Posts Tagged ‘novel’

“Rose:” Four Years Since Release!!!

Posted: June 21, 2023 in Novel, Progress Report, Scary Stuff, Writing
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I can’t believe I missed this milestone! I know I was busy, but man, there’s no excuse.

Anyway, to be precise, Rose was originally released two years ago yesterday. For those of you who don’t know, Rose is my most popular novel, and the first I published with an actual publisher. The novel follows a young woman, Rose Taggert, who turns into a plant/human hybrid. And that’s just the start of her problems! It’s Kafkaesque, full of Japanese mythology, and is plenty creepy.

Here’s the back cover matter:

Rose Taggert awakens in a greenhouse with no clear memory of the past two years and, to her horror, finds her body transformed into an unrecognizable form.

Paris Kuyper has convinced Rose that they are lovers and as Paris could not bear for her to die, he has used an ancient and dark magic to save her from certain death.

But the dark magic Paris has used comes at a price. A price which a terrible demon is determined to extract from Rose.

As Rose struggles to understand what is happening to her, she must navigate Paris’s lies and secrets; secrets that Paris will do anything to protect.

Not bad, right? And let me tell you, plenty of people have come to enjoy the book in that time. Here are the reviews:

Loved the premise and all of the descriptions of turning into a plant creature, as well as several other body horror scenes, were disturbing in the best way. I also liked the psychological horror of the story and was often at the edge of my seat wondering what would happen next…Overall, a solid horror story! I feel the strong beginning and surprising and intense ending made this a great horror experience and a book I would definitely recommend.

Emma, Amazon reviewer

One of the most original stories that I have read in quite some time. Rose is a tale that is hard to categorize; part horror, part urban fantasy, but entertaining from start to finish. This was my first time reading Rami Ungar, but it will not be my last.

John Watson, author of “Bloody Mary” and “Salem”

In this work, Rami Ungar paints a captivating picture of Japanese folklore and magic, which serves as a backdrop for a story about captivity, manipulation, and possession! His narrative style also captures the dread and claustrophobia of being a captive, not to mention the twisted pathology of the captor! Scary stuff, and all the while you’re rooting for the bad guys to get their just desserts!

Matthew Williams, author of The Cronian Incident

And these are only a small fraction of reviews Rose has received. As I said, it’s my most popular novel. And I’m hoping in the coming year that it’ll continue to grow in popularity and readership. Hell, I got to give a copy to an author I greatly admire at Stoker Con, so maybe she’ll tweet about it or something.

And if she doesn’t, oh well. Rose is constantly finding its way into the hands of readers, and they usually become fans. Some even leave reviews online, which is great because it lets me know other what they think and encourages other readers to check out the book.

Speaking of which, if you would like to check out Rose, I’ll include links below. You can get it in paperback, ebook, and audio formats. And if you do get a copy and read it, please leave a review online. Like I said, they help me and other readers out, and I would love to see what you think.

Anyway, that’s all for now. I may have missed the four-year anniversary, but I’ll be sure to do something big for the five-year anniversary. And in the meantime, you know I’ll be working like a demon to accomplish my writing goals.

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

Rose: Available from Amazon US, Amazon UK, Amazon Canada, Audible, B&N

StokerCon 2023 Was Amazing!!!

Posted: June 19, 2023 in Living and Life, Reflections, Scary Stuff, Tales across the US
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Me being silly in front of a big poster.

I’m back, Followers of Fear! And let me tell you, I had the best time at Stoker Con, the biggest convention for the horror writing community in the world! Four days spent with my comrades in the Horror Writers Association discussing all things horror and enjoying all things macabre. Honestly, it was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had!

And it was in Pittsburgh, which despite how difficult it is to drive in, was the home of George A. Romero, so his presence was felt throughout the convention. Hell, the city has kind of embraced Romero as sort of a patron saint, and the George A. Romero Foundation was even a sponsor for the con, so that made it extra special.

But back to the con. Honestly, how can I describe it to you? I guess I could go over the things that made it memorable to me while also supplying photos here and there. Yeah, that works, so let’s go for it.

All the awesome panels! I think there were over 60 panels and classes to take, and I attended as many as I could. All were a lot of fun and quite educational. I didn’t sit on any panels, but I did enjoy watching them. Some, like the Evolution of the Zombie panel, were more like a conversation between the panelists and the audience. Probably helped that I walked in pretending to be a zombie in need of caffeine and snacks.

The panel for portraying drug use and drug addiction. Started out funny, but quickly got serious.

Others, like the Bisexuality in Horror and the Mental Health in Horror, hit me in a personal space (for those unaware, I’m bisexual, and I am on the autism spectrum. I also have ADHD and an anxiety disorder, among other things). It was interesting to hear what others had seen about my communities in horror and how we can portray them better in our stories.

Others, like Writing Nonfiction and Pitching Your Novel, I went to see what tips I could glean from my more experienced colleagues. I got some great info from the former that are already producing results, and the latter will come in handy in a couple of years once I finish Crawler.

Every panel was definitely worth it!

Author readings! While I was there, authors gave and attended readings for upcoming and recently released works. I did a reading with Barbara Cottrell, Jeremiah Dylan Cook, and Gabino Iglesias on Friday. We each took turns, with me going third. Of course, I read from Hannah, specifically the story “What Errour Awoke.” I think people enjoyed it.

Me during my reading. And yes, I wear that hat and cloak during plenty of events.
From left to right: Jeremiah Dylan Cook, myself, Gabino Iglesias, and Barb Cottrell.

Of course, the best reading was from Clay McLeod Chapman. And it wasn’t even a reading, but a one-man show! He’d basically memorized a monologue where a seventh grade boy recounted learning sex ed and how the diagrams of the reproductive systems resembled Lovecraftian entities (and they kind of do, from a certain point of view). He flailed and gesticulated around the room while speaking loudly. It was the most hysterical histrionics I’ve ever seen! I wish I’d seen it on camera.

The Final Frame competition was intense!

Final Frame film competition. On Friday night, we gathered in one of the ballrooms for a competition of 13 short horror films from around the world. These films ranged from the comedic to the terrifying, and most were quite good. The clear winner was “The Queue,” about a content moderator for a video-sharing platform who finds the videos are way more than meets the eye. God, that film was so terrifying, my brain tried to repress it minutes after I’d seen it! If you get the chance, definitely go out and see it.

Honorable mentions go to “Shut,” “Eric,” “Drop Dead,” and “We Forgot About the Zombies.”

The Awards Banquet. Saturday night was when the Bram Stoker awards were awarded, and it was lovely. After a tasty dinner, awards were given out in Superior Achievement for a variety of categories (and I love that it’s “Superior Achievement,” not “Best”). There were a lot of laughs from our speakers and presenters, and some beautiful moments. Cynthia Pelayo became the first Puerto Rican horror author to win Superior Achievement in a Poetry Collection, and to win a Bram Stoker, overall. And Gabino Iglesias became the second not too long after, while also winning Superior Achievement in a Novel, the first Puerto Rican to do so.

And a lot of people won Stokers for the first time, leading to tears. I got to hug a lot of people who won their first Stokers after years of trying, and I was happy to be there for those moments. It was beautiful, and I’m so happy for them.

People showing interest in my work! Throughout the convention, people were showing interest and even preordering copies of Hannah and Other Stories (which you can do here). And during a mass author signing (think a book fair within a very small hotel room where you can either buy books or bring your own to get signed), I sold plenty of copies. It put a hop in my step to have so many people wanting to read and support my work.

Being with my people! It’s great being connected to so many horror writers online, and even meeting a few over Zoom or even in person from time to time. But it was nothing compared to meeting so many likeminded individuals in person, and being able to discuss horror subjects so openly. Hell, I had two different conversations on cannibalism in one evening!

Being part of this community, being able to meet and talk with people I’d only interacted with online, and making new friends, is truly special.

Me and my fellow HWA Ohio members: DM Guay, Neil Sater, Sarah Hans, and John Kachuba.
Me with Gabino Iglesias, first Puerto Rican author to win the Bram Stoker award in Superior Achievement in a Novel.
Me with Alma Katsu, Lee Murray, and Barbara Barnett, three amazing ladies of horror. Alma and Lee won Stokers later that evening.
Me with John Langan and Phillip Fracassi. The former and I had plenty of laughs sitting next to each other at the banquet.
Me with Patrick Frievald.
Me with Clay McLeod Chapman.
Me with Brian Keene.

So yeah, Stoker Con was absolutely amazing, and I was so happy to be able to go. And while I probably won’t be able to go next year (San Diego is a little too expensive for me), I would definitely like to go. Maybe next time, I’ll be able to sit on a panel. Maybe I’ll even be nominated for a Stoker award. That would be nice.

Opening ceremonies. It was great.

And if you get the chance, I would highly recommend going to Stoker Con. It’s a fun time and you can learn a lot. I’m already so inspired and can’t wait to start writing this week. Imagine what it’ll do for you.

Well, that’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. I got a lot of work to do before the day is over. But don’t worry: I’ll be back real soon. There’s still plenty to talk about.

Until next time, my Followers of Fear, good night and pleasant nightmares!

Events in 2023

Posted: June 11, 2023 in Living and Life
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It’s that time again. I have a bunch of events coming up, including a few new ones, so I’m listing them here and now.

First, I’ll be doing a reading at Stokercon this Friday! The reading will occur at 11:00 AM in the Brighton I Room in the hotel. I’ll be joined by Barbara Cottrell, Jeremiah Cook, and Gabino Iglesias, whom you may know from his Stoker-nominated novel The Devil Takes You Home, and we’ll each take turns reading from our work. My reading will be from one of the stories in Hannah and Other Stories, “What Errour Awoke.” Expect it to get very weird!

In addition, later that day at 5 PM, there will be a mass author signing that I’ll be participating in. This is exactly what it sounds like: lot of authors, lot of books to buy and get signed. Or you can bring your own and get them signed. Either way, show up in the Admiral Room this Friday at 5 and get ready to pick up some awesome books! Check the Stokercon website for more details.

Moving onto next month, HWA Ohio will be participating in the Columbus Book Festival on July 15th and 16th! It’ll be held at the Columbus Metropolitan Library’s main branch in downtown Columbus, and will have authors and organizations from around Columbus and Ohio. We’ll be selling books and meeting readers and having speeches and all sorts of other activities for readers of all ages. Be sure to stop by! You can check the website for more details.

Not too long afterwards, I’ll be at Gem City Comic-Con in Dayton, Ohio on July 22nd and 23rd. This will be a fun event for pop culture lovers of all ages, and feature comic book artists, authors, and so much more. If you can, stop by the Dayton Convention Center on those dates and say hi! I would love to see you. You can find out more on the website.

And then finally, HWA Ohio will be back for Mystics & Marvels on September 9th and 10th, 2023! We had such an amazing time last year and our members did so well, so we’re back again. Stop by the Franklin County Fairgrounds that weekend if you can and say hi. We would love to see you. And, as always, you can find out more on the website here.

And there will likely be more events in the future. I’ve already expressed an interest in returning to some and making my debut at others. Hopefully vendor applications will release soon and I can take part. I’ll be sure to let you all know as those pop up.

In the meantime, if any of you are unable to pop by these events but still want to support me, you can pick up copies of any of my books using the links below. And if you enjoy them, please leave a review online for me so I know what you think.

Anyway, that’s all for now. Until next time, my Followers of Fear, good night and pleasant nightmares. Even if it is morning when this post is going out.

Hannah and Other Stories: Preorder link

The Pure World Comes: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, Kobo, Goodreads, Audible, Chirp, BingeBooks, LIbro.Fm, Storytel, Palace Marketplace, Hoopla, Vivlio, Smashwords, Thalia, Scribd, Spotify

Rose: Amazon US, Amazon UK, Amazon Canada, Audible, B&N

Snake: Amazon, Createspace, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Smashwords, and Kobo

The Quiet Game: Amazon, Createspace, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Smashwords, and Kobo.

Snake: Nine-Year Release Anniversary!!!

Posted: June 10, 2023 in Novel, Scary Stuff, Writing
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What happens when you squish John Wick, Taken, and Friday the 13th into a novel? You might get Snake, the thrilling slasher horror story about a serial killer hunting after members of a powerful mafia family.

My longest published book, Snake was released exactly nine years ago today, in the same year John Wick was originally released (I swear, that’s a coincidence. And I didn’t see it until last year, actually). It was one of the books I had the most fun writing, and I feel like that comes through with my writing. I know, it’s concerning to have fun writing a story about a serial killer who’s the protagonist, but there you go.

Oh yeah, the protagonist in Snake, who is called Snake, is the serial killer. If you didn’t know that, now you do.

And I’m happy to say, there are people who love it. There are some who even find it frightening. Granted, my dad finds it frightening because he doesn’t like to think of his son being able to write such gruesome stuff, but other people simply find it entertaining and/or frightening because I wrote it well enough.

I mean, take a look at the reviews below:

Rami Ungar makes a promise to (the reader) in all his writings: he WILL scare you, and if he does “his job is done.” Snake will scare you. I am a huge Stephen King fan, so this should give you some idea of my tolerance level for gore, death and mayhem – I was scared. Rami takes you into places you would never have believed possible, and manages to pull his hero (and eventually his heroine) out of them against all odds. If you like to be scared. If you LOVE to be scared. You should read this book.

Angela Misri, author of the Portia Adams Adventures

This is the first novel I’ve read by Rami Ungar and i was an entertaining surprise. I read this novel after seeing the author’s post about it and I’m glad I did, even if it was into the wee hours.

Toni V. Sweeney, Amazon reviewer

The first two thirds of this book were killer for me (pardon the pun). I loved all the threads – the serial killer, the mob, the sex trafficking ring, the captured girl, the police trying to catch the Snake and fighting corruption and dissent within their ranks.

I found the psychological exploration of the makings of a killer really interesting. I liked how the author didn’t shy away from the brutal consequences of the killer’s actions.

I also loved Linda, the Irish wolfhound, although it was very foolish of Snake to bring his dog to his crime scenes when he was so concerned about physical evidence.

Iseult Murphy, author of “7 Days in Hell”

I found this an action packed, excellent, read! I actually enjoyed the creative ways Snake dispatched the Mafia members. Also enjoyed how it kept you interested. Thrilling!

Angela Boley, psychic medium and painter

Yeah, that last review is from a real psychic medium and painter. We met at a convention, she bought one of my books, and we’ve become friends since then. And as you can see, she really loved Snake and said she looks forward to reading other books by me in the future. That part isn’t in the review, it’s something she said to me, but it still rings true!

Anyway, if the description and the glowing reviews enticed you, why not check out Snake and give it a read? In honor of the nine-year release anniversary (and my thirtieth birthday, which is around this time as well). I’ll include links below. And if you read it, please let me and others know what you think. Leave a review online, post about it on your social media, whatever. So long as I and others know what you thought, that’s what’s important.

That’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. I hope you enjoy Snake and let me know what you think. Until next time, good night and pleasant nightmares.

Snake is available from Amazon, Createspace, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Smashwords, and Kobo

The Pure World Comes: One Year Anniversary and Sale!!!

Posted: May 10, 2023 in Novel
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One year ago, I published my love letter to the Victorian era and to Gothic literature, The Pure World Comes, in paperback and ebook. The story followed Shirley Dobbins, a maid in 19th-century England who only wants to become a head maid of a great household. So, after the death of her employers, she think she’s hit the jackpot when she’s invited to work for the estate of the baronet Sir Joseph Hunting. However, she soon finds out the manor is not only in need of more than a little TLC, but strange things are occurring there. Things that may be related to the baronet’s research into fringe sciences. And these strange things are turning increasingly dangerous.

Anyway, I can’t believe it’s only been a year since this book came out! So much has happened in that time. But a year has passed, and I’ve been lucky enough that many people are not only reading the book, but loving the hell out of it. As I said, this story is a love letter to the Victorian era and to Gothic literature, and I think I spent five years just doing research before I actually wrote it. I wanted to not only be able to breathe the era, but to have my readers breathe it too. And I think I succeeded on that front. I certainly succeeded in making a toilet scary.

Yes, I made a toilet scary. There’s a scene where a character uses the bathroom and something terrifying happens when she’s done. It’s one of my favorite scenes in the book.

But as I said, a lot of people have discovered and enjoyed the book, and I’ve been lucky enough to get their feedback. Here’s what people are saying:

I love it when I’m pleasantly surprised by a book. Rami Ungar is not a debut author, (according to the back of the book, this is his fourth novel), but his work is new to me and so I went in not knowing what to expect. What I got was a short novel so perfectly Victorian and utterly Gothic that it made my old-fashioned self giddy as a schoolgirl…Mixing classic-romantic Victorian elements with early science-fiction, tales of Jack the Ripper/Spring-Heeled Jack, and a bit of the occult, this book gives the reader a truly chilling and also slightly fun little Gothic adventure

Heather Miller, author of “Tales My Grandmother Told Me.”

Wow Literally Breathe Taking.

This Novella/ Short Story Packed a Powerful Punch. A Gothic Victorian Tale of Heart Retching HeartAche and Disparity to a Glorious Triumph. A Depiction of England around the Same time of White Chapel/and Jack the Ripper. This writers style and depth of description brings the reader right into the story as the events unfold. The Banter between the Characters is so natural. It will surely Become a Classic in its own Right.

This has elements of Dark Shadows Lara Parker (Angelique) books, as well as Thomas Megan and so many Victorian writers including Shirley Jackson

Joan Smith, Goodreads reviewer

There were quite a few things I liked about this book – the attempt to make it historically accurate (required a lot of research), the author’s take on a possible Jack the Ripper scenario (no spoilers!), And the Big Reveal itself. I quite like the idea. I think it has many possibilities and potential uses as a plot device for future (possibly non related) stories. I also listened to Rami’s other novel Rose, and this one is completely different. A little darker, a little more philosophical. Exceptional work.

Ronald Gillepsie, Amazon reviewer

And that’s just a small sampling of what people have been saying. You can read the rest by clicking on the Amazon and Goodreads links below.

And that brings me to some exciting news: in honor of the one-year anniversary, I’m having a sale! From now until May 17th, the ebook will be on sale from all retailers! And the audio book (yeah, there’s an audio book) will be on sale from Chirp, Spotify, Nook Audiobooks and Apple as well during this period. So, if you’re interested in reading the book but might be a little cash-strapped, now is a great time to get a copy and start reading! Links are posted below.

And if you like what you read, please post a review online. Not only will it let me know what you thought and maybe improve my writing, but it’ll let other readers know whether or not to get the book.

Anyway, that’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. I hope you all enjoy reading the book, and I can’t wait to hear what you think of it. Until next time, good night and pleasant nightmares!

The Pure World Comes: Available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, Kobo, Goodreads, Audible, Chirp, BingeBooks, LIbro.Fm, Storytel, Palace Marketplace, Hoopla, Vivlio, Smashwords, Thalia, Scribd, Spotify

Updates on What I’m Doing

Posted: May 3, 2023 in Living and Life, Progress Report
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Life is crazy, there’s a lot going on, so here’s some quick updates on what’s going on in my life and writing career.

Hannah and Other Stories

So, the next draft has already begun on Hannah. Currently, my editor is sending it to me story by story every couple of days, with “Hannah” itself arriving yesterday. (And yes, differentiating the two in email conversations with my editor was a hoot). I actually got the story done in one evening and sent it back, with the biggest change to the story just being that I changed some names of brands and public institutions. For example, YouTube became WeTube, Ohio State University became Aurelian University, and Disneyland in Anaheim because Mueller Land in San Dimas. Fun fact, took me about half an hour to rename Disneyland, but given that they’re a brand I don’t want to owe money to for using in a story, it was a half hour well spent.

I should receive the next story, “Queen Alice,” in a few days at most. When I get it, I’ll get it edited as quickly as possible and get it back to the publisher. With any luck, we’ll be done with this draft by the end of the month.

They Sleep Within the Rock and other projects

I finally got around to doing a third draft of this novella last week. With my beta reader’s help, I’ve been able to improve the story immensely, and have edited about seventy percent of the story. Unfortunately, while working on it, I realized the last thirty percent doesn’t have the oomph this story needs to be great. I mean, it’s a story about giving neo-Nazis some epic karma! You would think the story would have an ending on par with the explosiveness of Die Hard or the finale of The Little Mermaid (say what you will about that movie, but that finale is nothing to sneeze at).

So after a lot of messaging back and forth with my beta reader, I think I came up with a new ending that might be closer to my vision. I’ll be working on it in-between stories of Hannah, so it may take time, but I’ll get it done and back to the beta reader before too long.

After that, I would like to edit “The Underground Kings” and “It Changes You: A Backrooms Story,” as I’ve received some great feedback on how to improve those stories and I want to see what I can do with them. With any luck, they may even find homes!

And as for new stuff…well, I would like to get back to my mummy novel Crawler. And I do have some short stories, novelettes and novellas I might want to work on later this year. But really, nothing definite at this point. Just a ton of editing.

Horror Writers Association news

You may not be aware of this, but I’ve been the Chairperson for the Ohio chapter of the Horror Writers Association, HWA Ohio, since around its inception. I didn’t volunteer for the role or anything in the beginning, I just kept reserving meeting rooms for our meetings, and as we got more organized, I just kind of became the chair.

This year, the HWA implemented a system to elect chairs every two years organization wide. And I can officially say that I’ve been elected to serve the role two more years. I’m looking forward to serving as the Chairperson again, and to growing both the chapter and its members. If anything exciting pops up in that regard, I will let you know.

Anything else?

As you know, this Saturday I will be selling books and doing Tarot readings at the Hidden Marietta Paranormal Expo in Marietta, Ohio. It’ll be at the Washington County Fairgrounds from 10 AM – 4 PM. If you’re in the area this Saturday, please stop by, because it’s going to be a ton of fun.

I’m also going to be doing a flashlight tour and a ghost hunt at the local Anchorage Mansion this weekend with a friend, so hopefully we come across some spooky stuff. If we do, and I can, I’ll record it so you can see it!

And I finished Every Woman Knows This by Laurel Hightower, and thought it was a strong collection of scary short stories. 4 out of 5, won’t disappoint readers who give it a read.

Other than that, there’s nothing I can talk about. At least nothing that’s relevant to this blog right now or that I can talk about without getting into trouble. So, I’ll take this moment to bid you all a good night. Until next time, my Followers of Fear, pleasant nightmares!

Review: “Gothic” by Philip Fracassi

Posted: April 18, 2023 in Novel, Review, Scary Stuff
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I’ve been hearing about Philip Fracassi here and there for a little while now and was curious to try one of his stories. One or two of his books have even made it onto my TBR list. This one became available to me on Audible, so I snapped it up. And today, while cooking dinner, I finished the audio version of Gothic. Obviously, I have to share my thoughts.

Gothic follows Tyson Parks, a middle-aged horror author who was a big seller in the 90s but hasn’t turned out a hit since and needs one to stay afloat. It doesn’t help that he pitched one book to a publisher and turned in something entirely different to his agent. However, when his wife gets him a new writing desk for his birthday, one with a black stone top and lots of terrifying designs in the wood, he finds himself inspired to write something dark and violent. However, this inspiration, and the source of it, turns him dark and violent as well. And that’s because the desk isn’t just a desk. It’s something old and evil. And it has a terrible purpose in mind for Tyson.

I liked Fracassi’s writing style. He goes into the trials and troubles of a writer, especially one with bills, with both realism and a strong sense of humor. Not to mention, the story itself is dark and intriguing, moving along at a steady clip as you watch Tyson’s descent and how those he loves are pulled along for the ride. Honestly, there were some parts that made me cringe when I read them, they were just so brutal.

And the source of the horror, the writing desk, is a pretty cool concept. Yeah, at first glance it sounds like Christine gone silly, but the damn thing’s scary in more than just looks. Especially as it begins to exert a stronger and stronger influence on Tyson. And in the last fifth or so, elements of In the Mouth of Madness are incorporated, which I enjoyed.

That being said, I was disappointed by the ending. I thought it felt rushed, like Fracassi was trying to meet the same deadline as his character, and he just slapped on an ending that wouldn’t require another ten to twenty thousand words. Part of me wonders if the intention is to give this story a sequel where some of the plot threads are wrapped up and the desk’s influence can be further explored, but I don’t know if that was the intention.

On a scale of 1 to 5, I’m giving Gothic by Philip Fracassi an even 4. With plenty of pain and horror, it’s an entertaining read and worth taking a look at.

Just don’t read it near any antique desks. And if you do, make sure you have the desk’s history and you’re sure it’s not dangerous before you do.

How Do They Get Their Short Stories So Short?

Posted: April 7, 2023 in Reflections, short story, Writing
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So, I’m reading Every Woman Knows This: A Horror Collection by Laurel Hightower, a collection of horror short stories I won in a Twitter giveaway. Not very fast, because I get through print books so much more slowly these days than I used to, but I’m making my way through it. And I am in awe that some of these short stories appear to be shorter than five thousand words. Hell, some of the earlier stories in the collection appear less than four thousand.

And I’m sitting there, reading the stories, and I’m like, “How does she do that and make them still so damn good?”

I actually posted that question on my personal Facebook and my Twitter feed. Laurel responded to the Facebook post (we’re friends there), thanking me for posting about the book and being glad that I’m enjoying it. Did not share her secrets with me, though.

I wish she had, because I would love to be able to write stories that short and still be effective. After all, I grew up on Harry Potter and the Bartimaeus Trilogy, followed by books like Interview with the Vampire and IT. The shortest of those books is seventy-seven thousand words. By the time I started regularly reading and writing short stories, my brain was already primed for sprawling plots with deep twists, multiple layers of themes and secrets, and complex character relationships that are explored through multiple pages, chapters and books.

Taking all that out and trying to tell an entire story in less than seventy-five hundred words (what the Horror Writer Association says is the maximum word count for a short story) was a huge switch for me. And honestly, I’ve had varying success. Occasionally, I manage to get a story less than seventy-five hundred words, and sometimes those stories get published, but more often short for me is a novelette between 7,500 and 17,500 words. Not as long as a novel, not by far, but allows me more room to work with those plot elements I like.

Still, I do try to come up with and write those shorter stories, what Stephen King calls “a quick kiss in the dark from a stranger.”* Yeah, it’s difficult to do, but most publications are looking for stories of that range, and I want to get my work into them. And, I like the challenge. It’s another hill for me to climb on my journey as an author. And, occasionally, something I write in this vein is really good.

That being said, if it looks like a short story is destined to be a novelette, or even a novella or novel, I will let it be the length it’s going to be. No sense trying to maim a good story so it can fit somewhere, right?

But I still try. And I’ve gleaned some things in my attempts, like instead of big plots or huge happenings, you focus on small instances or events that may happen to one or two people. Rather than the big moments, like the destruction of It in the sewers of Derry or the fallout of four writers visiting a haunted house on Kansas during Halloween for a publicity stunt (Kill Creek by Scott Thomas, if you don’t know), I should focus on maybe a ghost at the Ohio State Reformatory trying to get information on what happened after he died, or a young man dealing with something evil that’s appeared intermittently in his life. Those might manage to become the kisses given in the dark by a stranger.

Actually, one of those was a kiss in the dark, and some of you may remember it. It’s “Is Anyone There,” which was published last year in That Which Cannot Be Undone, and got mentioned in several reviews as a highlight of the anthology. So maybe I might be closer to my goals than I think.

Just don’t kiss me in the dark. I’m more likely to punch you for that than enjoy it or put it into a story.

What are your tips for writing short stories, Followers of Fear? Do you struggle with keeping them under 7,000 or 5,000 words? Let’s discuss.

Also, be sure to check out Every Woman Knows This by Laurel Hightower. So far, it’s a great collection, and I hope I’ve learned some things by the time I’m done.

*Which, by the way, is a weird idea, isn’t it? You walk down an alley or into a room and it’s really dark and suddenly someone plants one on your mouth before disappearing? Actually, the scenario with the room is the plot of an Anton Chekhov short story, and the character who gets the kiss does have an impression left on him. So, I guess it’s a good metaphor.

Review: “How to Sell a Haunted House” by Grady Hendrix

Posted: March 27, 2023 in Novel, Review, Scary Stuff
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Two posts in one day. My Followers of Fear, you either did something very good in your past life or very bad. Either way, I finished Grady Hendrix’s latest novel on audio book today, so I’m going to review it here.

How to Sell a Haunted House follows Louise Joyner, a mother of a five-year-old who has a complicated relationship with her family. When her parents die unexpectedly, she flies from San Francisco to Charleston to take care of their estate and put them to rest. However, things are complicated by her younger brother Mark, whose lifestyle and choices puts him in conflict with Louise from day one. As the two argue like children and try to get the estate settled, they soon find that something malevolent is alive within their childhood home. And unless they get their shit together, it may claim not just the both of them, but Louise’s little girl.

The amazing thing about Grady Hendrix is that he can take a concept that sounds ridiculous on paper and write a whole novel out of it that’s both darkly comic and quite terrifying. From an IKEA knockoff built on the grounds of a former prison, to a teenage girl becoming possessed in 1980s-saturated Charleston, he just makes it work. And it’s no different here. Honestly, I found myself laughing quite a bit listening to Mark and Louise act like me and my sisters at our worst times ten. And as you get further in and see just how dysfunctional this family is, you find yourself glad you’re not part of the same family.*

And when you figure out who/what is going to be the main antagonist of the story, you find yourself laughing…only to see how terrifying said antagonist is. And as you see episodes from Louise and Mark’s childhoods and adulthoods that formed them as people, you see elements as these moments come back to literally haunt them in their parents’ homes. It’s freaky, and there were actually times I found myself wincing or shuddering as I listened to these moments.

And underneath all the darkness and comedy, you get some great themes about the effects of generational trauma on family and family dynamics, about learning to deal with death (and explain it to children), and what family actually is. It’s heavy stuff.

I do have some problems with the book, however. I did see a certain twist regarding the antagonist very early on, and I’m sure I’m not the only one. I also thought the resolution of the climax could have been a bit darker and might have ended too sweetly. And I would have liked to see Mark and Louise explore and resolve their issues a bit more. I feel like during the last third of the book, a lot of stuff was skipped over so the novel could reach its end.

But all in all, How to Sell a Haunted House is another awesome release from Grady Hendrix, whom I’m sure will only continue to grow in stature as a storyteller. On a scale of 1 to 5, I award his latest outing a 4.2 out of 5. It’s funny, creepy, and an all-around thrilling story. Grab a copy, settle down, and get ready to either feel grateful for your own family or feel like you’re reading about your relatives (it’s either one or the other, for better or for worse).

That’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. Until next time (which will be sometime before the week is done), good night and pleasant nightmares.

*I actually texted my own sisters to let them know how much I loved them and was glad we got along despite our childhood rivalries and disagreements. They were touched, as well as concerned about me because I was sending that text. Anyway, that’s how I reacted to this family’s malfunction.

One of the Biggest Problems New Writers Will Always Face

Posted: March 19, 2023 in Reflections, Writing
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I’ve been asked this before numerous times in one way or another. “What advice do you have for new writers?” Well, there’s one thing that always comes to mind. And the past couple of years, the thing I’ve come back to, time and time again, is this: “You need to carve out the time to right.”

Yeah, that’s the advice. A lot of people want to write, but they say they don’t have the time to write, or that they can’t find the time, or there’s just not enough time in the day. I often reply, “Well, you’re going to have to carve out the time. If you’re serious about writing that story. There’s no time fairy who’s just going to grant you time to write.”

Sounds kind of caustic, and it is. But it’s also true. For one thing, I’ve never seen a single fairy, let alone one that grants time to would-be writers. For another, the time to write just doesn’t find you. It doesn’t drop out of the sky and into your lap. And yeah, there is only 24 hours in a day, with hopefully only 8 of them devoted to a day job and the other 16 sleeping and personal stuff.

Fact of the matter is, if you don’t make time, even just half an hour, to write, you won’t ever get the time to write.

I mean, if you want to cut out sleeping, you’ll find that time, but from a health standpoint you’ll really suffer.

But I understand why people say they don’t have the time. Finding that time can be hellishly difficult. Besides day jobs and sleep, people need to do chores around the home, take care of family obligations, and finding time to relax after a long day.

Still, you can find time. Plenty of others have done it before. Even when he was raising three kids under the sage of six and was living out of a trailer, Stephen King found time to write 2500 words a day. That’s how he wrote Carrie, which later launched him into the stratosphere. And my friend/colleague Angela Misri wrote every day on the bus to and from work in moleskine notebooks. That’s how she wrote her Portia Adams books, and they’ve been pretty successful.

As for me, I write in the evenings between dinner and bed (though on weekends or days off I try to write during that free time as well). I’ve been doing that for years, and it’s how I’ve written some of my best work. Yeah, it helps that I’m only responsible for myself, don’t have kids, and writing helps me destress. But I still carve out that time most nights to get work done, because I want to get those stories done and out there. I want to write for the rest of my life. So I carve out that time.

And if you really want to tell those stories and get them out into the world, you’ll find the time. It may take some changes to your schedules, or maybe some changes in your life, but if you’re serious, you’ll be able to find the time. Like I said, plenty of people have before and plenty of people in the future. That includes me, and that includes you.

How do you find time to write? Did you make changes to your life or schedule to do it? Has it helped? Let’s discuss in the comments below.

That’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. Just wanted to get something out to you sooner rather than later, and this seemed like a good subject to post about.

Until next time, good night, pleasant nightmares, and–oh look, a fairy! Oh, you want to join my Army of Nightmares and help me accomplish my goals? Okay, let’s go! To the dragon bats!

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