Unveiling the shadows: a writer's journey

My debut horror novel, Enter Infernum, was released last week. I’m very excited. You can find print and e-book versions on Amazon. So, how do I get interest, you may ask?

With the New Year, I decided to journal about the books I’ve read. I started a spreadsheet, listing book, author, review, rating, and recommendation. My reviews included a synopsis, the major characters and my thoughts on the novel or essay collection. Several of the books I’ve read were for a book club. I joined the Blacksburg Science Fiction and Fantasy (SFF) Book Club about two years ago. My journaling now helps me prepare for club meetings. The Blacksburg club is a mix of different ages, genders, and professions. I appreciate the members’ perspectives of a book. Several times I learn about a point I totally missed. When I reflect on it, the light bulb comes on, “Oh yeah.” People either love the book, hate it, or they are ambivalent about it. We express what we may have loved about it as well as share what didn’t work for us. And we respect each other’s opinions.

When I read fiction, I make a mental image of the character, setting, and action. The author may only provide the bare bone descriptions, but I, as a reader, fill in the rest. This may explain why readers are disappointed with a film adaptation. Of course, the other criticism is over what was left out of the film. That’s why readers love limited series, for example The Institute or two part films, Dune and It.

I was blown away this past month with awesome Horror on the big and small screen. I saw Hokum, Passenger, Obsession and Backrooms at the multiplex and The Terror: The Devil in Silver on AMC/Shudder. Some of you may ask, where have I been? There’s been some great films already this year. True, but how many of those films hung around the theaters for more than a week, if they get a screen engagement at all?

What are the three most important things you have accomplished, aside from publishing a book?

You remember those four words, proudly displayed on Fox Molder’s poster, the grainy image of a flying saucer hovering over the tree line. The X-files, in my opinion, the best in television.

Dear Reader. Sometime in 2025, I started to seriously think about retirement. My wife, Margie, pressed me on what I would retire too. “You can’t sit around all day watching TV.” She knows me too well. In retirement, two of my colleagues at the University of Georgia started writing. One friend Larry Shimkets wrote a political thriller, Malice in the Palace, the other, Harry Dailey a Sci-Fi graphic novel, Salad Days. The interesting thing about this is neither one are English nor Literature professors. They’re microbiologists. I’m a microbiologist. I thought, “I’ll write fiction in retirement.”

     Like any boy my age, I read comic books.  The usual.  The Amazing Spiderman.  Batman.  The Fantastic Four.  I also loved horror comics.  The Witching Hour.  The House of Mystery.  Or the pricier, Eerie, Creepy magazines. 

Dear Readers,

I will share with you my journey to writing, love of horror and new short stories and novels as they are published. So far, 2026 had been an exciting year in horror.  Two horror films, Sinners and Weapons picked up several Oscars including Best Actor, Best Original Screenplay, Best Cinematography and Best Supporting Actress.   I just finished Between Two Fires by Christopher Buehlman, a fantasy horror novel.  So far, the best novel I've read this year.  There is so much I'm looking forward to in films and novels.  This year will be the debut of my first novel, Enter Infernum.  I share with youI hope you enjoy my blogs.

Dear Reader,

My debut horror novel, Enter Infernum, was released last week. I’m very excited. You can find print and e-book versions on Amazon. So, how do I get interest, you may ask?

With the New Year, I decided to journal about the books I’ve read. I started a spreadsheet, listing book, author, review, rating, and recommendation. My reviews included a synopsis, the major characters and my thoughts on the novel or essay collection. Several of the books I’ve read were for a book club. I joined the Blacksburg Science Fiction and Fantasy (SFF) Book Club about two years ago. My journaling now helps me prepare for club meetings. The Blacksburg club is a mix of different ages, genders, and professions. I appreciate the members’ perspectives of a book. Several times I learn about a point I totally missed. When I reflect on it, the light bulb comes on, “Oh yeah.” People either love the book, hate it, or they are ambivalent about it. We express what we may have loved about it as well as share what didn’t work for us. And we respect each other’s opinions.

When I read fiction, I make a mental image of the character, setting, and action. The author may only provide the bare bone descriptions, but I, as a reader, fill in the rest. This may explain why readers are disappointed with a film adaptation. Of course, the other criticism is over what was left out of the film. That’s why readers love limited series, for example The Institute or two part films, Dune and It.

I was blown away this past month with awesome Horror on the big and small screen. I saw Hokum, Passenger, Obsession and Backrooms at the multiplex and The Terror: The Devil in Silver on AMC/Shudder. Some of you may ask, where have I been? There’s been some great films already this year. True, but how many of those films hung around the theaters for more than a week, if they get a screen engagement at all?

What are the three most important things you have accomplished, aside from publishing a book?

You remember those four words, proudly displayed on Fox Molder’s poster, the grainy image of a flying saucer hovering over the tree line. The X-files, in my opinion, the best in television.

Dear Reader. Sometime in 2025, I started to seriously think about retirement. My wife, Margie, pressed me on what I would retire too. “You can’t sit around all day watching TV.” She knows me too well. In retirement, two of my colleagues at the University of Georgia started writing. One friend Larry Shimkets wrote a political thriller, Malice in the Palace, the other, Harry Dailey a Sci-Fi graphic novel, Salad Days. The interesting thing about this is neither one are English nor Literature professors. They’re microbiologists. I’m a microbiologist. I thought, “I’ll write fiction in retirement.”

     Like any boy my age, I read comic books.  The usual.  The Amazing Spiderman.  Batman.  The Fantastic Four.  I also loved horror comics.  The Witching Hour.  The House of Mystery.  Or the pricier, Eerie, Creepy magazines. 

Dear Readers,

I will share with you my journey to writing, love of horror and new short stories and novels as they are published. So far, 2026 had been an exciting year in horror.  Two horror films, Sinners and Weapons picked up several Oscars including Best Actor, Best Original Screenplay, Best Cinematography and Best Supporting Actress.   I just finished Between Two Fires by Christopher Buehlman, a fantasy horror novel.  So far, the best novel I've read this year.  There is so much I'm looking forward to in films and novels.  This year will be the debut of my first novel, Enter Infernum.  I share with youI hope you enjoy my blogs.

Dear Reader,