What's Today, My Fine Fellow?

Probably the horror film that made the biggest impact on teenaged me was DAWN OF THE DEAD.  The concept fascinated me, not just of the dead coming back to life, but the end of civilization with all the trappings of civilization still being there.  Some of the first stories I wrote as a teen were of me and my friends hunkered down at our school or in a shuttered spook alley (sorry) or the barn near Steven's house, while the zombies took over the world outside.

I have written a couple since then, such as one set when I worked in a call center, one set in a Toys R Us, and this one, "Christmas Day of the Dead," set in a sporting goods store.*  It's another of those tales where the POV character is a girl, which pretty much guarantees I'll never narrate it for my podcast, but I did sit down and record it for inclusion in my first Christmas story collection.

If you're inexplicably interested, check it out HERE.

*It's the one with the name that best describes the drivers of Cybertrucks, though I never spell it out in the story.

Rish Outcast 300: Episode 300 Show

A hodgepodge of items come together to celebrate the Rish Outcast's 300th episode: 

Fake Sean gets spun round, Rish narrates E. Nesbit's "Uncle Abraham's Romance," a scary Disney promo, a tale of eBay Horror, Rish talks about his security job, and Sam Apple's "The Saddest Toilet In The World."

If you'd like to download the episode, Right-Click HERE.

Come support me on Patreon HERE.

Logo by Gino "Episode Zero" Moretto.

Reply Hazy, Try Again

Back in 1999, I wrote the script to a short film called "Reply Hazy," about a college student with a Magic 8 Ball that was always correct, no matter what you asked it.  The proposed film was never made (big surprise), but a decade later, I dusted it off and rewrote it into a short story, presumably for use on the then-new Dunesteef podcast.  We never ran it, though.

Cut to 2025, and I've finally put it out, even though it seems super dated now (both in time period and sophistication).  Should it have stayed buried?  Ask again later.

Check out the short story HERE.

Rish Outcast 299: In Security Volume 1

Rish presents three vignettes from his time working security at the public library. Hopefully, the first of many.

Part 1 - New job, bad smell, toddler on stairs
Part 2 - Roger and the attic
Part 3 - People saying Thank You, cleaning vomit and Joe, lady in wheelchair lady adventure

If you'd like to download the episode, Right-Click HERE.

Come support me on Patreon HERE.

Logo by Gino "The Answer Man" Moretto.

Big and Rish on the Anklecast: Italian Style

Last month, Big spent a few days in Italy, and sacrificed a couple of hours' sleep telling Rish about it in between  presenting chunks (the technical term) of his novella "The Elephant In The Room."  What resulted was the world's longest podcast episode (of the Anklecast, anyway), as they chatted about the wonders of Venice, and the least-enjoyable way to visit Europe.

Oh, and the elephant in the room?  That one of them has never read the story being presented on the show.  You can--and will--check it out HERE.

Podcast That Dares 55: Honeysuckle Cottage

Rish performs the P.G. Wodhouse's 1925 ghost story "Honeysuckle Cottage."

Crime writer James Rodman's luck changes when he inherits his aunt's haunted house . . . but so does his writing.

Download the episode by Right-Clicking HERE.

Support me on Patreon HERE.

Logo by Gino "Coneysuckle Hottage" Moretto.