Posts Tagged ‘writing’

Events in 2026

Posted: January 25, 2026 in Living and Life, Scary Stuff, Writing
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I know what you’re thinking: “Didn’t he just do a post like this?” Well, right after that post, a friend let me know about another event happening near me. And it was right up my alley. So, I applied for a booth, and got approved immediately! I almost posted an update post then…but felt that was too soon. So, I decided to wait.

And now, with some time and a few posts having passed, I’m posting an updated post of events I’ll be vending at in the near future. If you’re able to attend any of them, I would be happy to see you.

Our first event will be in less than two weeks. Akronomicon will be occurring at the Emidio Expo Center in Cuyahoga Heights, Ohio on Saturday, February 7, 2026, from 10 AM – 6 PM. This is a fun horror convention with celebrity guests, lots of horror enthusiasts, and plenty of vendors. I’ll be there signing books and doing Tarot readings, so if you want to, please stop by. You can find out more on their Facebook page and purchase tickets here.

This will be followed by BookBash 2026 on Saturday, April 25, 2026 from 1 PM – 7 PM, at the New Leaf Event Center in Conneaut, Ohio. This will be a gathering of writers from all over Ohio and the surrounding states, with panels, workshops, and, of course, lots and lots of books. Again, I’ll be signing books and doing Tarot readings there (and laughing because the venue is owned by a Methodist church and my wares aren’t necessarily in line with their teachings). I’ll also be on the horror panel, so that will be all sorts of fun! You can find out more on their Facebook page.

And the following weekend will be the new event that necessitated this post. Columbus Horror Con will be taking place on Saturday and Sunday, May 2-3, 2026 at the Columbus Crowne Plaza Columbus North-Worthington here in Columbus! (Times vary based on the day.) This is going to be a big horror-themed convention, with celebrity guests, a free film festival, and over 80 vendors. As I said, I’ll be signing books and doing Tarot readings. If you can, please stop by. You can find out more and purchase tickets on the convention’s website.

And finally, StokerCon will be taking place on June 4-7, 2026 at the Westin Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This is the Horror Writers Association’s premiere convention, with numerous panels, an awards ceremony, and multiple opportunities to make new friends. Not to mention to find new books to read! I’ll be there having fun and maybe sitting on a few panels. I can’t wait! The website for the event isn’t up yet, but you can purchase tickets on Eventbrite here.

And that’s all for now. I will hopefully be attending the Columbus Book Festival in July, and there might be other events in the future that I can sign up for. Once I get confirmation I’ll be attending, I’ll let you know. And I’ll be sure to give you a reminder right before each event. But no more. I don’t want to annoy you with invites to my events.

In the meantime, if you’re unable to attend any of the events and would like to support me, or you’re just looking for something spooky to read, I have quite the catalog of stories to choose from. From plant/human hybrids and strange gods to Mafia-hunting serial killers and carnivorous horses, there’s something for every horror fan (including free stuff). So, why not take a look? I’ll include a link to my books page below.

And if you like what you read, please leave a review online. Positive or negative, I love reader feedback. And your reviews help both me and my fellow writers out in the long run.

That’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. I’m off to meet with my fellow writers and then do some editing. Until next time, good night and pleasant nightmares.

Rami Ungar’s Books

A Bit of Self-Care Goes a Long Way

Posted: January 22, 2026 in Living and Life
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Nothing says “self-care” like a cup of tea. Photo by Maria Tyutina on Pexels.com

Between the below-freezing temperatures, the overly gray skies most days, and a few other things, I’ve been feeling heavy and low. Some mornings, it takes me an extra ten or even twenty minutes just to get out of the condo and to work. And yesterday? Yesterday, I felt so tired after work, it was like I had multiple weights on my back and arms!

So, instead of writing, I took the night off for some self-care. I made matzo ball soup, watched a lot of anime, drank some tea, and went to bed early. I would have added more, but there was only so much time between when I got home and the time I decided to go to bed. The result: I felt great when I woke up this morning! I was even able to get to work a bit earlier and felt full of energy for most of the day. Hell, if I had more time tonight, I might edit up a storm before hitting the hay. (Ah time. You quick bastard!)

Self-care needs to be a bigger part of our routines as people living in the modern world. So many stressors attack us daily, and mental/emotional health can have a real impact on physical health (like those weights I felt on my body). Some days, like yesterday, I’m so out of sorts, not even writing can relax me like it usually does. And it’s times like those we need to indulge ourselves in some healthy comforts.

You know, another blogger I follow, journalist Caitlin Kelly, did a blog post not too long ago about what comforts her when times are tough. I think I will take a page out of her book and list some of the things that make me feel better when I’m stressed and in need of self-care. They are:

Watching a good movie. Especially a movie I really love. Doesn’t necessarily need to be horror, but more often than not, it is.

Bingeing good anime. Sometimes, the right anime can even help me process whatever issue is causing me anxiety.

Visiting some of my favorite places around Columbus, like Hofbrauhaus, Tensuke Market, or the Ohio Theater. It’s even better when I’m there with my friends or family.

Watching Law & Order/Law & Order: Special Victims Unit on a Thursday night with a glass of beer.

A good glass of wine.

Making wine at home and watching it become something beautiful and tasty.

This is some pumpkin wine I made not too long ago. The process of making it was a lot of fun.

A nice, hot cup of tea before bed.

A nice, hot cup of tea during the course of the day.

A relaxing massage. I have one of those scheduled soon, so I look forward to it.

Uninterrupted reading.

Sleeping in my nice, warm bed.

Watching anime or YouTube videos while cycling on my exercise bike. Fantasy anime and videos on media analysis or animals are especially nice.

A visit to the chiropractor. I always feel better after an adjustment!

Cuddling. I don’t mean romantic cuddling, but cuddling with an animal or platonic cuddling with someone I trust. Hell, there are actually professional cuddlers who help people who need that sort of contact regularly. Sadly, I don’t have the time/money/energy for a pet at this time, and there are no professional cuddlers in my area, so it’s not something I get to do often.

Doctor Who!

Something sweet to eat! Can’t be too sugary or too often for health reasons, but I still love when I can have a little indulgence.

Going ghost hunting! That might just be a me thing, but it works.

It may be very haunted, but all I ever feel when I’m at the Ohio State Reformatory is joy.

Writing! Working on my stories helps me most days relax after a long day of work. Though, like yesterday, there are days where I’m too tired to even do that.

And that’s all I can think of at the moment. Plus, this post is getting long. So, I’ll just say this: take care of yourself. When you need it, take some time for self-care. Otherwise, when you do have free time, you won’t even be able to do the things you normally love doing (such as me when I couldn’t write).

What do you do when you need some self-care? Anything on this list you’d add? Let’s discuss.

That’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. I’m off to bed so I have strength for work tomorrow. Until next time, good night and pleasant nightmares.

Positive Anxiety and Writing

Posted: January 17, 2026 in Living and Life, Reflections, Writing
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Nobody likes feeling anxiety. The tightening chest, the quickening heartbeat, the cold sweat and the panicky thoughts. It makes us dread the future and even the present. You look anywhere online, you’ll find numerous articles about how to combat anxiety that range from medication to breathing exercises to a variety of cognitive exercises. And in our crazy world, there’s never been a higher need for those combat tools.

But what if I told you there’s a form of anxiety that’s good for you? A form of anxiety that helps you?

A growing body of research suggests that we might be looking at anxiety all wrong. Rather than treating everyday anxiety as a disease or a problem, as we’ve been doing for decades, we need to see how anxiety can positively affect us. Known as “positive anxiety” or “good anxiety,” this anxiety helps us in our daily lives. According to the articles I read (which I will link to below), anxiety reminds us of uncertainties in the future, how those uncertainties can affect us, and to plan how to deal with them.

In other words, anxiety can give you a to-do list against unknowns and negative scenarios, and even increase your productivity as part of dealing with those unknowns.

Now, I’m not saying all anxiety is positive. Anxiety disorders, which are when constant or reoccurring anxiety impairs your life and makes it hard to function (like what I’ve had since 2018), are serious medical diseases and should be treated accordingly. I know my GAD improved dramatically with medication, coping techniques, and talking therapy. And with anxiety being a daily occurrence, we all could use ways to cope, including avoiding sources of anxiety.

However, emotional regulation isn’t about avoidance or immediate pacification. Instead, it’s about feeling/recognizing your emotions, and engaging with them in a healthy manner. And using anxiety to motivate you, rather than paralyze you or force you into a safe zone, sounds like healthy engagement to me.

So, why am I bringing all this up? Because I’ve been feeling positive anxiety on a more frequent basis. With the pitch sessions back in June; with phone meetings with some of the people I pitched to; and when I’m about to start a big project. I felt it most recently when I had a couple of stories to edit. Overall, the beta readers liked the stories, but they had a lot of notes. And that kind of made me anxious. Would I be able to incorporate that feedback? Would I be able to bring out the full potential of these stories before I started shopping them around?

Rather than run away (AKA never work on those stories again), I decided to start small. At least get started on the projects and see what I can do, I thought. Then, if it goes well, keep going. Lo and behold, that worked and I was able to get started on the edits. And while I’m not sure any of the stories are as good as they could be, they’re definitely at a point where I wouldn’t mind sending them out to publishers.

And when I was doing the pitch sessions, I felt anxious, but I didn’t let that take control. Instead, I started making plans. I did research on all the agents/editors accepting pitches, learned from others what the pitches were like and what to expect, and practiced several times. And while I’m still working on finding The Shape of Evil a home, I’m happy to say that I made great progress on that front because of the pitch sessions and and the prep I did for them.

Anxiety can sometimes work with your writing career, rather than against it.

So as it turns out, anxiety can be a help when it comes to writing. It can also be a hindrance, no doubt (so many writers I know deal with mental health struggles, same as me). But we can use it motivate, plan, and accomplish our goals. How do we do that?

Well, first off, if you feel anxiety, take a deep breath (that really does work). And if the anxiety is negatively impacting your life, discuss it with a medical or psychological professional. Believe me, therapy and medication can work. But after those steps, do the following:

  • Identify what’s giving you anxiety. Is it starting a project? Trying to get it published? Once you figure it out, you can work on the next steps:
  • Figure out what you ultimately want to do. If you want to move forward, you need to state your goal.
  • Make a plan with steps on how to accomplish your goals. I would recommend doing that with any goal, but doing that to help with anxiety works. Especially if you factor in balancing your mental health with breaks and whatnot. And finally:
  • Go and do the thing. Once you get it done, your anxiety will become a thing of the past, and it’ll be easier to repeat the tasks that give you anxiety in the future.

Anxiety can be rough. But there are benefits to anxiety, and if you figure out how to use anxiety to your advantage, it can help you reach your goals. Just don’t neglect your mental health if you seriously need to care for yourself. After all, the most important thing is that you’re able to function and enjoy life to the fullest. Everything beyond that is just to enhance your enjoyment of that life.

Sources:
How we misunderstand anxiety and miss out on its benefits, University of California
Good Anxiety Does Exist. Here’s How You Can Benefit From It, NPR

The Plan (So Far, Anyway)

Posted: January 5, 2026 in Living and Life, Reflections, Writing
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This is what I look like when I’m editing.

So, we’re five days into the new year, and it already feels like it’s been super long and way harsher than it has any right to be. But that’s beside the point. What is the point is that we’re already five days into the new year, and I’m already hard at work on achieving my goals. And one of those goals is to get as many stories published this year as possible.

With that in mind, I’ve been continuing with the Second Great Editing, which has been going on for so long, I don’t even remember when it started. Only at this point, most of the stories have been looked over by or are with beta and alpha readers. Even the one I’m working on now, a novella about killer fairies, will be sent off to a beta reader once I’m finished with its third draft. And after that, it’s just a matter of incorporating beta reader feedback into the stories and either sending them out or keeping them on hand for future collections.

And so far, this plan has been going great. I’ve already sent off two stories. I’ve got one article waiting for the submission period of a certain magazine to open before I send it off. I have a beta reader who agreed to read the killer fairies story once I’m done with that, and three stories with reader notes to edit after that. Plus, I should be hearing back from another reader with their notes on a story for an anthology call in the next ten days or so.

But, you know, this is life we’re living in. And as they say, “man plans and God laughs.” That phrase applies to me, even if I’m only human in my outer form. And God, or whatever rules this universe, doesn’t just laugh; He/She/They throw curveballs that throw your whole life into chaos. Often the curveballs are somewhat ironic in nature.

Anyway, the point is, this is the plan for now. But who knows what’ll happen in the next several weeks? Two of the stories I wrote in 2025 were written last minute, upsetting all my plans, because there was a call and I HAD TO PARTICIPATE. Even if I only have an infinitesimal chance of getting into one of them, I had to participate. One of those stories is already submitted, and the other is the one that should be returned to me by the reader soon.

Who’s to say that another one of those calls won’t pop up and I’ll feel the overwhelming need to participate?

You never know when one of these are going to come and rock your life.

Or maybe I’ll get some piece of news, good or bad, but it’s so big, it makes me juggle my priorities. Maybe writing related, or work related, or homeowner related. Who knows? Only the force or entity running the universe. And as cosmic horror often points out, sometimes ignorance truly is bliss.

But for now, this is what I’m working on. And I’m looking forward to seeing how many of the stories I’m editing I’ll be able to get published this year.

That’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. I just wanted to give you guys an update on what I’m doing lately before things get too crazy. I hope soon I’ll be able to share with you some good news. Until then, my Followers of Fear, good night and pleasant nightmares.

Events in 2026

Posted: January 3, 2026 in Living and Life
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Happy New Year, my Followers of Fear! It’s 2026, and that probably means that nothing is going to change and things are going to be exactly the same as they were a few days ago. Hey, I’m a horror writer. I have to look on the dark side of things.

But there is one thing to look forward to: new events in 2026! While I will probably be scaling back the number of events I’ll attend this year (don’t blame me, blame the economy and those who made it this bad), I will attend a few. Most of them as a vendor. And in case any of you wonderful humans might be in the area and would like to see me in person, here are the events I will be attending.

First, I will be at Akronomicon next month on Saturday, February 7, 2026 from 10 AM – 6 PM at the Emidio Expo Center in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. I will be signing books and doing Tarot card readings. This is a fun horror convention, with plenty of cool booths from horror memorabilia to independent studio films and actors to even taxidermy, and they even have celebrity guests! So if your interest is piqued, please consider coming. You can find out more on the convention’s Facebook page.

Skip forward a couple of months, and I will be at the 4th Annual Indie Book Bash on Saturday, April 25, 2026 from 1 PM – 7 PM. It will occur at New Leaf Event Center in Conneaut, Ohio. Like before, I will be signing books and doing Tarot card readings. (And get this: technically, this event center is owned by a Methodist church, but they don’t police what kind of events or vendors can set up there based on their religious beliefs. So, guess who’s wearing his shirt about summoning demons if the weather’s nice enough?). This is a big event, hosted by Pretty Good Books and Chelsea Banning, whom I’ve interviewed on this blog before. You can find out more, just like with Akronomicon, on the event’s Facebook page.

And finally, I will be at StokerCon at the Westin Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from June 4-7. As you know, StokerCon is the big horror writers convention. There are panels, a short film festival, an awards banquet, and all sorts of opportunities to network/make friends/discover new reads/etc. I will be there as just a regular guest, though there’s a chance I’ll find a chance to sell some books. And if I can, I’ll be on a few panels, too. Anyway, if you want to learn more, you can check out the website. And if you want to grab tickets, you can buy them here.

And that’s all for now. I’ll update you with any new events that pop up. In the meantime, I’ll try not to inundate you with reminders (though I will mention them right before the events). In the meantime, if you’re looking for a good scary story to read or you would like to support me, I have plenty to offer. From plant/human hybrids and strange gods to Mafia-hunting serial killers and carnivorous horses, I have something for every horror fan, so why not check one of them out? I’ll leave the link to my books page below.

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 me and your fellow readers out in the long run.

Until next time, my Followers of Fear, good night and pleasant nightmares. I’ll be back before long.

Rami Ungar’s Books

Writing, Loneliness, and the Community That Lifts Me Up

Posted: December 30, 2025 in Living and Life, Reflections, Writing
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Writing is a lonely occupation at times. If any of you write, you know this. We lock ourselves up in our rooms or offices and spend hours with our imaginations. Sometimes, we go hours or even days without direct interaction with another person. In fact, the loneliness can get so bad, there was a whole panel about it at StokerCon earlier this year. I believe one of the panelists on that panel started an online meetup group so members of the community can get regular interaction.

And that’s the thing: while writing is a lonely endeavor, there can be a lot of people around you who make writing a little less lonely. Not only that, but the help they can provide in your career can make all the difference!

As you might know, I’m working on a lot of projects right now. This includes an essay or paper on the intersection of ballet and horror (come on, you know my interests!). And I was hoping to submit it to a particular publication once I’d edited it. Unfortunately, after taking another look at the guidelines, I realized that I would have to cut about thirty-five hundred words to submit it there. Needless to say, that wasn’t happening.

Instead, I posted to my social media about the situation. And within an hour, I had responses from some of my writing friends for potential venues. One of them, I’ll try submitting to in spring (and I may only need to cut 500 words. Much more doable).

And as many of you remember, a writing friend of mine, Matt Mason, passed away a little over a month ago. Matt created a whole community online, Horror Writers Chat, and the following Wednesday, during our weekly meet up, we all got together and dedicated the meetup to his memory. Afterwards, one of the members, who owns his own press, announced he was doing a charity anthology in Matt’s memory, with the deadline to submit a story to it at 11:59 PM on New Year’s Eve (AKA tomorrow).

Naturally, I wanted to submit something. So, I wrote up something, and a fellow member of Horror Writers Chat was kind enough to read it and provide feedback. She got back to me within a day, and I sent in the story after going over it one more time and considering her feedback. She sent me a copy of her submission, and I’m going to read it ASAP. (Don’t worry, she’s already submitted her piece; I’m just going to read it.)

Having this community is so wonderful. Photo by Dio Hasbi Saniskoro on Pexels.com

Working with my fellow Horror Writers Chat participants for this anthology for Matt was kind of healing. But more than that, just meeting every Wednesday online and participating in Horror Writers Chat can be so healing. Even with Matt gone, it’s still going on. We’re still discussing horror and writing, and we’re still cheering each other on. It’s a warm feeling, and even though I’ve never met any of these people in person, I don’t feel alone when I’m with them.

If I don’t make it into the anthology, I won’t be sad (though I do hope I get in). Because I know these people are going to be there one way or the other, and that we’ll continue to discuss writing and horror far into the future.

And there are just so many other instances I want to mention, quite a few of them from this month! And it’s been wonderful. Because when it’s been tough to get the words out, or work’s been driving me crazy, or I just feel like I’m not making the progress I should be, everyone’s here. My fellow writers (some of whom are Followers of Fear as well). Helping me. Supporting me. Like a thousand hands, giving me hugs while carrying me forward.

And as we move forward into 2026 (and who knows what hell that comes with it), I’m going to need these hugs and hands carrying me forward. Pushing back against the loneliness of writing and helping me reach for my goals.

Happy New Year, everyone.

So, if you’re a Follower of Fear, a fellow writer, or both, thank you. You guys make working through my struggles, the dark grey winter, and everything else that much easier. And I hope I never forget the gratitude I feel for you all.

Anyway, that’s all for now. I’m heading to bed and tomorrow I’m going to enjoy New Year’s. I’ll see you all in 2026. Until then, good night and pleasant nightmares.

“Hannah and Other Stories:” Three Months Since Re-Release!!!

Posted: December 23, 2025 in Progress Report, Scary Stuff, short story, Writing
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Hello, my Followers of Fear. Are you enjoying your holiday season?

Right now, it’s December 23rd, 2025, which means a couple of things. One is that Christmas is in a few days. Another is that today is the parody holiday of Festivus. You know, for the rest of us? And third, and most importantly for the post, it’s the three-month anniversary of the re-release of Hannah and Other Stories!

Now, in case you somehow missed my constant mentions of this particular book (in which case, there is no escape! Except your fate, my dear Followers of Fear!), Hannah and Other Stories is a collection of seven stories I originally released with a publisher back in September 2023. The tales range across all types of horror, including extreme and cosmic, and include tales of ghosts, budding serial killers, and carnivorous horses (one of which is on the new cover). Sadly, the company who helped me publish Hannah in the first place decided not to renew our contract, and it went out of print late last year.

I decided to re-release it on the two-year anniversary of its release, with a new cover and edit. I also took steps to put out a print edition, which didn’t happen the first time around (long story, don’t ask). Thus, we have this amazing book that came out (again) on September 23, 2025.

And since then, people have been slowly but surely picking up copies and reading it. I might have mentioned this in a previous post, but even a supervisor at work is reading Hannah, and so far, he’s really enjoying it! Plus, a few people here and there have left reviews, and the majority of them have been nothing but glowing. Which, after all this time working to get the book in paperback and then in people’s hands, is nice to see.

As to what happens next…hard to say. I would like to get Hannah, as well as Symphony for Walpurgis and The Wild Hunt, into audio format, but I would like to sell more copies of all of those before that happens. So, in the meantime, I think I’ll just keep posting about the books and trying to get more people to read them. Especially Hannah. Who knows? Perhaps at the six-month anniversary, I’ll have some good news to share.

In the meantime, if you would like to read Hannah and Other Stories, or if you’re still looking for a gift for the horror fan in your life this holiday season, I’ll include links below. And if you like what you read, please be sure to leave a rating or a review somewhere online. Positive or negative, I love reader feedback, and it helps me and other readers out in the long run.

That’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. Until next time, good night, pleasant nightmares, and happy holidays. May whatever come down your chimney be welcome, rather than traumatizing.

Amazon
Apple Books
Barnes & Noble
Goodreads
Kobo

Looking Back at 2025, Looking Forward to 2026

Posted: December 14, 2025 in Living and Life, Reflections
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Well, here we are again, my Followers of Fear. 2025 is nearing its inevitable death, so I’m doing my annual review post. And can I just say, good fucking riddance? This year was fucking rough! How rough, you ask? Well, I would say the amount of swearing I do on a daily basis, as well as much I swear above a whisper or in mixed company, has risen by at least 100%. That rough!

I’m not even going to go into the negative current events of the last year, like I usually do. Because let’s face it, it’s been pretty awful.

And my personal life has had its fair share of troubles. Back in spring, some idiot hit their car with mine, totaling it. Even after their insurance company accepted fault and paid off the value of the car, I still had to pay off the rest of the loan and shell out for a rental! Add in buying a new car, plus the money I lost from the botched trip to Israel, and my finances took a hit I’m still recovering from.

Work was also really stressful. At my company, we were told to go back into the office five days a week, and like the return to three days in office in 2024, it caused my office’s workload to stay three times higher than previous years. Even now, when the workload has gone down again, we’re still dealing with a lot of people angry they can’t work from home (among other things).

Add in a few other things, and it’s no wonder I can’t wait to kick 2025 goodbye. At least it’s keeping my therapist employed.

But you know, 2025 wasn’t all bad. On the current events side, a peace deal was finally struck in Israel, and while there’s still a lot of work to be done, it’s still progress. Plus, here in the US, there has been a tide to fight back against the wave of fascism and authoritarianism that’s sweeping the country. There have been protests and victories in court and even election wins! Again, a lot of work that has to be done, but it’s still progress. Plus, around the world, there were all sorts of victories for democracy, LGBT rights, diversity, and more.

On a personal note, I had my good moments. In my writing career, I got to pitch The Shape of Evil to agents and publishers (and I’m still working towards getting that published, but progress has been made); I broke my personal record for most books sold at an event twice; I published one new book and a few articles, and re-released Hannah and a short story; I wrote and edited a bunch of stories I have high hopes for; and financially, this was my best year since I started keeping track.

Me and my fellow Ohio horror writers at StokerCon this year. Yeah, StokerCon was a definite highlight this year. And not just because of the successful pitch session.

Closer to home, my health has been doing well and work has gotten easier in some respects. I’ve had some wonderful experiences and met some great people. I’m working out more, seeing new places, and hanging out with people I like. I’ve been consistently studying my Hebrew, so whenever I do get to go back to Israel, I should be able to survive. Maybe 2025 wasn’t all bad.

Still glad to see the year change, though.

Now, as for 2026…well, I’m not getting my hopes up too high. Tarot card readings and hopes aside, it’s likely to be another rough year. Still, I’m going to aim for the sky. I’m going to try to get as many stories as possible written, edited, and published, and while I’ll scale back the number of events I’ll attend, I’ll still try to have a great time and get books to good homes. I don’t know if I’ll finally get to the point where I can write full time, but I’ll certainly get closer.

And in my personal life, I’ll hopefully be able to continue to improve health-wise and get my financials to recover. And who knows? Maybe work will finally calm down. Maybe the world stage will be kinder and a lot of what’s plaguing humanity and the Earth will be solved. Maybe we’ll get rid of those tariffs? Any or all of those would be nice.

I guess we’ll just have to take it one day at a time. And with a bit of bravery and a bit of luck, maybe 2026 will be a better year than 2025 ever was.

How was your 2025? Any hopes or plans for 2026? Let’s discuss.

One more thing, my Followers of Fear: we’re still in the holiday season. And if you’re looking for some Christmas horror to read, check out “The Wild Hunt,” one of the stories I re-released this year. Two sisters run away on Christmas Eve and encounter something within a blizzard. It’s a supernatural tale that you can read in one sitting and is perfect for the season. I’ll leave links below.

Amazon
Apple Books
Barnes & Noble
Goodreads
Kobo

And if you’re looking for some horror for yourself, or a gift for a loved one, or you just want to support me, know that I have plenty of stories available. From plant/human hybrids and strange gods to Mafia-hunting serial killers and flesh-eating horses, I’ve got something for every horror fan (including some free stuff). I’ll leave a link to my books page below.

Rami’s Books Page

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

That’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. Here’s hoping what’s left of 2025 is easy on us. And until next time, good night and pleasant nightmares.

“The Wild Hunt:” One Month Since Release!!!

Posted: December 2, 2025 in Progress Report, Scary Stuff, short story, Writing
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Wow, how quickly a month can go by. Are we already in December? Hold on, let me check outside….yes, it’s December. The chill and decorations confirm it!

Anyway, if you don’t remember, early last month I released my Christmas short story, “The Wild Hunt,” as an ebook from the major retailers. Originally published in Hellbound Books’ 2023 anthology Happy Hellidays, the story follows two sisters who run away on Christmas Eve, only to encounter something ancient and mythical in a blizzard. And no, they did not encounter Krampus. There are enough Krampus stories out there to begin with!

Anyway, during this past month, several people have taken an interest in this little story. In fact, it’s been a bestseller in some of Amazon’s subcategory lists, and a few people have even been kind enough to leave reviews! Considering it was kind of a whim to release this story as an ebook, this is more than I could have asked for.

Then again, writing the story in the first place was kind of a whim. I simply desired to contribute to the number of Christmas stories and songs written by Jews. But not only was it published, but people really enjoyed it and even put it on the Bram Stoker Recommended Reading List for that year. So, I guess these whims do turn out some good results every now and again.

Anyway, because I feel obligated to share them, here are the reviews people have been leaving for “The Wild Hunt:”

I felt the cold wind. I felt the biting pain of the snow on Tatum’s exposed face. I thought at any moment the girls’ father would track them down. This is a Christmas story, right? So maybe Santa would come rescue them.

I won’t say exactly what happens, but Ungar cleverly combines Santa with the Wild Hunt legend. So creative, so unexpected, and so Ungar-like. Loved it!

Priscilla Bettis, Amazon

This story is weighty in its themes and definitely not for the faint of heart. That said, it’s pretty fast-paced and has some creative mythology-inspired monsters. If you like having a quick read, this is worth the purchase.

Rose Black, Kobo

It’s always fun to see how an author will work on something familiar in the horror genre. In this case, it’s the wild hunt where mythical creatures are out there, hunting. This was a fun and enjoyable read that is nice for the Christmas season.

Ruth Ann Nordin, Amazon

Incredible, aren’t they? I’m happy so many people enjoyed the story enough to leave their thoughts. And I’m glad they all find it so creative! In a world where nothing under the sun is truly original, that is truly a compliment.

Speaking of which, it’s the holiday season. So, if you’re looking for a Christmas horror story, “The Wild Hunt” might be a good place to start. After all, it’s got Christmas spirit, and some terrifying spirits as well. Plus, it’s a short and affordable read, which is always nice. I’ll include links below.

And if you like what you read, I would be delighted if you left a review. Positive or negative, I love reader feedback, and it helps both me and other readers out in the long-run.

That’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. I’ll be sure to get back with you very soon (probably with my annual reflection of the past year and hopes for the coming year). But until then, good night, pleasant nightmares, and watch out for Krampus. His big day is on Friday!

Amazon
Apple Books
Barnes & Noble
Goodreads
Kobo

A Tribute to a Friend Who Passed Away

Posted: November 30, 2025 in Living and Life, Reflections
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A yahrtzeit candle. In my faith, they’re used to memorialize those who have passed on.

I lost a friend yesterday.

I first met MG Mason, known to his friends at Matt, on Twitter. He was running something called “Horror Writers Chat” there. On Wednesdays, horror authors would meet up on Matt’s account. Matt would then ask us a series of four or five questions over the course of an hour. These questions would be about horror, writing, our current WIPs, our favorite books or movies, and our thoughts on the craft. And at the end of it, we could post about our current publications and upcoming releases.

Obviously, it was a lot of fun, and I got quite into it. I even hosted it once. And when Twitter became a hellscape of toxic masculinity and far-right ideology, I moved over to BlueSky with Matt to continue with Horror Writers Chat. I wanted to continue enjoying Horror Writers Chat.

But more than that, I wanted to continue being part of this community. Through Horror Writers Chat, I was making so many new acquaintances and colleagues. So many new friends to talk about horror and writing with! Most of all, I was becoming friends with Matt, who I found a sort of mentor-like figure. Well, how could I not? He had basically created this community, and we were all thankful for it.

But he was more than just the Moses of our little community. He was demisexual and demiromantic, and openly talked about his struggles as someone who only feels attraction to people when he gets close to them. He also talked about his struggles with life and mental health, and about his home and living in England. As someone who is aromantic and also struggles with life and mental health on occasion, I could relate. And I enjoyed hearing about his life in England.

And of course, Matt was a horror writer. He found enjoyment and comfort in scary tales, as well as in writing them. So, obviously, we bonded over that.

The posts that let us know Matt had passed on.

Truly, Matt was a good man. He was friendly, easy to talk to, and willing to listen when you had a disagreement or misunderstanding with him. And as I said, he struggled with things, as do we all. But he had such a big heart.

He also read many of our books, including one or two of mine. When he listened to the audio book of The Pure World Comes, he honestly thought the narrator was Jenna Coleman, AKA Clara Oswald from Doctor Who! When I told Nikki Delgado, the actual narrator, that, she was flattered. And I was glad that he really enjoyed the book.

And, of course, I read his work. In fact, last month, I read his book Residents of the James Hotel, and I just bought one of his other works, The Small Bronze Carriage on the Mantelpiece, today. The former was really good, and I’m looking forward to reading the latter.

I’m talking about Matt today because he passed away this past week. A few months he revealed that he was battling cancer and that it looked to be terminal. We were all devastated to hear that, and we sent him our well-wishes, hoping he could get better. And while he didn’t respond to all of our messages, he did continue to interact online with us when he could. But yesterday, he passed away.

Honestly, I’m devastated. Matt became such a big part of many lives, and his creations, especially Horror Writers Chat, have had such an effect on people. In the past twenty-four hours, I’ve read so many posts from so many people who are mourning Matt. I’ve posted online too, but it doesn’t feel like enough. For the effect Matt has had on so many people, I feel so many more people should know his books and his story.

So, I’m writing this post. I wanted to let more people know about Matt, about his works and his effect on people. I’m hoping people will want to learn about him and his stories after reading it.

And so, if you’re looking to check out a great author, check out MG Mason’s work. I really enjoyed Residents of the James Hotel, and I’m sure to enjoy The Bronze Carriage on the Mantelpiece, but he has ten other stories available besides those. Plenty to choose from, if you ask me. I’ll include a link to Matt’s Amazon page below for those who are interested.

Thank you for reading this post. Losing author friends is never easy, but losing Matt hit me very hard, and I wanted to do something to memorialize him. And Matt, I hope wherever you are, you’re at peace. We’ll be keeping your memory alive through Horror Writers Chat and through reading your works. Thank you for everything you did for the horror writing community.

Matt’s Amazon Page
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