffice it to say, the con was a great time. It’s happening next year in San Diego, and while I can’t fully commit at this time, I’m certainly going to try to be there.

Now, there is one other moment from the con I want to mention, and it deserves its own section, so…

Agent Becky

This was announced last week on social media, but the TL;DR news here is that I’m now represented by Becky LeJeune of Bond Literary Agency!

How’d this happen? Well, as some of you know, I parted ways with my former agent at the beginning of the year. It was scary and frustrating to think I’d be starting over. But at the same time, I knew it was the right move, and so I began the process of querying.2

Fast forward to the week of StokerCon. I went around to various authors’ websites and profiles to curate a list of their agents. My reasoning was, if these agents could sell their work, they could also sell mine. At some point, I followed Becky, and she followed me back.

A few days later at the conference, our mutual friend Dacia Arnold introduced us. (Thank you, Dacia!) I mentioned I was in the market for a new agent, and we ended up chatting for about an hour about my career, my next book, what I’m looking for, and so on. I gave her my last ARC of Cold, Black & Infinite, and she later bought a copy of Devil’s Creek. When I returned from the conference, I sent her the latest draft of The Sundowner’s Dance.

And then she sent me a formal offer.

Normally, this part can take weeks or months, but Becky was enthusiastic about my work. She’d been reading from the new collection each night of the con. Apparently, one of the stories gave her nightmares. That’s always a good sign.

Sundown

Which leads me to The Sundowner’s Dance. Becky gave me notes and suggestions on ways to improve some of the character development, so I expect I’ll be working on that for the next few weeks.

I still haven’t made up my mind on the title, but I think it’ll remain in place for now (or until I can think of something better).

This book is a weird one for me. It wasn’t supposed to be a novel, for starters. Me and Chad Lutzke tried co-writing something based on an earlier unfinished draft that would’ve gone in a different direction, but I lost steam before things really got started.

When I decided to give it another try, I went back to the original draft and started over. First, a novelette, and then a novella, and now it’s this weird meditation on dementia and growing old and worms. Pitched as Cocoon x The Color Out of Space. Cosmic horror with heart, I guess, with elderly protagonists.

Anyway, that’s what I’ll be working on for most (if not all) of July. Work on Revelation Road will resume when TSD is done.

We are the Monsters

Going back to the StokerCon anthology for a minute. Everyone at the con loved the artwork I created for the book, and many requested prints. If you’re one of those folks, you can purchase a print (or several) from my online shop. It’s a collage of horror creators past, present, and future, available in 12x16 and 18x24.

Printful wouldn’t allow me to have this printed on the back, so here’s a full roster of names to go with those faces.

As an aside, we just got hit with a pricy mechanic’s bill yesterday, so any and all sales are greatly appreciated!

Currently…

Reading:

• This Wretched Valley by Jenny Kiefer

• Even the Worm will Turn by Hailey Piper

• The House on the Borderland by William Hope Hodgson

Watching:

• The Dark Night of the Scarecrow - Shudder

• Evil Dead Rise - HBO Max (I refuse to call it just “Max”)

• Horror in the High Desert - Amazon Prime (Parts 1 & 2)

• Elon Musk slowly destroy a valuable social platform - Twitter

Playing:

• Amnesia: The Bunker (PC)

• Diablo IV (Xbox)

• Bramble (Xbox)

Listening:

• Sleep Token - Take Me Back to Eden

• The Sundowner’s Dance Playlist

• Revelation Road Playlist

• Queens of the Stone Age - In Times New Roman…

In Closing

Substack tells me I’m near some kind of limit, so I guess I should shut up. There are two stops on the Summer of Dread in July: Steel City Screams on July 15th, and NECON on July 20-23. More details here.

Be good to each other. See you next time!

TK

1

Actually, to his credit, he did a great thing in the vendor room by auctioning off Jay Wilburn’s collection of Keene’s novels. And we had this tender moment with Brian’s pens.

Erica and I will be in attendance. Here are my scheduled events:

Thursday, June 15

4:00pm EDT

Author Readings

Todd Keisling • Sam Rebelein1 • Michael Tichy

Friday, June 16

9:00am EDT

Videogames and Horror

Robert Ottone • Heather Romanowski • Todd Keisling • Richard Dansky

From Silent Hill to Alone in the Dark, video games have exploited the horror genre for many scares and thrills, from role playing survival games to first person shooters. How are video games uniquely suited to the genre of horror? How does interactivity, narrative and multimedia play come together to make for weird experiences?  And are video games getting weirder?

10:00am EDT

Algorithmic Possession: Confronting Big Tech on the Page

Andrew F Sullivan • Christi Nogle • Alex Woodroe • Gemma Amor • Sofia Ajram • Todd Keisling

We were lied to. Venture capital, big tech, and the promise of a better tomorrow have unearthed new, subtle everyday horrors we are only beginning to fathom.

4:00pm EDT

Worth a Thousand Scary Words: Cover Art, Illustration & Book Design

Lynne Hansen • Jason Sizemore • Gemma Amor • Todd Keisling • Dan Henk • Lesley Conner

This panel of artists, editors and authors will discuss the process that brings art to the printed page. They will show you how you can maximize your potential for success with the right cover art and book design, and how to honor the work of illustrators and designers. Artists, too, can learn how to draw inspiration from the written word. Learn how to boost the effectiveness of a cover, how to use a cover as a marketing launchpad, how design impacts a reading experience, different approaches to different formats (novels, anthologies, etc.) and more..

6:15pm EDT

Mass Author Signing

Michael Potts • Francesca Maria • Colleen Anderson • Ken McGregor • Denise Tapscott • John Palisano • Christopher Hawkins • Dianna Sinovic • Jacob Moon • Brad Center • Joe Radkins • Corey Niles • Edward Flora • Lee Allen Howard • Dutch Pearce • Bil Richardson • Mike Allen • Dacia Arnold • Michael Bailey • barbara barnett • Sally Bosco • S.A Bradley • Kenneth W. Cain • Anton Cancre • Christa Carmen • James Chambers • Michael Cieslak • Darcy Coates • Garrett Cook • Holley Cornetto • Ellen Datlow • Craig Davidson • Charlene Elsby • Thom Erb • Stephanie Feldman • Patrick Freivald • Teel James Glenn • Jewelle Gomez • J. L. Gribble • Carol Gyzander • Sarah Hans • Brad Hodson • Timothy G. Huguenin • Gabino Iglesias • Scott Johnson • John Kachuba • Lisa Kastner • Alma Katsu • Todd Keisling • Brandon Ketchum • Pamela K. Kinney • Rae Knowles • Vanessa Lanang • John Edward Lawson • CJ Leede • P.L. McMillan • Bridgett Nelson • Steven Van Patten • Nelson Pyles • Michael Allen Rose • Zachary Rosenberg • Rebecca Rowland • Sumiko Saulson • Kathleen Scheiner • M. Lopes da Silva • Tommy B. Smith • Jeff Strand • Richard Thomas • Tamika Thompson • Jared Vickery • Catriona Ward • Rebekah L Webb • Jaye Wells • Wrath James White

The signing will be split into two shifts. Please see the StokerCon website for the list of which authors will be at which shift.

https://www.stokercon2023.com/author-signing

We'll have a shift from 5:00-6:00pm, and then rotate with the second group of authors from 6:15-7:15pm.

I will have copies of most of my work (including Devil’s Creek and Scanlines) for sale during the Mass Author Signing. Of course, I’ll happily sign copies you bring from home.

As for my author reading, I’ll be reading from a new story in Cold, Black & Infinite. Don’t miss it!

TK

P.S. Check out the cover I made for this year’s StokerCon souvenir anthology:

My full portfolio can be found here. And you can contact me either here on Substack or through my website.

Anyway. Hi, I’m Todd Keisling, and this is Messages from the Southland, my (mostly) monthly newsletter. Prior issues can be found here. Comments are turned on, so you’re welcome to drop me a line if you want. I like hearing from you.

The Summer of Dread is in full swing. Horror On Main was last week, and both Erica and I had a wonderful time. We got to see some friends we haven’t seen in several years, made some new friends, and generally enjoyed ourselves. It was a nice break from work, as we both were buried up to our necks with design commitments.

The conference was well-organized and both guests of honor and vendors were cared for. We’ll definitely be in attendance next year.

Some highlights:

• The Delta 8 gummy that Bob Ford gave me the night before the con began.1

• Having dinner with Lucky McKee and Marc Senter, chatting with Annabeth Gish when she came by my table, and saying hello to Henry Thomas.

• The broken, bipolar escalator. Sometimes it was up, sometimes it was down.

• The staff! So friendly and accommodating.

• Watching Erica kill it with her table. This was her first con as a vendor, selling prints of her artwork and handmade jewelry, and she did so well. Better than I did, for sure. I’m proud of her.

And here are some smiling faces from the weekend:

My next stop on the Summer of Dread tour will be StokerCon in Pittsburgh. I’ll be in attendance from Thursday, June 15th through Sunday, the 18th. Here’s a snapshot of my schedule:

As you can see, I’ll be the first reading of the conference, so if you’d like to hear something from my new collection, make sure you’re there!

I’ll also have copies of Devil’s Creek and Scanlines on hand for the mass author signing that Friday. Of course, I’m also happy to sign any of my books that you happen to bring with you.

I’m excited for this one. It’s my first in-person StokerCon, and I can’t wait to see my friends again.

On the writing front, I’m slowly digging back into Revelation Road. Emphasis on slowly. I managed only about 2k words in May, but I’m hoping to pick up steam this month. The story is there, revving to go. It’s just waiting on me.

Last week, I received author copies of Never Wake: An Anthology of Dream Horror, edited by Kenneth W. Cain and Tim Meyer. It’s a beautiful book with an amazing roster of authors, and it also includes a new story of mine, “Oneirophobia.” Look for it this September.

And I might have finally acquired an ARC of Cold, Black & Infinite last weekend…

Otherwise, things are quiet, but I hope to have news regarding The Sundowner’s Dance soon. Maybe next month?

With all of that business out of the way, I want to talk about social media for a minute. I’ve made it no secret that I despise social media. Yes, it has its benefits—mainly, reaching readers like you, and connecting with a wide network of fellow writers and artists, but over the years the negatives have begun to outweigh the positives. Simply put, social media is poisoning us.

Here’s an example.

Last week, I tweeted about an interaction I’d had with someone at Horror On Main. They’d said something that I found insulting, and because I’m on the spectrum and have a hint of RSD2, what they’d said haunted me the whole weekend. So, after the con and after I’d gathered my wits, I tweeted about this interaction and blocked the person on the platforms I frequented. It was my way of exorcising that person’s hold on me so I could put it to rest in my head and move on.

Unfortunately, something weird happened. The tweet went pseudo-viral. It had over 12k views in the span of 24 hours, likes and comments from people I don’t follow (and who don’t follow me), and was bookmarked a number of times.

I’ve been using Twitter since 2009. I’ve tweeted thousands, maybe tens of thousands of times, and not once has anything I’ve said ever gone viral. Tweets about books, my work, my art, other people’s books and art, other positive things—nothing gained traction like this one negative tweet did.

So, I deleted it. I deleted it from Instagram and Facebook, too.

I still stand by what I said and that person is still blocked, but the experience of seeing that tweet go viral shook me a bit, and put the whole social media thing in perspective: The algorithm is skewed to favor strife. And we are feeding it.

The tweet was made visible to a greater group of people beyond my scope. They, in turn, began retweeting and sharing it—presumably for the drama it encapsulated. And then a few of them actually bookmarked it, saving it for later to…what? Bask in the negativity? Keep it as a receipt in case I fuck up somewhere down the road, so they can point to it and say “He was always like this!” or something equally gross?

It reminded me of the hyena-like behavior of kids I knew in school, who claimed to be my friends until I was the subject of ridicule, and then were so gleefully eager to chime in, point and laugh. How quickly that can turn.

I’m sure there are screenshots sitting on someone’s hard drive, waiting for the day I happen to put my foot in my mouth. The funny thing is, no one can beat me up quite like I can, so maybe they’re just fooling themselves.

In any case, the whole experience left me feeling cold with a sour taste in my mouth. Social media isn’t going anywhere, unfortunately, and people aren’t going to change. All I can control is how I interact with it—and them. There will always be drama—it’s happening right now, about copyright and genre titles and punching down, and I just can’t anymore. I’m tired of seeing it, hearing about it, talking about it.

I’d rather lift up my friends, talk about their accomplishments, talk about my own work, and interact with readers. Going forward, I’m going to make a concerted effort to do more of that, and far less of feeding the algorithm’s bottomless maw.

And on that note, folks, I think this newsletter will come to a close. I hope I see some of you at StokerCon in a couple of weeks—and beyond!

Until next time,

TK

If you’re in the area, I’d love to see you. Stop by and say hello!

I have a small shelf that sits in the center of my desk and against the wall. He usually spends his days wedged between that shelf and my keyboard. He’s definitely a daddy’s boy.

When we first rescued him, we isolated him from the other cats because he was so tiny. We were in the process of repairing our bathroom/laundry room due to burst pipes, so the only logical place to keep him was in our bedroom. I was working on a novelette at the time (The Smile Factory) and writing at night, so me and this little guy had plenty of bonding time.

It was welcomed, too. I was going through a pretty tough time at work and struggling mentally. Erica surprised me one Saturday afternoon and brought him home (we didn’t expect him for a few more weeks at that point). His presence was a silver lining to darkening skies. That was five years ago. He’s still tiny (compared to our other fur babies) and still my little buddy.

Anyway. Hi, I’m Todd Keisling, and this is Messages from the Southland, my (mostly) monthly newsletter. Prior issues can be found here. Comments are turned on, so you’re welcome to drop me a line if you want. I like hearing from you.

This is 40

I turned 40 in April. The day after March’s newsletter went out, in fact. It was a weird day for me, for a few reasons which I recapped on my website. I don’t really blog anymore—what’s the point when I have Substack and other social media?—but writing my thoughts down in a blog post seemed important, and a good way to cap off a tough decade.

I’ll save you a click, though. Here’s what I had to say:

When I reached the age of 30, I decided to grow a beard. This is the story of why.

At 30, I went through a sort of crisis that took a while to work out. It started with severe depression, anxiety, appendicitis, weight gain, and just all-around poor self-esteem. I’d published two novels that most people didn’t want to read, I worked in an office where I felt like I couldn’t be myself (see: The Smile Factory), and every day was a struggle to simply exist. I had all these ideas, all these plans, but I couldn’t get out of my own way.

It’s the only time in my life when I’ve seriously considered giving up on the writing.

It’s the only time I’ve ever considered giving up on myself and ending it all.

A lot has happened since then. A promising writing career. Several books. Proper medication and therapy. Self-employment. Diabetes. Weight loss. Stolen pens.

Getting here has been a climb. And it started with my face. About a week after my 30th birthday, I stood in our apartment bathroom and took a long look at my reflection. I hated my face. I couldn’t stand to look at it. Everything looking back at me was a reminder of something I despised.

So, I grew a beard. It made me look older, hid the double chin, and to be honest, I can rock the salt-and-pepper look like no one else. But really, honestly, I grew it to hide my face so I wouldn’t have to look at myself anymore. I could be someone else. Someone new.

There’s a Nine Inch Nails song I go back to from time to time, “I Would For You,” that was also released the year I turned 30. Specifically, this lyric:

See, I keep lying to myself
Don't know what else there is to do
If I could be somebody else
Well, I think I would for you

This got me through my thirties. Because the only reason I’m still here is one person: Erica Keisling. My wife and my best friend.

She’s the “you” in that last line. If I could be somebody else, I would for her. And growing the beard was my way of doing that. A new version of Me that I didn’t hate looking at in the mirror. Older, wiser, battle-weary. A mask I could wear for a while. One that would help me forget about the loathsome creature underneath.

Erica was patient. She was loving, caring, and knew the right times to give me a push. We both got used to the beard, after a while, it became my face. I grew to like it. It made me feel like I could take on whatever came at me, because I’d already handled the worst of it. I’d been to the edge and taken a peek beyond, and that was enough.

I told myself I’d check in after a decade, to see if I still hated my reflection. Today I began carving back the beard. A little at first, to clean up the rough edges, and then I kept going. The face in the mirror took shape. I knew this guy, a long time ago, and he’s still the same. Same fears, same wants and desires, but he’s also more apt to smile. He’s scarred, perpetually tired, and hints of that double chin are still there—but he carries himself differently now. He’s older, wiser, battle-weary.

He knows he’s not perfect—and that’s okay.

He knows he’s not where he wants to be in his career—and that’s okay.

He knows he’s enough.

I am enough.

That’s me. My real face. And it’s enough.

I’m not saying goodbye to the beard (I prefer it at this stage of my life), but today on my 40th birthday I needed to see if the beard was still required. It isn’t.

I like who I am. I like the life I’ve made for myself. The first 40 years haven’t been easy, and I don’t expect the next 40 to be a walk in the park, either. But at this point in my life, I can at least say that I feel ready for the next 40. I couldn’t say that at 30.

This is me at 40, and I am enough.

TK

I’ve made it no secret that I struggle with my mental health on a daily basis, and I try to do my part in normalizing the open discussion of such topics. Talking about this sort of thing when I was a kid wasn’t acceptable to society, and we were all poorer for it.

So, if you struggle like I do, I want you to know a few things:

• It’s okay.

• You’re not alone.

• You are enough.

To quote NIN one more time, “The way out is through.” Keep going.

Heads up: The rest of this newsletter will be heavy on book promotional stuff. No one will blame you for checking out at this point.1

Announcing the SUMMER OF DREAD Tour

I haven’t done a book tour in over 10 years, but with DEVIL’S CREEK re-released this year and COLD, BLACK & INFINITE due out in September, this summer seemed like a good time to do it again.

Granted, a few of these dates are conferences, but I’ll be in attendance regardless. Bring your books and I’ll happily sign them.

Also, please note: This list isn’t final. There are more events in the works.

• May 26-28 - Hunt Valley, MD - Horror On Main

• Jun 15-18 - Pittsburgh, PA - StokerCon 2023

• Jul 15 - Phoenixville, PA - Steel City Coffeehouse & Brewery

• Jul 20-23 - Lowell, MA - NECON 41

• Aug 10 - Ashland, KY - Conquest Books & Coffee

• Aug 11 - Louisville, KY - Butcher Cabin Books

• Aug 12 - Lexington, KY - Barnes & Noble

• Aug 13 - Berea, KY - The Taleless Dog (with Laurel Hightower)

You may have seen an earlier version of this schedule on social media. Note that I am no longer signing at Barnes & Noble in Bowling Green, KY2 on August 12th. At the time of this writing, I’m in the process of scheduling a new venue for that date. I’ll send out an update once it’s final.

UPDATE: I got confirmation after I posted, so I can announce that I will be signing at Barnes & Noble in Lexington, KY on Aug. 12th!

There are some other dates in the works as well. Your best bet is to keep an eye on your inbox.

Oh, and someone asked if there will be tour shirts. The answer is YES! Here’s the front design. The list of dates will appear on the back. These will go on sale once those other dates are confirmed.

Early Reviews & Blurbs

ARCs of COLD, BLACK & INFINITE have been in the wild long enough that early reviews are starting to trickle in.

First, though, I want to share this amazing blurb from Lee Murray:

“Take a journey through infinite loops, lonely roads, and supermarket aisles, through disquiet, disenchantment, and dismemberment, to the place where nightmares dwell, in this sublime collection by Todd Keisling. Cold, Black and Infinite is a compelling cocktail of American folklore, gothic hauntings, and urban myth, served up with Keisling’s consummate flair and garnished with a swirl of blood. Resounds with everyday terror.”  —Lee Murray, four-time Bram Stoker Award®-winning author of Grotesque: Monster Stories

Here’s a snippet from Nora Peevey’s review on Hellnotes, which literally just hit the web while writing this:

Todd Keisling writes with a grim and twisted humor that cuts deeper and sharper than barbed wire to expose the soft underbelly of humanity. He confronts our darkest desires and the truths we cannot tell ourselves […] This collection will haunt you when the lights go out. Will you recognize yourself or someone you love? Read at your peril, if you dare.

And here’s one from NetGalley:

Short story collections, especially in the horror genre, are something of a favorite of mine at this point, I've read several such collections but this one had a little something extra that set it apart. I was continually impressed with just how good these stories were; the ideas were extremely clever, the execution was adept, and the writing style was equal parts evocative and chilling.

Speaking of NetGalley, it’s available for review by request. You can find it here.

If you aren’t on NetGalley and would like to receive a digital ARC for review, please contact Kevin Lucia.

New Bookplates

With a new book comes a new bookplate. This one is fits my general aesthetic rather than being themed around a specific book3

I offer these for fans who either can’t make it to one of my events or live outside of the US. Books are expensive to mail outside of the country (expensive in general, really) so these are an inexpensive alternative.

They’re 4x6 cards which I sign on the front, and may personalize on the back by request. They mail in a custom-printed envelope with first-class US/international postage. The cost is $5.00 USD flat. No additional postage necessary!

You can order them here.

New Series on Patreon

After reflecting on some conversations I’d had at AuthorCon, I realized I actually have some experience and insight in this business to share with others. I know, it should be obvious, right? But the truth is, when you’ve got your head down and focused on your work, it’s easy forget how far you’ve come—and that there are others who are just getting started on the journey.

With that in mind, I’ve started keeping a weekly series over on Patreon that I’m calling TODD Talks4. They’re frank and honest reflections on the business from an author’s POV. So far I’ve covered how to find your audience, building your brand, and professional etiquette; in the future, I expect to cover more practical concepts like cover design, formatting, and so on.

If this sounds like something you’d enjoy or benefit from, check out my Patreon!

Recently Digested Media

• Resident Evil 4: Remake - It’s excellent.

• Final Fantasy IV Pixel Remaster - First time I’ve ever finished this game. The added features of increased experience/gold made it manageable.

• From (Season 1) - I liked it, but I’m concerned it’ll end up like Lost.

• Evil Dead Rise - Absolutely fantastic horror film. If you’re a fan of the series, you will love this one.

• From Black - Watched this one last night and loved it, though I admit it is very similar to A Dark Song (which I adore).

Currently Digesting

• Gothic by Philip Fracassi - Great throwback to 80s horror. Enjoying it.

• Edenville by Sam Rebelein - I lucked into an ARC at AuthorCon. I’m halfway through and loving it.

• Final Fantasy VI Pixel Remaster - Probably in my top three games of all time, and the best story of the series.5

• The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - I’m late to the party, but I’m really digging it.

Okay, I think that’s it for April. Stay tuned for an updated tour schedule in the coming weeks.

Until then,

TK

Pre-ordering that hardcover gave readers access to a special website I’d set up with all sorts of outtakes, old stories, a full unpublished novel, and this audio recording of the main story, “The Harbinger.” The site no longer exists—I think only four or five people actually logged in—but all the archives remain in my vault, probably to be released or collected long after I’m gone.

So, why “The Harbinger?” It was my very first novelette. After finishing the second Monochrome novel, The Liminal Man, I needed a change of pace and scenery. And I’d had this story brewing for a while, about a creepy dollmaker and her army of time-out dolls. It’s where I first used the phrase “ugly little thing,” which later became a brand of sorts—the idea being that every doll was another ugly little thing, filled with the nightmares and failures of a victim. My version of Barker’s Books of Blood frame story.

For the fans of Devil’s Creek and my other Southland stories, this one is important for a couple of reasons. It’s the first of what would eventually become the Southland Mythos, and also the first appearance of the stone idols. Note: It’s not the same one that appears in Devil’s Creek. The idols vary in appearance and effect. Can’t really say more about that, though, without treading into spoiler territory.

When I decided to give narration a try, this story was my obvious choice. It pushed boundaries for me as a writer (or at least it felt that way at the time), and also served as a nod to Bentley Little. Unfortunately, this sort of thing is time consuming, taxing on an untrained voice, and no amount of editing and mastering could fix my lack of proper recording space.

Here it is, warts and all. I hope you like it.

Don’t worry—this isn’t the monthly newsletter. That will come next week, probably.

Until then,

TK

I don’t really think of it as masking, though. It’s not like how I used to be when I worked in corporate. This is different. I like to think of who I am at a con as who I would be without all the sub-par brain chemistry. It’s freeing in that way, however short it lasts, and I pay for it with days of being a puddle of skin on the sofa.

Anyway. Hi, I’m Todd Keisling, and this is Messages from the Southland, my (mostly) monthly newsletter. Prior issues can be found here. Comments are turned on, so you’re welcome to drop me a line if you want. I like hearing from you.

AuthorCon II. It’s come and gone, leaving in its wake a small population of writers and readers feeling elated, emotional, and exhausted. And it was worth every moment. The weekend is a pleasant blur, filled with faces and conversations and general moments of happiness, with great food and banter and late-night shenanigans when the alcohol has taken hold. It’s chaos in its purest form, but the good kind.

No matter where you’d turn in that hotel space, you’d find people smiling, laughing, having the time of their lives. Sure, people were united by their love of horror, sci-fi, and fantasy, but they were also brought together for the sake of charity. The proceeds from this event go to help folks in need, from victims of breast cancer to severe burns. If you’re new to the Scares That Care charity, you can learn more about it here.

My brain is still too hazy from the experience to recap a full play by play, so I’m going to try and distill it down into a series of moments. This could get messy. Please bear with me:

• Finally, after years of begging, I convinced my brother and fellow author Anthony J. Rapino to attend a conference. I’m glad it was this one. He went, he mingled, he networked, he sold books and sculptures. He’s a natural for this gig, and I hope he decides to do it again next year. Tony, I’m proud of you, man.

• Getting to hang out with Nikki Nelson-Hicks once again. I’ve known Nik over a decade now. She’s witty, smart, and a hell of a writer. I’m glad she was able to attend, and if you haven’t read her stuff, you need to get on that ASAP.

• Hanging out at the bar with Robert Ottone, Mike Tyree, and Katherine Silva. Three superfans who I also consider super friends. I love you guys.

• Walking Robert Ottone back to his room with the help of C.W. Briar. One of the funniest moments in recent memory, especially that long trek back across the hotel lobby. But we made it, and Rob was ceremoniously tucked into bed, giggling the whole time. You had to be there.

• Sharing some of Laurel Hightower’s bourbon after last call. I can always count on Laurel for bourbon and Grippo’s barbecue potato chips. She brought both, but I completely forgot to collect the latter from her. Later this summer, Hightower!

• Chatting and sharing bad religious experiences with Red Lagoe in the lobby on Friday night. It was great talking to you, my friend.

• Standing alongside Kevin Kangas and Ali Sweet, watching Ronald Malfi get destroyed in a game of pool by an older lady named Sharon. I wish I’d recorded it.

• Meeting Cindy O’Quinn and sharing a photo to send to our friend Bob Ford. I’m not allowed to post said photo. Cindy, it was a pleasure to meet you!

• Late night lobby discussions with Don Noble, Michelle Mixell, Anton Cancre, and Wile E. Young.

• Being stopped in the lobby by a lady who thought my hair was so soft that she wanted to touch it. I was too stunned to say no. Such an odd experience.

• The Jay Wilburn Memorial panel. Enough said.

• Watching Jonathan Janz receive the first Wilburn-Thomas Award. Well deserved, my friend.

• Enjoying an early birthday dinner at the Whaling Company with Tommy & Dawn Clark, Sonora Taylor, Tony & Nik, and Erica.

• The complete clusterfuck of seating a party of 26 people at Rocco’s Smokehouse & Grill.

• Reading an excerpt from REVELATION ROAD on Friday night alongside my dear friend and editor, Kevin Lucia.

• Participating in a short recorded interview with Steve from Steve Talks Books.

I know there are more moments I’m forgetting. Feel free to mention them in the comments!

Now, I’m sure many of you who were there may have noticed I left out a certain pen saga from the list here. Far be it from me to forget such an epic tale. First, for those of you who weren’t subscribed last year, here’s a primer on what happened to my pen.

The TL;DR here is that Brian Keene stole my pen last year. It’s become a whole thing.

I knew I could expect retaliation for what happened during last summer’s Scares That Care Charity Weekend. Keene is always scheming something. Plus I knew that whatever happened, it would be in good fun, and all the attendees would get a laugh out of it. So, I started scheming a pre-emptive shot, which is how this poster was born:

And on Friday, just as the conference opened to the public, they were all greeted by these fliers posted around the lobby and second floor conference rooms. I’d considered having custom pens made, but decided the prank wasn’t worth $60. Simplicity is key. Less is always more.

Everything was great. People laughed. Fun was had by all. I ran into Keene in the hallway after putting up the last flier, and he asked me if I had a Sharpee handy. I did not. Being hyper-focused at the moment, I didn’t think anything of it. And then, maybe half an hour before the vendor’s meeting on Friday, Nikki came to my table with some books for me to sign. I’d purchased a couple of markers for the occasion, but they were nowhere to be found.

Again, I was hyper-focused. It didn’t click.

Fast forward to the vendor’s meeting. Brian calls me up to the stage. And the rest…

Many thanks to Cina Pelayo for capturing this moment. It set the tone for the whole weekend. I loved every minute of it.

There was more, though. One of the staff, O’Malley Brandt, actually did think the prank was worth $60, and had some custom pens made for others to deliver to me at random occasions throughout the weekend.

O’Malley, I didn’t get a chance to give you a hug for this. It really made my weekend. I have several of the pens, and will cherish them always. Same goes for Jake Lerner, the charity’s Virginia rep, who came by several times to deliver them.

Alas, I’m also saddened by this turn of events, because now it means the saga has grown to include more than just Keene and myself. It means O’Malley and Jake are part of this now.

It means they’re fair game.

Keene, I know you think this is over. All I have to say is this: I didn’t hear no bell.

Here’s a grouping of photos from the conference. I didn’t take as many as I’d prefer; I was too caught up in the moment.

Yesterday, while I was still in the throes of the con hangover, I received a short story contract in my inbox. I’m pleased to announce my story “The Puppeteer of Samhain” will appear in a forthcoming Halloween-themed anthology edited by Kenneth W. Cain and published by Kangas Kahn Publishing. You can find more details here.

ARCs for COLD, BLACK & INFINITE are slowly making their way to reviewers. If you’d like to receive one for review purposes, please contact Kevin Lucia at Cemetery Dance.

Okay, friends, I think that’s about it for me today. I’m all out of spoons again. Many thanks to everyone who visited my table at the conference this weekend. It was so great to see your faces. You all make this worthwhile.

Until next time,

TK

COLD, BLACK & INFINITE: STORIES OF THE HORRIFIC AND STRANGE is my next collection, due for release on 9/26/23 from Cemetery Dance. Advance Reader Copies are available upon request for early review / blurb purposes.

Without further ado, here’s the cover…

Special thanks to Jack Tremly for permission to use his painting, “The Abyssal Bargain.” It fits perfectly with one of the new pieces in the book and immediately sets the mood.

COLD, BLACK & INFINITE is available now for pre-order from Cemetery Dance.

COLD, BLACK & INFINITE: STORIES OF THE HORRIFIC AND STRANGE has a release date: 9/26/23. I made the tough call to push the release date back by two months so we’d have more time to promote the book and get early copies in the hands of any reviewer or author who wants one. Members of my Patreon have already seen the cover, but it’ll debut to everyone this Tuesday, March 7th. That would be tomorrow. Keep an eye on your inbox, Twitter, Instagram, or TikTok on Tuesday for the big reveal!

Anyway. Hi, I’m Todd Keisling, and this is Messages from the Southland, my (mostly) monthly newsletter. Prior issues can be found here. Comments are turned on, so you’re welcome to drop me a line if you want. I like hearing from you.

Okay, seriously, how the hell is it March already? Where did February go? Maybe getting older is a form of time dilation, where everything keeps speeding up as we race toward the oblivion that awaits us all.

Or maybe I’m feeling maudlin because Gabe turned 20 last month. I swear he was just a baby.

Or because I turn 40 next month. I swear I was just in college and 40 was so far away…1

On the writing front, I completed another short story, titled “The Puppeteer of Samhain,” for a Halloween-themed open call. Took me several attempts over the course of the month before I finally found a good starting point and the right voice to tell it. After that, everything came together relatively fast. On the surface, it’s a story set in the Devil’s Creek universe about a father telling a campfire story to his three children. Below that, however, it runs adjacent to another short of mine, “The Gods of Our Fathers.”

In fact, it also runs adjacent to Scanlines, Devil’s Creek, and another story I haven’t written yet.

I’ve been thinking about what to call these “Devil’s Creek Universe” stories, and I finally settled on one while writing story notes for the collection. Some of you may remember a story of mine that appeared in Liminal Spaces, edited by Kevin Lucia and published by Cemetery Gates Media. It’s called “Midnight in the Southland,” about an old radio DJ and his offbeat paranormal show of the same title. In that story, Gus Guthrie (channeling the spirit of the late Art Bell and Coast to Coast AM) posits about the “Southland” being a strange space where all manner of odd happenings occur, which is a more eloquent way of my own assessment, “The south is fucking weird.”2

“Southland Stories” sounds better to me than “Devil’s Creek Universe.” I plan on creating a timeline to show when the various stories take place in relation to one another. I hesitate to call it a series, because there isn’t going to be a singular narrative carried throughout, and there won’t be a definitive “order.” Many of these stories simply exist in the same space, and may reference events from other stories or books.

That said, here’s a list of my stories that currently reside in the Southland:

• Devil’s Creek

• The Final Reconciliation

• Scanlines

• “The Gods of Our Fathers”

• “Holes in the Fabric”

• “Gethsemane”

• “Midnight in the Southland”

• “The Harbinger”

I’ve got many more planned, including my next novel, Revelation Road. Going forward, whenever I refer to something as a Southland story, this is what I’m talking about.

Brian Keene announced the schedule for AuthorCon II last week. I have a reading slot on Friday evening alongside my friend and editor, Kevin Lucia (whose new novella, Joey Leonard’s Last Horror Movie Marathon, just released). On Saturday, I’ll be on a panel about book design. Here’s the full schedule:

FRIDAY

Opening Ceremonies – 4:00pm to 5:00pm (First Floor, Auditorium): Brian Keene, Joe Ripple and the rest of our staff and volunteers welcome all Guests of Honor, vendors, and attendees, give you important information for the weekend, and present the 2023 Charity Award and the first annual Wilburn-Thomas Award. Attendance by all is strongly encouraged.

Vendor Hours (Vendors are located in the main Vendor’s Room and on both the First and Second Floors) – 5:00pm to 9:00pm

Silent Auction (First Floor, Auditorium) – 5:00pm to 9:00pm

An Evening with Edgar Allan Poe – 9:00pm (First Floor, Auditorium): A one-hour program with dramatic performances of “The Tell Tale Heart” and “The Raven”. Actor Campbell Harmon speaks in character as Poe with the audience about the author’s life, his death, and his profound influence on American literature, dispelling the myths that have surrounded his legacy to show how his works continue to influence literature and culture today. Suitable for all ages. This is a ticketed event. Tickets are available for purchase at convention registration.

Workshop: Writing Personal Horror – 9:00pm to 11:00pm (Second Floor, Room 15): In order to write effective and original horror, you have to dig into your own psyche and find out what scares you. By focusing on your own personal fears and giving them shivery life on the page, you’ll be connecting to your audience – guaranteed. In this session, participants will learn techniques from instructor Tim Waggoner for drawing on their past, their presents, hopes, dreams, fears, obsessions, and current observations to create horror that stands out from the pack. Participants should bring something to write with/on. This is a ticketed event. Tickets are available for purchase at convention registration.

Readings:

5:30pm – 6:15pm (Second Floor, Room 8): Sarah Matthews and Jenny Allen

5:45pm – 6:30pm (Second Floor, Room 11): Lucas Milliron and J.P. Behrens

6:00pm – 6:45pm (Second Floor, Room 12): Jason Parent and Joseph Pesavento

6:30pm – 7:15pm (Second Floor, Room 8): Jeff Strand and Max Booth III

6:45pm – 7:30pm (Second Floor, Room 11): Todd Keisling and Kevin Lucia

7:00pm – 7:45pm (Second Floor, Room 12): Tim Lebbon and Rio Youers

7:30pm – 8:15pm (Second Floor, Room 8): Laurel Hightower and Red Lagoe

7:45pm – 8:30pm (Second Floor, Room 11): Anton Cancre and Pamela K. Kinney

8:00pm – 8:45pm (Second Floor, Room 12): L. Marie Wood and Sonora Taylor

8:30pm – 9:30pm (Second Floor, Room 8): Wesley Southard, Lucas Mangum, and John Wayne Comunale   

Panels:

5:00pm – 6:00pm (First Floor, Auditorium): Help, I Married A Horror Writer – A mystery panel of six author’s spouses and partners spill the tea on the trials, tribulations, and triumphs of being in a relationship with a horror writer. Moderated by Brian Keene

5:30pm – 6:30pm (Second Floor, Room 16): So You Want To Publish An Anthology? – Kenneth W. Cain (moderator), Rachel A. Brune, Rebecca Rowland, R.E. Sargent, Steven Pajak, and Candace Nola guide you step-by-step through the process of editing and publishing an anthology.  

5:45pm – 6:45pm (Second Floor, Room 17): Horror Poetry – Jacob Haddon (moderator), Cynthia Pelayo, John Urbancik, M Ennenbach, and Anton Cancre discuss their creative process and some of their favorite horror poets.

6:00pm – 7:00pm (Second Floor, Room 18): The New Slashers – Crazed killers are making a comeback in both horror fiction and film. Preston Fassel (moderator), Adam Cesare, Kristopher Triana, Kristopher Rufty, Scott Cole, and Jason Myers discuss the new wave of slashers.  

6:45pm – 7:45pm (Second Floor, Room 16): Collaborations – Stephen Kozeniewski (moderator), Wile E. Young, Wesley Southard, Ruthanne Jagge, Daron Kappauff, and RJ Roles discuss the ins-and-outs of writing with a partner.     

7:00pm – 8:00pm (Second Floor, Room 17): Writing The Badge and The Bus – Joe Ripple, Ronald Malfi, and Amanda Headlee lead this Q&A on the correct way to write law enforcement procedure, tactics, and investigations, and EMT procedures for medical emergencies and trauma.

7:15pm – 8:15pm (Second Floor, Room 18): Body Horror Beyond – Lucas Milliron (Moderator), Hailey Piper, Bitter Karella, Gemma Amor, and Matt Serafini discuss the latest in body horror fiction and film.

8:00pm – 9:00pm (Second Floor, Room 16): Military Ops – Veterans of the United States Armed Forces and Alphabet Agencies discuss their military service, how they’ve utilized it in their fiction, and how you can, too. Scott M. Baker (moderator), Rachel A. Brune, Stephen Kozeniewski, John Lynch, and L.P. Hernandez.

SATURDAY

Vendor Hours (Vendors are located in the main Vendor’s Room and on both the First and Second Floors) – 10:00am to 6:00pm 

Silent Auction (First Floor, Auditorium) – 10:00am to 5:00pm (winners will be announced at 5:00pm sharp)

A Tribute To Jay Wilburn – Noon to 1:00pm (Second Floor, Room 18): Friends and peers of author Jay Wilburn, including Armand Rosamilia, Max Booth, Jeff Strand, Daniel J. Volpe, John Urbancik, Stephen Kozeniewski, and Thomas R. Clark, share personal stories and tributes.

Workshop: Writing For Video Games (What You Need To Know) – 6:00pm to 10:00pm (Second Floor, Room 15): Video game industry veteran Richard Dansky (Red Storm, Ubisoft) leads this highly interactive seminar on how to write for video games. Participants should bring something to write with/on. This is a ticketed event. Tickets are available for purchase at convention registration.

An Evening with Psychic and Medium Dakota Lawrence – 7:00pm (Second Floor, Room 17): In this group setting, renowned psychic and medium Dakota Lawrence will conduct live readings regarding loved ones, participant’s lives, and more. This is a ticketed event. Tickets are available for purchase at convention registration. Please note that participants will be chosen at random, and a ticket does not guarantee a reading. 

Breast Cancer Walk – 9:00pm (approximately) (First Floor Lobby and Bar area) — Brian Keene, John Anderson, and Grim.

The Gross-Out Contest – 10:30pm (Second Floor, Room 18): A bevy of your favorite horror authors square off once again in the literary world’s most vile, hilarious, and incendiary showdown. Each has five minutes to gross out the crowd and impress host Brian Keene, bouncer Armand Rosamilia, and judges Maurice Broaddus, L. Marie Wood, Mary SanGiovanni, Bridgett Nelson, and Candace Nola. Adults Only. No One Under 18 Permitted. Attendee Discretion Is Strongly Advised.  

Readings:

10:15am – 11:00am (Second Floor, Room 8): Carol Gyzander and Rachel A. Brune

10:30am – 11:15am (Second Floor, Room 11): Richard Dansky and P.D. Cacek

11:00am – 11:45am (Second Floor, Room 12): Cynthia Pelayo and Briana Morgan

11:15am – Noon (Second Floor, Room 8): Hailey Piper and Gemma Amor

11:30am – 12:15pm (Second Floor, Room 11): Tim Waggoner and Mason Winfield

Noon – 1:00pm (Second Floor, Room 15): Armin Shimerman (Reading, plus Q&A moderated by John Anderson)

12:15pm – 1:00pm (Second Floor, Room 8): Kenzie Jennings and Bridgett Nelson

12:30pm – 1:15pm (Second Floor, Room 11): Jonathan Janz and Justin Holley

1:15pm – 2:00pm (Second Floor, Room 8): Bitter Karella and Mary SanGiovanni

1:30pm – 2:15pm (Second Floor, Room 15): Maurice Broaddus and John Urbancik

1:30pm – 2:15pm (Second Floor, Room 11): Kenneth W. Cain and Tom Rimer

2:15pm – 3:00pm (Second Floor, Room 8): Katherine Silva and Mike Tyree

2:30pm – 3:15pm (Second Floor, Room 11): Dorian J. Sinnott and Daniel Braum

2:30pm – 3:15pm (Second Floor, Room 12): Tony Evans and Shawn Burgess

3:15pm – 4:00pm (Second Floor, Room 8): Mark Masztal and Nathan D. Ludwig

3:30pm – 4:15pm (Second Floor, Room 11): Joshua MacMillan and Megan Stockton

4:15pm – 5:00pm (Second Floor, Room 8): Ronald Kelly and Stephen Mark Rainey

4:30pm – 5:15pm (Second Floor, Room 11): Douglas Ford and Jeremy Megargee

5:15pm – 6:00pm (Second Floor, Room 8): Chase Will and Jay Bower

5:30pm – 6:15pm (Second Floor, Room 11): R.J. Roles and Jason Myers

6:15pm – 7:00pm (Second Floor, Room 8): Robert Essig and R.J. Benetti

6:30pm – 7:15pm (Second Floor, Room 11): Nathan McCullough and L.P. Hernandez

7:15pm – 8:00pm (Second Floor, Room 8): Preston Fassel and M. Ennenbach

7:30pm – 8:30pm (Second Floor, Room 11): Adam Cesare, Scott Cole, and Clay McLeod Chapman

Panels:

10:15am – 11:15am (Second Floor, Room 16): Agent and Publisher Ethics – Matt Blairstone (moderator) Rio Youers, Laurel Hightower, L. Marie Wood, Kelley Jefferson, and D. Alexander Ward discuss what to look for – and what to run away from – when it comes to agents and publishers.

10:15am – 11:15am (Second Floor, Room 15): Queer Horror 2023 – Sam Richard (moderator), Bitter Karella, Jamie Flanagan, Rebecca Rowland, Dorian J. Sinnott, and Nikki Nelson Hicks discuss the latest trends and the hottest books in queer horror.

10:30am – 11:30am (Second Floor, Room 17): Horror Comics – Interested in horror comic books and graphic novels but don’t know where to begin? Nathan McCullough (moderator), Clay McLeod Chapman, Mark Masztal, Scott Cole, and Wile. E. Young discuss some of their favorites.

10:45am – 11:45am (Second Floor, Room 18): The Psychology of Horror – How does human psychology apply to horror fiction? What makes for effective psychological horror? David Simms (moderator), Mona Kabbani, Tommy B. Smith, Daniel Braum, Jenny Allen, and J.P. Behrens discuss all this and more.

1:00pm – 2:00pm (Second Floor, Room 16): Road Dogs – What are some tips for setting up a book signing? How can one plan an economical book signing tour? What are the do’s-and-dont’s of setting up at conventions? Wesley Southard (moderator), Gemma Amor, Ronald Malfi, Joseph Pesavento, John Wayne Comunale.

1:15pm – 2:00pm (Second Floor, Room 12): Sherrilyn Kenyon Q&A (Kelly Jefferson moderator)

1:15pm – 2:15pm (Second Floor, Room 17): The Truth About Paranormal Investigations – What really happens during a paranormal investigation? What kind of tools and skills are used? And what does horror fiction get right and wrong? P.D. Cacek and Mason Winfield answer all your questions.

1:30pm – 2:30pm (Second Floor, Room 18): Self-Publishing 101: Sonora Taylor (moderator) discusses tips and tricks for self-publishing in 2023 with Jessica Eppley, B.C. Lienesch, Caterina Novelliere, John Durgin, Briana Morgan, and Jay Bower

2:15pm – 3:15pm (Second Floor, Room 16): Trauma In Fiction – Candace Nola (moderator), Kristopher Triana, Marian Elaine, Kristopher Rufty, Bridgett Nelson, Sam Richard, and Lucas Milliron discuss how trauma is used in fiction, why it is used, and the benefits of doing so.

2:30pm – 3:30pm (Second Floor, Room 17): Golden Years – Jonathan Janz (moderator) talks with Ronald Kelly and Stephen Mark Rainey – veterans of the late 1980s/early 1990s horror boom, and Sherrilyn Kenyon, Maurice Broaddus, Tim Lebbon, Ronald Malfi, Mary SanGiovanni, and Tim Waggoner – veterans of the 2000s horror resurrection – on those golden years, and what possibly lies ahead for the genre.

2:45pm – 3:45pm (Second Floor, Room 18): Marketing 101 – Now, more than ever, authors are finding themselves responsible for their own marketing and promotion. Red Lagoe (moderator) discusses tip and tricks with Lucy Leitner, Aron Beauregard, Daniel J. Volpe, and Lucas Mangum.

3:30pm – 4:30pm (Second Floor, Room 16): Cryptids – Bigfoot, Mothman, and their kin are experiencing a resurgence in horror fiction. C.W. Briar (moderator), Bitter Karella, Laurel Hightower, Pamela K. Kinney, and Dan Franklin discuss the trend and some of their favorites.

3:45pm – 4:45pm (Second Floor, Room 17): Book Design 101 – Scott Cole (moderator) discusses the ins-and-outs of book design, from cover to bookstore shelves, with Todd Keisling, Lynne Hansen, John G. Hartness, and Kenneth W. Cain.

4:00pm – 5:00pm (Second Floor, Room 18): Screenwriting 101 – Preston Fassel (moderator) talks to screenwriters Jamie Flanagan, Clay McLeod Chapman, James Noll, and Nathan D. Ludwig about everything you need to know to write for movies and television.

4:45pm – 5:45pm (Second Floor, Room 16): Cosmic Horror – Mary SanGiovanni (moderator and “the Queen of Cosmic Horror”) is joined by Robert P. Ottone, Daron Kappauff, Dan Henk, Ben Farthing, and Tommy B. Smith to discuss the evolution of modern cosmic horror and where it might go from here.

5:00pm – 6:00pm (Second Floor, Room 17): Extreme Horror – Thomas R. Clark (moderator) is joined by Kristopher Rufty, Daniel J. Volpe, Carver Pike, Bridgett Nelson, and Eric Butler to discuss the resurgence in popularity of extreme horror and Splatterpunk and what the future may hold for each.

SUNDAY

Vendor Hours (Vendors are located in the main Vendor’s Room and on both the First and Second Floors) – 10:00am to 3:00pm 

Readings:

10:15am – 11:00am (Second Floor, Room 8): Daron Kappauff and Nicholas Day

10:30am – 11:15am (Second Floor, Room 11): Shanna Robillard and Amanda Headlee

11:15am – Noon (Second Floor, Room 8): Scott M. Baker and John Lynch

11:30 – 12:30pm (Second Floor, Room 11): Jacob Haddon, D. Alexander Ward, and Chris DiLeo  

12:15pm – 1:00pm (Second Floor, Room 8): Stephen Kozeniewski and Wile E. Young 

Panels: 

10:30am – 11:30am (Second Floor, Room 16): Found Footage – Tom Rimer (moderator and cohost of Found Footage Fridays), Matt Blazi, and Chase Will discuss the renewed popularity of found footage films and fiction.

10:30am – 11:30am (Second Floor, Room 17): Folklore and History – How can one accurately portray folk horror? What are some witchcraft tropes that practitioners would love to see put to the stake? How does a writer or researcher gain access to historical archives? Thomas R. Clark (moderator), Ruthann Jagge, Tony Evans, Mason Winfield, and Douglas Ford discuss getting your facts straight when it comes to Folk Horror, Historical Horror, and Witchcraft.

11:00am – Noon (Second Floor, Room 18): Writing Media Tie-Ins: Tim Waggoner, Mary SanGiovanni, and Brian Keene discuss writing for big media properties – how to get the job, what you can get away with, and what you can’t.

1:00pm – 2:00pm (Second Floor, Room 18): The Yell At Brian Keene Panel – Joe Ripple, Jake Lerner, Brian Keene, Sonora Taylor, Angel Hollman, and the rest of the Scares That Care staff welcome your feedback in this open forum, so that we can implement it next year. (Please don’t really yell at Brian, though.)3

I’m really excited for this con. The last one was so much fun, despite my publisher imploding, and this one promises to be even bigger. Anthony J. Rapino, one of my best friends, will be in attendance. It’s his first con ever. He’ll have copies of his novels and a small stock of his custom sculptures (including his Devil’s Creek idol), so be sure to stop by his table (it’s next to mine), say hello, and support his work.

He’s carpooling with us down to Williamsburg, and I’ve been teasing him about packing arrangements in my car. I’ve offered to strap him to the hood, a la Mad Max…

…but I think we’ve settled on carting him down there inside one of those coffins that straps to the roof. One way or another, Rapino, you will go to this con. :-)

I got to play co-host on Brian Keene Live alongside the lovely Mary SanGiovanni a couple of weeks ago for the interview of Robert P. Ottone. We grilled him about Silent Hill and his YA novel, The Triangle, which has since been nominated for a Bram Stoker Award. Super proud of him for that. You can watch the full interview here:

My dear friend Laurel Hightower’s first collection, Every Woman Knows This, released on Friday and is available now. Go check it out so she can buy more bourbon. Her novella, Below, was also recently nominated for a Bram Stoker Award. Congrats, Laurel! We will toast at AuthorCon!

A special limited edition of my pal Katherine Silva’s novel, The Wild Dark, is now available for pre-order. It’s a lettered hardcover, meaning there are only 26 copies being printed, so don’t wait on this. Last I heard, there were still a few copies left.

Also check out her Winterview YouTube series!

My interview with Max Bowen at Citywide Blackout went live last month. Check it out:

Things I’ve watched, read, played, et al:

• The Last of Us - I loved the game, and I’m loving this live-action series, too.

• Skinamarink - No.4

• The Outwaters - Hell no.5

• M3GAN - Fun!

• Phantasm - I love this series. Slowly working my way through them again. I’d love to write a novelization someday. Anyone know Don Coscarelli’s email?

• Are You Afraid of the Dark? - Many of these are forgettable, but the ones that stand out are great concepts. I used to watch this one every Saturday night when I was a pre-teen.

• Atomic Heart - Probably the weirdest game I’ve played in recent memory. It’s not quite a “Russian Bioshock,” but rather a strange amalgam of different concepts. And there’s an overly-sexualized vending machine that likes to talk dirty. Can’t decide if I like the game or not.

• Conarium - A Lovecraftian walking simulator. We just started playing this one for Patreon Game Night.

• Evil Dead: The Game - Me ‘n Cat Scully have been playing this one every Sunday. It’s a lot of fun, especially if you’re a fan of the series, and quite difficult if you have no idea what you’re doing (like me).

• The Consultant - I haven’t read the novel this series is based on, but Bentley Little is long overdue for some Hollywood love. The series was fun, albeit a little predictable, and I’m a sucker for anything starring Christoph Waltz.

• Gothic by Philip Fracassi - I started this over the weekend and blew through the first 60 pages in no time. Enjoying it so far.

I think that’s about it, friends. It’s late as I write this and my eyes are heavy. Be on the lookout for a post tomorrow with the cover reveal, After that, the next time we’ll meet here is in April, when I’ll have lots to share from AuthorCon.

Until then!

TK

Anyway. Hi, I’m Todd Keisling, and this is Messages from the Southland, my (mostly) monthly newsletter. Prior issues can be found here. Comments are turned on, so you’re welcome to drop me a line if you want. I like hearing from you.

That flu I mentioned in December’s newsletter decided to stick around for another week before I finally kicked it to the curb. And that, Devil’s Creek re-released, and then the rest of the month was blur, divided between gaming, design, and (some) writing. I’ll get to all of that in due time. Before I do, there’s something else I need to mention.

Unfortunately, some controversy arose in the horror world (gasp!) over the last week. Author Thomas F. Monteleone made disparaging remarks toward some fellow authors, fueled with hateful rhetoric, racism, bigotry, and transphobia. It was truly disgusting to witness all of this unfold in real time on social media. Not only to see a once highly regarded writer actively tear down his legacy in such a heinous way, but also to see the crowd of sycophants rush to defend his statements.

And then something amazing happened.

People began speaking out, calling on the Horror Writers Association to denounce and expel Mr. Monteleone from the organization. I was one of them (you can read my open letter here).

As someone who’s been on the internet since his teen years, I’ve seen a lot of online drama unfold—from message boards to chatrooms to social media. Wherever there’s people, there’s conflict—and doubly so when the internet can amplify hate. But lately, especially in the last ten years, the megaphone of anonymity has grown worse. Bigger. Louder. I have my theories as to why, but that’s a conversation for another time.

In this case, the megaphone was particularly loud, given this guy’s status as a legend in the horror community, and his words were far-reaching. It seemed like he was out to disparage anyone and everyone who wasn’t a straight, white male. And as the stories came out in response, the anecdotes of others who’ve run afoul of this guy over the years and who knew his true nature, one thing became clear: he’s a bully.

I know something about bullies. You can try to make amends, try to be friends, or avoid them—but even if you remove yourself from their sights, they will target someone else. Someone they deem smaller or below them. Then the cycle begins again. And again. And again. Until it impacts someone you know or care about, and then you’re back in the bully’s sights.

The only way to deal with bullies is to push back and refuse to enable their behavior.

And the greater horror genre, all those voices from the groups Mr. Monteleone was disparaging and railing against, rallied together and demanded he be expelled from the HWA and barred from attending future events. Our collective voices were loud enough that other conferences, publishers, and organizations also took action and followed suit.

Mr. Monteleone can go on spewing his hateful garbage if he wants. I have no doubt that he will. He still has his megaphone, after all. But the horror genre collectively said “Not here, and not to us,” and closed the door in his face.

That heartens me. I’m proud of us all for taking this stand. Proud of the HWA and Necon and Scares That Care and so many others who not only joined us, but also acted swiftly to address the matter.

I hope this acts as a message to others who come to the horror community thinking they can hide their hate among us. You aren’t welcome here, and we won’t have you.1

Goddamn, that felt good to write.

Moving on…

Devil’s Creek re-released earlier this month. I got a nice box of author copies here beside my desk (and it weighs a ton). I’m really proud of this book, and I’m doubly pleased with how this new edition turned out. It’s a thicker book, a doorstopper for sure, and the pages are nice and thick, too. Great quality from Cemetery Dance. The hardcovers have yet to arrive, but I’ll post photos when they do.

I did mark the occasion with my first ever TikTok video. Yes, I’m late to the party.

@toddkeislingMy author copies of DEVIL'S CREEK arrived! #booktok #books #horrortok #horror #fyp #horrorismylife #horrorstory #devilscreek #cemeterydance #toddkeisling

Tiktok failed to load.

Enable 3rd party cookies or use another browser

I’m also pleased to say that Encyclopocalypse released the audio book edition of Scanlines as well. It was a little overshadowed by the Devil’s Creek launch so I haven’t had a chance to plug it as much. That said, Tom Jordan did an amazing job with the narration and captured the essence of the characters. You can find it on Amazon & Audible for the low price of $5 or $6, respectively.

On the writing front, I composed my first story of 2023. It’s a short 3k word piece called “Oneirophobia,” about a support group for people who keep seeing a strange face in their dreams. It will appear in Never Wake: An Anthology of Dream Horror, edited by Kenneth W. Cain & Tim Meyer, and forthcoming from Crystal Lake Publishing. No release date yet, so stay tuned.

I’ve got a couple more stories on tap for open calls, as well as another anthology invite. I’m still working out the cobwebs from my holiday hiatus, but I must say, there’s nothing like going back to the page and finding the groove.

My pal Max Booth III launched a successful Kickstarter earlier this month, and it’s now in its last 24 hours. Help them hit the next stretch goal!

I gave my website an overhaul. It’s something I wanted to do last year but never got around to it. I use Squarespace for my hosting now, and so far it’s been a mostly pleasant experience, but updating my site to their new 7.1 system was a nightmare. I won’t bore you all with details. I’ll just say that I had to build a new site from scratch. I couldn’t migrate my old one.

Anyway, all the work’s been done, and now my website is a lot cleaner and streamlined. There’s access to my bibliography, an FAQ, upcoming appearances, and more. Check it out when you get a chance.

Note: The merch section is still a work in progress. All the branded clothing and accessories are there, but the listings for my books aren’t yet, and probably won’t be for a while. Not until after con season is over, once I recount my inventory.

Also note: I’m not keeping a blog anymore. You can access the blog archive in the site’s footer. Images and links will likely be broken. Again, I blame Squarespace’s lack of a proper migration tool.

That’s about it for now. I hope you all have a wonderful month. And remember: Always go for the limbs.

Cheers,

TK

Today is the day, friends. My small town horror novel, Devil’s Creek, is now back in print, courtesy of the fine folks at Cemetery Dance Publishing.

The story remains the same, but this edition isn’t without its perks, and promises something for OG fans and newcomers alike.

Included in its pages is a new introduction by Ronald Malfi, author of Come With Me and Black Mouth, new interior art and maps by Yours Truly, and a new design that makes for an easier reading experience.

No matter your preference, Devil’s Creek is available in a variety of formats at your favorite megacorporate online store, as well as direct from the publisher (which is always preferred).

Buy from Cemetery Dance

Buy from Amazon

Buy from Audible

There’s also the Devil’s Creek collection of merch available on my website, ranging from themed T-shirts to prints and mugs.

Finally, the cool guys at Paper Cuts Live are hosting a re-launch party tonight, and you’re all invited. I’ll be on the show along with some special guests to mark this special occasion.

Tune in tonight at 8 PM ET on the Paper Cuts Live YouTube Channel. See you there!

TK