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Episode-586- An Interview with David Crawford Author of Lights Out

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Get Your Copy of Lights Out

Today on TSP we are really fortunate to have David Crawford author of the “doomer” novel “Lights Out” now available in hard copy.  Make sure to pay attention tward the end of today’s show where you can find out how you can win an autographed copy of Lights Out.

David’s book has been downloaded from the internet over three million times, this exciting, action-packed, survival story is finally available in book form. Lights Out chronicles the challenges of Mark “Karate Man” Turner when the lights go out over most of the free world. He must find in himself the ability to unite his family, friends, and neighbors if any of them are to survive the harsh reality that everyday life becomes when the veneer of civilization is stripped away.

David is an avid outdoorsman who likes to hunt, fish, hike, off-road, and shoot. He is a third degree black belt with the American Society of Karate where he teaches children and adults.

He is also a very active prepper who resides in the San Antonio area with his wife, he is the father of two, and is working on his next novel.  Today we will dig into the plot and inspiration behind Lights Out but we will also get to know David and get his ideas and thoughts on daily prepping, food storage and security concepts.

Additional Resources for Today’s Show

Remember to comment, chime in and tell us your thoughts, this podcast is one man’s opinion, not a lecture or sermon. Also please enter our listener appreciation contest and help spread the word about our show.  Also remember you can call in your questions and comments to 866-65-THINK and you might hear yourself on the air

Comments

Episode-586- An Interview with David Crawford Author of Lights Out — 22 Comments

  1. Good Interview.
    I really enjoyed reading “Lights Out” and the first time I found it to be quite a page turner. That being said, I think it was a a bit longer than it needed to be, and could have a bit broader appeal if it was edited down a bit. Still–I’ve reread the early parts of this book several times, because it is so good at depicting the progression of events.

    This is just a personal preference, but while reading it, I found myself wanting to see more of the other characters, rather than being first person. This choice by Mr. Crawford has the effect of elevating Mark Turner. This combined with the “villain” (those who read it know who I’m talking about) focused it too much on one character, when I were have preferred (just personal opinion) to see a bit broader view of the situation.

    However, despite my preferences, I think this book is on a whole different level from “Patriots.” Patriots is a cartoony joke compared to “Lights Out.” People refer to Patriots as an “instruction manual” as a means of side-stepping that it is a dismal piece of writing, that is in my view very adolescent. It is a disjointed mess. It is one of the few books I’ve ever read that I’m sorry I wasted my time on.

    As an “instruction manual” I think “Lights Out” is much better and more realistic, while remaining a good story than Patriots could ever dream of being.

    “Lights Out” does an EXCELLENT job of depicting a downward spiral following an acute event. It has some interesting character interactions and goes into a lot of detail about people adapting to situations. I think it is a bit idealized–one most people would be lucky to pull off, but that’s fine. This is a “heroic” story.

  2. I feel that I must correct you here, in the cast you mentioned the Angels use of 2%, this information is incorrect. The actual term is 1% and was brought about by a spokes person for the American Motorcycle Association who said that “99% of motorcyclists are good people but that 1% is giving the rest of us a bad name”. This is passed to me by my brother who was a Hells Angel at the time of the birth of the 1%ers. He has passed now and this is the reason I speak on this subject, he believed in teaching truth and being in peace.

    Peace Brother

    • I agree Shorty. I have known many members of the Hells Angels over my career, and they are all pretty much good guys. Some bad apples, but there are bad apples everywhere n’cest pas?

  3. I LITERALLY just finished that book LAST NIGHT!
    It was a truly AWESOME read in my opinion. Alas, I have to wait until I get home to listen to the podcast.

  4. As far as the chicken flock with no roosters, in our experience, yes one of the hens will almost assume the role of the rooster. Our oldest, biggest hen is definitely dominant and fills that role, and her production has gone down quite a bit. Whether that is age or role, I am not sure, but it definitely does happen.

  6. Awesome book! Read it in about 10 days.
    SPOILER ALERT: Thanks for not killing off Gunny- I really dug the guy! Can’t wait for the next one.

  7. Dammit! Saw “Spoiler Alert” and looked right at it.

    I really want to hear this interview but I’m trying to wait ’till I’m done with the book. I’ll wrap it up this weekend and not look here ’till then.

  8. Pingback:Nine Meals (from Anarchy) › Spirko’s Interview with David Crawford

  9. On the chicken question .. we had one chicken that was our rooster’s ‘favorite girl’. When Mister Roo finally got too obnoxious to stay on our farm (he kept attacking the kids) his main-squeeze kind of stepped in and continued to boss the other chickens around. She wasn’t as bossy as the rooster, but she kept all of the other ladies in line for sure! 😉

    I enjoyed the interview. My husband just read Lights Out and had told me the main story line, so it was nice to hear the author’s personal insights into prepping.

  10. It was mentioned that there is a Kindle version. Is there any possibility of an audio version in the near future?

  11. Thank you David & Jack for another excellent interview…AND for the contest!

    I’m reading the book for the 1st time and it’s an excellent read thus far.

    It’s not often you find a book that “real people” can so easily identify with. I appreciate that.

    Keep up the good work Guys!

  12. I read the free online version some years ago and it was entertaining and full of good information. Does the written version expand very much on the online version?

  13. I have read the PDF version several times. Ya see, I can read a PDF at work and no one questions it. Grab a paperback and I am busted. 🙂

    Other than the removed prologue, are there any other significant changes or updates to the printed version?

    I did pull the book up on Amazon just for fun. Amazon reports Mr. Crawford has another book ‘coming soon’ titled “Lost and Found”. I am surprised I didn’t hear a plug for it on the show today. I trust, Jack, you will keep us posted for when it releases. If it is anything like “Lights Out”, count me in to pre-order a copy.

    • “Lost and Found” used to be available online…at least as far as it was complete. To be honest, I think I liked it more as a pure story than “Lights Out.”
      The crisis in that one (economic collapse) is perhaps more likely as well.
      Without spoiling anything, the story alternates between two different characters (first person), showing different perspectives (REALLY different).

      I’d look forward to that being completed, and I’d be eager to buy a copy.

  15. Looking forward to getting my printed copy of this. Sadly, will likely have to wait until April.

    Until then, a curiosity question: Did he fix the error with the Cincinnati airport? In the PDF version, he had the city in flames because of planes falling out of the sky; in reality, the airport is located well across the river in Kentucky, and that’s where the planes circle.

    (Yeah, it’s picky of me, but having to fly into and out of that place so often, it aggravated me. Probably not the same reaction from a sane person. 🙂 )

  16. My wife got me this book for Christmas and I just finished it yesterday. Great Book that I had a hard time putting down at times. This is an excellent read and I highly recommend it. Now time to read “one second after”

    Thanks Jack for the recommendation

    • I think you’ll find yourself wanting to hear more about the “Franklin Clan” in the book “One Second After”.

  17. This is a great book. I am not a big reader if novels. I started reading “Lights Out” based on this interview. I started and after about 10 chapters I asked my wife to start reading. My wife has never been really on board for prepping, but not really against it. She never really saw things the way I did. After reading this book she has come in board totally. She is now thinking about what we can do to be in a more prepared condition and has started running scenarios through me.
    It has been such a blessing to our household to have both read this indispensable tomb of preparation. Thank you David for putting this out. I have purchased both the paperback and te kindle version.
    Thanks so very much,
    Topherlee

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