Prepper Book Festival 10: Pandemic Preparedness Guide + Giveaway

There is a rule of thumb in survival and preparedness circles.  That rule is that when a disruptive event is eminent, people sit up and take notice.  Readership on related websites and blogs explodes, and food, water, and equipment flies off both the online and off-line the shelves.

We saw this with Fukushima and again in 2014 with the Ebola epidemic.  We are also seeing a bit of that right now, with the wild fluctuations in stock markets around the globe.

Whereas the next book up in Prepper Book Festival 10, is titled The Pandemic Preparedness Guide, the reality is that this book is a whole lot more.

It is a handbook of the precautions and preparations you need to put in place to ensure your health and survival in the even of either a medical and non-medical disruptive event.  These are situations where for one reason or another, normal life as we know it stops, and a new reality begins.  Whether permanent or temporary, these disruptions cause us to turn to our preps (knowledge, skills, and stuff) in order to make it through, one day at a time.

Trust me.  This is not a book about sickroom supplies although that is covered as well.

With that introduction, today I share an interview with Ken McClelland, the author of The Pandemic Preparedness Guide.  In addition, I have a copy of his book up for grabs in a giveaway.

Enjoy the interview then be sure to check in below to learn about the giveaway.

An Interview with Kenneth R. McClelland, Author of The Pandemic Preparedness Guide

Tell me about your book. What is it about?

The book speaks about various viruses, from the cold and the flu, to the Ebola virus, and explains what makes a virus become a pandemic.

It also guides the reader through what they can do in advance of a pandemic, and even during one, to help keep them and their loved ones safe. Near the end I offer ideas on home remedies, and offer suggestions on what items I believe will be essential for safety and survival.

What type of research did you have to do while writing your book?

The research into the medical aspect of viruses and also the study of past pandemics, was extensive and at times overwhelming. Additionally, a lot of care was given to prepping as we know it today, and also to what potential government responses we might expect should such an event occur.

How long did it take to write?

This book and the research involved in writing it, was spread out over perhaps ten years time. In other words, this was not a hastily written book meant to garner sales in response to the recent Ebola virus for example.

Every book, fiction and non-fiction, includes a message. What message do you hope my readers will take with them after reading your book?

I would hope that your readers realize that they should be prepared for a loss of conditions; whether that arrives as a pandemic, a terrorist attack, a natural disaster, an EMP, or perhaps even a job loss. I would also hope that they would realize that prepping in advance will ease their stress and anxiety about such possibilities.

Can you tell us a little bit more about yourself?

I’m a government employee, a family man, and a Christian who enjoys writing, among other things. I’ve come to realize that knowledge is power, and the more you have of it the less you’ll need to rely upon others, and the less concerned you’ll be about where you’ll fit into the future.

Like the GI Joe cartoon used to say: “Knowing is half the battle.”

As an author in the survival, prepping and/or homesteading niche, what are you personally preparing for?

Living in central Florida as I do, we’ve always felt the need to be prepared for hurricanes, which works out great when you go to the store and order a case of soup.

But my greatest concerns are not hurricanes, but more related to viral pandemics; economic collapse; or a loss of the grid for any reason – which will completely change our world in a matter of seconds.

What would be your first prep-step if you were just getting started?

I would start accumulating knowledge; whether that’s through books, the internet, or with the help of experienced Preppers. Decide what’s most important to you and focus your early preps towards covering those bases, and by all means band together with like minded people you already know and trust.

Consider garage sales and flea markets as resources for acquiring things like solar panels, manual kitchen tools, food-grade water barrels, oil lamps, etc.. Consider splitting into teams and make it like a scavenger hunt.

What book or movie, fiction or non-fiction, do you think gives the best portrayal of what could happen?

That’s a tough call, but the movie Contagion is the first that comes to mind.

Do you have plans for another book?

Yes I do. It’s actually finished, and keeping with the virus theme, the book is an historical fiction novel called “The Pandemic Report” which takes place during the 1918 influenza pandemic.

I’m amazed at how many people have never heard of this event (including myself), and yet that bird flu virus swept across the globe and took with it the lives of up to 100 million people in less than two year’s time. While the book is completed, it still needs editing.

Is there anything else you would like to share with my readers?

I think it’s great that through The Backdoor Survival Book Festival, you’re able to help so many people find the resources to follow in the footsteps of our ancestors by gaining the knowledge and skills that will help them to be more independent, self sufficient, and more confident.

While the term Prepper may be a misunderstood term to some, a Prepper; a prepared person, is simply anyone who has a plan – while an unprepared person is someone who will realize too late that the cavalry is not going to be coming in at the last minute to save or feed them, should the worst happen to the world around us.

The Giveaway

Ken has reserved a copy of The Pandemic Preparedness Guide for this Book Festival Giveaway.

To enter the giveaway, you need to utilize the Rafflecopter form below.  Select one or more of the options after signing in using your email account or Facebook, the choice is yours.  The best way to start is by clicking on “Free Entry for Everyone”.  After that, each option you select represents an additional entry.  There are a number of different options so pick and choose or select them all.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The deadline is 6:00 PM Pacific Tuesday with the winner notified by email and announced on the Rafflecopter in the article.  Please note that the winner must claim their book within 48 hours or an alternate will be selected.

Note:  This giveaway is only open residents of the United States.

The Final Word

The historical perspective offered in Ken’s book brought home the need be prepared for the lawlessness that will ensue when the desperate and unprepared descend upon us following a pandemic.  He uses some examples; examples I had not previously known about.  This is eye opening stuff when brought within the context of a pandemic.

This is a book you will want to read if, for nothing else, to be come more educated and more knowledgeable about pandemics past and future.  I encourage you to enter the giveaway to win a copy of your own for free.

Enjoy your next adventure through common sense and thoughtful preparation!
Gaye

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Spotlight:  The Pandemic Preparedness Guide

This comprehensive book will provide you with a better understanding of Flu and Ebola viruses, what a pandemic is, and what things will look like when it begins.

In the words of one reviewer:

“As a professor at medical school, and author of three prepper medical books, I found the medical information presented in this work to be remarkably accurate. That’s quite a feat for someone who hasn’t been indoctrinated into the rigid confines of medicine. But that shouldn’t have surprised me, because the author writes very, very well.

Much of his book addresses the potential consequences of global diseases, and how one might reconcile difficult choices that must be made during disasters… from a Christian point of view. Another large portion deals with a subject on many people’s minds these days. Namely, what does it mean to be a Patriot in America today, when the people of this great nation no longer trust their government, and find conspiracy in every direction they look. And that’s why I really enjoyed this book. Maybe I didn’t agree with everything, but I certainly respected his well written arguments and points of view.”

Bargain Bin:  For your convenience, here is a list of all of the books in the current Backdoor Survival Prepper Book Festival.

Fall 2015 Prepper Book Festival 10

Middle Ground Prepping: A Sensible Approach
Spy Secrets That Can Save Your Life
START PREPPING!: GET PREPARED-FOR LIFE: A 10-Step Path to Emergency Preparedness
The Pandemic Preparedness Guide
The Complete Survival Shelters Handbook
Lights Out: A Cyberattack, A Nation Unprepared, Surviving the Aftermath
Emergency Evacuations: Getting out fast when it matters most!
Air Rifles: A Buyer’s and Shooter’s Guide (Survival Guns Book 3)
Rimfire Rifles: A Buyer’s and Shooter’s Guide (Survival Guns Book 4)
The Survival Mindset: Situational Awareness to Avoid Violence & Survive Disasters
Playful Preparedness: Prepare Your Children–For Life
The Penny-Pinching Prepper: Save More, Spend Less and Get Prepared for Any Disaster
Book 6: Kerosene Pressure Lanterns (The Non-Electric Lighting Series)
Prepper’s Survival Hacks: 50 DIY Projects for Lifesaving Gear, Gadgets and Kits

Plus: The Preppers Guide to Food Storage

No list of books would be complete without my own book, The Prepper’s Guide to Food Storage.  The eBook is only 99 cent plus the print version is available for less than $6.00.

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