college life | Rami Ungar The Writer

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The Story Must Come Before The Theme

Posted: February 18, 2014 in Living and Life, Reflections, Writing
Tags: authors, college life, editing, entertainment, horror, ideas, living and life, novel, Ohio State University, proper decisions, Reborn City, reflections, scary stuff, science fiction, short story, writing

This evening I went to a very interesting meeting of Ohio State’s Science Fiction Club (a whole other blog post to discuss what we talked about), and I got inspired for a few stories and articles. As I walked home from the meeting, I had another idea for an article, which you’re reading now.

As I walking home from Campbell Hall, enjoying the slightly warmer-than-usual weather and listening to heavy metal on my iPod (the mood music I usually listen to when I’m thinking or brainstorming), I was musing on the sorts of stories I tend to write, which ones were good and which ones were terrible, and what differentiated them. I realized something then: one thing that separated some of my good stories from my bad stories is which comes first, the plot or the theme.

Let me explain what I mean: when I first came up with the concept for Reborn City, it started as a simple gangster story with a science fiction twist. I had no idea of what the story would be like beyond that. I wanted it to be more adventure than explanation of scientific theory, I wanted excitement and sci-fi wackiness and life-or-death fights and maybe some sex (which got cut out after the first draft because it just didn’t fit the plot of the story). All the themes that ended up being woven into the story–the struggles and problems of gang life, Islamaphobia and racism, drug abuse, etc.–were woven in at a much later stage, though they became part of the story well before I started actually writing it.

On the other hand, there have been some short stories–which I don’t want to name–where I write them with the specific intention that they represent a theme or an idea. One early sci-fi story from high school about two technicians on a spaceship was meant to reflect on the loneliness of space travel and of isolation. Another was meant to be a ridicule of patriarchal values in society. And there are a few more I could mention, but let me just summarize by saying they were all conceived with a theme first that subjugated the story to the theme.

Apparently for me that latter approach doesn’t really work. The words feel all wrong and forced when I write like that and I find it difficult to make the story move forward. And I realized as I walking home, past the library and towards the north end of campus, that my best stories are written when I focus more on the plot rather than any significant meaning behind the story. If the story itself is compelling, then the rest will follow, including any very deep themes.

I’m going to have to keep this in mind when I write stories in the future. And if I do end up writing a story where plot is subjugated to theme, at least it’ll be a good learning experience for me on what stories I shouldn’t write and how to avoid writing those sort of stories. I’m sure that there are plenty of authors who can write those stories and do it well (for some reason I’m thinking Kate Chopin’s The Awakening and plenty of other authors I’ve been assigned to read in my high school and college careers), but apparently I’m not one of them.

But in the end is that not surprising? People who love genre fiction, especially the sort of fiction I write, don’t necessarily read a story because they’re looking for a story that exposes the mindset of a battered woman or because they want an allegorical tale of small towns haunted by ghosts representing the ills of ignorance and a narrow-minded worldview. No, they want a story that scares them, and if the themes in the story make you think as well facilitate the whole scaring part of the story, then great. And since this is what I do when I read a story–to look for a good time, not for a deep meaning–it makes sense that my best fiction comes from focusing on the story rather than on what the story means.

Do you ever have problems with this? What are your thoughts on the subject?

BuckeyeThon 2014: We Are The Cure

Posted: February 16, 2014 in Living and Life, Social Activism
Tags: activism, Buckeyethon, Buckeyethon 2014, college life, entertainment, living and life, Ohio State University, science fiction, social media

As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, last night was BuckeyeThon, a twelve hour dance marathon that aims to raise money for cancer research, specifically research that benefits children. I went last night, full of energy, hope and excitement. I came away with my back in a bit of pain and so ready for an 8-hour nap (which I took). But it’s one of the best experiences going to BuckeyeThon. You get to dance your ass off, you meet some of the kids you’ve raised money and danced for, and you get to participate in the biggest fundraising dance marathon of its kind in the country! There’s nothing like the high of knowing that.

And I’m serious about the biggest marathon of its kind in the country. BuckeyeThon 2014 is estimated to have drawn upwards of 3600 participants this year, each fundraising at least a hundred dollars and many going well beyond that (I aimed for two-thousand but didn’t make it). It’s pretty amazing.

I can’t go into everything that happened last night, but I’ll give some of the highlights and a few photos too, plus a video. First let me tell you that the people who go to BuckeyeThon are divided into color-themed teams. I was on the Blue Team this year, and I dressed the part.

Allons-y!

Some of you are thinking, What is he dressed up as? Others are thinking, Is he holding a sonic screwdriver? And one or two of you are thinking Go Michigan! I’m going to ignore the people thinking the last one and explain: I went last night as the Blue Doctor (please somebody be thinking, Blue Doctor? WHO is that?) Besides showing how overly obsessed with Doctor Who I am, I think the Doctor would totally get into something like this, which is why I went as him…if he were me and on the Blue Team. But hey, I was wearing a blue bowtie and had a sonic screwdriver and I was TARDIS blue the whole night. It kind of worked.

South Six 5. Don’t let the Bieber hair full you, they’re much better than him.

And we had a wild night. There was a whole lot of dancing, there was a rave DJ at one point, a dance instructor who sent women and some men into frenzies with his dancing which we were supposed to imitate, a concert with local band South Six 5 (check out photo) and a morale dance, which is like a huge flash mob we learn the steps to throughout the night.

And at around 8 in the morning, we broke with a singing of the school song Carmen Ohio before going home to sleep and let the second shift have their party (did I mention that there are two shifts to this thing? Half the dancers take one 12-hour shift overnight, the other half have a 12-hour shift over the course of Saturday). After I got home and showered, I slept till about five in the afternoon, got up, and ate, did some homework, cleaned my room (it needed it), and then went back to the Union where all this takes place.

There we heard stories from the families of the kids we were helping to cure, as well as some of the people who helped organize and set up BuckeyeThon, as well as other dance marathons from around the country. And we heard a story from a man who helps set up dance marathons across the country. He told us about a kid he knew who had survived cancer and had been in and around these dance marathons for a good chunk of his life. The kid said something like this: “When I was growing up, I heard we were in the generation that would find the cure for cancer. It’s not true: we are the cure for cancer.” Hearing that was pretty spectacular, and it’s kind of true. Even if we’re not doctors or nurses or chemists coming up with new drugs and treatments or monitoring these kids heart rates, we have been instrumental in creating the means to cure cancer. It’s really amazing.

This photo is actually from the start of Buckeyethon, but whatever. You get the point.

And then, in the packed Union (see that photo to the right), we learned how much we made. Slowly, the number was revealed on big sheets of cardboard: $767, 227.78. That’s nearly $150,000 m0re than last year’s amount! And I was so happy to have been part of that, even if my donations weren’t as high as some others (one girl raised $15,000 on her own. What is her secret?).

And now that I’ve said all that, I’d like to thank everyone who donated to me to support BuckeyeThon and the kids we helped. I was really a great experience and I was so happy to have so many people supporting me and to be with so many amazing people last night. I hope I can count on you all next year, when I do it again for the last time around. Hopefully I won’t cry too much when it happens.

Oh, lastly I want to show you the morale dance. Looks like someone posted a video of it this morning. Actually it’s the morale dance competition, when the various teams send two representatives to compete in doing the entire morale dance in front of the entire room. I got to represent the blue team, which was quite fun. You don’t see much of me in the video (mostly my arm) but you get to see the first-place and third-place teams do it, and it’s pretty fun to watch. Check it out.

That’s all for now. I’ll post more photos on my Facebook page and Twitter feed tomorrow. Until then, goodnight Followers of Fear.

You Know A Story Is Good When You Celebrate The Victories With The Characters

Posted: February 12, 2014 in Living and Life, Reflections, Writing
Tags: authors, college life, editing, entertainment, living and life, manga, novel, reflections, review, writing

Here’s a fun manga I highly recommend.

Well, that was a longer title than what I usually give a blog post. But it contains grains of truth.

Last night I was reading a manga in bed. The manga was Hikaru no Go, which is about a boy who starts learning how to play Go (a Japanese board game, for those of you who haven’t heard of it before) and how he becomes a better Go player. While it’s not the kind of story you’d expect to have you at the edge of your bed, I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. I wanted to know if the main character passed the pro test (in Japan, you can take the pro test if you’re under the age of 30), and was reading as fast as I could to find out what happened.

When I finally got to the last chapter of the volume I was reading, I couldn’t put the book down. They kept me wondering the results right up until the last moment, and when they finally revealed the results, I jumped out of bed and started doing a funny little dance. Thank goodness I didn’t shout for joy, though I was tempted to (I did not want to wake up my roommate, who had just gone to sleep).

But you see, this illustrates a very important point. While Hikaru no Go isn’t a very complex manga and its rating is for “General Audiences”, the author and illustrator were able to tell the story in such a way that you begin to feel the emotions of the characters and you wish the best for them while at the same time reading on ahead just so you can find out how they are doing. And when the resolution presents itself, you just want to dance like I did at the end of the volume I was reading, because you felt you were there and that you wanted to partake in the celebrations as well.

I think the mark of a great story is when an author can induce this effect in its readers. It’s an effect I don’t usually see in stories, but when I do they end up becoming some of my favorite stories. Every author tries to replicate that effect, and whether or not they do depends on the skill and experience of the author, as well as on the readers who take the time to commit to the story. I know it’s an effect I’ve been trying to create in my stories, and if some of the reviewers of my work are being truthful, I’m getting to the point where I might be able to insert that effect into my stories.

But how does one go about getting that effect into the stories? I’m not sure any author can answer that very well. The only advice I can give is that you should read a lot and take notes on what the writers did in the novels or other stories you find yourself celebrating with the authors. Then trty to replicate that wth your own stories. If your audiences end up enjoying your work and give responses like what you’re looking for, that they celebrated the victory of the characters, then I guess you’ve done your job.

What are some stories you’ve read that made you celebrate the victories of the characters? What do you think the author(s) did to make you feel that way?

The Last Eight Short Stories

Posted: February 11, 2014 in ideas, Living and Life, Novel, short story, Writing
Tags: college life, editing, entertainment, horror, ideas, Laura Horn, living and life, novel, progress report, proper decisions, publishing, scary stuff, short story, social media, writing

After finishing “A Haunted Man” two nights ago, I’ve decided that, although I’ve got so many short stories I’d like to work on, I need to narrow it down to a few choices so I can return to my WIP Laura Horn. Yeah, I know I can just get through all the short stories I want to get through before I get back to the WIP, but I don’t like to leave a novel unfinished like that, and I would prefer having several short stories unwritten than have a novel languishing unfinished on my flash drive.

Besides, as I recall most of the chapters of LH were pretty easy to get through, so I don’t see it taking too much time to finish up. Then during the summer after I get back from my study-abroad trip, I can spend the whole summer editing my other novels and working on short stories. Besides, I’ll most likely be working on a novel for my senior thesis in the fall, so it’ll work out in the end. At least, I think it will.

So I’ve narrowed the number of short stories I’m going to work on to about eight, and I’m going to try to get through as many of them as possible before mid-March, when I plan to start working on LH again. I picked the short stories based on a couple of factors, namely that I thought the ideas behind them were exciting, that I knew where I wanted to go with the story in terms of plot, and that I think they could be published in magazines, especially ones that pay for their published work (I know that sounds crazy, but it helps pay the rent, so I’m trying to get into more magazines that pay for their work). Oh, and one of the short stories will be submitted as a homework assignment to one of my classes, so I could get a very good grade on it.

So that’s my plan for the next four weeks or so. I hope to at least get two to five of these short stories written. Among the eighty-odd ideas for short stories I have written down, these are among some of the best, so I think I’ll enjoy writing them. When each of them is done, I’ll write a post and let people know how they’re doing.

I’m also going to try to come up with an idea for an article. A friend of mine runs a magazine, and I want to write an article for it. Just the question of the subject that’s getting to me. We’ll see what I can come up with.

Oh, and one last thing: I’m thinking of posting a few stories on WattPad all at once. Would you be interested in reading anything of mine if I published it on WattPad, even if it wasn’t strictly horror?

Well, that’s all for now. I’m going to prepare myself mentally for writing later this evening. Wish me luck.

The Importance of Grammar

Posted: February 6, 2014 in Living and Life, Reflections, Writing
Tags: authors, college life, editing, entertainment, ideas, living and life, Ohio State University, proper decisions, publishing, reflections, short story, writing

Yesterday I got some great advice from my American History teacher on grammar. You’re probably thinking “What?” Allow me to explain.

I take an American History class that covers America’s rise as a superpower from right after WWI to 1963 as one of the required classes I need to take for my study abroad trip. The class meets three days a week for about fifty-five minutes, and it is probably my favorite class this semester. Not only is it the first class I have on the days we meet (and we meet after 10am, so I’m a little less rushed to get to class on those days), but the subject material is interesting, we do small quizzes and short papers instead of midterms and finals, and the teacher is such an animated storyteller and genial character, you can’t help but be mesmerized and enjoy listening to him when he speaks.

Yesterday morning, our teacher was talking to us about the grades we got on our first papers, where we examined the different sides in the Scopes trial back in the 1920s. He was telling us about how to improve our essays for next time, and then he said something that really resonated with me as a writer. This is what he said, as best as I can reproduce it here:

“I always have the one student that grumbles about grammar. It’s not an English class, so why is it so important to have good grammar? Well, if this were an engineering class, would it be okay to have a little bad math? Or if this were a physics class, would it be okay to have a few incorrect equations? If the answer is yes, then let me know what bridges you’ve built or what planes you’ve built, so I can know to avoid them! Good grammar is important in History, even if it’s not an English class. And I expect good grammar in your papers.”

And not just in history papers, but in all written works, one should have good grammar. If one looks at the self-publishing phenomenon, one has see new authors emerging by the thousands to publish their books. And that’s good. Although it means more competition for every author, it’s great that authors get the chance to publish their work without having to pander to New York-based publishing companies who are only concerned with making a profit. However, some of these authors, whether they feel that too much attention to grammar stifles creativity, or they have forgotten the rules of good grammar, or they’re too lazy to be bothered with it, have neglected grammar in their books. This has not only brought down the quality of their stories, but has put a stain on all self-published authors, that we’re half-assed about our craft and that we write sub-par stories with horrifying grammar.

Grammar can also be like that.

The truth is, most self-published authors–a majority of self-published authors–are very serious about their craft, grammar included. And it’s important that authors, whether they’re writing their first book or their twelfth or their fiftieth, should pay attention to their grammar. It makes the story flow nicely, the quality of the story is vastly improved, and the author feels a sense of satisfaction when, in reviews (when they get them), no one’s griping about how bad the grammar has been.

So if you’re an author who thinks that grammar isn’t that important, consider thinking again. Because grammar is there for a reason, and it is not one to be taken lightly. Yes, it’s sometimes a pain to add every apostrophe or to know where the semicolon belongs or whether to use “me” or “I”. But nobody ever said writing was easy. And sometimes we have to go through annoying or painful trials in order to make our art the best.

Or we could get on the unstable bridge or the plane that won’t stay up after reaching a certain altitude. But I hear the chances of doing those twice aren’t so great.

Oh, good news: one of my teachers is allowing me to write a short story I came up with for class (not the American History teacher, though I will use material from that class). My Deaf Literature class has an assignment where we have to bring in something representative of the Deaf community or Deaf culture. I plan to write a short story about a young deaf woman living in the Oklahoma Panhandle during the middle of the Dust Bowl of the 1930’s. I figure I can make an exciting story when I add those factors together. Though whether I can add a serial killer or a monster is up in the air at this point. Might not even happen (sigh). We’ll see what I can come up with by next Wednesday.

Snake: The Official Book Trailer

Posted: February 6, 2014 in Novel, Progress Report, Scary Stuff, Writing
Tags: book trailer, college life, entertainment, living and life, novel, progress report, scary stuff, Snake, thriller, writing

I swear, this is the last Snake-themed article for a while. Honestly, even the Snake is getting tired of all the articles about him (and if you can figure that one out, then you win a prize). And I’m going to try to keep this short, so don’t click away yet.

Today I had some time on my hands, so I took some photos I’d scoured off the internet, a song I’d always associated with the Snake for some reason, and compiled them all using iMovie into a very scary video for a book trailer. A book trailer for Snake, to be exact. It’s probably my longest and most complex book trailer yet, using a variety of techniques I learned from a class I took a couple of semesters ago. Honestly, I had not used iMovie in a while, so it took a while to figure out how to do some things I’d forgotten. But I guess it was like riding a bike, because before I knew it I was making the video and had it done in almost an hour.

The video uses images I associate with the character of the Snake, who has an extreme love for scary movies and knows quite a bit about famous fictional serial killers and a few real ones (gee, I wonder who that sounds like?). And the song I use is “Before I’m Dead” by metal band Kidney Thieves. For some reason it’s a song I’ve always thought should be put at the beginning of a movie adaptation of Snake. Since I don’t think that’ll be happening any time soon, I’m using it in this trailer.

Oh, and the people in this video whom I identify as characters in Snake are actors from some shows I’ve seen. They came the closest to how I imagined the characters in Snake, so I used their images. I hope nobody minds that!

So without further ado, here’s the official Snake book trailer. Tell me what you think when you’ve watched it. I love feedback (I think I’ve mentioned that before).

Oh, and good news: I’ve sent Snake to the copyright office. Hopefully they won’t take their sweet time processing it. I hate it when that happens!

Plans for February 2014

Posted: February 2, 2014 in Living and Life, Writing
Tags: activism, college life, editing, entertainment, horror, Laura Horn, living and life, novel, Ohio State University, progress report, publishing, Reborn City, reflections, review, short story, Snake, writing, WWII/Holocaust

January was a great month for me. I got a lot of writing done, I did very well in most, if not all, of my schoolwork, I applied for several scholarships for my study abroad trip, That, and Angela and I are very close to finishing the final draft of Snake (thanks for all the help, Angela, by the way. Couldn’t have done it without you). Since January was so good, I’ve got similar feelings for February, and I thought I’d share what I hope to accomplish this month:

Write and edit like a madman. I’ve still got several short stories I want to write, so I hope to get those done before I return to my WIP Laura Horn. I also hope to edit those same short stories and maybe send them to some magazines. That, and I plan to finish Snake and get it ready for publication (already thinking about a book trailer), as well as to write an article for a magazine a friend of mine runs. And finally, I hope to write some really great blog posts that examine various aspects of writing and ask some deep questions on fiction writing. Not sure what those will be yet, but I have some ideas. We’ll see what I can come up with.

I’m going to enter a few contests. There’s a short story award given out every spring semester by Ohio State’s English Department, and I’ve submitted my entry already. I decided to go with Ohm, the short story I wrote last month about a man who starts a cult around himself using meditation. It’s not horror, but with OSU’s English Department that might be a good thing (they’re more literary-oriented, sadly). I think they’ll like it, but we’ll see. I also plan to submit Reborn City for the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award in the middle of the month. I don’t think I’ll get very far with my first novel, but I hope to get to a certain round where you can get a possibly favorable review. If that happens, I’m hoping that more people will discover RC and maybe like it. Fingers crossed!

I’m going to work hard in school. Five classes, most of them between the 3000-5000 level makes for some heavy assignments to get through. As soon as I’m done with one, I have another to look forward to! But I’m not going to let it get in my way. I’m going to get all A’s this semester and I’m going to keep my place on that study-abroad trip! And speaking of which…

I’m going to get a lot of scholarship! Okay, that’s kind of out of my hands, but I applied for a lot of scholarships. At least one of them might come through! It’ll save me from applying for a loan to finance this trip, anyway!

And finally, I’m doing Buckeyethon again! Last year I had so much fun raising money for cancer research and then celebrating with a 12-hour dance marathon, I’m doing it all over again this Valentine’s Day! Oh, and if anyone wants to make a last minute donation, here’s the link. It’s all for a good cause!

Well, that’s all I got for now. I hope to have more good news later this week and this month. Until then, Goodnight Followers of Fear!

Reborn City: Three Months Since Publication

Posted: February 1, 2014 in Living and Life, Novel, Review, Writing
Tags: authors, college life, editing, entertainment, living and life, novel, publishing, Reborn City, review, science fiction, Video Rage, writing

As I said earlier in the week, it’s been three months since my first novel Reborn City was published. I still can’t believe it’s only been three months! Maybe it’s because during November, December, and this past month I’ve been busy with school and work, but it feels much, much longer.

For those unfamiliar with RC, this is a science-fiction novel I wrote in high school and edited and polished through my first two years or so of college before publishing it in November. The first book in a trilogy, the novel follows Zahara Bakur, a Muslim teenager living in Reborn City, a Las Vegas-esque entertainment city owned by the powerful and mysterious Parthenon Company. The world Zahara lives in is a dystopia that resulted from the War on Terror devolving into a third world war, leaving most of the Western world prejudiced against Islam and Muslims, making life for Zahara very difficult. One day though she’s forced to join an interracial street gang called the Hydras, and it’s from there the story begins, with Zahara learning to live in a gang and finding out that there are more than just other gangs after the Hydras. The choices she makes will not only influence her own life, but the lives of those around her.

I’ve only gotten two reviews on RC so far, but they’ve all been pretty positive. Here’s what they’ve had to say:

“As a reader who does not read books in this genre, I must admit that I could not put down the book. I attribute this to the talent of the author. I am looking forward to reading the next books published by Ungar. I recommend this book to readers who enjoy action with features of supernatural powers and sci-fi.”

Enji

“Gangland violence, superhero-like enhancements, a futuristic setting, and social commentary that stems from a semi-post-apocalyptic theme. And then there’s a story where people come together as a family to deal with mutual loss and tragedy. What’s not to like?”

Matthew S. Williams, author of Whiskey Delta and other great books.

I must say, I really enjoy RC, and I’ve grown close to many of the characters. And if you end up liking RC, there’s good news: I just finished the second book in the trilogy and I’ll probably start editing it later this year (for a summary of Video Rage, please click here). I’m very excited for VR, actually. I felt that while writing it I experienced both personal growth and growth as a writer, and it shows in how I wrote VR. It also expands a bit on the world the Hydras inhabit and explores their personal relationships more deeply than the first book. I think a lot of readers will like it.

If you’d be interested in reading Reborn City, you can get it in both print paperback and e-book from Amazon and Smashwords. And whatever you think of it, please let me know what you think. I enjoy feedback, positive or negative.

Thanks and I wish you happy reading!

Secrets of Ohio State University

Posted: January 22, 2014 in Living and Life, Scary Stuff
Tags: college life, horror, living and life, Ohio State University, scary stuff

I love my university, and I find out things about it every semester that are new and interesting. And some of those things I find out are actually kind of cool. Kind of inspiring. Kind of weird. Kind of creepy. And for all those reasons, I want to share them with you. From secrets tunnels to ghost stories, OSU has got it all. I hope you enjoy an expose on some of Ohio State’s greatest secrets.

There are tunnels under some of the buildings. A couple of the buildings on campus are connected on campus aboveground by connecting hallways. Lazenby and the Psychology Building are connected by their first and second floors, Cockins Hall and the Mathematics Building are connected on most of the floors. But there are some buildings that connected underground. Every building in the Fischer School of Business is supposedly connected by tunnels, and one of those tunnels also supposedly goes to the Blackwell Residence Inn, though you might need a key card for that one. And strangely enough, University Hall and Dulles Hall are connected by a tunnel that goes underneath 17th Ave. I’m not sure why that last one exists, but it’s still pretty interesting. I wish there were more tunnels like that: it’s too cold outside to be walking to classes that way!

Some of the buildings have abandoned and empty pools. Pomerene Hall is one of the oldest buildings on campus, and it’s like a giant castle. However only a fraction of the building is used, and the basement is tiny, which is weird considering the size it technically should be. Turns out the back area used to house a pool that’s been nothing but a dry pit for several years. Explains the size. Pomerene’s not the only building with a pool no longer used: I used to live in Jones Tower, which was a graduate housing facility when it first opened. Back then it had a pool for the grads to use, but due to maintenance costs and injuries at poolside it was closed down. If you walk by the pool’s door today, you can still see the places where people would hang up towels and still hear the sounds of the pipes that would carry water to the pool (at least I think that’s what that noise is).

Ohio State has some hauntings. I save the best for last. Apparently in its 144 year history Ohio State has gathered a few ghost stories and possible hauntings (Ghost Adventures, call the university!). Learning that makes me even prouder of this school I go to. Here are the spooky legends on campus, brought out nine months earlier than usual:

–Pomerene Hall, situated right next to the infamous Mirror Lake, has a very special ghost story of love and tragedy. In the 1900s, Professor Clark committed suicide after a failed mining investment, his body found where Pomerene Hall now stands. His wife swore never to leave him, and when she died in the 1920s, her ghost started appearing around Mirror Lake (on it during the winters). Professor Clark himself is said to haunt Pomerene Hall, slamming lockers and doors and doing other ghostly things.

–Hopkins Hall, the art building on the Oval, has a much more gruesome story. At some point a young woman got stuck into an elevator overnight, suffering a nervous breakdown from the stress and lack of response to her cries for help. During her breakdown, she apparently wrote plenty of weird stuff on the walls of the elevator. She eventually got out, recovered, and then graduated, but not too long afterwards she died in a car crash. To this day, students report seeing writing or scratches in the elevator that say “I’m still mad at OSU for what they did to me.” Scary.

–Orton Hall is one of the oldest buildings on campus and is home to the Geology Department’s famous fossil museum. It also has two ghosts. One is Edward Orton, one of OSU’s earliest professors and the building’s namesake, as well as the man who gifted the Geology Department the core of its collection. When he was alive, he used to read by lamplight in the top of the bell tower (the scorch marks are still there). At night you can sometimes see mysterious lights through the slats of the bell tower, apparently Professor Orton reading in his favorite spot. During the day he supposedly chills the air and makes weird noises in order to get students to behave.

If you look at the cover of The Quiet Game: Five Tales To Chill Your Bones, you’ll see that Orton Hall’s bell tower is on the cover.

There is also tales of a hairy, caveman-like figure who makes noises and bangs on doors. Some believe it might be somehow connected to the Geology Museum’s vast collection. Others believe it could be a dead football player, though that may be a more humor-filled supposition.

This post is getting rather long, so I’m going to cut it off now. It’ll be continued in another post. Trust me, I’ve got a few other secrets about Ohio State worth sharing, including some other famous ghost stories and OSU’s connection to a famous serial killer. Until next time, Followers of Fear.

Rami Ungar The Writer

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