As Christmas and the holidays approach, it’s hard not to reflect on a challenging yet rewarding year—one that tested both body and mind. Despite the hurdles, I stayed the course and managed to complete significant writing and revisions in 2024. In February, I finished the first draft of Book 1 of the Beyond Nivon Saga, a project I’ve been striving to write for over twenty years. By the end of November, I wrapped up the third revision, and I’m gearing up to begin the search for a literary agent in the New Year.
This year also saw the birth of my first novella, Tales of Evildoing, which I wrote, revised, and soft-launched. The journey to this milestone began back in the fall of 2010, during my final year at Columbia College Chicago. I was studying Film Making and Creative Writing, and in my second-to-last semester, we were tasked with a straightforward assignment: create a short film using 16mm film stock and a Bolex camera. While others might have opted for a conventional love story or bromance, that’s never been my style. My ideas often exceed my budget, so I called in favors from friends in Chicago and took on multiple roles—Producer, Director, Editor, Composer, and Sound Designer—to create a horror short titled Alone We Face the Night.
The plot? A woman arrives at a Halloween punk rock show in an abandoned building, only to be attacked and chased by a Pit Monster. Just as her fate seems sealed, she’s saved by the band members, who ultimately slay the beast. It was gritty, funny, bloody, and true to a story archetype that has lingered in my mind ever since. The final cut still lives on YouTube.
Fast forward to 2016. I was living in L.A. with my fiancé (now my wife) when an old college buddy approached me and my writing partner, Eric Leja, to pitch one-page scripts for his studio. We each planned to pitch three ideas, but I ended up writing five overnight: Roadkill, Black Heart, Coffer, Moon Lodge (later reimagined as Leviathan), and Skinner ‘Live’, a twisted take on Alone We Face the Night where the band members work for the Pit Monster. Despite some promising meetings, the projects were shelved.
Then, in July 2018, BAE was born. While working as 1st Assistant Director and Production Manager for a commercial series at Merit/Andrew, a top-tier production company in Southern California, I met Daniel Mitchell, their go-to stills photographer. Knowing I was a writer, Daniel shared an incredible shot he’d taken of a model transformed into a serpent lady in post-production. That image inspired the first draft of BAE, a screenplay that joined my other works in a folder, waiting for its moment.
By 2023, after five years of focusing on prose and setting screenwriting aside, I was immersed in my first epic fantasy/science fiction novel. To combat writer’s block, I revisited those six treatments, wondering if they could be woven into a cohesive narrative. The idea of a necromancer slowly building a legion of evildoers emerged, and suddenly, everything clicked. Tales of Evildoing was born. My wonderful wife, Honey, suggested releasing each section in the weeks leading up to Halloween to help launch my website—a fantastic way to connect with a wider audience and mark my debut as an author.
Looking ahead, there’s much more in store! In 2025, I plan to release Tales of Evildoing in paperback, hardcover, and ebook formats. I’m also on the hunt for an artist to design the cover for self-publishing on Amazon and Spotify.
In December, I completed outlining my second novel, Book 1 of the SUSPECT series, a gritty, urban post-apocalyptic cyberpunk story set in a dark, futuristic Chicago. Featuring an anti-hero willing to crush skulls to reunite with his family, the story promises power struggles, bloodlust, just enough romance to keep you hooked, and maybe even zombies lurking in the shadows.
There’s plenty more to come, so keep checking in.
From my family to you and yours, Happy Holidays & Merry Christmas.
Until next time—bye for now.
NCK
SCI-FI | FANTASY | HORROR 