Richard Schiver

Category: character interview

  • A Conversation with Myself Mark from Parasite.

    A Conversation with Myself Mark from Parasite.

    1 Before everything happened, how would you describe your life?

    Mark: I’d say it was fragile. Not broken, just fragile. I’d done time, yeah. I’d screwed things up, no denying that. But I was trying. Working nights, keeping my head down, doing what I was supposed to do. Every day felt like I was walking a tightrope. One bad step and I’d go back to where everyone expected me to be.

    2: You were a Marine. How did that part of your life stay with you?

    Mark: The Marines teach you how to endure. You learn to keep moving even when you’re empty. That helped me survive in prison. Helped me survive afterward. But it doesn’t teach you how to stop wanting more. That part never shuts off.

    3: Money was tight. How much pressure were you under at home?

    Marl: Every damn day. Bills, rent, and Jenny chasing bingo jackpots like they were a lifeline. I didn’t blame her. We were both desperate. You wake up every morning knowing you’re one missed paycheck away from losing everything. That kind of pressure changes how you think. It narrows your world.

    4: Let’s talk about the basement. When you hit the metal, what went through your mind?

    Mark: Hope. Pure hope. I know that sounds stupid, but that’s the truth. I thought, This is it. Scrap metal, buried junk, something I could sell. I didn’t think “danger.” I thought “rent paid.” I thought maybe, just maybe, I could finally stop drowning.

    5: At what point did you realize it wasn’t normal?

    Mark: When it didn’t look like anything I’d ever seen. No rust. No seams. No decay. It didn’t belong there or anywhere else. But by then I was invested. That’s the thing people don’t understand. Once you convince yourself salvation is inches away, you stop asking whether you should keep digging.

    6: The insects appeared shortly after. How did that moment feel?

    Mark: Wrong. Not scary at first, just wrong. Like reality slipped sideways. When that thing hit my arm… I knew. I knew something had crossed a line that couldn’t be uncrossed. And then it was inside me. After that, fear didn’t matter anymore.

    7: What happened once the parasite entered your body?

    Mark: Imagine your thoughts aren’t yours anymore but you can still hear them arguing. I felt stronger. Clearer. The pain stopped. The fear stopped. But something else took its place. A voice. Not talking exactly, it was more like agreement. Like a crowd deciding for you.

    8: You resisted at first. Why?

    Mark: Because part of me knew it was lying. It showed me things. Worlds, memories, power, but it didn’t show consequences. And I knew, deep down, that anything offering that kind of escape always takes more than it gives.

    9: Do you regret digging up the object?

    Mark: Yeah, but regret assumes I’d have walked away if I’d known. And I’m not sure that’s true. I was tired of being small. Tired of losing. That thing fed on that hunger. It didn’t force me, it used me.

    10: If someone hears this and finds something like what you found, what would you tell them?

    Mark:Don’t touch it. Don’t believe it when it promises answers. Don’t believe it when it tells you you’re special. Some doors exist because they’re meant to stay closed.

    Mark and his wife Jenny appear in Parasite: Shadows of the Past II An ancient parasite. A small town in crisis. Survival means facing the horror within.

    Click on cover for more info

    When bullied teen Anthony finally stands up to his tormentor Randy, a violent confrontation leads to a tragic accident. Something ancient and inhuman awakens in the aftermath. As Randy’s broken body is invaded by a bizarre, otherworldly parasite, a wave of grotesque transformations and unexplained violence sweeps through Garret County, Maryland.
    Deputy Sam Hardin, haunted by his own past encounters with the supernatural, is drawn into a spiraling nightmare as children go missing, birth defects surge, and a strange, predatory animal stalks the woods. Meanwhile, a prospector in Tennessee stumbles upon a buried alien machine, and a series of grisly incidents across the country hint at a spreading infection that threatens all of humanity.

    Told through the intersecting lives of traumatized families, desperate law enforcement, and ordinary people caught in extraordinary circumstances, Parasite explores the terrifying consequences of an ancient evil unleashed. As the parasite’s influence grows, turning victims into hosts and spawning monstrous hybrids. Sam and his gifted son Frankie must confront the horror head-on, racing against time to contain a threat that could spell the end of mankind.

  • A Conversation with Myself

    A Conversation with Myself

    When ancient evil awakens and the line between reality and nightmare blurs, it takes more than a badge to survive. In Adversary, Detective Sam Hardin is forced to confront not only the darkness stalking his city, but the shadows haunting his soul. Grieving, guilt-ridden, and driven by a fierce love for his family, Sam’s journey is as much about redemption as it is about survival.

    Today, we sit down with Sam Hardin to talk about loss, courage, and what it means to face the unknown. Whether you’re a fan of psychological suspense, cosmic horror, or stories of family resilience, Sam’s answers offer a glimpse into the heart of Adversary, and the man at its center.

    1. Sam, your story begins with a heavy burden of grief and guilt. How do you cope with the loss of your wife, Anna, and how does it shape your actions?

    Losing Anna was like losing the sun in my sky. I tried to drown the pain in a bottle, but all that did was push me further from my kids and from myself. Grief is a shadow that follows you everywhere, and guilt. Well, that’s the weight you carry for all the things you wish you’d done differently. Every decision I make, every risk I take, it’s all colored by that loss. I guess, in a way, it’s what drives me to keep fighting, even when the odds are impossible.

    2. As a detective, you’re used to confronting darkness in the world. How did the events at the warehouse challenge your understanding of evil and reality itself?

    I thought I’d seen the worst humanity had to offer. Murderers, thieves, people who’d sell their soul for a quick buck. But what happened at that warehouse. It was something else. Evil isn’t always human. Sometimes it’s older, colder, and it doesn’t care about our rules. That night forced me to question everything I believed about the world, and myself.

    3. Family is central to your journey. What does protecting your children, Cheryl and Frankie, mean to you, especially when the threats become supernatural?

    My kids are all I have left of Anna, and the man I used to be. Protecting them isn’t just a duty, it’s the only thing that gives my life meaning. When the threats stopped being things I could put handcuffs on, I realized I’d do anything, break any law, cross any line, to keep them safe. Even if it meant facing nightmares I couldn’t explain.

    4. You’re haunted by both literal and figurative shadows. Can you describe a moment when you questioned your own sanity during the investigation?

    There were too many moments to count. The dreams, the voices, the feeling that something was watching me from the dark. I started to wonder if I was losing my mind. But when you see things you can’t explain, things that leave bodies in their wake, you stop worrying about sanity and start worrying about survival.

    5. The knife from Antarctica becomes a focal point of terror. What was your first impression of this artifact, and how did your feelings about it evolve as the story unfolded?

    At first, it was just evidence. A weird, ancient knife. But the more I learned, the more I realized it was a key to something much bigger and older than any of us. That knife carried a presence, a hunger. By the end, I didn’t just fear what it could do, I was afraid of what it wanted.

    6. Throughout the book, you struggle with addiction and self-doubt. How do these personal battles affect your ability to lead and make decisions under pressure?

    Addiction’s a liar. It tells you you’re not good enough, that you need something to get through the day. Self-doubt is its partner in crime. There were times I hesitated when I should’ve acted, and times I acted when I should’ve thought things through. But when it came down to it, when my family was on the line, I found a strength I didn’t know I had. Maybe that’s what redemption looks like.

    7. You encounter characters who are both allies and adversaries. Some human, some not. Who surprised you the most, and why?

    Honestly, Michelle surprised me. She stepped up when things got really bad. I always thought I had to carry the weight alone. But she showed me that sometimes, letting someone in is the bravest thing you can do. As for adversaries, let’s just say evil wears a lot of faces, and some of them look just like your own in the mirror.

    8. Dreams and nightmares play a powerful role in your experience. Was there a particular dream that changed your perspective or gave you a warning you couldn’t ignore?

    There was one dream. Anna appeared to me, warning me to protect the child. It felt more real than anything I’d ever experienced. That dream wasn’t just a warning. It was a call to arms. It reminded me that some things are worth fighting for, even if you don’t understand them.

    9. If you could speak directly to readers facing their own “shadows of the past,” what advice would you give them about guilt, redemption, and hope?

    You can’t outrun your shadows, but you can face them. Guilt will eat you alive if you let it, but redemption starts with one choice. One act of courage. Hope isn’t about believing things will be easy; it’s about believing they’re worth the fight. Don’t give up. Even in the darkest night, there’s a dawn waiting.

    10. Without giving too much away, what do you fear most about what’s still lurking in the dark, and do you believe the battle is really over?

    What I fear most is that evil never really dies. It just waits. Maybe we’ll win this round, but the shadows are patient. I’ll keep my eyes open, and I’ll keep fighting. Because as long as there’s something worth protecting, the battle is never truly over.

    Sam Hardin’s story is one of struggle, sacrifice, and the relentless pursuit of hope in the face of overwhelming darkness. As he reminds us, evil may never truly die, but neither does the will to fight for those we love. If you’re ready to journey into the shadows and discover what it takes to stand against the unknown, Adversary is waiting for you. Pick up your copy today. Remember, sometimes our greatest battles are fought not with monsters, but with the ghosts of our own past.

    Click on the cover below to start your own journey into the shadows of the past.

    Haunted by tragedy and driven by guilt, Washington D.C. detective Sam Hardin is thrust into a deadly web of mob intrigue and supernatural terror. When a stolen ancient artifact unleashes an alien power, Sam faces a possessed adversary whose rampage threatens reality itself. As ancient forces rise, Sam must confront his own demons in a battle for redemption, survival, and the fate of his family.