Posts Tagged ‘reflections’

Rami Ungar the Writer’s 15th Bloggaversary

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And the many events I’ve vended at.

Photo by Thirdman on Pexels.com

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

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

And all the stuff I’m working on now.

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

(Speaking of which, if you’re interested, I’ll leave the link to my books page down below. From plant/human hybrids and strange gods to Mafia-hunting serial killers and carnivorous horses, I have something for every horror fan, including some free stuff. And if you end up reading something, I hope you’ll leave a review. Not only do reviews help me out, but they help other readers as well.)

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

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

Rami Ungar’s Books

Updates on “Crawler”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Conversations with Tamika Thompson

Posted: June 24, 2026 in Author Interciew, Novel, Scary Stuff, Writing
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Earlier this month, I had the pleasure of reviewing The Curse of Hester Gardens by Tamika Thompson (see my review here). To say the least, it was quite the read. And since I’m lucky enough to be friends with its author, I thought I would pick her thoughts and see what she has to say about her book. So, ladies, gentlemen, and non-binary nobility, please welcome to the blog Tamika Thompson!

Rami Ungar: Welcome to my blog, Tamika. Tell us about yourself and your new novel, The Curse of Hester Gardens.

Tamika Thompson: I’m originally from Detroit, and I grew up about a mile away from a public housing project called Herman Gardens, which is a strong architectural inspiration for Hester Gardens. At eighteen, I left Detroit to attend Columbia University, where I studied Political Science. I went on to the University of Southern California to study journalism, and it was there that I reported on gang violence in Southern California. After graduation, I worked for several years as a journalist, and eventually spent two years researching gun violence in America. The lived experience, studies in global and national politics, and journalism background all came together in this debut novel.

The Curse of Hester Gardens is a gothic novel set in a public housing project that follows one mother, Nona McKinley, whose oldest son is shot to death and whose husband is in prison, as she faces the twin specters of a supernatural curse and gun violence while trying to keep her remaining sons alive in their high-crime neighborhood.

RU: Tell us about your main character Nona McKinley. I find her quite the compelling lead.

TT: I am the first to admit that Nona has flaws. Having grown up in a public housing project and then attempting to raise three boys in another public housing project on the other side of the fictional town of Medford, Michigan, she is parenting in the worst possible circumstances in a high-crime neighborhood. She still tries to find joy, pleasure, and some semblance of normalcy in a terrible system of oppression and predation. She is strong and God-fearing, but she’s also having an affair with the married church pastor!

I see her on a continuum with Peter, the leader of the local Hester Boys gang. Readers believe Peter to be a villain, and I believe both Nona and Peter are capable of tremendous love and tenderness and also tremendous hatred and violence.

RU: I would describe Hester Gardens as “unflinching,” especially in its exploration of gun violence, urban violence, and urban neglect. What was writing a novel that explored all of that, and was also a frightening supernatural novel, like?

TT: It was an emotional journey, and it was years in the making. This story was being written inside of me before I was even a writer. The book is dedicated to my late uncle, who was shot to death when I was young. I mine a lot of my personal experience to tell this story. I also spent two years researching the epidemic of gun violence in America. When I sat to write, it took me five years to bring it together before I ever let an agent read it.

I’m happy when a reader tells me the novel made them cry because I cried a lot when I wrote it. I love all of my characters. None of them are villains to me because they’ve all been traumatized and oppressed by this country.

Balancing the social with the supernatural was a manageable task because I stuck with Nona’s story, her grief over losing her oldest son and how that colored every experience she had and every decision she made after. Her panic about keeping her remaining boys safe drives the narrative, as well as her personal isolation and terror over not being believed by those around her. I let that carry the story, and I think that naturally creates the balance.

RU: You also explored gun violence as a theme in your short story, “The Creak in the Attic.” Which, coincidentally, was the first story I ever read by you. What was it like to work with that theme in a novel versus a short story?

TT: “The Creak on the Attic Stairs” appeared in The Rack Vol. 2, edited by Tom Deady, and it not only deals with the American gun violence epidemic, but it also is set in the same story world as The Curse of Hester Gardens. Tackling gun violence in a short horror story is in some ways harder because you have to showcase the haunting of grief, the perceived supernatural remnants of the dead, as well as let the reader in on the shock and outrage that gun violence creates with fewer words. Guns hurt people, and there is less space in a short piece to make that point and get around to the hope at the end. Because I believe the hope is necessary for the conversation on ending gun violence to continue.

RU: Can you tell us about some of your other works?

TT: Short stories are my first love. I’ve had works published in Interzone, Andromeda Spaceways, and Prairie Schooner, as well as turned into audio on the Creepy podcast and translated into Italian.

My first book-length publication was a multi-genre anthology that I co-edited called Graffiti. It included essays, fiction, and poetry, with works that were speculative and real. It won a Foreword INDIES Award for anthologies.

I also gathered my published short stories with original works and brought them together in a single-author collection called Unshod, Cackling, and Naked, which won the Next Generation Indie Book Award for Horror.

RU: What are you working on now? And what are your plans for the future?

TT: I am working on a standalone second novel, which is still squarely in the horror genre and tackles a social issue, but with a cast of characters and setting that couldn’t be more different from The Curse of Hester Gardens.

I am also working on a sci fi fantasy novella, and another all-speculative story collection.

I’m still also writing short stories. That part of my writing practice never goes away.

RU: What advice would you give other authors, regardless of background or experience?

TT: Persevere on behalf of your stories! I’ve met a lot of extremely talented authors who could write circles around me, and their work doesn’t make it into the world because they don’t make it to the finish line on their manuscripts. I believe the author’s first job is to persevere in completing a manuscript. Both drafting and revising. Revision is where the author earns readers, so keep going. Persevere!

RU: Final question: pretend you’re stuck on a desert island for a while and you can only bring three books with you till you’re picked up. What books are you bringing with you?

TT: Song of Solomon, Toni Morrison. It is arguable that Beloved is Morrison’s magnum opus, but I have always been drawn to the characters in Song of Solomon, particularly Pilate and Guitar. Morrison’s prose is intricate across all her books, but Milkman Dead’s journey of self-discovery is a powerful one, and the idea of Guitar’s Seven Days mission haunts me even now. Movements for civil and human rights by black people have only ever sought equity in America, but what if we decided to seek revenge? An eye for an eye? I shudder to think.

Middle Passage, Charles Johnson. I had the privilege of having a conversation with Johnson during a class I took early on in my writing practice and his tutelage on story and plot was foundational in my own practice. Middle Passage is not only brilliant, but a master class in creating work that is subversive.

Giovanni’s Room and The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin —I know I cheated on this one, but it is impossible to choose just one text by Baldwin. So, I went with my favorite of his fiction and non-fiction works. (To further cheat, may I suggest after reading The Fire Next Time to check out Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates, as the latter is in conversation with the former?)

RU: I’ll allow it, since I remember Song of Solomon from college and considered it quite the powerful novel. Thank you for joining us, Tamika. I hope I can have you back here on the blog someday.

If you would like to find out more about Tamika, you can check out her website and social media, which I will link to below. And make sure to check out The Curse of Hester Gardens, which is definitely one of the best new novels of the year.

That’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. I hope you enjoyed this interview and will tune in for more. And until next time, good night and pleasant nightmares.

Tamika’s Website
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Updates on What I’m Doing

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

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

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

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

My writing life lately.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rami Ungar’s Books

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Louise Conway, Goodreads

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

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

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

Amazon
Apple Books
Barnes & Noble
Goodreads
Kobo

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

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

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

You can purchase tickets here.

I’ve Written My First New Story of 2026!!!

Posted: April 28, 2026 in Novelette, Scary Stuff, Writing
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Pour a celebratory drink–in my case, a rum and cherry cola–and ululate in terror and excitement! It may have taken nearly two months, but I have written my first new story of 2026!

“He Always Comes Back” is a novelette about a guy who says his stepfather is a real-life Sweeney Todd. Sitting in a police interrogation room, he tells his story to his defense lawyer, leading to a horrible and very bloody conclusion. (With a story like this, though, is there any other kind?) It’s told in the first person, with the narrator/protagonist addressing his lawyer as he tells his story.

Honestly, it’s been a while since a story challenged me this much. Most stories I write feel like I’m a god who has set the whole story out and I’m just putting it down to paper. Perhaps the characters will change things around a bit, but usually everything stays the way I intended. However, while this story followed the basic plot I outlined, it felt more like a collaboration with the main character, and I was working with him to record his story in a way that would satisfy us both. In fact, at the very beginning, I heard him shouting at me through the story to turn the police officer interrogating him into his defense lawyer. And you know what? I’m glad I listened!

Between that and how busy I am these days, it took me much longer than expected to finish this story. But thank God, I’m done with the first draft at 51 pages and 16,693 words (plus seven for the title and byline). And how is it? Well, I think it’s quite rough. Which is a first draft in a nutshell, isn’t it? But I think with a few more drafts, I think it would make a great story. Hell, I think it would also make a great two-act play. Maybe I should make that a future project. Write the script and then see if I can find a company who would adapt it.

Well, for now, I’m going to put the story aside. I’ll let my critique group see an early part of it and get their feedback in the near future. After that, I’ll hopefully get some more feedback and then I’ll have what I need to get it in a state ready for publication.

For now, though, I have another project I need to work on (more on that in another blog post that I’ll write and review very soon), and then I’m doing another draft of The Shape of Evil, AKA the 3D Printer from Hell novel. Also, I want to take a day to just relax and restore my creative energies. You know how it is. (Plus, I have a movie or two from the library I need to watch before they run out of renewals.)

But for now, I’m heading to bed. After all, I would like to go into work tomorrow feeling somewhat well-rested.

So, until next time, my Followers of Fear, good night, pleasant nightmares, and are you sure the meat you’re eating is actually animal meat? After all, stranger things have been found inside a bit of beef or chicken.

That Time I Was Accused of Using AI

Posted: April 22, 2026 in Living and Life, Reflections, Writing
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I’ve already written posts about this across my social media, but I know everyone doesn’t follow me on Facebook and whatnot. So, I’m writing this blog post to update you all. Plus, let’s face it, I can do the long-form thing a bit easier here than on Threads or BlueSky.

So, not too long ago, I posted an ad for Hannah and Other Stories on social media. And someone commented, basically saying, “Because of this and that, I think this cover is AI. I bet the stories inside are AI-generated as well.”

For reference, here’s the cover of Hannah and Other Stories.

Now, full disclosure: I did experiment with AI image and story generators when they first became available to the public. Not because I planned to use them for my career, but just to see what the big fuss was about and to see if they had any deficits. This blog has a few posts containing AI images, just to show how overrated and unhelpful AI-generated art is. However, I no longer try out those generators, not even to experiment. They cause too much damage to communities and environments and are usually trained on stolen works.

And I have never used AI to write stories or create images I use for my writing career. Especially not for Hannah and Other Stories! In fact, the stories themselves were written between 2016 and 2021, well before AI story generators were available to the public. And after I got the rights back to Hannah and decided to re-release it, I used GetCovers, a company that designs book covers for cheap, to achieve the vision for the new cover I had in mind.

I explained this all to the commenter, and they seemed to accept that. However, they told me that some authors have raised concerns about GetCovers using AI images as assets. I took it under advisement, but assured them that I didn’t think AI was used in the creation of the cover at all, and left it at that.

Okay, that’s not true. I spent the next twenty-four hours slightly anxious that people would latch onto that accusation, believe it, and things would snowball from there, leading to me being canceled.

Which sounds like a silly thing to worry about, except something similar happened to another horror author. For those of you who don’t know, horror author Mia Ballard self-published a novel called Shy Girl, and it became popular enough that it was picked up for a traditional publishing deal by Hachette Book Group. However, rumors started spreading that AI was used in writing the book. And there was apparently enough to the rumors that Hachette canceled the book’s new US release and stopped printing it in the UK. Ballard herself said that she didn’t use AI to write the book, but that she believes that an editor she used may have used AI instead of editing it themselves. Ballard is now pursuing legal action against the editor in question.

Now, I have not read Shy Girl, so I don’t know if the book reads like a computer wrote it. And while I would like to write a post just on the incident, I have already said enough on social media, so I won’t. However, it did spur me to cover my ass and make sure there wasn’t any AI in the cover GetCovers made for me. I got in contact with them and they sent me the assets they used for the cover.

Here’s the link to the horse asset.

And here’s the link for the background.

GetCovers also assured me that the assets were not made by AI and that all they did was use a common filter and other normal editing tricks with the cover. No AI involved.

That was good enough for me, and armed with the assets, I posted about it on social media. No surprise, everyone found that easy to believe. One friend/colleague even said he ran the cover through an AI detector to help back me up, and it showed as “no AI used.” And another friend/colleague mentioned that since AI programs learned by stealing other people’s work, it’s no wonder someone would think it was AI!

Honestly, I’m just glad that I wasn’t deceived and I’m not going to be canceled over a case of mistaken AI. And now that I’ve gotten through it, I’d like to say one thing: I will never use generative AI in my writing, and beyond what I’ve previously used in my posts to illustrate the failures of AI, I won’t use AI-generated imagery. I love the creative process. I love the sense of accomplishment I get when I finish a new story, and when, after lots of edits and searching, I find it a home. I love collaborating with editors and artists to get the story right and the covers attractive. And I especially love it when readers tell me they read my stories and enjoyed them or even were frightened by them!

Besides, I pride myself on telling weird horror stories with off-the-wall pitches and wild elements thrown in for fun. I doubt an AI program, which looks for recognizable patterns, would be able to reproduce those kinds of stories. Even if it were trained on all my published work! (And if anyone tries, I will consider it copyright infringement.)

So yeah. If you ever read a Rami Ungar story, you can be assured it’s 100% human created (or whatever the hell I am) and not from a computer program.

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

Clawing Through Obstacles

Posted: April 9, 2026 in Living and Life, Reflections
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The Chariot card in my personal Tarot deck.

If you weren’t aware, I do Tarot card readings for myself and (when I’m at events and I’m allowed) for others. For myself, I do readings several times a week. And in today’s reading, in the present position, The Chariot came up. For those of you who don’t know, The Chariot represents obstacles to overcome (among other things).

Honestly, that feels accurate. Lately, everything feels like obstacles. The price of everything is going up (and I will save my rants about that for another day), and finances are keeping everyone in a state of low-grade anxiety. Even if that wasn’t the case, a lot of people don’t feel safe traveling, or traveling certain ways or to/from certain places. Every day we worry about what new headline will cross our screens. What new horror or piece of stupidity we’re going to have to deal with.

And on a personal note, life is crazy. I have so many ideas and plans and I want to write every day, but I have to make a living to do that writing. And after a long day of work, I may only have a limited amount of time to write. Hell, some nights I don’t have any time! I’m too busy being a responsible adult and getting ready for the next day. And as much as I would love a TARDIS or other time machine just so I could have more time to write, I know that’s not an option, so I end up feeling frustrated when I don’t have the time to write.

Plus, there are the usual worries and annoyances of being an indie author: what can I do to get more readers? How are my sales lately? Is that amount good or bad? Why isn’t this story I really believe in finding a home? What can I do that doesn’t require a million dollars or a whole marketing team? That stuff tends to keep us up at night (especially in months when we may not be doing too well on sales).

So yeah. Obstacles upon obstacles upon obstacles. And I tend to visualize as obstacles as blocks in the road of life that you have to climb over (“overcome,” right?). And right now, the blocks can feel like they’re forming all around us, blocking us in at the bottom of a deep, deep tower or hole. Like the well in The Ring, except we’re the ghost at the bottom, and we’re having trouble getting out.

Maybe that’s why I’m not trying to overcome the obstacles. I am, like a monster out of a horror story, tearing through them. Clawing through them.

Anyone else feel like they’re having trouble getting out of a well?

That’s what it feels like, anyway. If I can’t overcome things as big and as outside of my control, I might as well fight against them. Claw through the obstacles so I can get to the other side. Break them apart with talons and sharp nails and teeth. Metaphorically speaking, of course.

Is that the best approach? I don’t know. Is it the one that’s needed in this crazy world? I don’t know. But I like to think is that it’s helping. Especially when so much is out of my control. It’s something I’ll definitely discuss with my therapist the next time I talk to him.

In the meantime, I’m hoping that things will improve with time. My Tarot cards say there’s a chance of that. And I like to think they’re right for the most part. In the meantime, I think I’ll just keep clawing and see what happens.

Anyway, that’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. I wanted to check in and assure you I was alive, and when I cast around for a topic to blog about, this is what came up. Hope you found it interesting, at least. And if not, I’ll hopefully have something more interesting out in the next couple of weeks. Maybe as soon as next week. You never know.

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

Events in 2026

Posted: March 21, 2026 in Living and Life, Progress Report
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I know, the last events update post wasn’t even a month ago. But I’ve already announced the new event on my social media, and it would be wrong of me not to update the folks who primarily keep up with me through this blog. So, without further ado (and so I can hopefully fit in some writing tonight), let’s talk about the events I’ll be at in 2026.

First, in just over a month, I’ll be one of the attending authors at BookBash 2026. This event will take place at the New Leaf Convention Center in Conneaut, Ohio on April 25, 2026 from 1 PM to 7 PM. This is a convention that will be hosting self-published and indie authors from all over the place (a few of my author friends will be there along with me). I’ll be there signing books, doing Tarot readings, and sitting on the horror panel. I would love to see you if you can stop by. You can find out more on the convention’s Facebook page.

(Fun fact: the convention center where BookBash will take place at is owned by a local Methodist church. However, we’re not being restricted on what kind of books we’re allowed to sell or what services we provide in their space. So, as well as doing the Tarot readings and selling books with rather unholy covers, I’ll be wearing my LET’S SUMMON DEMONS tee if the weather is nice enough.)

The weekend after that will be closer to home and just as close to my heart. Columbus Horror Con will be taking place on May 2-3, 2026 at the Crowne Plaza Columbus North-Worthington here in Columbus (times vary depending on which day you’re there). It’ll be a horror convention with celebrity guests, a film festival, and all sorts of vendors. And by the way, I’m among the group of vendors. I know you love me, but I’m hardly a celebrity at this point! Anyway, you can find out more on the convention’s website.

Next, StokerCon will be taking place in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania at the Westin Pittsburgh on June 4-7!, 2026 I love going to StokerCon, and I’m looking forward to seeing all my horror writing friends. Plus, there’s the awards ceremony, all the panels, and plenty of chances to find new reads. I’m hoping to be on a few panels and maybe even sell some books, so it’ll be a very exciting time for me. If you can go, you can grab tickets from this website.

And finally, the new one. My friends and I at the Ohio chapter of the Horror Writers Association, also known as the Ohio Horror Writers Association and HWA Ohio, will have a booth at the Columbus Book Festival again! This year, the festival will take place on July 11 and 12, 2026 at the Columbus Metropolitan Library’s Main Branch and Topiary Park (which is right behind the library). This is a major event for us, and we love doing it every year, even when it rains or gets super hot and humid. I hope you can join us there. You can find out more from the festival’s website.

And that’s all for now. With any luck, I’ll be able to do one more event this year, but after that, I’ll probably cut back (God knows these events are expensive enough without all these tariffs and wars and oil prices). Still, I’m sure I’ll enjoy the events I do go to. Especially if any of you Followers of Fear are able to join me.

And if you can’t but would still like to support me, or if you’re looking for a scary book to read, you can always purchase one of my books online. From plant/human hybrids and strange gods to Mafia-hunting serial killers and carnivorous horses, I have plenty for every horror fan (including some free stuff). I’ll include links to my work below.

And if you end up reading my stories, I hope you’ll leave a review somewhere. Positive or negative, I love reader feedback. And it helps me and your fellow readers out in the long run.

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

Rami Ungar’s Books

I’m Blogging Less Lately

Posted: February 19, 2026 in Living and Life, Reflections
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If you’ve been following this blog for a while, you might have noticed I’m blogging a lot less than I used to. Or you haven’t noticed because you have a life and are too busy to keep track of that sort of thing.

But I’ve noticed. I would. I write this blog. And I’ve noticed that I’m blogging less.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not because I’m disenchanted with blogging. I love it! I’ve been writing this blog for over fourteen years and I don’t intend to stop now! Besides, I’ve met some wonderful friends and readers through blogging. And it is still one of the main avenues of how I let people know when I have something new coming out.

But life keeps me busy. Not only do I have a day job that occupies a lot of my time, I have a lot of other responsibilities that come with being a functioning adult in this crazy society. And then I have to find time to eat, sleep, and relax. And then, after all that, there’s time to write. And I’m spending a lot of time on those stories so I can get them out there and hopefully get them published.

With all that happening, it cuts down on blogging time. And when I do blog, I want it to mean something. I want it to be more than just advertising for Rami Ungar’s books. I mean, I do want people to check out my books, but my blog should be more than that. It should be a way for my readers and friends to connect with me. So, what I post here should be important.

That being said, I just don’t have the energy to talk about politics or current events on my blog like I did in my college days. I mean, I could. I get angry like everyone else. But I feel like if I try writing my feelings out on my blog like that, I would be doing that every day for the rest of my life! Which would probably be short, because my blood pressure would skyrocket from the constant anger and anxiety and dealing with commenters who may not agree with my views.

So, I try and save those posts for when I feel it’s really needed and it can’t be said in just a Facebook post.

An accurate representation of me considering whether something is worth blogging about. Photo by Athena Sandrini on Pexels.com

And that’s another thing: if it can be said in a short post on one of my social media profiles, I probably won’t say it here. Whether that be politics, or Hollywood adapting the same Stephen King stories for the umpteenth time, or just a moment in my day that felt very impactful. If I can say it in just a short post on Facebook or Instagram or whatever, it probably won’t be said here. It needs to be worth filling a blog post for.

All that conspires to keep me from blogging more often. And part of me is not okay with that, because, as I said, I love blogging. I love the interaction and I love keeping this thing I’ve created going. But I have to accept that, as much as I love to blog, I don’t always have a lot to blog about. And if I try to force it, I will feel burned out and not want to blog any more. And I would hate that even more.

On the bright side, I have no intention to stop blogging. I still intend for this blog to be one of the main avenues for my Followers of Fear to get to know me and hear important updates on my life and career. I just won’t be averaging six or seven blog posts a month, like I used to. (Yes, I did the math.)

But hey, at least you know that when I do put something out there on this blog, it’s because I really feel it needs to be shared on this blog. And isn’t that why blogs exist in the first place? Because we have something worth saying? I think it is.

That’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. I’m sorry if I worried one or two of you by my less-frequent posts. On the bright side, next week, I should have at least one thing to blog about. I’ve been sitting on an announcement since the beginning of the month, and I may finally be able to speak about it very soon.

But until that time comes, good night, my Followers of Fear, and pleasant nightmares. I’ll be seeing you very soon. Possibly by jumping out from under your bed and shouting “Boo!” I mean, would you put it past me?

See you soon.
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