October 2023: Witching Hour in the Southland
From the grim Ohio Valley to the mists of the Appalachian Plateau...
Halloween is almost upon us, October mostly spent, and you’re probably wondering what’s wrong with me since this newsletter has arrived before the end of the month. Normally, I’d be reflecting on the month well into the first week of November, but I’ll be traveling down to Richmond, VA for Halloween Hangover II, and then on to KY and TN to visit family.
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
Big for me, anyway.