Bobby Akart - Desolation

Creating a novel that is both informative and entertaining requires a tremendous team effort. Writing is the easy part.

For their efforts in making the Nuclear Winter series a reality, I would like to thank Hristo Argirov Kovatliev for his incredible artistic talents in creating my cover art. He and my multitalented wife, Dani, collaborate to create the most incredible cover art in the publishing business. A huge hug of appreciation goes out to Pauline Nolet, the Professor , for her editorial prowess and patience in correcting this writer’s same tics as we approach publishing sixty novels together. Thank you, Drew Avera, a United States Navy veteran, who has brought his talented formatting skills from a writer’s perspective to create multiple formats for reading my novels. A round of applause for Kevin Pierce, the beloved voice of the apocalypse, who brought my words to life in audio format.

Now, for the serious stuff. Accurately portraying the aftermath of nuclear war required countless hours of never-ending research and interviews with some of the brightest minds in the world of planetary science.

Once again, as I immersed myself in the science and history, source material and research flooded my inbox from around the globe. Without the assistance of many individuals and organizations, this story could not be told. Please allow me a moment to acknowledge a few of those individuals without whom, and their tireless efforts and patience, the Nuclear Winter series could not have been written.

Many thanks to the preeminent researchers and engineers at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado. Between responses to my inquiries and the volumes of scientific publications provided, I was able to grasp the catastrophic effect a regional nuclear war would have upon the Earth and its atmosphere. They impressed upon me the danger of inundating our air with the results of these massive nuclear detonations. It would result in a climatic event akin to the eruption of the Yellowstone supervolcano.

A shout-out must go to Brian Toon, professor of atmospheric and oceanic sciences at the University of Colorado Boulder. He has been a tireless advocate warning all who’ll listen of the consequences of nuclear winter. This quote had a profound effect on me and led to the writing of the Nuclear Winter series— It could potentially end global civilization as we know it . In other words, TEOTWAWKI.

At Rutgers University, Distinguished Professor and acclaimed climatologist Alan Robock has been studying the potential threat of nuclear winter with a particular focus on the human impact. The incredibly fast cooling of the planet would trigger a global famine and mass starvation. His models of fires and firestorms in the aftermath of a nuclear war provided me detailed estimates of the extent of wildfires as well as the timeframes associated with the smoke and soot lofted into the atmosphere.

For this final installment in the series, a message of appreciation and admiration to Dr. Alexander Leaf, famed physician and research scientist. His collaboration with Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School led to a pioneering study on the impact of nuclear winter on the planet. I share the salient points from his extensive research in my Author’s Note at the end of this novel.

Now, to the special friends and acquaintances who helped make my characters realistic. Admittedly, my exposure to teenagers is nonexistent. Yet, from time to time, I have teen characters who speak a different language, sort of. In order to add a sense of realism to their dialogue, I call upon a number of resources to enlighten me on their own unique vocabulary.

Thank you to Pam and Tim Johnson, who reached out to their teenage grandson, Simon Andrews. He’s credited with a number of phrases in the Nuclear Winter series, including Yeet! Dear reader, this interesting term was explained within First Strike , book one.

Thank you to Jessica Devenny, referred to me via Pam Johnson and her bestie, Betsy. Jessica’s sons, Jacob and Parker, also helped to fill my teenspeak dictionary.

Also, Dani’s followers on Instagram were up to the task. Instagram is one of the few social media networks where the vast majority of your interactions are positive compared to Facebook and the downright nasty Twitter platform. When called upon, hundreds of terms and phrases were offered. Thanks to you all!

The cigar selections in Nuclear Winter: First Strike were suggested by my friend Brad Levy. Brad has read all of my novels, twice, in most cases. He always looks forward to his day on the lanai, enjoying a fine cigar and a good book. Thank you, my friend!

Finally, as always, a special thank you to my team of loyal friends who’ve always supported my work and provided me valuable insight from a reader’s perspective—Denise Keef, Joe Carey, Shirley Nicholson, Bennita Barnett, Karl Hughey, and Brian Alderman.

For the Nuclear Winter series, several avid readers volunteered to make my writing more better : Martin McDonell, Cody McDonell, Diane Ash, Rusty Ballard, Joe Hoyt, Cecilia Kilgore Sutton, Thelma Applegate, Joyce Maurer, Annie Kercher-Bosche, Steven Smith, Leslie Bryant, Tim Coppess, Caryl Lynne Honea, Mike Neubecker, Colt Payne, Pete Steffens, and Kelly Trone.

Thanks, y’all, and Choose Freedom!

With the love and support of my wife, Dani, together with the unconditional love of Bullie and Boom, the princesses of the palace, I’m able to tell you these stories. It would be impossible for me to write without them in my heart.

Freedom and security are precious gifts that we, as Americans, should never take for granted. I would like to thank the men and women, past and present, of the United States Armed Forces for willingly making sacrifices each day to provide us that freedom and security. Also, a note of thanks to their families, who endure countless sleepless nights as their loved ones are deployed around the world.

They are the sheepdogs who live to protect the flock. They bravely and unselfishly confront the wolves who threaten our country, our freedoms, and their brothers in arms from those who would bring destruction to our door.

Choose Freedom!

February 2021

Since scientific discoveries in the late 1930s made nuclear weapons a possibility, the world began to realize they posed an enormous threat to humanity. In 1942, with the secretive research effort in the U.S. known as the Manhattan Project, a race toward nuclear supremacy began. Since their very first use in World War II, different leaders and organizations have been trying to prevent proliferation to additional countries. Despite their efforts, more nation-states than ever before have obtained nuclear weapons.

Following pioneering research from scientists in the early 1980s, the world was introduced to the concept of nuclear winter. Researchers had known that a large nuclear war could cause severe global environmental effects, including dramatic cooling of surface temperatures, declines in precipitation, and increased ultraviolet radiation.

The term nuclear winter was coined specifically to refer to atmospheric cooling that resulted in winter-like temperatures occurring year-round. Regardless of whether extreme cold temperatures were reached, there would be severe consequences for humanity. But how severe would those consequences be? And what should the world be doing about it?

To the first question, the short answer is nobody knows with absolute certainty. The total human impacts of nuclear winter are both uncertain and under-studied. The aftereffects of the twin atomic bombs dropped on Japan to end World War II were not analyzed in depth. More research on the impacts would be very helpful, but treaties have limited nuclear weapons testing. Therefore research, other than theoretical conclusions, has been limited.