Showing results by author "Kurt Johnson" in All Categories

Two young women attending college decide to have a summer adventure canoeing the rapids-strewn Thelon River that runs 450 miles through the uninhabited Barren Lands of subarctic Canada. Holly made the trip once before with a group of skilled paddlers she trained with at camp, and she wants to share that experience with her friend and lover, Lee, believing it will draw them closer. But a week in, Holly, the risk-taker, falls while taking a selfie near the edge of a cliff. She is left injured and comatose, and soon dies.

Look, I get it. You’re the one who lies awake at night wondering what happens if the grid goes down for real. Not a blip, not a “honey, the WiFi’s acting up again” moment, but a real-deal, no-power, no-911, stores-cleared-out, chaos-in-the-streets kind of shutdown. And when that moment comes—and it very well might—the weight is going to fall squarely on your shoulders. Because if you're anything like me, you know that when stuff hits the fan, you're not just protecting yourself. You're protecting your wife, your kids, your home, and every single person who’s counting on you to...

Or: How I Ended Up Prepping in the Candy Aisle Next to a Singing Birthday Card I’m not too proud to admit it—I once bought a pack of glow sticks, a can of potted meat, a travel-sized sewing kit, and a plastic back scratcher all in one trip to the dollar store. The cashier didn’t even blink. Just slid it all across the scanner with that judgment-free professionalism you only find in folks who’ve seen weirder combinations on the regular. I smiled, paid $5.35 with tax, and walked out of there feeling like a dang prepper genius. See, I’m a big believer that survival doesn’t have to ...

Let me guess—you’ve felt it too. That little gut-pull when the power flickers during a storm. That twitch of anxiety when the shelves at your local grocery store are weirdly empty two days in a row. Or that tiny voice in your head that goes, What would I do if this all just... stopped working? Welcome to Low-Tech Survival—where we talk about what happens when the power’s gone, the internet’s toast, and the stuff we’ve come to rely on (like food magically appearing at the store) just doesn’t show up anymore. This isn’t a “panic now” kind of book. No doomsday countdowns or...

Humanity is currently facing a series of interconnected emergencies that threaten our very survival—from climate change to economic inequality and beyond. And yet, at the same time, a global shift towards harnessing our collective power to create a life-affirming future is flourishing. Featuring chapters by forty-three leading-edge contributors, Our Moment of Choice provides eye-opening and inspirational visions for a unified, peaceful, and thriving world.

Or: The Time I Cooked Eggs on a Shovel and Felt Like a Genius (Sorta) I’ve always said that survival isn’t just about gear—it’s about grit. It’s about figuring things out when everything around you has gone sideways and the instructions blew away in the wind. Now don’t get me wrong, I love a good emergency kit and I’ll nerd out on bug-out bags with the best of ’em, but the truth is, the real magic? It’s in the hacks. The little tricks. The weird workarounds. The stuff you figure out because you had to—or because some brilliant (and possibly slightly unhinged) friend ...

So, you’re thinking about food storage. Maybe you’re just getting started, or maybe you’ve been on this journey for a while, trying to figure out the best way to keep you and your family fed in case things go sideways. Either way, you’re in the right place. Because, let's face it—food is one of the most important things we all need to survive. But when disaster strikes, it’s not always easy to just pop into the grocery store for what you need. The shelves might be empty, the power might be out, or the roads could be blocked. And in those situations, having a stash of food you ...

Alright, let’s get real for a second. If you're reading this, chances are you're already concerned about the world we live in. Maybe you've heard the buzz about EMP attacks, or maybe you just have a gut feeling that disaster is coming sooner rather than later. Either way, you’re in the right place. Now, let me start by saying—don’t panic. This isn’t the end of the world. Not yet, anyway. But an EMP (Electromagnetic Pulse) could throw a wrench into your daily life like you wouldn’t believe. One blast from a high-altitude detonation, and suddenly, your smartphone, car, fridge, and...

The Outlaw Shuffle—a psychological thriller with a satirical twist—tells the story of an abduction, a chase across the Southwest during the pandemic summer of 2020, and a final showdown in Las Vegas. Hugh is a dishonored psychologist and lonely widower traveling in an RV who abducts a woman simply for the companionship he believes will ensue. His victim is the fifties-something Josephine or Jo. Her husband, Bray, and a ragtag group of social media followers give chase based on leads gleaned from social media. The Southwest of 2020 was a place filled with suspicion. Social discord was ...

We all like to think the world’s a safe place, and most of the time, it is. But every now and then, something unexpected happens—whether it’s a natural disaster, an economic collapse, or something else that shakes things up. And when that happens, the last thing you want is to be scrambling to figure out what to do or where to turn. I’m Kurt Johnson, and if you’re reading this, I bet you’re looking to avoid that panic. Maybe you’ve realized it’s time to be a little more prepared, to have a plan in place for your family—because when things get tough, the last thing you want...

If you had told me years ago that I’d be labeling shelves in our basement for rice, beans, and backup batteries while my wife muttered “you’ve officially lost it,” I probably would’ve shrugged and said, “Yeah, but we’ll still be eating when the lights go out.” Welcome to my life. I’m Kurt Johnson. Husband to the world’s most patient woman, Trish. Dad to two smart, sarcastic, occasionally horrified daughters named Stephanie and Alexandria. And full-time prepper-slash-human tornado who believes duct tape, coffee, and a solid bug out plan can solve 98 percent of life’s ...

Let’s get this out of the way: I’m not here to scare you. But if you’ve ever sat in the dark with a dead phone, a melting freezer, and zero clue what to do next—you already know a little fear can be useful. That flicker of “uh-oh” is your brain telling you it’s time to do something. Ideally before the lights go out, but hey, better late than never. Power outages aren’t rare anymore. Storms hit harder, grids fail more often, and sometimes things just fall apart. One minute you’re reheating leftovers and scrolling social media, the next you’re using a headlamp to check if ...

Let me set the stage. I’m Kurt Johnson, husband to the ever-patient Trish, and dad to two fierce, brilliant daughters, Stephanie and Alexandria. I’m also the unfortunate best friend of a man named Jackson, who smells like a gym sock that lost a bet with a skunk. Jackson is a prepper too, and despite the fact that you can smell him from three zip codes away, the man knows his survival tricks. He’s like a foul-smelling Swiss Army knife—completely essential, utterly offensive. This book isn’t about building a bunker with 12 years’ worth of chili and ammo stacked to the rafters. ...

Living a Spirit-Filled Life will help you find answers and point you to a life-changing journey under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Weaving together biblical wisdom and personal accounts, author Kurt Johnson creates a practical and compelling guide to living a Spirit-filled life, what it means and how to experience the Holy Spirits presence daily.

Let’s be real: Toilet paper is one of those things we don’t really think about until it’s gone. We grab it at the store without a second thought, throw it in the cart, and forget about it until the next time we need it. But here’s the thing—if a crisis hits, or if stores are shut down for any reason, toilet paper can become incredibly hard to come by. And when that happens, you’ll be glad you’ve stocked up and thought ahead. Trust me. Now, I know what you’re thinking. “Toilet paper? Really?” Yes, really. It’s an essential. When you’re preparing for emergencies, ...

Teach ‘Em Now, Thank Yourself Later Here’s the truth I learned the hard way—kids don’t magically know how to survive a power outage, a busted water main, or a weekend in the woods when the lighter won’t work. They’re not born knowing how to build a fire, bandage a cut, or navigate without GPS. And they sure don’t learn it by watching cartoons or scrolling on a tablet. If we want our kids to be capable, calm, and resourceful in an emergency, we have to teach them. Now don’t get me wrong—this isn’t about raising little doomsday preppers with camo face paint and MREs in ...

Water. It’s one of the most basic necessities for survival, yet it’s often the first thing people overlook when they think about prepping. We plan for food, shelter, security—but water? We just assume it’ll always be there. But in a disaster scenario, access to clean, safe water might be the first thing to go, and when it does, you’ll realize just how crucial it is. Imagine a world where the taps stop running, the bottled water shelves are empty, and the filtration systems are down. That’s not a situation you want to find yourself in without a plan. Having a reliable water ...

If you’re reading this, chances are you’ve heard the term “martial law” tossed around, especially in times of crisis or political turmoil. You’ve probably wondered, “What does that really mean for me?” And you might have thought, “How can I prepare for something like that?” Well, that’s exactly what we’re going to dive into here. Martial law sounds like something straight out of a dystopian novel, but the reality is, it’s been implemented at different times in history for various reasons, from natural disasters to civil unrest. It’s something that could—...

In Kurt Johnson's debut novel, Las Vegas Turnaround, readers are catapulted into the underbelly of 1980s Las Vegas. It's a world where not even the bright lights of the Strip can drive out the darkness that accompanies the whirlwind of drugs, prostitution, and violence. The latter finally gets the better of Claire, a street-smart escort who misjudges a customer once and pays for it dearly. After she's brutally raped and beaten, she wants out. She tries hard to build a calm, mainstream life, but it soon becomes clear that's an impossibility in this town. Her meathead brother-in-law, Wood, ...

Alright, let’s get real for a second. We all know that life can throw some serious curveballs. Whether it’s a natural disaster, a grid-down situation, or just life throwing a wrench in your plans, the one thing you can count on is chaos. But here’s the kicker – you can control how you respond to that chaos. And a huge part of that? Your family’s ability to communicate when the world around you is falling apart. Now, I know what you’re thinking – “This all sounds great, but how in the world do I even begin?” Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. This book isn’t about ...