Richard Schiver

Category: Author Interviews

Fridays 5 with Thomas F Monteleone
1. When did you first consider yourself a writer?
A: When I was 12 years old and spent a summer’s worth of lawn cutting money on a Royal manual typewriter.

2. What is the hardest part of writing?

A: Forcing yourself to do it every day… even on the days when you have other stuff you must do or don’t feel the urging of the muse.

3. How did you feel upon publication of your first completed project?

A: When I saw my name on the cover of the March 1973 issue of Amazing Science Fiction magazine, I realized I had accomplished something that 99% of the population would never do. And most likely would never think to do.

4. In addition to writing, what else are you passionate about?

A: I am passionate about my family. Son, daughter, grandkids, and wife are simply everything to me. (. . . And bourbon isn’t so bad either. )

5. If you could ask any author, living or dead, one question, what would it be?

A: I’d ask Ayn Rand why she allowed John Galt to speak for more than 100 pages.

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Thomas F Monteleone has been a professional writer since 1972, and 4-time winner of the Bram Stoker Award. He has published more than 100 short stories in numerous magazines and anthologies. His stories have been nominated for many awards and have appeared in many best-of-the-year compilations.

https://www.amazon.com/Thomas-F-Monteleone/e/B000AP5O92
November 7, 2025
Fridays 5 with Eric A Shelman

1 When did you first consider yourself a writer?

A. In 1992, I sold a short story called The Crossing for $2.00. That was the moment I felt I was a writer.

2 What is the hardest part of writing?

A. The hardest thing about being a writer is finding the right story. A story you’re not excited about will not inspire you to write.

3 How did you feel upon publication of your first completed project?

A. At the completion and release of my first full-length book, it was a major milestone … a hump that once you’re over, the floodgates open and the next and the next are easier.

4 In addition to writing, what else are you passionate about?

A. My band, The Mood Zombies. Check us out at http://www.reverbnation.com/themoodzombies

5 If you could ask any author, living or dead, one question, what would it be?

A. I don’t really have any questions for other authors anymore. Not after 26 books!

Eric lives in southwest Florida with his wife, Linda. A fan of horror since he was young, he’s been writing since his teens. Growing up his room was filled with monster models, including The Wolfman, Dr. Phibes, Frankenstein’s Monster, and many others. His first novel, A Reason To Kill, was about a serial killer before he moved on to his true passion with The Witches of Laguna Beach. In 2009, after a 12 year hiatus, he wrote Dead Hunger. He currently has over 20 books to his credit, all but two of which are novels.

Eric can be found online at his amazon author page

He also shares his stories on his You Tube channel.

October 31, 2025
Fridays 5 with Justin Boote

1) When did you first consider yourself a writer?

A. I would say that I considered myself a writer after I’d written the first 5 stories or so and joined a writing forum to learn more about the craft. Also, when I had my first story accepted for publication some 5 years ago, this helped cement that belief!

2) What is the hardest part of writing?

A. For me the hardest part of writing is not so much the editing stage anymore, but probably trying to turn a rough idea into a full, original story. I have lots of little thoughts and ideas for stories but to give them original twists or make them a little different to what I’ve written or read before is the challenge. I’ve written close to 200 short stories by now so that challenge is ever more difficult!

3) How did you feel upon publication of your first completed project?

A. Coinciding with my answer to question no.1, I would say it made me feel that maybe I was capable of writing something that not only people enjoy reading but that publishers are prepared to pay for. That made a big difference as opposed to just hearing friends tell you they love your work. It was a confirmation of sorts.

4) In addition to writing, what else are you passionate about?

A. Aside from writing, I do very little else! I’ve loved soccer since I can remember-my team being Liverpool F.C., but also anything related to horror, be it movies, books, whatever. And very possibly a minor addiction to Candy Crush! Other than that, my time is mostly spent writing the next novel.

5) If you could ask any author, living or dead, one question, what would it be? A. The one thing I’ve always wanted to ask Stephen King for example is how they would go about things today with how big and easy self-publishing has become. Still continue submitting to publishers or go the self-publishing route?

Justin Boote is a 49-year-old Englishman living in Barcelona, author of dark, horror fiction. Having spent 5 years writing short stories, he now dedicates his time to writing novels. To date he has published around 16 novels, and 3 short story collections, all of which can be found on Amazon and KU.

Justin’s Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B073Q44SZP

If you write in the horror, sci-fi, or fantasy genres and would like to participate answer the five questions above and send them to me at rschiver@gmail.com include a brief bio and author photo. Thanks,

October 24, 2025
Fridays 5 with Bryan Hall

1. When did you first consider yourself a writer?

A. The minute I finished my first short story. If you put pen to paper – or fingertips to keyboard – and create something then you’re a writer. Success means different things to different people, for sure, but as far as just being a writer I consider anyone who’s done something like that to be one.

2. What is the hardest part of writing?

A. Confidence. I read a blog from Neil Gaiman once where he talked about being three quarters of the way through a book and realizing it was pure and utter crap. That nobody would want to read such drivel and that if they did they wouldn’t understand it or would realize how terrible it was. He told his agent (or publisher) that and they said “Oh you’re at that part”. It happened to him every time – that moment of doubt that shut down his ability to keep writing. I’m sure that’s not the exact story word for word, but it’s a good approximation of it. And that same thing happens to me at a couple of points during anything I’m writing. Keeping my confidence up can get tricky sometimes.

3. How did you feel upon publication of your first completed project?

A. Excited, for sure. Almost in disbelief, as well. I got very lucky in that the publisher I’d hoped would pick up my book did so rather quickly. I’d reached the goal that I’d set for myself and was honestly in a bit of shock that it had happened. Once the release came the reality of it set in. It was very surreal. Even now, a release does the same thing for me. It’s a good feeling to know that your stuff is getting out there in the world.

4. In addition to writing, what else are you passionate about?

A. Hobby-wise I keep bees and play video games. I also read voraciously. Other than writing those are my main pursuits, but I don’t know if any of them can come close to what I get out of writing.

5. If you could ask any author, living or dead, one question, what would it be?

A. I’d ask Clive Barker if he had any plans to get back to his roots and do some real old-fashioned horror writing like he used to. I know he has to write what he’s inspired to, but I’d really love another volume of The Books of Blood or a novel like The Damnation Game.

Bio: Bryan Hall is a fiction writer living in a one hundred year old farmhouse deep in the mountains of North Carolina.

He spent the first nineteen years of his life writing and reading voraciously, until pausing for some befuddling reason to spend a decade drinking whiskey and beer, playing in various garage bands, and rock climbing, eventually conquering practically every worthwhile cliff in western North Carolina.

Although a bad back has greatly hindered his rock climbing, he still considers himself an aficionado of good beer and great whiskey, which seem to add fuel to his demented imagination.

Growing up in the Appalachias, he’s soaked up decades of fact and fiction from the area, bits and pieces of which usually weave their way into his writing whether he realizes it at the time or not.

His amazon author page is:

https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B004VRN73K/

If you are a writer working in the fields of horror, sci-fi, or dark fantasy and would like to participate in Fridays 5, answer the five questions above and send them, along with a brief author bio and author photo to rschiver@gmail.com

October 10, 2025
Fridays 5 with David A Simpson

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

Hard to say. Even though I’ve wanted to be a writer since I was a little kid and I went full-time for about a year until Covid hit, I’m still not sure if I consider myself a “writer”. So far all of my releases have been self-published. I have a New York literary agent and a Hollywood film agent, and I’ve sold 100,000 copies but I still don’t consider myself a writer. Is that the imposter syndrome, I’m pretending to be one although I know I’m really not?

What is the hardest part of writing?

Finding the time and still having the energy to pour into it.

How did you feel upon publication of your first completed project?

It was fantastic. I loved holding it in my hands. For me it was a lifelong goal and I didn’t care if I sold books or not. I mean of course I wanted to but to hold that paper back was a great feeling. I wrote it for me and told a story I wanted to tell. There were no considerations about what others would think or tailoring the story to a certain market.

In addition to writing, what else are you passionate about?

Cars. I have entirely too many and I want entirely too many more. I do a bit of racing and have held a couple of world records. I seem meet up with car community guys a lot more often than I do the writing community folks.

If you could ask any author, living or dead, one question, what would it be?

John the Revelator on the isle of Patmos shortly after he had his visions. I don’t think I have a specific question, I would ask him to tell me more. As a 20th-century man, I think I could understand what he saw better than he did.

David A. Simpson is an Amazon bestselling author of the Zombie Road and Feral Children series. He loves to travel and has a long list of places to visit on his bucket list. He likes weird things and will drive a hundred miles out of his way to see a weird sculpture made from junkyard parts or a Bonnie and Clyde museum.

David’s Amazon Author Page

David’s Facebook Group

October 3, 2025