Michael G. O'Connell
@mocando
Author/Illustrator from the Sunshine State. 🖤👻 Southern Gothic/Horror Now available chapbooks & other goodies. In Tales to Terrify, Dracula Beyond Stoker, WAS, Raven Review, Mystery Trib. & more 🚫DMs unless you already know me.
From my novel, YOUR PAL, AL. Two characters talking about something they found. #WIPSnips! The word for today is "handle" #AmQuerying #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
YOUR PAL AL #WIPSnips #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts #Dreams #Horror
This snip, like the one from yesterday, is a scene between Albert and his mother in YOUR PAL AL. #WIPsnips #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts #BookSky #ReaderSky
This comes from late in my novel, YOUR PAL, AL. THINGS have happened, but no spoilers, so… The good news is that it is almost ready to #query. I'm shooting for the end of the week. #WIPSnips! The word for today is "unfazed" #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
The DEADLINE to have yourself registered to vote in the Florida primary in August is July 20. If you haven’t voted recently or you have moved or changed your name, CHECK YOUR STATUS. Duval County: www.duvalelections.gov
And FWIW I was exposed to The Birds at age 4. WITHOUT the approval or encouragement of my mother. I never thought that could have been THE moment that my terrifying love of horror started. I think this is the scene that forever cemented that movie in my mind.
Here's a great list on some of the Folk Horror coming out this year from @spookycurious.bsky.social Most of these author's are new to me. I have to add Back for Blood: Never Whistle at Night Part II, edited by @shanehawk.com. I'm sure there are more. Which ones? www.instagram.com/p/DX_zDjPEad...
Was trying to quickly blow through my emails and got stuck reading Nick Cave's Red Hand Files. One of the questions he answered made me think of you.
If you are in the North Florida area for Free Comic Book Day, do drop by Black Cat Comics on Stockton Street. I'll be there along with some REAL local comics creators! Daniel has a LOT of surprises along with the FREE comics!
I just posted a review of Pedro the Vast by Simón López Trujillo. If you are into EcoHorror and /or a read that has everything from body horror to religious cults and an undercurrent of social commentary all packed into 144 pages, this is probably for you. mocando.blogspot.com/2026/04/pedr...
Oh, how difficult this scene was to write. It comes later in the story and it loomed for most of the time I was writing. —from Your Pal Al, my first novel. I hope to have it ready to query next month. #WIPSnips #heat #SouthernGothic #Horror #WIP #amwriting #WriteSky #writingcommunity #AmEditing
A preliminary sketch of Eyeball, the MC. He's a cemetery gargoyle and The Guardian of the Dead.
Here's one for the other WIP. It's MG hybrid book—part prose, part picture book and a whole lot of marginalia. It's awaiting my red pen of doom. #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts #MG
If you are in Duval County, Florida and you have previously voted by mail, you must REREGISTER. If you plan to vote by mail in the upcoming 2026 election cycle, you MUST submit a new request now by contacting duvalelections.gov or call 904-255-VOTE (8683).
I'm in a 3rd rewrite/edit and I'm stuck. Hope it's going better for all my creative friends out there. Trying to dig myself out today. Wish me luck. #YourPalAl #WIPSnips #AmQuerying #BookSky #WritingPrompt
Still rassling with the 3rd rewrite/edit. #WIPSnips #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
My snip for the word of today: Repeat From my third rewrite/edit of my Southern Gothic #WIPSnips #FirstLight #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
"THE WORST IS YET TO COME" STEVE SCHAPIRO | NYC, 1968 [gelatin silver print | 16 x 20"]
If you see this, post a monster. This is a panel from my latest project. It’s a comic collaboration with author Michael J. P. Whitmer for Black Cat Comics in Jacksonville. #illustration #comics #monster
It’s #FridayReads time! I’m wrapping up a few pages for the Black Cat Comics anthology. It’s a collab with Florida author, Michael J. P. Whitmer. The story is his. I’m mostly just providing visuals.
If you see this, post a dragon or few from your portfolio 🐉 Here's another couple from a mini comic I wrote and illustrated