Myths, Mysticism, and Adventure with Mike Walters

“Mulder, it is such a gorgeous day outside. Have you ever entertained the idea of trying to find life on this planet?”

“I have seen the life on this planet, Scully, and that is exactly why I’m looking elsewhere.”

Being a close-minded person can choke off possibilities readily available to us all in the form of Myths, Mysticism, and Adventure. I became a fan of the X-Files when it debuted back in 1993. At the time, I had no idea that it would start me down the path of formulating some of my own stories with the ultimate desire of putting them down on paper. Watching the outlandish storylines loosely based on myths and mysticism, was the impetus behind coming up with some of my own ideas. Mind adventures, that years later would help inspire me to write. Teleport forward seventeen years with the television debut of Ancient Aliens. Love it, hate it, or laugh at it, take your pick, the one thing it did for me was further open my mind. I continued my journey of a realization that not everything adults told me as a child should be considered gospel. A strict religious upbringing from an early age throttled back a creative mind that looked up into the stars, starving to know more. The words of Erich von Daniken in his book the Chariots of the Gods, “Not until we have taken a look into the future shall we be strong and bold enough to investigate our past honestly and impartially,” found new meaning with me. 

Years ago, on a trip out west with my then 12 year old son - - - we were living in Manassas, VA at the time, one of our stops was Sedona, AZ where my brother and sister-in-law took me into an innocuous shop that sold Kachina dolls. They immediately intrigued me and captured my imagination. I asked as many questions of the shop-owner I could and purchased a Wolf Warrior doll. The dolls, for centuries, have provided countless tale telling myths, mysticism, and adventures to many Hopi and Navajo Native American children. I have purchased several more over the years and each one has provided me a certain level of mysticism and sparked a creative energy that gives birth to characters in my novel, The Outlaw River Wilde. The centuries have changed but cave paintings are still being created. It just so happens they take place on computers now.

Mulder: Mr. Simpson, we want you to recreate your every move the night you saw the alien.

Homer: The evening began at the gentlemen's club, where we were discussing Wittgenstein over a game of backgammon.

Scully: Mr. Simpson, it's a felony to lie to the FBI.

Homer: We were sitting in Barney's car eating packets of mustard. Happy?

The Kachina dolls will always fascinate me and my Dreamcatcher, next to my bed, will hopefully continue to hold on to the tales I dream with the hopes of more characters and ideas. I want my novels to be packets of mustard like an honest Homer Simpson, simple, and enjoyable adventures revolving around new and old myths, and mysticism.

 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?

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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.

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I hope you enjoyed our little chat about why Mike wrote and where the idea of the book came from.
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