WWIV Book 1

FOUR WWIV Books are now available on Amazon.
Click here for more information.

Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Book Four Cover Reveal

Coming to Amazon in mid-November (I'll let you know the exact date when it's ready).

I also wanted to give a huge THANK YOU to all of you for making this series (The No Where Apocalypse) a success.

Without further ado...the book four (Searching No Where) cover:






To read more about this upcoming release, go to my website by clicking here.

If you need to start the series yet, you can get the first book here at Amazon.


As always, thanks for reading and following,

e a lake


Did you know this ebook is always free!? And in various formats? Click it to find out more.



Friday, October 21, 2016

FREE - but this weekend only!

Get this novella for free on Amazon. But you have to hurry. It is only free from October 21st to October 23rd.



And while you're at it, get this title for free anytime.



Have a great weekend!

e a lake


Tuesday, October 18, 2016

A good thing about the Apocalypse

Well, there's actually a couple of good things.




No Elections to Fret Over

Not sure about you, but I'm sick of political ads, pointless debates, and general mudslinging. I sure won't miss any of those if the EOTWAWKI comes in my lifetime.

Organic is the Only Way

My wife is gluten and lactose intolerant. She is also allergic to carrots, celery, tree nuts, and an assortment of other things.

To combat this she likes to eat as natural as possible. And I get to eat as natural as possible as well (oh goody)!




I am so sick of companies claiming their food is all organic or natural. You want natural? Kill it, grow it or produce it yourself. That way you know for sure where your food is coming from.

So, maybe my type 2 diabetes will disappear when the end comes. Or maybe not. My wife says the jury is still out on that.


In my current series, The No Where Apocalypse, a regular old guy from the Chicago area (one that's never grown a thing in his life...except a beard) finds himself stranded in Northern Michigan when the lights go out. Now he'll have to grow, kill and produce if he wants to stay alive.

Check it out by clicking on the picture below. One Amazon reviewer said it is 'well written and depressing.' I'm pretty sure he meant the depressing part as a compliment.





Until next time, have a great fall (all of you in the northern hemisphere).

e a lake


Did you know this ebook is always free!? And in various formats? Click it to find out more.


Tuesday, October 4, 2016

Surviving the Apocalypse

Let's be honest. If things go bad in our world (and many believe they will eventually) most of us are going to be badly unprepared.

Here's a shocker: That includes me!



Imagine a place where fresh food, water, even air are hard to come by. A place where friends and foe are hard to distinguish. A place where surviving makes you envy the dead.

Welcome to the Apocalypse.

You Aren't Ready

Sorry folks, most of us just aren't prepared. We don't have enough supplies, enough food, enough fresh water to last long in a world that will offer so little. That is the cold hard truth.

Your children (or grandchildren) will wither with hunger. Your mouth will be so dry it will hurt to swallow. You will be so desperate for hope that you'll consider eating the rotting flesh of a dead animal on the side of the road. Or drinking brackish water that will eventually kill you.

This Is NOT a Happy World

The good news is it may never come in your lifetime. The bad news? It could happen.

Maybe solar flares will wipe away all of our technology and power. Perhaps earthquakes will rock the planet. I suppose, and I'm stretching here, the Yellowstone Cauldron will suddenly erupt.

Whatever happens, it won't be good.

BUT, There Is Always Hope

As I wrote in my WWIV series (and now the No Where series) people will survive. And some of these people will be as unprepared as you and me.


 
Will you be a Bill Carlson (WWIV - In The Beginning)? Are you a Bob Reiniger (the No Where Apocalypse)?

Find out for yourself. Pick up either series and see if you have what it takes to make it in a world that takes so much from humanity...and offers little in return.


Until next time, keep reading. It's a great way to pass the time.



e a lake



Did you know this ebook is always free!? And in various formats? Click it to find out more.


Wednesday, September 14, 2016

Now In Paperback





Because some people have asked, I'd like to bring to your attention that the above books are available in paperback. 

There will be one more book in this series -- Searching No Where. That one will be available in paperback, and ebook, in late November (2016).

To purchase any of these books in paperback, click on the picture above. To get them in ebook just click on the title below.

If you would like to receive a signed paperback (and I still feel funny offering these, but they are requested) click here. Tell me who you are, what your email address is, and in the "Message" field let me know you'd like a signed paperback. We'll make arrangements to get you one. If you live in the continental US they will cost you $15 each (including postage and handling). If you live elsewhere, I will have to figure out the postage before I can give you a firm price.

As always, thanks for reading. Your support is the most important thing to me. Without you, I simply don't exist!

Ebooks:

Stranded No Where
Surviving No Where
Defending No Where



Until next time,

e a lake


And did you know this ebook is always free!? And in various formats? Click it to find out more.



Wednesday, July 27, 2016

Book 3 Cover Reveal

Thanks for your patience, everyone. 

I'm about ten days (maybe a little more) late in getting this out. But here's the thing: I wanted this just right for all of you. And I believe that between myself and my fantastic cover creator (Katie Mettner, in case you're wondering) we've nailed this one.

First, some good news! Because of your interest and readership, Books one and two (Stranded No Where and Surviving No Where) have reached Amazon BestSeller status. Each book has spent time in the top ten of both the Post-Apocalyptic and Dystopian lists.

So, a huge THANK YOU to all of you for making this series (The No Where Apocalypse) a success.

Without further ado...the book 3 (Defending No Where) cover:





To read more about this upcoming release, go to my website by clicking here.

If you need to start the series yet, you can get the first book here at Amazon.


As always, thanks for reading and following,

e a lake

Thursday, June 30, 2016

Just in time for the 4th of July

Now available on Amazon!

Whew! I wanted this out before the holiday (here in the States), and I made it. 


Book 2 of The No Where Apocalypse (Surviving No Where) is ready for your enjoyment. Pick up with Bob, and Lettie, and Dizzy and all the others as they continue to struggle to survive in a world without any of the luxuries that most of us are used to: Electricity, communications, transportation...hope.

Click the cover below to continue the adventure:




If you missed Book 1 (Stranded No Where), here's the link for that as well:



Coming in mid-August will be Book 3 of the saga: Defending No Where. Watch for that later this summer.

As always, thanks for reading my creations. Without you, I am nothing.


Until next time, Enjoy the Holiday,


e a lake

Thursday, June 2, 2016

Imagining No Where

What if? What if? That's the question.

Each summer I like to sneak up to our family cottage for a long weekend all by myself. No one but me and the dogs, a fishing boat, and my computer. Four days of downtime that allows me to recharge my internal batteries and sometimes come up with some great story ideas.

The same happens each falls when I sneak away to the family farm for a few days alone of bowhunting. I love being at one with nature: the chirping fluttering birds, squirrels chasing through the woods, sunshine on my face, and even the occasional drip of rain or two.



What if...

The Darkness arrived when I was on one of my trips? What if I awoke to no electricity, no phone service, a dead car, no running water, and a
new eerie haunting silence? What would I do then? What would you do then?

The first thing you might notice is that haunting silence. We, as humans, are so used to white noise that sometimes I wonder if we would know what true silence sounds like?

What if...

You were truly all alone? What if you had to depend on the kindness and generosity of strangers?

At the cottage, there are people I could turn to. And they might just be turning to someone else for answers. Most of these folks are rugged northwoods types. The power goes down a lot up there (in Northern Wisconsin). So they're used to dealing with an inconvenience like that. If it lasts for, say, years -- what then?

At the farm (in Southern Wisconsin) I am surrounded by Amish. Great stroke of luck there...at least for me. I often wonder how long it would take them to realize that TEOTWAWKI had come? They don't have cars or electricity. Most don't use cell phones (though I've seen a few sneaky ones with that device in their hand).

What if...

You never saw your family again? When would it first strike you that you were never getting home? Day 1, week 1, year 1? We all say we'd do our damnedest to get back to our loved ones. But talk is cheap. And the apocalypse is forever. Just ask Bob Reiniger. He'll tell you all about it.

Just some thoughts. That's all. Hopefully, they don't cause you to lose any sleep...hopefully.


Until next time,

e a lake

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

The No Where Apocalypse: Book Two Cover Reveal

Okay, here it is. The book will be released within a month or so. For sure by July 4th (2016).



Surviving No Where


Bob Reiniger's saga continues where it left off in book one (Stranded No Where). He has made it through his first winter alone in the middle of the upper peninsula of northern Michigan. He now realizes that he's never getting home (Joliet, IL). He'll never see his wife, his parents, or his brother ever again.

He must make a new life, even here...in No Where.

New friends arrive; new troubles follow. And though there aren't many people around, Bob seems to find the strangest possible.

He knows he must do better than "just make it" here. He must Survive...even in No Where.

If you didn't get a chance to read the first installment of this series, it's available on Amazon. Either click here, or on the picture below.


I hope you all have as much fun reading this series as I have had writing it. I've just finished the frist draft of book three (Defending No Where) and I'm on to book four (Searching No Where). Watch for those books later this summer and early fall.

As always, thank you for reading my blog and books. Without you, I am nothing more than a drivel spewing hack. You, the reader, make this all possible. You are my muse and my inspiration.

And maybe there's a little bit of Bob Reiniger in all of us, huh?


Until next time,

e a lake






Thursday, May 12, 2016

How the End of the World Will REALLY Look

Recently, Howard Godfrey had a post entitled "What are Realistic Expectations TEOTWAWKI". Howard writes on his site, Preparedness Advice Blog, about all things apocalyptic and such. And most weeks I read his advice.


Here's a link to his post and a copy of the great picture he used to promote it (I really love this pic):
http://preparednessadvice.com/self-sufficiency/realistic-expectations-for-teotwawki/#.VzDVL4QrJD8

Howard points out several things that we may or may not be ready for when the apocalypse arrives. And if you've been a reader of mine, several of these will sound eerily familiar.



1. Food will be in extremely short supply

Grow it, grill it, or catch it -- those are your options. No more running to the store for this or that. Fast food? Ha; gone with the wind. And you've probably had your last taste of milk for a while -- perhaps ever.

The lack of food and fresh water will probably do most people in. Even some of the causal preppers won't be ready to take and prepare their own meals.

2. Like and work will be starkly different

On the good side, you won't have to go to that job you hate so much anymore. Your job now will be surviving, and that means several different things.

First and foremost your days will be consumed with finding water and food (as mentioned above for their importance). This will be difficult without a car; maybe even impossible for some. And consider this: have you ever field dressed a deer before, much less a rabbit or a squirrel? There's no zippers on those animals you know.


When you're not hunting or foraging, you'll most likely be protecting you home, your supplies, and your family. Like Howard says in his article: "Try standing watch most of the night and then do a full hard day's work."

Life as we know it will be gone. A new world will await your every day. A world you won't recognize. A harsh, stark world that may just eat you alive...if you aren't prepared.

That's what happens to Bob Reiniger in my latest series Stranded No Where. He wasn't prepared, and he struggles oh so mightily.

I'm off for a long weekend in Virginia with family. I sure hope TEOTWAWKI doesn't happen while I'm gone. I didn't leave my daughter and her husband with all that much food for my two dogs.

Until next time -- keep reading,


e a lake



Thursday, April 28, 2016

If you like Post-Apocalyptic, You'll Like This

"This cannot be happening? How will I survive?"



If you're a fan of post-apocalyptic novels like The Road, Wool, and Home you are going to love this new series: The No Where Apocalypse.


Follow Bob Reiniger as he wakes to find himself in the most impossible position he could ever imagine: The End Of The World As We Know It. And to make matters worse, he's alone, poorly supplies, and 400 miles from home. He is truly smack dab in the middle of nowhere.


Now available on Amazon Kindle: Click here to get your copy today.


As always, thanks for following!

e a lake






Thursday, April 14, 2016

Things you won't miss in the Apocalypse: #4

Unwanted Phone Calls

We all hate them. And I don't think the discussion about the pesky interruptions in our day needs to go on any further. So when the Darkness wipes out phones -- all phones -- no one is going to miss any form of telemarketing.



No one is going to miss...

Unwanted telemarketers telling us they have a crew in our area today and they'd be happy to remove that low hanging tree branch. Newsflash -- I don't have any large trees in my yard. And even if I did, I'm sure I could handle it myself.

Or how about the lovely folks that call us on our cells, begging for donations. Yes, I love puppies, and old people, and clean air. No, I don't want to give money to Bernie, or Hillary or Ted. I don't care to share my pending vote on the citywide dog catcher referendum either. Just leave me alone.

I hate talking on the phone, anyway

Just ask my children. They'll tell you how a conversation with dear old Dad goes.

Them: Hi, what you doing?
Me: Super busy (sometimes true). What do you need?

So if I don't care to talk on the phone with my loved ones, why in the devil do I want to talk to you?

Sorry all teens, the Darkness will suck for you

Remember, all forms of electronic communications are going to die. That means no:
  • Lengthy calls with that person you can't live without
  • Chatting
  • Instagram
  • FaceBook Updates
  • Texting
I know, dagger through the heart. But there will be an upside. You're going to get to know your immediate family members better. Okay, this might not be such an upside for either party now that I think it through.

But you'll be too busy surviving (hunter/gatherer mode) to care anyway...after several months of iPhone withdrawal.

Want to talk to your friends? No problem, sort of. You'll need to figure out where Chrissy and Tommy and Trigger have gone to. You like dead people? (Not so much?) Then maybe you should just stay put with your family. It'll save the emotional trauma.

Yeah, it's going to suck


But look on the bright side. According to most "preppers" and "prepping experts", chances are you're not going to live more than a year or two. So that phone that's glued to your hand right now? Not a big deal when you're starving, or sick.

In the next ten days I'll be beginning a new series...five people you'll meet in the apocalypse.


Until then -- enjoy your phone....


e a lake

Thursday, April 7, 2016

Things you won't miss in the Apocalypse: #3

The Internal Revenue Service


Oh, my friends, this is a timely one!

There are two types of people in The United States: those that love tax day, and those of us who hate it. And these groups are easy to tell apart. Lovers of tax day get refunds. Non-lovers (like me) owe money at the end of the tax year.

The Darkness will save us all from Tax Day

And the dreaded IRS.

First off, if you get a large refund you're just plain silly...goofy in the brain. Why do you insist on lending people money at a zero percent interest rate? No one, and I mean absolutely no one, would do that for you. So that "forced savings plan" of yours that the government generously sends back to you was yours all along.

And if you owe, like me, why haven't you made your estimated payments? That would save you a whole bunch of grief come April 15th, you know.

But what if that all went away?

That's one of the benefits of the Darkness (or what you might call the apocalypse or TEOTWAWKI). No more taxes, or tax day. No more government. No more IRS!

Yeah, the Darkness will have its ugly side (or I should say sides) but taxes won't be one of them.

Most money and income will be gone

Transactions will become barter based. I trade you four cans of pork and beans for a live chicken. You trade two of those cans to another soul for five 12-guage shells. They trade one of those cans for a clean bottle of water. 

Much simpler, right? And no taxes to be paid.

You won't be going to work anymore. No more 9 to 5, no more bosses with unreasonable demands. No more rushing home to catch little Suzie's soccer practice.

What a nice simple life you'll have.

There will be a down side, of course

Finding food and water will be your new "Job". That and keeping yourself, and your loved ones, safe. But if you don't have to rush off to work, or worry about paying or filing your taxes, you're going to have all sorts of extra free time.

Is that a fair trade? Well, maybe.


Until next time when we talk about not missing the unwanted phone calls,

e a lake



Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Things you won't miss in the Apocalypse: #2

The Recycling Police


Don't get me wrong, we sort at my house. Trash is separated from recyclables, and almost weekly we have 30 to 40 gallons to be reused somewhere in the world.

But some folks take it too far

And you know exactly who I mean. That relative that brags about only having five gallons of trash a month because he or she recycle the rest. The neighbor who only buys recycled materials. The kids in your neighborhood that wander around on trash day in their neon-green shirts, urging you to dig through your crap and fish that one aluminum can out of the bottom. The one covered in potatoes peels or dog crap.

I have nothing against recycling; I'm just not fond of the Recycling Police.

I won't miss sorting my trash in the Darkness

Not me. I also won't miss trash day -- both literally and figuratively. My recycling comes at about 5:00 a.m. That's a little before my comfort zone of rising (since I wrote fiction well into the dark hours). So if I don't get my recycling out the night before, it ain't getting out that particular week.

And I hate each spring when the groups of youngsters spread out in the neighborhood. "Please remember to recycle," they say, pleading with tears in their eyes. Or even better, "Save the planet for me, Mister."

Wow, now I hate spring...and kids in neon-green shirts!

No one is going to bother you in the Darkness

Not about recycling, at least. They may beg for food, or shelter, or protection. My former recycling materials will be of no one's concern any longer.

Plus, people will recycle in new ways. Those plastic bottles shown here? Forget about the BPAs. They will be used many times over to store fresh water, regardless of dangerous they were once thought. They're easier to carry in a backpack than a five-gallon pail, right?

We will be more creative with our recyclables at the EOTWAWKI. We will have to be because once they're gone...they'll be gone forever.



Goodbye people worried about the trash we spread

I can't say I'm going to miss you.


Until next time when we talk about not missing the Internal Revenue Service,

e a lake


Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Things you won't miss in the Apocalypse: #1

Presidential Campaigns


Every four years a new group of candidates come out of the woods and announce they are "running for the office of President of the United States of America." Sometimes they are substantive: Barrack Obama, Ronald Reagan, John F. Kennedy. Real candidates that stand for something besides the status quo.

Then there are the quirky: Ralph Nader, Ross Perot, Donald Trump, Bernie Sanders. All legitimate candidates but a bubble or two off of plumb. They talk a good talk; sometimes things they say make a lot of sense. But in the end...they flame out. (The jury is still out on Mr. Trump).

And then the true status quo: Jeb Bush, Ted Cruz, Hillary Clinton, John McCain. These folks offer nothing new. Just four (or sometimes eight) more years of what we already have. Bland, beige, boring.

What if that all went away?

Enter the Apocalypse (I call it The Darkness). Gone is all electricity and power; gone are all forms of mass communication (cell phones, Twitter, FaceBook, landlines, faxes). Travel is pretty much limited to foot, or a horse if you can find one.

Do you know what that means people? Think about it: No more debates, No more commercials, No more town hall meetings, No more sound bites. The end of the rhetoric...finally!

In the Darkness, we may not even have a President

Communities would be self-ruled. No need for someone (or many someones) a thousand or more miles away telling us what to do. Think they could help with the limited food supply after two months of Darkness? Doubt it. 

Our former leaders will be too busy hiding, all bunkered up in some fortified hole in the ground. Surrounded by decades of fresh food and water. They might even be chuckling as what's left of the citizenry scrounges to survive.


But we have the last laugh

No longer will we have to listen to these government types (they call themselves Civil Servants) beg for our votes. If the trains still ran (their computers were destroyed with the Darkness, so they don't) this new breed of candidate could do whistle-stop campaigns, ala Teddy Roosevelt.

But why? There'll be nothing left to rule. A formerly great country, in a formerly well-connected world, will be a shell of its former self. (And just so we're clear, the rest of the world will have the same Darkness to deal with).

We will all suffer

But at least we won't have to listen to these clowns anymore!


Until next time when we talk about not missing the recycling police,


e a lake


Thursday, March 3, 2016

My Number One Conspiracy Theory

We never went to the moon. Check that; we didn't go there in 1969. It just doesn't seem possible to me. I'll convince you, if you give me a chance.


I am NOT a conspiracy theorist

Really, I'm not. I don't believe Elvis is still alive, I have no wild view of 911, and I have a normal take on the Kenndey assassination (that was the CIA). But to believe that in 1969 we (or anyone for that matter) landed on and returned from the moon???? Come on, people!

I was alive in 1969 – I was 10. I remember that July day and night well.

My parents had a cottage on the Wisconsin River (in south central Wisconsin). It was a warm July afternoon when Apollo 11 landed on the moon's surface. My folks had brought our little 12" black and white tv along that weekend so we could watch the lunar activity.

It was the pitch black night (in my neck of the woods) before Neil Armstrong stepped out onto the moon's soil. "One small step for man..." You know the rest. I watched it live on TV – right as it happened.


Or did I?

1969 was a time much different than today. Greatly different. Like Little House on the Prairie vs. Star Trek. That different.

Consider a few facts from 1969:


     
  • We were decades away from the first personal computers
  • Handheld calculators were in their infancy
  • Most houses had no central air conditioning
  • Most houses had only a black and white television
  • Most TV stations (if not all) signed off the air after midnight
  • There was no internet
  • There were no cell phones
  • There weren't even answering machines thus far
And in all of that, we believe that two men landed on the moon – in nothing more than a modified tin can – explored for a couple of days, relaunched to join up with an orbiting capsule and made their way back to earth? Well...maybe Elvis is alive, after all.


It doesn't add up

I'm not saying we never went to the moon. I'm fairly confident we've been there. I'm only saying I find it highly unlikely we went there in 1969.

There were nights (many nights) where our TV at home couldn't pull in many stations. We were 18 years away from the first person ever being convicted based on DNA evidence. Bill Gates was 13 at the time; Steve Jobs was 14. We were years away from either of their revolutionary inventions.

The science and technology do not add up, people.

What likely happened?

Got me! Like I said at the beginning, I am not a conspiracy theorist. All I can figure out is that we wanted to beat the Russians to the moon (a very popular fight at the time) and we faked some of the footage. 

We couldn't have 24-hour television, many people didn't have a dedicated phone line, and every time it stormed half the town went dark --- but we were able to watch the astronauts walked around on the moon? Really? I mean – REALLY!?

While we're on the subject....

What Caused the Darkness?




Until next week,

e a lake





Thursday, February 25, 2016

The Darkness: World War IV


The Darkness, simply put, is the End of The World as We Know It! The event which causes the Darkness is actually WWIII. It's an event that will last only mere moments, but what it leaves in its wake is a world we never expected. A place where life isn't as precious as it was - even moments before.




World War 3 has come and gone

It was the old "twinkle of an eye" kind of thing. One moment everything was fine: The world was whole, all things worked as intended, people - for the most part - were happy.

And then at 2:33 a.m. (US Central time zone) one hot August night, the world changed...forever.

Many of my readers assume it was an EMP (electromagnetic pulse). But let me tell you a secret - it wasn't. I can't tell you yet what exactly happened (and yes, I do already know), but if you look up at night, you'll have a hint.


What's the worst about the Darkness?

That's an easy one. Besides the obvious (everything!) here's what's missing.

Electricity disappeared with that eye twinkle as well. That's kind of a crucial utility to lose. That means your furnace won't work, neither will your air conditioning. And don't even get me started on what you're going to do for fresh water.

That means nursing homes and hospitals will be left without power (the backup generators got fried too).

People will start to die within hours. The old, the infirmed, those who depend on others for help or food. Babies in incubators and hooked up to machines will perish.

Within days our medical systems will be overrun and collapse. Police and emergency services will simply give up. There will be no Army or National Guard coming to the rescue. The American people, and every citizen of the world, will be completely helpless...and on the own.


And the Darkness will reign

Thus begins World War IV: Humankind's struggle for survival. Precisely what Einstein was speaking of in his quote. And the battle will be fought with sticks and stones.


And I'm not sure mankind will win.


It begins!

     



Until next time,

e a lake






Friday, February 19, 2016

Apple vs. The Big Bad Wolf

Yes, I am oversimplifying things with the title above. And yes, there are always two sides to every story. But no, I don't honestly know where I stand on this issue yet.


Okay, here's what's at Stake



Me and my iPhone

(Not me per se, but you understand)





 VS.






The United States Department of Justice










And the winner will be --- Absolutely No One!


Here's why:

  • The DOJ needs Apple's help to get into the cell phone from one of the San Bernadino Shooter's iPhones.

  • Apple does not want to open Pandora's Box.

I'm sure they both have compelling reasons. But this case is a no win!


If Apple "unlocks" the Phone

It will be seen as a defeat for personal privacy by many. Big Brother now has the precedent (and know how) to invade all of our lives at any time they wish.

If the DOJ doesn't get in the Terrorist's Phone

We may never know what they knew. And we may never find out if other sleeper cells have similar activities planned.


Or, we may just find that this guy had an awesome score on Candy Crush, or something like that.


You can see both sides of the argument. Privacy vs. Saftey. The average US citizen vs. Big Government.

No one wins here, folks. I just wish they would have handled this behind the scenes and worked something out. Yes, in this case, treat us like mushrooms: in the dark and covered with crap.

After all, that's what large companies and the government do every day, isn't it?!


Until next time, hang in there.

e a lake




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