The detective arrives at the crime scene and finds the body is nearly identical to another murder. A soldier is walking through a swamp, when they are warned by their sergeant that mines are buried underfoot. The bride leaves her groom at the altar, looking to find herself after years of being told what she should do with her life. The singer comes across Robert Johnson’s guitar, thought to be long lost, and finds there’s more than just history attached to it.
All of these could be the beginning of a story that starts in media res.
Latin for “in the middle of things,” a story that begins in media res is one that starts midway through the plot, rather than at the beginning. And believe it or not, a lot of stories start like this. Hell, you’re probably familiar with most of them. The Star Wars movies arguably all start in media res, as they all start when a conflict is well underway. The novel Gone Girl begins with the protagonist’s wife being discovered missing. Wicked, from novel to musical to movie adaptation (love those last two) always start with the Wicked Witch being a well known figure and with several events implied as having happened and being common knowledge.
That last example brings up something important: how do these stories start in the middle when there’s who knows how much backstory we’ve missed? Often, this is accomplished through dialogue, flashbacks, and exposition. Flashbacks are especially popular, with the majority of Wicked being flashbacks, and the Deadpool films using flashbacks to explain why the film starts off with Wade Wilson getting into some insane shit.
And in horror, in media res is also quite popular. From the classics like Dracula, Frankenstein and Jekyll & Hyde to modern entries like Firestarter and Nightmare on Elm Street. Many of my own stories also start this way: Rose begins with Rose Taggert waking up in a greenhouse with no memory of how she got there or of the past two years, “Queen Alice” begins with my main character Joshua Blumfield already giving his report on the urban legend, and “The Dedication of the High Priestess” begins with Annie Hummel going to a gallery after already serving as a model for three paintings.
Why do horror authors, as well as authors in other genres, begin their stories this way? Well, one thing is the immediate hook. Take Nightmare on Elm Street: it starts with Freddy crafting his claws and then chasing after a teenage girl, only to wake up right on time. We’re immediately left wondering what happened and why, and that keeps our interest.
This oil painting by friend and colleague Iseult Murphy is based on “The Dedication of the High Priestess.” The story is an excellent example of a story starting in media res.
It also makes for great suspense. Take Nightmare again: we’ve already witnessed what Freddy’s capable of in the first scene, and so we wonder what else he can do. Would that have happened if we started with Freddy’s first murders and then getting killed by the parents? That opening violence builds up our expectations and keeps us enthralled.
Finally, you manage to get through a lot of exposition writing this way. Take Gone Girl, for example. Gillian Flynn could have started the story with Nick and Amy meeting, getting married, and the fracturing of their relationship before Amy’s disappearance, but would that have been as fun? It’s more interesting and suspenseful to read about the disappearance and then see how their relationship developed.
Another great example would be my story “The Dedication of the High Priestess” (spoilers for a story that came out in 2022). As I said, that story starts with my protagonist Annie already having modeled for a famous artist. She then goes through the gallery, which then causes her to be caught up in the King in Yellow’s plot to come to Earth. I could have started with Annie taking ballet classes, being scouted for the painter’s new series, doing the modeling gigs, and then going to the gallery, but that would have taken a lot of time and pages, and a lot of effort to keep readers interested. Starting with the gallery showing, using dialogue and exposition to explain how we got to this start, and then getting straight to the horror was very effective.
So, there’s a lot of reasons to use in media res to start a story, no matter the genre. It won’t work with all stories (looking at you The Hogfather, Die Hard, and Kill Creek), but if it works with your story, and you can do all the backstory parts without any issue, I see no reason not to use it. After all, I use it all the time. And look at me now!
Thanks for reading, my Followers of Fear. I’m about to start a new story, and it starts so in media res, some readers might need to read the start again. I thought about starting it from earlier in the events of the story, what I would normally reserve for flashbacks or exposition, but it felt like it would take too long and take up too much of a word count. Thinking about it and weighing my options made me want to write this blog post.
And now, if you need me, I’ll be busy writing what may be the most Halloween-y story I’ve written to date. Until next time, good night and pleasant nightmares!
A temporary cover for The Shape of Evil. I think it captures the idea of the novel pretty well.
‘Twas the night before Christmas (and Hanukkah, coincidentally). And all the Haunted Condo, only the Rami was stirring. Because he’d finished the second draft of The Shape of Evil, AKA the 3D Printer from Hell story, and he’d only just gotten around to drinking the celebratory wine and writing the celebratory blog post.
Doesn’t rhyme, but I’m not much of a poet, so I think it’s okay.
So, as I said before, The Shape of Evil‘s second draft is now complete. And this novel, as I also said before, is about a 3D printer from Hell. I started writing it back in March, thinking it would be a novelette or short novella, and finished it as a novel back in August. Right around Thanksgiving, I began work on the second draft, and I finished it earlier today.
I would’ve celebrated right then and there, but at that point, I had to run an errand, then grab some takeout, and then do my usual routine of watching Die Hard on Christmas Eve. But now that that’s taken care of, it’s time to let you know and celebrate!
Overall, I saw a ton of improvement with the second draft. Not just with spelling/grammar/punctuation, but in finding plot holes and fixing issues I missed in the first draft. I also took out a lot of stuff that I thought worked for the first draft but, on the second go around, didn’t work. The final result was ten pages and around twenty-eight hundred words longer, at 283 pages (8.5 x 11 inch paper with 12-point Times New Roman font, double spaced), and 75,300 words. That’s about two thousand words less than the first Harry Potter novel (no, I will never stop using that book as a good comparison, even if the author is now a TERF).
So, what’s next for The Shape of Evil? Well, I plan to find a beta reader who can also double as a sensitivity reader. As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, my main character is non-binary trans, and I’m cisgender, so I would like someone from the trans community to read the manuscript and give me feedback to ensure I’m respectful to the community. I already have a few people in mind, so hopefully one of them would be interested. And if not, I have a few other ways to find someone.
Whoever reads it, after I get their feedback, I’ll do another draft. And after that draft is done, I think I’ll be ready to pitch this novel to agents. Particularly anyone at StokerCon this coming summer.
In the meantime, I have a new short story I want to write, and I have a new collection to start the work of self-publishing. No, I am not slowing down. I’m brimming with too much drive and imagination, and am nowhere near burnout, so I’ll keep plowing on!
(That being said, I am planning on spending at least one day in the coming week or so just chilling on the couch in my pajamas and reading or watching anime. It’s something I’ve been wanting to do for a while, so no time like the present!)
Anyway, that’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. I’ll certainly be back soon with more news for you. Until then, good night, pleasant nightmares, and to all those who celebrate, Merry Christmas! May we all get visited by three spirits (whether we want them to come or not).
Well, we’re officially in December. 2024 ends in just 29 days. I would say thank God, but I’m not convinced 2025 will be much better. Still, gotta be optimistic. Gotta keep plugging along. Gotta keep making plans, writing stories, and making things in my mind into realities.
And that’s what I’m doing now. Making plans, writing stories, and making them into reality.
First, my Israel trip. That’s fast approaching. And assuming the ceasefire with Hezbollah holds and nothing else happens, I should still be able to go. It’s been nearly a decade and a half since I was last there, so I’m really hoping things calm down a bit and move towards resolution.
In the meantime, I’ve started on the second draft of The Shape of Evil, AKA the 3D printer from Hell story. In fact, I’m already a fourth of the way through the draft! I’m averaging a chapter every time a night, starting from the night before Thanksgiving. Considering that it took me six months to get through the first draft, moving through the book this fast is a dream come true! I might be done well before I fly out later this month.
I hope so, anyway. When I started thinking up this story, and I realized that my three main characters would each have a disability, with the lead being non-binary, I felt this story would be important. And after the events of last month, I feel like this book could be timely. No, it is timely. And I’m determined to get it in the best shape so that when I pitch in June, I can find a home for it sooner rather than later.
Me every evening, working on the next big thing.
And after the second draft is done? Well, whether I go on my trip or not, I have a plan. I’ll find a beta reader/sensitivity reader for The Shape of Evil, and then work on three goals: writing a bunch of new short stories; editing three novellas; and putting out a new collection in the spring. The first two, I’ll be switching on-and-off working on. First a new short story or novelette, then one of the novellas I worked on earlier this year. Then another short story, then another novella, and then…well you get the idea.
With any luck, I’ll be able to start shopping these novellas I’ve written as a collection at some point, while also have a bunch of shorter stories to submit to every publication I can find.
As for the new collection, I’ll start in January or February by announcing the title, revealing the cover and release date, and getting the marketing machine rolling. I’m honestly very excited for you to learn more about this collection. I have a very good feeling about it.
Looking forward to doing this next year!
And if all goes well…who knows? Maybe I’ll somehow find more time for writing and even–finally!–get back to writing my mummy novel, Crawler. Yeah, I know, I know. I keep saying I will, and then something puts it further down the To Do list. But I will get it done. You’ll see. I’m making it a goal.
In the meantime, if you would like to support me while I work on all these projects, or if you’re in the mood for something scary to read, or if you’re looking for a good gift for the horror fan in your life, why not consider getting one of my books? Not only would it be a great gift for yourself or for someone you know, but you’d be giving me a gift as well.
Besides, plant/human hybrids? Strange gods? Mafia hunting serial killers and carnivorous horses? I got something for every horror fan, including free stuff! So, why not check them out? I’ll leave a button for my Books page below. Look and see what calls to you.
That’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. I’m going to at least try to start on the next chapter of The Shape of Evil (as I recall, this next one is rather long). Until next time, good night and pleasant nightmares.
Every year, I do this post. Every year, you guys seem to like it. I imagine it’s because I make sure to get good graphics for it. Anyway, with only 36 days and a few hours left in 2024 (yeah, where did this year go?), it’s time for my annual assessment of the year and what I hope will happen in the coming year.
And let’s start by being honest: 2024 was a shitty year.
Yeah, I had hoped roaring at it like a tiger would make the year too scared to fuck with me, but I think it either got mad at me or my roar had no effect. Either way, this year sucked. The war in Ukraine continues on, with no sign of an end anytime soon; the war in the Middle East continues, and that’s not likely to end anytime soon soon, either; the 2024 presidential election ended in a way most people in the world feared it would; riots occurred in England in response to a stabbing in Southport; several countries experienced unrests, coups, and God only knows what else; hurricanes pounded the US and other nations mercilessly; prices have continued to rise on necessities like food, gas, and housing; and do I need to go on?
Overall, a rough year.
Granted, there were some nice things that happened this year. From July till earlier this month, I felt intense hope for the future of our nation thanks to a certain leader whom I hope we haven’t seen the last of. And the solar eclipse, as well as the northern lights being seen farther south than usual, was cool (I only saw one of those, but still cool). But all in all, it was a really shitty year.
On a personal level, yeah, 2024 was also quite shitty at times. The return to the office three days a week at my workplace had a ripple effect which caused my office’s workload to triple, leaving us stressed and struggling to stay on top of it. As a result, several times my performance suffered, which has had far-reaching consequences. I was unable to get Hannah and Other Stories into paperback, which was a major goal for me this year, and because of the economy and some other factors, I did not do as well at certain events as I expected. I was diagnosed with diabetes in August, which was a huge upset for me and has required me to make major adjustments to my lifestyle (don’t worry, I’m doing okay, but it still sucks); and it looks like my trip to Israel is in jeopardy because every airline is cancelling flights into the country due to the war (God forbid I get to visit my people’s homeland!).
Yeah, it’s been bad. I had to actually start attending therapy due to the huge amount of crap and stress I’ve been through this year. And I doubt I’m the only one.
Life was rough, but at least I got some good writing done this year.
Still, there were some highlights, and I try to focus on them:
I wrote some of the best stuff I’ve ever written this year, including a new novel, The Shape of Evil, which I plan to pitch at StokerCon next year; my first adaptation, a radio play of “Hannah” from Hannah and Other Stories, was released on Halloween (you can check that out here); my short story, “White Leaves” was released on the same day on the Tales to Terrify podcast (you can listen to that here); and despite underperforming at certain events, I did very well at others, and will probably make a profit this year instead of a loss.
Also, I started work on a new collection, and I plan to put it out in spring next year. More to come on that later.
Outside of writing, my health has improved thanks to all the changes I’ve made in my lifestyle; I’m still in a well-paying job that allows me to cover my expenses (and hopefully I’ll stay in the job or something similar until I’m able to write full time); I was able to do some traveling and even visited a few haunted locations; I had a couple of vacations over the year that were really restful and relaxing; my sister got married, and we got to do a little celebrating with her and the new in-laws; I got two new, really awesome tattoos; and I might still be able to travel to the Holy Land later this year.
So yeah, shit year, but I still have things to be thankful for (and right before Thanksgiving, too).
And what will happen in 2025? Well, like I said, I plan to release another collection and pitch The Shape of Evil to agents and editors at StokerCon (expect me to start editing later this week); hopefully I’ll get some more stories written and published, and maybe even (finally!) get back to writing my mummy novel Crawler; I’ll be seeing some amazing Broadway shows and a few ballets; hopefully I’ll get closer to writing full time; I plan to get another tattoo in the spring; and maybe I’ll do some more traveling. I do want to go back to Vegas or New Orleans again, if I can afford them, or even go abroad.
And I expect I’ll be resisting certain things from our incoming government, but sadly, life can’t be trouble free.
In any case, I hope 2025 comes with the resolution of certain world conflicts, and that any new troubles are mild compared to what they’ve been these past few years.
How was your 2024? And what are you hoping or expecting for 2025? Let’s discuss in the comments below.
One more thing, my Followers of Fear: as you know, the holiday season is upon us. And if you’re looking for some good horror to read, or you’re looking for a gift for that horror-loving friend in your life, why not try some of my books? From plant/human hybrids and strange gods to Mafia-hunting serial killers and carnivorous horses, I have something for every horror fan. I’ll leave a button below so you can check out my bibliography.
And if you like what you read, please leave a review online so I know what you thought. Positive or negative, I love reader feedback, and it helps other readers, as well.
And until next time, my Followers of Fear, good night and pleasant nightmares.
In recent days and across my social media, as well as on my blog, the number of people following me has grown by leaps and bounds. Why is that? I have my theories, but this post isn’t about theories. Instead, it’s to better introduce myself to my new Followers of Fear, as I like to call the people following me and supporting my writing career.
And since I’m a horror writer, obviously I’m doing thirteen items to get to know me better.
So, without further ado, here’s what will hopefully be a fun introduction to yours truly. And who knows? Perhaps some of my long-time Followers of Fear might learn something that’ll surprise them. It’s happened before!
I’m a writer of horror and dark fantasy with five books under my belt. I’ve been writing since I was a kid, and in college, I started self-publishing books. My first book was a collection called The Quiet Game: Five Tales to Chill Your Bones, which came out in 2013. The next year, I published a slasher novel called Snake about a serial killer hunting mobsters in New York City (think John Wick, Taken and Friday the 13th got smashed into a novel). Both did okay, and continue to get readers today.
Five years later, I published my first novel with a publisher. Rose was released by Castrum Press in summer 2019, and followed a young woman turned into a plant/human hybrid (and that’s just the start of her problems). I followed Rose in 2021 with The Pure World Comes, a Victorian Gothic horror novel about a maid who goes to work for a mad scientist. And last year, in 2023, I published my second collection, Hannah and Other Stories, which was released by BSC Publishing Group.
That’s all five of my books out now. I’m proud of all of them and all I’ve managed to do with them over the years. And I plan to put out more in the years to come.
All five of my currently available books. I love them and am so proud of them (and their awesome covers).
I’m Jewish, queer, and have disabilities. Growing up, my life has been an interesting ride, to say the least. Not only did I grow up in a fairly religious Jewish household, but both my father and mother are rabbis. I went to a Jewish day school for most of my youth, learning Hebrew and Judaic subjects for half the day and then learning normal stuff the rest of the day. I also went to synagogue nearly every week, and attended Jewish teen and college groups until I graduated.
To this day, I still practice a lot of the religious practices I grew up with and feel a strong connection with my faith and heritage.
I’m also bisexual. I figured that out in college, and came out about half a year after I came to that realization. Probably took me that long to get comfortable with it because, even surrounded by accepting people and LGBT family members, I still worried about being persecuted. However, I did come out and it was all good, which was reassuring. And then some years later, I realized I was also aromantic (if you’re unfamiliar, it means I can’t feel romantic desire or attraction). Which, looking back, felt pretty obvious, considering I didn’t care about having a relationship all my life. But when I realized it, it was still a bit of a revelation.
And finally, I’m on the spectrum. Have been my whole life. I also have ADHD, a form of albinism, an anxiety disorder, and most recently, diabetes. Yeah, that last one was only diagnosed a couple of months ago, and it sucks! To say the least, it was a shock for me and I miss not being able to eat sweets or have a drink as much as I used to. But, on the bright side, I’ve improved my health by leaps and bounds since finding out, and I plan to keep it that way. Too much to do in my life, after all.
And as I’ve gotten older, I’ve made it a goal to increase representation of these three groups, as well as their intersections, in my fiction. So far, I’m meeting that goal, and hope to release some of those stories soon.
My writing influences. My major influence is, without a doubt, Stephen King. I read IT as a preteen and it was a formative moment in my life! That whole summer, I was transported to Derry, Maine and, when I finished that book at summer camp, I knew what kind of books I would write for the rest of my life.
I’m also majorly influenced by the ideas of HP Lovecraft and the subgenre of cosmic horror, as well as Anne Rice and a ton of anime and manga. All those creators and stories have led me to writing some really insane stories, such as Rose, which I mentioned above, or “Fuseli’s Horses,” one of the stories in Hannah, which is about carnivorous horses.
But I’m not complaining. People seem to like my work, after all.
I love going to the movies and to the theater. It’s rare that a month goes by without me going to see a movie. Usually it’s a horror film or a new superhero film, but I sometimes go see comedies, fantasy and sci-fi films, and anime films getting theatrical releases. I just love going to the movies! I didn’t get to go as much as I wanted when I was growing up, so starting in college, I went as often as possible. And I still do.
Most people are surprised to learn I like ballet. Then they see how much it appears in my stories.
And now that I have a decent day job, I also go to the ballet and to touring Broadway shows. My interest in ballet started probably in college, and as a working adult, I got really into it. It’s gotten to the point where I’m kind of obsessed and look for ways to insert ballet and dancers into the stories I write! And as for Broadway shows, I think Disney movies as a kid primed me to be a fan of those, though the breadth and depth of musicals out there is far wider than Disney can think up, as it turns out.
Now, I have subscriptions to both the local ballet company and to touring Broadway shows that stop in Columbus. And I have to say, I think I would be just as psyched for one of my stories to be adapted into a ballet or Broadway show as I would be for a movie. Maybe even more.
I have several tattoos. To be precise, I have a chest tattoo of a tiger with a blue Star of David, a full back tattoo of one of my favorite ideas from the horror genre, a wrist tattoo referencing some of my favorite anime, and a Tarot card on my right leg that’s about halfway done. However, while I have my tattoos, I don’t normally share photos of them. That’s partially because I just don’t feel the need to. My tattoos are for me to express myself and to have my body reflect who I am. So, their existence on my body is enough for me.
Still, they’re awesome. And I plan to get more as time and money allows.
My most popular work is Rose. I’ve been publishing for over a decade now, but none of my work has done as well critically or commercially as Rose. And I think I know why: it’s the unusual story of a woman turned into a plant/human hybrid. Very weird, very Kafkaesque, and very fantasy horror. Add in that it’s a short but twisty read with Japanese folklore and mythology mixed in, and it’s not surprising that that book does so well.
Plus, you gotta love that cover.
Anyway, if you would like to check out Rose, you can check out its page HERE. I hope you like it if you read it.
I go ghost hunting at least once a year. I’ve been lucky to go to several different locations to ghost hunt. From famous places like the Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield, OH and the Lizzie Borden Bed & Breakfast in Fall River, MA, to lesser known locations such as the Anchorage Mansion in Marietta, OH and the Bellaire House in Bellaire, OH, with the hope to visit and revisit many, many more.
Also, I try my best to get my investigations on YouTube and upload them to YouTube. So, if you would like to check out my ghost hunting videos, you can check out my channel HERE. They’re spooky good!
I make my own wine. Most people don’t realize that you can brew your own alcohol at home, but it is, and there are plenty of people of doing it, including me. I’ve made a batch of plum wine, and I just finished and bottled a batch of pumpkin wine (yes, pumpkin wine). And I’ve been making my wines based on colors of the rainbow: plum wine is red, and pumpkin is obviously orange. Yellow will be dandelion wine, green will be mint, blue will obviously blueberries, and indigo/violet will be elderberries. And I can’t wait to try them all!
The pumpkin wine I made, all bottled up. Looks good, doesn’t it?
I bought my first home two years ago. For millennials like me, it’s hard to find an affordable home, let alone a non-fixer upper that you don’t have to share with a bunch of other millennials. However, I was lucky enough to find and buy a small condo for myself two years ago, and I’ve been living in the Haunted Condo, as I call it, ever since.
Sadly, it’s not very haunted by anything except me. I don’t know why, I’ve done voodoo rituals and everything else to make the place haunted, but so far, no otherworldly dice. At least I can make one hell of a Halloween display every October and decorate the inside as I like!
My yard is the spookiest in the neighborhood every October.
I’m the chapter coordinator for HWA Ohio. The Horror Writers Association is an international organization that supports horror writers and helps them network and grow. Ohio’s chapter is about six or seven years old, and I’m the guy who runs it! Which was never my intention: some other members organized the chapter, and I volunteered to find a venue. Somehow, I kept arranging locations for us to meet, and that morphed into becoming the chapter coordinator. And after the parent organization set a formal election process for chapter coordinators for all chapters…well, I ran without competition. I guess people think I’m doing a good job or something?
Anyway, HWA Ohio has its own website, which lists our members and puts out news about us. If you would like to check the website out and support us, click HERE.
So proud to have a story from this collection adapted into a radio play.
I recently had my very first story adaptation. Remember my collection Hannah and Other Stories, which I mentioned above? Earlier this year, I became acquainted with a producer for WCBE 90.5, a local NPR station who interviews local creative types. He also runs a yearly Halloween show, where a short story is adapted into a radio play, with the roles played by local high schoolers.
“Hannah,” the lead story in Hannah and Other Stories, was this year’s story. It was my first time having a story adapted, and it was so, so good! The kids did really well in their roles, and it was amazing hearing my story brought to life on the radio.
And if you would like to listen to it, you can! It’s available to stream online, and you can listen to it in full HERE. Let me know what you think if you listen to it. The more people who listen, the better for future shows and future students. Plus, who knows? Maybe another one of my stories will get adapted. It happened once, didn’t it?
I tend to break out in song at any provocation. I kid you not, this is something I did daily in high school, and which I do quite frequently these days. In fact, I’m part of a critique group with some of my fellow Ohio horror writers, and they say it’s not a meeting if I don’t burst out in song at least once!
Too bad I sing badly, but hey, why should I let that stop me?
What I’m working on now. I’m juggling a few projects at the moment. For one, I’m putting together another collection of short stories, and I hope to have more on that in the coming days and weeks. I also recently finished a new novel, The Shape of Evil, which is about a 3D printer from Hell, and I hope to have that ready for pitching to agents and publishers by June next year. Finally, I also have a collection of novellas I plan to work on at some point, and I have a mummy novel I started but put aside for other projects that I plan to get back to.
Plus some short stories to send out to magazines and anthologies here and there. Yeah, I’m a busy guy, aren’t I? But that’s kind of the way I like it.
Anyway, that’s thirteen things you need to know about me. I hope you enjoyed learning about me, because I enjoyed writing it. And if you did, be sure to follow this blog and my other social media to keep up with what I’m doing and when I have new work coming out.
And if you would like to check out any of my other work, I’ll leave a link to my book page down below. You’ll find all my published works and then some there, including free stories. And if you like what you read, I hope you’ll leave a review online so I, as well as other readers, know what you think.
Until next time, my Followers of Fear, good night and pleasant nightmares.
Occasionally, there’s a lot I want to post about, but none of it is enough for a new blog post on its own. In those moments, especially when it’s been a minute since I last posted, I like to do a little (ha ha!) post with quick updates about what I’m working on lately and things going on in my life.
So, without further ado, let’s get to some updates!
Working on New and Shorter Works
As many of you know, I spent most of last year editing various stories, especially those in Hannah and Other Stories. After the Great Editing was over, I wanted to do nothing but write new things, and a lot of them, too. And I’ve done just that, working on one short story, a couple of novelettes, two novellas, and, much as I didn’t expect it to, a new novel (more on that below). In total, I’ve written six new stories. One, “White Leaves,” will be published on an upcoming episode of the Tales to Terrify podcast, another is with an alpha reader, and the others need a second draft.
Looking forward, I have three new stories I want to work on. One, a story set in the Cthulhu Mythos, I’m currently writing an outline for. Once all three are done, I’ll actually edit some of these stories and try to get them published.
Shape of Evil and Crawler
Remember I mentioned above I wrote a novel? That novel, The Shape of Evil, was originally supposed to be a novelette or a novella, but I guess the story had other plans. Otherwise, I would have hesitated before committing to such a long project. Anyway, the story is about a 3D printer from Hell, and I plan to do a second draft of it in December. While the novel took me six months to write, I’m hoping the editing takes only a few weeks to two months.
Afterwards, I plan to get a beta/sensitivity reader to look at it (the protagonist is a non-binary teen, so I want to make sure I’m representing the community in a way that’s positive), and do another draft based on their feedback. After that…well, I want to pitch this story at StokerCon next year. See if I can find an agent or publisher for it right off the bat. We’ll see what happens.
And as for my mummy novel, Crawler, yes, I still plan to finish it. I need to finish all these other stories and then edit some of them, but yes, I still plan to finish it. I hate that I haven’t worked on it for so long, but I will get it done. Just you wait and see.
Upcoming Events
As many of you know, I have a big day on October 26th, 2024, here in Columbus. First, the downtown library will be hosting HWA Ohio for an event called Scary Saturday. It’ll be a big day full of readings, short lectures, fun and spooky games, and plenty of local authors selling their books, among other things. I’ll be there selling copies of Rose and giving a lecture on how horror can be therapeutic to some readers, as well as generally helping out.
And then in the evening, some of us will be heading over to the Thurber House, a local writing-focused organization, for their Halloween celebration to do readings and attend spooky tours. I’ll be reading from Rose and selling whatever copies are left over. Should be a good time.
And while I might be doing fewer events next year (can you blame me in this economy?), I do have a few I’m already scheduled to attend. I’ll be at Akronomicon in Akron, OH on February 1st, 2025, and I’ll be at Halfway to Halloween in Ann Arbor, MI on May 11th, 2025. Both sound like big events, so I’m looking forward to being there for the very first time.
And if other events come up, I’ll be sure to let you all know.
Other Stuff
There are some things I would like to discuss in detail here, but I’m not ready to do so just yet. I will say that I’m doing more to take care of my physical and mental health due to changes in my life. I am working out and eating healthier these days for the former, and I’ve noticed a vast improvement.
As for my mental health, I’m just doing a lot of different things, including finding time for self-care and talking to the right sort of people, to make sure life’s worries and cares don’t get me down. I’ve also noticed a vast improvement on this.
(Though for both, there is still room to improve).
Finally, a big announcement: I’ll be going to Israel at the end of the year.
I know, I know, there’s a war and I disagree with A LOT of what Israel’s government does. However, I do feel that the Land of Israel is my homeland and maybe the last refuge for me and my fellow Jews on this Earth. And it’s important at this time for my people to ensure this country continues to exist, whatever our feelings about the current situation.
Besides, I haven’t been since I was 17 and a friend of mine is getting married there, so I guess no time like the present.
That’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. I hope you’re as excited to read the works above I mentioned once they’re ready. In the meantime, if you want to support me, or you’re just looking for a good scary story (and I figure you would be, with only fourteen days to go to Halloween), I have plenty of good stories for you to check out. From plant/human hybrids and strange gods to Mafia-hunting serial killers and carnivorous horses, I have something for every horror fan, including some free stuff. I’ll leave a button below if you want to check out my work. And if you do, be sure to leave a review so I know what you thought.
Until next time, good night and pleasant nightmares.
I love horror and I love ballet. I often combine the two in my work. And when I find another author who has combined the two forms of storytelling, I want to read it. And if it’s good? I’m especially glad to read it. Jamison Shea’s novel I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast is Me is one of those books I’m especially glad to have read.
Taking place at the Paris Ballet and its attached academy, I Feed Her to the Beast follows Laure Mesny, a dance student in Paris who is the most talented in her class, but has had to deal with privilege and racism in the academy and the company every day. When a fellow ballerina she admires leads her into the tunnels of the catacombs, she is introduced to an ancient godlike entity that offers her a deal: her blood in exchange for the power she has always craved. Laure takes it, and it leads her on a path that could end in her stardom, or her destruction.
Where do I start?
Well, let’s talk about the horror. While there is some eldritch occult horror here, the real horror is with the human characters. Not just what the characters are willing to do for their goals, but what they’re willing to do to each other out of spite. Laure’s fellow dancers, often white and privileged, treat her horribly and tell her, behind her back and to her face, that she doesn’t belong and will never be good enough, even though she is amazing. More than a few bring up that she’s black and from a poor background and, in their view, wouldn’t be a good fit for the company. When Laure finally gets some power, it’s kind of scary how quickly she not only gets used to it, but how much she enjoys using it, including to do violence!
Not to say there isn’t some more traditional horror. The gods living beneath Paris are quite cool, as is the destruction they wrought, and there’s a murder mystery throughout the story which resolves in a way that surprised even me and which felt quite satisfying.
I also liked how most of the characters felt real. They’re all extremely complicated, especially Laure. She’s had it rough, coming from a broken family and dealing with racism and poverty, and often being told to be better and be perfect despite doing everything she should. And despite all that, she still wants to belong and feel loved by her coworkers, which honestly feels very human to me. I also empathized with her struggle to try to balance her dreams and her relationships. She’s not all good, and she’s very flawed, but it’s hard not to root for her, even at her worst. And we see her at her worst a lot.
I think the one flaw is that some of the supporting characters could have used some more development, especially Keturah. She sort of becomes a sister figure to Laure halfway through the novel, but I never really felt like we got a chance to see past her surface. Maybe in the sequel. (Yes, there’s a sequel, and I’ll check it out as soon as I can.) And, at times, the story did drag a little.
All told, I award I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast is Me by Jamison Shea a 4.5 out of 5. This is a riveting slow-burn novel that delights in being bad and in delving into the darkest parts of humanity. Get yourself a copy, put on Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring, and prepare to be transported. Believe me, it’s worth the read.
It’s a damn shame when something that’s supposed to be pro-writers turns out to be exactly the opposite.
Now, for those of you who don’t know, National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo for short, is both an annual event and a non-profit organization. The former takes place in November every year, during which participating authors try to write a fifty-thousand word novel in 30 days (that’s about 1,667 words per day if you’re curious). If you actually manage to write that many words, you get bragging rights and a printable certificate (it’s a self-challenge, so that should be enough. Besides, previous attempts at “prize packages” have not gone well). The non-profit of the same name runs the annual event, as well as connects writers in the same area and other services and programs.
Sounds great, right? And for a while, it was. In fact, I even participated while writing the first draft of my novel Snake, and hoped to do so again someday. However, the organization’s statement on AI writing, which I’ve included as a photo below, has now made that impossible.
So, to summarize, not only is NaNoWriMo going to allow people to use AI to write their novels for them, but they claim that people who condemn use of AI writing are classist and ableist.
Um, excuse me?
I’m going to quickly respond to that last part first, as it’s outrageous. It’s not classist to ask writers, who span the whole range of socioeconomic backgrounds, to write a novel themselves. You know, like they’ve been doing for hundreds of years? Besides, AI use isn’t restricted to any particular class, let alone those living in poverty. If it was, and writing the whole novel yourself was restricted to those above the poverty line, then it would be classist.
And ableist? I have disabilities! I’ve managed to publish five books and write many more stories despite that! And so have many other authors, such as Octavia Butler (dyslexia), Fyodor Dostoyevsky (epilepsy), Flannery O’Connor (Lupus), as well as many writers who I consider not just colleagues, but friends. If anything, saying a disabled person can’t write a novel without the use of AI is what’s ableist!
But let’s get back to the fact that NaNoWriMo is willing to accept AI writing. I’m going to let you in on a little secret: AI writing isn’t even writing! AI writing is a computer program studying hundreds or even thousands of pieces of work, often without the original authors’ permission or even knowledge, looking for patterns, and then putting out something that has patterns like the ones found in the works studied. The results are usually full of contradictions, unimaginative characters, little mystery (because how could a program grasp mystery or secret-keeping for later payoff), and a lack of love.
Because that’s what AI writing really is. A cold calculation by a computer program based on analysis of so-called patterns gleaned from stolen works, rather than a labor of love by an author who wanted to share their stories with people who enjoy similar stories.
And the people calling themselves writers who are using AI, like the guy on Threads who said I was jealous that he was going to reach fifty-thousand words in one day (he’s been blocked)? They’re not writing. At best, they’re checking the finished project to fix the algorithm’s mistake. Other than that, they’re probably playing video games or making sandwiches or otherwise finding other ways to not write!
And that’s the saddest thing about this. NaNoWriMo started out as a fun challenge, and the organization was meant to help authors reach their dreams. Both were to encourage authors to push themselves and see what they could do in a month’s time. In short, it was to encourage writing. For NaNoWriMo to embrace AI writing and enable this laziness, rather than supporting the writers who insist on genuine hard work and practice, is a slap in the face to real writers everywhere.
I’m not saying it all has to be handwritten, but it should actually be, you know, written!
So, what can you do, both as a writer and a reader? Well, I’ve heard some people say they want to form a new organization and event, but whether or not that leads to anything, we’ll have to see. In the meantime, the most popular reaction seems to be people are boycotting both the NaNoWriMo event and the non-profit. Personally, in addition to the boycott, I would encourage authors to continue writing one word at the time. You know, actual writing?*
I would also encourage you to support other authors, especially lesser known ones, who continue to put real effort into writing, and leaving reviews, as well as refusing to support the works of authors who use AI, or the organizations who support them. Together, we can work to ensure writing and storytelling isn’t corrupted by algorithms, piracy, and laziness.
*And it doesn’t need to be fifty-thousand words in a month. Great work takes time, so take all the time you need.
That’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. If you would like to help this non-AI using writer, especially with spooky season just starting, I’ll include a button below to lead you to my catalog. From plant/human hybrids and strange gods to Mafia-hunting serial killers and carnivorous horses, I got something for every horror fan. And if you like what you read, please leave a review so I know what you thought.
And until next time, my Followers of Fear, good night, pleasant nightmares, and only 58 days till Halloween!
Took a little longer than I expected, but I finally finished this book tonight and, as promised, I’m writing a review.
Jumping back and forth between the late 1990s and 2019, The Dissonance follows Hal, Athena, and Erin, who, along with their friend Peter, discover that they have mysterious powers. Powers that, according to Peter’s grandfather, stems from the Dissonance, a magical energy that stems from the gap between our broken world and the world as it should be. They start learning how to harness their powers, but tragedy strikes during their senior year of high school. Twenty years later, they return to their old stomping grounds as forces begin to throw the world out of whack. And in the midst of it all, a great evil descends on their hometown, dragging a closeted gay teen in tow…
I’ve heard this book called a cross between The Magicians and IT, and while I’m only vaguely familiar with the first one, I have to say, the comparison to IT is apt. Not only does it hop back and forth between past and present, but Hamill does a great job showing the characters as hormonal teens trying to navigate friendship and their lives in the past, and trying to deal with cosmic shift and their broken lives and relationships in the present.
As for the story, it’s definitely more in line with dark fantasy than horror. For example, the Dissonants conference feels more Harry Potter than The Craft. Still, it’s got some horror elements. The magic itself, which requires tapping into the pain and misery of life, is pretty dark in and of itself, and plenty of aspects of the novel are of the cosmic horror vein.
If there’s one thing I would have liked to see more of, it might have been more of the character Owen. I get that the focus was more on Athena, Hal, and Erin, but Owen was a relatable character and I would have liked to see the kid have a bigger role.
Well, if there’s a sequel, that might be a possibility. The book does present the possibility of being the jumping off point for a shared universe, like The Hobbit was for Lord of the Rings, but with more in common with the Cthulhu Mythos than Tolkien.
But getting back to the review, I award The Dissonance by Shaun Hamill a 4.5 out of 5. It’s an engaging dark fantasy novel with great characters and worldbuilding and a magic system that feels right for this wrong world. Grab a copy, tap into your deep well of inner pain, and prepare for a twisty, magical ride through hell.
That’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. Until next time, good night, pleasant nightmares, and only 61 days and one hour till Halloween!
Shoot off the fireworks! Summon the party demons! Sing praises to the gods for protection! I have completed the first draft of The Shape of Evil, AKA the 3D Printer from Hell story!
So, if you were unaware, I’ve been working on a story about a possessed 3D printer since March. It was originally supposed to be only a novelette or a short novella, but before I knew it, I’d devoted several thousand words to the first two sections of the story and was like, “Okay, this one’s going to be a novel. Why do I do this to myself?”
(This isn’t the first time this has happened to me, by the way. My Gothic horror novel The Pure World Comes was supposed to be a novelette. Boy, did that plan backfire in my face!)
Anyway, I’ve been working on this story since March, and the writing process was lengthened by how damn busy my life has been since spring. However, around halfway through the story, which was back in June, things started to speed up. I even managed to finish the last three chapters in single sittings, with the last one being written late last night after I met with my horror critique group!
If you’re curious, the story is 273 pages long (8.5 x 11, double spaced, 12-point Times New Roman font), and the word count is about 72,500 words. For context, the first Harry Potter novel was about forty-five hundred words longer. So, not a long novel, but a good length for a novel, to be sure.
Honestly, I’m really happy about finally finishing the story. Not only did it take longer than I thought to write, but I feel like this story has a lot of potential. Now, I feel like every one of my stories have potential, but I feel like this one’s going to be different. The story’s concept is a fun one and one I haven’t seen tackled in this or any other genre yet, and I feel like readers are going to empathize a lot with some of these characters.
So, some of you are probably wondering, “What’s next? And when can I read it?” Calm down, calm down, all in good time.
As many of you know, I like to give my stories a bit of time off after I finish the first draft before I edit them. In the case of The Shape of Evil, I plan to edit it in December, and hopefully finish the second draft by New Year’s. Afterwards, I’m going to try and find one or two beta readers who can act as sensitivity readers (my main character is nonbinary, so I want to ensure I wrote them well). After I get feedback from the readers back, I will do one more draft, and then try to find a home for the book. And from there, we’ll see what happens.
In the meantime, I’m going to take a couple of days to celebrate with good food, good drink, and good movies/anime. Then I’m going to write one or two non-fiction articles, and get started on some new stories I want to write. With three months and a few days till December, I think I can get plenty done (provided none of these stories want to become novels as well).
After all this work, I’m looking forward to a break.
And that’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. If you want to support me while I’m working to get The Shape of Evil and other stories published, you can check out my already published work. From plant/human hybrids and strange gods to Mafia-hunting serial killers and carnivorous horses, I have something for every horror fan. And with spooky season starting up, now is the perfect time to read some of these stories. I’ll be sure to leave a link below if you want to check them out. Be sure to leave a review if you do end up reading them.
And until next time, my Followers of Fear, good night, pleasant nightmares, and only 70 days till Halloween. Have you started doing your spooky dances yet?
Rami Ungar The Writer 