Stephen Roth Author

Curious about what lurks in the mind of a horror writer? Do you want exclusive behind the story details? Do you want to know when the next book will be released? Curious about the cover? Sign up for my newsletter for all that, plus a free short story as a thank you for signing up.

Dark dispatches What does a horror writer's mind look like when the lights go out? Join the newsletter for a monthly glimpse into the mind of Stephen M. Roth, author of psychological horror.

What’s a trope? What’s a cliche? What’s the difference? And why you should care. Plus a list of horror tropes and cliches.

Horror Tropes & Cliches: The Ultimate Guide Ever read a horror novel about a haunted house? What about a story involving an ominous warning from a creepy stranger? If you’ve ever read a horror story, chances are that you’ve exper…

Trying out a newsletter. The first one is posted on the website. To get the rest you’ll need to subscribe. It’s free.

It includes some updates on a few projects, one of which has nothing to do with writing. Read to find out.

The Reel, The House, and The Family Table The newsletter for April, 2026: There has been a concerted effort in recent months to tailor the blog posts more to the reader. That means my writing journey takes more of a backseat in most posts.…

Having trouble controlling the pace of your novel? In this blog post I share when to quicken the pace, when to slow down, and most importantly, give you tips for how to do it.

Pacing: Speeding Up & Slowing Down The pace is the speed at which the story unfolds, how quickly or slowly the events take place within the narrative. Proper pacing is essential if you want to hook a reader into turning the page lon…

The House That Wasn’t There is available now on Amazon. Click the link below to check it out.

The House That Wasn't There There wasn't supposed to be a house hidden in the woods across the street. There weren't any visible signs of construction in the area. Being a residential construction worker, Conner knew a construction site when there was one. There wasn't one. It was as if the house appeared overnight. It...

A new blog post is out. I’ve accepted that I’m a self-published author. That’s fine with me. There’s also a preview of The House That Wasn’t There (out today on Amazon). Check it out.

Accepting What I am (There will be a preview of my new novel, The House That Wasn’t There, at the end. If you’re just here for that, skip to the bottom.) When we are young, we’re filled with dreams a…

The House That wasn’t There is coming for you.
Friday, December 12 is the release date for The House That Wasn’t There. The ebook will be exclusive to Amazon, while the paperback will also be published through IngramSparks (this allows sales outside the Amazon sphere). Set your calendar and stay tuned for updates.

Also, just got the cover design back from the designer. I love it. Thoughts?

Ever wonder why this Christian doesn’t write Christian fiction? Find out on the blog.

To Be or Not to Be a Christian Writer In recent posts I’ve written about my faith as a Christian (here and here). I’ve also written about my passion for writing. Outside of family, those are my greatest passions, loves, and…

The ebook version of Reel Ghosts is free today and tomorrow (October 4th and 5th). If you haven’t read it yet, get your free copy. When you’re done, consider leaving an honest review.

Reel Ghosts The single father of three returns to Kansas, where his roots run deep, after inheriting a neglected movie theater from his departed grandfather. When he embarks upon a remodel of the theater, he uncovers a dark secret hidden in the walls of the theater. A 16mm film reel containing the gruesom...