Hello, my Followers of Fear. It’s been a while, hasn’t it? Well, that couldn’t be helped. I had StokerCon the first week of June, and then I had a whole to-do list to go through after I got back. Finally, I had my first week back at work, and that took up a lot of my time and attention. Not a lot of time for blogging, all told.
But now, there is an opportunity to blog, and I want to talk to you about something very special: my novel Rose turns seven years old today.
If you’re unfamiliar, Rose is my second horror novel and my first book published with a publisher. I started it as my college thesis project back in 2014, and in 2017/2018, reedited it with the hopes of getting it professionally published. After doing some self-publishing, I thought it would be great to try and see f I get it out there with the help of a publisher. In 2018, Rose was accepted by Castrum Press, and then released on June 20, 2019.
As for the story itself, it’s kind of out there: it’s about a young woman who’s turned into a plant/human hybrid via a magic book. As she tries to navigate the changes in her life, she realizes that not everyone is whom they seem, leading to a desperate fight for survival. Real Kafkaesque fantasy-horror, and with a lot of Japanese elements mixed in.
And I’m happy to say, people have enjoyed the book since it came out. Rose has been one of my bestselling books, and the one that has made some of my most ardent Followers of Fear. But don’t take my word for it: see what the reviewers have been saying.
In this work, Rami Ungar paints a captivating picture of Japanese folklore and magic, which serves as a backdrop for a story about captivity, manipulation, and possession! His narrative style also captures the dread and claustrophobia of being a captive, not to mention the twisted pathology of the captor! Scary stuff, and all the while you’re rooting for the bad guys to get their just desserts!
Matt Williams, author of The Cronian Incident, Goodreads
Just finished what has been the best book I’ve read so far this year. Mind you, I’m lucky if I can read a book a month. Be that as it may, “Rose” by Rami Unger was a real treat and a book I was eager to get back into as quickly as possible. Well-written, well-paced plot, interesting characters and twists all along the way. – There were a few times I was confused about the setting and the font used was WAY too small, imo, but these issues weren’t so much that it ruined the story at all. 4 out of 5 stars.
Pamela A. Parish, Amazon
This is a very interesting and unique story that I didn’t want to put down! The creativity and overall premise of the story is very enjoyable. The story is a combination of supernatural elements & some mind/body horror mixed in. It’s a fast paced and entertaining read with darkness and surprises. The narrator did a great job with the audiobook as well.
Alison O, Audible
I must find more books like this. I loved every minute of this suffocating tale. Rose is thrown into the arms of Paris and given a second chance at life. But with a twist. I don’t want to give anything away but this was one of the most psychologically-horrifying and gut-wrenching and unsettling stories I’ve read. Not only are we subjected to, and living through, a relationship with a controlling and mysterious (not in a good way) man, but there are sinister forces at play, and Rose only falls deeper and deeper into a dark situation as the story goes on. I couldn’t have asked for a better ending, and while it truly hurt to read, I closed the book content and at peace with it. The blend of nature and magic and evil and family ties make this entirely relatable and realistic, even with the supernatural elements. Fantastic.
Amanda Rusza, author of The House is Sick, Goodreads
High praise. I’m humbled by what people have been saying. You see, this novel was not easy getting to this point. The novel went through several false starts before I managed to get through a chapter and then move forward. From there, it took about eight months to write the first draft, and then a few more drafts before graduation. During the publishing process, I ended up chucking about a third of the book because it wasn’t necessary for the story, and then the other third for relying on that third, leading to a total rewrite.
Finally, the book came out, and I’ve overcome many hurdles just to get it read by people. Still, I’m happy to see the effort has paid off in many ways. And with the seventh anniversary of its publication, I’m hoping that it will reach even more people. After all, not many books out there where the horror is derived from becoming a plant-person, is there?
If you would like to read Rose, I will include links to purchase it below. It’s available in paperback, ebook, and audiobook. 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 other readers out in the long run.
That’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. I’m off to do some writing and then celebrate with some wine and movies tonight. Hopefully, it won’t be another two weeks or more before you hear from me on this blog again! In the meantime, I hope you enjoy reading Rose and keeping up with me on my social media.
Until next time (hopefully very soon), good night and pleasant nightmares.
Rami Ungar The Writer 