The Trailhead #11
Why We Keep Returning to Horror at the Age We First Felt It
There’s been a noticeable resurgence in storytelling that places teenagers at the center of horror—stories where young people face impossible odds, ancient evils, and forces far beyond their understanding. From Netflix’s Stranger Things to HBO’s IT: Welcome to Derry, audiences continue to gravitate toward narratives that blend mystery, lore, and terror with the raw intensity of coming of age.
That resurgence isn’t accidental. It reflects something fundamental about fear, identity, and memory—about the moment in our lives when the world first reveals its teeth.
The Towpath, and the growing universe surrounding it—including the companion novella The Lost Diary of Gil Stanford—sits squarely within this tradition.
The Trailhead #10
It’s been both gratifying and unsettling to watch THE LOST DIARY OF GIL STANFORD begin to find its readers.
What started life as cut material—a true darling I hesitated to let go of—has quietly charted its own course, slipping into readers’ hands and minds and refusing to stay there peacefully. The diary deepens the lore first hinted at in THE TOWPATH, peeling back layers that were deliberately left lidded to preserve momentum and mystery. That restraint remains, but the lens has shifted. Experiencing the Valley through the fractured, obsessive mind of Gil Stanford makes the story feel more intimate… and far more disturbing. The mystery doesn’t dissolve—it sharpens.
The trailhead #08
Launch Announcement: a surprise companion novella for The Towpath drops. The Lost Diary of Gil Stanford is not a sequel, but a recovered artifact—an unsettling companion to The Towpath that plunges readers inside the mind of its most disturbing character. Framed as a discovered notebook pulled from the shadows of the Sand Run caves, the novella explores obsession, self-justification, and psychological collapse with unnerving intimacy. Recently announced via EIN Presswire, the release signals a darker turn for the Towpath universe. Available now on Kindle, with a paperback edition forthcoming, The Lost Diary of Gil Stanford invites readers to decide whether Gil’s words are a warning… or something far more dangerous.
The trailhead #07
My latest EIN Presswire release titled “Jonathan Walter’s The Towpath surges to the forefront as time-travel fiction once again explodes in popularity” has started to draw meaningful eyes. The piece has been syndicated widely across EIN’s network, amplifying The Towpath not just as a regional novel tied to Northeast Ohio, but as part of a broader time-travel resurgence in fiction. That alone is another big moment for me: not just in terms of visibility, but as validation that the emotional investment I made in this book matters beyond local readers.
the trailhead #06
Writing "The Towpath" has been one of the most personal journeys of my life. This time-travel thriller isn’t just about suspense or historical twists—it’s about the echoes of love, the weight of choices, and the legacies that shape us. Recently, "The Towpath" was featured in a press release distributed by EIN Presswire, highlighting both the novel and the personal inspirations behind it.
the trailhead #05
Read Jon’s fifth post from his blog, The Trailhead, in which he shares thoughts on the April 8, 2024 solar eclipse that was experienced in North America, its significant, some cautionary tales from the past about these celestial events, and a look-back on his writing journey.
the trailhead #04
Read Jon’s fourth post from his blog, The Trailhead, in which he reveals the cover of his debut novel THE TOWPATH, and walks you through the process behind the design—some things may surprise you.
the trailhead #03
Read Jon’s third The Trailhead blog post, in which he delves into the fun, but mind-spinning topic of time travel, sharing what influenced his approach with THE TOWPATH, as well as acknowledging some inspirational time travel books.
the trailhead #02
Read Jon’s second The Trailhead blog post, where he provides an update on pre-ordering the THE TOWPATH in paperback (ebook coming soon), talks about a significant influence on how time travel happens in the book, and shares what’s next, including where to find him on social media and various other channels.
the trailhead #01
Read Jon’s first The Trailhead blog post, where he describes the content you can expect going forward regarding his debut novel, THE TOWPATH, a time-travel suspense thriller. Jon also shares his self-written press release.
Purchase THE TOWPATH
Jon’s debut novel is Available in paperback and ebook. find it now in your favorite online bookstore.
Also available on: Barnes & Noble | Walmart | Simon & Schuster | Books-A-Million | Bookshop | Hudson Booksellers | Collective Ink Books