Friday, October 30, 2009

Dan News 2 quick bulletins

Hi, Everyone. Two things:
* Speaking Bushnell Theater in Hartford tomorrow
* Honorable Mention for "Box"

I'll be attending as a speaker the new "Boo! At The Bushnell" conference in Hartford, CT, this Saturday, October 31st. The conference celebrates the 200th birthday of Edgar Allan Poe. It will be held at the Bushnell Performing Arts Center.

The agenda for this free-to-the-public event is:

9:30 to 10:00 Registration

10:00 to 10:45 Edgar Allan Poe ~ His writing life and The Tell-Tale Heart

10:45 to 11:30 Alisa Sheckley Kwitney Graphic novels and the evolution of horror in literature

11:30 to 11:45 Break

11:45 to 12:30 Dan Keohane, Co-Chair, New England Horror Writers, an organization providing peer support and networking for writers of horror and dark fantasy in the New England area (I'll also be talking about writing horror both in short story and novel form)

12:30 to 1:45 Lunch

1:45 to 2:30 Tim Deal, Editor, Shroud Magazine What an editor wants in a horror submission

2:30 to 2:45 Break

2:45 to 3:15 Peter Fox, Screenwriting Instructor The evolution of horror in film

3:15 to 5:00 Movie: The House of Usher Post-show discussion with Peter Fox

5:15 Birthday Cake!

This conference is made possible by a generous grant from the National Endowment for the Arts and their Big Read Program (I always include this line when because I love saying it, lol)

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My short story "Box," which was published this year in Coach's Midnight Diner 2, Back From the Dead Edition, but had been previously published in its sister publication Relief Journal, Volume 2.2, in 2008 as a promotion for the upcoming anthology. Ellen Datlow, who co-edited Year's Best Fantasy and Horror for years until the long-running Best of anthology was canceled recently, has continued the series as a horror-only collection with Night Shade Books.

Now called Best Horror of the Year, Volume 1 continues the time-honored tradition of republishing Ellen's choice of the best stories published in the previous calendar year, as well as listing a plethora of Honorable Mentions. Always cool to get this latter nod, and nice to see "Box" get the recognition.

Thanks, Ellen, and congrats to all the other HM's listed.

OK, that's it... thanks for reading!
Dan

Friday, September 11, 2009

Dan Keohane News: Shroud, Speaking, Signing, Plagues and other Miscellany

Hi, everyone. Been a while, lots to catch up on. By the way, don't forget you can see what's going on with this writing thing in a more timely fashion by checking my blog at www.dankeohane.com (yea, I blog, not tweet, I'm still living in the '2008s...).

What's below:
* "Family at Dinner" in Shroud Magazine #6
* Binghamton, New York Speaking Engagement and Signing
* Boo! at Bushnell. I'm a special guest in Hartford CT on Halloween.
* Solomon's Grave update
* Plage der Finsternis in Germany
* Wheels and Heels Against MS

"Family at Dinner" in Shroud Magazine #6
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I learned belatedly that Shroud Magazine issue #6 has come out, with my short story "Family at Dinner." Cool story, and cool magazine. The magazine is carried by most Barnes & Nobles, but it's been tough finding any these days - worth looking for though (if you find any, let me know!), but they seem to have mostly gone from the shelves already. You can also order a copy at www.shroudmagazine.com . There are some fantastic names in the issue which I'm proud to share the space with.

Binghamton, New York Speaking Engagement and Signing
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Thanks to fellow writer and high school teacher Kevin Lucia, I'll be traveling to Binghamton, New York, October 1 - 3 to be a speaker at Kevin's Creative Writing class at Seton Catholic Central High School as part of their Writers & Readers Series. They're currently reading Solomon's Grave as an assignment and that'll be the topic of discussion. On Friday night, I'll be doing a signing for Solomon's Grave at the Barnes & Noble in Binghamton! They've already got the book in stock (thank you again, Kevin!). On Saturday, I'll be participating in a local Art Show in town, and doing some more signings, etc. Final details still being worked out for Saturday, but a full docket for the weekend. If you're in the neighborhood please swing by!

The best part: On the way there, I'll be swinging by RPI to pay a quick visit to my son Andrew and give him a hug! If he lets me....

Boo! at Bushnell. Special guest in Hartford CT on Halloween.
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Then, on Halloween, I'm back on the road to Hartford, CT, where I'll be a panelist at a special writing conference called Boo! at the Bushnell, held at the Bushnell Performing Arts Center (if you're more Bostonian than Hartforian, it's CT's version of the Wang Center). I'll be joining fellow horrorist Tim Deal, big chief of Shroud Publishing, and other writers and performers for a day-long conference. Organizer Zita Christian promises I'll get back to Princeton in time to take the girls trick-or-treating that night!
I believe admission is free to this all-day event. So if you're in the Hartford CT area on Halloween, swing by!
For more information, visit http://www.bushnell.org/index.cgi/44593

Solomon's Grave update
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Not a lot of luck getting Solomon into the chain stores yet (they have an allergy to the small press), but hopefully this'll change after I go to New York and speak to the Barnes & Noble contact there - maybe if the signing goes well he can spread the word to other stores. Sales have been pretty good, nevertheless, and with the upcoming events, things should only improve. No other signings, etc, planned yet. Busy enough for the moment I suppose. ;-) Any ideas, suggestions, always welcome.

Plage der Finsternis in Germany
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Onto another novel, Plague of Darkness: the German edition, Plage der Finsternis, has officially been released in Germany by Otherworld Verlag (www.otherworldverlag.com). Best of all, it's hitting all the major bookstore chains in Germany and Austria, with some great initial orders coming in. It's also doing quite well so far on Amazon Deutschland. See www.dankeohane.com for more details! This is also the novel's World Premiere, so it'll be great to see what the reaction is as we resume marketing here in the US.

Wheels and Heels Against MS
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I posted this on my blog a while back, but have been so remiss in sending this newsletter out, the date of my brother Paul and sister Anne's MS Walk has suddenly arrived! It's not too late to sponsor them on their 50-mile walk for Multiple Sclerosis. Here's Anne's blurb:

This September 11th – 13th, 2009 is the MS Challenge Walk, a 50 mile walk through Cape Cod that raises money to fight the effects of Multiple Sclerosis. It is the 5th time I’ve joined my brother Paul Keohane and his team, “Wheels and Heels Against MS’. This year everyone who donates will have an opportunity to win a prize! What would be better than that? How about a whole month of prizes?!What do you win? Up to $25 donated earns 1 chance. $100 earns 4 chances….and so on.This October we will draw a name every day from the names of generous supporters and that person wins the prize for that day. Prizes include free haircuts, beautiful necklaces and earrings, and gift certificates.Visit our website http://www.wheelsandheelsagainstms.com/ to make a pledge or mail your check to:Anne Murphy16 Kenneth LaneTewksbury, Ma 01876orPaul Keohane, (Team Captain)2 Jillian Rose DrOxford, MA 01540We know that this is still a tough economic time, but this letter is asking for your help once again. Please join me and our team in our fight. If there is anything you can spare, it is greatly appreciated. And you might win a prize!!.... It’s WIN-Win!Thank you so much!!Anne

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And thanks for your support with everything else!
Dan

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Dan News: Reading, TV, new Short Story, Bookstore plea

Hi, everyone. 4 news items I'd like share as briefly as possible:

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1. Signing at Princeton Library, June 11th, 7:00 pmI'll be doing a brief reading from Solomon's Grave, followed by a signing, at the Princeton (MA) public library on Thursday, June 11th, from 7:00 - 8:00 pm. If you're in the area, I'd love to see you.

In case you want MapQuest it, the address is
2 Town Hall Drive
Princeton MA 01541

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2. I'm going to be on Television all this month
Special thanks to Zita Christian and the crew of Page 1: The Show for Writers with the Reader in Mind, a public access television show for which I was interviewed this past Tuesday night in Connecticut. We talked about the New England Horror Writers, and of course Solomon's Grave. The time flew by, but it was a really fun time. No idea how well I did in the interview. They seemed to think it went well.

Page 1 is shown every Thursday, and mine will be repeated all throughout the month of June. The following are the broadcast areas for the show (check your local listings for time and channel).
Cox Cable / Manchester CT franchise: Manchester, South Windsor, Glastonbury, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, Newington
Cox Cable / Enfield CT franchise: Enfield, East Windsor, Windsor Locks, Granby, East Granby, Sommers, Suffield, Hartland, Union, Stafford, Stafford Springs
Cox Cable / Cheshire CT franchise: Cheshire, Meriden, Southington
Charter Communications / Northeastern CT franchise: Ashford, Brooklyn, Canterbury, Chaplin, Columbia, Coventry, Eastford, Hampton, Lebanon, Mansfield, Pomfret, Scotland, Thompson, Willington, Windham, Woodstock
Comcast / Hartford: Longmeadow Community Television / Longmeadow, MA
Metrocast: Central Village, Danielson, Dayville, East Killingly, East Lyme, Griswold, Montville, Moosup, New London, Niantic, Oakdale, Oneco, Plainfield, Putnam, Quaker Hill, Rogers, Sterling, Uncasville, Waterford, Wauregan

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3. "Living By The Highway" now appearing in issue #60 of Cemetery Dance

I haven't seen it yet, as subscription / contributor copies haven't arrived in my mailbox yet, I've been told the new issue of Cemetery Dance has arrived in most major bookstores now. My short story, "Living by the Highway" is in this issue, along with a ton of greats in the industry. Click the link below if you want more info:http://www.cemeterydance.com/page/CDP/PROD/_cd060

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4. Help get Solomon's Grave into major bookstores!

Not sure how well sales are going with the book, but I think it's going well, considering no major bookstores have picked it up yet. Here's where I'd like to elicit your help! If you're in a Borders or Barnes & Noble, ask them to stock it, or ask them if they do and they say no, ask them if they can. Use the local-author angle, whatever works. If you can direct me to a bookstore that has Solomon on the bookshelves (and you didn't just sneak it in, lol), or if it's too far from central MA for me to get to, send me a picture of it on the shelf, with the store's UPC sticker on the back, like they all have, I'll send you a signed free copy of either Solomon's Grave (if you haven't already got one), Coach's Midnight Diner (which has "Box" in it, and is a beautiful anthology), and/or a copy of Cemetery Dance #60. hell, I'll buy you a Stephen King book, if it gets Sgrave into the bookstores! :-)

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That's it. Happy birthday this week to Dad and brother Joe! And congrats to my son Andrew (and nephew Greg) graduating High school this weekend, and my daughter Amanda who's graduating middle school a couple weeks later (been quite busy in the Keohane household these days).
Dan

Monday, May 4, 2009

L.L. Soares Interview and Coach's Midnight Diner

Hi, everyone. Just a couple of quick notes. L.L. Soares interviewed me and, after having it on his own blog (http://llsoares.wordpress.com/), it was immediately picked up by a major horror news site and now can be found at Fearzone (http://fearzone.com/). It was fun, and you can even see my latest author photo, taken by my daughter Audrey. :-)

Coach's Midnight Diner: Back from the Dead Edition, containing my short story "Box," is at last out. Check it out here: http://www.amazon.com/Coachs-Midnight-Diner-Back-Dead/dp/0979228425/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1241431651&sr=8-1 or go to www.dankeohane.com if this link doesn't work....

Thanks
Dan

Friday, March 27, 2009

Solomon's Grave Officially Released!

Hi, just a quick note to let you know Solomon's Grave has been officially released (well, released, I found out through Amazon because my publisher's on vacation ). And, if you haven't ordered a copy yet, Amazon's got it on sale for 13.97 or some such weird amount. Everyone who pre-ordered (thank-you by the way!) is groaning now.. heh, sorry, not my call. Still, not sure how long the sale lasts. Haven't got my author copies yet, just the one I preordered from Amazon because I thought it would be a kick. Looks good! Even better, there's no author photo so you don't need to hide it from the kids.

Anyway, if you're curious, the link is:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/189694499X?ie=UTF8&tag=therightside&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=189694499X
or visit http://www.dankeohane.com/ if the link doesn't wrap around much - I have plenty of links there, plus the first few opening chapters....

Also, quickly, I have three short stories coming out this year, two in magazines: Cemetery Dance and Shroud, and one in the anthology Coach's Midnight Diner: Back From The Dead Edition (which is being released any day now but still on sale). Scroll through http://www.dankeohane.com/ for more info, including a very cool cover for the issue of Shroud I'm going to be in (along with a lot of other New Englanders).

That's it. I'll be doing signings, readings and all that soon, promise. Gotta run, though. Those of you who have a copy in hand now, or will soon, hope you enjoy it.

Dan

Friday, February 27, 2009

Dan News: Solomon's Grave available for Pre-order now!

Hi, everyone. OK, right to the big news:

My debut novel, Solomon's Grave's English language release, from Dragon Moon Press, is set for March, that's next month!

The back blurb:

Nathan Dinneck's new role as pastor may be shorter than he expects.

For thousands of years a secret has been hidden from the world and protected from those who covet its power. Popes and Kings have sought it. Theologians and historians have debated its very existence. In every generation since the days of Solomon, one person is chosen to keep its secret, protect it from an ageless group claiming the treasure for their own dark god. After millennia of searching, they are finally closing in on their prize.

Evil has followed Nathan home to Hillcrest, Massachusetts. Nightmares of temples and blood sacrifice, visions of angels and cemeteries foreshadow a dark battle to come. In the balance hangs the lives and souls of those chosen to protect history's most holy relic, perhaps even the gateway to heaven itself.

Makes you want to kick a puppy, doesn't it? OK, maybe a cat..... (no, that part's not on the back cover).

Now that we're on the doorstep of its English-language debut, I you might like to read a couple of the opening chapters. Over the next week or so I'll be posting them on my website (along with the gorgeous cover art):

http://www.dankeohane.com/

Feel free to share, spread the word! And MORE IMPORTANTLY:

You can Pre-Order your copy now!
at http://www.amazon.com/Solomons-Grave-Daniel-Keohane/dp/189694499X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1235486566&sr=8-1

If the link doesn't work (never does in an email), there's another on my website. There are links everywhere, trust me. :-)

Remember, the more pre-orders it gets, the better it will look to the booksellers in the future. You might even be able to request it via your local bookstore - ISBN's etc are below, so it might be in the system now. Everything depends on how well a book does right out of the gate, so let's make this one Big! Yea! Three... More... Downs! (sorry, fell into Facing the Giants mode just then....)

Also, my publisher is offering a free PDF copy of the entire novel to anyone who would like one right away if you'd like to consider writing a review either for your magazine, webzine, blog, etc. Let me know and I'll get it right to you. Or, if you would like a hardcopy to review, let me know and when the book comes back from the printer I'll be happy to send one along.

Solomon's Grave
Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Dragon Moon Press (March 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 189694499X
ISBN-13: 978-1896944999
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In Other news:
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If you go to my website and scroll down a bit as you'll find the cover for the upcoming new issue of Cemetery Dance (#60), (www.cemeterydance.com) which will feature my story, "Living by the Highway." Looks to be in the #2 slot, story-wise, which is quite an honor. Coming soon...
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Finally, the anthology Coach's Midnight Diner 2 (Back From the Dead Edition), http://themidnightdiner.com/, with my story "Box" as one of the lead-off Editor's Choice Award stories, for which I'm quite honored. I'm quite happy to have it featured in this unique anthology, which mixes horror, mystery and science fiction with Christian themes. They're taking pre-orders now for a discount ($15 instead of the cover price of $20) - click on the link above (or the image below) for more information. Take a look at the table of contents and you'll see I'm surrounded by a great company of other authors.
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Special Hey to everyone I met and talked to at Boskone convention couple of weeks back, including my fellow panelists. Thanks to the organizers for inviting me back!

OK, that's about it. For timely, up-to-date news, visit www.dankeohane.com updated very often.

Now go and order Solomon's Grave! Hurry!!!
Dan