While I was vacationing in Las Vegas last month, I visited the aquarium in Mandalay Bay. There were these underwater tunnels where you would walk through a shark tank. As the sharks swim above and around you, you get a sense of terror that you cannot get anywhere else. On water’s surface, you can only imagine what is lurking in the depths. However, when you are in the depths and see what is in the water, that sense of terror is amplified. For the next volume of The Kaligen Experiment, I am envisioning a manmade lagoon that houses the artificial marine reptiles that has a network of underwater tunnels like this. Imagine being in these tunnels and see a beast that looks like a Mosasaurus swimming above you. Such a sight would put Jaws to shame! I look forward to putting all of this on paper.
Now this image paints a few scenarios regarding underwater windows and giant marine reptiles. All that would separate you from a sixty foot sea monster and millions of gallons of water would be a few inches of acrylic. If I was in such a situation, my heart would stop from fright.
I looked for examples of what underwater tunnels would look like if they were part of an aquarium that houses prehistoric marine reptiles. I found early concept art for the Mosasaurus Lagoon for Jurassic World. Imagine riding a vehicle through an underwater tunnel and see shoals of fish swimming alongside primeval sea monsters. That would be awesome to experience.
I am reaching a point in the Kaligen Experiment sequel where a bunch of characters go dinosaur hunting. These characters will not be experienced hunters, so they will have no idea what they’re doing. I am thinking of giving this section of the story a similar feeling to the Blair Witch Project. They will be a bunch of amateurs in the middle of the woods, in the middle of the night, and being stalked by something unnatural. They will also come across other mutated surprises.
Wonder what I love about dinosaur hybrids? They introduce something new and unpredictable that purebred dinosaurs lack. We are quite familiar with purebred dinosaurs, which have been overused in storytelling. However, with hybrid dinosaurs, we get to see creatures that have behavioral patterns that are virtually unknown to us. That provides new opportunities and scenarios that we would not get from purebred dinosaurs.
I have started the eighth chapter of the sequel to the Kaligen Experiment. This is when we get a sneak peek into the research facility where the bulk of the story will take place. Here, we will also meet the main human antagonist of this volume. I even picked the most fitting last name for the antagonist. This character will be like a mix between Dr. Henry Wu from Jurassic Park and Albert Wesker from Resident Evil.
In addition to the sequel to the main Kaligen Experiment story, I will also be working on a bestiary story that will be released alongside it. This new bestiary will cover the manmade pterosaurs and marine reptiles. It will also cover the new scientific developments that were uncovered in the aftermath of the first book.
I have finished the epilogue for the second volume of The Kaligen Experiment. It is going to be scary and unexpected. It will also foreshadow the biological calamity that is to come later in the series. I will need to reread some of the chapters to reacquaint myself with the story before I can move on. I will keep you updated on all developments.
Cannibalism is frequently seen as a major social taboo amongst humans. However, it is a completely different story in the animal kingdom. Even dinosaurs were not exempt from cannibalism. The most successful predators would take advantage of every situation that provides food even if it means feeding on their own kind. This weeds out the weak so that the strongest members of the species would continue to thrive. One of the earliest examples of dinosaur cannibalism is the apex predator of Cretaceous Madagascar: Majungasaurus. Majungasaurus was part of a group of dinosaurs known as Abelisaurids, which have a notorious reputation for cannibalism. Most of the carnivorous species of dinosaur in my book series, The Kaligen Experiment, practice cannibalism. In one of my dinosaur short stories, there will be a scene that revolves around a scenario that results in cannibalism.
I am planning to write a collection of eight short stories about my fictional species of dinosaurs in their natural habitat. Each short story will depict a scenario of what these dinosaurs would do in those kinds of situations. Some stories will depict fights, some will depict hunts, and a few will depict mating rituals gone wrong.
Grady P Brown - Author 