Happy Friday! Today’s haunted location seems to be well-known; it’s even part of the Conjuring movie series. I had not a clue. But I learned and boy oh boy, I am a little creeped out to say the least. Enjoy!!! THE SMURL FAMILY HAUNTING The Smurl House located in West Pittston, PA. Photo from Reddit. Janet and Jack Smurl moved into this now infamous house with their two daughters in 1973 after being displaced due to Hurricane Agnes the year before. The house was 80 years old a

I had the amazing honor of interviewing the author of my #1 book of 2026, Disco Barrington. Check out their answers below and then go snag the book that will be living rent free in your head for long time to come. Christina Pfeiffer: First and foremost, where did the idea for the novella begin and how did you decide the setup/formatting? Disco Barrington: In April 2025, I was sitting in an airport when I got the news that the UK Supreme court had ruled that the definition o

Welcome to Latham's Last Words, where I give you my last words on vintage horror books I've read. Let's look at Ring from 1991! Originally published in Japan as Ringu. I am so glad I decided to read this! Even more creepy and terrifying than the movie. Of course the movie is very different because it's the Americanized version. If I had read the book before I had seen the movie, I wouldn't have watched The Ring, I would have searched for Ringu and watched that instead. I'm c

Besu Tadesse is back with another horror game review! This week, he brings us his thoughts on The Cursed Forest. Some spoilers ahead... proceed with caution. THE CURSED FOREST reviewed by Besu Tadesse Released in February 2019, The Cursed Forest is a first-person adventure puzzle horror game developed by KPy3O and Noostyche and published by Grable Team. You play as an unnamed protagonist trotting through the aforementioned cursed forest on a mission to find out where your fam

IN LIGHT OF DARKNESS by Patrick Tumblety Trying to stay positive in uncertain times can feel like traversing a dark road without a hint of light to guide your way. In Light of Darkness is a collection that explores the slivers of hope that slice through the darkest of times. Author and poet Patrick Tumblety offers his hand to guide you through an era of unrest by shining a light on the joy that can still be found. GET THE EBOOK NOW: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0HLDX5Q1K PRE-

Grab a cuppa and a stack of books and let the reading begin! Happy Book Birthday to Patrick Tumblety's In Light of Darkness Patrick Tumblety wrote a deeply personal collection of poetry and short works, In Light of Darkness, released by Blood Moon Publishing and Uncomfortably Dark. Through reading it, I feel as if I have met Patrick. I know he was an often misunderstood boy who loved comics (especially Superman) and video games. D&D factors into some of the poems, too. He is

Today's book reviews, in honor of Latine Appreciation Month (which strangely runs from 15 September until 15 October), feature works by Latine authors. These are but a few of the many truly talented writers who deserve to be celebrated and appreciated. Salt Bones by Jennifer Givhan The horror in Jennifer Givhan’s lyrical novel, Salt Bones, isn’t just the supernatural creatures, the superstitions, or the mysterious disappearances. It’s also the generational traumas shared by t

Title: THIS HOUSE IS TOTALLY HAUNTED Directed by: Sean Nichols Lynch Country: US Run Time: 73 mins Synopsis: A ghost hunter, a cameraman, a medium, and a cult defector walk into a supposedly haunted house… what is really haunted is the question. Favorite line: “They were drugged so they could be lobotomized.” “It was a campy ass ghost.” Thoughts: Mix NPR, a documentary, and a sprinkle of BLAIR WITCH and you have a recipe for insanity. Andy (played by Chad Westbrook

Uncomfortably Dark celebrates National Service Dog month by looking at dogs in horror.

Happy Saturday! I am here with what’s New, Next, and on Deck for Uncomfortably Dark Horror, where you can find all the latest and upcoming releases along with what else the UDH authors are up to whether it’s events, cover releases, a signing, or an interview, etc. We are here for it all. Enjoy! What's New and Upcoming from the UDH authors... PJ Verfall has a new release!! 13 KISSES is an incredible book, be warned, it's definitely on the extreme side! It's available on Godles

Title: LOOK ALIVE Directed by: Amanda Prescott Country: US Run Time: 3 mins Synopsis: Moral of this film - just don’t do dishes. It invites evil into your life. Favorite line: N/A (no dialogue) Thoughts: The lack of backstory and context adds SO much to the three minutes. It feels longer and that it will never end but in a creepy, scary, spooky kinda way. Very minimalistic, no dialogue, and the suspense between the two characters… killer. Also, it seems she has a ru

Welcome to Latham's Last Words, where I give you my last words on vintage horror books I've read. Let's look at The Wolf's Hour from 1989! I had heard such great things about this book and I have to say I was disappointed in it. I know I'm in the minority when I say that, but it just didn't do it for me as a werewolf book. If I ignore the fact that Michael Gallatin is a werewolf, I will say this was a great WWII thriller! The first reason I was disappointed is that there is

Title: THE PROTOCOL Directed by: John Rizzo Country: US Run Time: 8 mins Synopsis: … when a plan doesn’t go the way one thought. Favorite line: “You saved me, now I’m going to save you.” Thoughts: For eight minutes, Rizzo decides to just make the viewer feel every emotion possible. Confusion? Yes. Hope? Yes. Anger? Oh, yeah. Fear? Sure. But he also forces the viewer to ask questions - Would I do the same thing the female main character did? Was the release worth the

Exploring The Labyrinth In this series, I will be reading every Brian Keene fiction book that has been published (and is still available in print) and then producing an essay on it. With the exception of Girl On The Glider, these essays will be based upon a first read of the books concerned. The article will assume you’ve read the book, and you should expect MASSIVE spoilers. I hope you enjoy my voyage of discovery. THE DAMNED HIGHWAY Essay 31 Welcome back. As I type, the mon

Title: PSYCHO SLASHER Directed by: Ted Hogeman Country: US Run Time: 5 mins Synopsis: Killers are gonna kill, am I right? Favorite line: “Claiming souls is my game and I’m on fire.” Thoughts: Imagine IN A VIOLENT NATURE but make it funny and add a sprinkle of Dexter. Bloody and girl power fueled, the viewer is along for the ride of insanity and let me tell you, it’s a ride. Actor to watch for: Psycho slasher - Kristen Hopkins Title: MEGA BALL Directed by: Max August

Bryan Smith is an icon in the horror industry, with two Splatterpunk awards and dozens of novels, novellas, and collections that showcase his incredible range. His new novel, MONSTROUS released today from Flame Tree Press and it is an outstanding read. MONSTROUS By Bryan Smith SYNOPSIS: Accompanied by an unsuspecting target, an aspiring serial killer journeys to a remote mountainous location at the same time as a woman looking to bury evidence of a heinous crime walks the sam

Title: HEIRLOOMS Directed by: Dan Ambramovici Country: US Run Time: 13 mins. Synopsis: When Jamie’s mother dies, she is forced to clean and get rid of household goods. But one in particular is going to be a bit to deal with. Favorite line: “I’m cancelling my meetings.” Thoughts: There is a scene that just broke my heart. It was the bamboozle of the festival for me. HEIRLOOMS is creepy, relatable, and deeply unsettling. I loved every second of it. Actor to watch for:

Kerry E.B. Black reviews Itch by Gemma Amor and The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White

This week's Horror Happenings: Events, Reviews and more from the Indie Horror World! If you're an indie horror author or a horror industry creative, publisher, or press, with news to share, let us know! *Email us your news to share at editor@uncomfortablydark.com. No ai content will be shared or promoted-please do not send it or ask. UPCOMING INDUSTRY EVENTS HAPPENING THIS WEEKEND! MURDER AT THE MEADERY! Happening Sept. 20, 2026! Apis Meadery, Carnegie, PA Come See Candace N

Title: THE RESERVOIR Directed by: Jack Gardner King Country: US Run Time: 15 mins Synopsis: A group of friends enjoy a lake but that same lake holds secrets that only one knows the truth about. Favorite line: “Maybe I can see my sister, Rebecca.” Thoughts: King brings the suspense in this short film. Between the confusion of the characters and the growing tension, the viewer is left on the edge of their seat. And the bamboozles? Plentiful. Actor to watch for: Nate -