S. Kovax's Blog

Hello Horror Friends,

I hope you are doing well and that madness and despair stayed out of your way so far in 2025. Unfortunately, they didn’t in my life.

Looking back at newsletters in 2024, I made some bold statements about releasing a debut novel this year and to be consistent with newsletters and writing more. These promises didn’t seem foolhardy at the time I made them, but life threw some shit into our family’s face early this year, which developed into a full-grown shit storm that hasn’t passed since.

We had to deal with major, life-threatening illness and other medium severity health issues that were not too dangerous but incapacitating enough. This was—and still is—a lot to take on, and there was little to no capacity left to write. I made so many promises to myself and to you in the past, so now, I decided that I won’t anymore. I’m not stopping writing, but it seems that I just can’t adhere to a schedule at this point in time.

In the future, I will only tell you that I’m releasing something when it’s one hundred percent ready. I thought that scheduling these deadlines would create more momentum and discipline, but I didn’t calculate in the additional life stuff. Maybe some prolific writers can carry on with their work despite being sick or their loved ones being sick, but I can’t. My creative juices are not flowing when I’m this stressed and overwhelmed. I had to come to terms with these limitations myself.

Long story short, the novel is nowhere near ready for publication. I barely touched it in the last five months. So, I changed the pre-order to the next volume of The Uninvited Words Collection, but I’m not even sure I can deliver that.

I hope you don’t mind me sharing this with you. I’m trying to present the facts without moaning or complaining. I think being transparent is always better than evading the topic or delivering a half-done book. Having said that, I don’t want to become the next George Martin and not releasing anything for a decade, so I will finish something before the end of 2025, but it might just be one or two short stories.

In the meantime, I will keep you updated with the progress or the lack of it, and I will keep the chalice raised in your name.

S

This beast of a year is crawling towards its inevitable end, its cadaver to resurrect itself as the new year. I’m spending the last two weeks (and the first few days of 2025) with my family in Hungary, eating a ridiculous amount of food, having an almost equally ridiculous number of drinks, listening to the political rants of some distant relatives while nodding heavily and trying not to respond, and resting a little too. I’m a bit late, I know, but happy holidays to you all. I hope you can also relax and party before the new year swallows us whole.

There is no snow in my homeland anymore, which I miss very much. I would love to play with my son in knee deep snow like I had done in my youth, but the snowy landscapes of Christmas are becoming fantasy like The Lord of the Rings. By the way, I try to re-read the books or re-watch the Peter Jackson trilogy every year. It’s the greatest Christmas story ever, for me at least. What are your favourite films or books you read this time of the year? Hit reply and tell me.

I haven’t worked on the novel in these two weeks, but that’s fine. I need this rest so that I will be able to jump into work and writing in the new year. I was thinking about not writing a greatest hits of books this time, but I love lists, so I couldn’t resist. This is more for me than you, but I’m going to share it, anyway.

My favourite reads in 2024:

The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson – I haven’t read this classic before. It’s the story of four seekers investigating a haunted mansion, an exploration of isolation, belonging, and the dark corners of the human mind. A masterpiece of psychological horror, and a must read.

Full Dark, No Stars by Stephen King – This collection of four novellas showcases Stephen King at his darkest, exploring the depths of human depravity and revenge. The title is apt. There is no light and no hope in these stories. And some dare to say that King cannot write horror anymore.

The Wendigo by Algernon Blackwood – A novella, but I cannot miss it from this list. The vast wilderness of the Canadian forests has an atmosphere of primal terror and cosmic dread in the story. Blackwood explores themes of nature’s unknowable power and humanity’s insignificance. Unnerving and haunting.

Cunning Folk by Adam Nevill – The master of folk horror strikes again. A terrifying tale set in modern-day rural England, where a family’s dream home becomes a nightmare. This book has some truly disturbing and terrifying scenes. I stand by my claim that no one writes scarier stories today than Adam Nevill.

Tender is the Flesh by Augustina Bazterrica – This dystopian horror novel presents a world where animal meat has been replaced by legally processed human flesh, creating a devastating critique of society’s capacity for normalisation of the unthinkable. Very disturbing and highly thought provoking. You will not be the same after reading it.

Locke & Key: The Golden Age by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez – Hill and Rodriguez return to this beloved series with a collection that enriches the mythology of Keyhouse Manor. Amazing work with a nice Sandman crossover. Recommended.

The Great and Secret Show and Everville (The Books of the Art) by Clive Barker – These were long overdue. They didn’t disappoint. Both books are dark fantasy epics that explore the war between dreams and reality. The books are philosophically complex while maintaining a blend of horror and wonder. Not to be missed by any Barker fans.

The Wolf’s Hour by Robert McCammon – I’m not a fan of spy thrillers, but McCammon’s unique blend of werewolf horror and World War II history was a treat. He masterfully balanced supernatural elements with historical authenticity, creating a pulse-pounding adventure that never lost sight of its horror roots. It was a whirlwind, and I couldn’t put it down.

Non-horror:

Dune Trilogy by Frank Herbert – Inspired by the new Dune films, I read the whole first Dune Trilogy. These books are fantastic. A meditation on politics, power, religion, set in the far future where humans are not even humans anymore. Highly philosophical throughout, I regularly had to close the book to process what I had just read, in a good way. A classic for a reason.

Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky – I’ve read some classic literature this year, and this one is a standout. It follows the moral and mental deterioration of Raskolnikov, a student who commits murder to prove his own superiority. It’s an unforgettable exploration of guilt, redemption, and the human capacity for both cruelty and grace. No wonder it has been in print for over a century.

Solaris by Stanislaw Lem – Another deeply philosophical and psychological science fiction masterpiece. The story of humanity’s attempt to communicate with a seemingly sentient ocean planet. It’s almost horror in some places. I have read nothing like it.

This would be it. I hope some of these will spark your interest. Finally, I would like to say an infernal thank you for all your support and encouragement. I hope you enjoyed my stories, and hopefully you’ll enjoy the novel too when it comes out. I’ll keep the chalice raised in your name in 2025 as well.

The spooky season is upon us. The streets transform into a tapestry of Halloween enchantment, and Jack-o’-lanterns line the porches, their carved grins flickering in orange light. Plastic skeletons sway from tree branches. The air is thick with the scent of sweet candy and the aroma of fallen leaves. The towns come alive with excited trick-or-treaters.

It’s the best time of the year to be a horror fan. I love Halloween, and we are celebrating it here in the UK, but, as you know, I’m originally from Hungary. Over there, Halloween is not traditionally celebrated. We have instead ‘Halottak napja’ or ‘Mindenszentek’ best translated as The Day of the Dead or All Saint’s Day, respectively. Families visit cemeteries to clean the graves of their deceased loved ones and to decorate with flowers and wreaths. We light candles at graves and in windows at home to remember the deceased and guide their spirits. Imagine the cemetery when thousands of candles are lit at once. The atmosphere is sombre and melancholic but beautiful and awe-inspiring at the same time. People stand in front of the gravestones and quietly reflect for a few minutes in the middle of this spectacle. The picture below shows you a glimpse of what it is like, of course, not fully representing the live experience.

Chrysanthemums are strongly associated with the Day of the Dead and are commonly placed on graves. The main day is the 1st of November, but we start visiting cemeteries on the 31st of October  and continue through the 2nd of November to avoid congestion. Some extremely traditional people set the dinner table with an extra serving for deceased relatives and place candles around the house so the dead can take one more look around the family home. We have never done this in my family. That sounds a bit morbid even to me, but I usually partake in the quiet introspection and remembrance. It’s not as fun as Halloween, but beautiful in a very different way.

There you go. A little information about the Hungarian Day of the Dead you didn’t know you needed. I just wanted to share this little piece with you as not many people know about our traditions.

As always, I appreciate you being here and reading my books. I wish you all a chilling Halloween and an atmospheric Day of the Dead. Take care of yourselves and your families, and don’t forget to keep the chalice raised.

Horror Friends,

A quick post today. As Halloween and the Day of the Dead are approaching, I’d like to help you in the supply of chilling stories. The first volume of The Uninvited Words Collection is free to download from Amazon between the 20th and the 24th of October, and the subsequent volumes two and three are priced at £1.99 in the UK and $1.99 in the USA. Grab them if you haven’t yet.

Hello Horror Friends,

I’m very pleased to announce that the pre-order of my debut horror novel, Black Metal, Black Magic, Black Moon, is now live. You will have to wait almost a year for its release, but I wanted to create myself a spacious deadline. I haven’t written anything this long or complex before, and I wanted to make sure I get it as right as possible. Here’s what you can expect:

Descend deep enough into darkness, and you will become the darkness yourself.

Some say black metal is the most extreme musical genre, performed by the most extreme musicians. Jocó, a Hungarian journalist, will soon find out whether the rumours are true. He is about to interview Tenebris Concavum, the most notorious band on the planet.

The stakes are high. His sick mother desperately needs the money the interview will provide. Jocó is ready to do what’s required, but the horror awaiting him in the ancient forests of Norway is beyond his worst nightmares.

And the torture is not over even after he returns to Budapest. To escape the curse put on him, he must immerse himself in the darkest of the dark arts. How deep into the abyss will he sink in his fight for freedom?

The debut horror novel from S Kovax, a fresh voice in macabre literature. Prepare for an atmospheric experience of the monstrous and the magical.

Hello Horror Friends,

I hope you’re all doing very well and had a fiendish summer. It’s been a few months, so it’s time I shared some news from the abyss. I was working hard on the new novel, and I’m delighted to report that I finished the first draft a few days ago. The novel’s working title is Black Metal, Black Magic, Black Moon. I don’t think it will change because I love this title, but never say never, so let’s call it a working title for now.

I can’t show you a blurb or plot teaser yet as this is only the finished first draft. A lot can change. What is sure is that the book lingers somewhere between urban fantasy and horror, the tone resembling the early novels of Clive Barker. We called that genre dark fantasy in the past, but I feel like that the genre definition was hijacked by sparkly vampires being in love with muscular werewolves. Nothing wrong with those books, of course, but my book is very different from them. Sometimes, this novel will be scary and disturbing (or at least I try to make it so), other times it will charter into urban fantasy territory while keeping the dark vibe. The best way I could describe it would be as Harry Potter’s magical world meets the horrors of Hellraiser while black metal blasts as the background music.

I also plan for this to be part of a larger world with multiple interconnected novels that you can enjoy as standalone stories. But if you read more of them, you will recognize characters and build a bigger understanding of the world. I don’t have a release date yet, sometime next year for sure. It depends how the editing will go. I will keep you updated with the progress.

Thanks for reading. I don’t want to take up more of your valuable time. For the rest of the year, you can expect to hear from me more, anyway. I’m already looking forward to Halloween, and the greatest season of all, the beautifully atmospheric Autumn. If you haven’t yet, please take a look at my latest release, The Uninvited Words Volume 3. And keep the chalice raised until next time.

From the back cover:

Come and enter The Uninvited Words Collection. Enter through any story, continue in any order, but beware. Once you are through, there is no coming back. The vortex of horrors will trap you and sentence you to read. Forever.

In the third volume of horror and dark fantasy tales, S Kovax returns with a novella and five short stories. He invites you to an artistic journey in which obsession merges with insanity, a journey that not even death can disrupt. He throws you into a post-apocalyptic, vampire-ridden world through the eyes of a nine-year-old boy. He dares you to look into the future, where every emotion can be engineered through a new tech-drug. And much more. Stories of destiny, despair, and devastation.

Words without invitation, bringing terror and madness as their companions. Invading your mind to reveal a world of shadows where everything is possible. Weird, monstrous, and magical things dwell there, waiting only for you.

Hello Horror Friends,

I hope you are all hungry for some new horror fiction. The Uninvited Words – Tales of Horror and Dark Fantasy Volume III, containing a novella and five short stories, is unleashed upon the world today.

I invite you to an artistic journey in which obsession merges with insanity, a journey that not even death can disrupt. I will throw you into a post-apocalyptic, vampire-ridden world through the eyes of a nine-year-old boy. I dare you to look into the future, where every emotion can be engineered through a new tech-drug. And much more. Stories of destiny, despair, and devastation.

I don’t have anything else to add today. I would like the book to speak for itself. A huge thank you to everyone who summons it into their physical or electronic library. I hope the stories will provide as much simultaneous dread and joy as they did during the writing process.

The runes are cast, the sacrificial blood is drawn, and the chalice is now empty. But I will keep it raised for you until next time.

Hello Horror Friends,

I hope you are all keeping well and have a steady supply of dark fiction. In case you don’t, release date is almost upon us. The Uninvited Words Volume 3 is waiting in its cage, getting hungrier and more eager to be let out every day.

Today, I will take off the shroud and reveal my creation so that you know what awaits you in mid-April.

Close your eyes; wait a second.

Now. You can look now.

From the back cover:

Come and enter The Uninvited Words Collection. Enter through any story, continue in any order, but beware. Once you are through, there is no coming back. The vortex of horrors will trap you and sentence you to read. Forever.

In the third volume of horror and dark fantasy tales, S Kovax returns with a novella and five short stories. He invites you to an artistic journey in which obsession merges with insanity, a journey that not even death can disrupt. He throws you into a post-apocalyptic, vampire-ridden world through the eyes of a nine-year-old boy. He dares you to look into the future, where every emotion can be engineered through a new tech-drug. And much more. Stories of destiny, despair, and devastation.

Words without invitation, bringing terror and madness as their companions. Invading your mind to reveal a world of shadows where everything is possible. Weird, monstrous, and magical things dwell there, waiting only for you.

Regardless of how it will be received, I am proud of how my creation turned out. The stories in this volume were sometimes devastating to write—I’m not too faint-hearted when it comes to messing with my characters, so I hope all the emotions will come through to you too.

I’m testing how pre-orders work—never done one before, so I’m not sharing the link with you just yet. If it works well, I will set up pre-orders for my future releases.

Thanks for reading. I will keep the chalice raised until the 13th of April when The Uninvited Words Volume 3 will be unleashed on the world, then I will drink the sacrificial blood to conjure good fortune for my book.

Hello Horror Friends,

The year is flying by like a winged demon, and we are already approaching the end of February. I hope you are still on track with your resolutions and goals. I have already fallen off the wagon with my weight loss goals, but I try not to despair. There is time.

On the positive side, I have some great book related news. First, I have updated The Uninvited Words Volume 1 and 2 with brand-new story notes. Here’re the introductory paragraphs to the story notes in Volume 1.

I love behind-the-scenes stuff. I’m the person who watches interviews with actors, directors, artists, bands, and songwriters; watches the extras on DVDs and Blu-rays; reads the author’s note at the end of a collection or a novel. The origin of art is always fascinating, regardless of its form.

Despite the stories having been published before, I hired a developmental editor for this collection. I wanted to make them the best they could be. With no prior experience working with an editor, I paid close attention to his feedback. He advised not to include author’s notes in my debut collection because it would be pretentious, and readers only cared about what already established authors had to say in them.

I disagreed; I still do, but I removed them from the first edition, anyway. After all, he was the editor, the expert in the field. I understand why he suggested deleting them—he wouldn’t have done it himself, so he suggested the same to me. Since then, however, I’ve gained more confidence and changed my mind.

I love to read story notes by other authors. I don’t care whether they are by Stephen King or a brand new author I’ve never heard of before. And I’ve decided to be an independent author because I desire creative freedom and ownership over the books I produce.

So here come my story notes. If you are like me, you’ll be excited to read them, even if I’m new to you. If you don’t enjoy this sort of stuff, just skip them. No hard feelings. You still have the stories themselves, so you won’t lose anything.

From now on, I will be braver, and I will include my notes or thoughts about my stories at the end of my books.

If you are interested in buying the new versions, please follow the links below.

THE UNINVITED WORDS VOLUME 1

THE UNINVITED WORDS VOLUME 2

Second, the text for The Uninvited Words Volume 3 is back from my proofreader and ready for publication. I’m currently in the middle of formatting and creating a cover, and I’m aiming to publish it in April. It will include 5 new short stories and a novella that I previously published on its own. I will re-publish its updated version in this volume.

A brief introduction to the stories:

3uphoria v6.1—A Black Mirror style psychological horror piece about two teenagers trying to hack their own brains.

Mr Owl the Mighty—A weird tale of desperation about a nine-year-old boy who lost his legs in an accident. I already shared this story on my blog. Read it HERE.

Starry Nights—Expanded Version—A horror novella about the artistic journey. When obsession merges with insanity, nothing can stand in its way. Not even death.

A Christmas Siren—A Christmas supernatural flash fiction. Also available on my blog. Read it HERE.

Reunion—Another tale from a boy’s perspective, this time in an apocalyptic, vampiric setting.

Bonus Story—Pit of Depression—My first ever story, republished for its 10th anniversary. The terrifying adventures of a washed-up addict.

I will be back in March with a cover reveal and some more news. Until then, raise the chalice of blood high and shout your incantations at the sky, keep well and take care.

S Kovax

These are my absolute favourite reads from 2023. They were all exceptionally good, and I will re-read them fully or partially in the future.

I read 38 books in 2023 which is below my average of 45-50 per year, but there were definitely more than the usual number of doorstoppers in there, so I’m okay. I gave up on 4 books; stopped reading them after around 100 pages.

As always, the most dominating genres were horror and dark fantasy, but I’ve read some epic fantasy, non-fiction, sci-fi and literary fiction too.

My favourite horror titles were:

Hex by Thomas Olde Heuvelt

A chilling novel blending folklore with modern horror. It offers a unique twist on the concept of witches and a cursed town. One of the best depictions of grief I’ve read anywhere. Heart breaking stuff.

The Black Maybe by Attila Veres

My fellow Hungarian author Attila Veres was nominated for a Bram Stoker Award with this collection. I don’t think you need more recommendation than that. I’ve read most of these stories in Hungarian, but they work very well in English too.

IT by Stephen King (Reread)

This year I returned to Derry to refresh my memories. This book is a masterclass in horror storytelling. I think I loved IT even more the second time. Nothing else needs to be said here.

The Beast You Are by Paul Tremblay

Paul Tremblay continues to redefine the horror genre with his unique blend of psychological depth and narrative inventions. I really enjoy how he tries to tell a story differently than just 3rd person past tense.

Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke by Eric LaRocca

The viral horror sensation, Eric LaRocca’s THGWSWLS. I’ve finally got around to read it. It was disturbing; I have to admit. Masterpiece? Not sure, but I can guarantee you’ve not read anything like this before. Great stuff.

The Ballad of Black Tom by Victor LaValle

Lovecraftian horror with a fresh perspective that addresses historical racial injustices. This story is both a tribute and a critique. Wonderfully done. A must read modern horror novella.

***

My favourite Dark/Grimdark Fantasy books:

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (Reread)

Another reread. It was so good to enter Neil Gaiman’s magical graveyard again. Dark, cold yet heartwarming. Whimsy and profound at the same time. Only Neilhimself can pull off a tale like this.

The First Law Trilogy by Joe Abercrombie

People have been recommending this trilogy to me for a long time. Now I understand why. It’s gritty, darkly humorous, bloody, and gut-wrenching. I went through all 3 books in one go. Highly recommended for fans of the Song of Ice and Fire. I think it was even better. What? Blasphemy.

Baltimore Deluxe Volume 1 by Mike Mignola and Christopher Golden

Mike Mignola’s signature gothic art style with Christopher Golden’s gripping storytelling. Very atmospheric, a great blend of horror, history, and fantasy. I loved this one, and I will definitely get Volume 2 as well.

***

The next two are not horror, but I loved them a lot. I highly recommend them.

The Emperor’s Soul by Brandon Sanderson

An amazing high fantasy novella. Short and punchy, yet deep. The magic system is unique and intriguing. The story is full of thought-provoking observations about identity, art, and the nature of the human soul. Recommended.

Meditations by Marcus Aurelius

This timeless classic offers insights into the personal reflections of Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius. I found it profound how relatable his thoughts were despite the distance in time and life experience. Who knew an emperor struggled with procrastination and getting out of bed in the mornings just like you and me? A must read.

***

This is it. I hope some of these sparks your interest and you’ll enjoy them as much as I did. I wish you a New Year filled with happiness, great books, thrills, successful rituals, and terrifying manifestations.