Season One, Episode Nineteen - “The Gauntlet”
After the Apocalypse26 Juni 2021

Season One, Episode Nineteen - “The Gauntlet”

After the ApocalypseA pandemic survival storySeason One, Episode Nineteen - “The Gauntlet”

“I don’t like it.” KJ said.

“Of course you don’t.” the old man said in return. “Besides the obvious answer that the world has gone to hell, why not?”

“There’s too much smoke. Why would there be so much smoke this many weeks in? Who’s burning stuff and why are they doing it?”

“Maybe it’s a barbeque.” The old man joked. “Yah know, short ribs, beer… It does smell like cooking meat.”

“Maybe they’ll barbeque your scrawny ass, old man.” She countered. “It smells more like plastic or tires or something.”

Bill sniffed at the air and didn’t seem pleased with what he smelled, but for now he could only pace and offer up an occasional worried whine.

...

Greetings my survivor friends. How’s the apocalypse treating you?

Special welcome to my daughter, who pitched in with the typo hunting in this episode. Thanks for the great Father’s Day card!

I am stunned and amazed that here we are, episode 19. Who knew we’d be able to pull it off. This chapter was fun to write. I think we have a clear understanding of who these characters are – so I can drop them into situation and let them speak for themselves.

We see our female protagonist Janet, a.k.a KJ the Killer, slipping into that ambiguity that the end of the world forces on people. We see the old man teetering on the brink of reality and sanity. We see the world thrashing about in the worst types of reactions that befall humans.

The question is which way will they all slide? What will they choose? Do they even have a choice?

We introduced that there is a ‘big bad’ roaming around as the world starts to coalesce around survivors. The ‘big bad’ is more than an antagonist to create narrative tension. The big bad is an alternate blueprint. He is the dark side of humanity that is always just outside, peering through that little window shaped like a porthole in the front door of civilization waiting for us to make a mistake.

And that’s always the tension with humanity.

Civilization is a chaos suppressant. Civilization sees chaos as evil. All our religions have a manifestation of chaos, from Loki, to the Devil, to Coyote – there’s always that tension between order and chaos, or more pedantically, good and evil.

If you don’t have that tension, then the story is just action without purpose. Or horror without purpose. Or comedy without purpose. And when the narrative fiction falls into that space you lose interest in the fate of the characters and all the action in the world can’t keep it going.

You need stakes. Unless there are stakes. Unless there is tension. There is no compelling narrative.

And that’s the fun part of creating a dystopian, apocalyptic universe. You get to decide how that tension of good versus evil is resolved.

Anyhow… enough with the ontology.

And speaking of Coyote the mischief making chaos god of some Native Americans - Here’s my reading list tip for you this week. The Tony Hillerman books about Navajo police detective Joe Leaphorn? I’m not a big mystery fan, but I started listening to these on audio book when I was commuting from my home outside Boston up to an office in Quebec City Canada.

It’s a long drive.

I would get books on tape at the local library for the ride. Hillerman was an Albuquerque New Mexico resident and did a great job describing the Southwest US cultures, and in particular the Native American mythologies. The audio books, if you can find them, are read by Native American voice actors and the cadence of the read is amazing.

There ya go – grab some Hillerman audio books for your summer vacation.

In two weeks we will present the last chapter, chapter 20, in this first season. Then we’ll take a pause to turn the first season into an e-book, a paperback and an audio book. I’ve got a copy editor to work through the scripts and I’ve got a couple artists working on cover art.

I’m recruiting a book launch team and typo hunters. Come over to FaceBook and join the After the Apocalypse group that can be found by searching for “OldManApocalypse” – all one word – and pitch in.

I’m asking nicely. I could use the help.

I’m happy with how this season and the overall format came out. We’re up over 11,000 downloads now. That’s not bad for 6 months in as an indie podcast.

The format lends itself to binge listening. The short consumable episode length and consistency allow people to just queue them up and march through them. Another irony of the podcasting world is that what took me 6 months to produce takes you a couple days to consume!

I can keep up with this fortnightly cadence and still produce a decent quality product. Unfortunately for you I have a full-time job and other things to attend to or I would be cranking out a season monthly!

The next season we are going to add more compelling characters to the universe, we are going to add situations and institutions and threats that test our survival skills.

So stick with us after the break. I hope all of you up in my hemisphere are enjoying your summers and those of you in antipodal hemispheres are enjoying your winters.

As always I could use your support on the Patreon page to keep paying the bills. And I can use your participation on the facebook group at oldmanapocalypse.

And of course keep leaving 5-star reviews on iTunes and keep telling your friends.

And together, we will keep surviving.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Avsnitt(124)

Season five, Episode ten – “Razor”

Season five, Episode ten – “Razor”

Buy a book -> https://booklocker.com/books/13731.html...After the ApocalypseA pandemic survival storySeason five, Episode ten – “Razor” ...Brent did not know how long he had been sitting in the chair. He had been focused on staying relaxed and using the time to calm his mind, but he was starting to get unsettled. Unwanted thoughts crowded into his composure. He had to go to the bathroom, and as much as he pushed the thought away, he knew he’d need to make an uncomfortable decision soon. His breath under the hood smelled garlicky and unpleasant, and hard to ignore. ....Buy a book -> https://booklocker.com/books/13731.htmlWebsite -> http://www.oldmanapocalypse.com Buy me Coffee -> https://www.buymeacoffee.com/cyktrussellSubscribe page on Acast -> https://plus.acast.com/s/after-the-apocalypsePodcast on Acast -> https://shows.acast.com/after-the-apocalypseFacebook group -> https://www.facebook.com/groups/oldmanapocalypseYouTube -> https://www.youtube.com/@cyktrussellPatreon to support the show -> https://www.patreon.com/AftertheApocalypseMerch Store -> https://www.teepublic.com/stores/after-the-apocalypse Twitter -> cyktrussell@twitter.comRunRunLiveWebsite -> https://www.runrunlive.comPodcast on Acast -> https://shows.acast.com/runrunlive Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

25 Jan 24min

Season five, Episode nine – “Screech”

Season five, Episode nine – “Screech”

After the ApocalypseA pandemic survival storySeason five, Episode nine – “Screech” …Some kind of animal shot out from behind the lab cages and leapt at the old man.And then chaos!The old man fell on his back, and rolled on the floor, with his arms up trying to protect his face and head from the frenzied attacker. A whirlwind of vicious blows assaulted him as he rolled across the floor trying to find cover. Someone shouted, then there were screams. ...Website -> http://www.oldmanapocalypse.com Buy me Coffee -> https://www.buymeacoffee.com/cyktrussellSubscribe page on Acast -> https://plus.acast.com/s/after-the-apocalypsePodcast on Acast -> https://shows.acast.com/after-the-apocalypseFacebook group -> https://www.facebook.com/groups/oldmanapocalypseYouTube -> https://www.youtube.com/@cyktrussellPatreon to support the show -> https://www.patreon.com/AftertheApocalypseMerch Store -> https://www.teepublic.com/stores/after-the-apocalypse Twitter -> cyktrussell@twitter.comRunRunLiveWebsite -> https://www.runrunlive.comPodcast on Acast -> https://shows.acast.com/runrunlive Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

11 Jan 27min

Season five, Episode eight – “Fort”

Season five, Episode eight – “Fort”

After the ApocalypseA pandemic survival storySeason five, Episode eight – “Fort” …The active, angry cawing of crows fighting over carrion broke Brent from his morning sleep. At first, he was disoriented but quickly came to the present. The truck roof. The dim light of a new day. Fort Manning.It felt like there were more crows now. The old joke was that rats and cockroaches would survive any apocalypse. Brent thought crows might give them a run for their money. Maybe the crows were just better at surviving in this new world where humans had been pushed back by the plague.Filling the void. Taking advantage. ...Website -> http://www.oldmanapocalypse.com Buy me Coffee -> https://www.buymeacoffee.com/cyktrussellSubscribe page on Acast -> https://plus.acast.com/s/after-the-apocalypsePodcast on Acast -> https://shows.acast.com/after-the-apocalypseFacebook group -> https://www.facebook.com/groups/oldmanapocalypseYouTube -> https://www.youtube.com/@cyktrussellPatreon to support the show -> https://www.patreon.com/AftertheApocalypseMerch Store -> https://www.teepublic.com/stores/after-the-apocalypse Twitter -> cyktrussell@twitter.comRunRunLiveWebsite -> https://www.runrunlive.comPodcast on Acast -> https://shows.acast.com/runrunlive Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

28 Dec 202427min

Season five, Episode seven "Convoy"

Season five, Episode seven "Convoy"

After the ApocalypseA pandemic survival storySeason five, Episode seven – “Convoy” ...It took a long three days for Brent and his small convoy to go the 150 miles to get to Fort Manning.The roads were bad. Abandoned vehicles blocked the highways. It was like this everywhere. Pathetic human chaos frozen in time. As the virus struck and panic overcame the populace, they took to the roads trying to get away. Or maybe to get somewhere else. People run from disaster. They run from fear. But they often don't realize that the place they are headed is no better than the place they started....Website -> http://www.oldmanapocalypse.com Buy me Coffee -> https://www.buymeacoffee.com/cyktrussellSubscribe page on Acast -> https://plus.acast.com/s/after-the-apocalypsePodcast on Acast -> https://shows.acast.com/after-the-apocalypseFacebook group -> https://www.facebook.com/groups/oldmanapocalypseYouTube -> https://www.youtube.com/@cyktrussellPatreon to support the show -> https://www.patreon.com/AftertheApocalypseMerch Store -> https://www.teepublic.com/stores/after-the-apocalypse Twitter -> cyktrussell@twitter.comRunRunLiveWebsite -> https://www.runrunlive.comPodcast on Acast -> https://shows.acast.com/runrunlive Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

14 Dec 202431min

Season five, Episode six – “Conceit”

Season five, Episode six – “Conceit”

After the ApocalypseA pandemic survival storySeason five, Episode six – “Conceit” ...Dr. Shuck -> http://www.drshuck.com/scifiThe corpse by the door didn’t shock anyone. They were used to the dead. At this point, nine months into the apocalypse, even the most reclusive of them had seen dozens of corpses. It was a corpse world, inhabited by corpses. They, the living, were the strangers in this world. “It looks like he was trying to get out.” Chester, one of the boomers on the team observed. “Made it this far.” The old man added, stooping over the corpse which was face-down and reasonably well preserved in the dry, air-conditioned environment of the Defender HQ. ...Website -> http://www.oldmanapocalypse.com Buy me Coffee -> https://www.buymeacoffee.com/cyktrussellSubscribe page on Acast -> https://plus.acast.com/s/after-the-apocalypsePodcast on Acast -> https://shows.acast.com/after-the-apocalypseFacebook group -> https://www.facebook.com/groups/oldmanapocalypseYouTube -> https://www.youtube.com/@cyktrussellPatreon to support the show -> https://www.patreon.com/AftertheApocalypseMerch Store -> https://www.teepublic.com/stores/after-the-apocalypse Twitter -> cyktrussell@twitter.comRunRunLiveWebsite -> https://www.runrunlive.comPodcast on Acast -> https://shows.acast.com/runrunlive Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

30 Nov 202427min

Season five, Episode five – “Entrance”

Season five, Episode five – “Entrance”

After the ApocalypseA pandemic survival storySeason five, Episode five – “Entrance” ...The Defender Bioceuticals building sat back from the road behind a large, well-manicured lawn like a nouveau-riche idiot’s version of corporate Versailles. The whole facility was surrounded by a large masonry wall topped with a robust combination of security fencing, tastefully screened by landscape plantings. The expansive lawn was carved into a faux Victorian formal garden. “There’s no way over that wall.” Zane observed. “Place is buttoned up like Fort Knox.” The old man agreed. “Seems like overkill for a pimple cream factory.” He was referring to Defender’s number one consumer product, a wonder treatment for adolescent acne. It wasn’t, however, a cream, NeoSpront was a daily regimen of pills that cost over two hundred dollars a month. ...Website -> http://www.oldmanapocalypse.com Buy me Coffee -> https://www.buymeacoffee.com/cyktrussellSubscribe page on Acast -> https://plus.acast.com/s/after-the-apocalypsePodcast on Acast -> https://shows.acast.com/after-the-apocalypseFacebook group -> https://www.facebook.com/groups/oldmanapocalypseYouTube -> https://www.youtube.com/@cyktrussellPatreon to support the show -> https://www.patreon.com/AftertheApocalypseMerch Store -> https://www.teepublic.com/stores/after-the-apocalypse Twitter -> cyktrussell@twitter.comRunRunLiveWebsite -> https://www.runrunlive.comPodcast on Acast -> https://shows.acast.com/runrunlive Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

16 Nov 202425min

Chapter Sixteen – Burying the Past

Chapter Sixteen – Burying the Past

Chapter Sixteen – Burying the Past...Why hadn’t she stayed with Grace and Teri? She could have. Janet probably should have stayed and maintained human contact. Built a tribe or a new family. Found a way. But she didn’t. She couldn’t.The wounds were too raw. It felt too soon. Too soon to let new people in. This new world of chaos and dying had systematically torn away everyone she loved. She wasn’t sure she could take it anymore. She didn’t know if she was strong enough to take that chance. An emotional shell was calcifying around her psyche, and she felt like a scared and angry child hiding in a closet from a terrible and unforgiving monster. So, she shut the world out....Website -> http://www.oldmanapocalypse.com Buy me Coffee -> https://www.buymeacoffee.com/cyktrussellSubscribe page on Acast -> https://plus.acast.com/s/after-the-apocalypsePodcast on Acast -> https://shows.acast.com/after-the-apocalypseFacebook group -> https://www.facebook.com/groups/oldmanapocalypseYouTube -> https://www.youtube.com/@cyktrussellPatreon to support the show -> https://www.patreon.com/AftertheApocalypseKindle Vella Story -> https://www.amazon.com/kindle-vella/story/B09LTRC8RHMerch Store -> https://www.teepublic.com/stores/after-the-apocalypse Twitter -> cyktrussell@twitter.comRunRunLiveWebsite -> https://www.runrunlive.comPodcast on Acast -> https://shows.acast.com/runrunlive Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2 Nov 202425min

Season five, Episode four – “Search for the Cure”

Season five, Episode four – “Search for the Cure”

After the ApocalypseA pandemic survival storySeason five, Episode four – “Search for the Cure” ...The small, yellowish, bones were strung on a piece of fishing line. They dangled from the man’s clutched fingers. “Take another step and I end you man!” He threatened. The muscles of his neck stood out taut like cords and he seemed to vibrate with malignant energy. His eyes were narrowed with defiance. His fists clenched. He was like a cornered wild animal. The Corporal glared in response. It was a standoff. ...Website -> http://www.oldmanapocalypse.com Buy me Coffee -> https://www.buymeacoffee.com/cyktrussellSubscribe page on Acast -> https://plus.acast.com/s/after-the-apocalypsePodcast on Acast -> https://shows.acast.com/after-the-apocalypseFacebook group -> https://www.facebook.com/groups/oldmanapocalypseYouTube -> https://www.youtube.com/@cyktrussellPatreon to support the show -> https://www.patreon.com/AftertheApocalypseKindle Vella Story -> https://www.amazon.com/kindle-vella/story/B09LTRC8RHMerch Store -> https://www.teepublic.com/stores/after-the-apocalypse Twitter -> cyktrussell@twitter.comRunRunLiveWebsite -> https://www.runrunlive.comPodcast on Acast -> https://shows.acast.com/runrunlive Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

19 Okt 202431min

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