Tag: Natural Selection

Catastrophe

by Diane, posted in Blue Dragon Chronicle

Almost 30 years before the story in Natural Selection takes place, the power grid went down. What could have caused this?

Surprisingly, many things can destroy the world-wide power grid, but I’ll focus on two: EMP and GMD

An EMP is an electromagnetic pulse. This could be intentionally created by the detonation of a nuclear bomb or another high-energy explosive device. The detonation occurs in the sky, high above our heads.

A GMD is a geomagnetic disturbance event. It’s also known as a magnetic storm. These storms affect Earth’s magnetic field, sending a shockwave around the planet and creating amazing aurora borealis. The more intense the storm, the farther south the northern lights are seen. The main source of these storms is the sun.

Our sun releases solar flares from its sunspots all the time, but they are minor and rarely affect our grid. However, now and again, a strong one strikes Earth and causes blackouts or takes out a satellite or two.

In 1859, a major magnetic storm struck and took out the electrical wires from telegraph stations, and in some instances, telegraph offices caught fire. It became known as the Carrington Event. The damage was minor because those folks didn’t live in the age of electricity. If that same storm hit today, every electrical wire on the planet would fry. Not only would we lose power permanently, many buildings would catch fire.

In Natural Selection, I used a combination of EMPs and a major GMD to take down the grid. The aftermath is what the characters live in.

Get your copy of Natural Selection at Amazon.

This article appeared in the first Blue Dragon Chronicle. To get more articles like this, subscribe to my newsletter here: Blue Dragon Chronicle.

Ravencroft

by Diane, posted in Book Launch, Natural Selection

For many years, I’ve driven past a sign that said “Ravencroft Lane”. I’ve never driven down the narrow dirt road tucked into the forest off the main drag between my house and our camp. However, each time I passed it, I thought, “That would make an excellent place name in one of my stories.”

The name conjured up magic, mystery and images of a place in a fantasy land. I waited years to use it, not knowing where it existed.

Then came Natural Selection, and I knew this place was here.

The small town of Ravencroft is located alongside a wide river in County Regal somewhere on the eastern half of the United States in the year 2051. The town and county is ruled by a self-proclaimed king, James Proctor. His father had staged a coup and seized power from the man who had established Ravencroft many years beforehand.

Natural Selection is now available in eBook and paperback format.

Describing an Abandoned Town

by Diane, posted in Book Launch, Natural Selection

I’ve stumbled upon several abandoned buildings tucked away on rarely-travelled dirt roads. Exploring them is exciting and creepy. Some where sketchy when it came to structural integrity and others were mysterious because of possible wildlife they may have harboured.

I can describe collapsed roofs, sun-baked decomposing wood, weather-soiled floors that felt spongy when I walked on them, and the stillness of the air when glassless-windows made it feel like the building was part of the overgrowth.

However, I’ve never been in a town or city that has been abandoned for so long that the buildings are hollow, signs are missing letters and the streets are a patchwork of broken pavement grown in with weeds and shrubs and hardly recognisable.

Continue reading “Describing an Abandoned Town” →

An Easy Perennial Source for Garlic Flavour

by Diane, posted in garden, Natural Selection

While I have a good supply of garlic bulbs, there’s another plant that can provide the flavour, and it’s available fresh from the garden between early May to late October. This plant also provides greenery for the dish, whether that be scrambled eggs or soups.

The perennial that everyone can grow and that thrives from being cut regularly is garlic chives. It’s so easy to grow and propagate that once you have one small plant in your garden, it won’t take many years before the clump grows to a fair size and new plants pop up around the mother plant. Don’t consider these new plants as weeds, though they may be mistaken for blades of grass in the early stage. Move them to the location of your choice or share them with a friend.

Continue reading “An Easy Perennial Source for Garlic Flavour” →

Honouring a Western Star from Decades Ago

by Diane, posted in Book Launch, Natural Selection

I’ve written many stories, so I’ve used a lot of names. My fantasy novels contain dozens of characters and while I try not to use the same name twice, I sometimes do.

While looking for a name for one of the soldiers who served at Casa Royal, Ravencroft, County Regal, in my latest novel, Natural Selection, my youngest son was talking about a few of the stars from old western films he had watched. The name Jack Elam came up and while my son prattled on, I considered the name. Yeah. That sounds good.

While many won’t know who this man is, those familiar with old westerns will recognise it immediately.

William Scott ‘Jack’ Elam was born November 13, 1920 in Miami, Arizona, USA. He’s best known for the villains he played in western films. Later in his career, he turned to comedy.

Continue reading “Honouring a Western Star from Decades Ago” →

Now Available: “Natural Selection”

by Diane, posted in Book Launch, Natural Selection, Uncategorized

My first dystopian novel is now available in eBook form. The paperback is coming soon.

Today is bathed in the shadow of yesterday.

The year is 2051. Almost three decades have passed since the Devastation destroyed civilization. Only the strong and wise survived; the weak and intellects perished. New societies emerged, forging a future with skills from the distant past.

In Green Wood, Eloise has lived in seclusion with her uncle for 12 years. While they receive visitors to Larkspur Cottage, the number of friends they have can be counted on one hand. When strangers arrive and capture her uncle, she is forced to run, but who can she turn to when she doesn’t know the land outside Green Wood or where her friends live?

Continue reading “Now Available: “Natural Selection”” →

“Natural Selection” Front Matter Quotes

by Diane, posted in Book Launch, Natural Selection

I chose three quotes from one of my favourite actors for the front of my next novel Natural Selection. That actor is John Wayne. He’s been a hero of mine since I was a kid. While he was several generations before my time, he was a mainstay on our black and white television set.

My dad also enjoyed his films. They were more of the same generation except Dad was born in 1922, and John Wayne, given name Marion Robert Morrison, was born in 1907. He was 60 when I was born, and he died when I was 18.

Wayne’s tough, shoot from the hip style was addictive. He was an honourable man who spoke his mind. Whether I agreed with him or not, it was something I admired. That honour is lost on most actors and television personalities today. The only one left from that era is Clint Eastwood.

Continue reading ““Natural Selection” Front Matter Quotes” →

Sneak Peak at My Next Release

by Diane, posted in Natural Selection, Seeds of Life

This spring has been a bustle of activity. I have several projects on the go, and I’m busy outside getting the garden in and building a goose shack.

One of those projects is the production of my next novel in the Romance Collection: Natural Selection. Originally, this novel was entitled Seeds of Life but after much discussion and thought, the title has changed.

The novel is set for release October 2021. At the moment, it’s in its revision stage. We’re generating accompanying material, such as the description. Here is where we are with that:

The wisdom of seeds grows naturally.

The year is 2050. Almost three decades have passed since the Devastation destroyed civilization. Only the strong and wise survived; the weak and intellects perished. New societies emerged, forging a future with skills from the distant past.

In Green Wood, Eloise has lived in seclusion with her uncle for the past 12 years. While they receive visitors to Larkspur Cottage, the number of friends they have can be counted on one hand. When strangers arrive and capture her uncle, she is forced to run, but who can she turn to when she doesn’t know the land outside Green Wood or where those friends live?

More news to come as production continues.