Alex Ebenstein
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alexebenstein.bsky.social
Alex Ebenstein
@alexebenstein.bsky.social
1.1K followers 600 following 510 posts
Michigander. Horror writer. Three novellas, CURSE CORVUS, MELON HEAD MAYHEM (Shortwave Publishing), and REANIMATED REX out now. he/him

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alexebenstein.bsky.social
Spent the afternoon organizing all the native perennial seeds my wife and I collected from our rain garden. Hopefully we can expand the garden with these. Nature!
11 mini envelopes labeled with the scientific and common name of the native to Michigan perennial seeds they contain
November 9, 2025 at 10:04 PM
alexebenstein.bsky.social
The last watermelon harvested from our garden was a monster, and perhaps the best tasting watermelon I've ever had. Kinda sad we have to wait until next year to grow more.
My 6 year old son holding a large watermelon, harvested from our garden
November 5, 2025 at 8:26 PM
alexebenstein.bsky.social
Got a 2nd deg burn from coffee today at work because a giant idiot set up a ladder behind a closed door and a lesser idiot (me) tried to open the door (that I had just walked thru 2 mins earlier) while carrying a mug full of freshly brewed coffee, spilling said coffee all over my arm. Neat
a 2nd degree burn on my arm near the crook of my elbow. A circle of missing skin surrounded by red and angry skin. it hurts
October 23, 2025 at 4:12 PM
alexebenstein.bsky.social
How does a *sports guy* like Olbermann make such a terrible sports take? What?
Keith Olbermann: The greatest numerical comeback in baseball history and the team that pulled it off is bounced in the first round because doing it over 162 games is not enough, let's see you do it again in 3 It's madness. Nothing against the Tigers, but what is the point here?
October 2, 2025 at 10:51 PM
alexebenstein.bsky.social
First couple orange pumpkins harvested from our garden!
Me kneeling next to my son in our yard, each of us holding a volleyball sized orange pumpkin, grown from our yard garden
September 13, 2025 at 1:23 PM
alexebenstein.bsky.social
About a year ago I released my first middle grade horror book. If you've got a youngin looking to get into spooky season, or maybe know an adult with a hankering for the old Goosebumps books--this is for them.

PUMPKINS POSSESSED. They'll Give You Pumpkin to Scream About!
Front cover of the middle grade horror book, Pumpkins Possessed, by A.J. Stein, a pen name of Alex Ebenstein. The cover is primarily orange and black, depicting a field of pumpkins, a menacing scarecrow with a jack-o-lantern head, and a silhouette of a spooky tree.
September 9, 2025 at 12:39 PM
alexebenstein.bsky.social
Happy 8th birthday to our precious pup, Juni! 🥳🐾🤎🖤
A black and brown German Shepherd - Rottweiler mix lounging at the top of carpeted stairs, her front legs dangling over the top step and her head propped against the wall
August 29, 2025 at 2:50 PM
alexebenstein.bsky.social
The sky over the lake this past weekend looked like it wanted to do us harm
A shelf-like cloud over a lake. Above the cloud is clear light blue sky and below the cloud at the horizon it is dark and red and ominous, kinda Sauron like
August 28, 2025 at 2:18 PM
alexebenstein.bsky.social
The love in this dog's eyes...

for the cheese stick in my hand.
A big-eared dope of a dog named Juniper, a German Shepherd - Rottweiler mix, staring seemingly at me/the camera, but in reality is staring at the cheese stick in my hand behind the camera. Don't worry, she always gets the last bite.
August 16, 2025 at 1:19 AM
alexebenstein.bsky.social
Somehow had never read Hemingway before this year, but I found this old copy of his first short story collection, In Our Time, at a used book sale recently. It's been an interesting reading experience.
In Our Time, by Ernest Hemingway, a slim book with a simple white cover, the author name and title in blue text, and a sketch of a fisherman by a lake and trees in green ink.
August 6, 2025 at 3:03 PM
alexebenstein.bsky.social
"There's a gale when dawn illuminates our world. The morning light arrives as though leached from my son's eyes, his gaze cast skyward, forever in search of hope, his dreams. He's gone."
July 23, 2025 at 7:08 PM
alexebenstein.bsky.social
"The Wind Beneath," a personal favorite of mine, is available to read free online over at @chmmagazine.bsky.social. This story made me sad when I wrote it. It makes me sad to read, even now. It'd make me happy, however, if you gave it a shot.

cosmichorrormonthly.com/fiction/the-...
A screengrab of a story title and byline: "The Wind Beneath" by Alex Ebenstein
July 23, 2025 at 7:06 PM
alexebenstein.bsky.social
Another book out into the world. Still one of the best feelings out there, regardless of what happens after. Happy release, CARNIVOROUS CONIFERS.
A layered stack of five books written by me. On the bottom: CURSE CORVUS, MELON HEAD MAYHEM, REANIMATED REX. On top of the stack: PUMPKINS POSSESSED and CARNIVOROUS CONIFERS
July 23, 2025 at 12:08 AM
alexebenstein.bsky.social
Who doesn't love Christmas?? Well, me actually, I'm a giant Grinch. But it's Christmas in July week or whatever and my next middle grade horror book, CARNIVOROUS CONIFERS, set around Christmastime, comes out tomorrow! The 2nd in my Stein's Monsters series, but is standalone. For fans of Goosebumps!
A stack of CARNIVOROUS CONIFERS by A.J. Stein (pen name of Alex Ebenstein), a middle grade horror book. Front cover depicts three illustrated blue spruce trees with the foremost showing a kind of cartoonish evil grin. The background is dark purple-black with falling snow. Back cover copy reads: What’s Christmas without a tree to decorate and place presents under? Not much of one, if you ask Duncan and his little sister, Wendy. And it’s their fate only days before Christmas—until a late change of plans means a surprise, snowy visit to Dasher’s Tree Farm. Even better, Dad lets them get three trees. No matter that they’re all a little small, right? Three is way better than none! Don’t worry about the strange noises after the trees are chopped down and brought home, either. Though, what about when Duncan notices unexplained movement from the conifer trees, and a sort of . . . hunger? Now that may be a Christmas killer.
July 21, 2025 at 3:50 PM
alexebenstein.bsky.social
A stack of CARNIVOROUS CONIFERS by A.J. Stein (pen name of Alex Ebenstein). Front cover displays three blue spruce trees, the foremost with an evil, kind of cartoonish grin, with a dark purple-black background full of falling snow. Back cover copy reads: What’s Christmas without a tree to decorate and place presents under? Not much of one, if you ask Duncan and his little sister, Wendy. And it’s their fate only days before Christmas—until a late change of plans means a surprise, snowy visit to Dasher’s Tree Farm. Even better, Dad lets them get three trees. No matter that they’re all a little small, right? Three is way better than none! Don’t worry about the strange noises after the trees are chopped down and brought home, either. Though, what about when Duncan notices unexplained movement from the conifer trees, and a sort of . . . hunger? Now that may be a Christmas killer.
July 21, 2025 at 3:44 PM
alexebenstein.bsky.social
I made it. Let's go Padres
Exterior, wide angle shot of the main entrance to Petco Park, where the San Diego Padres play baseball
July 13, 2025 at 7:37 PM
alexebenstein.bsky.social
The first book, PUMPKINS POSSESSED, features none of the same characters, so does not need to be read first, but you could if you wanted!

bookshop.org/p/books/pump...
A full cover wrap of PUMPKINS POSSESSED by A.J. Stein. The cover is primarily orange and black, featuring a silhouetted, spooky tree, a full moon, a field of pumpkins, and a scary scarecrow with a jack-o-lantern head.
July 8, 2025 at 2:13 PM
alexebenstein.bsky.social
In 2 weeks I'm releasing CARNIVOROUS CONIFERS, the 2nd book in my middle grade horror series under my A.J. Stein pen name. I'm doing so because Christmas in July? I guess? Or just cuz I want to. No preorder links yet because IngramSpark continues to suck at everything they do, yay.
A full cover wrap for CARNIVOROUS CONIFERS, a middle grade horror book. The cover features a snowy/wintery landscape with three blue spruce trees on the front cover, the foremost tree with a menacing grin. There's also an axe with my pen name, "A.J. Stein" carved into the handle.
July 8, 2025 at 2:13 PM
alexebenstein.bsky.social
I'm mad about virtually everything except this pumpkin flower and bee. Good luck, friends, I hope to be harvesting a pumpkin here in a few months.
A yellow pumpkin flower shrouded by large, dinner plate sized green leaves. A honey bee is in the process of pollinating the flower.
July 3, 2025 at 1:59 PM
alexebenstein.bsky.social
Dunno what possessed me, but I went to the library book sale today, saw these 3 books, and bought them all. Amazingly, not the same book, despite very similar titles, similar disaster plots, and all being published in 1978-79. Will I even read them? Who knows!
Three mass market paperback books laying flat on a desk, side by side. Icequake by Crawford Kilian. Ice by James Follett. Ice! by Arnold Federbush. Each depicts a disaster type plot featuring ice.
June 26, 2025 at 8:31 PM
alexebenstein.bsky.social
So, last night we celebrated the JAWS 50th by watching it from inflatable tubes in the lake. It was awesome.
A photo taken from the water of a lake facing toward shore, which is a line of large rocks protecting the land beyond. On shore is a shed with a sheet taped to the side, being used as a projector screen. Projected on the sheet is the title screen for JAWS. Leaning against the shed is an orange and white paddle board. Just beyond the rocks is a sign that says "NO SWIMMING, HAZARDOUS AREA, BEACH CLOSED, By Order Amity P.D."--a sign from the movie JAWS. In the background are tall, mature trees and the sky of a setting sun.
June 21, 2025 at 1:23 PM
alexebenstein.bsky.social
Happy 50th(!) Anniversary to an all-time favorite, and what is as close to a perfect film as it gets for me. Go watch JAWS! 🦈🛥️
A selfie of me holding the 50th Anniversary version of the movie JAWS, and wearing a white T-shirt that has JAWS written three times in pink overtop a blue great white shark illustration.
June 20, 2025 at 4:48 PM
alexebenstein.bsky.social
No idea if I'll sell any books, but I'm all set up at the inaugural GR Lit Fest's kickoff event, a K-12 Book Fair. It's hot, though maybe channeling as much of spooky season as I can will help me feel cool. Or something. I hope people show up lol
Alex, wearing a Jack Skellington shirt, standing behind his table for a kids book fair. On the table are middle grade horror books and various pumpkin decorations.
June 16, 2025 at 7:55 PM
alexebenstein.bsky.social
Married ten years today. A good run that's only just begun.
Alex and his wife, smiling and standing in front of a textured, pale green wall, celebrating their ten year wedding anniversary.
June 5, 2025 at 2:48 PM
alexebenstein.bsky.social
That little jolt of electricity when your out of state friend sends you a message about seeing your book in the wild at a random brewery
A screenshot of a discord message with a picture of books on a bookshelf, including the relevant book in question, a copy of Melon Head Mayhem by me, Alex Ebenstein. The text with the photo sent via discord reads, "Alex. In the fucking wild."
May 22, 2025 at 1:55 AM