I did say in my last post that I would be talking about my upcoming plans in another post, didn’t I?
So, you’re probably aware that I have a collection of short stories coming out sometime in 2023 from BSC Publishing Group. That collection, Hannah and Other Stories, has been going through a lot of editing over the course of 2023, though we took a break for the holidays in November and December. Starting January 3rd, I’ll be starting work again on the collection. BSC sent me notes for four of the stories, so I’ll be working through those for the first couple of months of 2023.* After those edits are done, it’s back to the publisher, where they’ll hopefully give the okay to move onto the next stage and start getting things like the cover and the marketing push ready.
It also means I’ll be editing “Forever Young” and “It Changes You,” the stories I wrote in November and this past month. I think if I can find the right publishers or magazines or anthologies, I can either get them published individually or as part of another collection, but they’ll need work before I can send them out. Hence, editing.
And between now and January 2nd at 11:59 PM, I’ll be editing “They Sleep Within the Rock,” the novella I wrote where I put neo-Nazis through Hell. I wrote it last year, but have not touched it since then for some reason, so I want to get that done before I get back to work on Hannah. It’s about twenty-six thousand words, so it’ll definitely take more time than a single evening writing session to finish. However, it’s divided into ten chapters if I remember right, so I think if I knock two sections a night out, it should be fine.
Anyway, given all that editing, it’s no wonder I’m calling this the Great Editing, like it’s some dramatic event that could shape history or something. Then again, as a writer, isn’t part of my job making mundane things dramatic? Yeah, pretty sure it is.
In the meantime, however, it’s late and I have work in the morning, so I’ll be taking the rest of the evening off. So, until next time, my Followers of Fear, good night, pleasant nightmares, and, if I don’t post again before Saturday, December 31st, 2022, Happy New Year!
*I assume. Hard to tell how long all this will take. Life is unpredictable, isn’t it? For all I know, I could get it all done in a few weeks, or I could be finishing it all up in June. You just never know.
One more thing: I know I posted this in the last post, but I might not post again this week! Might as well repeat it so the message gets heard.
Anyway, for the first week of January, the electronic versions of most of my books will be on sale, as well as the audio book for The Pure World Comes from certain retailers! It’s my hope in doing so that it’ll be a great kickoff to 2023. Anyway, if you would like to read any of my books at a discounted rate, this would be a great opportunity to do so. So between January 1st and January 8th, go to the retailer of your choice and you’ll find most of my books there on sale. I hope you enjoy reading them, and if you do, please let me know what you think. Positive or negative, I love reader feedback and it helps me out in the long run (as well as other readers).
Well, that’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. This time, I’m serious. Good night and pleasant nightmares!
The original photo that started the Backrooms. At first, not too creepy, but then you realize that there’s no sign of human habitation. And that’s what makes it really terrifying.
Well, I didn’t think I’d get it done this weekend, but I somehow managed to do it. Merry Christmas/Happy Hanukkah/Happy Boxing Day/Happy Holidays to me.
So, as I mentioned in my last article on Ginger Nuts of Horror, I was developing a story based on the Backrooms, an internet urban legend that’s become really popular in the past year or so. For those who don’t know, the Backrooms were inspired by a photo of an empty office decorated with yellow wallpaper and some accompanying text, both posted anonymously. The text went something like this:
“If you’re not careful and you noclip out of reality in the wrong areas, you’ll end up in the Backrooms, where it’s nothing but the stink of old moist carpet, the madness of mono-yellow, the endless background noise of fluorescent lights at maximum hum-buzz, and approximately six hundred million square miles of randomly segmented empty rooms to be trapped in God save you if you hear something wandering around nearby, because it sure as hell has heard you.”
Spooky, no? The Backrooms has since gone viral, becoming a series of games, YouTube videos, and fan art, among other things. However, there isn’t a lot of prose fiction set in the Backrooms yet, so I thought I’d try to get ahead of the crowd and give it my own original twist while I was at it. After all, it was stuck in my head. Might as well make something with that.
Thus, I have created “It Changes You: A Backrooms Story,” which I have spent basically all of December working on. The story follows a bunch of people, particularly two teen girls named Kat and Ginger, who end up falling into the Backrooms, and what happens to them as they try to find a way out.
This story was a blast to work on for so many reasons. The first half is very strange and psychological, while the second half has body horror, some really gross stuff, and a bit of cosmic horror that was terrifying even to me! I also had a lot of fun making the main characters nerds into anime and Doctor Who like I am, and Kat in particular is a writer who also happens to be aromantic, like me.* I also based some characters loosely on characters from shows I watch, including Law & Order, and let my mind go in some really weird directions with this story, which allowed my characters to take over to a greater degree than I’d ever seen before with a story. Overall, it was just a great experience writing it.
And let’s not forget how much ambience helped me write this one. Prior to Kat and Ginger finding themselves in the Backrooms, I listened to YouTube videos of outdoor crowd ambience to get in the mood. Afterwards, I listened to ten-hour vids of fluorescent buzzing to really help me feel like I was in the Backrooms, and during the final scenes of the story, I listened to creepy horror music to get me in that cosmic horror mood.
And now this story is finished, a novella of decent length of nearly 27,000 words. Yeah, that long. No wonder it took all month to write. Anyway, I’ll let it rest a while before editing it and then sending it to a beta reader to look at. But honestly, I think it has potential. The Backrooms are still not as well known as other internet horror creations like Slender Man or Momo, so there’s plenty of room for this story to make a splash. That’s the hope, anyway.
So, now that this story is done, what’s next for me? Well, I’ll save that for another blog post. Right now, I haven’t had dinner, so I’m going to fill my belly, watch a late movie, and then hit the hay. Until next time, my Followers of Fear, good night, pleasant nightmares, and happy holidays! I hope Krampus didn’t visit you this year. Or maybe I hope he did, I honestly don’t know how many other people love the guy like I do.
*Aromantic means I don’t feel romantic attraction or want to be in a romantic relationship. Like, I’m physically incapable of doing so. It’s a real thing and a discussion for another blog post, but I liked putting it into a story through one of my characters.
One more thing before I forget, my Followers of Fear: in the hopes of starting 2023 off on the right foot, I’m having a special sale on my published stories. The electronic copies of most of my books will be discounted to 99 cents for the first week of January, and the audio book of The Pure World Comes will also be discounted for that first week from certain retailers. If you’re interested, please head to the retailer of your choice after the new year and download a copy.
And if you like what you read, please leave me a review letting me know what you think. Positive or negative, I love reviews, and they help me out in the long run. Not only that, but reviews help other readers figure out whether they want to read a story or not. Pretty sweet, right?
Right, now that’s the real end of this post. Until next time, pleasant nightmares!
I’ve been saying it all weekend, in person and on my other social media: one of the things I love about writing (among others) is getting to add my interests to the stories I write. And not just interests: I get to play with my favorite tropes, character types/archetypes, locations, and so much more.
And I’m not the only one: Stephen King likes to set his stories mostly in Maine or other parts of New England, have characters who are either writers or psychics (with the latter often being children), and just getting into weird ideas like aliens or extradimensional entities. Anne Rice enjoyed placing her stories throughout history, particularly places that are beautiful in some way or another, and telling stories that delve into our cruel but beautiful world (AKA the Savage Garden) via supernatural but very human creatures. Riley Sager enjoys deconstructing and turning classic horror movie tropes on their heads by making them the entire plots of his books, female leads who have some deep trauma in their pasts that affect their present, and a male romantic interest whom they should have no business getting with. HP Lovecraft–wait, let’s not get into him. We know what he liked, as well as what he hated.
As for me, I’ve got a few. For one thing, I like to include ballet and ballerinas in my stories. Part of that is that I love ballet like some people like football, but there’s also a symbolic reason. As I’ve said before, corruption of the innocent is one of my favorite elements of horror and ballerinas, particularly young ballerinas, are a symbol of innocence to me. With that reason, it’s no wonder I tend to add ballet and ballerinas to my stories when I get the chance. Though given that I write horror, I often put those poor dancers through hell. Just look at Maddy Taggert in Rose and Annie Hummel in “The Dedication of the Hight Priestess.”
Though whether or not that pattern holds with the dancer character in Crawler, I’ll let you guess.
I also enjoy putting my nerdy interests into my stories when I can. For example, in my WIP I’m working on now, I’ve included references to anime, fantasy tropes, and Doctor Who, among other things. In that same story, I also modeled two characters after the original detectives in Law & Order and named them after the actors who played them. And with half the story still left to write, I can probably find more room to add those in. It’s a blast when I do!
Some other things I like adding with my work when I can are:
setting my stories in Ohio
making some of my major characters Jewish like myself
noting the tropes I might be using while the character denies that their life is working like a story.
references to famous movies and books, especially those in the horror genre
my favorite periods in history (such as The Pure World Comes for Victorian England)
and powerful, sometimes godlike entities that often come from realms very much unlike our own
I love it when I get a chance to reference this show in a story.
And these are just the ones that I’m aware of. Some things are more noticeable to authors than others. I’m sure as I write and publish more, others will point out things about my writing that I never noticed before but will find very true.
But yeah, this sort of thing is a perk of writing fiction. They say “write what you know,” but what that actually entails is often quite different than what our writing professors often preach. Instead of basing our stories entirely on our own experiences and reality, we weave what we love into our stories and use it to spice up our stories. To make them the stories we would enjoy reading ourselves. And when you release those stories and find people enjoy them and the elements you add in…well, that makes it all the better, doesn’t it?
What are some elements you enjoy putting into your stories when you can, Followers of Fear? Let’s discuss in the comments below.
That’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. I mentioned this sort of thing to my folks after seeing Nutcracker last night and on social media after the Doctor Who reference was written into the story last night. After all that, it just felt natural to blog about it. Now, if anyone needs me, I’ll be making dinner and then getting back to my WIP. Until next time, good night, pleasant nightmares, and happy second night of Hanukkah!
On today’s interview, I have a very special guest with an amazing story. Some of you are probably already familiar with her story: earlier this month, fellow Ohio author Chelsea Banning took to Twitter to vent her feelings. She’d been at a book signing for her debut fantasy novel, Of Crowns and Legends, where forty people RSVP’ed that they would attend, but only two arrived. The response from the Writing Community was unexpected and massive, with many authors, including Stephen King, Neil Gaiman, and Joyce Carol Oates offering their own stories of poorly-attended events and offering their own help for Ms. Banning’s career. Stephen King even went out of his way to let his entire Twitter following know about her next event the moment she tweeted about it!
Since then, word about Of Crown and Legends has also spread and has become an Amazon bestseller with plenty of positive reviews (seventy-five at the time of posting). This is hopefully the beginning of a prosperous career, so I thought I’d pick the author’s brains sooner rather than later. So, please welcome Chelsea Banning, author of Of Crowns and Legends, to my blog.
Rami Ungar: Welcome to my blog, Chelsea. Tell us about yourself and your book, Of Crowns and Legends.
CB: My name is Chelsea and I am a Young Adult/Teen Librarian by day and author by night. I am also a self proclaimed geek. I love Marvel, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, cosplay, and Renaissance Faires. My book Of Crowns and Legends follows the twin children King Arthur was never supposed to have 20 years after his death. It is about their struggles to live in his shadow while also dealing with an upcoming war.
RU: I’m something of a big Arthurian legend fan myself, and have even written about it as well. What is it about the mythos that draws you to it?
CB: You know, it’s hard to say. I think it’s as mysterious as who exactly King Arthur is himself. There’s just some sort of magic that draws people into this story.
RU: Please describe your research and writing process for the book.
CB: I pretty much devoured any King Arthur book, movie, and TV show I could get my hands on. As I write, I did a bit of research along the way if I had questions. It’s a high fantasy, so it’s not historically accurate at all, but I did want to incorporate as much of myth as I could from all the different stories.
RU: Can you tell us about the book signing where only two people showed up and what happened later? What was your reaction to that?
CB: Yeah, I had reached out to Pretty Good Books after I saw them have another author signing. I had heard from quite a few of my friends saying they were planning on coming out, and then when the signing happened and only 2 people came, it was a little disheartening. I was still feeling a little bummed the next morning and just wanted to kind of get the feelings off my chest so they wouldn’t keep resonating in my head.
I did not expect it to take off the way it did and when I initially saw it, I was just in pure shock.
RU: Have any of the authors who encouraged and boosted you reached out to you personally? Have any of them read the book? What were their reactions to it?
CB: Brigid Kemmerer offered to help with advice about agents, and my old writing professor, Christopher Barzak, who is an award winning author himself, has been a huge help through all of this!
Joanne Harris offered some advice as well and it’s been so heartwarming. I love the writing community.
RU: So do I. Now, Of Crowns and Legends is currently an Amazon bestseller and averaging a 4.2 out of 5 there at the time of writing this. How does it feel to have found so many readers and getting so much positive feedback?
CB: It feels amazing. That’s every authors’ ultimate dream, isn’t it?
RU: Yes, it is. So, what’s next for you, both in terms of your writing and your career? Also, is there an audio version of your novel in the works? Asking for a friend who is actually me.
CB: I am currently working on book 2, as Of Crowns and Legends will be a trilogy. After completing this, I definitely plan to write more books. And I am working on an audio!
A very fantasy-esque photo of Of Crowns and Legends.
RU: Good to hear. Now, what are some books you’ve read recently and that you would recommend to other readers?
CB: Legendborn and Bloodmarked by Tracy Deonn, Queen and Conqueror by Isabelle Olmo, The Black Witch Chronicles by Laurie Forest, Among the Hunted by Caytlyn Brooke and Akithar’s Greatest Trick by Jason Dorough.
RU: What is some advice you would give to other writers, regardless of background or experience?
CB: Keep writing and don’t give up. Do some research on the writing process and pick out what works for you. Not every writer will be the same, and once you found your rhythm, writing will start to come easier.
RU: Final question. If you were stuck on a desert island for a little while and could only take three books with you for the duration of your stay, what books would you pick?
CB: A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas, Lord of the Rings, and The Other Merlin by Robyn Schneider.
RU: Well thank you for joining me here, Chelsea. I look forward to getting my hands on a copy of Of Crowns and Legends.
If you would like to check out Of Crowns and Legends, you can find it at most retailers where great books are sold. And if you would like to connect with Chelsea Banning, you can find her on her website and on Twitter.
That’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. I hope this piqued your interest in the novel (my interest certainly was). Until next time, good night and pleasant nightmares to all!
Well, it’s actually been two months, one week and four days since the book was published (not that anyone is really counting). But there’s a reason why we’re doing this so late. It’s because something extraordinary is happening today for the anthology.
Actually, there’s a lot happening with this anthology. Quite a lot of amazing things.
So, for those of you who don’t know, That Which Cannot Be Undone, or TWCBU, is an anthology of horror stories where every story is set in Ohio, written by Ohio authors, and revolves around the theme “that which cannot be undone.” It came about because some of my fellow Ohio horror writers and I wanted to see an anthology that emphasized how creepy our state can be. We even formed a small publishing company, Cracked Skull Press, to make it happen. It took a lot of work, a lot of planning, a very hectic crowdfunding campaign, and more marketing than you can shake a stick at, but we got the anthology written, edited, and published.
And as I said, a lot of amazing things have happened since TWCBU came out. We’ve received glowing reviews on Amazon and Goodreads, where the book averages a 4.7 out of 5 and a 4.3 out of 5, respectively. We also got a positive review in the Akron Beacon-Journal, which was pretty cool. A lot of libraries, including my local library, the Columbus Metropolitan Library, have bought copies of TWCBU (for those of us in Columbus, it’s been a big boost to our egos to learn that). But biggest of all is what’s happening with Kirkus Reviews.
Now, if you’re not familiar with Kirkus Reviews, it’s a magazine that has been publishing book reviews for nearly ninety years. Each review is read by an actual human, is honestly written, and is published on their website (if the writer/publisher likes the review). A while back, my friends and I at Cracked Skull Press submitted That Which Cannot Be Undone for a review, and they gave us a glowing one, which you can read here.
Now, getting a positive review from Kirkus is great. As I said, none of the reviewers are paid to say nice things. They give you their honest-to-God opinion when they read your book. However, as I said, Kirkus is a magazine. And while about ten-thousand reviews appear on the website every year, only ten percent of reviews submitted by the smaller presses and indie authors end up in the print magazine.
You might’ve guessed it, but the review for That Which Cannot Be Undone is going to be in the print version of the magazine. Which releases today, no less!
This is a big deal not just for TWCBU, but for everyone involved in its creation, especially the authors! What started out as just a dream among a few authors and a bunch of talk has led to a published book that is going to be read about in a magazine with nationwide circulation among readers and industry professionals alike! It could mean all sorts of doors will open up for the anthology and the people who helped make it happen.
And I’m so incredibly proud to be one of those people involved in the creation of TWCBU.
Of course, I have to be aware that all of you were instrumental in making this happen. Many of you pledged to our crowdfunding campaign, spread the word about the campaign and the book, read it when it came out, and then wrote reviews on blogs and websites, including Amazon and Goodreads. So, we wouldn’t be even celebrating this milestone, let alone all these amazing developments, without your help. And for that, thank you so very much. It means the world to me, the team at Cracked Skull Press, and those of us who sacrificed time, blood, sweat, tears, and more blood to bring TWCBU.
If you would like to check out That Which Cannot Be Undone, I’ll leave links for Amazon and Goodreads down below. You can get yourself a copy right in time for the holidays! And if you like what you read, please be sure to leave a review or a rating letting people know what you think. After all, we can’t know unless you tell us, and it helps us out in the long run.
That’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. Until next time, good night (or is it good morning?) and pleasant nightmares.
So, as you know, I attend a lot of events as an author, usually selling copies of my books and sometimes doing Tarot card readings. This past year of 2022, I attended more events than ever before, which helped to make this my most successful year as a writer since I started keeping track of how much I earned from the craft. And for 2023, I’m confirmed to be going to quite a few events. And in case anyone can attend, I’m listing all the ones I’ll be at.
If one of these is near you, please come by and say hi. If you can’t come by, find a way to come by anyway, because I would love to see you. Just be aware that with Stoker Con, I won’t be selling books and will be mostly socializing with my fellow writers of the craft. But hey, I think that means we can hang out. Provided you’re not my stalker, of course.
ConFusion 2023 Where: The Novi Sheraton Hotel in Detroit, Michigan When: January 20th-22nd, 2023 (times vary per day) Description: Michigan’s longest running science fiction convention, with an emphasis on the written word and publishing. Website: https://2023.confusionsf.org/
Hidden Marietta Paranormal Expo 2023 Where: Washington County Fairgrounds, Washington County, Ohio (they kind of outgrew the Lafayette Hotel ballrooms!) When: May 6th, 2023 from 10 AM – 4 PM Description: One of the most awesome paranormal conventions in Ohio. Website: https://www.hiddenmarietta.com/paranormal-expo
ParaPsyCon 2023 Where: The Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield, Ohio When: May 20th-21st, 2023 (times vary per day) Description: The most famous paranormal convention in Ohio, held in one of the most haunted spots in Ohio (as well as the filming location for the Shawshank Redemption). Website: https://www.parapsycon.com/
Canal Town Book Festival Where: Downtown Dover Ohio, at the corner of Wooster Ave and 3rd St. When: May 27th, 20223 from 10 AM – 3 PM Description: Part of the Canal Dover Festival, this is a great opportunity to meet local Ohio authors and discover new books Website: http://www.doverlibrary.org/about-2/canal-town-book-festival/
Stoker Con 2023 Where: The Sheraton Pittsburgh Hotel at Station Square in Pittsburgh, PA When: June 15th-18th, 2023 Description: The premier event for horror writers and fans in general. It’ll be my first time attending. Website: https://www.stokercon2023.com/
And that’s what we have on the calendar so far. I’m going to have a busy May!
Not only that, but there are likely going to be other events to attend throughout the year. I’m hoping to return to Mystics & Marvels and the Columbus Witches’ Ball later in the year, and there are others I’m waiting to hear about. I’ll keep you posted on those.
And, like this past year, I’ll only post about these events when I have new ones on the calendar or there’s one rapidly approaching that I want to remind you of.
Anyway, I hope you’re able to join me at some of these events and that we get to talk. And if not, you can continue to support me by reading my books and leaving reviews online so I know what you thought. In fact, that’s one of the best ways to support your favorite authors. And I hope I rank somewhere close to your favorites.
That’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. I’ll see you very soon. Until next time, though, good night and pleasant nightmares.
For some reason, you guys really liked it when I wrote a similar post last year, so I’m back to examine how 2022 was and what I’m hoping 2023 will be like. Or maybe you guys liked the graphics I used and am using again. But I like to think it’s the former rather than the latter.
Well, I don’t think anyone will argue that 2022 was a rollercoaster designed by someone who clearly didn’t mind putting us through the ringer. Among the lows, Russia invaded Ukraine; we lost numerous great people who helped shape many of our lives growing up and through adulthood; inflation and gas prices going through the roof; a maniac billionaire took over Twitter; and a housing crisis that continues to today. Among the highs, we got the darkest, grittiest and probably the best Batman adaptation ever; a third world war did not break out; the midterms were among the smoothest elections we’ve had in recent years (which might be saying something); and we got a stunning sequel to Black Panther that handled grief really well.
On a personal level, this year was just as much a rollercoaster as it was on a global/national/whatever level. That being said, the highs were pretty awesome. Among other things, I:
I bought and moved into my first home, a lovely condo with its own dishwasher, washer and dryer, and a garage. It’s a huge step up from my old apartment, made all the better that it’s quiet and getting way more bang for my buck. I love it here, I love being able to decorate the condo how I want, and I like having a lawn I can turn into a Halloween display every October (next year’s display is going to be even bigger and better).
I released The Pure World Comes in paperback and ebook in May, and had it professionally narrated for the audio book, which was released in August. That was a big deal for me!
I also had three stories and an article published, two of which I consider among some of my best work. I also wrote way more than I expected to, and even started a new novel that’s about a quarter of the way through right now. And this was probably my best year as an author, selling more books than I ever had before. Hell, I even got a nice grant in February, which was a big deal for me and helped me pay for a lot of author copies.
That Which Cannot Be Undone, the anthology of Ohio-based horror my friends and I came together to produce, was fully funded and released back in October. It has some amazing stories in it (I’ll let you decide if mine, “Is Anyone There,” is among the awesome ones), and has been racking up positive reviews left, right and center! And I have a feeling that more and more people are going to be discovering this anthology and loving it as time goes on, as well as spreading that love to their friends and families.
I was able to spend a lot of time with friends and family, some of whom I hadn’t seen since before the pandemic! Now that was something special.
And I’m still somewhat healthy, gainfully employed, have some savings, and able to pursue my dreams while living my life and occasionally doing a treat for myself/something impulsive.
That being said, not everything about 2022 was good. It was definitely an expensive year, inflation notwithstanding. Moving into my home, as well as all the money I spent on DIY home improvement projects and other necessities really put a drain on my finances. And as much I learned from writing, I also spent more than I thought I would, which was not ideal (I’m going to be way more frugal next year). And the whole moving process was a strain mentally, with every mishap really bringing down my mood and making me want to tear my hair out. And while in the end, all that stuff worked out, it was still a drag to go through.
There were other things, as well, like work. Work was extremely difficult this year. There are a number of reasons for that, none of which I’m going to go into. However, it was a lot of reasons, and they were problems throughout the year, so that made my life difficult and made me want to break out the beer and wine or the sweets more often than was probably healthy (don’t worry, for the most part, I held off). And there were other things that just made me want to scream and shout and tear my hair out.
Yeah, when this year was good, it was good, but when it was rough, it was perfectly shitty. Which is why I rate 2022 a “Meh.” Not as bad as the hell that 2020 was, but definitely could have been better.
Still, I try to focus on the positive stuff, so let’s do that. And next up is 2023. And there’s already a lot to look forward to this coming year. On the writing side of things, I’ll be finishing up edits on and releasing my collection Hannah and Other Stories, as well as hopefully getting other stuff written, edited, and published. I’ll also be attending numerous conventions as both a vendor and just a regular attendee, way more than this past year. Hell, I’m even going to StokerCon, the biggest horror convention in the world, for the first time! I have no idea what to expect besides an awards show, but I’m looking forward to all of it.
Not only that, but I also turn thirty this year. Yeah, the big 3-0, so I’m going to make sure my birthday celebration is as big as that deserves to be. I already have a few things planned out, but I’m looking forward to adding some more to make the celebration amazing and memorable. Hey, might as well go big or go home, right?
And I’m just looking forward to growing in my new home (which, at this time last year, I did not expect I would even have) and seeing what the new year will bring. New friendships, new stories, new adventures. I look forward to it all and hope that it’s all wonderful and crazy and just a blast. It probably won’t be, but it can’t hurt to dream and hope and pray.
How was your year, my Followers of Fear? What are you looking forward to in 2023? Let’s discuss in the comments below.
So glad I got to have a Halloween display this year. I can’t wait to see what I do next year.
One more thing before the blog post ends, Followers of Fear. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but we’re in the holiday season. And if you’re looking for a new horror story to read, or know a horror fan who wants to read something other than Stephen King, why not get yourself or them a book by yours truly? As you know, I have a number of stories available, with another book on the way, and they make great gifts for horror readers of all stripes. Not to mention, you’d be giving me a gift by helping me to advance my career and get my stories in more readers’ hands.
With that in mind, I’ll leave links down below, including for That Which Cannot Be Undone, in case you want to check out the books. And if you get one and like what you read, be sure to leave a review somewhere so I know what you thought of it!
That’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. Until next time, good night, pleasant nightmares, and happy Krampusnacht (yes, that’s tonight. Behave yourself and be very careful if you go outdoors for any reason).
I have some exciting stories on the way, just you wait and see.
Today’s December 1st, 2022, and it’s almost midnight as I’m finishing this post. Just over 29 days till 2022 is over. And yesterday, November 30th, 2022, close to 11 PM, I finished a new novelette. I wanted to blog about it, but it was getting late and I had to go into the office today, so I went to bed instead.
Worked out in the end though, because not only do I get to talk about this new story, but also what I’m going to work on next, and maybe a third or fourth thing as well.
Benefit of having a blog: you can write whatever you want to write (so long as it doesn’t break any laws or causes harm to others or yourself, of course).
So, my latest story is something I’ve been working on all November and finished last night in a mad dash to get it done by a self-imposed deadline of 12:00 December 1st. It’s called “Forever Young,” and follows the career of an actress who never ages past childhood. It’s currently a little over thirteen-thousand words, and I swear there’s a good story somewhere in there. It’s just lost in a rough draft that probably has too much in it or not enough. A lot of ideas that just need someone to sift through them and cut the gold from the shit.
Thankfully, a friend and a fellow writer agreed to beta read and critique it for me, so hopefully they can give me some idea on how to get it edited up to snuff. I’m sure it’ll take a lot of edits and maybe some rewrites, but I like and believe in this story too much (and I’ve spent too much time on it) to give up on it. With any luck, I’ll be able to make it into a story that people might enjoy and find a little thrilling.
So, what’s next? Well, I spent last month trying to write a novelette. I think I’ll spend this month trying to write a novella.
If you read my article on Ginger Nuts of Horror last month, you saw that I’m developing a story based around the Backrooms, an Internet-born urban legend about an endless maze of empty office hallways that stretch on for miles and are inhabited by entities that resemble nothing close to natural. At least, not as we define it. Anyway, I have the outline for that story ready and I’ve already written about eleven hundred words, so I’m going to try to finish this story by 11:59 PM, January 2nd, 2023. That’s when I’ll likely start working on Hannah and Other Stories again and will only be doing other stuff in-between edits of stories in the collection.
But hey, I’m looking forward to the challenge. I’m very excited for this story and the possibility of making my own unique twist on the Backrooms mythos that has been created. The Backrooms are a fascinating idea, very psychological and uncanny valley in their strange nature, and I want to further highlight how strange the space is by dropping some people in there and making them deal with the impossibility of the space, as well as what is capable of happening there.
Well, despite what I wrote at the beginning of the post, I don’t have a third or fourth thing to talk about. I guess I just wanted to talk about what I wrote last month and what I got on deck next. But hey, I had fun doing that, so I guess it’s cool. Like writing stories, as long as I’m writing what I enjoy, that’s all that really matters.
That, and I look forward to sharing with you all these strange and macabre stories I have coming down the pipeline. Stay tuned.
That’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. As the year winds down, I’ll be back with thoughts on the past year, as well as plans for the upcoming year. And if any good news pops up, I’ll be sure to let you all know.
Until next time, good night and pleasant nightmares.
If you’ve been paying attention to the news lately, you may be aware that billionaire Elon Musk bought Twitter and has been turning it from a somewhat tolerable landscape to a freaking hellhole. I’m not going to go into details, because you can read all that elsewhere, but suffice to say, a lot of people have been wondering if now is a good time to get off Twitter and find a new platform to interact with that does the same thing as Twitter. For us writers, we’ve been looking for a new platform where we can talk about writing and maybe avoid the vitriol that seems to have been given free reign on Twitter these days.
One of those platforms is called Hive Social, which I’ve seen a lot of posts about on both Twitter and Facebook this past week. It seemed like a good platform, a lot of writers and horror types I’m connected with were trying it out, and I’m usually slow on new social media trends and wanted to not be the last again, so I decided to give it a try yesterday. Besides, the platform’s website says it doesn’t tolerate hate speech or any other sort of awful behavior, which honestly appeals to me in the wake of certain decisions by Twitter’s new leader.
So, now I have an account on Hive. I’ve gotten about forty-something followers, posted a couple of times, and have liked other people’s posts as well. How does it compare to Twitter?
Well, it does have some room to improve. The app is slow to load or register likes at times, and the search engine feature doesn’t always bring you to the person you’re looking for, even when you type their full name in. You can’t access the app from the laptop just yet, only your mobile devices, and occasionally the app just shuts itself off mid-use. And you can’t leave a link so people can directly go to your page on the platform.
However, this may be because of its sudden popularity. I doubt anyone running the app could have foreseen so many people migrating over to Hive as Twitter continues to implode, so they’re probably scrambling to make sure the app is at least somewhat able to handle all these people. In fact, I did see a post from the app’s company asking people to be patient as they try and deal with the new influx of users.
So, there is a chance this app could improve as time goes on. Of course, there’s also a chance that it won’t replace Twitter and that we’ll stay on there. Or maybe we’ll go off both apps and find something else. It’s hard to tell the future. All we know is that Twitter might not be a good place to stay for the foreseeable future and that we may not be able to stay on there for much longer.
In the meantime, I’ll keep trying both apps for a while before I make any final decisions, one way or another. And while I can’t leave a link to my page on Hive, I can leave links to my other social media (though you can also look to the left and see them listed there). If you want to check me out on any of these platforms, please do. And if you end up subscribing, I hope you and I will have plenty of wonderful interactions on these other apps.
One more thing before I sign off tonight, my Followers of Fear: I found out today that my short story “The Dedication of the High Priestess,” which combines ballet with the figure of the King in Yellow, will be read aloud on the Tales to Terrify podcast this Friday. I’m so excited for you all to experience this story! I’m quite proud of it and I really hope you enjoy it. I’ll be sure to post a link as soon as it’s out.
The RMS Queen Mary, one of the locations I would like to visit someday.
So I may be super busy these days writing a hundred different projects while also working a day job, but there’s one thing I can always make time for: looking up haunted places I want to investigate. And as expected, I have ten more I want to visit and even investigate. And some of them are even close! I hope that means I can get into them eventually.
Anyway, let’s talk about some haunted locations I will want to visit, investigate, and eventually force one of you to join me for a night of terrifying occurrences. Yes, I might kidnap one of you, Followers of Fear. You know I’m capable of it.
Marsh’s Library, Dublin, Ireland Marsh’s Library was the first public library in Ireland, and dates back 300 years. From what I hear, folks like Bram Stoker and James Joyce may have spent time researching there and going through its over 25,000 volumes and manuscripts, some dating back centuries! Perhaps some of those books have spirits attached to them. What is known is that there are rumors that the library is haunted by its founder, Archbishop Narcissus Marsh, who is buried near the library. According to one legend, his beloved niece eloped and left a note for him in one of the books, so he’s searching for it. Seems a dumb reason to haunt a library, but that’s just the one legend I was able to find. Perhaps there are other stories behind it. Other ghosts. Which leads me to ask: when can I check in?
Central Ohio Fire Museum, Columbus, Ohio This one’s really close to me. Like, just a few miles away! Originally a working fire station until 1982, the building was turned into a museum by some firefighters wanting to preserve the history of firefighting. Today, it’s an educational center that teaches about fire safety and preserves the history of the profession in Ohio. However, there are some spooky happenings in that building as well: ghostly thoroughbred horses from the days before fire engines had engines are said to haunt the building, as does a dead fire captain who likes to take inventory. There are also reports of singing coming from nowhere. I don’t think this place is open to ghost hunts. Still, if I could, I would go.
Pine Street Saloon, Paso Robles, California The Pine Street Saloon is one of the oldest buildings in the area, having been around since the 1800s and used for various kinds of businesses. Today, it’s a working bar that’s open to the public and that has its fair share of spooky ghosts hanging around. I wouldn’t mind getting out the dowsing rods and doing a spirit session while also drinking a pint or two
Satan’s Hollow, Cincinnati, Ohio Supposedly there’s a storm drain in the Blue Ash neighborhood of Cincinnati that’s supposedly a portal to Hell. If you manage to find it and go inside, you’ll hear strange noises, ghostly voices, and even demonic growls. Videos online taken in the storm drain often have creepy voices that will deliver shivers to any viewer! Sadly, this place is on private property and going there means you’re trespassing. Apparently the police have to go there multiple times a year because of trespassing calls, especially around Halloween. Makes you feel sorry for the landowners, who are probably lovely people. Still, it would be cool to investigate. Just make sure to bring some sage with you before you go.
The Yellow House, Six Flags Over Arlington, Texas In Texas long ago, a little girl named Annie was found dead in a creek. Years later, the Six Flags company built Six Flags Over Arlington, and the land where that creek used to be became part of the park. Annie is sometimes seen around the park, but is well-known to stay at the Yellow House, a yellow building/concession stand near the entrance of the roller coaster the Texas Giant. From what I hear, a paranormal group investigated the building and did get some recordings from Annie, who is generally a kind and mischievous spirit. I’m not much for theme parks these days (too much standing around in line in the hot summer sun), but if I could investigate the park one night, I’d make the trip.
Sylvan Beach Amusement Park, Sylvan Beach, New York Another amusement park, but this one is supposedly haunted all over the place, and the park even acknowledges its history of hauntings with ghost tours. Supposedly, people who love the park so much in life stay behind after death just to enjoy the rides and games for all eternity. I’d be willing to come by after hours to check this place out.
Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island, Michigan The Grand Hotel is one of Michigan’s most beautiful resorts! Built in the 19th century, it’s a lovely building with great architecture and some lovely golf courses, stables, dining facilities and other attractions. However, there’s a dark history to the area. The island used to be home to both Native Americans and an Army fort, so there were a lot of deaths over the years. Supposedly, so many skeletons were found during construction, the construction crew gave up trying to excavate them all and just built over them. Stories of spirits haunting the place include a woman in Victorian clothing traipsing through the halls and climbing into beds at night, a man with a top hat smoking a cigar in the piano lounge, and a malevolent shadow figure with red eyes that was once spotted in the theater. I don’t know if they lean into their haunted history at all, but if they do, invite me over. I want to find some spooks!
Cachtice Castle, Slovakia Ever heard of Elizabeth Bathory? For those of you who haven’t, she was a Hungarian noblewoman who was accused of killing many young girls and women for the sadistic pleasure of it. Some legends even claim she bathed in the blood of her victims as part of a macabre beauty regimen (likely false, as it was first recorded a century after Bathory’s death and ascribes a very stereotypical reason for the murders. I guess for some people, women being sadistic for sadism’s sake is just too ludicrous). Nowadays, there’s a lot of doubt that Bathory did commit those murders, or as many as is popularly rumored. Instead, she may have been the victim of a witch hunt, accused of heinous crimes because she was a powerful landowning woman whom even the King of Hungary owed a favor to. God forbid they just let a woman be independent and capable and even a national leader! But even if the stories are lies, the castle where she supposedly committed those crimes is still around. Whether or not it’s the sight of terrible horrors, it’s probably picked up a ghost or two. Maybe even Elizabeth Bathory’s ghost. Who wants to visit with me?
Queen Mary, Long Beach, California A former British ocean liner, the Queen Mary was used as a commercial passenger ship and, during WWII, a naval troopship. In 1967, it was retired and moored in Long Beach, California, where the city purchased it and converted it into a hotel, museum and tourist attraction. Given its history, it’s not surprising that it’s gained a reputation for being haunted. One stateroom is home to the spirit of a man who was allegedly murdered, and a former third-class cabin is said to be, by the Queen Mary’s own admission, “notoriously haunted.” I want to go there, I want to investigate, and I want to write a story based in the hotel. Who’s with me?
Catalina Casino, Catalina, California A lot of California locations this time around, isn’t there? Anyway, this isn’t a gambling establishment, but instead comes from the original Spanish word for casino, “gathering place.” Indeed, the casino has a theater and a ballroom, and is where the residents of Catalina Island are supposed to head to when disaster strikes. However, the place is filled with a lot of spirits. A very aggressive woman supposedly haunts one of the lounges, spirits are sometimes heard knocking around the theater, and the casino once held a museum inside featuring skeletons of the local natives, which probably contributed to the hauntings. Anyone want to make a trip out to California?
That’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. I haven’t had anything really worth blogging about lately, so I’m glad I was able to at least get together a list of haunted locations to visit at the right time and post about it. But tell me, have you been to any of these places? Are there any I should add to my list for next time? Do you plan to become a ghost after you die, or do you have other plans? Let’s discuss.
Until next time, my Followers of Fear, good night and pleasant nightmares.
Rami Ungar The Writer 