Posts Tagged ‘novel’

Review: “Wake Up and Open Your Eyes” by Clay McLeod Chapman

Posted: December 7, 2025 in Novel, Review, Scary Stuff
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“This book is perfect for your conservative relatives. Especially at Thanksgiving.” This is the description I got of Wake Up and Open Your Eyes by Clay McLeod Chapman, a satirical horror novel about a demonic apocalypse. With a description like that, I was intrigued. And this past Thanksgiving, I started the audio book.

To which I say, “Woo-boy? What did I get myself into?”

Wake Up and Open Your Eyes starts with Noah Fairchild, who goes from his home in Brooklyn to check on his estranged parents after his mother leaves a strange, conspiracy-filled message in his voicemail and then doesn’t pick up. When he gets down there, he finds his parents seemingly brainwashed into dementia by their conservative news shows. However, it’s actually the beginning of the apocalypse. And the demons are possessing people through their devices. And what they choose to consume through their devices.

As I said, this is a satirical horror novel, so there are plenty of funny moments that made me laugh out loud. One of the main sources of possession is a parody of Fox News, and it’s so thinly disguised, you can tell immediately which anchor is getting made fun of. In the final third of the novel, the story is actually narrated by a fictional version of a real life news anchor, only he’s a hallucination living in a character’s head to help them process these events!* And even in the apocalypse, people are posting videos to YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, as if they need to share their most intimate moments to make them real.

However, this is a horror novel, and it gets horrifying! The demon-possessed do some seriously fucked up shit when they take over people, and a lot of it is described in excruciating detail. The amount of body horror and gross out elements even borders on extreme horror, so it can be uncomfortable at times (I just barely tolerated it).

Still, it is hard to put down. While at first I could only listen to it in small doses, over time I got so hooked, I listened whenever I could. And the ending, while some may hate it, is definitely quite fitting for such a bleak horror novel.

On a scale of 1 to 5, I’m giving Wake Up and Open Your Eyes by Clay McLeod Chapman a 4.5. It’s bleak, horrifying, and pokes plenty of fun at a nation/world/species that is willing to give up its thinking faculties and let a talking head on a screen do the thinking for you (not just conservatives; liberals and everyone else, too). If you have a strong stomach and are at all interested, give it a read. You may never be able to look at cable news, wellness gurus, or even “Baby Shark” the same ever again, but it might just be worth it.

*And can I say, I find it so bold to put real, living figures in your stories, using their real names? I’ve read a few stories like this, such as Shoeless Joe featuring JD Salinger, or a story by Jonathan Maberry where Kevin Hart and Kelly Clarkson, among others, make an appearance. And ever time, I marvel. I know it’s kind of allowed if they’re a public figure and it’s either parody or their fictional selves are acting in a way that would correlate with their real selves. But still, it’s not something I would consider doing (especially when I put real figures in my stories as a form of punishment for real life bad acts). I would be too worried about getting sued!

“Welcome to Derry” Feels Like Returning to My Beginnings

Posted: November 17, 2025 in Reflections, Scary Stuff, Writing
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I first read IT by Stephen King when I was eleven or twelve: the same age as the characters in the flashbacks. And while I had been reading The Vampire Chronicles and most of Anne Rice’s books up till that point, I didn’t exactly classify it as horror (Anne Rice herself preferred the term “Gothic saga”). So, for me, IT was my first jump into horror since outgrowing Goosebumps.

And it expanded my world. Not only did the novel terrify me, but it showed me just what great, mature horror storytelling looked like. From the terrifying and insidious nature of Pennywise and It’s many forms, to how the novel took the time to let us get to know characters both major and minor. I was entranced and enthralled, even as I was terrified, diving deep into the book every opportunity I could get and learning as much as I could.

By the time I finished the book that summer, I knew what sort of stories I wanted to write in the future.

Without IT, I would not be the writer I am today. Or the person. I might not even be blogging to you right now, now that I think about it!

I bring this all up because, if you weren’t aware, there’s a TV show airing on HBO Max called Welcome to Derry. Taking place in the same universe as the movies, the show goes into events during the 1962 cycle, which was the cycle before the first movie. And unlike the movies, which focused on a core group of characters first during their early teenage years and then during their adult years, Welcome to Derry focuses on a wide variety of characters, including school kids, military personnel at the local Air Force base, and the nearby Native American population.

It’s very Stranger Things in its character development and methods of storytelling. And since the creators of Stranger Things were heavily influenced by IT, among other things, I guess it’s coming full circle?

Well, it feels full circle to me, because while watching the show, I feel like I’m getting a reintroduction to the horror genre. Just like I did when I was a preteen and dove into King’s book. It feels like I’m getting lessons in how to do creative and powerful scares, storytelling with large casts, and character development every time I sit down to watch the show.

Which, while being told through a visual medium instead of a literary one, I’m grateful for. While I’ve made strides in becoming a horror author, I still feel like I have a long way to go before I can be at the same level as the authors I admire and regularly read. And while I learn something about good storytelling every time I enjoy a good book, show, or movie, I feel I’m getting a Master Class in the subject from this show.

Hell, I think in the short story I wrote most recently, some of what I gleaned from Welcome to Derry made it into the story. I wasn’t originally going to apply what I learned, but it occurred to me while I was writing, and I was like, “Oh. That’s good. That’s very good. Let’s try it.” And while I haven’t heard back from the alpha reader yet (I only sent them the story last night, after all), I feel like adding those elements gave the story an extra bit of excitement and terror.

So, with only four episodes of the show left (I have my doubts they’ll do a second season, though I would likely welcome one), I’m looking forward to seeing what happens next. And to seeing what I can glean for use in my own storytelling.

In the meantime, I’m going to get to work on some of that storytelling. I have stories to edit and send to the beta readers, after all. Wish me luck!

And in the meantime, good night and pleasant nightmares.

Me writing and editing under the influences of good storytelling teachers.

“The Shining” Hits Differently For Me As I Age

Posted: November 10, 2025 in Living and Life, Reflections
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The first time I read Stephen King’s The Shining, I think I was thirteen or fourteen. And while I was reading at the adult level, I didn’t always understand all the deep stuff that was being thrown my way. I think I understood Danny’s point-of-view the easiest. Sure, he wrestled with concepts usually grasped by brains more developed than a kindergartener’s, but he was still the youngest of the characters, and the one closest to me in age.

As for Jack and Wendy…well, they were adults. And at the age I first read the book, anyone past college age, especially any with parents, were ancient. Hell, some people just past high school age were ancient to me! So, when I saw the movie after I read the book (and I’m in the camp that hates the movie, like King himself does), I saw Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall playing Jack and Wendy Torrance, respectively, and was like, “Yeah, they seem the appropriate age.”

Then, in 2018 or 2019, I read it again. And not only did I understand all the difficult concepts way easier than I had last time, but I was shocked by something I hadn’t noticed before. And that was Jack and Wendy’s ages. Based on hints in the book, I realized they were around my age, in their mid-to-late 20s. In fact, at one point in the book, Jack hints that he’s only 29 or 30. And at the end of the book, Dick Halloran notices that Wendy no longer has any of the young girl he met in September the previous year, but is all woman. Which is something you might think when describing a woman moving out of her 20s (especially after an experience like the Overlook).

Like I said, I was shocked. As I said before, when I first read the book, Jack and Wendy seemed ancient to me just by being parents. So understanding that they were around my age, and had yet done so much more, like having a kid, was more than a bit of a surprise. Plus, the fact that Jack Nicholson, who was clearly in his 40s when he filmed The Shining, threw me for a loop. I mean, he already looks insane, but you also cast a guy who was so much older than the other characters? Boggles my mind.

Jack Nicholson may have been iconic as the character, but he’s at least a decade older than the character in the book.

And last month, I started the audio book of The Shining as part of my Halloween reading. And I’m 32 now, though I would say everything since 2020–COVID, elections, wars, etc.–has aged me mentally in some ways. Anyway, I just finished it yesterday, and I think I love the book more now than I did the first two times. I mean, I loved it plenty the first two times, but I think with age and getting hopefully wiser with it, my love has deepened. I understand the characters and appreciate how well-written the book is better.

And speaking of the characters, my reaction this time around to Jack and Wendy was much milder. Mostly me thinking, “Poor kids,” whenever they experienced something tough (which is pretty much everything from after their wedding to around the time Jack got possessed). Remember, these past five years have aged me mentally in some ways.

Also, Jack Torrance nearly got tenure in his teaching position before he lost it, and he wasn’t even thirty yet? I don’t know if that was more common in the mid-70s than it is now, but given the average age these days to get tenure, I’m impressed.

Anyway, every time I read The Shining, I get something new out of it. It’s like my relationship with the book, especially with its characters and themes, changes with every read. I wonder how old I will be the next time I decide to check into the Overlook, and what reaction I’ll have when I do. Maybe I’ll post about it after I find out!

What are your thoughts on the book? Has your relationship or reaction to The Shining changed over time? Let’s discuss.

That’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. I’m planning on starting a new short story tomorrow, so I better log off and get some rest. So, until next time, good night, pleasant nightmares, and–who let that bloated ghost lady into my bathtub?! I’ll have you know, only ghosts I invite in with me are allowed in there!

Review: “Fiend” by Alma Katsu

Posted: October 14, 2025 in Novel, Review, Scary Stuff
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Alma Katsu’s become one of those authors for me that, when I hear they have something new coming out, I immediately want to scoop up a copy and read it. And when I heard that, for the first time, she was releasing a horror novel set in our modern era, I was intrigued. When Fiend finally came out, I immediately went to the library to grab my copy (support your local libraries, kids!) and started reading as soon as I could.

That was about a week ago. I finished the book today. And now, I’m reporting my thoughts.

Set in our modern times and with some flashbacks to the past (which, based on the characters’ ages and context clues, I assume is somewhere between 2004-2015), Fiend follows the Berishas, a powerful family hailing from Albania that rules over a wide business empire. Specifically, it follows the youngest generation of the Berishas: Dardan, an anxious young man being groomed to run the family empire; Maris, who rebels against her father’s patriarchal views and wants to rule while also wanting to please him; and Nora, a wildcard who’s more than she seems. They are well aware that their family, ruled over by the tyrannical Zef, is rumored to be aided by a demon that keeps them rich and untouchable. But after a particular incident, the dominoes start falling. Dominoes that will change the family, and possibly bring down the dynasty, forever.

So, while this book has been marketed or compared to “Succession with a demon” (not sure how accurate that is, having never seen Succession, though I know the basic pitch), I would compare it more with 2015’s The Witch. The focus is on these characters, showing an intimate portrait of a family that is breaking down due to isolation, clashing egos, and external pressures closing in. The demon itself, like the witch in the movie, is just one of the catalysts that hastens the breakdown of the family.

And the way Fiend is written, it is hard to put down or look away. I was breezing through each chapter, just wanting to find out what happened next and how each of these fascinating, unhappy, often terrible people would hurt each other next. We spend the most time with Maris, and you can see Alma Katsu having a ball writing her and showing her trying to achieve what she thinks she wants. After her, we spend the most time with Dardan, who is desperately struggling under the weight of his destiny but too scared to find a way out of it.

My two criticisms are this: one, I would have liked to have spent more time with Nora. As I said, she’s a wildcard who’s more than she seems, and I would’ve liked to get further below the surface than what we got with her. I get why she’s the sibling we spend the least amount of time with, but I still wanted to know her. And two, I honestly wanted to see more interactions with Olga, the Berisha matriarch. She’s mentioned more often than seen, and I think it would have been fascinating to see how she’s weathered being part of this screwy family for most of her adult life.

But beyond that, Fiend is an excellent family drama/horror story. On a scale of 1 to 5, I’m giving it a 4.5. An enthralling deep dive into the world of corporate intrigue and what can occur from generations of abuse and trauma (plus a little demonic magic). If this sounds like it might be up your alley, grab a copy and get ready for one hell of a ride.

Trying to Find a Better Portrayal of Disability

Posted: September 12, 2025 in Living and Life, Reflections, Writing
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It’s no secret that disability has had a troubled portrayal in our media. There’s inspiration porn in the news, which tries to make able-bodied people feel “inspired” to achieve their goals at the expense of making the disabled seem pitiful and hopeless. People with dwarfism are often equated with fantasy settings or fantastical elements. And, of course, there’s horror. Horror’s history with disability has been, to say the least, fraught.

Look, I love this genre. That’s obvious. But it’s no secret that, when the genre was coalescing, a lot of horror came from stereotypes of minorities, and the disabled were no exception. Most often, disability was used as a shorthand for sinister or evil. The original Phantom of the Opera was a manipulative groomer, and his later portrayals have added plenty of murder. From Psycho to Split, people with DID are often portrayed as dangerous and even magical. And most of the famous slashers have some form of disability! It’s not the focus of the characters, but it’s definitely there.

That being said, it hasn’t always been bad. The 1932 film Freaks was actually pretty progressive for its time, with many of its disabled characters getting humanizing portrayals. American Horror Story‘s fourth season, Freak Show, was heavily inspired and influenced this film. A Quiet Place and its sequels have been very disability-positive.

The problem is, sometimes even the positive portrayals are problematic. I still cringe over the characters of Duddits from Stephen King’s Dreamcatcher, and the autistic kid in 2018’s Predator somehow being an important factor in human (and Predator) evolution felt…well-intentioned but missed the mark. And just earlier this year, I read a recent book by an author I like which included a character with mental disabilities who was kind of psychic/magical, a secondary antagonist with a cleft palate, and a main antagonist with an eyepatch!

That’s why I’m glad that, as both the community and the genre evolves, more disabled writers join it and include disabled characters like themselves in their stories. I’m among those writers. The Shape of Evil‘s three main characters all have various disabilities, and in two short stories I wrote recently, the major characters all have disabilities as well. The stories themselves are still not published, but I’m working to get The Shape of Evil out there, and the other two stories will hopefully find homes soon after I edit them.

And as those stories, as well as other stories by disabled writers, get published, perhaps there will be ripple effects. The fiction we consume can have a noticeable effect on our perception of the world. Perhaps with portrayals that are just not more positive, but also realistic, we can make the world a nicer place for the disabled.

And given that 1 in 5 people have or will get a disability, but most of the US is still not accessible and laws aren’t always disabled-friendly, that would be nice.

Events in 2025

Posted: August 24, 2025 in Living and Life, Scary Stuff, Writing
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Guess what? I have some new events I’ll be attending in the coming months! And, as is my sacred duty, I will tell you about them in case you’re in a position to attend any of them.

First, I’ll be at CryptidCon in Chardon, OH, on October 11, 2025! This new convention is going to be part of the Ohio Viking Festival, and will include authors, cryptozoologists, and more among all the Vikings and axe throwing and strong mead. The festival, and thus CryptidCon, will be from 12 PM – 6 PM, and I’ll be doing Tarot readings and signing books. You can find out more here.

Then, the Columbus Metropolitan Library is hosting HWA Ohio for Scary Saturday again! It will be taking place on October 25, 2025 from 12 PM – 3:30 PM at the Main Library in downtown Columbus. This year, we’ll be having a panel with our members, doing readings, and playing a game of Monster Mash (basically, we have lively debates about which famous monsters would win in a head-to-head fight). In-between activities, we’ll be selling books and feasting on Halloween candy. You can find out more here.

Right afterward, the Book Loft in Columbus will be hosting several of our authors on October 28th, 2025 at 6 PM. We’ll be at the Book Loft itself, which is a famous, historic bookstore in a 19th century building that twists and turns every which way. I won’t be doing readings or anything, but I will be there, probably in costume, hanging out and having a good time. You can find more info here.

Finally, we have the Columbus Witches Ball at the Ohio Brewing Company on November 1st, 2025 from 1 PM – 11 PM. In between dancing, rituals, and yes, pub food, I’ll be selling books and doing Tarot readings. If my last trip there in 2022 is anything to go by, I’m going to have one heck of a good time. You can find out more and grab tickets here.

Except that’s not all! I’ve got events already set up for 2026!

And I am going to tell you what they are.

First, I’ll be heading back to Akronomicon on February 7th, 2026 at the Emidio & Sons Banquet Center in Akron, OH. I had such a fun time at this horror convention last year, that I am coming back next year. And they got some cool guests last year, so I’m excited to see what the guest list for next year is! I’ll have more details as we get closer.

And afterwards, I’ll be at StokerCon again! This time, it’s going to be back in Pittsburgh at the Westin Hotel on June 4-7. This is an amazing event, where horror creators of all stripes get together to talk horror, network, collaborate, and have a scary good time. You can still get tickets here.

That’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. I’ll be sure to put out reminders for all these events right before they happen, and I’ll let you know if there are any more I get signed up for.

In the meantime, spooky season is coming up. If you’re looking for something to read for it, or you’d like to support me, or both, you can always check out my books. 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 include a link to my Books page below.

And if you like what you read, please leave a review online somewhere. Positive or negative, I love reader feedback, and they help me and your fellow readers in the long run.

Until next time, good night, pleasant nightmares, and 68 days till Halloween.

Rami Ungar’s Books

Updates on What I’m Doing

Posted: August 7, 2025 in Living and Life, Progress Report, Writing
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Usually, when I do these update posts, they have a sort of format, with specific sections devoted to specific items or topics. But this time, I’m doing things a little differently. Why? Well, it just feels right to do so.

Plus, it’s not like I’m overflowing with news. I just want to update you guys on a couple of items.

So, as you may already know, I’ve been doing a ton of editing lately. A Great Editing, so to speak. I’ve already edited two novellas, and I just finished editing another draft of The Shape of Evil, AKA the 3D Printer from Hell story. Yeah, I hear you. “What? You did another edit of that novel? Why didn’t you tell us sooner? That’s kind of your thing!”

Well, it was on the suggestion of one of the agents I pitched the book to at StokerCon. They got back to me last month and encouraged me to make some changes, including aging up the characters a bit, before they read the rest of the book. After some discussion and consideration, I agreed, and I’ve spent the past month doing those edits. The result is a fourth draft of The Shape of Evil, which I think is even stronger than the last one. And I’m looking forward to sending this draft to that particular agent very, very soon.

By the way, that new draft? I finished it yesterday. I took a day off from work for a mental health day and spent most of it just working on the draft. Finished the final 100 pages or so in a couple of hours.

Now, what’s next? Well, I think I’ll take a break from editing and work on some new short stories. I’ve already started doing research for one of them, and I already have all the research materials I need for the other one. After that, I have a short story, an essay on ballet and horror, and two more novellas that need to be edited. After that, I think I’ll focus on newer work while also trying to find homes for the already edited stuff.

Or I’ll edit the stories I plan to write and try to find them homes, too. Man, it’s so hard trying to strike a balance between writing new stuff and editing the completed stuff! Especially when you’re working a full time job and keeping up with all of life’s demands, like I am.

But hey, I’ll make it work somehow. I usually do.

So yeah, if this was too long to read: lots going on, lots of editing, and some new work on the way as well. But what else is new?

That’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. I have research to get to if I want to get these stories out. Man, just actively researching them and figuring out the names of the characters has me so excited! I’m looking forward to seeing how these stories turn out once I write them.

And speaking of excited, Followers of Fear, we’re 85 days away from Halloween. Have you decided what you’re going to be reading this spooky season? If you’re still looking for the write book, or you want to support me (or both), I have plenty of stories available, including some free ones. Not to mention a wide variety, too! So, if you’re at all interested, click on the link below and check out my bibliography. You might find your new favorite Halloween read among the catalog.

Until next time, my Followers of Fear. Good night and pleasant nightmares.

Rami Ungar’s Books

Review: “Helloween” by Duncan Ralston

Posted: July 28, 2025 in Novel, Review, Scary Stuff, Writing
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No, you didn’t read that wrong. That’s not a misspelling on my part of “Halloween.” That is the name of the novel, and since I heard of it, I’ve wanted to read it. I mean, with a name like that, how could I not? And with the audio book just getting released recently, I decided to give it a listen and see if this would become a new classic for spooky season.

Taking place during the Halloween immediately following the September 11 attacks, several strange things are happening in the small town of Crook’s Corner, Massachusetts. A famous scream queen is kidnapped in town while filming a new horror film. A science teacher is putting together a machine that causes those near it to see strange shapes. A Goth teenager and her little sister use the latter’s psychic abilities to play pranks on their grandmother. All this and more herald the coming of something evil: a cosmic being who wishes to become a god over all humanity. And this Halloween, they may get their chance.

This book was so hard to put down (or should I say put on pause?). The first chapter, where the scream queen is kidnapped, is shocking enough, but then the novel jumps back several hours, showing what the main characters–a group of high schoolers filming a horror movie for a class–are up to. And with those opening chapters, you get several different plot threads and you wonder how they’re all going to wrap up into one neat little package.

Which, much to my delight, they did come together nicely, leading to a harrowing story with a strong atmosphere of dread and tension. In fact, that’s probably the book’s biggest strength: the atmosphere. Once the horror part really gets going in Helloween, it’s just nonstop threat to the characters. Even in the pauses to the horror, there’s so much tension, it’s hard to relax. Add in some of the events in the latter half of the book, and you start to wonder if the characters can even triumph over the great evil.

And that’s the book’s second biggest strength: it’s characters, particularly the antagonist Geth. Geth is an ancient entity who schemes to become a god, and when it–or they, I should say–gets the ball rolling on their plans, you better believe that shit will hit the fan! And the way Geth is written, this alien being who thinks differently than us but plans to become a god over us, just makes them fascinating to follow. Even as you fear their victory due to their overwhelming power and disregard for both human life and human autonomy.

The other characters are great, too. Ralston manages to make almost all of the supporting characters– from kooky science teacher Ernie Combs and the Catholic priest to would have been right at home during the Crusades, to scream queen Darla Knight and the annoying kid who annoys almost all the other characters–feel real and fleshed out. And yes, there are a lot of them, but at no point did I ever feel like I was overwhelmed with the number of characters I encountered in the book.

Of course, our six main characters were no exception. At first glance, they do feel like your typical high school stereotypes: Cody the jock; Britney the popular girl; Jay the computer geek; Walden the film buff; Cassandra the Goth and her sweet little sister Taylor. But early on, we see that they all have deep dimensions to them, and that only grows as we get deeper into the story. Before I knew it, I couldn’t help but root for and love these characters dearly.

All in all, Helloween by Duncan Ralston is scary AF and sure to become a Halloween classic in time. On a scale of 1 to 5, I’m awarding it a 4.8. Consider picking up a copy and adding it to your reading list this spooky season. If you’re a horror fan, you won’t regret it.

The Problem with Jewish Portrayal in the Media I See

Posted: July 15, 2025 in Reflections, Writing
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Photo by cottonbro on Pexels.com

I was watching the movie adaptation of My Best Friend’s Exorcism with my sister the other day. And, right before they’re about to do the exorcism, the exorcist asks the main character if she’s been baptized. And the main character, a high school senior at a Catholic school, taking catechism classes and attending evangelical events at school, says in a deadpan voice, “I’m Jewish.”

My sister and I, as well as her roommates (it was movie night at her place), burst out laughing, because it was great comedic timing. Plus, it wasn’t something about the character that was in the book, so I hadn’t seen it coming. But looking back on it now, I can’t help but feel like it’s the latest example of an issue of Jewish portrayal in media.

I said in a previous post that I might be talking about problems of portrayal I see in media, thanks to the panel I was on last month. And I’ve noticed that portrayal of Jews in the media–at least the media I’ve been consuming–has been problematic. This is because, generally speaking, I have noticed Jews tend to be portrayed in one of three different groups:

  • The religious types. They’re Orthodox, with black coats and beards. At least one of the men is a rabbi, and if the story is speculative in nature, Kabbalah shows up somewhere. I’m not too upset about this portrayal, because I have seen some good and nuanced portrayals of this group since Fiddler of the Roof. I’ve even used it myself. Still, it’s done A LOT.
  • The barely-Jewish portrayal. They say they’re Jewish, but the characters eat bacon, have barely any connection to their ancestry, and their religious affiliation is only used as a joke or a quirk of their character. Examples include Howard Wolowitz from The Big Bang Theory, Rachel Berry from Glee, and, most recently, Abby Rivers in My Best Friend’s Exorcism. There are Jews like this, but it’s nuts that this is the biggest alternative to the religious types I see in media.
  • Jewish equals some weird behavior or stereotype. The fact that they’re Jewish usually translates to some silly behavior or conglomeration of behavior or traits that defines their entire character and is equated with their Jewishness. Maybe they’re clownish wimpy goofs that are always going “Oy vey” and speaking in funny voices, like Krusty the Clown in The Simpsons or Mort Goldman in Family Guy. Or they’re hypochondriacs, like Stan Uris in IT. Usually satirical, but sometimes it’s meant to be taken seriously or realistic, like in IT.*
Ziva David. So far, the most unique portrayal of Jew I’ve come across.

Honestly, the only character I’ve seen buck this trend is Ziva David from NCIS, a former Mossad agent from Israel who was tough, somewhat religious, and very connected to her Jewish heritage and faith. When I watched NCIS, I absolutely loved her, and was so sad when she left the series for good. That was a great and different portrayal of a Jew on media. (As for her being portrayed by a Catholic actress…well, she’s still a great character.)

But that’s the only one. And honestly, I think that’s a damn shame. There are so many different kinds of Jews out there: Jews who are religious but enjoy listening to the Ramones and going out for drinks and bowling with friends; non-religious Jews who are connected to their heritage and use it to make art; Jews who are both Israeli, Jewish, and Arab (just read about him yesterday in an article a friend sent to me); and the disabled Jewish horror writer who lights Shabbat candles on Friday night and keeps kosher while also seeing plays on Saturday afternoons or getting tattoos of Tarot cards all over his body.

Me, if you couldn’t tell.

This is why I’m not just writing an increasing amount of Jewish characters in my work, but also a wider variety of Jewish characters. There’s the married and heavily connected Jewish gay couple in “The Red Bursts,” one of the stories in Hannah and Other Stories; the rabbi, his less-religious but still Jewish best friend and his secular daughter in “The House on Lafayette Square” in Symphony for Walpurgis; and in The Shape of Evil, a Jewish teen on the spectrum (who’s only partially based on me). And I hope to write many, many more.

It may be only a drop in the water. But mentioning those stereotypes at StokerCon did make one or two writers consider how they were writing their Jewish characters. Perhaps mentioning them here, and writing all those characters, might cause some positive ripples. Which, in these scary times, would be most welcome.

I very much prefer this version of Stan than the one in the book.

*In all honestly, I hate Stan Uris. At least Stan in the book. I love King and I love IT. Hell, I’m a horror writer because of them both. But Stan was barely connected to his Jewishness, except in how it made him different, and he was more defined by his clean-freak nature and his almost worshipful adherence to logic and a normal world. In fact, it’s stated in the book that Stan’s suicide was because he wanted to “stay clean,” rather than get “dirty” and jump into a world completely outside of normal. I hated that.

This is why I prefer Stan’s portrayal in the movies. In the first movie, he’s the son of a rabbi studying for his bar mitzvah (I can relate) and, while being religious and connected to his heritage, is still pretty much a normal kid. And as an adult, his suicide is portrayed as him ensuring that the others are able to defeat It. A true sacrifice for the greater good. No wonder I prefer that version.

Well, I Got Myself Into Another Great Editing

Posted: July 8, 2025 in Living and Life, Progress Report, Writing
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Lots and lots of editing in my future. Again.

Some of you may remember that, for most of 2023, I was in what I called The Great Editing. It was a phase where, except for the occasional short story, I did nothing but editing. Mostly stuff related to Hannah and Other Stories‘s first time out, but a few other stories I was editing. When it was done, I hoped to do nothing but write original stories for a long, long while.

Well, man (or whatever entity I am) plans, and God (or whatever entity runs this universe) laughs.

Because I did write a few original short stories last year. And then I wrote The Shape of Evil, which took up half the year. And then I did another couple of stories. Then I did an edit of The Shape of Evil, followed by edits of the stories that were going into Symphony of Walpurgis. Followed by one original story, and then another edit of The Shape of Evil in time for StokerCon. Then I edited stories for Hannah‘s re-release. And then I edited a novella while also writing an essay (which I will likely have to edit soon before I can submit it).

So yeah. I’m in the Second Great Editing. I thought the first one was the editing to end all editings, but I guess a second one was just inevitable! I set myself up for that with the choices I made. And now I’m suffering through it. And it will likely set up the future of my career for decades to come.

Okay, enough with the World War II joke. Point is, I’m stuck in this Second Great Editing. And with two more novellas, that essay, and a short story to edit (plus another novella which needs serious rewrites), I’m likely going to be stuck in it for a while. Possibly till next year, if you can believe it! (Some of these stories will need to be edited again once I have beta readers look them over, after all.)

I’ll hopefully have news to share about this soon.

But you know, it’s not the worst thing. Yeah, except for that essay, I’m mostly putting original works on the back burner until I can get through editing all of these stories that I’ve let sit for so goddamn long. And I really have some new work I want to throw myself into!

But like I said in the WWII joke, I think all this editing is going to have an effect on my writing career. And unlike WWII, the effect will hopefully be positive:

I can’t really get into it right now, but I’m making progress with finding a home for The Shape of Evil. People are reading and enjoying Symphony, and people are getting excited for the return of Hannah and Other Stories. And I hope these four novellas will be published together as a collection. I think this essay, once edited, will make a great entry into a magazine or essay collection. And that short story is rough, but I think it’ll be quite spooky once it’s ready for readers’ eyes.

So, I think I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing: working on these stories so I can get them to you and, if I’m lucky, maybe write full time someday. I’m working hard to make those goals happen.

That being said, once I’m out of this Second Great Editing, I’m going to dive headfirst into some new stories. You can bet your ass on that!

(I’ll also finish my mummy novel Crawler and that witchy novella I was working on at the beginning of the year. I hate leaving things unfinished. Especially when I think they’ll be amazing once they’re done.)

One last thing, my Followers of Fear: this weekend is the Columbus Book Festival. This annual festival is full of amazing writers, vendors, and entertainers, and my fellow Ohio HWA members and I will have a booth there as well. So, if you’re in central Ohio this weekend, July 12 and 13, 2025, please head to the Main Library and Topiary Park in downtown Columbus. I would love to see you.

And if you can’t stop by but still want to support me, you can check out my work. From plant/human hybrids and strange gods to Mafia-hunting serial killers and carnivorous horses, there’s something for every horror fan, so why not grab a book and take a look? There’s even some free stuff. I’ll include a link to my books page below.

And if you like what you read, please leave a review. Positive or negative, I love reader feedback, and it helps both me and other readers in the long run.

That’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. Until next time, good night and pleasant nightmares.

Rami Ungar’s Books
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