Kyle Pratt's Blog: Musings & Rantings, page 25

January 18, 2015

Living What I Write

I don’t just write survival or prepper themed books, I live the life.







Kyle Pratt with a bee frame





Kyle Pratt with a bee frame








Many of the people who aren’t involved in prepping think of those who are as crazy. I think of prepping as insurance against unforeseen problems. Where I live in Lewis county, Washington state, it can flood this time of year. During winter storms the power can go out. I like knowing that I’m prepared.

As part of my chosen lifestyle I live on a small farm. Most farm activities lend themselves naturally to a prepping lifestyle. One thing we do on the farm is raise bees. It’s a small operation, only two honey bee hives, but we usually harvest a nice amount of honey.







Lewis County Beekeepers Assn. Meeting





Lewis County Beekeepers Assn. Meeting








I’ve been a member of the Lewis County Beekeepers’ Association for years. A few days ago I showed up for a meeting and noticed a sign by the door, “Capacity 82.” The room was nearly full when I showed up so, just to amuse myself, I counted heads. There were over seventy people in the room. It was nice to see that many people interested in bees from our rural county. Especially, this time of year when the bees are in their winter cluster in the hive.







Orchard Mason bee homes and supplies





Orchard Mason bee homes and supplies









The topic that night was the orchard mason bee, a native bee of North America that is also dormant this time of year. The speaker, Tim Weible shared some great information about how to build mason bee houses (they don’t live in hives), their biology, coping with mites and more.


I live close to nature and when the animals, insects and planets on the farm are doing well I know that I’m better prepared for whatever might come.

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Published on January 18, 2015 19:20

January 17, 2015

Apartment Prepper Review

I write books about the need to be ready, but others write about how to be ready.

Apartment Prepper is one of the top blogs on readiness. There you will find information on urban survival and prepping.




















Because Apartment Prepper is one of the leading blogs in this area, I am proud that editor Bernie Carr gave Through Many Fires a very nice review earlier this year and now has done the same for my newest release, book two of the Strengthen What Remains series, A Time to Endure.

In her blogpost review Carr describes A Time to Endure as “fast paced” and with “enough action to keep the pages turning.” She concludes by saying, “A Time to Endure is a good read and we look forward to the third book.”

Along with the review Apartment Prepper is running a giveaway. If you want to read the full review or you haven’t yet bought a copy of A Time to Endure and would like to win one, go here and enter a comment on the question at the end of the blogpost for a chance to win.

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Published on January 17, 2015 15:30

January 11, 2015

Preparedness Books Blog Tour

What would happen to you if a disaster were to strike tomorrow?

That is the opening question on the Survivor Jane website and it is a question all of us should be able to answer, but many of us can’t.




















SurvivorJane.com was originally created for women or as Jane describes it, “girly-girls who were a lot like me not too long ago,” The site has since branched out to women in all walks of life as well as men, but Survivor Jane remains the number one survival preparedness website for women. Jane is also an author and appeared on Doomsday Preppers in season 4.

However, the reason I’m writing about the site is because my books have been featured on the website, both in December of last year and just days ago.
















In December Through Many Fires was featured with a synopsis of the book and a bio on me. Then, this month, A Time to Endure received the same.

I’ve enjoyed working with Jane and look forward to doing so when the third book in the series is released.

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Published on January 11, 2015 18:45

December 29, 2014

Counting Blessings

Wow! This has been an outstanding year.

















Through Many Fires and A Time to Endure are side-by-side on the Amazon War Fiction bestseller list. Both have been higher on this list, but it is nice to see them together.

In addition to that great news, all the distributors of my books, Amazon, Nook, Kobo, Smashwords, Audible and iTunes, report higher sales for my books in 2014 over 2013.  


The end of the year is a time to count blessings, and I have many. I’m out of the hospital, feeling well and earning a living at my dream job, just to name a few.

Thank you for making this a great year!

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Published on December 29, 2014 21:39

December 24, 2014

Books are in the Mail

Last night I sat at the dining room table and signed books.

Earlier, I had made a list of 39 people that would be receiving one or more, books. When all the books came on the same day I decided to just sit down, sign and mail them all.







Kyle Pratt signing books





Kyle Pratt signing books









Twenty copies of Through Many Fires and Titan Encounter were going to winners of two contests I conducted. Other books were going to people who helped create them, such as Micah Hansen, who designs the covers, my editor Barbara Blakey, and beta reader William Childress. Many copies of A Time to Endure were heading for bloggers I've worked with in the past, reviewers, critique partners, and friends. 


Most of the books were going to places in the United States, but some were going to Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom. I spent a good half-hour this morning getting to know the postal clerks in Napavine.

So, if I told you that a book was coming your way, I can truthfully say, it’s in the mail.

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Published on December 24, 2014 13:56

December 22, 2014

Not a Fun Weekend

Some of you know that I spent the weekend in the hospital.

 Lorraine, has already talked about some of this on her Facebook account. My vision went crazy on Saturday morning. That is the most concise way to describe it (double vision looking into a fractured mirror might be another). My heart was pounding. Both gradually cleared and an hour later my family convinced me to go to the hospital (stupid to delay, I know, but I’m a guy and like to deny my own mortality).

 The good news is I didn’t have to wait in the emergency room. They seemed eager to get me right in even while I was describing what happened.

 I had the full attention of several of the medical staff for the next 30 minutes. The doctor said I may have had a minor stroke (seems like a contradiction in terms to me), but what they did find out for sure was that I have atrial fibrillation, my heart is beating irregularly, and was beating way to fast.

 Drugs have moved my heart rate to a normal level, but my heart still has no rhythm (just like the rest of me). So this is going to be an ongoing thing with more (hopefully scheduled) visits to doctors in the future. However, I am now back home and back to writing and hopefully will continue with both for a long time.

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Published on December 22, 2014 16:17

December 12, 2014

A Time to Endure Released!

The headline is the story.

This morning A Time to Endure, Strengthen What Remains, book 2, was released in paperback, as an ebook on Kindle, Nook and Kobo and soon on iTunes.

















The audiobook is in production and is scheduled for release next month.


As I write this A Time to Endure is already on the Amazon Genre Fiction-War bestseller list, climbing to number 100 this afternoon. The first book in the series, Through Many Fires, remains on the list at number 25.

The third and final book in the series will be released in 2015.

Thank you to everyone who has bought the books!

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Published on December 12, 2014 16:00

December 7, 2014

A New Book Trailer

A new book trailer for the new book!

As part of the upcoming release of the second book in the Strengthen What Remains series, A Time to Endure, we have created a new book trailer. Earlier videos focused on the first book, Through Many Fires, but the new one covers both novels.


In just under 90 seconds you hear and see a brief introduction (without spoilers) to both books. I think you’ll enjoy it.

To see all the videos about my books, life in an Eskimo village or on the farm in Washington state, visit my YouTube channel

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Published on December 07, 2014 12:36

December 5, 2014

Goodreads Giveaways

I’m conducting two Goodreads giveaways.

My next novel, A Time to Endure will be released on December 12th and, as part of the celebration, I’m giving away ten copies of Through Many Fires and ten copies of Titan Encounter on Goodreads.





Goodreads Book Giveaway



Through Many Fires by Kyle Pratt




Through Many Fires


by Kyle Pratt




Giveaway ends December 12, 2014.



See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.






Enter to win






Goodreads Book Giveaway



Titan Encounter by Kyle Pratt




Titan Encounter


by Kyle Pratt




Giveaway ends December 31, 2014.



See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.






Enter to win


Goodreads is a social media site for readers. With over 20 million members their stated goals is “to help people find and share books they love.”

While I am sponsoring the giveaway, I have no control over who wins the books. Goodreads selects the winners, but entering is free and, like most social media sites, membership is free so login; visit my Goodreads page and signup to win Through Many Fires and Titan Encounter.  

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Published on December 05, 2014 18:38

December 3, 2014

Number 1!

Yesterday, Through Many Fires reached number one on the Kindle Science Fiction Military, Post-Apocalyptic and Dystopian bestseller lists.
















During that time, the novel was the number 28th bestselling book on Amazon Kindle. As I write this it is hovering around number 33. This has been the best week of sales since I began publishing my writing.

















Such sales are always welcome, but with the forthcoming release of the second book in the Strengthen What Remains series, they are even more appreciated. That upcoming novel, A Time to Endure, starts the same day the first novel ends. Caden struggles to keep his family and community alive as 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.


A Time to Endure will be released on December 12th, but is available now for preorder now on Kindle, Nook, Kobo and Smashwords. On December 12th the paperback edition will be released and the audiobook will follow shortly afterwards.

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Published on December 03, 2014 22:13