# The Wayward Journey



## Nathan Jefferson (May 11, 2013)

Hello everyone! Long time lurker, just started posting but I wanted to share a link to my new book that just came out.

If you like survivalist, post-apocalyptic, dystopian and TEOTWAWKI books, this book is right up your alley.

Description:

With the economy slowing down and inflation heating up, John takes a new job to help make ends meet at home after his wife is laid off from her high paying job. This new job requires him to travel across the country and work long hours away from home. While on one fateful trip away, the heartland of the country is rocked by a series of devastating earthquakes that cripple the nation by destroying massive amounts of infrastructure, killing and injuring hundreds of thousands, and displacing millions of inhabitants.

Now, John is stranded nearly 2,000 miles away from home with no easy way to make it back to his loving family in need. In his attempt to get home, he battles against the flow of refugees fleeing the devastated area and encounters many perilous-and sometimes deadly-trials along the way.

Print edition:
The Wayward Journey

Kindle version:
The Wayward Journey - Kindle

Also if you are interested, there is a giveaway going on at goodreads.com

Thanks for taking a look!


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## Inor (Mar 22, 2013)

Welcome from Minnesota

Congratulations on the book!


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## Montana Rancher (Mar 4, 2013)

If you are just starting I would suggest Smash Words

Smashwords ? Ebooks from independent authors and publishers

I find it hard to buy a book for $15 from a new author, maybe it will take off, but a $3 I might give it a try.


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## Rigged for Quiet (Mar 3, 2013)

Welcome. I'll make you a deal in that if you are a contributing member and not just a one post "buy my book" deal, I'll add you to my reading list.


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## inceptor (Nov 19, 2012)

Welcome from Texas



Rigged for Quiet said:


> I'll make you a deal in that if you are a contributing member and not just a one post "buy my book" deal, I'll add you to my reading list.


Ditto, I'll put you on my Kindle list.


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## Meangreen (Dec 6, 2012)

Well I broke down and bought the book. I hope you stick around just in case I have any questions.


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## Nathan Jefferson (May 11, 2013)

I'll be around! sorry it took me a few days to come back, with the book launch I've now got 3 full time jobs .

Thanks for the support meangreen! and for those who are interested there is a giveaway for 10 paperbacks going on at good reads https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/53007-the-wayward-journey


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## Inor (Mar 22, 2013)

Mrs Inor read it and liked it. I will be taking with me tomorrow to read on the plane.

How many books are you planning for the series? - Please do not say 10 like the 299 Days series! :-D


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## Nathan Jefferson (May 11, 2013)

Inor said:


> Mrs Inor read it and liked it. I will be taking with me tomorrow to read on the plane.
> 
> How many books are you planning for the series? - Please do not say 10 like the 299 Days series! :-D


I've got 2 planned - and by that I mean outlined chapter by chapter. I think there may be 1-2 more after that.

While I am a fan of Mr. Tate and his books I do kind of get the feeling they took 5-6 good sized books and then chopped them up into 10 smaller books to sell more. I promise I won't do that, I've made a personal oath to not publish a book (though I might have a novella or two in the future - which would be marked as such) under 80,000 words/250pages.

But overall I think it will rely mostly on how much more people want to read :-D


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## MrsInor (Apr 15, 2013)

I enjoyed your book - a few typos found, but not like some books that were almost painful to read. My mother was a high school English teacher and I guess I am too sensitive about grammer, etc. All in all very enjoyable and I am looking forward to the next one.


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## Nathan Jefferson (May 11, 2013)

If you want to send me a PM with any typos you found I'll be sure to get them corrected right away. My grammar is horrible, but I did spend a lot to have it go through multiple professional editing and proof-readings so hopefully there isn't too much to fix. 

Thanks for reading the book!


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## Inor (Mar 22, 2013)

Nathan Jefferson said:


> If you want to send me a PM with any typos you found I'll be sure to get them corrected right away. My grammar is horrible, but I did spend a lot to have it go through multiple professional editing and proof-readings so hopefully there isn't too much to fix.
> 
> Thanks for reading the book!


Be careful what you ask for... I do quite a bit of technical writing for my business. Mrs Inor edits all of it. You should see how she savages me with her green pen! :-D (As you can probably tell from some of my posts here, I have a nasty habit of dropping words from sentences.)


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## Nathan Jefferson (May 11, 2013)

Inor said:


> Be careful what you ask for... I do quite a bit of technical writing for my business. Mrs Inor edits all of it. You should see how she savages me with her green pen! :-D (As you can probably tell from some of my posts here, I have a nasty habit of dropping words from sentences.)


I feel your pain! Getting back the first two rounds of fixes from the editor I think there was more red (a tracked change) than there was black (un-edited text).


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## Rigged for Quiet (Mar 3, 2013)

Just finished the Kindle version in an almost one sitting read. I need to give the brain a rest but will post up a review later.

Now to find out if my legs still work, lol.


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## inceptor (Nov 19, 2012)

I just got the Kindle version. It's next after I finish the current book.


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## Inor (Mar 22, 2013)

Nathan Jefferson said:


> I feel your pain! Getting back the first two rounds of fixes from the editor I think there was more red (a tracked change) than there was black (un-edited text).


Just do not take it personally. That is the story behind the "green" rather than red pen. It took some time for her to get it through my thick skull that she was helping me create a better product. :-D (Yeah - it sounds Clintonesque - Shut up!)


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## Lucky Jim (Sep 2, 2012)

Nathan Jefferson said:


> ...While on one fateful trip away, the heartland of the country is rocked by a series of devastating earthquakes that cripple the nation by destroying massive amounts of infrastructure, killing and injuring hundreds of thousands, and displacing millions of inhabitants. Now, John is stranded nearly 2,000 miles away..


Don't you just hate it when that happens


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## Rigged for Quiet (Mar 3, 2013)

The Wayward Journey, a review.

I got my Kindle copy about 11:30 AM on a Saturday morning, and by 8:00 PM I had managed to read it start to finish dispite a few interruptions. It's a story of one man's commitment to get home to his family no matter what obstacles stand in his way. At the same time, his wife is faced with keeping their children safe and secure through a wide spread natural disaster with epic consequences which hasten's an economic collapse.

There are lessons to be learned about the strength of community, being prepared for unxepected events, and the good as well as the evil that resides in some people's heart. While not as detailed in instruction of some skills as other books of the genre, it definately reinforces the strategies and mind set necessary to persevere when faced with the unthinkable.

The book flows and is an enjoyable investment of your time and effort. Add me to wait list for the sequel.


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## inceptor (Nov 19, 2012)

I am up to chapter 11 and I gotta tell ya. This is a decent read. It's keeping my interest up.


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## Montana Rancher (Mar 4, 2013)

Sorry to poop on the parade but I found the detail lacking. I am a Tom Clancy reader by default and want my nonfiction to be at lease believable. If you are going to say "radio broadcast" then say what station and where from. 

The dialog is disjointed and predictable. Also the dialog is lacking a real human perspective. I don't mind the grammar as it makes the point but it is lacking substance.

I have not read the whole book or ever written a book, but it makes me want to try as this is a train wreak.


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## inceptor (Nov 19, 2012)

Not everyone can be a Clancy and even Clancy had to start somewhere. He most likely didn't start writing the way he was writing when he started with Jack Ryan. I too am a major Clancy fan. I also like up and coming writers. I am up to Chapter 18 and still reading. I refuse to read what I don't enjoy and Nathan hasn't done a bad job so far.


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## Nathan Jefferson (May 11, 2013)

Montana Rancher said:


> Sorry to poop on the parade but I found the detail lacking. I am a Tom Clancy reader by default and want my nonfiction to be at lease believable. If you are going to say "radio broadcast" then say what station and where from.
> 
> The dialog is disjointed and predictable. Also the dialog is lacking a real human perspective. I don't mind the grammar as it makes the point but it is lacking substance.
> 
> I have not read the whole book or ever written a book, but it makes me want to try as this is a train wreak.


Thank you for the feedback, PM sent.



inceptor said:


> Not everyone can be a Clancy and even Clancy had to start somewhere. He most likely didn't start writing the way he was writing when he started with Jack Ryan. I too am a major Clancy fan. I also like up and coming writers. I am up to Chapter 18 and still reading. I refuse to read what I don't enjoy and Nathan hasn't done a bad job so far.


Thanks for reading, hope you enjoy the rest of the story!


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## retired guard (Mar 7, 2013)

Nathan Jefferson said:


> I'll be around! sorry it took me a few days to come back, with the book launch I've now got 3 full time jobs .
> 
> Thanks for the support meangreen! and for those who are interested there is a giveaway for 10 paperbacks going on at good reads https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/53007-the-wayward-journey


Last year I worked three jobs. I think one time I came home and found myself leaving for work.


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## Carp614 (Jan 21, 2013)

My work routinely takes me 1500 miles from home. I everytime I step on the plane I think about how I would try to get back home if something happened.
What would I do? What would I be willing to do?
Would love to read this book .


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## Inor (Mar 22, 2013)

Carp614 said:


> My work routinely takes me 1500 miles from home. I everytime I step on the plane I think about how I would try to get back home if something happened.
> What would I do? What would I be willing to do?
> Would love to read this book .


I am in the same boat with travel. The book does make you think. Also the main character does cross through my home state and the story is very accurate from the perspective of my area.


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## Rigged for Quiet (Mar 3, 2013)

There is an unexpected possibility of a job opportunity that would require me to be about 400 miles away for up to 3 weeks at a time, The possibility of more than doubling my salary is worthy conversation starter.

400 miles is not an impossible distance, but the terrain is rather inhospitable for about 200 miles of the distance. It's an environment of which I am quite familiar, and the logistics are formidable. Caching would be a priority. I don't know how far this opportunity will progress, but it's enough to make me consider leaving a job I have been at for 11 years since it would greatly enhance the aquisition of a permanent BOL.

I thought about this book almost immediately when the discussion came up.


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## Nathan Jefferson (May 11, 2013)

400 miles of travel, if it's to the same location might not be too hard. As long as you have a functioning vehicle and a tank full of gas you are already 75%+ the way there.

Another way to look at it could be; what could affect your ability to get home and how would it affect you? 

Hurricane area? - You should get good notice.
Earthquake zone? - what rivers/dams/other obstacles would you have to cross?
riots/looting? What major cities to traverse? (hopefully you would be able to steer clear or have enough warning)
EMP? Highly unlikely, but if it did you car would most likely still work (sorry, had to add it!)

As long as you are within a tank of gas and less than a days travel you should generally be in a decent situation to make it home. If you need to refuel or if it would take you longer than a day (social graces only last so long) you start sliding into trouble territory pretty quick. Although if you have to make it home and then drive to your BOL, that is another wrench to throw in the mix...

For me and a lot of others in my situation we end up going to different locations all the time, making caching or preparing supplies almost impossible. It is especially hard when flying, you can't pack anything unless you carry on and when you do things go missing - just like my spyderco delica did yesterday (wow, I really do hate the TSA.).

For me the hardest part is leaving the babies at home, hopefully that continues to be the hardest part...


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