James E. Hamelton Jr. is a Midwestern author born and raised in southeast Iowa, a region whose quiet fields, long bridges, and winding rural roads shaped his imagination from an early age. His writing draws heavily from the atmosphere of small towns and the unsettling stillness found in the wooded edges and forgotten corners of the Midwest.
James is known for blending grounded realism with slow-burning psychological tension, creating stories where the supernatural doesn’t feel distant or fantastical, but instead disturbingly possible. His fiction often explores fear, memory, and the thin boundaries between what we see and what we sense — themes deeply rooted in the landscapes he grew up around.
Beyond writing, James is a photographer, digital creator, and independent developer. He oversees Hamelton Brands, LLC, a multi-project creative company that includes everything from web development to branding, media production, and community-focused initiatives. His varied experience informs his storytelling, helping him craft worlds that feel authentic, lived-in, and richly detailed.
What Lurks on Connable Road marks a powerful step in James’s ongoing work — a Midwest horror novel that taps into the eerie isolation of rural Illinois and the mysteries that linger just off the beaten path.
James continues to write and create from the Midwest, where inspiration waits in the silence of backroads, the glow of old streetlamps, and the places most people overlook.
Author Website
For updates, projects, and upcoming releases, visit:
jehamelton.com