Fauxpocalypse for Blogophilia 2.7

Scientists predict life on Earth will end on  July 15, 2015.  A comet called  Grijalva named after Catherine Grijalva, the scientist  who discovered it, will destroy the planet.

But the oncoming megatons of rock and ice break up shortly before impact. Now humanity must live in a world most believed would not exist. Across the planet, people are haunted by the future they did not fear, and even those who did not embrace death must face the consequences of others’ decisions.

The world prepares. People surround themselves with their loved ones, spend all their money, essential  services such as power, water and gas cease. Looting is pervasive.         Streets become dangerous.

The comet misses hitting Earth. but  the debris from the comet still littered the sky obscuring sunlight  While the world wouldn’t end from the comet, small rocks might land and do local damage.

In the months prior to the end of the world, you spend all your money, go into debt and generally prepare for doomsday. Vital services for the most part cease.  Everything like shops and food deliveries ceases as people gather to be with their families, except for the looters, of course.

On the night of July 15 you binge out on booze and whatever else you can find and finally fall asleep. You do not expect to wake up. When you do you realise something is not right. It’s July 16, the day after the end of the world. You haven’t planed for life after July 15. Now what?

Fauxpocalypse  is   a collection of 12 short stories that answers the question now what?

A friend of mine had an idea and put out a call on the internet for writers interested in contributing to a collection of fiction about the end of the world, that wasn’t. Twelve writers from around the world answered the call. Well I suppose more did  but twelve were chosen.

They all agreed on: a comet was heading toward earth. The name of the comet and the date of July 15.

The stories are diverse, excellent and each with a focus on a different human reaction and situation from varied perspectives.

July 16 was the beginning of a new world and in all the stories new lives, figuratively and literally in the last story.

Each narrative describes the emotional and psychological changes of the characters. The pieces vary in length from five to 50 pages.

All 12 stories from 11 contributors are written  in different styles and take place in different parts of the globe: Israel, the US, the UK and Australia.  They all demonstrate the depth and understanding of human nature.

Not going to discuss the stories in this venue  but the themes covered are:

Hope of course in all the stories

spirituality

family

do unto others

marital conflict

coming of age

mental illness

Power and control

humour

speculative fiction

Since it’s a collection of short stories one gets just a taste but taken as a whole at the end the reader is left   with a rich full satisfying experience. (due to the excellent editing)

So it wasn’t in the stars, it was a comet. Many people didn’t believe the scientists and thought it was some kind of conspiracy and even though the scientists knew what they were doing it was still a risk since they couldn’t predict that the comet would veer off course.

As I mentioned before this book was born because a friend of mine got the idea and put out a call on the internet for submissions. A joint effort such as this is how the inventors of the internet may have imagined it to be used; to gather people from all over the world for a collaborative project.

To me the fact that strangers from around the world can come together to contribute to a common endeavor is the book’s greatest achievement.

written for

Blogophilia Week 2.7 Topic: It’s In The Stars!!

Bonus Points:

(Hard, 2 points) quote Warren Buffet (not the Margarita Jimmy Buffet! Ha!)*

 (Easy, 1 point) incorporate a conspiracy theory

*Risk comes from not knowing what you’re doing.