My next Leisure novel
This wasn’t supposed to be announced yet, but since it has apparently leaked to the internet, allow me to confirm that Darkness on the Edge of Town, previously released only as a collector’s edition hardcover from Infernal House, will indeed see publication as a mass market paperback in February 2010 from Leisure Books.
This replaces the previously announced The Tunnel, which is uncompleted and will probably remain so, because halfway through writing it, I realized it was nothing more than a repeat of the same themes and situations seen in Castaways and Urban Gothic, and therefore, is not something I want to write because I’ve already covered that ground.
Story and content-wise, the mass market edition of Darkness on the Edge of Town will be markedly different from the collector’s edition. They have different endings, and different ways of reaching those endings. The collector’s edition was 60,000 words. The new edition will be 80,000 words. The collector’s edition is a work of art and should be read with tongs and a dust mask. The paperback can be stuffed in your pocket and taken with you to the beach.
By the time the paperback edition sees publication, it will be almost two years since publication of the collector’s edition. Personally, I think that amount of time makes it fair to both collectors who bought the first edition and and readers who missed out on it and now get a chance to read it. Keep in mind, the book was never sold with the caveat of “This will be the only edition and it will never be reprinted” (although such a caveat was stated for A Field Guide to the Thirteen, which will not be reprinted).
I’ve tried to consider the feelings and concerns of both collectors and readers. I think this is a fair solution. I am, however, also aware that there are some who are angered by this decision, and therefore, I would like to remind them that I have a family to feed and a roof to keep over their heads, and I write for a living. If you can dig that, then I thank you. If you can’t dig that, then start a thread on The Haunt forum. You can call the thread ‘Brian Keene doesn’t care about the 10% of his readers who were able to afford this limited edition because now he’s gonna make the book available to poor people‘. Meanwhile, I’ll be over here earning a living.
Selah.
June 9th, 2009 at 12:14 pm
WOOOOOOOO!!! =D
June 9th, 2009 at 12:30 pm
well as one of the 90% who can’t/won’t pay for collector’s editions, I say woohoo….and respect for the Tunnel decision, many of your peers might not be so committed to their artform
June 9th, 2009 at 1:33 pm
As a writer who would like someday to have your problems I think this is a fair treatment of a piece of work.
June 9th, 2009 at 1:40 pm
As a kid, I tried to collect anything having to do with a movie or show or a specific author I liked. I collected the memorabilia because it was cool and like the baseball card collectors, I hoped to make money. I carried that thought for years — especially with original Star Trek stuff, most of which has dropped in value way below what I paid (who knows, with the new version of ST, maybe it will come back).
Now I am over 50 and have been collecting Brian’s books, but with no speculative thought in my mind to make a penny (except some german language copies of The Rising and City of the Dead I picked up). I caluculate and spend every cent I can afford to keep up with the writing. It’s the writing. It’s the mythos, all that stuff that interweaves the whole Keene Universe.
So, being a late-comer to the game, I have missed a lot. I’m glad for the opportunity to get something that will add to my personal pleasure — bring a little change in the Keene family pocketbook — and still have a version that is selling for major bucks on the secondary market that I can save up for because it IS different, something I don’t have that adds to the Keene Universe.
June 9th, 2009 at 2:00 pm
Cant wait to get this book in any form!
June 9th, 2009 at 2:08 pm
I also fall into the 90% pool that can’t afford the limited’s and look forward to the mmp’s. i do occassionally scrape together a few pennies and indulge in a limited edition. And even if it happens to released as an mmp in the future i don’t seeit devalueing the limited’s in any way. I agree with you also about having to feed your family and keep a roof over your head. so brother whatever it takes….as long as you keep pumping out the stuff myself and so many others enjoy.
June 9th, 2009 at 2:43 pm
Thank you! I wanted to read Darkness for the longest time and now I can! Fuck yeah!
June 9th, 2009 at 3:11 pm
thanks Brian, you’re a star
June 9th, 2009 at 4:10 pm
I fall into the 10 percent of rabid collectors, and this is a no brainer. Publishing anything with that high of a price tag after the fact to a bulk publisher is the right thing to do.
By circumstance I just happen to be able to have enough disposable income to buy limited editions, but were I in a situation that I couldn’t do that why should I be forced to miss out? Not to mention the fact that the more books you have in local book stores the more people will read your books, which in turn means more interest in your small press work, which is more revenue for you and more opportunities for limited editions.
Good call taking care of your family *and* all of your fans, even if some of the fans are too bitchy to realize thats what you’re doing.
June 9th, 2009 at 5:43 pm
I got the limited but, yeah, its cool with me Brian!
especially with an alternate ending and shit! can’t wait! who wouldn’t want an extra 20 000 words?
so, is the Tunnel totally dead or might we see a version at a later date?
a little bonus…i’m gonna assume there won’t be a limited of this version from BP so i can by something else!
June 9th, 2009 at 5:54 pm
Love it, Brian! I very much want to read this book and couldn’t afford the high priced limited. All the power to you, brother.
Cheers,
Gord
June 9th, 2009 at 6:51 pm
I have the limited edition and will buy the mass market. I think you support an author who supports you. To me, a Brian’s a prolific writer who supplements our enjoyment of his published stuff by giving us free stuff. I’d like to talk to the person who doesn’t consider that a reader’s writer.
As an aside, what’s “The Field Guide to the Thirteen”? A Google turned up nuttin’.
June 9th, 2009 at 6:56 pm
Awesome news. I’ve really wanted to read this for some time…
June 9th, 2009 at 8:53 pm
Good news! As one who couldn’t afford the limited and didn’t win the ..Edge Of Sleep contest,it’s nice to know I can still read some more Keene. And I don’t care what anyone might say, I think Brian takes care of his fans.
June 9th, 2009 at 9:11 pm
As one who bought ( and is currently selling his on eBay) I think it is a fair decision and I look fwd to the extra words.
rjdsgod is my seller id on eBay…current price is $172.50
June 9th, 2009 at 9:38 pm
I can’t wait.
June 9th, 2009 at 10:26 pm
i can’t afford the collectors edition either and am stoked to be able to read this in any version (however, i will probably always have the gnawing in the back of my mind reminding me that i don’t know what the “original” version was like) and i can totally understand why brian would decide to go this route and will continue to support him and his works.
June 9th, 2009 at 11:47 pm
I always try to buy both Mr. Keene. So I like to think that maybe I paid for that burger you had last week.
June 9th, 2009 at 11:48 pm
This is great news.I was really gutted that i couldn’t afford the limited edition so to ease the pain i bought the limited hardcover of ‘Unhappy Endings’.I have never,although i read with a passion,sought to buy limited or collector’s editions but with Brian’s work i dunno there is just something special about the books an and after stumbling across his books i got hooked just the same as i did with Richard Layman. At the end of the day Brian’s just another guy working hard for a living.For those who would bemoan the fact
June 9th, 2009 at 11:51 pm
lol i’d not finished….Anyway…those who are not happy with this news should put themselves in our shoe’s i reckon they would be grateful then.
Cheers Brian
June 10th, 2009 at 12:23 am
Thank you and many “Hail Cthulhus!!!” from the poor people!
June 10th, 2009 at 12:33 am
This is the only way I get to read Mr. Keene. Slicker than shit through a sick snake!
June 10th, 2009 at 12:58 am
As long as the limited is a first edition I’m happy.
I hate when the paperback is the first edition.
June 10th, 2009 at 1:21 am
I’ve known about this since Brian swore us to secrecy about it at VisionCon awhile back. Nice to know I won’t have any Freudian slips popping out now!
June 10th, 2009 at 1:31 am
It is only fair. This is awesome news to everyone. I consider myself a collector and a reader. I don’t know why they are having a fit. I have the limited and lettered editions and I’m not pissed a bit. Maybe it has something to do with me not trying to make a mint on the secondary market with my copies. DOTEOT should be read by all, not a few.
June 10th, 2009 at 2:31 am
Reanimated: The Tunnel is dead, for all intents and purposes. Maybe I’ll come back to it in a few years, but probably not.
Jason: The Field Guide To The Thirteen was a slim, hardcover chapbook that was basically a bestiary for all of the Thirteen (Ob, Leviathan, Nodens, etc.)
June 10th, 2009 at 4:40 am
Sounds good, can’t wait to read it.
June 10th, 2009 at 4:40 am
Speaking as one of those “poor” people, I say: thank yee, sai
June 10th, 2009 at 2:24 pm
Brian, as a parent myself and someone who in these economic times has had to put a lot of excessive purchases on hold I appreciate the fact that your releasing this book in a form that is available to a broader audience. Also, let me say that this is going to most likely raise intrest in the original book and the differences between the two. I know I own at least 3 different versions of “The Stand” that Stephen King has released and I know many others that have different versions of other books as well. 4.0 on your work.
June 10th, 2009 at 3:52 pm
Selah?
BWAHAHAHAHA!
June 11th, 2009 at 1:43 pm
Great news, can’t wait to finally read it
June 11th, 2009 at 7:32 pm
Cool. I’ve always been a little bummed when I can’t read a story I’d like to because it’s out of my price range. If a collector did have a problem with this new affordable edition, I would venture said collector has gone off and forgotten that we are talking about books and books contain stories and stories are meant to be read.
June 12th, 2009 at 7:42 pm
I love limiteds and understand why they are collected but i am also confused as to why someone would get pissed because a mmpb comes out of the same book.Guess some people you can’t make happy unless you write a book for them personily and sign in your blood that you will NEVER sell the story to anyone else! I’m happy when mMPB’s come out that means i ain’t got to open my limiteds anymore.
June 17th, 2009 at 1:05 am
Yeeeeesssssss!!!!
July 26th, 2009 at 2:31 pm
I have both the Lettered and Limited and I have no issue with a mass market release. I wasn’t buying an exclusive, I was buying a work of art with a Brian Keene story at it’s heart.