Code Name: Wild Hunt

I’ve been planning a new series that I wanted to take a minute to talk about. If you’ve read the two books (so far) of the Apex Predator Series (Wolf Moon and Blood Moon) and the Lakeview Man, then you’ve already seen the groundwork being laid for this series. In fact, Lakeview establishes the main character, Daniel Clark, who has a penchant for getting himself into tough situations.

I love to write horror, but I like to make my own twists and adaptations of classic myths and monsters. To this end, enter Apex Predator. I’ve wanted to do a werewolf-esque series for a long time. I’ve made no secret of that. What I wanted, was to tell a scary tale that wasn’t like other werewolf stories. I wanted to bring in elements that might not have been touched on as much, or at all. I began working in elements of Native American myths and legends. 

Working in elements of the legendary cryptid called the “dogman” and also lore about “Skinwalkers”, I decided to add in my own twists and elements. Then I remembered the stories of the Dog Soldiers. They were fierce Native warriors with an almost mythical reputation for their fierceness and abilities. Then I thought, what if that wasn’t the end of it. What if the magic that made them “Dog Soldiers” made them more than just human? Enter the Skinwalker tie in and Native American mysticism. I knew that my “Dog Soldiers” would be more than merely human. They would be a great deal more.

As that series progressed, I found that I enjoyed telling tales about “cryptid” monsters and how they preyed on humans. That’s when the idea for Lakeview Man entered my head. I wondered, given the fact that most people don’t believe in a Bigfoot creature, how would a small sheriff’s department deal with one that was killing people when they knew they couldn’t admit to what it actually was? How would they react in fighting it? How would they beat it?

I knew from reading accounts of Bigfoot encounters that there were many times when the military or the government would show up and push people out of the area. I added that detail into Lakeview Man, as well. But as the story progressed, I knew that there had to be more to it than just “they showed up and took over the investigation.” There was organization behind it. Intelligence and planning. A method to the madness. That’s when the idea for Code Name: Wild Hunt was first formed.

First off, a little explanation for those of you who may not know what the Wild Hunt was in mythology. In Norse Mythos, on midwinter night, Odin would lead a group of hunters and hunting dogs through the forest, all of them clad in black and with flaming eyes. Legions of the dead, hunters, horses and hounds, would ride all night searching for their prey. If you were unwary enough to be caught outside during the dark night of midwinter, you might find yourself swept up and joining the Wild Hunt. This seemed like the perfect symbolism for a mysterious team that hunted monsters through the night. The Wild Hunt would be my symbol.

So, I started asking myself what would go into building and planning a team like this. A team that didn’t formally exist and no one could identify. A team that could react to a situation all over this vast United States within hours of an incident and take over the investigation. That took planning and funding and the ability to move resources very quickly. That also meant that there had to be more than one team. For instance, let’s say there was one team and it was located in the geographical center of the United States, to improve reaction time.

They get a call in Alaska of an attack and they mobilize. From say Missouri to Alaska would take a lot of travel time, even by air. Then you have to factor in the team prepping to go, loading weapons and vehicles, getting their supply and logistic support in place and etc. You see my point? With one team, they couldn’t react that quickly. So, that meant there had to be more than one team in place. Also, I had to factor in if multiple incidents happened at one time.

Then, I started picking the brains of people who had been in Special Forces Units and asking questions about deployments and how quickly they could respond. A clearer picture began to emerge. When I started putting notes on paper, I asked a couple of people for help with figuring out the logistics and structure of such a team. Joshua Dalton and Steve Monrotus have been instrumental in the formation of this project. I’ve also picked the brain of Kerry “Pocket Doc” Davis from Dark Angel Medical, both on logistics of the teams and the battlefield treatment of wounds. To the three of you, I cannot express my thanks enough. You guys are amazing. Thank you so much.

I want this to be a fast-paced, action/adventure, horror and seat of your pants excitement series. When I mentioned the concept to a friend of mine, he said “so basically, you want Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six meets the X-Files.” I was thrilled by the comparison, because it was exactly what I was going for, even if I hadn’t ever thought of it in those exact terms. Clancy’s Rainbow Six has always been one of my favorite of his books. If you haven’t read it, I highly recommend it.

I won’t repost the unit structure that we’ve created for the Wild Hunt. You can read that on the page on this website for Code Name: Wild Hunt. The structure is all there. Of course, I’ll reveal more in the actual books. Book one of this new series will be called “Code Name: Wild Hunt – Odin’s Call”. I’m hoping to have the manuscript done in the next couple of weeks. I will keep you posted on here and on my Facebook Author page of progress, word-counts, release date and cover.

You notice the Norse symbolism. That is not just a coincidence with the Ragnarok Rising books. Note the Wild Hunt already has ties to both Apex Predator and Lakeview Man? Also not a coincidence. Sense a theme here? Who knows where this might lead. What else might be linked, in some way or another? How do they link? You’ll have to read them to find out.

The End…. Is only the Beginning.

The Wild Hunt rides – summer 2020

DA