Original Title: The Outlaw River Wilde
Author: Mike Walters
Release Date: March 31, 2015
Genre: Science Fiction, Mystery
Who of us, at one time or another, hasn't wondered if we’re alone in the universe? Mitch Wilde never had until a failed attempt at pulling an arrow out of his best friend Jack’s shoulder began a string of strange and unexpected events in the small Pacific Northwest Town of Outlaw River.
When Native Americans start vanishing throughout the country and re-appearing in strange places on horseback, Mitch is challenged in ways he never dreamed. In addition, who are the uninvited strangers ransacking some of their homes? Added to this, Jack has taken to odd nocturnal treks. The local sheriff releases hostility he has held against Mitch since high school and something—nobody wants to call them UFOs—has just crashed into several surrounding lakes.
Can Mitch keep himself out of jail? Can Mitch figure out what the strange entities emerging from the lake are and why? Can Mitch protect the beautiful life he and his wife Mabey worked so hard to create? Finally, can Mitch help his eccentric neighbor save the residents of Outlaw River before it's too late?
EXCERPT
When Debbi gave Mitch, the description of what she and Cindi saw, the hair on the back of his neck straightened. Her description took Mitch back to what he and Mabey saw on the road the other night. There had to be some connection. His sub-conscious had been working nonstop trying to make sense out of what they had seen. Mitch couldn’t put his finger on exactly what it was. Hearing Debbi talk about their incident brought Mitch’s thoughts into focus: kachina dolls. A real in the flesh, kachina. At least in Mitch’s mind it was real.
“Debbi, you remember the other night—the flower club fundraiser?”
Debbi moved her brown hair over her ears, using both hands, pushing backwards along the side of her head. Mitch was fascinated the way the hair perched behind the ears as if on command with only a few strands breaking ranks.
“Yeah Mitch, please tell Mabey I’m sorry I wasn’t able to stay. I had to close the Shack myself that night and was just too tired.”
“Sure, I’ll let her know. She knows how hard you work. Besides, I think after the way things went she wishes she hadn’t gone, either.”
“Oh, do tell.”
“Oh, nothing really. Just Mayor Jenkins being his typical charming self. He had several of the flower clubwomen feeling as if they were failures for not raising more money. He’s an ass most of the time. That night was no exception.”
“No argument from me.”
“Okay, anyhow, Mabey and I left about ten or so. She was driving. We took Riverside Drive home. Near Deadman’s Bend, she hit the brakes hard and I slammed my head into the dash. After greeting her with a couple of properly chosen expletives, I saw why she stopped the car so quickly. Smack dab in the middle of the road was what appeared to be an Indian on a magnificent looking white horse.”
“Seriously, Mitch, what did you guys do? What happened?”
“Well, you know me. I was fumbling for my camera on the phone to take a picture. I know I got the shot, but later there was nothing but night sky and dark road. The Indian was gone.”
“Jesus. Have you guys told anyone?”
“I told old man Jasper and now you. I don’t think Mabey has mentioned it to anyone. We thought briefly about calling Gunther like you did.” Debbi and Mitch let out a simultaneous laugh.
“Yep, we certainly know how that would have turned out,” Debbi replied.
“So what do you think you guys saw?”
“I have no idea. However, it was startling and it felt real. Hell, the whole atmosphere in the Shack felt odd. You could tell something was there. Nevertheless, as I said earlier, it was more startling and unexpected than frightening. Why the coffee shop, though?”
“It’s strange that something like that would go in there, unless he had heard really good things about your espresso. You do make an outstanding espresso, Debbi.”
“Very funny. Jesus, how does Mabey put up with your shit? Want another lemonade?”
“I do, but better not. I need to get home soon. This does put some clarity on what Mabey and I saw.”
“Clarity?”
“What I’m trying to say is your description gave me a clearer understanding. I’m surprised I didn’t think of it before, actually.”
“Really, do tell. I’m all ears.”
“Have you ever heard of kachina dolls?’
“No, I can’t say as I have.”
“Well, I don’t know that much about them, but I do know that they derive primarily from Hopi Indians. I think the Navajo had them as well. Anyhow, my brief research online when I first became interested showed the Indians used the dolls to teach their young about their spiritual beliefs.”
A typical day for me is getting up at 5:30 a.m. I try to write right away or work on marketing my current novel. After a quick shower and shave, a ten-minute commute gets me to the office at about 7:15. I then focus on the job of Marketing Library Software for Auto-Graphics, Inc. until 4 to 5 p.m. Quitting time just depends on how busy we are. I head home and either get on my road or mountain bike for ride or head to the clubhouse for a short work-out. I will cook dinner usually, enjoy a glass of wine, or meet my son sometimes at a local Micro-Brew - - - Claremont Ales, for some socializing and a Porter or Stout. Back home and watch a rerun or two of Law & Order, Seinfeld or a documentary on Netflix. Rinse and repeat until the weekend. On the weekend, I will take longer bike rides and try to visit the Westside German Shepherd Rescue in Los Angeles with my lady-friend. She will walk the dogs and I will photograph them for Westside’s social media sites with the hope of helping them find their “forever” homes.
“Debbi, you remember the other night—the flower club fundraiser?”
Debbi moved her brown hair over her ears, using both hands, pushing backwards along the side of her head. Mitch was fascinated the way the hair perched behind the ears as if on command with only a few strands breaking ranks.
“Yeah Mitch, please tell Mabey I’m sorry I wasn’t able to stay. I had to close the Shack myself that night and was just too tired.”
“Sure, I’ll let her know. She knows how hard you work. Besides, I think after the way things went she wishes she hadn’t gone, either.”
“Oh, do tell.”
“Oh, nothing really. Just Mayor Jenkins being his typical charming self. He had several of the flower clubwomen feeling as if they were failures for not raising more money. He’s an ass most of the time. That night was no exception.”
“No argument from me.”
“Okay, anyhow, Mabey and I left about ten or so. She was driving. We took Riverside Drive home. Near Deadman’s Bend, she hit the brakes hard and I slammed my head into the dash. After greeting her with a couple of properly chosen expletives, I saw why she stopped the car so quickly. Smack dab in the middle of the road was what appeared to be an Indian on a magnificent looking white horse.”
“Seriously, Mitch, what did you guys do? What happened?”
“Well, you know me. I was fumbling for my camera on the phone to take a picture. I know I got the shot, but later there was nothing but night sky and dark road. The Indian was gone.”
“Jesus. Have you guys told anyone?”
“I told old man Jasper and now you. I don’t think Mabey has mentioned it to anyone. We thought briefly about calling Gunther like you did.” Debbi and Mitch let out a simultaneous laugh.
“Yep, we certainly know how that would have turned out,” Debbi replied.
“So what do you think you guys saw?”
“I have no idea. However, it was startling and it felt real. Hell, the whole atmosphere in the Shack felt odd. You could tell something was there. Nevertheless, as I said earlier, it was more startling and unexpected than frightening. Why the coffee shop, though?”
“It’s strange that something like that would go in there, unless he had heard really good things about your espresso. You do make an outstanding espresso, Debbi.”
“Very funny. Jesus, how does Mabey put up with your shit? Want another lemonade?”
“I do, but better not. I need to get home soon. This does put some clarity on what Mabey and I saw.”
“Clarity?”
“What I’m trying to say is your description gave me a clearer understanding. I’m surprised I didn’t think of it before, actually.”
“Really, do tell. I’m all ears.”
“Have you ever heard of kachina dolls?’
“No, I can’t say as I have.”
“Well, I don’t know that much about them, but I do know that they derive primarily from Hopi Indians. I think the Navajo had them as well. Anyhow, my brief research online when I first became interested showed the Indians used the dolls to teach their young about their spiritual beliefs.”
A DAY WITH MIKE WALTERS
- GUEST POST BY MIKE WALTERS
A typical day for me is getting up at 5:30 a.m. I try to write right away or work on marketing my current novel. After a quick shower and shave, a ten-minute commute gets me to the office at about 7:15. I then focus on the job of Marketing Library Software for Auto-Graphics, Inc. until 4 to 5 p.m. Quitting time just depends on how busy we are. I head home and either get on my road or mountain bike for ride or head to the clubhouse for a short work-out. I will cook dinner usually, enjoy a glass of wine, or meet my son sometimes at a local Micro-Brew - - - Claremont Ales, for some socializing and a Porter or Stout. Back home and watch a rerun or two of Law & Order, Seinfeld or a documentary on Netflix. Rinse and repeat until the weekend. On the weekend, I will take longer bike rides and try to visit the Westside German Shepherd Rescue in Los Angeles with my lady-friend. She will walk the dogs and I will photograph them for Westside’s social media sites with the hope of helping them find their “forever” homes.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mike
Walters and his debut novel, The Outlaw River Wilde, sprung from an idea while watching Ancient Aliens on the History channel. He intertwines his love of Native American culture and a passion for the Pacific Northwest, primarily his birth state of Oregon. Mike sat down one day and started writing. The characters and story were revealed each and every day he wrote.
"Every session was as if I were reading something new myself for the first time. It was a blast seeing what would happen next. This is why I enjoyed writing this novel so much. "
Mike is a Director of Marketing & Product at Auto-Graphics, Inc. based in Ontario, CA. That's California, not Canada. A-G makes software for Libraries, primarily public. So on your visit to the library, when you sit down to search for a book this is the software that A-G makes.
"I am very fortunate to work in an industry that has a meaningful impact on society. It makes going to work each and every day enjoyable. I mean who doesn't think we need, and who doesn't love, libraries?"
Mike learned photography as a freshman in high school and later took the passion and used it as a photographer in the United States Air Force. He loves to ride bicycles in SoCal year around, volunteers in Los Angeles at the Westside German Shepherd Rescue taking photos of the beautiful dogs, and has a passion for Micro-brews, particularly Porters and Stouts. You will frequently find him sampling, with his son Alexander, at Claremont Craft Ales, a personal favorite --- or one of the many fine breweries in and around Claremont, CA. Mike is currently at work on the follow up to The Outlaw River Wilde, which will be titled - Still Wilde in the Outlaw River. The book should be out later this year or early 2016.
"Every session was as if I were reading something new myself for the first time. It was a blast seeing what would happen next. This is why I enjoyed writing this novel so much. "
Mike is a Director of Marketing & Product at Auto-Graphics, Inc. based in Ontario, CA. That's California, not Canada. A-G makes software for Libraries, primarily public. So on your visit to the library, when you sit down to search for a book this is the software that A-G makes.
"I am very fortunate to work in an industry that has a meaningful impact on society. It makes going to work each and every day enjoyable. I mean who doesn't think we need, and who doesn't love, libraries?"
Mike learned photography as a freshman in high school and later took the passion and used it as a photographer in the United States Air Force. He loves to ride bicycles in SoCal year around, volunteers in Los Angeles at the Westside German Shepherd Rescue taking photos of the beautiful dogs, and has a passion for Micro-brews, particularly Porters and Stouts. You will frequently find him sampling, with his son Alexander, at Claremont Craft Ales, a personal favorite --- or one of the many fine breweries in and around Claremont, CA. Mike is currently at work on the follow up to The Outlaw River Wilde, which will be titled - Still Wilde in the Outlaw River. The book should be out later this year or early 2016.
GIVEAWAY
The author is giving away paperback copies (INTERNATIONAL) to 5 winners of the Rafflecopter.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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