Posts Tagged ‘living and life’

Events in 2026

Posted: August 3, 2026 in Living and Life, Scary Stuff
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Hello Followers of Fear. I did say I would be back, but this is sooner than expected, isn’t it?

Anyway, I’m happy to announce that it looks like I have one more event I’ll be appearing at before the year is out. Remember when I did BookBash earlier this year? Well, they decided to host an early Halloween event,* and guess who’s confirmed as an attending author? That’s right: me!

So, here are the details: BookBash Halloween will be taking place on Saturday, September 26, 2026 at the VFW center in Ashtabula, Ohio. The address is 4102 Main Street, Ashtabula Ohio, 44004. There will be two sessions: one family-friendly session that’s more centered on Halloween fun and trick or treating from 11 AM – 3 PM, and then a darker, spookier section from 6 PM – 9 PM. Either session, of course, will include amazing authors with spooky books for the season, so anyone in the area should totally show up.

Obviously, I will be doing the evening session (can you imagine me at the family-friendly session? The carnivorous horses would traumatize the kids!), and I will be bringing Tarot cards along with copies of my books. Hopefully plenty of readers show up.

BookBash Halloween’s poster. Hope you can join us!

And that might not be the only event I do. My HWA Ohio friends and I are trying to set up one or two events for the month of October. If we manage to get anything planned, I will be sure to spread the word.

And, of course, I will be keeping an eye out for other events I want to attend. The moment they open, I want to apply. Wish me luck!

And in the meantime, if you can’t make it to the event and still want to support me, or you’re looking for something spooky to read for the season, I have plenty of stories available, including some free ones. Why not check them out? From plant/human hybrids and strange gods to Mafia-hunting serial killers and carnivorous horses, I got something for all horror fans. I’ll include a link below.

That’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. Again, I hope I will be back with news very soon. Can’t say when, though; life is unpredictable. Anyway, until next time, good night, pleasant nightmares, and 89 days till Halloween. I assume that means Michael Myers is training hard at the gym right now (and I don’t mean the guy playing Austin Powers).

*I did suggest to them after BookBash that something for Halloween might be a fun idea. However, whether my suggestion actually led to this event or not, I cannot confirm.

Rami Ungar’s Books

Rami Ungar the Writer’s 15th Bloggaversary

Posted: August 2, 2026 in Living and Life, Progress Report, Reflections
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Photo by Phu00fac Phu1ea1m on Pexels.com

Happy birthday to the blog,
Happy birthday to the blog.
Happy Birthday to Rami Ungar the Writer.
Happy birthday tot he blog.

Well, this snuck up on me. But it’s true: today is the fifteenth anniversary of when this blog first came online. I still remember the day in the library that I created the blog. I had no idea what I was doing, and those early posts really show it. Still, I kept blogging, blogging several times a month (occasionally several times a day). And now, this blog is just under half the age. And it’s been around longer than some of my own IRL relationships, if you can believe it.

And it’s even harder to believe when you think about how transient anything online can be. Especially blogs. Some have lasted for years but have been shut down for any of a thousand reasons, including creator burnout or lack of interest. Others have transitioned to vlogs or to short form platforms like Twitter or Instagram. Many more blogs may last a couple of months or years at most, with their writers getting bored, too busy to keep blogging, or discouraged by lack of numbers.

Honestly, that last one could have done me in once upon a time. I mention this every bloggaversary, but I still remember how I was posting frequently back in college and only getting maybe one or two views a day, if any. I often wondered if I was just spinning my wheels uselessly, trying to get people interested in books that might never come out. Thankfully, I’m stubborn and optimistic, and I kept telling myself that, with time, I would gain a larger audience and see people respond to what I was putting out there in bigger numbers.

As it turned out, I was right. With consistency, and learning what made for a decent reading experience on a blog, I gained an audience. At the time I’m writing this, Rami Ungar the Writer has gained:

  • 305,591 views
  • 1,484 followers (bloggers and email sign ups)
  • 2,294 posts (including this one)
  • 8,820 likes
  • 6,850 comments
  • 1,236,744 words

(I know it’s considered a little cringe to list your stats like that, but it’s the 15th anniversary of this blog. I’m allowed a little leeway, right?)

But best of all, through this blog, I’ve gained not just readers, but friends. I said before that this blog has lasted longer than some relationships. However, some relationships are because of this blog, and a few have even been around as long as this blog. (I was actually messaging one of these friends on Friday, and messaged them today. We make each other laugh.)

And whether they’re friends or not, everyone following this blog is a Follower of Fear. That probably includes you, if you’re reading this. You’ve stuck with me from when I started college, through my higher education, graduation and an internship abroad, a grueling job search and starting my new job, the pandemic, and everything else that’s come with. Plus, there’s been my writing journey. From my early short stories and self-published books, to finding publishers for Rose and Hannah and Other Stories, to self-publishing books like The Pure World Comes and Symphony for Walpurgis, and now trying to find homes for books like The Shape of Evil.

Plus, numerous short stories and articles published in a variety of venues.

And the many events I’ve vended at.

Photo by Thirdman on Pexels.com

And that one time my friends and I formed a small press to publish an anthology focused on Ohio horror writers.

And my time with the Horror Writers Association and running the Ohio chapter of the organization.

And all the stuff I’m working on now.

The point is, through this blog, you guys have continued to support me and even read and review my work. And I want you to know that I am incredibly grateful for that support. I hope you’ll continue to watch my journey as I work towards becoming a full-time writer and create great stories that entertain and frighten all who read them.

(Speaking of which, if you’re interested, I’ll leave the link to my books page down below. 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. And if you end up reading something, I hope you’ll leave a review. Not only do reviews help me out, but they help other readers as well.)

Anyway, that’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. I’ve got stuff to do today, so I better get to it. But don’t worry, I’ll be sure to celebrate this anniversary somehow. Maybe I’ll even have a tiny slice of cake or something. You never know.

Until next time, my Followers of Fear (which may be very soon), good night, pleasant nightmares, and 90 days till Halloween. if you’re not getting ready for spooky season, what are you doing with your life?

Rami Ungar’s Books

Updates on “Crawler”

Posted: July 23, 2026 in Novel, Progress Report, Writing
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You know, I thought I would have this post out much sooner than this. But things have been busy these last two weeks. There’s been work, the Columbus Book Festival,* an article to write, and even submitting a short story for Bram Stoker consideration (if you didn’t know, that takes a lot more work than you know). All that slowed me down and kept me from working on my writing.

Oh, I may have also written a poem and a flash fiction piece on the spur of the moment. That took up an afternoon.

But I have finally done it. As of last night, I have finished going over all the chapters of Crawler I’ve previously written.

Now, if you didn’t know, Crawler is the tentative name of a mummy novel I started writing in 2022. I got about eight chapters in before stuff involving Hannah and Other Stories popped up and I had to put it on the back burner. And then, through various circumstances and lots of projects, four years passed. And I have not been happy with myself for letting it sit unfinished for so long.

That’s why I decided to make sure I got back to it this summer. And I’m happy to say, as of last night, I’m all caught up with the story thus far.

So, how is Crawler so far? Well, I knew in the four years there were things I would need to change. I even had a few ideas of what needed to change. However, even I was surprised by how many flaws I noticed. Granted, it’s a first draft, so flaws are par for the course. But there were quite a few parts where I was like, “What the hell? That makes no sense! Why would this or that character do something like that?”

I also ended up cutting a lot of sections that were unnecessary or rewriting others so they flowed better and didn’t stick out like sore thumbs. Or changed the characters’ motivations or feelings so they would fit better in the story. And my God, did I do so much work to make the timeline make more sense.

I guess it’s a sign of how much I’ve matured, both as a person and as a writer, in these four years. Then again, it has been four years, and a lot has happened. I’ve read lots of books, written and published lots of new stories, and had all sorts of experience. It’s natural I’ve learned a few tricks and gotten a bit better at writing stories. Not to mention noticing the issues my stories have before I let others see them.

So, what’s next? Well, obviously the next time I work on it, it’ll be the first time I’ve written new material for Crawler in four years. I’m looking forward to it, but I’m also worried that it’ll take forever to get through the rest of the book. Hell, I’m worried it’ll take time just to get through a single chapter! Just the first eight are around thirty-six thousand words, or a decent-sized novella. Yeah, this book is going to be a doorstopper when it’s done.

And you never know what life will throw at you. For all I know, next week I could get told to edit something for publication, and spend a month just doing that!

Well, no reason to get worried about what might or might not happen. I’ll keep working on Crawler and hopefully make some good progress before the summer is out. Hell, maybe I’ll even be finished with it by the end of the year. I’m going to try and see if I can make it happen!

Anyway, that’s all for now. It’s late, I’m tired, and I have work tomorrow, so I should get ready for bed. Hopefully I have something to post about very soon. If not about Crawler, then maybe some good news or some thoughts on writing. You never know.

So, until next time, my Followers of Fear, good night and pleasant nightmares.

*BTW, this year I hit a new record. 51 books sold! I’ve never had such a successful festival before. Hopefully it’s not the last time I have such success, either.

Updates on What I’m Doing

Posted: June 22, 2026 in Progress Report, Writing
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You know, the last time I did one of these posts, I had barely anything to say other than I’d done a new draft of The Shape of Evil. I just wanted to let people know all the things I was juggling at that time.

Well, eight months have passed since then, and things are moving faster than a cheetah running from a shoggoth (or seem to be). So, since who knows what might happen from day to day, I am going to give you guys some updates on what I’ve been up to lately.

First, The Shape of Evil. As I said in my last post on the book, I rewrote the book to be a Young Adult novel and undid some of the changes I made in the fourth draft. Now, this crazy little novel about a 3D printer from Hell has been sent out to publishers and agents, and hopefully I’ll get a bite. I won’t say if there’s been any interest or not, in case that somehow jinxes me. But I will say that I have lots of reasons to hope. Who knows? Maybe by the end of this summer, I’ll be able to announce something regarding the book.

In the meantime, I have some short stories to work on. As some of you may remember, I finished a new story back in April about a guy who thinks his stepdad is Sweeney Todd. I got some feedback on the first section of that story from my critique group, so I’m going to go over their feedback and make some edits based on what they say. Then I’ll edit the rest of the story before getting some beta reader feedback. Hopefully after the beta reader has given me some feedback and I’ve done another draft, I can find a home for this story.

My writing life lately.

I also have a science fiction story that I literally just finished last night. It’s focused on alchemy and homunculi, and even though it’s the first draft, I feel like it’s really strong work. I’ll probably give that an edit and then find a beta reader for it as well fairly soon. Hopefully after going through taht process, I can find this story a home as well.

Of course, that might be difficult. Both stories are novelettes, and the Sweeney Todd one is close to short novella length. I just can’t help but want to write epics, it seems. Still, I want to try. I’ve found homes for stories that I never thought I would find homes for before. Maybe I can do it again.

And guess what? After leaving it on the back burner for so long, I am finally going to get back to working on Crawler! Now, if you’re unfamiliar, Crawler was a mummy novel I started in 2022 after moving into my condo. And then working on Hannah and Other Stories put it on the back burner. And then other stuff kept coming up, and The Shape of Evil became a novel when I thought it would be a novelette, and the next thing I knew, four years had gone by!

That has always been a thorn in my side. I have this novel that I think would make a great story, but it’s sitting there, halfway done, and still unfinished! Well, this summer, I aim to change that. I’m first going to edit the Sweeney Todd story, and then I’ll work on Crawler. Maybe if I need a break, I’ll work on the alchemy story and other short works, but Crawler will be the priority. And maybe, if I’m lucky, I’ll have another novel written by the end of the year.

Or not. Something could come along that upsets this schedule and forces me to change gears or priorities. There’s always a possibility of that. You never know. Life is constant change, after all. But for now, this is the plan I’m sticking to.

Oh, I’m also applying for a grant next month. With any luck, that will help with some new projects in the near future. But that will have to wait until next month.

Like a cheetah from a shoggoth, I’m running towards my goals.

And in the meantime, as you are no doubt aware, the Columbus Book Festival is next month! If you’re in the Columbus, Ohio area on July 11th and 12th, stop by the Columbus Metropolitan Library’s downtown branch and the adjoining Topiary Park for a festival featuring authors, merchants, dancers, food trucks, and so much more! Me and my friends in HWA Ohio will have a tent there again this year, and we’re looking forward to meeting so many readers, both new and familiar. So, if you can, please stop by. We would love to see you.

And if you can’t stop by and would still like to support me, or you’re just looking for a scary book to read, you can check out any of my books! From strange gods and plant/human hybrids to carnivorous horses and Mafia-hunting serial killers, I have something for every horror fan, including some free stories. I’ll leave a link to my books page below. And if you like what you read, please leave a review online so I know what you thought.

That’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. I’m off to enjoy the rest of my evening so I have the energy to do some editing later this week. Until next time, good night and pleasant nightmares.

Rami Ungar’s Books

An Update on “The Shape of Evil”

Posted: May 31, 2026 in Novel, Progress Report, Scary Stuff, Writing
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No, it’s not getting published. If it were, I would have announced that in the title of this post. But I am going to give you all updates on how that effort is coming along.

So, for those of you who don’t know, The Shape of Evil is a novel I wrote about a 3D printer from Hell. Think “Word Processor of the Gods” crossed with Gothic by Phillip Fracassi, but with lots of LGBT and disabled representation. I wrote it in 2024, and then prepared it for pitching at StokerCon last year. I even had sensitivty readers take a look at the second draft, just to make sure my portrayal of my protagonist, a non-binary trans individual, wasn’t offensive.

Since I pitched it to publishers and agent last year, I’ve continued trying to find the novel a home. And I’ve had a few rejections, which I expected. I wasn’t even too bummed about them. No, seriously, I wasn’t. They felt less like dead ends, and more like stops on the road for finding a home for this novel. And I still have prospects I’m looking into or waiting to hear back from, so I’m not feeling any despair right now. If I’m being honest, all I feel is anticipation. Like something is coming down the road, and it’s what I’ve been waiting for since that pitch session last year.

And in the meantime, I’ve kept busy. Not only have I worked on some new stories, but I’ve even done two new drafts of The Shape of Evil. And guess what? On the second draft, I had a revelation: this was a YA novel I was working on. Yeah, you would think I would notice, with teen protagonists, only one really bloody scene, and a few other factors. But you know what they say: artists and authors are often their own worst judges. And given that it took me two years to realize this, I prove that maxim to be true.

So, I went back to the beginning of the draft, and started editing with the goal of editing a YA novel instead of an adult novel. I even switched the book from third person point of view to first person point of view, because that’s a staple of the genre. (Also, with my protagonist Astrid Marsh being non-binary and using they/them pronouns, it cut down on the number of “theys” and “thems” in the manuscript. Much less confusing for readers.) And as of last night, the new draft is finished. Hopefully this is the one that catches an agent or publisher’s eye and makes them want to publish it.

For now, though, I plan on not doing anything with the new draft until after StokerCon. Gotta make time to relax and have fun, after all.

Also, I have other stories I plan to work on. There’s a science fiction story I have been excited to work on since I had the idea back in late March. And after that, I will finally get back to working on my mummy novel Crawler. And this time, I hope to finish it!

But in the meantime, I’m going to celebrate the end of the new draft with a quiet movie night and a bottle of wine. Gotta celebrate the wins, right? And finishing a fifth draft where I rewrote the novel to first person POV and made sure it fit the YA genre is definitely a win.

That’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. I’ll try to be in touch again as soon as possible, StokerCon and other things going on permitting. But until then, good night and pleasant nightmares, everybody!

Review: “Japanese Gothic” by Kylie Lee Baker

Posted: May 13, 2026 in Novel, Review, Scary Stuff
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I think this has been my most anticipated new book of 2026. I mean, a Gothic horror novel set in Japan and featuring Japanese history and culture (specifically samurai)? Be still my horror and Japanese culture loving heart! As soon as my library ordered copies, I was the first on the reservation list, and I started reading it almost as soon as I picked up my copy of Japanese Gothic.

So, here’s the plot:

In October 2026 (ooh, the future), Lee Turner stays with his American father and the latter’s Japanese girlfriend in a house hidden behind sword ferns in the historical town of Chiran in Kagoshima, Japan. Lee holds many secrets, some of which threaten to tear him and his life apart. As he struggles to figure out what to do, he sees a strange girl with a samurai sword outside his room.

Meanwhile, in October 1877, Sen is the daughter of a samurai, the last survivor of a failed rebellion. As she trains under her tyrant of a father for a new rebellion to reinstate the samurai, she feels the inevitable coming with both excitement and trepidation. That is, until she sees a strange foreign man in the window of her bedroom in a house hidden behind sword ferns in the former samurai town of Chiran in the Kagoshima domain of Japan.

Japanese Gothic was worth the wait.

First off, the language was so vivid and evocative. From the setting to abstract concepts to the characters, the way Baker uses words is powerful. And speaking of characters, wow! The main characters felt so damn real! Sen felt like she came right out of the best of anime, with a fully rounded and complex character, and Lee…well, Lee felt like he was less of a person and more of an amalgamation of problems and personality quirks. And at first, I really didn’t like him. In fact, I’m still not sure how I feel about him, though I have to admit, his own character arc is as compelling as Sen’s.

As for the story, freaking phenomenal! Reading as Lee and Sen encounter one another, then get to know each other, and then try to solve the mysteries that occupy their attentions, made the book hard to put down. It was also really touching to see them get to trust each other. They’re both very broken people, but watching them grow through their relationship and what they discover through it made my heart go out to them. And I did not see many of the twists coming, which was really welcome. The last fifty pages or so just kept me in shock and on the edge of my seat!

If I did have a criticism, I would have to say that when we finally do get explanations of what the hell’s been going on at the end, it was rather abstract and might be hard for some readers to understand. As someone used to understanding the wilder episodes of Doctor Who and who understood most of the science in the Godzilla anime series, I think I understood it well enough, but I can imagine the frustration another reader might experience.

Still, I am in love with this book and cannot wait to meet the author at StokerCon next month. It’s definitely not the sort of novel I could write (and I’ve written books with the same elements before). On a scale of 1 to 5, I’m giving Japanese Gothic by Kylie Lee Baker a 4.8 out of 5. Surprising, powerful, and enthralling. Grab your copy now, sit back, and prepare to be sucked in with the force of a hurricane. Preferably with some gagaku music played on the biwa in the background.*

*If you don’t know what those are, Google it. It’ll make all sorts of sense.

“The Pure World Comes:” Four Years Since Release!!!

Posted: May 10, 2026 in Novel, Progress Report, Scary Stuff, Writing
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Run into all the creepy houses! Summon a lightning storm! Uncover terrible family secrets that will haunt you as much as any ghost! The Pure World Comes is officially four years old!

Well, technically it came out as a story on an app in 2021, but I always count May 10, 2022, when the paperback and ebook were released, as TPWC‘s real birthday/release day.

Now, for those of you who don’t know, The Pure World Comes is a Gothic horror novel I wrote in 2020. It was the very beginning of the pandemic, and I had had this idea for a novelette about a maid in Victorian England who goes to work for a mad scientist rolling around in the back of my head for a few years now. In fact, I’d spent several years just researching everything I could about the Victorian era just so I could bring the novel to life! And then suddenly, I was working from home and I had all this time to myself. I dove in, still thinking it would be a novella, and two months later, I came out with a novel that came to me in a frenzy.

A year later, the novel was published on the app, and another year later, it was out in paperback and ebook, followed a few months later by an audio book. A beautiful and creepy love letter to the Victorian era and all the scary stories that came out in that period.

Here is the blurb on the back cover:

Shirley Dobbins wants nothing more than to live a quiet life and become a head housekeeper at a prestigious house. So when she is invited to come work for the mysterious baronet Sir Joseph Hunting at his estate, she thinks it is the chance of a lifetime. However, from the moment she arrives, things are not what they seem. As she becomes wrapped up in more of the baronet’s radical science, she realizes something dark and otherworldly is loose within the estate. And if left unchecked, it’ll claim the lives of all she holds dear.

Funny story: last weekend, I was at Columbus Horror Con, and this young woman came up to check out my books. She picked up a copy of TPWC and let me know, not without some shock, that her last name was Dobbins, and her grandmother’s name was Shirley. Coincidence? Yes, but still a wild coincidence! Almost like fate. Anyway, she bought a copy, and when I signed it, I wrote that I hoped that she and her grandmother enjoyed the book.

And the nice thing is, lots of people have enjoyed The Pure World Comes since it came out. Here is what some people have said reading it:

This book kept you on the edge with its many twists and turns. Really haven’t read anything like it. I will follow this author 

Amazon Customer, Amazon

I love it when I’m pleasantly surprised by a book. Rami Ungar is not a debut author, (according to the back of the book, this is his fourth novel), but his work is new to me and so I went in not knowing what to expect.

What I got was a short novel so perfectly Victorian and utterly Gothic that it made my old-fashioned self giddy as a schoolgirl.

Heather Daughrity, author of Secrets My Grandmother Told Me, Goodreads

There were quite a few things I liked about this book – the attempt to make it historically accurate (required a lot of research), the author’s take on a possible Jack the Ripper scenario (no spoilers!), And the Big Reveal itself. I quite like the idea. I think it has many possibilities and potential uses as a plot device for future (possibly non related) stories…Exceptional work.

Ronald W. Gillepsie Jr., author of Inside My Nightmares, Amazon

I’m very glad that these people have loved this book so much. And there are several more reviews where that came from, if you care to look. (More on that below.)

So, what’s next for my little Gothic horror novel? Honestly, all I want is for more people to read it, so I’ll keep trying to make that happen. Thankfully, I’ll have plenty of opportunities in the future to find new readers. Hell, I managed to find a woman named Dobbins who’s grandmother’s name is Shirley just the other day. I’m sure there are other people who will want to read it. And if they do, I hope they let me know what they thought. Not only do I appreciate feedback from my readers, but leaving feedback in public spaces like Amazon or Goodreads helps other readers as well.

And if you would like to read TPWC, I’ll include links below. It’s one of the most widely available of my books, if not the most widely available, so I’m sure you’ll find a bookseller that you use. And if you like what you read…well, you know.

Anyway, that’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. I’m off to celebrate the anniversary and maybe get some more writing work done. Until next time, good night, pleasant nightmares, and is that the ghost of Jack the Ripper behind you? Careful, he’s got a knife!

Amazon
Apple Books
Audible
Barnes & Noble
BingeBooks
Chirp
Fable
Goodreads
Hoopla
Kobo
Libro.Fm
Palace Marketplace
Scribd
Smashwords
Spotify
Storytel
Thalia
Vivlio

“The Shadows That We Carry” is Now Available!!!

Posted: May 7, 2026 in Scary Stuff, short story, Writing
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I don’t know if I’ve ever been more excited for an anthology to be out over the short story I have in it. It’s a weird feeling, but still amazing. An anthology I am extremely proud to be in. And it is now available.

So, in case you didn’t hear, The Shadows That We Carry is an anthology organized in memory of my friend and colleague MG Mason, better known as Matt. Matt was a British horror author who also organized a huge weekly meetup on Twitter (which later moved to BlueSky) called #HorrorWritersChat. For many, #HorrorWritersChat was not just a lot of fun–you know, talking about horror, writing habits, coming up with creepy microfiction–but a community. It still is. We’re still doing it, every Wednesday on BlueSky.

Sadly, Matt is no longer with us. He died of pancreatic cancer in November 2025. And he was such a cheerleader for his fellow horror writers. So when it was announced by one of the #HorrorWritersChat regulars that an anthology in his memory was in the works, I wrote something with the hope that I could be part of that noble effort.

As you can guess, I have a story in the anthology. “The Static Man” follows a college coed who is being stalked by an entity that resembles a man made a TV static. My beta reader Louise Conway, who is also in the anthology, told me she thought it was very creepy, so I’m very excited to hear what the rest of my Followers of Fear think.

Did I mention that proceeds from the anthology will go to charity? No? Well, proceeds from sales of The Shadows That We Carry are going to charity. Specifically, to the MacMillan Cancer Support fund, a UK cancer charity that seeks to aid all people in Britain affected by cancer. It was Matt’s favorite charity, and I’m glad I’m able to contribute to helping it, even if only a little.

Anyway, I hope you decide to check out the anthology. I’ll include links below. If you do and you read it, I hope you leave a review online so we know what you thought. Also, tell all your horror-loving friends and family. The more people who know, the better. And if you really like “The Static Man,” then please let me know. Your feedback makes me want to write more and better stories!

That’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. I hope you enjoy the anthology when you get a copy (mine arrives this weekend). And until next time, good night and pleasant nightmares.

Amazon UK
Amazon US
Ko-Fi

“Symphony for Walpurgis:” One Year Since Release!!!

Posted: May 1, 2026 in Living and Life, Novelette, Progress Report, Scary Stuff, Writing
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Happy Walpurgisnacht! Today, May 1st, is Witches Night (and day, apparently), as well as the Feast Day of Saint Walpurga. It’s a day where witches are at their most powerful, and where a saint with a reputation for fighting wishes gives people her protection. And, not coincidentally, it is the one-year release anniversary of Symphony for Walpurgis, my latest collection.*

Now, for those of you who don’t know, let’s do a little recap: back in 2023 or 2024, I could already feel the desire to write another collection of short stories, even though Hannah had just come out. And, because my shorter stories tend to be novelette length and novelettes are harder to find homes for, I decided to create a whole collection of novelettes! (For those unaware, novelettes are stories between 7,500 and 17,500 words.) I gathered some previously published novelettes, wrote some new ones for the collection, and, after changing the name and theme a thousand times, decided to name the book Symphony for Walpurgis and release it on Walpurgisnacht.

And yes, I’m pretty sure I named it that way just so I could release it on Walpurgisnacht.

And since the book was released, a number of people have picked it up, and some of those readers have even left reviews! Here are what some of those readers have said on the book:

All these stories are so very different, but they’re linked (in my mind anyway) by one common theme… that is, all these stories start out a certain way, but a turn of events during the narrative delivers a quite different story.

None of these stories are especially weak, but I have some stand out favourites: The House of Lafayette Square, Mother of Spiders, The Little Goddess of Horror, and Natural Predators. Even those I weren’t so keen on were solid, just a matter of personal taste.

Not my first outing reading this author, and it certainly won’t be my last.

M.G. Mason, author of Residents of the James Hotel, Goodreads

The best thing about this collection of stories is that I couldn’t predict what would happen next. For that, I give the book 5 stars. I enjoyed all of the stories, but it’s the “I didn’t think this was going to happen” fact that pushed them over the top.

Ruth Ann Nordin, author of The Earl’s Inconvenient Wife, Amazon

Bravo! This might just be Rami Ungar’s best work yet. Offering tales of unearthly retribution, dark mysteries, vampires re-imagined and blood curdling entities, Symphony is a gloriously ghoulish anthology with something for almost every kind of horror fan.

I absolutely adored the introduction; it creates a spooky atmosphere straight away and is so much fun, putting you in exactly the right mood for the horrors ahead. Each story is creative and the characters are so vivid and well crafted– Rami has done an incredible job of filling every page with witty prose, clever descriptions and emotions which pulled me right into the characters’ minds…100% recommend!

Louise Conway, Goodreads

That’s some lovely praise! And I’m especially touched, because these stories were a lot of fun to write and I feel they represent some of my best work. One of the best feelings I get as a writer is knowing people are reading and enjoying my work, and seeing the proof here just makes me want to write more and entertain those readers even more. With any luck, I’ll be doing that with new releases and acceptances this year.

Speaking of which, for the coming year, I’ve got high hopes for between now and May 1, 2027. Not only to get more people reading Symphony, but also to maybe produce an audiobook. Nothing concrete at the moment, but there might be an opportunity for it in the near future. I’ll keep you posted.

In the meantime, if you’re curious to check out Symphony, I’ll include links below. Like I said, it’s a collection filled with some of my best work (including a story featuring a Jewish exorcism, of all things), so I’d be really happy if you chose to celebrate with me and got a copy. And if you like what you read, I would be most honored if you wrote a review online somewhere. Positive or negative, I appreciate reader feedback. And not only do your reviews help me, but you help out other readers as well!

Amazon
Apple Books
Barnes & Noble
Goodreads
Kobo

Also, be sure to check out the book trailer for Symphony for Walpurgis. I worked really hard on it and think it totally gets to what I was going for with this book.

*Hannah and Other Stories was re-released last year in September, but it was originally released in September 2023. So, it’s not the latest, even though at times it feels like it. Just saying.

One more thing before I sign off, my Followers of Fear: tomorrow starts Columbus Horror Con! This is looking to be a fun con right here in my hometown, with celebrity guests, a film festival, and plenty of vendors. Plus, a scary karaoke afterparty on the first day! I will be there signing books and doing Tarot readings (as well as singing at the karaoke party). So, if you’re free and in Columbus tomorrow and Sunday, please stop by. I would love to see you.

You can purchase tickets here.

I’ll Be Teaching a Class at StokerCon!!!

Posted: April 30, 2026 in Living and Life, Scary Stuff, Writing
Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
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I already announced this over on my social media, but I wanted to make sure you guys heard about it here as well. So, as you know, I’ll be at StokerCon in June. And earlier this week, they announced the Horror University classes that will occur during the con. For those of you who don’t know, Horror University is a series of classes taught by members of the Horror Writers Association on the art of writing and horror. The subjects can range from Disability in Horror, to Scripting a Haunted House (yes, those attractions have scripts), to tone and word choice in your horror poetry. These classes can be held throughout the year, but many of them are held at StokerCon each year.

If you can’t tell from the title and preamble, I am teaching one of those classes. One of nine classes that will be occurring at StokerCon this year. And I will be teaching “Vending 101; Or, How to Successfully Vend at a Convention.” As you all know, I do several events a year, and have been doing so since 2020. Through trial and error, I’ve picked up a lot of experience and have figured out what works and what doesn’t work with these conventions, as well as how to find them.

With that in mind, I will be imparting my years of wisdom and experience to whoever decides to take the class. I’m sure many horror authors would like to try vending at a con or an expo but aren’t sure where to start or what they need to succeed in their goals. Perhaps I can help them with that and have successful experiences as con vendors without making the same mistakes I did.

So, what’s next? Well, I will put together a slideshow and some worksheets. I’ll also talk about this topic with a friend/colleague who is working on something similar. And I’ll see about practicing with one or more friends so I can be prepared for the actual class. And when the class date and time are set in stone, I’ll be sure to let people know so they can sign up. Hopefully a lot of people will show up. I’ll make sure to let you guys know when I know.

Oh, and just so you know, the classes aren’t included with the StokerCon tickets. You will have to pay extra for it. However, I like to think that price will be worth it. Also, I’m one of three horror authors from Ohio teaching Horror University classes this year, meaning a third of the classes will be taught by Ohio authors! I wonder if there’s something in the water that makes us Ohio horror authors both very scary and very good teachers?

Anyway, that’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. I’ll be back with another blog post very soon, believe me. So, until next time, good night and pleasant nightmares.

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