St. Petersburg Author Releases Horror Novel Twas the Night
Local resident and novelist Kevin Johnson debuts his latest horror story centered on the dark origins of holiday lore.
Updated on Oct. 20, 2026 in Basketball
St. Petersburg author Kevin Johnson has published a new horror novel titled Twas the Night. The book, released on October 20, 2026, features a reporter investigating disappearances in a fictional Maine town.
Why it matters
The author sought to reimagine the Santa Claus mythos by drawing from the character's gruesome pagan origins. By exploring the concept of an evil Santa Claus, Johnson adds a dark twist to familiar holiday folklore.
The publication is the latest work from Kevin Johnson, an English degree graduate from Florida State University. The story focuses on protagonist Halley Belanger as she tracks missing children in the town of Yule.
The players
Kevin Johnson
He is the author of Twas the Night who serves as the Director of Product Management at Global Payments Inc.
William Morrow
This is a major publishing house responsible for the release of the new novel.
The details
The novel was published by William Morrow and follows reporter Halley Belanger as she navigates a mystery involving missing children in the fictional town of Yule, Maine. Johnson writes his manuscripts without an outline, choosing instead to develop scenes based on specific character reactions.
Timeline
The novel was officially published on October 20, 2026.
Season Trajectory
The novel utilizes the historical pagan origins of the Santa Claus mythos to reframe holiday folklore into a contemporary horror setting. This approach follows a growing literary trend of subverting classic winter legends to explore darker themes.
Readers interested in the thriller genre can now access the book through major retailers nationwide. The plot relies on the character-driven narrative style of the author, potentially influencing the pacing for fans of suspense fiction.
The takeaway
Johnson demonstrates that complex narratives can emerge from organic character-driven writing rather than rigid structural outlines. Aspiring writers can take note of his method of crafting scenes based on immediate reactions to specific situations.
Further reading
For more on local authors and cultural events, see the St. Petersburg Basketball section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by St Pete Catalyst.
