Today I am pleased to announce the launch of the Strategic Living Book Fes. This is something I have done in the past as a way to introduce you to the best new books in the prepping, homestead, and survival niches. Going forward, I also plan to share books about life, hobbies, and just about anything else that will contribute to your overall well being. As I have done before, with each book I will include a brief book review, an author interview, and a book giveaway.
It only seems appropriate that I start things off with one of the most credible and prolific preparedness authors I know, Daisy Luther. Her new book, “Be Ready For Anything”, is a one-stop shop for all things preparedness. I do not say this lightly because even with all of the great preparedness books out there, you would be well served with just this one.
Here is a brief introduction to the book itself, an interview with Daisy, and of course, details of the book giveaway.
Be Ready For Anything: The Only Preparedness Handbook You Need
At first glance, this book appears to detail the specifics of what you need to do to prepare for and survive the following twelve specific scenarios:
Earthquake
Tornado
Hurricane
Winter Storm
Summer Power Outage
Wildfire Evacuation
Pandemic
Nuclear Disaster
Mass Shooting
Civil Unrest
Personal Financial Problems
Economic Crisis
But to say that Be Ready For Anything only covers these disasters is altogether too simplistic. As Daisy points out, although each has its own nuances and special conditions for survival, there are also a lot of commonalities. Elements such as emergency food, water, power. evacuation, sanitation, and first aid are some of these common areas and each is addressed in its own appendix.
Lest I forget, something else she has done in her book is to go into great detail about the importance of having a survival mindset and to not give up if it appears as though life as you know it is going to end. As she says, you want to Accept, Plan, and Act. I could not have said it better!
That is what I mean by being a one-stop shop. In its two hundred pages, Daisy covers it all in an easy to read format that almost seems as though she is talking with you as a friend, one on one. This is a book that both beginning and seasoned preppers can learn from them.
Enough said. Let us hear more about Daisy and she shares her thoughts in an exclusive Strategic Living interview.
An Interview with Daisy Luther
1. Let us start out by learning a little bit about you. Most folks do not realize that you lived for a while with your young girls in a remote cabin in Canada. I believe you were off grid. Tell us about that and how you ended up where you are today.
Well, back in 2010-11, we had a terrible series of events. My dad passed away, my children’s dad passed away, and I lost my job. This all snowballed and resulted in me also losing my home and my car. I searched for the cheapest place to live that I could find and it ended up being this teeny cabin in the Algonquin Forest in Ontario, Canada. Our only heat was wood and the electricity was sporadic. It seemed like a strong gust of wind would take it out for 24 hours. Of course, when the power was out, we had no running water. So I like to call it semi-off-grid. It was there that I started my website, The Organic Prepper, to share our experiences.
After a year, I got a job offer to work on an alternative media site in California, where I lived for several years. Eventually, my site took off and I get to blog full time.
2. As a writer and blogger in the survival, prepping and homesteading niche, what are you personally preparing for?
Money problems. I’ve seen in my life that money comes and money goes. When it’s coming, I’m preparing for it going. I live in Virginia now with far fewer natural disasters than California, so after financial issues, I prep for power outages, which do happen here about twice a year due to high winds in the mountains.
3. Do you feel you are adequately prepared and if not, what prep area concerns you most?
I’m pretty well stocked up with beans, bullets, and bandaids, but I recently took an Urban Survival course in Croatia with my friend and fellow blogger, Selco. I learned that my survival skills leave a lot to be desired, so I’m focusing on getting more fit and surviving on what I can carry in my EDC. I think it’s really important to have both skill sets – survival and preparedness. You never know when something might happen that could mean your preps are lost to you. But skills are forever.
4. What would be your first prep-step if you were a millennial just getting started?
An emergency fund! The most likely disaster is being broke when you’re that age. My eldest daughter is a millennial and she is diligently building an emergency fund and spending $10 at the grocery store each week on some shelf-stable goods.
5. Have you ever lived through a real disaster and therefore had to get by on only your wits and your preps?
When we lived in California, a few years back there was a massive flood in the area around us. Due to previous wildfires, this resulted in mudslides and sinkholes. Our little farm was up on a mountain with three ways down. It’s hard to believe, but all three routes were blocked at one point. One of the roads collapsed into a sinkhole, and the other two were covered with non-stop, slow mudslides. There was no way down.
If so, for how long? What were some of the mistakes you made along the way?
We were stuck up there for just over two weeks. It would have been absolutely fine but I got bitten on the hand by a black widow spider. Despite my best efforts at treating it with home remedies, it became infected and swelled up to twice the size of my other hand. There were no doctors up there in my small town and no way to get medication for it for a week. The antibiotics I had on hand were ineffective for the particular infection, although the doctor said they probably kept it from getting even worse.
If not, what steps have you taken to ensure that you and your family are disaster proof?
My medical kit is far more comprehensive these days.
6. What is your favorite survival, disaster, or post-apocalyptic film or TV show?
There are so many, but I’ll narrow it down to two. I really loved the movie 2012. No, it isn’t overly realistic, but I find Woody Harrelson’s character so relatable. Sometimes I feel like that crazy guy in a tinfoil hat trying to warn people but nobody is listening. I also really liked Contagion. It shows how fast a deadly virus can turn into a pandemic and how important it is to be able to go into lockdown. That movie, I felt, was very realistic.
7. Do you ever suffer prepper or homesteading burnout and If so, how do you deal with it?
I take a break from it. So many people believe we must always be focused on doom and food production and that’s simply not the case. We need balance in our lives and that doesn’t mean we’re frivolous or unprepared. I consistently stock up, I learn skills, but it isn’t the only thing in my life.
8. I believe that living a strategic life is something each person must do on their own terms. How do you quantify living a strategic life and what goals have you set to ensure that you live a joyful life going forward?
Well, as I mentioned above, I think balance is important. For example, I love travel and now that my kids are adults, I have more opportunities to go wandering. I’m not going to let things like political unrest or worries of war trap me in my home like a prisoner. I’m going to take a few supplies with me, continue working on my skills, and I’m going to keep living my life. The most essential advice I’ve given to my daughters, I believe, is that you can’t let fear rule your life. Be prepared but go forth and live. 🙂
9. Congratulations on the release of your two new books. Are there any other books coming down that line that you can tell us about?
Yes – I have a book coming out next year that I hope even mainstream readers will enjoy. It’s called “Not Your Mama’s Guide to Frugal Living.” Writing it has brought back so many memories of raising my girls. We didn’t have much money but we sure didn’t let it stop us from having a great time.
10. To date, what is your favorite article on the Organic Prepper website and why?
My favorite article is called Prepping Isn’t Gloom and Doom – It’s the Ultimate Act of Optimism. It really sums up my philosophy that prepping isn’t some grim act preparing us for the end of times. It’s that prepping means we intend to survive and come out the other side with our families and our spirits intact.
11. Privacy concerns notwithstanding, where can we find you in social media?
I’m on Facebook but liking my page may not do you much good – feel free to send me a friend request. I also have a really active group called Prep Club. Along with Selco, I have a forum for those concerned about privacy. I’m also on Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.
12. Is there anything else you would like to share with my readers here at Strategic Living?
A teeny bit of advice. Don’t let the media or prepper peer pressure cause you to live in fear. If you want to go to the movies or travel or go to concerts, do it! Just be careful, be situationally aware, and listen to your instincts. Live your life!
The Giveaway
Note: This giveaway is now over.
To enter the giveaway you will need to use the Rafflecopter below. There are multiple ways to enter so chose as few or as many as you like.
As is my usual style, you can earn multiple entries by answering what I like to call a “giveaway question”. The question for this particular giveaway is very simple: Of all of the disruptive events you can prepare for, what concerns you the most? Please note that if you do leave a comment, you still need to indicate you have done so in the Rafflecopter.
Fine Print: This giveaway will end on 7/19/19 at 12AM MST and the winner will be notified by email. The winner must confirm within 48 hours or an alternate will be selected. Due to the cost of postage, this giveaway is open to US mailing addresses only.
If you are having difficulty accessing the embedded Rafflecopter, try this link instead: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/5d6e55116/?
Summing It All Up
When I was a full-time blogger, I started an online series along the lines of how to prepare for various disasters, with a different disaster featured each month. Shortly into the series, I passed the reigns of Backdoor Survival to new owners, and the series was not completed. For that reason, I am over the top thrilled that Daisy has not only covered twelve unique disaster and survival situations but has created a valuable resource that can be used to prepare in general.
As you can tell, I really love this book and hope you will enter the giveaway to win a copy of Be Ready For Anything for free.
Yours for a Joyful Life,
Gaye
Strategic Haul
If you are impatient and prefer to purchase a copy of Daisy’s book right away, you can do so using this link.
Be Ready For Anything: This is a book you want to own not only for yourself but for family members who are turned off by hardcore survival books. Daisy Luther has outdone herself with this one!
Prepper’s Pantry: Build a Nutritious Stockpile to Survive Blizzards, Blackouts, Hurricanes, Pandemics, Economic Collapse, or Any Other Disasters: This is another great new book from Daisy. Released in June 2019, it is chock full of everything you need to know to build a survival pantry that is right for your family. It includes special tips for accommodating special dietary health needs. Highly recommended.
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I am working on not letting “Doom and Gloom” consume my every thought. We prepare or talk about different scenarios daily. Sometimes we forget to watch the sunset and other normal daily things. It can create “burnout” very quickly.
Tornadoes and pandemics are the ‘events’ I’m most worried about. I have a safe room and multiple go bags, but….. I believe I have a good first aid kit(s), but….
I’m most concerned with an EMP event or something else that will cause a long-term grid down scenario.
One of the things I’m concerned with is being prepared in case of natural disasters, like snow storms. It hasn’t happened in a while but there’s always the chance Mother Nature could throw us a curve ball.A few years ago the city near us had the electricity grid go down due to ice storms. My husband was really happy we had a standby generator. It took almost a month for the city to recover.
I am preparing for blackouts and snow storms.
Living on an island I think of the waters around us as a moat. That said, if there were an instant and potentially long-term interruption of power here right now in July, say, from a terrorist attack or solar storm, we would be joined in the emergency by 20,000 tourists totally unprepared for the ensuing disruptions to their vacation plans. Oops! Not good! In a severe emergency Nature won’t be the only adversary; our unprepared neighbors (next door and beyond) could top that list!
I remember going to some Red Cross meetings when I live on the island. The PTB of the local chapter were oblivious to the impact of the tourists in the event of an EQ or Tsunami during the summer months. I was pretty much shunned after suggesting they stock up on body bags. And then there was pride in stating that the resort where I lived would provide emergency shelter and food preparation facilities in the event of a tsunami. Well DUH! The location itself was a tsunami zone. Even with a high tide, the water level would sometimes reach the gardens and steps to the restaurant. Don’t get me wrong. I miss island life terribly. But the mindset of the so-called local; preparedness experts was appalling.
Gaye, I suppose that I am most concerned about civil unrest. I live in a mid-size town in S.C, and even though I live “out in the sticks” as we say, it seems that not a week goes by without some mention of gang-type fighting going on with people being shot and killed. I am also concerned about weaher-related disasters such as tornadoes (I live in a tornado area. Last year we had one hit about 2 miles from our house)
I would love to win
I am most concerned about financial survival post divorce. It is scary AF. So grateful for my preps. Food and electricity are about the only budget items I control at this point of already having slashed my budget. I’m barely using AC and it is HOT here. Everyday I go to the energy usage page on my electric company’s website. I look at the previous day and ask myself how I can lower electricity consumption. This little tool gives me a feeling of control over my life. Also I rearranged the house so that if there is any possibility of completing turning off appliances, I have a place to sleep in cross-ventilation. At the beginning of the season I purchased a dehumidifier for $186. This little appliance has already saved hundreds of dollars on AC. I check humidity frequently via the weather on my phone. Outdoor humidity is the guide to when I can open the windows, not temperature. I have learned so much this summer.
I have been trying to time-adjust my wake/sleep habits here in Arizona. Although I do this so that I can safely walk my dog, there are some energy savings as well. Basically, I am trying to get up earlier (before 6AM) and get to sleep by 10:30PM. Side note: does this mean your abusive situation is a thing of the past?
My dear friend, I was hoping you would notice the implications of my comment. Yes. I kicked him out about 8 months ago. One of the most difficult things I’ve ever done. Money and being alone are scary. But my panic attacks have stopped. I’m at peace. My food budget is $20 per week. Based on everything we learned from you, that is actually plenty of money. Love, Karen.
I hope no one minds if I hop in here. I was divorced at a young age with 3 children, one of whom is mentally disabled. It was the most difficult time of my life and I worried obsessively over money as he refused to pay support of any kind and keep moving to avoid arrest. I’ve been at the $20 food budget. Pasta, rice and beans, potatoes and a fruit go a long way. I spent many a sleepless night, never imagining then how much better, happier and financially stable I would be in the future as I am now. My daddy always had a saying, “The best is yet to be”, and I find this true even today. God bless‼️
EMP would be most frightening to me.
I’ve read One Second After and One Year after several times. The loss of life would be overwhelming.
Thanks for the opportunity to win one of Daisy’s books. Been following her for a long time.
The event that worries me the most (although I don’t spend my time fixated on it) is an EMP. Whether it is a natural event or a result of an attack of some kind, the effects would be far reaching. If the experts are to believed, we would soon have no transportation, no electricity, no food in the grocery, no news, no running water-be it from a well or a municipality, no sewage treatment… in other words no conveniences of modern life. I wouldn’t like it, but I am more prepared than most in my area, I would say. But other’s actions will always impact our own lives, so I also study how to protect myself.
Grid down …things will go badly very quickly after a long term power outage. I think the threats of an EMP or terrorist attack on the grid are real and imminent.
I waver between a long-term grid down scenario and financial issues if my spouse loses her job as I cannot work.
Thanks for bringing back your book fest! I enjoyed them very much in the past. I often wonder if I would make it if I lived here in the early years of the US. I’ve been saving seeds and think what would have happened if there was a crop failure. Would I be able to put up enough food to last until next year comes around
I think that my concerns center between a longer-term grid-down situation, regardless of the cause, and a serious economic reset which would affect the entire country. The most common problems where I live tend to be weather related.
My biggest concern is economic downturn and the loss of income. Also, living in Texas, drought is always a big worry and we experience frequent power outages due to extreme weather. I figure if we focus our efforts on those main areas of concern, we can cover a lot of different bases.
Long-term power outages and major hurricanes.
since i live on long island, i tend to worry most about tsunamii or inundation due to global warming. it’s unlikely that a sudden tsunami will strike here, although if it did few of us would be able to evacuate due to road bottlenecks–but gradual inundation is a certainty. the ocean won’t cover this island in my lifetime, but long before then the economy and social structure will be destroyed. that will happen everywhere in one way or another, of course. if not water, then drought, fire, hordes of climate refugees or whatever. or maybe i’m just afraid of tsunamii because i was killed by one in a previous life, lol!
I worry about EMP and a large earth quake. Great interview Gaye. Thanks
Floyd
I see an EMP as being the worst case scenario. No warning. Catastrophic results. (It would affect virtually everyone in virtually every aspect of modern American life). Long term recovery if any.
An EMP…
Lots of events to prepare for but the most likely is natural disasters that are becoming more frequent more often now.
Living in SE Texas my biggest concern is weather related. TS Harvey, for example, caused flooding of Biblical proportions. 62 inches in 4 days.
EMP and tornadoes concern me the most.
A financial collapse is my biggest worry, especially since money is already so hard to come by. But, I will survive.
My biggest personal concern is tornadoes. I live in central Ky, and I remember seeing the effects of the outbreak that hit in ’74. I was a little kid, and I guess it stuck with me. I don’t worry too much about EMPs or long term grid down situations, but that is something I prepare for also. Because this area is quite rural, I’ve spent lots of time without power, water, etc. My eldest just bought a small two acre place with a well and a woodstove. I’m helping him set up raised beds and I’m going to teach him how to can next summer. We already hunt, so that helps.
A recent severe storm resulted in loss of electricity (and water) for longer than I liked. Our lives are so dependent on electrical power. I’m not as prepared as I thought I was.
I worry most about the power going out in the winter since I can’t have a woodburning stove (state regulations) and I don’t have a fireplace.