Brian Keene (born September 22, 1967) is an American author and podcaster, primarily known for his work in horror, dark fantasy, crime fiction, and comic books. He has won the 2014 World Horror Grandmaster Award and two Bram Stoker Awards. In addition to his own original work, Keene has written for media properties such as Doctor Who, Thor, Hellboy, Alien, Masters of the Universe, and The X-Files.

Early life

Keene was born in 1967. He grew up in both Pennsylvania and West Virginia, and many of his books take place in these locales. After graduating high school, he served as a radioman in the U.S. Navy aboard an LPD. After his enlistment ended, Keene worked a variety of jobs before becoming a full-time writer. Among them were stints as a foundry worker, truck driver, data entry clerk, dockworker, telemarketer, customer service representative, repo man, bouncer, disc jockey, salesman, store manager, daycare instructor, custodian. In interviews, he credits this diverse background as the key to the characters that populate his books.

The Rising Series

Earthworm Gods Series

Levi Stoltzfus Series

Clickers Series (with J. F. Gonzalez)

The Lost Level Series

The Labyrinth Series

The Rogan Series (w/Steven L. Shrewsbury)

Non-Series

Collections

Novellas & novelettes

Non-fiction

Anthologies edited

Awards

2016 Imadjinn Award for Best Fantasy Novel (for "King of the Bastards") In 2004 and 2005, Keene spearheaded a Books For Troops program, in which various horror authors supplied free, signed books to American troops serving in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere around the world. Keene was honored for this in 2005 by the 509th Logistics Fuels Flight Squadron based at Whiteman A.F.B. in Missouri. In 2014, an American flag was flown in Keene's honor in Afghanistan and presented to him by the United States Army International Security Assistance Force. Keene is one of the few writers who has spoken inside the headquarters of the Central Intelligence Agency in several closed sessions.

Comics and graphic novels

In 2006, three stories from Keene's Fear of Gravity were adapted in the graphic novel Brian Keene's FEAR. The stories were "Castaways", "Red Wood", and the award-winning "The King, in: Yellow". In 2008, Marvel Comics announced that Keene would be writing for them. His first project for the company was the four-issue limited series for their MAX imprint: Dead of Night: Devil-Slayer. Keene wrote the 25-issue series "The Last Zombie" for Antarctic Press. Keene's work for DC Comics has included Doom Patrol, the 2010 "DCU Halloween Special", and "Masters of the Universe: The Origin of Hordak". He was originally part of the writing team for Future's End but left the project along with writer Greg Rucka, also walking away from writing Animal Man and Booster Gold. In 2017, Keene returned to DC Comics to spearhead "DC House of Horror".

Film adaptations

Podcast

From 2015 to 2020, Keene hosted a weekly podcast called The Horror Show With Brian Keene. Keene and co-hosts Dave Thomas and Mary SanGiovanni discussed horror-related news and events, writing and publishing, and interviewed various horror authors, publishers, musicians, actors, and filmmakers.

Personal life

Keene currently lives in York, Pennsylvania. Since 2012, he has been in a romantic relationship with fellow author Mary SanGiovanni. The two were married on May 27, 2023. On June 5, 2018, he suffered first and second degree burns to his face, and second and third degree burns to his arm after an accident while burning brush on a friend's property (during flood clean-up), and was sent to recuperate in a burn unit. Due to a lack of insurance, a GoFundMe was set up to pay the medical bills.

Philanthropy

Keene is actively involved in fundraising for the Scares That Care charitable organization. In August 2017, Keene was made a member of the board of directors for the Scares That Care charitable organization.