As this forthcoming work of fiction is being written in the latter half of 2010, most people will always remember this as a time of economic hardship. Some have called it the the "2nd" Great Depression, while others just refer to this as another recession - another bump in the road... With the "official" unemployment rate hovering around 10%, I'm sure that there are more than a few people out there who might feel that their hardship is not just "the way it is". As far as comparing our present situation to that of 80+ years ago in America, I suggest looking at two key factors. Population and domestic production - which will be well referenced in the story that follows.
As a connoisseur of the apocalyptic fiction genre, I find that key characters often are portrayed as stereotypes. The ex-special forces vet. The small town mayor. The single mom of a special needs child. The heartbroken widower. To be fair, these characters are key to the stories they come from, and in some cases are easier to write around. The people in this book are set to portray people that we all know, or ourselves in some cases. The storyline is set in the not-too-distant future, as our societies' descent back into reality transpires, as it is in the here and now "real world". For those of you who look for the transgression into the fantasy realm, you will be disappointed. I believe the realty of our "real world" situation is fantastic enough, thank you.
As for the "last, but not least" section of my prologue, I must touch on the surging number of "survivalists", and the sometimes disoriented logic, (or lack thereof), that has created an unending marketplace that sometimes preys on the well-intentioned. There should be a line drawn between the upstart "survivalist" and the "prepper". While it makes perfect sense to be prepared for the worst possible scenario, draining your life savings into a "retreat" thousands of miles from where you actually live does not. Having a well stocked emergency bag in your trunk, having a plan to disassociate yourself from social disorder, even stocking up on non-perishable food and essential supplies are all things I advocate. Face it - we really do live in uncertain times. But owning 10 assault rifles, spending 20% of your take home in ammo and turning the yearly family vacation into a "training mission" is taking things a bit far. If you think you are going to shoot your way out of urban chaos in some metropolitan area and come out unscathed, you need to turn off the TV and hide the remote. Buying a timeshare in the survival camp in the mountains is like playing the lottery - do you really think "The End" is going to come during you two-week-per-year allotment? I'd probably reallocate the $5000, but I guess you could get lucky... The $100 you blew on the keychain radiation detector from China could have been better spent taking your kids to a ballgame, or your wife out to dinner - you won't get that time back, ever. In "The End", information is your greatest weapon. Knowing what is to come before it comes is the critical factor. Keep up with the news, both national and local, and vary your sources. Remember, everyone has an agenda. Actually talking to people still goes a long way as well. That neighbor that you always wave to, but never talk to, might have insight into layoffs, or perhaps a county commission meeting that you weren't even aware of, or even a sale on dented canned food. Any of these things, however small, could alter your outcome in "The End"....
Please enjoy my writing, and good luck to us all......
No comments:
Post a Comment