So, if you’re unaware, I’ve been working on a new story about a 3D Printer from Hell. It’s been a crazy work in progress, which I’m currently calling The Shape of Evil. And, after a lot more time working on this story than I normally like (I started this story in March, and it’s now June), I’m now halfway through the first draft.
Honestly, I’m glad I finally got this far. My life has been super busy since I got back from my vacation in March, and so I haven’t been able to make as much progress as I had hoped to by this point. Plus, this story was originally planned to be a novelette or novella. But, like The Pure World Comes, the story had other ideas and decided it wanted to be a novel. And a novel is what it’s become, at 163 pages (8.5 x 11, double-spaced, 12 point Times New Roman font) and 44,584 words.
For the record, the first Harry Potter novel, which is also the shortest, is about seventy-seven thousand words. So yeah, since I’m only halfway through the story, this novel could end up around ninety-thousand words when it’s done. Which will hopefully be by the end of August, if I can get some free time to work on it. The story takes place over summer vacation, so I would like it finished before summer ends.
Then again, you know what they say: “man plans and God laughs.”
Still, I’m excited to tackle the second half of this novel. I’m not sure it’ll be any good (is any author sure of that?), but it’ll be great to get this story finished and then see if I can find it a home. In fact, I’ve already made plans on how I’m going to go about doing that. I won’t say anything now about those plans (see what I said in the last paragraph), but I think a story like this has a good chance of finding a home and maybe even getting a strong following.
I’ll be sure to keep you all updated on the progress and how things go.
In the meantime, if you’re looking for a spooky story, or if you just want to support me, why not check out one of my works that are already published? I’ve got quite a few, and they’re all quite unique. I mean, how many other authors write about carnivorous horses?
Anyway, if you’re interested, head to my Book Links & Excerpts page using the button below. You’ll find all my published works, including some free stories available to download. (Though this month, I highly recommend checking out my novel Rose and my collection Hannah and Other Stories. I think they’re both some of my best work.) And if you like what you read, please leave a review online. Positive or negative, I love reader feedback, and it helps me and other readers in the long run.
Until next time, my Followers of Fear, good night and pleasant nightmares.
This post is aimed at the people about to enter or have just recently entered their 30s. That being said, I hope everyone will read it if they so desire.
Back in January 2023, I wrote a blog post about how I was turning 30 soon and how I was kind of freaking out about it (you can read that post here). I reread it recently, and I can tell that I was worried about the end of my 20s and that possibly meaning a big change for me and who I was as a person.
I’ll be turning 31 soon, meaning I’ve been in my thirties for about a year now. And I can safely say at this point that turning 30 doesn’t change much.
Okay, maybe it does change much in some aspects. Healthwise, I have to be more careful because as you get older, staying healthy becomes more work. It’s especially difficult for me, as I’m not an exercise fan and I love my junk food, though I do manage stay somewhat stable on the health front somehow.
But other than the health thing (and let’s face it, that actually starts around 27 or 28, not 30), nothing much has changed. I still enjoy watching anime and YouTube videos every opportunity I get. I still make dumb jokes ninety percent of the time, I’m still indulging in my hobbies, such as winemaking and going to movies or the theater. I still get a kick out of being overdramatic or scaring people (intentionally or otherwise). I still like to sleep in and have a drink or two on the weekends.
And I’m still chasing my dream of becoming a fulltime writer. Hell, four months after turning thirty, I published my fifth book (Hannah and Other Stories, if you want to read it, BTW).
Honestly, I think a lot of it is perspective. If you feel that turning 30 is a big change or that you have to make some big changes because you’re turning 30, you will. However, if you want to go about your business as you have, you will. I certainly have, and any changes in the past year might actually be because of other factors, such as work, or the economy, or progress on the writing front, or a hundred other things.
And if you want to make some changes in your life, then don’t do it because you feel forced to due to a milestone birthday. Do it because you want it. Run that marathon. Take that class. Take up that hobby. Learn that skill. See if you can purchase that house with only so much in savings (believe me, it worked out for me when I was 28/29, though honestly that was before the prices got really insane).
Turning 30 certainly didn’t stop me from purchasing a pair of swords, something I’ve wanted for years.
And above all, pursue that dream. It’s never too late for that. Hell, there’s a great anime about that airing right now (though on the surface, it’s about a guy who wants to stop giant monsters from destroying Japan). And there’s me and my fellow writers. I’m nearly 31 and still pursuing that dream. In some ways, I feel pretty damn close. And I know other writers who are older than me, or started writing in their 30s, 40s, and beyond, and have found great success in doing so.
Yeah, reaching your thirties is kind of scary. It used to mean being a lot older and being a lot further along in life (house, spouse, kids, job, etc.), after all. But it could also mean big things on the horizon. It could mean you have experience and you’re going to make fewer mistakes when you set out on a new journey. In the end, you decide what it’s going to be. Not society or some nebulous idea of adulthood. You do.
And I think that’s pretty damn awesome.
You know, my Followers of Fear, 30 was a roller coaster. On the one hand, it was my toughest year at the office for a number of reasons, and I dealt with a lot of things I rather would have gone without. On the other hand, I did some amazing things I’ll treasure forever, including but not limited to my first StokerCon (and I’m already signed up to go to next year’s!). And you know what? The same can be said about any age, if you think about it. It’s always a roller coaster.
Anyway, that’s all for now. Don’t bother getting me any birthday gifts (unless you want to check out and then review my books, in which case that would be a great gift). I’m off to rest. Until next time, good night and pleasant nightmares!
So, I have a few new events I’ll be attending this year, as well as one I had to cancel. Thus, an update post. If you’re able to come out and see me, please do so. I would love to see you, and even sign your books or give you a hug if you want.
The first event on the horizon is actually this coming Saturday! HWA Ohio will be an official partner at the Ohioana Book Festival this Saturday, April 20th, 2024 at 10:30 AM – 5 PM at the Downtown Library in Columbus, Ohio. In addition to having several of our members there as featured authors, HWA Ohio will have a booth where we’ll be telling people about our chapter and what we provide for writers and readers. I’ll be volunteering at the HWA Ohio booth for most of the day, so please stop by if you can. Click here for details on the festival.
After that, guess what? I’m going to jail! ParaPsyCon will be occurring on May 17-19, 2024 at the Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield, Ohio. I’ll be selling books and doing Tarot readers both days, so please stop by and check it out if you’re in the area. Entry fee is the same price as a self-guided tour of a prison (ten bucks, if I remember correctly), and it’s an amazing place, so why not stop by, see the prison and check out one of the biggest paranormal conventions in the Midwest? Further details can be found on the ParaPsyCon website.
June I’ll have the month off, but then July gets busy. First, HWA Ohio will be having a booth again at the Columbus Book Festival.The festival will be taking place on July 13-14, 2024 at the Downtown Library and at Topiary Park in downtown Columbus, Ohio (don’t worry, one’s right in front of the other, so it’s not a long walk). We’ll be having a larger booth this year and likely more authors and books, so definitely come out and check it out. Further details can be found on the festival’s website.
And after that, I’ll have another big festival on the way! Motor City Nightmares will be occurring at the Novi Sheraton in Novi, Michigan on July 26-28. This is a huge horror convention, and has had horror luminaries like Bruce Campbell (Ash in the Evil Dead movies) and Kane Hodder (played Jason Voorhees four times) as special guests! And the lineup for this year is also looking pretty awesome, so I’m very excited to join this convention. Further details can be found on their website and Facebook page.
Unfortunately, I will not be attending the Indie Author Book Expo in Terre Haute, Indiana in August. Something came up, and I won’t be able to travel out that week. Sucks, but sometimes that’s just life. Apologies for any fans of mine in Indiana who were looking forward to seeing me.
And finally, HWA Ohio will be hosting a Super Saturday event on October 26, 2024 at the Downtown Library in Columbus, Ohio. Super Saturdays are events the library holds once a month to bring in more adult audiences for the library’s events. What exactly we’ll be doing is still not finalized, but we have a date and the library is excited to collaborate with us. More details will be available as we get closer.
And that’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. I’ll do another update post when I have some more news to share. In the meantime, if you would like to attend any of these events, please do! And if you can’t stop by, please consider supporting me by purchasing, reading and reviewing my books. I’ll leave a link below for my Books page so you can check them out, including some free stories.
I especially hope you’ll check out Hannah and Other Stories, my new collection from BSC Publishing Group. Hannah has been out for six and a half months now, and I think there’s a good chance it’ll finally get a paperback edition, but it’ll need your help to accomplish that. So, if you like scary short stories–especially ones with ghosts, serial killers, or carnivorous horses–be sure to check this book out using the links below.
Until next time, my Followers of Fear, good night and pleasant nightmares!
A ranch is raising horses with a taste for meat. A creepypasta tale takes on a peculiar life of its own online and in one teenager’s group of friends. Repressed memories brought to the surface during a university English class begin a domino effect leading to something terrifying entering our world. And in one abandoned school, some ghost hunters get way more than what they bargained for during their investigation.
All these stories and more were released into the world six months ago, on a Saturday very much like this, September 23, 2023, when Hannah and Other Stories was released.
Now, if you’re unaware, Hannah and Other Stories is my second collection of short stories and my fifth book overall. It contains seven original short stories, the plots of some of which are up above. But trust me, all the stories are great.
Honestly, it’s been incredible to think that Hannah has been out for six months now. So much has happened since then, it feels like a lot more. And it’s been incredible to see the reader response! Nearly every person who’s read it has responded positively. This makes the nearly two years it took working with the publisher, plus the several months prior writing and editing and double editing the stories, so worth it.
Here’s what people are saying on Amazon and Goodreads, where the book is rated 4.6 on both sites:
I just finished Hannah and Other Stories by Rami Ungar. This is a great little collection. Stories range from ghost hunting to the dangers of social media to diabolical new friends and Lovecraftian horrors and more. Had this on my TBR for a while and finally pulled the trigger to finish (the adhd is strong). Very fun collection and I would recommend it and am excited to see his future work. I give it a 4/5.
Dustin Allen, Amazon
Along with the titular story, “Hannah”, this collection from the Master of Fear comprises 5 other short stories and a novelette.
There is a certain level of intense imagination, dread-filled atmosphere, and relatable characters that I’ve come to expect from Ungar’s short stories. The last three stories in this collection certainly delivered all these qualities and more.
This is an enjoyable anthology, with solid stories. At times, the political message in some of the stories detracted from the characters and plot. It worked best in “The Red Bursts”, where it layered seamlessly with other thematic elements without distracting from the story.
“Hannah and Other Stories” is a worthy addition to the bookshelves of the Followers of Fear.
Iseult Murphy, author of “Gone But Not Forgotten” and “7 Days in Hell,” Goodreads
Horrifying stories from Ohio to the Paris Catacombs. This amazing book has 7 horrifying short stories from monsters and ghosts to crazed children. Amazing writing. If I had to pick a favorite story, it would be Queen Alice. But every story was outstanding and creepy. I absolutely loved this book.
Rhonda Bobbitt, Amazon
Budding serial killers, carnivorous horses, and cosmic monsters. This collection has a fun spooky variety all viewed through the weird lens of Rami Ungar’s imagination. I’ve read a few of his books before (The Pure World Comes is a notable one), and Rami has really found his voice here. A couple of my favorites are Autopsy Kid and Queen Alice. Autopsy Kid is visceral and gut-wrenching, a tale about a girl caught in the web of a psychopath. And Queen Alice is truly terrifying in a deep way, a story about the possessive/obsessive power of social media culture. Check it out!
Allen Huntsman, author and YouTuber, Goodreads
Aren’t my mother and I hilarious?
Some pretty good reviews. And there are more out there. I’ll include links below if you’re interested. Also, did I mention my mother texted me the other day and told me she can’t look or even think about horses without thinking about the story I wrote with the carnivorous horses? And if that’s not high praise, I don’t know what is!
I also can’t think of horses without thinking about those carnivorous horses, either. I saw a guy cosplaying as a horse at a convention not too long ago (yes, seriously), and could not think of anything else. Too bad he wasn’t into horror. I think otherwise he might have read the book.
And speaking of which, if you’re interested in reading Hannah and Other Stories, I’ll include links below. Right now, it’s only available in ebook, but if more people keep reading and reviewing the book, it could get a paperback and maybe even an audio book edition. So, even if you don’t read ebook, please consider supporting the book and grabbing a copy.
And if you do read ebooks, please be sure to read this one and to leave a review. Positive or negative, I love reader feedback, and it helps me and other readers along the way. Plus, there’s that whole getting a paperback edition thing.
Anyway, that’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. I’ll probably celebrate tonight with some delicious wine and maybe something sweet. Maybe I’ll also do some reading. Perhaps you’ll have a drink and read Hannah with me? I can hope. After all, it is the six month anniversary. Amazing things can happen.
Until next time, good night and pleasant nightmares.
I try to write short stories, but they rarely end up that short. They end up being novelettes and novellas.
Now, I know a lot of you are writers and are familiar with the terms. But for those of you who are not, novelettes and novellas are stories that are longer than short stories but shorter than novels. Depending on who you ask, the length can vary, but the HWA defines novelettes as 7,500 words to 17,499 words and novellas to 17,500 words to 40,000 words. Obviously, shorter than 7,500 is a short story and over 40,000 is a novel.
And like I say, I try to write short stories. I do. Most publishing magazines and anthologies prefer short stories, and many like them under five-thousand words. Can’t really blame them. Not only do short stories that short have a special punch, but it’s just more cost effective. If you’re paying by the word, then the cost per story goes up with the word count. And if you’re paying a flat rate per story, then the higher the word count, the more the author might expect to be paid. Hence why they tend to publish short stories.
However, I have trouble keeping my word count under seven-thousand. I’m an expansive writer, as one of my college writing professors once told me. Hell, even most of the stories in Hannah and Other Stories is more novelette-length than short story, and that’s marketed as a short story collection. I just like having those longer stories that still have that punch of a short story but don’t require the same commitment as a novel does.
And I wish there were more publishers that were willing to pay for novelettes and novellas. Especially novelettes, because a lot of the presses and magazines and anthologies that accept those don’t tend to go above ten thousand words.
Thankfully, my wish appears to be coming true. Perhaps in part due to popular collections of novellas by popular authors like Stephen King and Josh Malerman, and perhaps in part due to readers hungry for them, more publishers are buying and releasing novellas, both as standalone releases and as collections. And it’s a slow trickle, but we’re seeing a rise in publications accepting novelettes, including ones above ten-thousand.
Who knows? Maybe there are even publishers who would willingly put out a collection consisting entirely of novelettes. If the response to some of my social media posts are anything to go by, there’s an audience who would read that.
And I have been considering putting together a collection just like that, as well as a collection of novellas. After all, a lot of what I’m writing these days ends up either a novelette or a novella. Who knows? Maybe if I can put together enough stories of the right length and that gel together and if the stars are right…
Well, we’ll see what happens. In the meantime, if you have social media, make sure to post how you would love to see more publishers and magazines releasing novelettes and novellas. Trust me, if they see the demand, they will respond. The responses to my own social media posts have me convinced of that.
That’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. This post wasn’t the most important thing I could write about, but I wanted to write about it. Besides, who knows? I could find a few more people who wish for more venues for novelettes and novellas. We could start a trend.
Anyway, until next time, good night, pleasant nightmares, and aren’t you glad this post didn’t become a full-length novelette? Or even a novella?
So the other day, I went and made the challenge to figure out whom Hannah from Hannah and Other Stories was inspired by (you can see that post here). I’d been telling people that if they were the first to figure it out, I would write them into a story. And better yet, unlike when that usually happens, it won’t be a punishment.
To my utter delight, quite a few people tried to figure it out. Some got close, some got so far away that I had never heard of their guesses.
And late last night, someone did get the answer right. Congratulations to longtime Follower of Fear and author of cozy Christian mysteries, Priscilla Bettis. Funny thing, she nearly gave up after a few far-off guesses, but after a bit of encouragement, she got it. Good for you, Priscilla. I think I’ve found a role for you in a story I plan to write in the near future. I’ll let you know first if it gets published anywhere.
Now, for the moment you’ve been waiting for. Who is Hannah from Hannah and Other Stories based on? I said she was based on an actual little girl, but which one?
Well, I said the inspiration was an actual little girl, but I never said she was real. You see, Hannah was inspired by Hanako-san, also known as Hanako of the Toilet. Hanako-san is a famous urban legend from Japan about a young girl who haunts the toilets of elementary schools. The legend varies from place to place, but the basic idea is that if you knock on the door of the third stall of the girl’s bathroom on the third floor of the elementary school and call out to Hanako-san, she’ll answer. Or something will answer. Like I said, the legend varies.
Anyway, Hanako-san is one of the most famous urban legends in Japan, and it was the inspiration for Hannah (you can see where I got her name). I had fun adapting the legend to an Ohio setting and exploring what happens when you take Hanako-san out of the bathroom. And now, people are reading the story and are enjoying it. Maybe now they’ll appreciate it more, knowing its origin.
If this has made you curious, you can learn more about Hannah by reading Hannah and Other Stories. I’ll include links below. If you do decide to read it, I hope you’ll leave a review. Positive or negative, I love reader feedback, and it helps me and other readers in the long run.
And once you’ve done that, go look up Hanako-san. It’s a great story, and I’m not the only one finding new ways to tell her story. Hell, there’s a great manga about a male version of her called Hanako-kun that’s currently being serialized. I love it, and you should check it out.
That’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. Until next time, good night, happy reading, and pleasant nightmares.
I’ve said for a while that Hannah from Hannah and Other Stories is based on an actual little girl. Since before the story was published, if I remember correctly. But more recently, in social media posts and in the occasional YouTube video or convention reading, I have been saying that if someone figured out who Hannah is based on, I would name a character after them. And unlike when I write other people into my stories, this won’t be a punishment, but something to celebrate.
Yes, you’d be happy to have a character in a Rami Ungar story named after you. Won’t wonders ever cease?
Recently, some people have been getting serious in trying to figure it out. I even had someone get really close when I was at ConFusion earlier this month. And if people are going to get serious, I might as well get serious, too.
So, without further ado, I’m announcing the Hannah Challenge! If you are the first to figure out who Hannah from the short story “Hannah” in Hannah and Other Stories is based on and let me know, I will name a character after you (and you won’t be sorry for the privilege). Just download a copy of Hannah and Other Stories using any of the links below and read the story “Hannah” (and the other six stories, of course).
Then, if you don’t immediately figure it out, try to do some research. Reread the story and notice anything that might help you identify whom Hannah is based on. If you figure it out, reach out to me. Email me, comment on my posts on this blog or my social media, whatever. If you don’t slide into my DMs, find my private number, or show up at my home or work, I’ll be happy to hear your guess.
And if your guess is the correct one and no one else has gotten it right so far, you’ll be the winner! I’ll announce your name on this blog and my social media (possibly with a photo) and see about writing a story with a character named after you as soon as possible. I may even let you read a draft before it gets published.
But, of course, you need to start reading, so below are the links for getting Hannahand Other Stories. And whether or not you figure out who Hannah is based on, I hope you’ll read the rest of the book. And if you do, I hope you let me know what you think in a review or a social media post. Positive or negative, I love reader feedback, and it helps me and other readers in the long run.
That’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. I have a new story I need to outline. Until next time, good night and pleasant nightmares.
As my publisher said to me earlier this week, “They grow up so fast.”
It’s been exactly three months since my latest book and latest collection, Hannah and Other Stories, was released (and the anniversary even falls on a Saturday!). If you’re unaware, the collection contains seven tales that feature ghosts, budding serial killers, and carnivorous horses, among other things. It’s the product of a lot of hard work over two years between me and my publisher.
And in the three months since I’ve released it, I’ve been hard at work to ensure it reaches as many readers as possible. Just the other day, I was on a podcast talking about it (should be out next week, I’ll post a link to my social media when it comes out). It hasn’t been easy getting people to read it, partly due to the fact that the book’s still currently available only in ebook, and partly due to the plethora of other writers out there with millions of other books out there. And I’m my own marketing team, so it’s all on me to get people interested.
Still, there have been results. I’ve gotten some reviews and those who’ve read the book have been mostly positive. Just check out this review my friend Allen Huntsman, AKA Death Ground Reviews, left on his YouTube channel about Hannah.
Some things he didn’t care for, but mostly good. And I have to agree: if you want to see if my work is right for you, this book might be a good start. Especially if you enjoy carnivorous horses.
And representation. I try to represent plenty of different kinds of characters and from what I hear, the results have been well received. Then again, when you write about communities you’re familiar with because you’re part of them, it’s probably going to turn out better.
Anyway, it’s been hard work, and I’m hoping that all this work will lead to good things for Hannah. Hopefully a paperback and maybe even an audio book. Maybe someone will figure out whom the character of Hannah is based on. Yes, the character of Hannah is based on a real person. If you guess who it is, I will name a character after you and you will not be dissatisfied with the results.
And if you are at all interested in reading the collection, I’ll leave links below. Like I said, it’s currently only available in ebook, but hopefully a paperback and maybe even an audio book aren’t too far away, so supporting the ebook is a good way to help. And if you decide to read the ebook, I hope you’ll leave a review letting me, and other readers, know what you think.
That’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. I’ve got a big day ahead of me. Until next time, good night, pleasant nightmares, and if I don’t catch you before Monday, a Merry Christmas to all who celebrate.
Photo by Minhazur Rahman and downloaded from Vecteezy.
I do this post every year, and you guys seem to like it, so I’m doing it again. Let’s talk about 2023 and what we hope will happen in 2024.
I think everyone will agree with me that 2023 was a mixed bag. Not the rollercoaster out of hell that 2022 was, but definitely a mixed bag. Among the good things that happened, the pandemic was declared mostly over and we are getting back to some degree of normal now; my home state of Ohio voted to enshrine reproductive rights in our state constitution and legalized marijuana, which was a big deal; the Hollywood writers and actors strike were successful, allowing both groups to earn more money for their work and putting protections in against AI; an AI Safety Summit was held to discuss how nations should approach AI as it develops; Doctor Who returned with a bang (check it out, it’s awesome); and more.
Unfortunately, a lot of bad stuff happened this year as well. There was a massive train derailment in Ohio earlier this year that released a lot of chemicals into the area, and who knows how long that will take to clear up; the war between Russia and Ukraine continues, and Hamas terrorists attacked Israel, leading to a war that’s still ongoing today; anti-Semitism has risen in record numbers around the world, leaving many of my people feeling scared and alone; multiple mass shootings occurred throughout the year, leaving many dead who shouldn’t have died; the prices of gas and food have risen like crazy, which has made affording necessities more difficult than it already was; and more.
Like I said, mixed bag.
And on a personal level, 2023 was a mixed bag as well. On the down side, work was hellish this year, with multiple problems cropping up throughout the year that required my coworkers and I to work long hours and try to find ways to deal with it. We’re still working through problems, some old and some newer. Some of us, myself included, even have to go into the office three days a week before the rest of the workforce just to keep up. Oh yeah, we’re going from one just one day a week in the office to three in the new year. Another downside.
Also, I got in an accident and had to replace my car (that was awful); I had to find a new insurance company after the accident (that was annoying); my friends and I had to close Cracked Skull Press, which sucked; I underperformed at a lot of events I usually do well at; my anxiety and a bit of depression went to work on me, thanks to the Israel-Hamas conflict and the resulting anti-Semitism; and quite a few other things happened that really brought down my enjoyment.
Getting this out earlier this year was definitely a highlight of 2023.
Still, there were some good things. On the writing front, I was able to release Hannah and Other Stories, and while the reviews have been coming slower than I would like, they’ve all been very positive, and even in major publications; I also released “The Wild Hunt” in the Happy Hellidays anthology, which people have been LOVING; I got to go to StokerCon, which was a dream come true and a ton of fun; despite not doing as well at certain events as usual, I’ve been doing really well financially on the writing front, thanks in part to a grant and certain events; and I wrote what I think is some really good work, and I’m still writing some of that work.
(Some other stuff happened on this front too, but I can’t get into them until certain things are made official.)
Outside of writing, I turned thirty, and celebrated it with a blast, as well as found being thirty wasn’t as awful as I’d worried; I got to see some amazing Broadway shows and got addicted to their soundtracks (if you ever have the chance, go see SIX and Beetlejuice live); I got my full-back tattoo, which I’ve been working on since last year, finished; I had some big firsts in my condo, including my first Passover seder and first overnight guest; I made it quite far through the Face of Horror contest, and got plenty of side benefits from it as well; and a bunch of other stuff happened.
So yeah, mixed bag. But at least I can end the year saying that there was more good than bad, at least on a personal level.
So, what’s next for 2024? Well, I hope I can write, edit, and publish more stories, including finishing my mummy novel Crawler; I’d like to take a long, two-week vacation at some point and just spend it between totally lazy and writing my brains out; I look forward to traveling to some of my favorite haunted locations and maybe catching some weird shit on camera (more on that later); I hope to do more renovations to my condo as I build up my savings towards them; and perhaps, if God is kind, I can get that much closer to writing full time.
I also hope on the world stage things calm down and we can go through a year without losing any respect for humanity as a whole. But with two wars and an upcoming presidential election, I’ll call this hope a long shot.
Anyway, I hope that this post didn’t bum you out. Perhaps it gave you something to think about, or made you grateful for your 2023. Or even hopeful for 2024. I’m certainly trying to be hopeful, despite all the shit that goes on daily.
And with about 30 days left of 2023, I hope we all have a decent end to the year and enter the new year on a strong note.
How was your 2023, Followers of Fear? Anything good happen that you want to share? What about your hopes and plans for 2024? Let’s discuss.
Has it really been a whole month? Surprisingly, yes it has. Hannah and Other Stories was released on September 23rd, 2023 and it is now October 23rd, 2023. That’s a month.
And what a month it’s been.
As many of you know, Hannah and Other Stories is my new short story collection, containing seven original tales of ghosts in haunted schools, creepypasta characters taking on lives of their own, carnivorous horses, pandemics, occult magic and cosmic monsters, budding serial killers, and so many more. It is quite the collection, and I’m so proud that it’s finally out and being read by people.
I’m actually filled with a warm feeling just thinking about it. This collection is the result of over two years of work. Most of that work was between the publisher and me just to make sure that the book was up to snuff when it released. I mean, carnivorous horses is a great idea, but you need to make sure it’s done well so that the story sticks in people’s heads.
And if the reviews are anything to go by, the stories are sticking in people’s heads. Here is what people are saying:
One of the most important things authors forget is the character’s depth and motivations. This is not the case with this book. The different stories in this novel builds out characters and scenes extremely well and as a reader I actually cared about them.
It starts off with a wonderful story and keeps moving a real page turner.
Great Job Rami
David Musser, author of The Devil’s Well
Horror anthologies are my favourite kind of horror novel, and for sheer imagination alone Hannah is one of the best I’ve ever read. The level of creativity in each story is seriously impressive; I never knew what was coming next while reading them…Overall this collection of horror tales gets 4.5 from me. Reading it was a blast from start to finish. Highly recommend!
Louise Conway, Goodreads
Ungar is not a new writer and has been publishing books and stories for over a decade. This book is yet another solid collection in an already impressive stable of work. Hannah and Other Stories is a really solid collection of horror stories that span the gamut from cozy and comforting to gory and disturbing. It’s a shorter collection, too, and very quick to read. After you have read this book, you will wonder why you didn’t own it already, and will most likely want to read everything Ungar has written. This is strongly recommended for any read of horror fiction.
Joshua Gage, Cemetery Dance magazine
Pretty good reviews, right? And there are hopefully more on the way. I’m working hard to make that happen, to make people want to read the book and even leave their thoughts on whatever website they bought it from. If they do that, then maybe a paperback version will come out (currently only available in ebook), and then maybe even an audio version.
I wonder how those carnivorous horses will come across in audio? Or maybe some of those eldritch monstrosities? That would be something to hear.
Anyway, if you’re at all interested, I’ll leave links for Hannah down below. Like I said, it’s currently only available in ebook, but if it does well, a paperback and an audio version aren’t outside the realms of possibility. So, if it’s not too much trouble, please leave a review once you’ve read the book so others know what you thought and may even consider getting a copy themselves.
Who knows? Maybe by the time we reach the two month anniversary, I’ll be able to make some announcements that will get everyone excited. (Though given that the second-month mark will be both Thanksgiving in the United States and the 60th anniversary of Doctor Who‘s premiere, I may need to post something a day or two early.)
Anyway, that’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. I hope you have a good Monday and a good week. Until next time, good night and pleasant nightmares.
Rami Ungar The Writer 