What is the Saturday Survival Serial?

For those who are new to the site, those who already know what the Saturday Serial is but missed previous volumes, and those who gobble anything Saturday Serial-related up, I am answering the overall question of, “What is the Saturday Survival Serial, exactly?”

Ever hear of the old “Choose Your Own Adventure” books? I guess in modern times, I’m told they are akin to the “Goosebumps” books where you read part of a story and then choose what happens next. You turn to the page your choice tells you to and the story goes on based on what you picked. Now imagine it’s like a TV show or old radio program that comes only once a week and there you have it: the Saturday Survival Serial.

How It Began

The first ‘Volume’ was started on my friend, Mike Kosinski’s site, TinHatRanch.com as a weekly story he called the Saturday Survival Serial. The readers voted on the main character’s name at the beginning and when it came time to name the book, they readers voted on that, too! A segment of story would be written with the readers deciding on what happened next. He did several weeks and then his schedule changed. I asked if I could write a week and he agreed. I was absolutely addicted from the start! When his schedule changed so much that he could not keep up with it, I asked if I could take it over. I started writing full time on Week 7 and the first volume ended at week 30 (I believe). Through the encouragement of the fans reading and voting each week, and the blessing of Mike, I took them all and compiled them into what became “Aftermath, A Story of Survival.”

As of this writing, over 800 copies have been sold in paperback and on Kindle, with another 1600+ Kindle copies downloaded on a 3 day event I had a few months ago. Not to shabby for an unknown, self-published author and especially for an island girl in Alaska. The adventures I have had on the journey so far keep me going forward and planning more “Volumes” to write.

Where We Are Now

Volume 2 started the first Saturday of the new year (2015) and went into June. It is a continuation of Jimmy Walker’s story of how he and those with him are dealing with the disaster of IT happening. The use of capital letters when referring to the disaster that took out humanity’s infrastructure on a global scale is intentional. A computer virus is what crippled the world and the villain has a dark sense of humor. IT, or I.T is short for Information Technologies. The use of a dog taking a squat and the message “IT Happens” gives a glimpse into the mind that caused the destruction of the world we knew.

Volume 2 follows Jimmy and the survivors he has banded together with as they enter and go through the first winter after IT happened. Humanity has not had to survive a winter without modern conveniences and systems that kept the snow at bay, the streets clear, the sewer and storm drains functioning in a long time. On top of all that, they have to get enough food preserved to make it through the winter. In some ways, life after a disaster is almost worse than the disaster itself was. “Aftermath II: The Struggle for Independence” releases in paperback and on Kindle December 15th!

Where We Are Going 

I am far from over when it comes to writing these books! Volume 3 of the Saturday Survival Serial starts the first Saturday of the New Year (2016) and will go until the story is done being told. It will be the final book in the “Jimmy Walker” series. I am extremely excited to start that project and seeing how the votes of the readers change and shape the story!

But wait, there’s more!

Looking ahead to January 2017, a new trilogy will begin. The disaster of IT happening will be exactly the same however, the story will be told by those located closer to home for me in the very remote and isolated Southeast Panhandle of Alaska. Though the disaster is the same, people in this climate and location will face far different challenges than Jimmy and his people do in Northern Michigan. For those who love finding little details hidden between books by the same author, I think you will enjoy how all books written about “IT Happen”ing will have elements that tie them together.

I really look forward to the coming journey with you all! The greatest compliment you could possibly give me is to tell your friends and family how much you enjoy the stories. That means more to me than if you bought your own copy of the book or read it because someone lent it to you. That doesn’t matter! It is your enjoyment shared that is the real treasure. 🙂