Richard Schiver

Tag: horror fiction

  • This week in random ramblings. Back up, Back up, Back up!

    This week in random ramblings. Back up, Back up, Back up!

    For anyone unaware of what is happening I have recently gone through a change of computers. Wednesday before last I got up and hit the power button on my computer as I usually do. It didn’t start. I hit it again with the same results. Of course at this point the panic started to set in. I had some of my work backed up on a thumb drive, but not all of it. Call me old fashioned but I never really trusted cloud storage for backing up my work.

    Long story short I purchased a new computer, using my CC which I didn’t want to do, but what choice did I really have? Everything I had ever written was on that computer, as well as the covers I’ve designed in the past and piles of stock photos purchased over the years from various vendors.

    To give you an idea of how much was there when I finally got my old computer running again and started transferring from my old to my new, there was over 1.5 gigs of writing in 1,036 files spread across 206 folders. The folder I use to hold covers was over 36 gigs. It took me a good week to get everything transferred over.

    I’m the kind of writer who can’t work on just one thing. I’m currently knee deep, about 55,000 words into The Bad Place, a story that loosely continues the saga of Sheriff Paul Odenton who appeared in Cursed (I was warned not to use that title as it would get lost, but I’m stubborn that way. One of these days I’ll change that to The Witch of Porter Mines.)and the second book of my trilogy titled Parasite. I’m a sucker for one word titles.

    I know if I could focus on just one work at a time I’d be a hell of a lot more productive.

    I am also working on and off on an interesting little tale I call Bitter Hollow, that stands at just 50,000 words. I worry I’m not talented enough to complete it the way I see the ending in my mind.

    Then there’s Lair of the Broken Queen, book six of my post apocalyptic series This Lawless Land. I stopped at around 45,000 words as I wasn’t really feeling the story though I know exactly how the series will end. I’m torn between making this the last chapter of the saga, or adding a seventh book.

    It was this last one that caused me the most pain. As I’m transferring everything over using thumb drives I begin to notice that not everything is coming over as it should. Folders half empty and such. One piece of work that vanished was Lair of the Broken Queen. All I had left was the rough outline I wrote back when I started the book two years ago.

    I’ve been through this before, in 2001 I lost everything with a hard drive failure that wiped out over ten years of work in the blink of an eye. Tried having it recovered, but no one could help me. I’ve recreated a lot of the work through memory. My Cursed file was one that vanished and I rewrote the book from memory.

    I have spent the past week poring through my files looking for the missing work. Imaging my relief when I find out I inadvertently saved the file under a different name.

    I’ve bought a number of 64gig thumb drives I’ll use to back up my more important files. I just hope that if and when it happens again, technology has not moved on to the point the thumb drive is useless. Of course the second question would be, will I be around to see it happen. At 66 I’ve entered that stage of life where you have more time behind you than ahead. But that’s a subject for another time and place. Now that I’ve gotten this mess straightened out I can move forward once again.

  • Weekly Writing Challenge 11/19/2025 Hell Hole.

    Weekly Writing Challenge 11/19/2025 Hell Hole.

    The story continues.

    “I didn’t say anything,” Jared responded from the emptiness below. Eric shrugged as he dropped another ten feet. Once again, as his feet came to rest against the wall of the shaft he heard a faint whisper. It was as if someone were standing right behind him, whispering in his ear, yet the words remained unintelligible, and his mind nibbled at them as he tried to decipher what was said. He had even felt a chilled breath against the sweaty flesh of his neck as ghostly fingers skipped along his spine.

    “Are you fucking with me?” Eric said, He was certain Jared was somehow messing with him, though it made little sense how he was doing it. After all Eric was still nearly thirty feet above the floor where Jared waited. He’d find out in time though, when the little prick realized what was about to happen and would do anything in his power to stop the inevitable.

    He dropped another ten feet and this time the voice in his ear was as clear as a bell, chilled breath washing over his earlobe as the whispered words filled him with dread.

    Beware of friends who tell half-truths.

    He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts as a cold sweat broke across his arms. He glanced back at Jared, still waiting at the bottom of the shaft. It had to be him. Eric kicked out and dropped the remaining twelve feet to where Jared waited. 

    “That was so cool,” Jared said, slapping Eric on the back.

    Eric turned on Jared with a voice that promised violence. “Why are you fucking with me bro?”

    “What are you talking about? I haven’t done anything,” Jared said as he backed away with his hands up to defend himself.

    “I know what you’re doing, throwing your voice like that, messing with me while I was coming down.” Even as then words left his mouth, he realized how crazy they sounded. He struggled to calm himself down, aware that if he did anything stupid to upset Jared he might leave, then what would he do?

    They’d take him for sure. There was no loyalty in death, the normal constraints of living were stripped away when one stepped across that narrow divide. Certainly promises had been made, and he had so far kept up his end of the bargain, but it was there all loyalty ended. The moment he faltered and failed to do as he promised, they would come for him, and he shuddered at the thought.

    “I’m sorry, man, I don’t know what got into me,’ Eric said as he crossed to Jared with a smile on his face, his hand extended.

    Jared shook his hand, with relief flooding his features. “You scared me there for a minute, I thought for sure you were going to leave me down here.”

    “I wouldn’t do that to you bro, I’ve just been under a lot of stress lately, you know with Jessica talking about getting more serious, and with us leaving for college in the fall. It’s just been a lot to take in. I thought coming here today would help me put it all behind me for a bit.”

    “Wow, man, I didn’t know you and Jess were getting that serious, that’s gotta be a big step.”

    Eric nodded, a slight smile playing at the corners of his lips, while relief filled him with a small measure of peace. It would be over soon, and he could go back to being just a stupid jock, until the next time they called.

    To be continued!

    If you’d like to go back to the beginning to see the whole story go here: Hell Hole.

    Join my readers group!

    Four boys become trapped in their apartment building in the opening days of the zombie apocalypse. Together with a small group of survivors they struggle to survive. It’s not long before they learn their real enemy is in the building with them.

    Sign up today for my readers group and get an entire novel only available to subscribers. Every month you will receive an email containing either an edited short story from my writing challenge, or a chapter from a work in progress.

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  • Update 11/10/2025

    I have officially finished a story that began in 1991. Three books that took more than 34 years to finish has drawn to a close. My Shadows of the Past trilogy is finally complete. I didn’t actually spend that much time writing each book. It was really a matter of letting myself get side tracked between each one. (Squirrel LOL).

    Adversary, the very first book I ever wrote, and the first in the trilogy, took me three years to complete. In contrast I wrote Parasite, book two in three months. Last year I decided I was going to finish this trilogy once and for all and began work on Assimilation.

    By the end of this week, I plan to release all three. Each one has been reworked to fall into line with the story, updated with new covers and brand new descriptions that will make sense now that everything is done. I do hope you’ll check them out, and if it’s something you like to read maybe you’ll give me a chance with the first book.

    Adversary

    Synopsis: Haunted by the violent death of his wife, Washington, D.C. homicide detective Sam Hardin struggles with his relationship with his two children, and the bottle. Called to investigate a murder he discovers a connection to an alleged mob boss, and the theft of an ancient artifact discovered in Antarctica. The artifact, a knife, contains an alien power that affects anyone who comes into contact with it.

    Jack Griffith served his country in the middle east, losing a leg in the process, and was recently diagnosed with cancer. While clearing a clogged sewer drain he is stabbed by the stolen knife and becomes possessed by an ancient entity that seeks to end the rule of man. His transformation leads him on a violent rampage. His fury focused on a brain damaged four-year-old he believes is the embodiment of his old adversary who holds the secrets of the universe.

    The boy’s death could open the passageway between the shadows of the past and present day, allowing old gods to rise to power once again. The only thing standing in his way is Sam Hardin. Guilt, redemption, and the supernatural weave together as Sam and Jack’s paths converge in a climactic showdown from which only one of them will survive.

    Parasite

    Synopsis: 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.

    Blending small-town drama, cosmic horror, and relentless suspense, Parasite is a gripping tale of survival, sacrifice, and the dark secrets lurking beneath the surface of everyday life.

    Assimilation

    Synopsis: In the Pacific Northwest, a mysterious alien infection threatens to consume humanity from within. Haunted by the loss of his family, ex-cop Sam Hardin and his gifted son Frankie are on the run, hunting the monstrous creatures unleashed by an ancient artifact. They cross paths with a cast of survivors—a determined crime scene analyst, a traumatized boy, a battle-hardened Marine, and everyday townsfolk—they must confront not only the relentless, shape-shifting enemy but also the darkness within themselves.

    When a small town is sealed off by a force field and overrun by infected townspeople and monstrous offspring, the survivors make a desperate last stand at Peskins’ gun shop. With resources dwindling and hope fading, Sam and his allies devise a daring plan to destroy the alien machine fueling the invasion. Sacrifices are made, alliances are tested, and the line between human and monster blurs as the group fights for survival.

    As the military closes in and the truth about the infection emerges, the survivors must decide who to trust, and what they’re willing to become to save the world. In the aftermath, the battle continues in the shadows, hinting that the threat may never truly be gone.

    Assimilation is a harrowing tale of courage, loss, and the enduring will to resist extinction, perfect for fans of Stephen King and Michael Crichton.

    I would also like to thank Sharon Rivet from the Indie cover group on Facebook for the killer idea.

  • Fridays 5 with Thomas F Monteleone

    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.

    .

    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

  • Weekly Writing Challenge 11/05/2025

    Weekly Writing Challenge 11/05/2025

    Eric took a moment to read through the names, stopping when he came to a familiar one. Joshua Watkins. Jared’s last name was Watkins. The connection sent a chill across the flesh of his arms, and he brushed it off. It was obviously just a coincidence.

    He turned to Jared who stood right beside him. “Did you have any relatives who worked in this mine?”

    “I don’t think so,” Jared replied. He stepped around Eric to look at the plaque, the beam of the flashlight stopping on the name in question. He shook his head. “It doesn’t ring any bells.”

    Eric shrugged as he turned away from the plaque and approached the shaft at the back of the mine. This was how they would get down to the natural cave. Someone in the past had left a rope to make the descent easier, but Eric chose to use his own. He didn’t know how long the other rope had been in place, and with the amount of moisture present in the mine he wasn’t sure how sturdy it would be. Halfway down would be a bad time to find out it couldn’t hold him. Using the pinions already in place he secured his own rope and tossed the bag containing it into the black depths below. After a few seconds the sound of the bag hitting the bottom came to him.

    According to his map once they reached the lower level it would get a lot easier as there were ramps built into the interconnected shafts that would allow them to walk down to the cave. Once they were done they would use an ascender for climb back up the rope.

    “Are you ready for this?” Eric asked as he turned to look at Jared.

    Jared nodded, but Eric could tell by the expression on his face he wasn’t really ready. They would have to rappel down to the next level that was only fifty feel below.

    “I don’t know man, I mean I know you taught me how to do this, but it’s so dark down there.”

    “You’ll have the light on your helmet, as long as you don’t get in a hurry everything will be all right.”

    They had rappelled several times from a nearby cliff and Eric had proven to be adept at doing so.

    “I know, I need to quit being such a baby and just get it over with,” Eric said. He stepped up to the lip of the shaft and after turning on his light he peered over the edge. “It doesn’t look too bad, but I’ll need your help hooking up, I want to make sure I do it right.”

    “No problem brother, let’s get you set up.”

    Eric turned his back to the shaft and Jared hooked the rope through the brake bar rack attached to the front of his harness. Once they were done Jared held onto Eric while he carefully added his weight to the rope.

    “This doesn’t seem too bad.”

    “Just remember, lift the lever to speed up and push it down to slow your descent.”

    Eric nodded then pushed off the lip while lifting the friction bar. He dropped from sight with an exhilarating shout and Jared looked over the edge to watch as he descended. In a matter of moments Eric reached the bottom and looked up at Jared, momentarily blinding him with his headlight.

    “Are you good?”

    “I’m good man, I’m off the rope, come on down. This is great.”

    Jared turned and wound the rope through his own rack and stepped off the edge. He stepped off the edge and dropped about twelve feet before swinging back to the wall and bringing down the bar to stop him. As he did he heard someone talking below him.

    “What did you say?” He shouted.

    To be continued!