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The Survivor Diaries Challenge in Retrospect

9/26/2014

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Good Morning big, beautiful, completely intact world with no signs of nuclear or biological chemicals! In fact, it is absolutely amazing out this morning. I think that I am seeing everything through new lenses. I have been through blackouts and big earthquakes (SF ’89) but yesterday was different. I think that some of why simulating survival immediately after such a horrific event was so difficult was partially due to having written about the topic of global nuclear war for a year now. That world has become part of my reality. When you call forth such a dark place in your imagination, is seems to leave some residual darkness in your mind.

Throughout the day we made sure that we discussed emergency plans, food supplies and how things would actually go down at our present level of preparedness. For the most part, we were definitely focused on the disaster aspect of the experiment. I did video tape some the survival hacks I used in the book with pretty good results. I don’t want to give too much away since I will be putting out a video of the day on social media as soon as I edit it. I will say that some of them worked better than I expected, and one had us laughing uncontrollably (it was fairly late in the day and we were wearing out).

I did better with the darkness than my mother. I think that might be due to the fact that I write in a dark room as to not get distracted. At about 11:00 AM, mom was asking to go outside and to turn on the TV or radio. The problem with the radio was, although it was battery operated, it was delivering news. Since that would be impossible in the books, we had to live radio free, too. I don’t have a watch anymore, just like Laura, so we didn’t know the time unless I went to my bedroom where I have a battery operated clock. I tried not to do that too much in order to remain realistic. Something that surprised me is how much this wiped us out. We hadn’t been through an actual attack, and besides the experiments that we did throughout the day, there wasn’t too much activity. My guess is that the darkness, combined with the mission of the challenge added to some of the emotional exhaustion of the day. I will divulge this: shockingly, I didn’t miss my computer or the internet. Not having to check emails, market, proof read or even to write, was a welcome relief. I have had scant days off since I began my journey as a writer. I did have a little time to read one of my favorite books that I haven’t read in ages, Tortilla Flats. Reading about my hometown in a more innocent time was actually healing to a certain extent. I must confess that reading an actual book was a nice change, too.


I think that this is definitely something that families should try together. Make plans, distill fears and get an emergency kit together! It could save your life. Getting away from electronics was a good thing, too.

I know that the memory of this experiment will fade, but I hope to be able to bring out my new lenses when I need them and see the beauty and good in the world as often as possible.

Stay tuned for the video of the day to come! My mother’s revelations about the end of days were completely unexpected!



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The Survivor Diaries Challenge

9/22/2014

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THE BIG ANNOUNCEMENT: Did you know that September is NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS MONTH?

This Thursday, for twelve hours, I will be conducting my own “Survivor Diaries Challenge,” and I encourage all of you to try it, if you are so inclined. Here is how it will work: from 8 AM to 8 PM I will be simulating a situation similar to what Laura and company endured during the attacks in the Last War.

In true Laura fashion, I will video tape portions of the day with my hand held video camera. I will also be putting my money where my mouth is, so to speak, by demonstrating myself and my mother (she is the only one who has the time and guts) conducting some of the survival techniques used in the series. I am really excited to see how they work.

HERE IS WHERE ALL OF YOU COME IN:
www.facebook.com/thesurvivordiariestalk.page
I will be taking requests from all of you here on Facebook (link above) as to what you would like to see work (fingers crossed) or possibly fail miserably. The only thing that I will not be doing is the bucket toilet. In my imaginary war toilets are still working. ;) I am up to trying new things, so if there are ideas you want to see demonstrated, just let me know. There has to be an explanation, either by you or a website and materials that I can find easily enough. I am excited to see what you can come up with!

So, this Thursday I will be without a computer, cell phone, landline, television, stove, microwave, refrigerator, heater and car. In fact, I will try to tape off my doors and windows (with the exception of the back door so the dog can go out to relieve himself- the real Hershey isn’t as much of a survivalist). I do presently have a few things in my emergency kit that will be revealed, as well.

So, please start thinking of survival techniques (in doors only- because of the imaginary radiation and bombs outside) you would like to suggest over the next couple of days, and maybe your ideas will be seen on the final video. Hey, you have nothing to lose and a willing test monkey, so hit me with what you are thinking right here in the comments!

                                     Be Disaster Aware, Take Action to Prepare- I am ready- or not. We shall see.

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“I grieve but I don’t despair…”

9/11/2014

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“It’s a lie. Any fool can blow something up- any fool can destroy, but to see these guys, these fire fighters, these policemen, and people from all over the country, literally with buckets, rebuilding, that- that’s extraordinary, and that’s why we’ve already won. Its light, its democracy, we’ve already won.  We can’t shut that down. They live in chaos, and chaos can’t sustain itself, it never could. It’s too easy and it’s too unsatisfying… The view from my apartment was the World Trade Center. Now it's gone ... But you know what the view is now? The Statue of Liberty. The view from the south of Manhattan is the Statue of Liberty. You can’t beat that." ~Jon Stewart 
Today I came across this clip from September 20, 2001 of the Daily Show. It brought me to tears as it carried with it a flood of memories of that day, and the days that followed the attacks. A few weeks after, I remember wondering if it was appropriate to smile, to laugh, and to get on with our lives. Honestly, I don’t remember how it happened, but slowly I did just that. We all did. The weight of what happened on 9/11 finally began to dissipate, but did it ever really go away altogether?

I am a writer, and I write about a global nuclear war and its aftermath. Some reviewers have hinted that maybe my books exhibit a bit of naiveté. To that, I remind you all about the incredible sacrifices so many people made to help others in the World Trade Center to get out of those buildings. Yes, the heroes were firefighters and police officers, but they were also ordinary- yet extraordinary- Americans and even non-citizens who helped other survive that day. And they helped in the days after, sifting through the rubble. Of course we cannot forget those brave people onboard the plane that went down in the fields of Shanksville, PA. Those people made sure that their plane did not hit another building. How many lives did they save in sacrificing their own? We will never know.

And you ask why I would dare portray characters who trust each other, who share all that they have left after the Last War with their neighbors. But I ask- why are so many people so cynical? Have you forgotten all of the good in humanity that was revealed during those difficult days?

 “Despite everything, I believe that people are really good at heart.” ~Anne Frank

 

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The Marketing Blues

8/31/2014

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As a writer, I am probably like most other self-publishers, in that marketing isn’t my thing. It doesn’t feel natural like writing does. Today is the last of my free promo days for a while and I have a sense of relief and some dread because that is when I have to get even more creative with ideas to get books out there. With the millions of new books out every year, it isn’t enough to have a great novel anymore. You have to find new ways to stand out and make yourself visible- but isn’t that why we write- to have our ideas out there to express our ideas for us?

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