Original Illustrated Tales Coming Soon!

*Cover art subject to change by release.

Beginning in 2026, I will be sharing some of my original illustrated fiction here on the site for your enjoyment. Most of these are horror stories I have written in bits over the past few decades and I am now digging them out to finally finish and publish them. Once finished I look forward to writing screenplay versions of these two stories to see for myself how they adapt into that format. I have always written while imaging how thing would play out as a film.

These three stories in particular; "The Owl of Splinter Falls" and "The Road That Came Around", have been stories that I have been wanting to publish for a long time now but they were put onto the back burner so to speak. Heck, I started writing "Road.." back in the summer of 1998 after a creepy drive through an unlit, back country road. I still remember it like it just happened. More on that later..."down the road" lol. These two horror stories are set in small town locations and the stories behind them were spawned by my own experience and nightmares. A benefit from writing down your dreams.

My favourite type of horror stories are the ones set in a single place or in minimal locations and take place over a short period of time. It's hard to pull this off and do write it well and make it entertaining but I find stories like that, even in the horror genre, oddly calming. Short stories usually inspire the best horror movies. Of course it tales much less time and a smaller budget to produce them just like short stories take less time to write. Maybe one day I will finish a novel - I have a few started and a couple almost finished but one day. I want to focus on getting a collection of good short stories out first and take it from there. This is something I've been planning to do for some time now so I am excited to finally beginning the journey.

The above story cover art was completely designed and edited by me using my own photos. As with all of my creations, I insist on creating my own book covers myself. I couldn't imagine having anyone else creating my book covers or album covers when I am capable of creating them myself. To me, it makes it all so much more personal when the creator of the story, music or film, etc also creates the front cover art that its packaged in. its a first impression representation of the story, song, film. I can think of so many book covers, album covers and movies posters that drew me to them.

I also plan to write and release original instrumental theme music for each story release via my official music artist name, "The Mechanical Ruins" which will tie-in to the release of these companion stories in 2026. I Always wrote to instrumental and classical music and I am very excited to finally have my own music to accompany my stories. I plan to do this as well for my future animated short films as well - more on that here on this blog later as I am already in early development on an animated short. Again, details later.

I would love to design covers and posters, etc for other artists of all kinds soon. I look forward to offering this service right here on this site soon. It would be wonderful to be able to make a living with my artistic and deign stills full time but of course, that is EVERY artists dream.

Okay that's about it for me today. Thank you for reading this and supporting my art. I really appreciate it. I am off to write a bit more then off to dreamland.

Remember to dream!

Ryan