Taking requests, I've been commissioned to write some short stories.

I’ve been asked by my publisher to write a short story set in the Monster Hunter universe and another set in The Grimnoir Chronicles universe.

So basically, what do you guys want to read about? Give me your opinion on who/what you’d like to see from the world of Monster Hunter. TGC is obviously a little harder since you guys don’t get to read that one until May.

If you are on Facebook, I started a post about this in the new Monster Hunter Nation group. There are already a bunch of really good requests going on over there. So join that if you are interested. And if you are on FB, just go ahead and friend me. It is a useful way to get updates out.

I’ve not done a lot of short fiction, and only one little tidbit from the MH universe. (see Tanya, Princess of the Elves under the Fiction tab).

More Grimnoir artwork from Zack Hill
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90 thoughts on “Taking requests, I've been commissioned to write some short stories.”

  1. Anything where you take a minor or supporting character and flesh out their back story is good. Maybe Albert Lee’s spiders?

    Ooo! What about some sort of sand monster that an army unit in Afghanistan run into! Or something like that…

  2. MHI – I’m thinking maybe a foreign competitor? The MHI crew seems to have the monopoly in America, I think it’d be sweet to see some hunters of other nationalities maybe.

    GC – A glimpse of Jake during WWI?

  3. This is a tough one.

    I have come up with three things:

    1) Someone’s backstory – the events that lead to him or her becoming a hunter.

    2) A story involving one of the other more peripheral teams. Just a quick down and dirty planning through execution (no pun intended) of an op.

    3) A backstory on one of the “monster” groups. Skippy’s history or something like that.

    Keep up the good work.

    Charlie Mead
    RIP Chuck

  4. MHI – Owen & Julie’s Honeymoon where they run across a Manticore.

    GC – A tale of one of the first people to manifest powers

  5. i’d like to hear the story about how Earl got bitten by a werewolf and then learned to control himself. i think someone else made request about Skppy’s group, you could probably do both, like having the main bit about Earl and the orcs while he perodically flashes back to when he was bit and learned control. … … …

    i dunno about TGC, i havent really read enough to get me thinking about what short stories there could be out there… maybe tell why he got mad and the sherif and squished him…

  6. I’d like more of Tanya, she’s a great character that ended up on the cutting room floor.

    Have her join Holly, Trip, and Milo on a mission. Have them drive several hours to the location. The jabs back and forth between Holly and Tanya alone would be worth it.

    Trip would spend the whole time trying to keep the girls from killing each other while Milo goes more insane than usual trying to ignore them.

    You could have them take on Lawyers who happen to be Werebobcats, that prey on Hippies in a remote commune.

    Unfortunately it would be hard to justify eliminating the Werebobcats because as you know killing hippies delays the return of bell bottom pants as a popular fashion.

    When the MHI hunters show up they find they can’t legally hunt the Lawyer Werebeasts because the Lawyers filed a restraining order with the local judge who just happens to be a WereJackalope.

    WereJackalopes aren’t Puff applicable because they’re officially herbivores. But we all know the truth! They have big sharp nasty pointy teeth! Look at the bones! Not to mention the antlers. They might poke your eye out.

    Yes, I am in a weird mood today. Why do you ask?

  7. If it’s not something you’ve got planned for another book, I’d love to see the story of Susan Shackleford’s last mission where she got vampirized.

  8. How about a sneak peek at Agent Franks? You’re going to right a book about him anyway, so this will serve as a nice prequel.

    1. guys- you’re asking him to write a short story about something he’s just finished a full length book about! (Monster Hunter Alpha- Earl’s back story). For a short story you need something he won’t be able to get to in a full length book…

  9. +1 on Holly’s back story. Specifically the circumstances of her capture by vampires and her existence in the feeding pit.

    A story on Raymond “The Boss” Shackleford, how he lost his hand.

  10. Hi Larry long time no see but we keep up with you regularly. Hiope to visit with you at Shot Show.

    Ok here is my suggestion.
    Austin, TX is know for the large bat colonies that are located under the downtown bridges. So what about an outbreak of Vampire Bats. Staff at STI could be the protagonist of course. Don’t want to step on Team TALON’s toes but for a short story it might work.

    1. Austin is full of Hippies-shouldn’t the threat be against someone we CARE about?

      Larger bat colony in San Antonio, less hippies 🙂

      1. HEY! There are a few of us gun-nut, libertarian, members of the Monster Hunter Nation in Austin.

        But let the vampires take out the University liberals first.

  11. The sand monster in Afghanistan would be pretty cool, at least for me, having been there.

    Or a Wisconsin team hunting Hodags would be sweet, again for somewhat selfish reasons. (But there’s still some pretty good fodder in the Northwoods/UP area in my opinion anyway.)

  12. For TGC:
    Winston Churchill’s account of the fight against the South African Specials during the Boer war….

    -or-

    A tale of the Boxer rebellion, in which the Chinese really do have the power to be immune to swords and bullets.

    As for MHI…

    Some of Agent’s Franks’ exploits in, say, the Korean war? Or anywhere else for that matter.

  13. My votes would be for stuff about Franks (Which, I know, is mostly going to show up in Monster Hunter: Nemesis), Auhangamea Pitt and Earl in Vietnam, or something roughly equivalent to “MHI: Chapter One” for any of the Newbies from Hell. (Lee, Trip, Holly). Basically the story of their first fight against a monster, like Owen’s fight against his boss.

    Though backstory on the Orcs would be pretty awesome, too. Possibly an interesting tale of their previous encounters with Cratos and Bia? (Or a story about them. Or a story about why they knew Franks. Or, or or… you could just write anything really, and I’d probably read it.)

  14. I am all for a short story (or stories) about the early days of MHI (1895-1915). It would be interesting to see the differences in weapons, armor, and tactics used then as opposed to modern day MHI.

    1. I second this. I would love to read a short story on the founding of MHI. I feel like this was kind of glossed over, I think it would great to expand on it.

  15. What about Owen’s or any of the other’s “day off” ? Where they might encounter something while unarmed say at Disney…Ok, not sure about the locale… Or say is Agent Franks the only “Special” employed by the US or someone else, maybe something set in the Cold War. Or something in that line about Earl?

  16. How about a GunBlogger Rendezvous that goes horribly wrong (or right, depending on perspecitve) where the guests in the hotel are victims of a zombie outbreak and the likes of Mr. Completely and Millisecond Molly have to use their steel match skills to good use.

  17. Monster Hunter universe – Theodore Roosevelt hunting monsters, perhaps in the Amazonas, Africa, or in the Dakota Territory. You know it would be awesome.

    1. Or hell, his exploits as a Police Commissioner in NYC. There are plenty of things who could prey on a dense urban population. I’m sure he would set up some special unit to tackle the unearthly…

  18. Maybe one with a visit to FBMG (if you were there around ’00-’01) where soething between you and Milo inspires Abomination’s concept?

    Or a followup with Tanya? Or maybe even something with Boone or Paxton?

    I still think that you should try to sell them on some of the collected best fanfic shorts as a “Tales from the Hunterverse” anthology… and that you should also write an MHI Employee Handbook. (Don’t mean to be pushy, but when you have a congenital personality-defect of being about as subtle as a nuclear strike, it’s rather difficult to NOT come off that way… something I’m trying to work on.)

      1. I’m thinking something like the little cameos Clive Cussler has in his works, not a full “Supporting Character” Mary Sue–maybe just have Milo overhear something said to another customer that lights the fuse…

        Also, it’d prove that Owen isn’t a Mary Sue.:D

  19. Hey buddy, I would like to read a novel written by you about what we are experiencing now with the Obama govt, that leads to a collaps of our system and nation, and survival of those that are prepared, and the fall of those that aren’t. Basically something simular to Mattew Bracken’s books.
    Wally

  20. I think some quick short stories about some of the other teams is a very good start. Heck, there is lots to do there too with all the places that you have teams now. Heck, you even have patches from the contest. Heck, the Montana teams get zombie Gizz and Prairie Dogs. 🙂

    -Mark

  21. I was curious about the Humbolt folk from MHI, perhaps something about them? Other than that, I second the fleshing out of any ones background, a memorial to Sam Haven perhaps?

  22. Milo, Milo, and more Milo… plus any other LDS hunters, like maybe the Utah County crew.

    Earl meets John Moses Browning.

    Anything about Holly.

  23. I think the background on Milo would be cool. What mad him the evil genius that he is? How earl recurred him. Why the long beard. Or maybe something about his new little girl and how he makes a 22 lr pistol for her for her rattle.

  24. Oh, definitely explosions. Big ones. Maybe sex. More explosions. Did I mention high caliber weapons?
    Oh, Oh – do something with unicorns – make it a total twist. Like virgins are the only one’s who *can’t* ride them. Something weird like that. That would be sweet.
    Or take some other treasured sweet fantasy and totally twist it. That is just a beautiful thing. You can name the Big Evil Ralph if you want too …..

  25. I’d like to see more information on the Hunter Massacre from Ray’s perspective. And more Dorcas please…

    -Scott

  26. Monster Hunters in the Appalachians! I know a nice little tourist spot called Deep Creek Lake that needs to be terrorized by monsters to the extreme.

  27. Another one that might work in a short story format is Cecil Huffman’s account of his life from his pivotal werewolf encounter to the final battle with Owen Pitt.

    Again, keep up the good work.

    Charlie Mead
    RIP Chuck

  28. Hi,

    As a very big fan of your series i would love to see a short story
    that was based on the night that Harbinger was bitten and maybe a little more on his initial struggles with lycanthropy.

    thanks,
    Michael

  29. The time Earl almost was taken to his grave by the Rusalka he fell in love with . . .

    Earl’s grandma and the vampire bats or maybe the time Earl was stolen by one of them redneck bubba elves . . .

  30. If I recall correctly, there was a photo of Mordechai standing over a slain monster in MHI. Since you like the character, how about telling the story of that hunt, or another he was involved with? It’d be nice to see him kicking scaled tail in the real world, as opposed to the astral plane.

    1. Like more of the bbq that Owen saw from Agents Myers memory. Maybe talk about the hunt and then more info on the different conversations that were going on that night. That would be epic.

  31. hmm, how about a short story that also has tom stranger in it.

    like perhaps, for whatever reason he needs help. he has to contract it out and so he does to MHI.

    just think about all the fun you can have with that :)?

  32. So many good ideas here….

    Maybe you should just write a couple, send Baen your favorite, and post the rest here for your loyal fans 🙂

  33. Agent Franks! Make it gritty, too.
    You got to eplain why most of the hunters would rather face a demon then agent Franks!

  34. I want to see some “Old School”.

    How about a short story set in the 19th century? Surely some of the early settlers crossed paths with some monsters as they headed west. Maybe the “real story” of the Donner party, Correia style.

    Maybe a story about some good undead? Mercenary undead working for the Gov in either the Revolution or the War between the States?

    Or tell us a story from a monsters point of view. Make us love him/her/it. Make me cry when he gets killed.

    Mr Fixit

  35. How about a good lake monster story, maybe Loch ness, only turns out that the monster is really the over grown pet of the queen of the elf, she let it go when she left the old country and promissed she would come back for it, the story could end with a new mysterious creature being spotted in a local lake by the enchated forest.

  36. I’m kind of curious how an “ordinary” day goes for groups such as the Elves or Skippy’s people. Does their intelligent but alien view bring an interesting perspective to going to Walmart?

  37. For The Grimnoir Chronicles universe short story. You should re write a historical story. Like Ned Kelly or something.

  38. I want a story about a guy who gets bitten by a vampire / werewolf / zombie or contracts a monster disease or something.. it happens when he’s really drunk..

    The next day.. instead of turning into a brainless hungry beast.. he thinks he gets super powers..

    So you have this fucked up drooling monster in a superman costume trying to save people and fight crime…

    Maybe he accidently eats a couple people, but crime fighting is hungry work.

    Anyway MHI gets called out to shut him down, and a merry chase ensues.

  39. 1. Definitely more about the elf chick. That has a great deal of promise especially if it involves interaction with Skippys clan.

    2. Anything about Bubba and his boys from the original crew.

    3. Back story’s on Sam, MIlo, Trip, Holly, Dorcas, etc., etc. etc. Can easily see this becoming a part of multiple short story collections. Possibly farm it out to some other authors you would like to let play in your universe?

    4.Mordechai Byreika

    5. Anything involving old style. folk magic or Native American lore. Kind of like what Manly Wellman did in the Silver John books.

    6. Anything that involves the destruction of Douglas, AZ. Preferably in thermo-nuclear fire but being eaten by giant sand worms, my little pony sparkle-butt, big rocks from outer space, whatever. That town must DIE.

  40. I think a Chupacabra mission in the southwest would be fun. (Sorry I haven’t read the second book yet to know if Chupacabras have already been done).

  41. if your not already planning on doing this for a TGC sequel could you deal with pre-WW2 germany? i would like to know how that went down considering that the jewish population would of had some powers

  42. Being that MHI is located in Alabama and it’s almost race time again in Dega, how about a monster hunt based in Talladega race weekend. I used to police in that town before moving to my current department and I can promise thinning the locals and out of town race fans from monsters on Saturday night would be most difficult. Believe me I know.

  43. While not exactly “story,” I for one would like to see the PUFF schedule. X is worth Y (notes, explanation, modifiers), A is worth B (exception list, etc) and so on. Not really plot driven, but could really flesh out the universe, and I’d finally be able to watch an episode of “True Blood” without having to just guess at what the PUFF on a given room is.

    Or on a strictly personal greedy route, I’d be tickled pink to see a fleshed out version of the couple paragraphs I did for the MHI Los Alamos patch story… O:-)

  44. GC MHI crossover. GC Active becoming an MHI newbie after making minced meat out of some particularly nasty monster.

  45. I just finished reading The Frontiersman by Eckert. Simon Kenton’s LIFE was unbelievably badass. What if there some supernatural boogey from indian lore that was preying on settlers and indians and they teamed up to stop it.

    I’m thinking Simon Kenton, Tecumseh, Mad Anthony, Blue Jacket, Earl, and of course my man Agent Franks all on the same squad so raw the guys from the A-Team have wet dreams about being them.

    You also need to write the definitive origin of the Internet Troll.

    1. RR, Earl only turned in the 1920’s, which implies a birthdate around 1880-1900, well after Mad Anthony Wayne or Tecumseh. Perhaps temporal displacement?

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