Wait, six months? It’s only been six months? Let’s see, this released in September, and it’s March…holy crap, it has been six months! So much has happened since then, it feels like a lot longer.
Anyway, if you’re not familiar, back in 2023 I released a book called Hannah and Other Stories through BSC Publishing Group. It was a collection of short stories that featured tales of ghosts, budding serial killers, and carnivorous horses (among other things). Sadly, however, BSC and I went our separate ways at the end of 2024, and the book went out of print as well (these things happen). I decided to re-release the book on the two-year anniversary of its original release, September 23, 2025, with a new edit and a new cover.
Now, we’re celebrating six months since the book was re-released. And I’m happy to say that people have been reading the collection and enjoying it. Hell, one of the supervisors at work even read it and enjoyed it. As he said, “I wasn’t bored with any of the stories.” Honestly, I was floating on air for the rest of that day!
And here are some of the other reviews that have come out since the book released:
Ended 2025 & Started 2026 with a good one! I had been waiting a while for “Hannah & Other Stories” by Rami Unger to be available in paperback & when it finally happened… hurrah! It was as good as I had hoped! Unger has such unique ideas & executes them wonderfully. Will definitely picking up more of his work as I am able.
Pamela A Parish, Amazon
I have read Ungar’s other books and enjoyed reading this one while on vacation. Each story is quite different, but the author has a real talent for setting up a believable scenario and characters to care about. I wished some of the stories had been a little longer! My favorite was Autopsy Kid and Doctor Sarah. Nothing supernatural, just real creepy.
Gefilte, Barnes & Noble.com
4.5 stars out of 5.
I always love reading about a new type or creature or monster, and this collection has a few new ones, but this is not just a one horse book (pun intended) there is a wide range of horrors and story types, It’s got creepy ghosts, unnerving budding serial killers, carnivorous horses, and something that was once human, something for everyone.
The writing is smooth and easy to read, with well-developed and diverse characters, I liked how some of the stories had layers to them, giving them a complexity and depth that you don’t often see in short stories.
blatdriver, Barnes & Noble.com
Talk about some positive feedback! And from some people with some fun usernames off Barnes & Noble’s website.
But most of all, I’m glad that people are enjoying these stories. They were all originals when I first published them, and ran the gamut from ghost stories (“Hannah”) to cosmic horror (“The Red Bursts,” “What Errour Awoke,” “Poor Unfortunate Souls”) to just plain old psychological with hints of splatterpunk/slasher (“The Autopsy Kid and Doctor Sarah”). Oh, and there’s one with carnivorous horses. Can’t forget about that one. It tends to be popular.
Anyway, I’m really hopeful that, during the next six months, I’ll be able to get more people to read the book. After all, that’s why I wrote it: so people would read it! Of course, I’ll be selling it at events, but I have some other avenues I’m exploring that will hopefully lead to more readers. If they lead to anything, I may or may not announce it here on the blog.
And then, when we reach the three-year publishing anniversary/one-year re-release anniversary, I’ll be able to celebrate lots of good news with you. I would love that more than anything else.
Anyway, if you’re at all interested in reading Hannah; if you’re looking for a book of spooky stories; or if you want to support/celebrate with me, I’ll include links to where it’s available down below. And if you like what you read, please leave a review online. Positive or negative, I love reader feedback, and it helps both me and your fellow readers out in the long run.
Plus, doing so might keep the carnivorous horses at bay.
And that’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. I’ve got a full day ahead of me and I’m planning to do a little celebrating tonight. So, until next time, good night, pleasant nightmares, and LOOK OUT! THERE’S A CARNIVOROUS HORSE BEHIND YOU!!!
Can you believe that this is the 11th post I’ve written where I list haunted locations I want to visit? I had no idea people would love these posts so much, but I’m glad, because they’re a lot of fun to write. And sometimes, I hear about places near Followers of Fear that draw my interest.
This time around, the number of places that drew my interest seemed to come one after one, so I was able to pull together this list much more quickly than usual. So, with the hope that I can visit some of these places (and maybe scare some of you away from where you live), here are ten more haunted locations I want to visit before I become a ghost myself.
Lake Mead, Nevada/Arizona Located near Las Vegas, Lake Mead is a historic national park, as well as where the Hoover Dam is located. It’s supposed to be a pretty place, great for hiking and for history lovers. And due to drought, lost locations like an old Pueblo village and an abandoned Mormon settlement have appeared out of the receding waters. However, Lake Mead has also been the site of numerous deaths. By some estimates it’s got more deaths than any other national park in the US, many appearing to be suicides or Mafia murders. As a result, Lake Mead has become the site of numerous hauntings. Reports include ghostly screams, shadows, negative energies, and more. Sounds like the kind of place I should like to visit the next time I’m out at Vegas.
Eastern State Penitentiary, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania One of America’s oldest prisons, it operated for over 140 years, and was home to several famous inmates, including Al Capone. Known for being in the shape of a wagon wheel, the prison has numerous sections and cell blocks, and is today a historical landmark that also holds various art and historical exhibits, as well as haunted attractions during Halloween. Speaking of which, the prison is supposedly very haunted, and has been for years. Reportedly, Al Capone was haunted by a ghost named Jimmy, and others have noticed paranormal activity all over the place, including in certain cell blocks or near the death row wing. And while they don’t exactly promote themselves as a haunted location, I believe you can reserve the prison for ghost hunts. Would anyone be willing to go with me to one of those?
Browse Awhile Books, Tipp City, Ohio Located in the historic district of Tipp City, Browse Awhile Books is a cozy little bookstore that boasts about four thousand square feet of space, containing 150,000 books. The store’s website also draws particular attention to its collection of rare and out of print books. What’s not mentioned on the website, but which shows up as soon as you search the store on Google, is the hauntings. Reportedly, at least fifteen ghosts call the bookstore home, including a child ghost named Caleb who plays with the children’s toys. Other ghosts have yelled at or attacked unruly patrons and shoplifters. Paranormal groups have stayed overnight at the store and caught plenty of evidence. I think I would like to come by one night and see if I can catch my own evidence…while also reading older copies of my favorite books.
Mortuary Manor and Museum, Toledo, Ohio You know, before I moved to Columbus, I lived in Toledo for five years. I’m sure if I still lived there, I would have not only heard of this place, but would have been one of the first to explore it. A former funeral home housed in a big, colonial-style manor, it has now been turned into a museum. You can check out actual embalming rooms, a Civil War “ice casket,” and so much more! And get this: nine people have actually died onsite. Not surprisingly, local paranormal enthusiasts consider it a hot spot for ghostly activity. And I would love to stop inside, take a tour, and take out my dowsing rods to communicate with any spirits there.
L’Auberge rouge, France Translating to “The Red Inn,” the name of the inn refers to the red tiles on the roof. Of course, you would be excused if you thought it referred to the inn’s bloody history. For a number of years, Pierre Martin, the inn’s owner, was also a henchman for the local nobility, and he was feared and hated by the locals for it. In 1831, a murder occurred near the inn, and Pierre, his wife, and their servant were charged, convicted, and executed for it. During the trial, over a hundred witnesses alleged that the Martins and their servants would kill people in their inn and then feed the bodies to unsuspecting guests Sweeney Todd-style.. Today, the trial is heavily criticized for its possible political motivations and lack of integrity. It’s also highly dubious if the Martins did even the one murder they were accused of, let alone as many as their neighbors alleged. Nevertheless, it is a terrifying story. Today, the inn has become a museum with its own restaurant-hotel and gas station. And even if the Martins didn’t commit all those murders, there’s a good chance something is haunting the building. I would like to go and find out.
The Nassau Inn, Princeton, New Jersey
Nassau Inn, Princeton, New Jersey Located right by Princeton University, the original Nassau Inn was a well-known meeting place, notably being where the Continental Congress met after the American Revolution. In the 1970s, the original building was demolished and a new building was set a little ways away. However, the new building does pay homage to its history, with references throughout to the original building’s contributions to American history. And given the reports from the hotel, it’s worked. Plenty of people have reportedly seen people in revolutionary uniform or colonial-era dresses, a shadow figure named Chester is said to make appearances, and phantom cigar smoke is often smelled. Personally, it all seems like a good reason to visit New Jersey.
Driskill Hotel, Austin, Texas The Driskill Hotel is the oldest operating hotel in Austin, Texas, and is one of the most well-known in Texas itself. Originally built as a single four-story Romanesque Revival building in 1886, it was expanded in 1930 with a thirteen-floor annex. It has seen a host of famous people, including former presidents and celebrities, and has hosted a couple of well-known balls. The hotel is also supposedly home to some ghosts. The most famous is a seven-year-old girl named Samantha, who fell down the Grand Staircase chasing her toy. She has been hanging around the hotel ever since, particularly around a painting called Love Letters. Wait, don’t I know someone in Texas? Someone I’m always threatening to take to one of these haunted locations? I wonder who it could be.
The Crooked Forst, Nowe Czarnowo, Poland If you’ve ever seen pictures of some trees that are oddly-curved at their bases, like snakes, before shooting all the way up, it’s from this forest. This forest near the village Nowe Czarnowo in northwestern Poland is famous for its trees, all Scots pines that have the characteristic weird shape I described. No one knows how the trees got that shape or why. The leading theory is that it was some human-engineered technique or tool, possibly for shipbuilding, but there’s no way to prove it. Today, the forest is a tourist attraction, and is commonly thought to be a hotspot of paranormal activity. Whether that’s ghosts or wandering entities that never held human form is unclear. Still, I’m intrigued enough to want to go and visit the forest at night.
Green Park, London, England Originally a swamp and a burial ground for lepers, the land was drained around the 17th century and made a park. It then received its new name a century later. The park is a lovely place today with plenty of war memorials and is adjoined by multiple other, more famous parks. However, there are lots of ghosts that supposedly roam the park, such as the spirits of lepers who have not moved on, or a highwayman still out to rob passerby. There’s also supposedly a creature that’s so ugly, staring at it can cause heart attacks and a tree that bleeds blood instead of sap when cut and proximity to which will shorten your lifespan. Hmm…and yet, I’m still tempted to visit at night.
The Fire Island Lighthouse, Fire Island, New York
Fire Island Lighthouse, Fire Island, New York Fire Island is known as a gay enclave and a fun party space in the summer, but it’s also home to a number of ghost stories. The lighthouse itself is the site of numerous supposed hauntings. One haunting includes a lighthouse keeper and his daughter. The latter died of illness while her father was on the mainland trying to get help. He later took his own life out of grief and guilt, and now they both haunt the lighthouse. Plus, numerous pirates and shipwreck victims also haunt the lighthouse. At least one paranormal group has visit the lighthouse and supposedly come away with evidence. I wonder if I would be allowed to come by and do some investigating myself? Especially if I enjoy some time at the local hot spots as well?
And that’s ten more paranormal hot spots I want to visit before I become a ghost myself. They’re all quite spooky, aren’t they. But tell me, have you been to any of these spots? What was your experiences like? And would you like to come visit them with me some time? Let’s discuss.
That’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. Until next time, good night and pleasant nightmares.
Recently, Coffin Moon has been getting A LOT of mentions in a Facebook group I’m part of. What I’d heard sounded very interesting. Like that movie Near Dark, but good. So, when I had some saved credits on Audible, I got the audio book. And boy, was I not prepared for what I got.
Set in the mid-to-late 1970s, Coffin Moon follows Dwayne Miner, a Vietnam veteran who is trying to stay sober despite both PTSD and working in the bar owned by his in-laws. He’s also trying to be a good guardian to his wife’s niece, who is living with them after her own family is torn apart. And he’s holding onto secrets that could ruin more lives than just his. All this changes, though, when a couple of bikers try selling drugs through the bar…with Miner’s mother-in-law’s permission! When he objects, it sets off a chain of events that will change the course of Miner’s destiny, and throw him headlong into a world he never knew existed.
So, if you’re familiar with Near Dark, you’re aware that this is about vampires. Though honestly, the vampires feel closer to the ones from Sinners than from that weird-ass film. The main vampire, John Varley, is pure evil. He’s impulsive, incredibly selfish, and enjoys the violence and the chaos he causes. Even when he feels love, it’s twisted on so many levels. You’re at once both fascinated by him and repulsed by him, which, from a writer’s perspective, I just admire.
I also like the other characters. You really come to feel for both Dwayne and his niece, Julia. Both have been through the ringer during their short lives, and the events of the novel do not help. It really helps you empathize and want to root for them.
As for the story, the best way to describe it is twisty and unexpected. Several times, especially during the first third of the novel, I was surprised by the directions the story took, which I did not see coming. I think at one point, while I was listening in the car, my mouth fell open and I literally shouted, “What?!” I was that surprised.
Plus, the worldbuilding is done very lightly but effectively, and the stakes remain epic in a number of scenes (pun not intended).
My only criticisms are that when we finally find out the full details of the dark secret Dwight’s been holding onto the whole book, it’s told more as a story than as a flashback, which I would have expected. That, and I thought the final battle could’ve been drawn out a bit more. It just went too quickly for me.
However, as far as vampire stories go, this is definitely one I’m glad I read. On a scale of 1 to 5, I’m giving Coffin Moon by Keith Rosson a 4.5. Unexpected, full of pathos and masterful storytelling. Grab your red wine or tomato juice, and sit down with it today. You might find yourself, like a vampire, staying up all night long with it.
I’ve been sitting on this news for a month. I had to wait until it was official and all the paperwork was signed. Now, it’s time to let it all out.
As many of you remember, my friend Matt Mason, AKA the author MG Mason, died of cancer back in November (you can read my full post written in his memory here). He built a thriving community online around “Horror Writers Chat,” a weekly get-together on BlueSky where we all talked about horror and writing through questions and reposts and supporting each other. His death affected us greatly, and we still miss him.
One of our members, William Beck, who owns his own publishing press, organized a charity anthology in Matt’s memory, The Shadows That We Carry. He invited all of us to write stories to contribute to the anthology. If it’s not obvious, I wrote a story that would hopefully be included in the anthology and would honor Matt’s memory.
I can now say with both honor and humility that my contribution, “The Static Man,” will appear in The Shadows That We Carry.
I’m so happy to be in this anthology. The writers who participate in Horror Writers Chat every week are amazing storytellers, and I’m looking forward to being in an anthology with them. Especially one that will not only honor Matt’s memory, but help others. You see, proceeds from sales of The Shadows That We Carry will go towards Macmillan Cancer Support, a British charity that was dear to Matt. The charity supports people with cancer through medical, informational, and financial support. They are one of the largest charities in Britain, and seek to improve the lives of all in the UK affected by cancer. You can find out more about them here.
Honestly, that seems like a wonderful mission and I’m happy to do my part to help.
As for my story, “The Static Man,” I think you’re going to enjoy it. It’s the story of a college co-ed who is being stalked by an entity made entirely of what appears to be TV static. One of the other authors participating in the anthology, Louise Conway, read it and gave it some positive feedback, so I think plenty more horror fans will enjoy it as well. I tried to make it as claustrophobic and unnerving as possible.
Anyway, the release date for The Shadows That We Carry has yet to be announced, so I’ll be sure to let you know once it has. I hope you’re excited to read it, as well as my short story “The Static Man.” And in the meantime, if you’re looking for something to spooky to read, you know I have quite the catalog already available.
That’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. I’m off to celebrate with some reading and maybe a cocktail. Until next time, good night and pleasant nightmares.
There’s a restaurant in Cleveland, near where I have family, that’s gained something of a reputation. You see, it’s kind of scary. The decorations look like something out of a Halloween attraction. Weird noises like knocking on the walls or sirens are heard throughout the day. And, if you’re not careful, the staff might threaten you with a knife or a bat.
And you know what? People freaking love it! Especially me!
The Haunted House Restaurant in Cleveland is a restaurant themed after horror, especially horror movies. The entrance has a statue of the Grim Reaper in it, the waiting room looks like a movie theater lobby, and the actual restaurant has a statue of Pennywise and horror-themed art watching over the guests. The wait staff dress up like horror characters, and wear masks from The Purge whenever there’s a birthday to celebrate. On TV screens set up around the restaurant, various horror movies, particularly slashers, play. And depending on when you get there, there may be trivia games and horror movie villains walking around and trying to kill interacting with the guests.
Obviously, the entire menu is themed after horror movies. And what I’ve had has been quite enjoyable.
I’ve been twice, with the most recent trip being on Sunday (I know it’s Wednesday when I’m writing this. I’ve been busy!), and I was there for brunch with some of my horror writer friends! In particular, Kelly Griffiths, Ann O’Mara Heyward, Marvin Brown, Andromeda Ruins, and Idalita Wright Raso joined me there. We’re all members of HWA Ohio, the Ohio chapter of the Horror Writers Association, which I help run. Here’s the group photo we took.
Starting from the bottom left and going counter-clockwise: Idalita Wright Raso, Andromeda Ruins, me, Marvin Brown, Ann O’Mara Heyward, and Kelly Griffiths.
Looks pretty cool, right? This restaurant has been around for a few years, and since it opened, there’s been talk among the Ohio horror writers of having a lunch or dinner there one of these days. As it happened, coming up for Akronomicon gave me the opportunity to set it up. And while not everyone in the area could come, a few of us were able to. Some of us had never even been, or even knew the place existed! So, it made for a special lunch.
Until Ida was nearly killed by a Killer Klown from Outer Space. But she survived and the klown learned its lesson. I think.
I decided to post about this for a couple of reasons. One is that not everyone has heard of this place, and I would love for it to get some more attention. Hell, if it got famous enough to open a franchise location in Columbus, I would be over the moon!
I also posted about this because I wanted to show off me and my horror friends getting together to talk shop and enjoy ourselves. One of the best parts of StokerCon is getting together with your fellow horror writers, in a setting where horror permeates every square inch (even in the nicest hotel spaces) and talk about writing and horror as freely as you want. Sadly, these opportunities don’t happen as often as I like, and even less of the time in person. So, getting together with everyone like this was like having a small slice of StokerCon right in the middle of February with my friends by my side.
And in such a fun restaurant, to boot! I mean, can you think of anywhere more appropriate to talk about our craft? I can’t.
And finally, I just wanted to post about going there…well, just because. Do I need another reason?
If you’re ever in Cleveland and feeling a little adventurous and spooky, head on over to the Haunted House Restaurant. Better make a reservation, though, because they can get busy. And bring a spooky friend or two. You’ll have the time of your life. I know I have, and I think my friends did, too.
That’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. I hope you enjoyed reading this, and I’ll try to have more posts out soon, including some with good news I’m currently sitting on. In the meantime, enjoy the slightly improved weather we’re having this week. And until next time, good night and pleasant nightmares.
I know what you’re thinking: “Didn’t he just do a post like this?” Well, right after that post, a friend let me know about another event happening near me. And it was right up my alley. So, I applied for a booth, and got approved immediately! I almost posted an update post then…but felt that was too soon. So, I decided to wait.
And now, with some time and a few posts having passed, I’m posting an updated post of events I’ll be vending at in the near future. If you’re able to attend any of them, I would be happy to see you.
Our first event will be in less than two weeks. Akronomicon will be occurring at the Emidio Expo Center in Cuyahoga Heights, Ohio on Saturday, February 7, 2026, from 10 AM – 6 PM. This is a fun horror convention with celebrity guests, lots of horror enthusiasts, and plenty of vendors. I’ll be there signing books and doing Tarot readings, so if you want to, please stop by. You can find out more on their Facebook page and purchase tickets here.
This will be followed by BookBash 2026 on Saturday, April 25, 2026 from 1 PM – 7 PM, at the New Leaf Event Center in Conneaut, Ohio. This will be a gathering of writers from all over Ohio and the surrounding states, with panels, workshops, and, of course, lots and lots of books. Again, I’ll be signing books and doing Tarot readings there (and laughing because the venue is owned by a Methodist church and my wares aren’t necessarily in line with their teachings). I’ll also be on the horror panel, so that will be all sorts of fun! You can find out more on their Facebook page.
And the following weekend will be the new event that necessitated this post. Columbus Horror Con will be taking place on Saturday and Sunday, May 2-3, 2026 at the Columbus Crowne Plaza Columbus North-Worthington here in Columbus! (Times vary based on the day.) This is going to be a big horror-themed convention, with celebrity guests, a free film festival, and over 80 vendors. As I said, I’ll be signing books and doing Tarot readings. If you can, please stop by. You can find out more and purchase tickets on the convention’s website.
And finally, StokerCon will be taking place on June 4-7, 2026 at the Westin Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This is the Horror Writers Association’s premiere convention, with numerous panels, an awards ceremony, and multiple opportunities to make new friends. Not to mention to find new books to read! I’ll be there having fun and maybe sitting on a few panels. I can’t wait! The website for the event isn’t up yet, but you can purchase tickets on Eventbrite here.
And that’s all for now. I will hopefully be attending the Columbus Book Festival in July, and there might be other events in the future that I can sign up for. Once I get confirmation I’ll be attending, I’ll let you know. And I’ll be sure to give you a reminder right before each event. But no more. I don’t want to annoy you with invites to my events.
In the meantime, if you’re unable to attend any of the events and would like to support me, or you’re just looking for something spooky to read, I have quite the catalog of stories to choose from. From plant/human hybrids and strange gods to Mafia-hunting serial killers and carnivorous horses, there’s something for every horror fan (including free stuff). So, why not take a look? I’ll include a link to my books page below.
And if you like what you read, please leave a review online. Positive or negative, I love reader feedback. And your reviews help both me and my fellow writers out in the long run.
That’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. I’m off to meet with my fellow writers and then do some editing. Until next time, good night and pleasant nightmares.
Hello, my Followers of Fear. Are you enjoying your holiday season?
Right now, it’s December 23rd, 2025, which means a couple of things. One is that Christmas is in a few days. Another is that today is the parody holiday of Festivus. You know, for the rest of us? And third, and most importantly for the post, it’s the three-month anniversary of the re-release of Hannah and Other Stories!
Now, in case you somehow missed my constant mentions of this particular book (in which case, there is no escape! Except your fate, my dear Followers of Fear!), Hannah and Other Stories is a collection of seven stories I originally released with a publisher back in September 2023. The tales range across all types of horror, including extreme and cosmic, and include tales of ghosts, budding serial killers, and carnivorous horses (one of which is on the new cover). Sadly, the company who helped me publish Hannah in the first place decided not to renew our contract, and it went out of print late last year.
I decided to re-release it on the two-year anniversary of its release, with a new cover and edit. I also took steps to put out a print edition, which didn’t happen the first time around (long story, don’t ask). Thus, we have this amazing book that came out (again) on September 23, 2025.
And since then, people have been slowly but surely picking up copies and reading it. I might have mentioned this in a previous post, but even a supervisor at work is reading Hannah, and so far, he’s really enjoying it! Plus, a few people here and there have left reviews, and the majority of them have been nothing but glowing. Which, after all this time working to get the book in paperback and then in people’s hands, is nice to see.
As to what happens next…hard to say. I would like to get Hannah, as well as Symphony for Walpurgis and The Wild Hunt, into audio format, but I would like to sell more copies of all of those before that happens. So, in the meantime, I think I’ll just keep posting about the books and trying to get more people to read them. Especially Hannah. Who knows? Perhaps at the six-month anniversary, I’ll have some good news to share.
In the meantime, if you would like to read Hannah and Other Stories, or if you’re still looking for a gift for the horror fan in your life this holiday season, I’ll include links below. And if you like what you read, please be sure to leave a rating or a review somewhere online. Positive or negative, I love reader feedback, and it helps me and other readers out in the long run.
That’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. Until next time, good night, pleasant nightmares, and happy holidays. May whatever come down your chimney be welcome, rather than traumatizing.
Junji Ito collections, with the exceptions of masterpieces like Remina or Uzumaki, usually rate a 3.8 out of 5 from me. There’s usually some good ones, but the bad ones can really bring down the score of the collection. And with Ito himself admitting in his last collection that as more time goes on, the more he’s scraping the bottom of the imagination barrel, I was braced for a collection full of duds.
In Moan, Ito-sensei gives us four stories of around 60 pages or so, and two shorter ones of about 10-15. And what do you know? This time around, the majority of the stories worked for me.
The first story, “Supernatural Transfer Student,” is fun and imaginative. A small town high school gets a new transfer student, who immediately joins the Supernatural Studies club, which has some possibly-real, possibly-fake psychics. Suddenly, the town is full of weird phenomena right up the club’s alley, and the new kid might be causing it. It’s visually enjoyable and escalates nicely, so I enjoyed it.
The titular story, “Moan,” is about a family whose mother is obsessed with cleanliness to the point of neurotic. When a murder occurs in their home, things start getting weird and a moaning noise comes out of the pipes. Is it the spirit of the murder victim? Or is something else going on here? There’s a sense of claustrophobia and spiraling madness in this story, and the climax is very terrifying. The story ends a bit too abruptly to me, but I attribute that to manga publishers having a limited page count (still would have liked ten more pages to give the story a proper ending). Other than that, the story is chef’s kiss levels of good.
“Blood Orb Grove” is a tale of vampirism that has an interesting twist on the lore of vampires. It’s good, but there’s a bit too much talking and needless info-dumping in the climax. Meanwhile, “Flesh-Colored Mystery” is a great and imaginative story about how much someone’s beauty standards can mess up the lives of others around them. It’s visually creepy and the themes of beauty and abuse really resonate. Perhaps the ending for this one is also a bit too abrupt, but I still enjoyed it.
The fifth story, “Near Miss,” is very short and unimaginative, and is honestly the low point of the collection. However, the last story, “Under the Ground,” makes up for it with an engaging story that has a predictable, but still very well done, twist at the end.
All in all, I really liked Junji Ito’s Moan. On a scale of 1 to 5, I’m giving it a 4.5, much higher than the usual score. There’s some great stories here, and they’re all done with Ito-sensei’s iconic art style. Hell, some like “Moan” or “Blood Orb Grove” might make for great movies, so long as they were live action (at this point, I’m convinced you can’t make a good animated Junji Ito adaptation). Just avoid the fifth story in the collection, and you won’t regret reading it.
“This book is perfect for your conservative relatives. Especially at Thanksgiving.” This is the description I got of Wake Up and Open Your Eyes by Clay McLeod Chapman, a satirical horror novel about a demonic apocalypse. With a description like that, I was intrigued. And this past Thanksgiving, I started the audio book.
To which I say, “Woo-boy? What did I get myself into?”
Wake Up and Open Your Eyes starts with Noah Fairchild, who goes from his home in Brooklyn to check on his estranged parents after his mother leaves a strange, conspiracy-filled message in his voicemail and then doesn’t pick up. When he gets down there, he finds his parents seemingly brainwashed into dementia by their conservative news shows. However, it’s actually the beginning of the apocalypse. And the demons are possessing people through their devices. And what they choose to consume through their devices.
As I said, this is a satirical horror novel, so there are plenty of funny moments that made me laugh out loud. One of the main sources of possession is a parody of Fox News, and it’s so thinly disguised, you can tell immediately which anchor is getting made fun of. In the final third of the novel, the story is actually narrated by a fictional version of a real life news anchor, only he’s a hallucination living in a character’s head to help them process these events!* And even in the apocalypse, people are posting videos to YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, as if they need to share their most intimate moments to make them real.
However, this is a horror novel, and it gets horrifying! The demon-possessed do some seriously fucked up shit when they take over people, and a lot of it is described in excruciating detail. The amount of body horror and gross out elements even borders on extreme horror, so it can be uncomfortable at times (I just barely tolerated it).
Still, it is hard to put down. While at first I could only listen to it in small doses, over time I got so hooked, I listened whenever I could. And the ending, while some may hate it, is definitely quite fitting for such a bleak horror novel.
On a scale of 1 to 5, I’m giving Wake Up and Open Your Eyes by Clay McLeod Chapman a 4.5. It’s bleak, horrifying, and pokes plenty of fun at a nation/world/species that is willing to give up its thinking faculties and let a talking head on a screen do the thinking for you (not just conservatives; liberals and everyone else, too). If you have a strong stomach and are at all interested, give it a read. You may never be able to look at cable news, wellness gurus, or even “Baby Shark” the same ever again, but it might just be worth it.
*And can I say, I find it so bold to put real, living figures in your stories, using their real names? I’ve read a few stories like this, such as Shoeless Joe featuring JD Salinger, or a story by Jonathan Maberry where Kevin Hart and Kelly Clarkson, among others, make an appearance. And ever time, I marvel. I know it’s kind of allowed if they’re a public figure and it’s either parody or their fictional selves are acting in a way that would correlate with their real selves. But still, it’s not something I would consider doing (especially when I put real figures in my stories as a form of punishment for real life bad acts). I would be too worried about getting sued!
Wow, how quickly a month can go by. Are we already in December? Hold on, let me check outside….yes, it’s December. The chill and decorations confirm it!
Anyway, if you don’t remember, early last month I released my Christmas short story, “The Wild Hunt,” as an ebook from the major retailers. Originally published in Hellbound Books’ 2023 anthology Happy Hellidays, the story follows two sisters who run away on Christmas Eve, only to encounter something ancient and mythical in a blizzard. And no, they did not encounter Krampus. There are enough Krampus stories out there to begin with!
Anyway, during this past month, several people have taken an interest in this little story. In fact, it’s been a bestseller in some of Amazon’s subcategory lists, and a few people have even been kind enough to leave reviews! Considering it was kind of a whim to release this story as an ebook, this is more than I could have asked for.
Then again, writing the story in the first place was kind of a whim. I simply desired to contribute to the number of Christmas stories and songs written by Jews. But not only was it published, but people really enjoyed it and even put it on the Bram Stoker Recommended Reading List for that year. So, I guess these whims do turn out some good results every now and again.
Anyway, because I feel obligated to share them, here are the reviews people have been leaving for “The Wild Hunt:”
I felt the cold wind. I felt the biting pain of the snow on Tatum’s exposed face. I thought at any moment the girls’ father would track them down. This is a Christmas story, right? So maybe Santa would come rescue them.
I won’t say exactly what happens, but Ungar cleverly combines Santa with the Wild Hunt legend. So creative, so unexpected, and so Ungar-like. Loved it!
Priscilla Bettis, Amazon
This story is weighty in its themes and definitely not for the faint of heart. That said, it’s pretty fast-paced and has some creative mythology-inspired monsters. If you like having a quick read, this is worth the purchase.
Rose Black, Kobo
It’s always fun to see how an author will work on something familiar in the horror genre. In this case, it’s the wild hunt where mythical creatures are out there, hunting. This was a fun and enjoyable read that is nice for the Christmas season.
Ruth Ann Nordin, Amazon
Incredible, aren’t they? I’m happy so many people enjoyed the story enough to leave their thoughts. And I’m glad they all find it so creative! In a world where nothing under the sun is truly original, that is truly a compliment.
Speaking of which, it’s the holiday season. So, if you’re looking for a Christmas horror story, “The Wild Hunt” might be a good place to start. After all, it’s got Christmas spirit, and some terrifying spirits as well. Plus, it’s a short and affordable read, which is always nice. I’ll include links below.
And if you like what you read, I would be delighted if you left a review. Positive or negative, I love reader feedback, and it helps both me and other readers out in the long-run.
That’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. I’ll be sure to get back with you very soon (probably with my annual reflection of the past year and hopes for the coming year). But until then, good night, pleasant nightmares, and watch out for Krampus. His big day is on Friday!
Rami Ungar The Writer 