02/11/2026 BLACK HISTORY MONTH: Felix I.D. Dimaro

As we do every year in the month of February, Uncomfortably Dark takes time out to honor Black authors and Black history from every era, past and present. If you already read widely and diversely or want to get started; please add these authors to your Must - Read lists and to those TBR piles!

A massive thank you to fellow author Eliza Broadbent for this huge undertaking for this month, enabling Uncomfortably Dark to honor at least one author a day, or more!

Born in Nigeria, raised in Toronto, Felix I.D. Dimaro is an author of allegorical, dark, psychological fiction often centering around morality, mental health, societal conditions, the environment, or the real-life issues he has experienced.

He has released twelve books to date, including the eco-thriller, “Black Bloom: A Story of Survival,” the extreme horror novel, “Humane Sacrifice: The Story of the Aztec Killer," and the tale of cat cloning gone wrong, "In the Darkness, Eyes and Teeth.” When not writing, Dimaro is usually reading, watching professional wrestling, or running even though no one is chasing him.

Today, we honor Felix I.D. Dimaro

1. What kind of horror do you write/publish, and what brought you to the horror genre in particular?

I write dark, psychological, and allegorical stories that speak to societal issues and existential concerns. I also explore ideas of the afterlife through horror. Mostly, I’m interested in how people interact and treat each other, so I often write about humans doing inhuman things.

I’ve been into horror fiction since being introduced to Goosebumps by R.L. Stine very early on in life. Combine that with slightly irresponsible older brothers who let me watch horror movies at far too young an age, and I really had no choice but to be a horror fan.

2. Who would you consider your influences and inspiration?

My influences are all over the place; from Homer, Plato, and Ovid (and Greek and Roman mythology and philosophy in general) to K.A. Applegate, George R.R. Martin, Stephen King, Chuck Palahkniuk, N.K. Jemisin, Octavia Butler, and Philip K. Dick. 

[N.K. Jemisin is amazing, and if you haven’t read her Broken Earth trilogy, you need to. She won three Hugo awards in a row for it]

3. What piece of writing has meant the most to you, and why? This can be both your own and/or another author’s.

Invisible Monsters by Chuck Palahniuk is a book that changed the way I look at writing. I read it as I was still trying to find my voice as an author and was worried my atypical writing style wouldn’t be accepted. I was worried about risking being myself. But Invisible Monsters is a book full of risks. It is batshit crazy in a beautiful way. Reading it almost felt like receiving permission to write what I want to write and how I want to write it. It taught me that there’s an audience for an author even if their style and subject matter strays far from the norm.

4. What’s it like being a Black horror writer/editor at this particular moment?

 It feels like being in an uphill battle. A never-ending fight that also involves breaking down a lot of gates that are still being fastidiously kept. Black authors, particularly independent authors, struggle to be taken seriously, to be given a fair chance, and to be allowed to write about subject matter outside of Black pain. The idea of the Black author is still not normalized, and February seems to be the only time a lot of people remember that Black authors exist. That is something I hope to help change.

5. All horror is political. How do you think your politics informs your writing/editing?

I believe that stories are meant to speak to societal concerns; to provide education even if indirectly. I aim to have a valuable societal lesson in each of my stories without moralizing to readers. I try to put forth my ideals and concerns in a way that might encourage those ‘on the other side’ to reconsider their stance without feeling they are being belittled or shamed about what they currently believe. It’s a difficult thing to do because you see the state of things and just want to yell at people for being daft. But when it comes to politics in stories, I find that allegory and subtlety tend to work better than admonishment.

6. Do you do any writing or editing that’s not fiction? If so, how did you come to that space, and where can we find it?

I write about the successes and failures of my writing journey and share my thoughts about societal issues on Substack (thingsthatkeepmeupatnight.substack.com). I believe strongly in people sharing their thoughts and opinions if they believe those opinions would be beneficial to readers and viewers in some way. I think I have a perspective on certain issues that a lot of people don’t always consider, and I try to share that when and how I can.

7. Have you faced any unique challenges in your writing career?

 I feel like trying to establish a writing career is a unique challenge in and of itself.

8. What advice do you have for Black horror writers who are just getting started in the genre?

The battle will be uphill and full of locked gates. Fight hard. Knock them over. And clear a path for the Black authors behind you.

Published Works and Links:

I have published twelve books so far. They can be found at Amazon and all other major online retailers. Or you can purchase them directly from me at thingsthatkeepmeupatnight.com.

My latest release, a serialized novella called Neon Apocalypse, can be downloaded and read for free from my website.

Social Media:

Facebook (public profile/page): facebook.com/thingsthatkeepmeup

Instagram, Threads: @thingsthatkeepmeupatnight

Substack/Blog: Felix I.D. Dimaro

Website: https://www.thingsthatkeepmeupatnight.com

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/Dimaro