I know, I know. And just a few days ago, I was talking about how much I was looking forward to going. But today I got an email to call the airline, and when I called, they said they and their international partners were canceling all flights into Tel Aviv for the foreseeable future. This is the second airline to cancel on me. And while I could keep searching, it just feels like I’d just set myself up for more disappointment. So, I canceled.
Again, sucks. And I was really looking forward to going to my friend’s wedding and seeing the country for the first time in nearly fifteen years.
On the bright side, I’m planning on going as soon as things calm down. Don’t know when that’ll happen, but I’ll go. And not hell nor high water will keep me from going! Especially if, by then, I have a lot of vacation time and money saved up. I WILL visit my people’s homeland again someday!
Still, sucks.
On a brighter and more immediate note: a friend and colleague messaged me out of the blue yesterday about joining her and some friends at GalaxyCon Columbus. It’s a convention for fans of anime, gaming, comics, TV, and everything else you can think of, and it’s quite expensive to get a table at. My colleague and some of her friends went in together on a table. However, one of my colleague’s friends dropped out, meaning they needed an extra author at the table (apparently they’re all horror or speculative fiction writers).
And guess whom my colleague reached out to?
Happy Krampusnacht!
A convention, especially a popular one like GalaxyCon Columbus, might just be the thing I need. New readers, new sales, and possibly a run-in with some major celebrities? Yeah, I’m in. And while it’s short notice, if any of you are in the Columbus area and planning on being at the convention, please come find me. I would love to see you, do a Tarot reading for you, or give you a nice, new book. (So long as you pay for it, of course.)
Anyway, that’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. It’s getting late and I have sugar-free brownies I want to indulge in. I’m sure I’ll have plenty of updates for you soon. Until then, good night, pleasant nightmares, and Happy Krampusnacht.
Yes, that’s tonight. And believe me when I say, I hope many, many people get whacked on the butt with a bundle of sticks, because many, many people deserve it.
Well, we’re officially in December. 2024 ends in just 29 days. I would say thank God, but I’m not convinced 2025 will be much better. Still, gotta be optimistic. Gotta keep plugging along. Gotta keep making plans, writing stories, and making things in my mind into realities.
And that’s what I’m doing now. Making plans, writing stories, and making them into reality.
First, my Israel trip. That’s fast approaching. And assuming the ceasefire with Hezbollah holds and nothing else happens, I should still be able to go. It’s been nearly a decade and a half since I was last there, so I’m really hoping things calm down a bit and move towards resolution.
In the meantime, I’ve started on the second draft of The Shape of Evil, AKA the 3D printer from Hell story. In fact, I’m already a fourth of the way through the draft! I’m averaging a chapter every time a night, starting from the night before Thanksgiving. Considering that it took me six months to get through the first draft, moving through the book this fast is a dream come true! I might be done well before I fly out later this month.
I hope so, anyway. When I started thinking up this story, and I realized that my three main characters would each have a disability, with the lead being non-binary, I felt this story would be important. And after the events of last month, I feel like this book could be timely. No, it is timely. And I’m determined to get it in the best shape so that when I pitch in June, I can find a home for it sooner rather than later.
Me every evening, working on the next big thing.
And after the second draft is done? Well, whether I go on my trip or not, I have a plan. I’ll find a beta reader/sensitivity reader for The Shape of Evil, and then work on three goals: writing a bunch of new short stories; editing three novellas; and putting out a new collection in the spring. The first two, I’ll be switching on-and-off working on. First a new short story or novelette, then one of the novellas I worked on earlier this year. Then another short story, then another novella, and then…well you get the idea.
With any luck, I’ll be able to start shopping these novellas I’ve written as a collection at some point, while also have a bunch of shorter stories to submit to every publication I can find.
As for the new collection, I’ll start in January or February by announcing the title, revealing the cover and release date, and getting the marketing machine rolling. I’m honestly very excited for you to learn more about this collection. I have a very good feeling about it.
Looking forward to doing this next year!
And if all goes well…who knows? Maybe I’ll somehow find more time for writing and even–finally!–get back to writing my mummy novel, Crawler. Yeah, I know, I know. I keep saying I will, and then something puts it further down the To Do list. But I will get it done. You’ll see. I’m making it a goal.
In the meantime, if you would like to support me while I work on all these projects, or if you’re in the mood for something scary to read, or if you’re looking for a good gift for the horror fan in your life, why not consider getting one of my books? Not only would it be a great gift for yourself or for someone you know, but you’d be giving me a gift as well.
Besides, plant/human hybrids? Strange gods? Mafia hunting serial killers and carnivorous horses? I got something for every horror fan, including free stuff! So, why not check them out? I’ll leave a button for my Books page below. Look and see what calls to you.
That’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. I’m going to at least try to start on the next chapter of The Shape of Evil (as I recall, this next one is rather long). Until next time, good night and pleasant nightmares.
Every year, I do this post. Every year, you guys seem to like it. I imagine it’s because I make sure to get good graphics for it. Anyway, with only 36 days and a few hours left in 2024 (yeah, where did this year go?), it’s time for my annual assessment of the year and what I hope will happen in the coming year.
And let’s start by being honest: 2024 was a shitty year.
Yeah, I had hoped roaring at it like a tiger would make the year too scared to fuck with me, but I think it either got mad at me or my roar had no effect. Either way, this year sucked. The war in Ukraine continues on, with no sign of an end anytime soon; the war in the Middle East continues, and that’s not likely to end anytime soon soon, either; the 2024 presidential election ended in a way most people in the world feared it would; riots occurred in England in response to a stabbing in Southport; several countries experienced unrests, coups, and God only knows what else; hurricanes pounded the US and other nations mercilessly; prices have continued to rise on necessities like food, gas, and housing; and do I need to go on?
Overall, a rough year.
Granted, there were some nice things that happened this year. From July till earlier this month, I felt intense hope for the future of our nation thanks to a certain leader whom I hope we haven’t seen the last of. And the solar eclipse, as well as the northern lights being seen farther south than usual, was cool (I only saw one of those, but still cool). But all in all, it was a really shitty year.
On a personal level, yeah, 2024 was also quite shitty at times. The return to the office three days a week at my workplace had a ripple effect which caused my office’s workload to triple, leaving us stressed and struggling to stay on top of it. As a result, several times my performance suffered, which has had far-reaching consequences. I was unable to get Hannah and Other Stories into paperback, which was a major goal for me this year, and because of the economy and some other factors, I did not do as well at certain events as I expected. I was diagnosed with diabetes in August, which was a huge upset for me and has required me to make major adjustments to my lifestyle (don’t worry, I’m doing okay, but it still sucks); and it looks like my trip to Israel is in jeopardy because every airline is cancelling flights into the country due to the war (God forbid I get to visit my people’s homeland!).
Yeah, it’s been bad. I had to actually start attending therapy due to the huge amount of crap and stress I’ve been through this year. And I doubt I’m the only one.
Life was rough, but at least I got some good writing done this year.
Still, there were some highlights, and I try to focus on them:
I wrote some of the best stuff I’ve ever written this year, including a new novel, The Shape of Evil, which I plan to pitch at StokerCon next year; my first adaptation, a radio play of “Hannah” from Hannah and Other Stories, was released on Halloween (you can check that out here); my short story, “White Leaves” was released on the same day on the Tales to Terrify podcast (you can listen to that here); and despite underperforming at certain events, I did very well at others, and will probably make a profit this year instead of a loss.
Also, I started work on a new collection, and I plan to put it out in spring next year. More to come on that later.
Outside of writing, my health has improved thanks to all the changes I’ve made in my lifestyle; I’m still in a well-paying job that allows me to cover my expenses (and hopefully I’ll stay in the job or something similar until I’m able to write full time); I was able to do some traveling and even visited a few haunted locations; I had a couple of vacations over the year that were really restful and relaxing; my sister got married, and we got to do a little celebrating with her and the new in-laws; I got two new, really awesome tattoos; and I might still be able to travel to the Holy Land later this year.
So yeah, shit year, but I still have things to be thankful for (and right before Thanksgiving, too).
And what will happen in 2025? Well, like I said, I plan to release another collection and pitch The Shape of Evil to agents and editors at StokerCon (expect me to start editing later this week); hopefully I’ll get some more stories written and published, and maybe even (finally!) get back to writing my mummy novel Crawler; I’ll be seeing some amazing Broadway shows and a few ballets; hopefully I’ll get closer to writing full time; I plan to get another tattoo in the spring; and maybe I’ll do some more traveling. I do want to go back to Vegas or New Orleans again, if I can afford them, or even go abroad.
And I expect I’ll be resisting certain things from our incoming government, but sadly, life can’t be trouble free.
In any case, I hope 2025 comes with the resolution of certain world conflicts, and that any new troubles are mild compared to what they’ve been these past few years.
How was your 2024? And what are you hoping or expecting for 2025? Let’s discuss in the comments below.
One more thing, my Followers of Fear: as you know, the holiday season is upon us. And if you’re looking for some good horror to read, or you’re looking for a gift for that horror-loving friend in your life, why not try some of my books? From plant/human hybrids and strange gods to Mafia-hunting serial killers and carnivorous horses, I have something for every horror fan. I’ll leave a button below so you can check out my bibliography.
And if you like what you read, please leave a review online so I know what you thought. Positive or negative, I love reader feedback, and it helps other readers, as well.
And until next time, my Followers of Fear, good night and pleasant nightmares.
Occasionally, there’s a lot I want to post about, but none of it is enough for a new blog post on its own. In those moments, especially when it’s been a minute since I last posted, I like to do a little (ha ha!) post with quick updates about what I’m working on lately and things going on in my life.
So, without further ado, let’s get to some updates!
Working on New and Shorter Works
As many of you know, I spent most of last year editing various stories, especially those in Hannah and Other Stories. After the Great Editing was over, I wanted to do nothing but write new things, and a lot of them, too. And I’ve done just that, working on one short story, a couple of novelettes, two novellas, and, much as I didn’t expect it to, a new novel (more on that below). In total, I’ve written six new stories. One, “White Leaves,” will be published on an upcoming episode of the Tales to Terrify podcast, another is with an alpha reader, and the others need a second draft.
Looking forward, I have three new stories I want to work on. One, a story set in the Cthulhu Mythos, I’m currently writing an outline for. Once all three are done, I’ll actually edit some of these stories and try to get them published.
Shape of Evil and Crawler
Remember I mentioned above I wrote a novel? That novel, The Shape of Evil, was originally supposed to be a novelette or a novella, but I guess the story had other plans. Otherwise, I would have hesitated before committing to such a long project. Anyway, the story is about a 3D printer from Hell, and I plan to do a second draft of it in December. While the novel took me six months to write, I’m hoping the editing takes only a few weeks to two months.
Afterwards, I plan to get a beta/sensitivity reader to look at it (the protagonist is a non-binary teen, so I want to make sure I’m representing the community in a way that’s positive), and do another draft based on their feedback. After that…well, I want to pitch this story at StokerCon next year. See if I can find an agent or publisher for it right off the bat. We’ll see what happens.
And as for my mummy novel, Crawler, yes, I still plan to finish it. I need to finish all these other stories and then edit some of them, but yes, I still plan to finish it. I hate that I haven’t worked on it for so long, but I will get it done. Just you wait and see.
Upcoming Events
As many of you know, I have a big day on October 26th, 2024, here in Columbus. First, the downtown library will be hosting HWA Ohio for an event called Scary Saturday. It’ll be a big day full of readings, short lectures, fun and spooky games, and plenty of local authors selling their books, among other things. I’ll be there selling copies of Rose and giving a lecture on how horror can be therapeutic to some readers, as well as generally helping out.
And then in the evening, some of us will be heading over to the Thurber House, a local writing-focused organization, for their Halloween celebration to do readings and attend spooky tours. I’ll be reading from Rose and selling whatever copies are left over. Should be a good time.
And while I might be doing fewer events next year (can you blame me in this economy?), I do have a few I’m already scheduled to attend. I’ll be at Akronomicon in Akron, OH on February 1st, 2025, and I’ll be at Halfway to Halloween in Ann Arbor, MI on May 11th, 2025. Both sound like big events, so I’m looking forward to being there for the very first time.
And if other events come up, I’ll be sure to let you all know.
Other Stuff
There are some things I would like to discuss in detail here, but I’m not ready to do so just yet. I will say that I’m doing more to take care of my physical and mental health due to changes in my life. I am working out and eating healthier these days for the former, and I’ve noticed a vast improvement.
As for my mental health, I’m just doing a lot of different things, including finding time for self-care and talking to the right sort of people, to make sure life’s worries and cares don’t get me down. I’ve also noticed a vast improvement on this.
(Though for both, there is still room to improve).
Finally, a big announcement: I’ll be going to Israel at the end of the year.
I know, I know, there’s a war and I disagree with A LOT of what Israel’s government does. However, I do feel that the Land of Israel is my homeland and maybe the last refuge for me and my fellow Jews on this Earth. And it’s important at this time for my people to ensure this country continues to exist, whatever our feelings about the current situation.
Besides, I haven’t been since I was 17 and a friend of mine is getting married there, so I guess no time like the present.
That’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. I hope you’re as excited to read the works above I mentioned once they’re ready. In the meantime, if you want to support me, or you’re just looking for a good scary story (and I figure you would be, with only fourteen days to go to Halloween), I have plenty of good stories for you to check out. From plant/human hybrids and strange gods to Mafia-hunting serial killers and carnivorous horses, I have something for every horror fan, including some free stuff. I’ll leave a button below if you want to check out my work. And if you do, be sure to leave a review so I know what you thought.
Until next time, good night and pleasant nightmares.
If you haven’t noticed, the year is ending soon. And there are some things I’ve been wanting to talk or share with you (especially if you’re not on my other social media) before the year ends. The problem is, I didn’t think any of them on their own were worth putting out a blog post for. However, then I had a thought: why not just combine all the random topics into one big post?
As you can see from the presence of this post, I went through on that dangerous idea, so let’s get to it and talk about random topics.
SWORDS
Every little boy dreams of having a sword at some point in their life. To slay the dragon, to fight the evil king, to reap the souls of the good and the damned as the Carnival of the Judges goes into full swing in the city center–oh wait, that last one is just me. But the point stands. And recently, I was able to make that dream come true.
Pretty cool, huh? A friend of mine is downsizing for a move, and he posted on Facebook to see if anyone wanted them. The price was too good, so I bought them. They arrived way earlier than expected, and so I got them hung up in my office on Christmas Eve. According to my friend, he bought them in Spain when he was there as a teenager many years ago. The top sword is an arming sword, and the bottom is a side sword.
Both are awesome, and either one would make an excellent deterrent for burglars and stalkers.
Anyway, my inner child is now very happy. And I promise my friend that I’d take good care of them, so that’s what I’ll do. I look forward to many years with them on my wall.
BANNER
Back in 2021, when I attended my first ParaPsyCon, my dad and stepmom stopped by to see how I was doing, and while there, they noticed another horror author who had a vertical banner behind his booth broadcasting what he wrote. My dad asked me, “Think you’ll get one of those?” I responded, “Someday.”
Someday is today. Thanks to the grant I got earlier this year, I was able to pay for some new author photos, which I then used to design a banner (this was after lots of concept testing that I did in one of my Facebook groups). I then bought the banner and the frame for it. I absolutely love it. And I have a feeling it’s going to help me find and connect with more readers at the events I’ll be attending in 2024. Including ParaPsyCon.
HOW TO BUILD A WRITING HABIT
I wanted to try something different with my YouTube channel, maybe see if doing so would help me to connect with more readers, writers, and horror fans. At the same time, I’ve been wanting to talk about the habits of building a writing habit for some time now. Like a TED talk or at a convention, if anyone would actually let me speak at one of those (given that it’s me, you understand the caution).
So, I thought I would combine the two and put out a video on YouTube talking about building a writing habit. It’s something I hadn’t tried before and I thought people might find it helpful. Who knows? Maybe it’ll help me connect with more writers, readers and horror fans. At the very least, it’s had more views than other videos I’ve posted, so I guess that’s a good sign. Maybe I’ll try a video like this again when I have the chance/inspiration.
But tell me, do you think this is a good video? Did what I discuss make sense or seem helpful? Any feedback you have would be helpful, so don’t hesitate to leave a comment.
OWLS ARE AWESOME
You probably didn’t see this one coming, did you?
For quite some time, I’ve been obsessed with owls. It started when I found this YouTube channel where a nature artist/filmmaker films the daily activities of the owls and other animals living around his British country home. Watching these owls sleep, raise their broods, and occasionally get into scrapes with each other made me fall in love with and then go down a rabbit hole of learning about owls.
And it’s not hard to see why. They fly with wings that don’t produce any noise, they pick up sounds and sights we’re wholly ignorant of (especially at night), and they can be the most loving partners and parents among birds you’ll ever see. No kidding, watch some of that YouTube channel’s videos. It’ll melt your heart and make you believe in love again. All this in these tiny, compact bodies with sharp beaks and talons that can take out both prey and predators. And which predate on each other if the circumstances are right (or wrong).
It’s kind of no wonder I’m obsessed now and want an owl to live near me. For now though, I’ll settle for writing about them. With any luck, I’ll have a great owl-themed story done some time next month. And who knows? If it gets published, you might become obsessed, too. Wouldn’t that be a hoot?
TALKING WITH MY OLD HEADMASTER
Not too long ago, my dad sent me an article from the Jerusalem Post. Someone I used to go to school with had had an article published in the Post, detailing how he, a reservist in Israel fighting in the current war in Gaza, left the battlefield to be at the birth of his son in Jerusalem. It was incredibly beautiful to read, and all I wanted to do was to give his dad, who used to be the headmaster at the school we attended, my sincere congratulations.
Earlier this week, I actually managed to talk with my headmaster. It was a blast from the past, to say the least. I don’t think I’ve seen this guy since I was eighteen. I used to stop by his office to tell him dumb jokes and even phone pranked him a couple of times (don’t worry, he thought it was hysterical as long as he wasn’t in a meeting). And yet we laughed and talked like not even a day had passed since I graduated. I found out how his family is doing (they’re all in Israel right now for the new grandchild) and he found out what I’m doing and how my family is.
I hope he and his family continue to do well and that his son stays safe. These are scary times, but talking with him reminded me that we can still find reasons to smile in the worst of times. At least, that’s how I see it.
GREETING 2024
I don’t know what your New Year’s plans are, but I know what mine are: order pizza, open a bottle of wine, and watch some movies. And when the stroke of midnight occurs, I’m not going to welcome 2024. I’m going to roar at it. Let it know that whatever it throws at me, I won’t let it bog me down or ruin me. Instead, I’ll fight on and give it something to reckon with. Maybe 2024 will be so intimidated, it’ll give me a great year out of fear.
Sounds silly, I know, but so are a lot of traditions and beliefs I could name. And with an election year just around the corner, we’ll need all the luck we could use.
So, if you like, roar with me at midnight on December 31st. We’ll show 2024 who’s boss.
That’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. As I said, I wanted to get this all out before the end of the year. If you made it to the end of the post, thanks for reading. And if I don’t catch you before December 31st at 11:59 PM, I wish you all a Happy New Year and pleasant nightmares.
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.
Some days it’s harder to know where you stand than others.
Last month, a white supremacist went on a shooting rampage in Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. All of the victims were senior citizens and a few were Holocaust survivors. That they should live so long and survive so much, just for one hateful man to snuff out their lives, hurts and horrifies me and several other members of the Jewish community on so many levels. In my own response to the shooting, I mentioned I felt connected to the attack in a very personal way. I almost ended up living in Pittsburgh when I was a kid instead of Columbus. Imagine what mght’ve happened if I’d stayed there, and if my synagogue had been Tree of Life?
Since that horrific day, there have been more anti-Semitic incidents. None on the scale as the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting, but still horrific. In Baltimore, a man interrupted a performance of Fiddler on the Roof, a play revolving around Jewish characters dealing with change and anti-Semitism, by shouting “Heil Hitler! Heil Trump!”; in Wisconsin, nearly an entire class of graduating high school boys threw up the Hitler salute for a prom photo; in Cleveland, flyers with links to a neo-Nazi website around Case Western University; and in Argentina, soccer fans rioted and shouted “Kill the Jews to make soap!” after a team composed of mainly Jewish players defeated the team whose stadium they were visiting.*
And that’s just the ones I know about. There are probably other incidents that have yet to reach my ears.
I know that what I and the Jewish people is nothing new or out of nowhere. Many minorities are facing discrimination and harassment right now, and it seems to only be growing. Regardless, all these incidents happening within such a short span of time, and after the Pittsburgh shooting to boot, have me on edge. It makes me wonder if this wont become a much bigger trend, where anti-Semitism becomes an everyday occurrence.
It makes me wonder whether or not it’ll be safe to stay in this country much longer. And if it should become too dangerous, where would I go? Canada? Europe? Israel? Would it only be a matter of time before more violence broke out? Before I had to flee from those who would see me dead just for being born a certain faith and heritage?
Still, I have reason to hope and to stave off the fear.
We’ve all heard the poem by Lutheran pastor Martin Niemoller, but it bears repeating.
First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out–
Because I was not a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and i did not speak out–
Because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out–
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me–and there was no one left to speak for me.
While there are still plenty of people who aren’t willing to speak out,** I’ve had the pleasure of knowing plenty of people in and outside the Jewish community and the United States who will speak out against injustice. Many of them I’ve met through blogging and online interaction as well as face-to-face communication. They’ve reached out to me when I needed it and have stood up for me too. I know that well before things get too harsh to live safely in this country, they will come to my side and stand by me.
So if you’re reading this, I urge you to speak out when you see hatred and injustice. Right now it may seem like a struggle not worth going through with insurmountable barriers to face, but it can be done. By showing up to events, by giving to causes, by voting in every election (especially voting in every election!), by sending your voice out through the world to be heard, you can make a difference. And I urge you to do so. If not for us, for you. So you can say you fought to keep the world a little less hateful and a little more kind.
Thanks for letting me talk about this, my Followers of Fear. I know it’s shocking that some things scare me, but it’s true. I’m trying to channel that fear into the story I’m working on now, make it an even better story. Until then, keep safe and pleasant nightmares.
*This incident feels eerily like deja vu to me, because something similar happened to my school’s soccer team in high school. As some of you know, my high school was a Jewish day school, so all the students and half the staff were Jews. One day in my junior year, the soccer team won against another school, and the latter started shouting anti-Semitic names and rants at my school’s team. I don’t remember much beyond that it nearly came to blows, but it goes to show this isn’t a new thing or coming out of nowhere.
**The superintendent of the school district where those students gave the Nazi salute, for example, said she couldn’t punish them for their acts because of First Amendment rights and she “couldn’t be sure” of the intentions of the students. Seems pretty obvious to me, and people get fired or punished for things they say all the time!
Agh! I’m late! I have to get to my flight! I’m flying a dragon back to Ohio. And while dragons are rather flexible with what time they take off (they’re awesome that way), I’d rather not keep this one waiting. Anyway, welcome back to Day Nine of the Ten Day Book Challenge. I’m almost through with this challenge, so I’m making sure to keep putting up interesting books so neither you nor I get bored with it.
Thanks again to my cousin Matthew for nominating me for this on Facebook. I hope you don’t mind I made this into a blog thing. And if you do…well, it’s too late to do anything about it, isn’t it?
Now for the rules:
Thank whoever nominated you with big, bold print. If they have a blog, link to the post where you got tagged there.
Explain the rules.
Post the cover of a book that was influential on you or that you love dearly.
Explain why (because I don’t see the point of just posting a picture of a book cover without an explanation. That goes for Facebook as well as blogs).
Tag someone else to do the challenge, and let them know they’ve been tagged.
Today’s book is the other reason why I decided to take up a History major in college and studying the Holocaust. That book is Schindler’s List by Thomas Keneally (yeah, not all of these are fiction novels. Some are about actual events).
I’d seen the movie earlier in the year I read this book, so I was curious about the book it was based on. I ended up reading it during a five-week trip to Israel alongside The Plot Against America. And Schindler’s List affected me way more than Plot. Reading all those stories from people who had known Oskar Schindler, a complicated man who grew to care deeply about the Jews under him and decided to risk everything to protect them, in a time where that could lead to execution, spoke to me on a level that few books do. I decided then to study the Holocaust when I got to college alongside English and creative writing.
I also came back from Israel with a ring on my finger that says in Hebrew, “He who saves a life, it is as if he’s saved the world entire.” This is similar to the ring Oskar Schindler was given at the end of the book and the movie, and I had it custom made so I could remind myself of that every day. I still have that ring, and I wear it every day. It shows how much one person can do if they put their minds to it, and the good that come from it.
Perhaps someday I can have the same effect or inspiration on someone else someday. We can hope.
Today I’m tagging my friend Tricia Drammeh. Hope you have fun, Tricia. I know I have.
That’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. I’m headed back to Columbus. I look forward to sharing the last book in the challenge with you tomorrow. Until then, pleasant nightmares!
Don’t fly off without me, dragon! I need to get home!
You know, I’ve written a lot about my identity on this blog. Or rather, because every person is highly multifaceted and puts themselves under several labels (even when they eschew all labels), my identities: writer; horror fan; bisexual man; autistic individual and disability advocate; total nerd; Ohio State Buckeye; feminist; liberal; possible entity from another dimension; and many more. But there’s one identity I’m only realizing now that, while I’ve mentioned it more than a few times on this blog, I’ve never really gone into detail about it in relation to my life and my writing. Not in six-plus years of blogging (believe me, I checked).
Considering that I was not only raised Jewish, but raised Jewish by two rabbi parents, went to synagogue nearly every weekend for years, went to Jewish day school from fourth grade through high school, attended youth groups and summer camps, was a frequent attendee at the Ohio State Hillel, and a whole bunch of other things than is listed in this run-on sentence, that is weird. And I’m not entirely sure why I haven’t really ever gone into detail about it. Maybe I thought I’d covered it in one of my 1300+ blog posts at some point, or maybe I just thought it wasn’t important enough to cover at any point. I have no idea.
Well, I guess better now than never (especially since this is my blog and you’re all hostages to whatever I feel like writing each day). How does Judaism affect my life and my writing?
Well for my life, it affects a lot. I’m more spiritual than religious, like many millennials, but I still practice certain rituals. I keep kosher and eat vegetarian when I’m out. I bring in Shabbat every week, and light candles on Hanukkah (you like the picture of my menorah? I’ve had it since I was a kid). I have a mezuzah on my door frame that marks my apartment as Jewish, and the only jewelry I wear is Jewish in theme (Jew-elry, if you will). I don’t attend services at my synagogue that much (I tend to sleep in on Saturdays because the week drains me. Sue me), but I pray often and keep in touch with friends through social media and hanging out. I’ve been to and support Israel, though at times the words and actions of its government concerns me. I pay attention to how my people are portrayed in the news and popular culture (I get seriously annoyed by how most Jews on TV and movies are like, “We’re like the rest of you, we just say some funny words and talk about our health issues a lot.” Seriously, we’re more diverse than that!), and get really psyched when I find stuff on it that educate people about our beliefs:
No need to post that video. I just like spreading it around. Especially since so many people know what Christmas is but so few outside the Tribe know what Hanukkah is.
So Judaism does affect my life. Does it affect my writing?
Well, yes and no. I don’t write what’s known as typical “Jewish literature,” which in my experience is usually about Jewish characters dealing with persecution from non-Jews or dealing with their Jewish faith and identities. I know my dad wished I would write those sorts of stories when I was younger, probably because he was afraid I’d be the next Ted Bundy if I kept reading and writing Stephen King-style horror, but that sort of story never interested me (thankfully, he’s come to like my fiction as is). I do feature Jewish characters in my work on occasion (my Lovecraftian short story “The Red Bursts,” which I’m trying to get published, features a gay Jewish couple who are active in their synagogue), but their religious background isn’t usually a big part of the story. Their are stories I’ve written or plan to write where Jewish characters are featured prominently, and where their background can be emphasized, but like I said, they’re not a huge focus in my fiction as a whole. I like telling a scary story first and foremost.
But my Jewish identity does feature throughout my fiction in a different way. Like every author, I insert my worldview, my morals and beliefs into my stories, and a good lot of that is shaped by Judaism, especially this phrase by one of Judaism’s greatest scholars: “Love thy neighbor. All the rest is commentary.” It’s why I like to use diverse casts in my stories, not just Jewish characters. People unlike me are my neighbors as well as those like me, so I give them all a fair shot in my stories. And this is just one of many ways I emphasize my faith in my writing (I’d go into it a bit deeper, but this article is getting long).
So yeah, my faith is still very important to me. And it even shows up a little in my stories. It may not show up overtly in my stories, but it does show up in the subtext. And for my particular style, that works pretty well. It might even get me somewhere as a writer someday. One can only hope.
That’s all for now, Followers of Fear. Until next time, pleasant nightmares.
Today is my last day in Germany. It’s hard to believe that I’ve only been here for four months; it feels more like I’ve been here for ages. The day I arrived, all the way back in July, feels like it happened years and years ago. Heading home to Columbus feels almost a little weird. Almost like I’m heading to a place that only exists in my memories. I know that sounds weird, but after being away from home for longer than I’ve ever been before (the record before this was five weeks in Israel back in high school), that’s what it feels like.
I am looking forward to coming home to Columbus.* It’s where my family is, and where I’ve spent a majority of my life. It’s familiar, it’s got a lot of people I know. And our football team is undefeated this season, which is always something to be proud of. Go Buckeyes!
Still, I will miss being here in Germany. I’ve become so used to this nation, it’s become something like a really nice foster home for me. Every day there was something new to learn or see, and I got to go to all these wonderful places while I was here. Germany is filled with such history, and I was lucky to be able to explore that history in so many ways, from traveling to the many WWII-related sites in Munich to a Roman wall in Wiesbaden and everything in-between. I even got to see a castle, something no trip Europe is complete without. No matter what the cost, it was worth going out to see all these things.
The Roman Wall. I’m going to miss seeing stuff like this.
And the people here are very awesome as well: more than once when I got turned around trying to get somewhere, I was able to find someone who was able to point me in the right direction. Even at the grocery store, people were more courteous than I could imagine: yesterday a woman at the grocery store saw I had just the one item (a bottle of wine for my dad and his wife), and she let me go right in front of her. I usually don’t get that even in the States, so I was very grateful for her kindness. When I heard reports about how Germany was the only European country willingly accepting refugees while other countries closed their borders, I wasn’t at all surprised, because that’s just the sort of country Germany is, a kind and accepting place where you can feel as welcome as you might in your own home.
Plus I got to watch Doctor Who several hours before my Whovian comrades in the Western Hemisphere, seeing as the show airs in Europe before it does over there. That was nice. I will miss that.
But yeah, I will miss Germany. My time here was well-spent and I learned and experienced so much, and one day I would like to return, see old friends and do some more exploring of the country if possible. If I could do that, I’d be one very happy horror novelist.
Here’s looking at you, Germany.
So thank you Germany, for being my home away from home. I’ve enjoyed every minute I’ve been here (even the more stressful minutes) and I can’t thank you enough for all you, your people, and the other guests who call your lands home have done for me. It has truly been a wonderful experience getting to know you firsthand. So auf wiedersehen, and I hope we can one day meet again.
Until that day comes though, you will be alive in my thoughts, my memories, and in my stories (horrifying as those are).
*And apparently Columbus is preparing for me to come home as well. Already the National Guard has been called out, people have been praying for salvation like mad. There’s even been strange activity reported amongst animals, like a bridge full of spiders (not kidding, it made the local news). I guess they know I plan on jumpstarting the Apocalypse, huh?
Rami Ungar The Writer 