Guest Post with Author C. Fern Cook of the Wild Series & Giveaway



Hi Everyone,

It's my great pleasure to welcome author C. Fern Cook to Wicked Readings today. Fern is the author of the Wild series. I first discovered Ms. Cook's books on Goodreads, I won the first two books in the series from their first reads giveaway. There are three books in the series Wild Evolution, Wild Justice, and the recently released Wild Legacy. The series follows Dan Tucker, A Colorado rancher turned into a werewolf by contamination, and how he deals with it. This is the first of a two part guest blog with Ms. Cook, and the second part will coincide with my review of the series. Today Fern is going to share some Werewolf/Skin walker folklore with us, she has also agreed to give one lucky commenter a copy of the series.

So without further ado... C. Fern Cook

When I first developed the story for the first novel in the Wild series, Wild Evolution, I wanted a rancher that shared his land with all creatures including the dreaded wolf pack. I wanted the rancher to interact with the wolf pack. Naturally, this fell into the werewolf genre.


In researching werewolf lore for the novel "Wild Evolution”, I came across some interesting tidbits of information:

* Lycanthrope is derived from the Greek language meaning wolf and man.

* It seems that there is werewolf folklore in all cultures.

* Only in the American movie culture does the werewolf curse cause an involuntarily transform to the werewolf state because of a full moon.

* The Norseman believed that a man would possess the characteristics of the animal if they wore the hide of that animal, such as a bear or a wolf.

* In American Indian culture, it is called the skin walker. The belief is similar to the Norseman; if you wore the skin of the animal, you would possess their attributes. In many Native American tribes, it is considered taboo to don the pelt of a wolf.

To spot a werewolf, look for these characteristics:

* born on December 24th

* has red hair

* the index and middle finger are the same length

* and has a craving of raw meat


I had an uncle that possessed many of these characteristics but I personally don't believe he was a werewolf.

The most unusual tidbit of information about werewolf myths from around the world came from Argentina. They believed that the seventh son would become a werewolf. Many parents killed the seventh son or gave them up for adoption.

In order to stop the practice they finally made it a law in the 1920's that the seventh son would become the president's godson at baptism and receive a gold medal. This law is still enforced today.

This just scratches the surface of werewolf folklore from around the world, but many of the myths have similar characteristics, I found that to be very interesting. I also found it very interesting that almost every culture has legends or myths about the werewolf.

I picked the skin walker folklore because of the Native American connection. My grandfather came from the Blackfeet tribe but would have nothing to do with the reservation or the U.S. government's Indian government programs. He said they were disgraceful. In his time they were.

I had an uncle who was from the Kickapoo tribe; between him and my grandfather we spent a lot time out in nature. I have had an attraction to the Native American folklore because of my grandfather and uncle; so, the Native American skin walker legend is the one I choose to go with.

In Wild Legacy, I have chosen to continue on with this and expand the story to include the skin walker legend from the Norseman region. The continuation of the series will expand on this aspect of the legend, reaching back to the old country folklore in the next book.

I want to thank Ms. Cook for sharing her Werewolf/Skin walker folklore with us today.


            ~About C. Fern Cook~

 Fern Cook started out as a freelance writer in the late 90's doing articles for the how-to and inspirational markets. Today she writes about her passions: small town life, the great outdoors, and all the animals that inhabit this planet with us. When it comes to genres, Fern does not stick with one. If a genre existed for animal stories, that would be her genre.

All the characters in Fern Cook's stories are at the crossroads of life. It's their chance to grow or run and hide. It's their chance to prove themselves or a time blend into the background with everyone else.

Many of the places described in Wild Evolution are set in Grand County, Colorado, where Fern worked as a patrol deputy. Aside from being a patrol deputy, Fern also processed many crime scenes as a crime-scene tech.

Fern’s second, and third book in the Wild series is finally published. In the line up for future novels is an adventure story about finding the Garden of Eden, and an unusual tale about the afterlife.

Giveaway Details:

Leave a comment for Fern with your email address included.
Giveaway ends Tuesday October 12th, 2010 at 11:59 pm Est.
Open to US residents only

Brief descriptions of the series:


 When Dan defends his livestock against a wild dog attack, he is put in a 'kill or be killed' battle. When he takes the head of a wild dog in to be tested for rabies he discovers he has the head of a human male instead of a wild dog. Now he is forced to cover up a self-defense killing because no one would believe he killed a wild dog when he has a human head.


A werewolf by contamination, Dan's life spins out of control. All his senses are heightened including his passion for the wild. His passion for the wild compels him to try to stop a new housing development that threatens the local wildlife from loss of habitat, but things don't go according to plans and now he has a second body to dispose of.

While under investigation for murder, Angela gives Dan her unflinching trust. Because of an abusive father, Dan has never been able to trust anyone, but now he has someone he wants to start a family with, someone to build a future with.


 After surviving a mutant canine attack, Dan discovers the animal he killed is not a wild dog, but a man. To protect himself even though it was a self-defense killing, he covers up the murder.


A werewolf by contamination, Dan finds his attitudes and appetites changing. His love of nature and the wild increases as he runs at night with a wolf pack in the nearby national forest. As a man, he becomes more bold and amorous, winning the heart of Angela Connor, a waitress at the local café.

Meanwhile his best friend, Grand County Sheriff’s Deputy Tony Ramirez, becomes increasingly suspicious, especially after Dan has several public run-ins with his cantankerous old neighbor, and the man later turns up missing. When the remains of two bodies are discovered some time later in a remote cave, Tony ceases to be Dan’s friend and goes to great lengths to prove him a murderer.

With his quiet life as bachelor rancher transformed into a constant battle of wits to keep his deep, dark secret safe, Dan finds himself at odds with everyone, including his girlfriend and his former best friend – and most of all, himself.

Narrowly escaping Tony’s murder investigation, Dan goes about eliminating threats to his future. Now all he wants is to pursue his dream of running a dude ranch with his soon-to-be wife, Angela. But as the wedding gets closer, he wonders how he’ll keep his nocturnal life a secret. He soon discovers that’s the least of his worries…

 In book III, Dan Tucker's passion for the wildlife runs through the veins of his offspring, but 'his curse' also courses through the veins of his child. Only he knows why his child is different from all the other children.


Like every parent, Dan is challenged with teaching his child how to fit into this world. In Dan's case the dilemma is taken up a notch.

But like every new soul that arrives on this planet, they must make their own way, no one else can do it for them.





To find out more about C. Fern Cook, and her Wild Series visit her website HERE
You can find C. Fern Cook on Goodreads HERE