For many years, fans of horror fiction have had two sources for books: mainstream publishing, who produce affordable mass-mark paperbacks and trade editions, and the small press, who predominately produce signed, limited edition hardcovers, chapbooks, etc.
While the horror small press has always existed (going back as far as Poe, Machen, etc.), it really came into its own during the late 80s and early 90s. During those lean years, mass-market, mainstream horror vanished from bookstore shelves. As a result, readers and authors turned to the small press as their only outlet for horror fiction, and the horror small press experienced unprecedented growth. More recently, mass-market horror experienced a return in popularity, as well. To summarize, 1997 to 2007 was a good decade for horror.
And then, beginning in 2007, the same factors that led to horror’s downturn a decade before began to repeat themselves—except that this time, unlike the previous decade, the problems first became apparent in the small press. A slowly-souring national economy, along with distributor issues, inflated prices, and a glut of bad books by bad authors left many small presses struggling. Many have since gone out of business. Others have formed partnerships or restructured their business plans. Worse, the malaise has once again spread to mainstream publishing. Horror is once again about to go through a downturn, but unlike the last time, the small press is an uncertain refuge.
When I talk to readers about small press publications, I often hear the following concerns:
1. Pricing: Many publisher’s prices have steadily increased to levels higher than many collectors and readers are willing to pay.
2. Uncertainty: Customers are hesitant to spend money on a signed, limited edition book by an author who they are unfamiliar with. For every stellar new author (Nate Southard and Norman Prentiss, for example) who has debuted in the small press over the last few years, there are a dozen who… weren’t so stellar. Unless there is a ringing endorsement by someone whose opinion they trust, consumers are holding off on purchasing such volumes by new authors.
3. Value: Collectors are seeking more than a simple signature and limitation page. They want extra material for their money. They want assurances that if they spend a generous sum on a book, that same book won’t necessarily be available a month later in trade paperback or digital. They want limited runs that are actually limited, rather than numbering in the thousands. They want collectible value.
These things were on my mind late last year when Paul Goblirsch of Thunderstorm Books contacted me about having my own line of books with his small press. The idea intrigued me, so I shared my concerns with him. It turns out that Paul had the same idea.
And that’s how Maelstrom was born.
Maelstrom is a new line at Thunderstorm Books. It will offer the same storytelling and value that you’ve come to expect from anything associated with the Brian Keene brand. It is designed specifically to address the three concerns listed above. Understand, Maelstrom has nothing to do with digital or paperbacks. We’ll be talking about my plans for digital and paperbacks a little bit down the road. Today we are talking about Maelstrom. Maelstrom is a line of books for the collectible small press market. As such:
*Maelstrom will publish books in sets of three. Each set will be priced at around $125, which puts the books firmly in the $40 to $45 price range favored by the majority of small press customers.
*All Maelstrom releases will be published as signed, limited hardcovers. The first set will be limited to only 250 copies, thus making them true collectibles.
*Each three-book set will feature a novel-length work by me, a novella by me, and a novel-length work by a new author whom I endorse, and who, more importantly, I think you’ll enjoy.
*Maelstrom’s first releases will be my own A Gathering of Crows and The Rising: Deliverance, and Kelli Owen’s debut novel Six Days.
*To increase the value and collectibility of these volumes, we offer the following: The Rising: Deliverance will not be published in any other format for a minimum of five years from its publication by Maelstrom (with the exception of a lettered edition). A Gathering of Crows will feature extra material not found in the mass-market paperback, including a brand-new Levi Stoltzfus short story. And Six Days will feature an introduction by James A. Moore.
*All three volumes will feature original artwork by Russell Dickerson.
*All Maelstrom releases will feature the same top-notch customer service that readers have come to expect from Thunderstorm Books.
*Customers who order direct from the publisher will receive a special chapbook containing extra stories by Kelli Owen and myself. (This limited edition chapbook will be produced by me personally, and will be similar to the New Dawn chapbook I produced for Keenedom Forum members).
*The first three-book set will go up for pre-order on October 1, 2010. We expect them to sell out very quickly. The books will go to the printer two weeks later, and will be available in time for the holidays.
Coming soon in trade paperback! They thought it was over, but the second wave was only the beginning. In the aftermath of the Clickers and Dark Ones’ siege and a coup against an insane President, America rebuilds. Change has come, and a better future is promised to all. But promises can be broken and there may be no future at all because deep beneath the ocean, a new terror awaits. Dagon, god of the Dark Ones, is waking up… and if humanity doesn’t stop him, then mankind will face extinction.
