Kyle Pratt's Blog: Musings & Rantings, page 23

May 17, 2015

Interview and Review

The editor of Backdoor Survival, Gaye Levy, recently interviewed me and reviewed my latest book, A Time to Endure.

Backdoor Survival is a top ranked survival and preparedness website.





















The site provides lifestyle tools, tips, and resources to guide readers through the economic, political, environmental challenges we all face. Because of my own interest in survival and prepping, I’ve visited Backdoor Survival many times. Even before the release of my first survival themed book I was a regular visitor. However, when I released Through Many Fires, it seemed only natural to send a copy to Gaye.


She was kind enough to review the book and interview me. Then she made Through Many Fires part of the Backdoor Survival Book Festival for the Spring of 2014.

This year as part of the website’s Prepper Book Festival, the second book in the series, A Time to Endure, is featured. In the second book, A Time to Endure, the nation’s economy teeters on the verge of collapse. The dollar plunges, inflation runs rampant, and the next civil war threatens to decimate the wounded country. In the face of tyranny, panic, and growing hunger, Caden struggles to keep his family and town together and alive, but how can he when the nation is collapsing around them?

I found the comments below from Gaye’s recent review to be very kind and humbling.

“At some point you might be scratching your head and thinking, how the heck does Gaye read all of these books? One a week? Holy moly!

“The truth of the matter is that sometimes I read just a few chapters and other times I do a quick skim. After all, I do need to preview these books to ensure they are suitable to Backdoor Survival readers. A few, however, I read cover to cover, or if I can, listen via audiobook.

“Kyle’s books are the cover-to-cover type. I know you will enjoy both Through Many Fires and A Time to Endure. Just don’t blame me if you are sleepy the next the day for staying up to all hours reading! One other thing. Kyle’s books are some of the most reasonably priced books in the post-apocalyptic genre on Amazon.”

Thank you, Gaye.

Win A Time to Endure

As part of this year’s Prepper Book Festival  Gaye and I are conducting a book giveaway contest. Ten readers of Backdoor Survival will receive their choice of the paperback, ebook or audiobook of A Time to Endure.

There are still two days left on the contest so, go visit Backdoor Survival and, enter to win A Time to Endure.






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Published on May 17, 2015 14:44

May 12, 2015

North to Alaska

I’m flying north to Alaska on Thursday.
















The seven graduating students invited me to give the commencement address at Eek School on Friday, May fifteenth. I taught at the school for seven years and, had most of the seven graduating students in class from the sixth grade through to the eleventh. I wrote about many of my adventures at the school, and the region, here in this blog.  



Although it will be brief, I am pleased and honored to return, talk and share this time with my former students. This is the largest graduating class that I am aware of from this school and, I’m proud to be a part of it. I’ll write more, probably after my return, and post some of the pictures from the event.


In the meantime, enjoy this video I created on the first day of spring while teaching in Eek, Alaska.






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Published on May 12, 2015 19:19

May 1, 2015

A box from Amazon

I often receive boxes in the mail, but this package was unusual.







Kyle Pratt with a large box from Amazon





Kyle Pratt with a large box from Amazon








Because I live in the country shopping online is often more convenient than going to a store. So, it wasn’t unusual when the doorbell rang and the postwoman handed me a box from Amazon.

I turned to my wife and said, “I don’t remember ordering anything this big or this light weight. Did you order something?”







A large but nearly empty box





A large but nearly empty box








She shook her head.

When I opened the box brown paper was all I saw. I pulled it out. The box appeared empty, but it wasn’t. There, on the bottom, was a tiny white box.







Kyle Pratt with the single battery in the box





Kyle Pratt with the single battery in the box









What had I ordered that would fit inside that box? This reminded me of the matryoshka Russian nesting dolls. When I opened I saw that it was a battery for a drone I ordered. When I placed the order I added an extra battery. Amazon shipped that separately—and in a much bigger box than needed.


When the drone arrives I’ll take some pictures with and of it.

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Published on May 01, 2015 13:23

April 26, 2015

Letter from a Friend

Yesterday, I received a letter from an old friend.

Several things were unusual about it. First, it was a real letter, the kind you get in the mailbox. I get close to a hundred emails a day, but very few letters. The other thing that immediately caught my attention was the picture that you see here.







Dave Larson with a copy of Titan Encounter





Dave Larson with a copy of Titan Encounter








Dave and I were both stationed at R.A.F. Edzell, Scotland over thirty years ago. We worked in the same building even though Dave served in the marines, and I was in the navy. Dave liked to take pictures and always seemed to have a camera. Together, with other friends, we explored the nearby villages, hills and valleys of Scotland. I married Lorraine while stationed there.  

I don’t recall who in our group of friends left first, but eventually we all did, to different parts of the world. Even the base ultimately closed. In such cases friends become fond memories of people, places, and events.

I’ve lost touch with most of them, so it was nice to receive the letter from Dave. In it he said that he had just bought my book, Titan Encounter and was looking forward to reading it. I looked up his phone number, called him, and we reminisced for a while.

Send me another letter when you’re done with the book, Dave, and let me know what you thought and we can talk some more.

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Published on April 26, 2015 13:30

April 18, 2015

The New Hive

Spring is a busy time for the beekeeper.
















I only had one bee colony that survived the winter and I have been feeding them a sugar-water syrup for a few weeks. Thursday night my new colony of bees arrived.  



My surviving colony is of Italian bees, from the Apennine Peninsula of Italy, they are the most popular type of bee in America, but may not be the best suited the Pacific Northwest. Since I was ordering a new colony I decided to get Carniolan bees, from the region of Carniola, now in Slovenia. They are the second most popular species among beekeepers and are known for working in cooler temperatures, resistance to some diseases and parasites and being adept at adjusting worker population to nectar availability. This may help in early spring.


I won’t really know if they are a good fit for my apiary for about a year, but you rest assured I’ll keep you informed. 

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Published on April 18, 2015 15:32

April 4, 2015

Double Vision

Recently my son, Robert, discovered himself







Robert Pratt finds Robert Pratt





Robert Pratt finds Robert Pratt








Robert earned a Master of Business Administration degree from Saint Martin’s University in 2012, and quickly found a job as an auditor for the Washington state. During his time at the University someone took a picture of him as part of a promotion for the School of Business.

Recently, Saint Martin’s University held a job fair and the auditor’s office had a booth. Robert stopped by to visit with coworkers and discovered they are still using his picture.

I can see why they still use it. Nice picture, Robert.

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Published on April 04, 2015 17:51

March 29, 2015

Mysteries

Like most people, I like a good mystery.

















I don’t write traditional mysteries, but often my stories contain a secret that the characters have to solve. While I enjoy both reading and writing such novels, sometimes I enjoy real-life mysteries. I say sometimes because when it comes to, “why can’t I remember where the car is parked” or, “why politicians are such liars,” the answer is just annoying.


Recently, my son Robert sent me the one panel comic from the website XKCD, by Randall Munroe, former NASA roboticist and current webcomic writer with a cult following.

I found his “What IF” section particularly amusing. If you have a weird sense of humor, and an interest in science, check out his website

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Published on March 29, 2015 13:49

March 25, 2015

A fun place to work

I have no idea why this was happening, but it seems like a fun place to work.



My wife sent me this video. The YouTube description states it occurred last year at headquarters of Groupon in Chicago. That description also says that this is a baby tyrannosaurus, but I think it is supposed to be a velociraptor traipsing around the lobby of the building.


For a few seconds I wondered what was happening. The roar sounded real to me. The head moved realistically. Then I noticed the legs.

Even then it was fun to watch, and most everyone seemed to enjoy the dino, except maybe the woman coming out of the elevator.

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Published on March 25, 2015 18:59

March 23, 2015

Opening the Hive

Spring time brings extra chores for those living on a farm.


Normally, I keep two bee colonies, but only one survived the winter. On a warm day earlier this month I opened the remaining hive to check on the colony. I try to find the queen, see if she is laying eggs, ensure there is enough food and, check to see if they workers are planning to swarm (break away and form a new colony).

Taking the hive apart gets the bees very mad. I was fully suited up and not worried, but my brave wife, Lorraine, did the video. That meant she needed one hand uncovered to control the camera. At one point several bees landed on her hand. Fortunately, for both of us, she didn’t get stung.

I didn’t find the queen, but everything else looked healthy. I’ve have another colony of bees on order. They should arrive in April.

I wonder if I can get Lorraine to film that? 

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Published on March 23, 2015 13:54

March 22, 2015

In the Matrix

Most people think of writers as reclusive loners.

















While I suppose writers are introspective and some are shy, the writers I know like to meet, talk, read and even write as a group. This last Friday the Lewis County Writers Guild met at the Matrix Coffeehouse in Chehalis. The meeting started around five in the afternoon with social and eating time. Then, about 6:00 the meeting moved in a somewhat more formal direction. Author and member Jennifer Vandenberg presented an excellent talk on how writers can use social media sites like, Wattpad, Facebook, Goodreads to expand marketing exposure. She also talked about how to use WordPress to build a platform.


Most meetings of the guild are critique sessions, but the third Friday of the month is a more relaxed and social meeting.

The next critique meeting is this Friday, March 27th, at 5:00 pm. The next regular meeting is April 17th. If you’re a writer, or want to be, come and meet other writers.  

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Published on March 22, 2015 16:51