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I don’t claim to be a famous (or infamous) publisher or publicist, but I thought I clue you all in on how this publishing stuff works. I may be repeating myself a bit, so bear with me.

First, you send my your manuscript – don’t get all excited, we’re still closed to submissions (other than our ghost story anthology!) until September. And, when the time comes, please do send it through the submissions page – if you send it to another email, it could get lost.

Our interns read your work and send me comments, thoughts, recommendations. Next, I read your manuscript and decide if it will work for us. I may email you and ask you to make some changes or “fix” some things and then resubmit. To be brutally honest, if that happens, I won’t look at again until it comes back to me.

How long does all this take? It depends. It can be within days, but isn’t usually; it can take a few weeks. Sometimes, yes, it takes a few months. Oh, and don’t include, in your initial email, that you have “other offers” and/or “need a quick decision.” That’s rude and pushy, and I won’t look at your ms at all. At all.

Just to put things in perspective, I sent in a manuscript to Harper Voyager last October. Nine months ago. I still don’t have an answer. So keep your pants on. You really don’t need to email me repeatedly.

Why can it take so long? Well, if you know me, or have done any research on RHP at all – and that also means you know better than to use the title “mister” when addressing me – you should also know that reading your submission is not the only thing I do.

As an author, I write books. And promote them. I also do speaking engagements, serve on panels, and handle my own website and social media.

As a bookseller, I sell books – but I also work at the bookstore, plan events, handle advertising and publicity, and am responsible for nearly all the marketing, promotion, accounting, and website.

As a publisher, I plan releases, approve cover design, format the books, list the books, find interviewers and reviewers, and do the final edits. I also answer questions from authors and try to steer them in the right directions for sales and publicity. I place all the orders, restock when needed, contact bookstores and other venues, and do the marketing and promotion as well as the website.

Believe it or not, I’m also a person! I have to eat, occasionally. And, well, drink. Often. I try to exercise, sort of. I like to watch a movie once in while or maybe read a book – not a manuscript, a book. One that I don’t have to proofread or where I have to think about the plot or characters. I have a family, too. A family for whom I cook, clean, run errands, sometimes mow the lawn, and garden.

So, now that you know what I do all day, cut me a little slack if I don’t get to your manuscript within a couple weeks, ‘kay? Thanks.

Where was I? Oh, yes – after our interns read your ms, and I read it, assuming I don’t send it back to you, the next step is thinking. See, any ms that we accept has to have a good story, be well-written – that means you mostly know how to string together sentences and use commas, etc. – AND it has to be something that I think I can sell. If I can’t sell it, I won’t invest in it.

And yes, it’s an investment. I won’t go into a lot of dollar signs here, but if I don’t sell at least – AT LEAST – 300 copies, on average, of your book, I don’t make a dime. Don’t take it personally if your ms is rejected. That could be the reason – and I do try to always give a reason for the rejection – maybe, probably, some other publisher could sell your book. Just not me.

Sometimes authors take my suggestions and re-submit. Sometimes we simply have a back and forth re the requested changes, because I think the book is THAT GOOD.

Next, we talk contract. I email you, state our general terms; if you agree, I send the contract. You sign, send it back, and voila! Now, we can get to work!

I go over the ms. I send it to our editor. I make changes. Our interns look it over. I make more changes. Then I send it to you. In the meantime, I’ve gotten some preliminary cover designs – and our authors are always able to make suggestions or send ideas. We’re flexible here too, our authors definitely have input, but I will make the final decision. And no, I won’t use something you absolutely hate, but I also don’t want to end up on lousybookcovers.com. No way.

I’ll do my best to line up interviews and reviews, but some of that is on you. We aren’t Random Penguin and, even if we were, some of that would still be on you. And you have to be discoverable: Facebook, website, Twitter, Tumblr, SOMEWHERE. You want people to Google your name and find info, not just an old MySpace page from a decade ago.

So your book comes out in print – and E-format. Simultaneously. Mostly. Sometimes there’s a glitch, sometimes other things take precedence. But it’s close. And of course we promote you and your book, and you get your own page on our website – under “upcoming” and “new” – until the next book we publish is ready to go, but your book stays on the site under its own heading.

We’re publishing one book a month this year; next year, two each month. That’s a lot of books, and we keep ALL our books in circulation and promote them. We’re not going to forget about you, that’s for sure!

So there you have it, publishing with RHP. Well, and a bit of a rant, but you can handle that, right? ‘Cause, you know, I’m human. Most days.

From my good friend and fellow writer, Mike Williams:

When the proverbial fan is spreading manure faster than a political speech, the cities, suburbs, and any town larger than three driveways and a tavern will quickly descend into anarchy and no longer be safe places to live.

There comes a point when the rule of law reverses. People who once feared the law and were held in check by it become the ones to fear and the ones who rule the streets of urban areas. Gangs will roam neighborhoods unchecked, taking what they want and killing anyone that gets in their way.

Hopefully, you will see it coming and be long gone before the gangs take over. But where will you go?

Primary needs for the first year are shelter, water, food, and sanitation, in a location that is remote enough to keep you out of sight. A place off the beaten path. Better still, a place off the path entirely.

That vacation cabin, the one on a lake surrounded by cabins, is not such a good location. Everyone else will have the same idea and when food runs low, desperate people you once called neighbor will come to knock on your door, fully armed.

Best Scenario

A remote hunting cabin or something similar is a better choice, and the further it is from what you once called civilization―within certain limits―the better. It has the things you need: hand-pumped water, a roof over your head, perhaps an outhouse for sanitation, a gas refrigerator. Forget about electricity, you won’t have it unless you make your own from the sun or wind. In cold-weather climates, rely on wood for heat. Save LP gas for cooking, lighting, and refrigeration.

The size of the abode depends entirely on how many people you plan to support. A family of four can get by with a three-room house that has two bedrooms and a living area / kitchen. The smaller the place, the easier it is to heat and maintain. Keep in mind, you can’t call Joe the Handyman to come fix your roof. You’ve just become Mr. and Mrs. DIY. Keep it small. Keep it simple.

A piece of land with a hidden house trailer is another very good option. Small, efficient, and it keeps the weather out. A place that won’t be seen from main roads, or even less traveled town roads.

Buying fuel as you bug-out might be difficult, so keep the driving distance from home to less than three tanks of gas. You can carry that much with you if you’re prepared. For most modern vehicles, that is about 15-20 gallons per tankful. One full tank of gas plus up to eight, five-gallon gasoline containers. It takes up a lot of room so plan for the space in your vehicle.

Keep it stocked with a year-long supply of life’s necessities and you won’t have to carry as much with you. Food staples like rice, flour, beans and canned foods including meats, vegetables and fruit. Figure out what you need for a year, add 30 percent, and stock up on it. After a year, you better be ready to start harvesting a garden and any tasty critters you see roaming the countryside.

Better Scenario

A second choice is a rural location where no one will bother you. A place far enough from the city to discourage roving road gangs looking for trouble or entertainment. Take all your supplies and Get Out Of Dodge to a location already chosen and visited, and selected for security and long-term residence.

The country is full of national, state, and county forests. You’re looking for a place to get off the road where your presence won’t attract attention. Take day trips to scout various places. Make them fun outings with picnics or camping trips. Avoid places where others are likely to congregate. It only takes one bad apple to spoil the crate.

Your shelter in these places is temporary and probably rustic. Think camping trailers and tents. Small portable shelters to get you out of the city and away from the danger of the urban neighborhoods. Once there, if the location is good, you can work on making your residence more permanent. Things you need are a supply of water, a method of waste disposal other than a nearby tree, and a shelter that will keep you warm and safe in cold or bad weather.

Good Scenario

What if escaping the city is not possible?

Large urban areas are pock-marked with possible bug-out destinations. These places won’t have much in the way of shelter, but may offer some if you remain flexible. There is a good possibility you will have to share the space with others. Possible sites include large gravel pits or quarries, parks, recreation areas, and small airports. Set up shelter in trailers, tents, shipping containers, and rail cars. Anything you can convert to living space and keep warm in will do.

Consider these areas temporary until you can move up to something better. Be ready to move when food and water begin to run low; your neighbors may become your competitors.

It may seem counterintuitive, but places to avoid are those with the most resources. They are the places gangs will settle in, fight over, and try to control. Not the kind of place to protect your family in.

Your best plan in this scenario is all the food and supplies you can carry to a place that has little interest to gangs or those looking for resources. Select multiple locations in advance so you can remain flexible. For the long term, you will have to work your way out of the city and into the rural countryside where you can provide for your family.

Reality

Lately, television seems filled with reality shows that show different kinds of survival, from the aftermath of a plague or war, to subsistence living in the wilds of Alaska. These shows offer little in the way of advice, and most don’t begin to portray the true hardships of that kind of living. Instead, they focus on creating drama out of nothing.

The reality of living life after a bug out is that it will be hard. Do you know how to start a fire? Build a shelter, pitch a tent? Can you figure out how much food your family will need for a year? How will you store it, or get it to your bug-out destination? Have you any idea how to arm and protect yourself and your family?

If you want to survive a SHTF situation, the time to learn and plan is now, not when it happens. And the first thing you need to know, is where you will go to begin surviving.