“I can’t believe it. I’m afraid to believe it.” She held up Carter’s letter that had been delivered to Abney via military transport. The mail was running again, but the delivery was unpredictable at best. They’d both read Carter’s letter several times. Roy and Georgia had read it too. They’d cried and laughed and cried some more. Carter and Lanh were coming home.
“God is good,” Max said, pulling her onto his lap.
“All the time,” she whispered, as Grace pushed herself into a standing position, toddled across the porch, and insisted on climbing up with them.
The lights were still out.
Food was scarce.
Life was hard.
But Carter was on his way home, and the federal government was sending out advance parties to establish a presence in rural areas. In Texas that would be in county seats, which meant Abney.
They had all changed since that afternoon they’d been hiking at Colorado Bend State Park, the afternoon that the largest solar flare in recorded history had plunged their world into darkness. Their jobs had changed. Their way of living had changed. The things they did to help and protect one another had changed.
But inside, Shelby felt like the same girl who had gone to the senior prom with Max Berkman. He was the love of her life, and she could trust him with her heart. That was what she had learned. That he was trustworthy, as was God.
In spite of what had happened or would happen in the future, she understood that truth. He was good—all the time.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. In the second chapter we see that Shelby’s attitude toward her son has changed over the course of the last year. She understands that he is a man now, and that she no longer needs to treat him as a child. How does a change in attitude like this affect the way we relate to one another? In the Bible, 1 Corinthians 13:11, we read, “When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.” What does this verse mean to you?
2. In chapter 12, Shelby explains to Max that she has changed. She says, “I feel stronger than I’ve ever been.” Can hard times do that to you…make you stronger? Why or why not? In Psalm 28:7, David says, “The LORD is my strength and my shield.” In what ways is this true in your life?
3. When Shelby and Lanh are discussing his family, Shelby realizes most problems can be overcome, but “not knowing…it was something that weighed on you constantly.” Do you agree? If all technology were taken away, would you miss communication—phone calls and emails and texts—the most? Why or why not?
4. In chapter 22, Carter admits to himself that he has an “on-again, off-again” relationship with God. He has no trouble believing when he sees the bounty of God’s creation, but he can’t understand why bad things happen to good people. Do you know anyone who struggles with this? Where in the Bible can we point them for comfort? (When I’m struggling, the words found in the book of Job, chapters 38–42, have been particularly helpful.)
5. Chapter 29 portrays a difficult scene of vigilante justice. Max is torn by what they are doing. He has dedicated his life to law and order, and yet he feels a need to protect the families that Hugo and his goons would prey on in the future. Are the group’s actions justified? Was there a better solution? Explain your answer.
6. After the tornado, Carter has an epiphany of sorts. He realizes that “there were times when their lives teetered in the hands of God.” David writes in Psalm 139:16, “Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” What does this verse mean to you? And does it bring you comfort or increase your confusion?
7. Shelby wakes in the country church. As she’s walking outside, she looks back and sees a rainbow of color slipping across their row of backpacks. She thinks of this as a blessing, a sign that God is still in control. Have you had a similar experience? Do you think God sends us reminders that he cares for us? Why or why not?
8. When Shelby sees the lights of New Town, she covers her face with her hands. Carter “understood his mom’s need to put her hands over her face, to hide from the hope that sparkled in front of them.” We do that sometimes. We hide from hope. Read Psalm 3:5; 1 Corinthians 15:58; and Psalm 147:11. What does the Bible say about hope?
9. Did you find the technologies in New Town to be believable? At the end of this book, you will find more detailed information as well as sources where you can read about alternative energy technology that already exists. Why do you think we’re not incorporating this into our power grid more? What are some ways that we could begin to do so?
10. When the group is stopped, waiting for Max to recover from his migraine, Shelby confesses that she is afraid of caring too much. Bianca’s response is, “There’s no such thing.” Sometimes allowing ourselves to care unreservedly for another person can be frightening. Yet our model is God’s love for us, and Paul prays in Ephesians 3:18 that we might have the power “to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.” How can that love embolden us to love others?
AUTHOR’S NOTE
The technology described in New Town does currently exist. In March 2015, Google announced their intention to build a biodome to house their new headquarters. VIT Technical Research Centre of Finland created a prototype for 3D printed trees that harvest solar energy. Wave energy products are in use off the coast of Australia, and the US Department of Energy has invested heavily in the hydrokinetic industry. Wind turbine trees were tested in Paris, France, in 2015. Statistics show that in 2015, 13.44 percent of domestically produced electricity came from renewable energy sources (including solar, wind, hydro, geo, and biomass).
There are, in fact, only three places to cross the Red River between Wichita Falls and Dallas. At many places along the Texas/Oklahoma border, the banks of the Red River are ten feet steep, and while people can descend to the river with four-wheel-drive vehicles, they become stuck when trying to climb back out. For the purposes of this story, I’ve made the banks steeper and less navigable.
The National Cancer Institute estimates that 1,685,210 new cases of cancer were diagnosed in the US alone in 2016. The top four cancers in order of number of patients affected are non-melanoma skin cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer, and prostate cancer. “The number of people living beyond a cancer diagnosis reached nearly 14.5 million in 2014 and is expected to rise to almost 19 million by 2024.” You can find more information at https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/statistics.
The Flint Hills of Kansas is the largest unplowed remnant of tall grass prairie in the world. Located in east-central Kansas, it combines a unique variety of grasslands, wetlands, and woodlands. The area is approximately 157 miles long by 93 miles wide. The hills can be accessed from the Flint Hills Scenic Byway. More information can be found at www.flinthillsdiscovery.org.
Several mock Mars missions have been conducted in recent years. One NASA-financed study took place on a remote site in Hawaii. The yearlong isolation experiment ended on August 29, 2016. The purpose of the study was to evaluate long-term isolation scenarios and how such isolation affected crew members’ health and productivity.
Massive solar flares are not fiction. The Carrington Event occurred September 1-2, 1859. Auroras were seen as far south as the Caribbean, and telegraph systems throughout Europe and North America failed. More recently, large solar storms were recorded in 2003, 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2015. Research by NASA scientists indicate there is a 12 percent chance a large storm will happen in the next ten years. This report stresses that while coronal mass ejections and solar flares are not physically harmful, they could blow out transformers in power grids and disrupt satellite/GPS systems. A recent assessment by the Department of Homeland Security reported to Congress that a massive electromagnetic pulse event caused by a solar flare could leave more than 130 million Americans without power for years.
EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES
Home Solar Pane
ls
Solar panels work by harnessing sunlight, transforming it into energy, and then sending that energy to an inverter, which converts it into electricity. As of October 2015, less than 1 percent of global energy consumption was provided by solar energy, though that percentage is growing exponentially. Germany currently is the leading nation in installed solar energy devices.
The average solar panel size needed to power a home is 600 square feet. According to Forbes magazine, installing solar panels on your home will reduce your electric bill by an average of $84 per month. Estimates on the cost to install solar panels on a home vary widely. Some institutes place the cost at approximately $17,000, while others state it will cost more than $50,000. Though the expense is considered by many to be prohibitive, tax incentives of up to 30 percent exist to encourage conversion to solar energy.
3D Printed Trees
Solar trees blend art and scientific advances in the area of renewable energy. As such, they have increased the visibility of existing and emerging solar technology. They are often used to enhance landscape and complement architecture in commercial or public buildings by promoting awareness, understanding, and adoption of renewable energy. They are not used as a primary source of energy, but rather complementary to rooftop solar systems. Although scientists and engineers continue to develop this type of green technology, it is not currently available for purchase in the public sector.
Ocean Wave Energy
Wave energy harnesses the power along coastal regions and can be installed in nearshore, offshore, and far offshore locations. Advantages of this type of technology include the fact that waves are truly renewable and unlimited, environment friendly, and widely available. There are a variety of methods to harness this kind of energy, including devices that are perpendicular to the direction of the wave, multi-segment floating structures parallel to the direction of the waves, and floating structures. Pilot projects within the United States exist in California, Oregon, and Hawaii. Wave farms also exist in Portugal, the United Kingdom, and Australia. The potential impact on the marine environment is still being studied.
Faraday Cage
A Faraday cage, named after English scientist Michael Faraday, is an enclosure that blocks electric fields. Faraday invented them in 1836. They have the ability to shield whatever is stored inside from external electromagnetic radiation. Common examples of this type of device are MRI machines, microwave ovens, and even suits worn by electrical linemen. They can be small enough to hold a laptop or large enough to protect a tank. As the importance of electromagnetic shielding has grown, Faraday cages have become more widely available. The technology has been applied to the field of electromagnetic compatibility and the design and installation of electromagnetic interference-shielded chambers.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Vannetta Chapman writes inspirational fiction full of grace. She is the author of several novels, including the Pebble Creek Amish series and Anna’s Healing, Joshua’s Mission, and Sarah’s Orphans. Vannetta is a Carol Award winner, and she has also received more than two dozen awards from Romance Writers of America chapter groups. She was a teacher for fifteen years and currently resides in the Texas Hill Country. For more information, visit her at www.VannettaChapman.com.
When the Lights Go Out… Who Will Be Ready?
All Gabe Thompson wanted was a rewarding and challenging career in the US military. He’s about to get his wish.
The government knows that a massive solar flare could plunge the entire world into darkness for decades to come, but few believe it will ever happen. The governor of Texas is hoping it won’t but planning that it could. She implements her brainchild: the top-secret Operation Nightshade, and Gabe suddenly finds himself chosen to train for the end of modern society.
When the government learns their darkest fear is about to become a reality, Gabe can’t warn anyone of the impending disaster—but he can stock his shelves and do everything in his power to ensure his neighbor, Lenora Diaz, will survive as long as possible.
Gabe must race against a cataclysmic solar clock if he hopes to be in position when the blackout descends.
This free, e-only novella prequel is the perfect beginning to an exciting and thoroughly realistic dystopian series.
All It Takes Is One Night to Plunge the World into Darkness
Life in Abney, Texas, is predictable and safe—until the night a massive solar flare wipes out all modern technology.
Shelby Sparks, novelist and single mom, had one goal: to provide for her diabetic son. In the wake of this global disaster, her mission hasn’t changed. Only now, medication is a priceless commodity, and the future resembles an apocalyptic nightmare.
Max Berkman and Shelby were once sweethearts, but he lost his chance at claiming her love years ago. When the abrupt loss of power ushers him into a leadership role, he rises to the occasion. But his highest priority—to keep Shelby and her son safe—could prove to be the biggest challenge of all.
As the brilliant northern lights give way to deep shadows, Max and Shelby’s faith will be tested like never before. Only one rule remains: Find a way to survive.
In this first full novel in an eerily plausible dystopian series, a memorable cast of characters must navigate a familiar world thrown into chaos.
In the Darkness, Anarchy Awakens
When a massive solar flare wiped out all modern technology across the globe, the small town of Abney, Texas, was thrown into chaos. Shelby Sparks and her teenage son, Carter, have found refuge, but Shelby knows she can’t simply remain hidden forever. Carter is a type 1 diabetic in need of insulin—and Shelby will risk her life traveling to Austin to make sure he gets it.
Shelby’s best friend and high school sweetheart, Max Berkman, won’t even consider letting her make the perilous journey alone. Together, they manage to get to the capital—only to discover that while things are desperate in Abney, Austin has turned into an urban nightmare on the brink of anarchy.
Shelby and Max’s search for medical supplies will lead them into terrifying territory, where the only thing more uncertain than finding what they need is the hope of making it out of the city alive.
In this second book in an action-packed dystopian series, survival will be threatened and faith will be put to the ultimate test as a raging storm engulfs America.
ABOUT THE PUBLISHER
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To learn more about Harvest House books and to read sample chapters, visit our website:
www.harvesthousepublishers.com
HARVEST HOUSE PUBLISHERS
EUGENE, OREGON
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