Berkley releases 'Savage Lake' with a focus on Indigenous trauma

Nick Medina’s fourth novel, Savage Lake, is out now from Berkley. The book pairs a standard horror setting with specific social commentary. It follows a mother and son who are trapped in a cabin in Wisconsin.

The plot centers on a family tragedy. The characters are stuck on the shore of a lake. Medina says the story includes a murder mystery, slasher elements, and a Bigfoot tale. The cabin serves as an isolated space where horror emerges from the mundane.

Medina is a member of the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana. He is a Chicago native. He uses horror to discuss real-life issues. He states that his work tackles racism, generational trauma, and mental illness. He notes that these are things passed from parent to child that carry consequences.

The author says he wanted readers to feel scared and surprised. He also wants them to recognize that the issues in the book are real. These issues include missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. He points to a lack of adequate healthcare in Native and Indigenous communities. He says these problems have a devastating impact in the United States.

Medina conducted extensive research for the book. He learned about invasive species, boats, and allotment acts. He also studied fishing and Latin. He was already familiar with Sabe, an Indigenous version of Bigfoot. He read more about the figure while developing the story.

He says the story started as an exploration into things beyond physical features. He writes that horror helps people cope by showing there is always a way forward. He believes it reinforces the need to stay strong. He says it shows the consequences of succumbing to fear.

Medina cites several films as inspiration. He lists Sleepy Hollow, Misery, Halloween, Frankenstein, Scream, Bring Her Back, Mungo Lake, and Heretic. He says these films challenge him to find unexplored aspects of horror. He plants Easter eggs in his books that hint at future plots.

His next project will return to the Takoda Reservation. That is the setting for his first three books, Sisters of the Lost Nation, Indian Burial Ground, and The Whistler. The new story involves a Native witch. He also plans to take readers back to Savage Lake for another story.