Welcome to OTIS!

My  name is J.W. Ocker. And this is my website. OTIS is a chronicle of my visits to the unusual...oddities of nature, art, science, and culture. I also write books and party on my Facebook Page, Twitter, and Patreon. Reach out to me at ockerjw@gmail.com or to my agent here


Meet Me in Person...If You Dare
I get lonely. So I go out in public and give talks and do signings. Come make me less lonely. If you can't see me in person, I also do a few virtual appearances. So we can hang virtually... 


Killing a Christmas in Salem
December 26, 2023: We did it. Christmas is no more. Vanquished. What was once peace on earth and cozy vigils for Santa are now stacks of flattened cardboard on back porches, dead trees on curbs, and so many plastic gift cards in pockets. It’s time to take the set down...


It's Christmas Time! [Jack Skellington Cackle]
December 22, 2023: A strange thing has happened to the concept of time for me in this, my first ever anti-Christmas season. Wait a minute. Anti-Christmas. Antichrist-mas. Whoa. Is it too late to rename this blog?...


Bleary Christmas: Lala's Little Nugget
December 17, 2023: A year-round Christmas-themed dive bar in Austin reminded me that Christmas is the booziest season for a reason...


The Cult of Christmas
December 15, 2023: Working on a book about cults answered a question I’ve always had: Why do Christmas movies always depict the saving of the holiday or the changing of a person to accept the holiday?...


Dark Christmas Trees Are Great Metaphors
December 9, 2023: I’ve grown to like my dark Christmas tree. It’s sad, sure. But it’s also a great metaphor. Dark Christmas trees are the only real Christmas trees...


Frosty the Woe-Man
December 9, 2023: The bipedal bit of white space that is Frosty the Snowman is a metaphor for all that’s existentially atrocious about the human condition... 


A Christmas Carol is a Christmas Con
December 7, 2023: I love A Christmas Carol. I think it’s one of the greatest stories in the language. But guess what? Its theme really has nothing to do with Christmas...


Dreaming of a Wet Christmas
December 4, 2023: Man, there is nothing better for the theme of this blog than dripping Christmas decorationssoggy inflatables and weeping light strings and muddy blow molds and wilting wreaths and just absolutely ugly groundcover everywhere. This is fantastic...


Now That’s Christmas: Fright Kingdom’s “Fright Before Christmas”
December 3, 2023: THIS is how you Christmas, folks. Blood and screams and jump scares just like the old-fashioned Christmases that Granny used to host...


Christmas vs. Halloween: Saint Nick vs. Old Nick
December 2, 2023: Yesterday, in kicking off this Christmas villain of a project, I mentioned the underlying truths and falsehoods of Halloween and Christmas. I think we should compare them some more. So, as the serial killer said to the set of toes sticking out of the ground, "Let's dig deeper"...


December 1, 2023: Welcome to the OTIS Christmas Season Blog! I want to destroy the holiday. To red and green smithereens...