by Geo Dell
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JESSIE
Jessie Stone brings a real doctor to the nation. She is level headed, pragmatic, and straight forward when it comes to her needs and her beliefs, but she also has a humorous side.
Jessie was serious when she told Mike that she wanted him. And, although Mike turned her down she did not change her mind. The feelings she had did not go away, in fact they grew stronger as she came to understand the leader of the Nation as he guided them back to the valley.
She set out from Washington State to form a haven like the Nation. She and her followers called that place The Fold.
The months ahead will determine Jessie's place in the Nation , and quite possibly change several relationships in the process.
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MIKE
Mike Collins is the leader of the people and remains the leader through nearly all the novels.
We know Mike used to do Web Design work, that he had a great deal of money in the old world, but that he was unhappy (He says so in retrospect). He had no girlfriend and was pretty much wrapped up in making money that he didn't need. He just socked it into a bank account and left it there, when he explains this towards the end of book one he gives the impression that knowing that money was there (He talks about a few million dollars) was a big deal to him, as though it may have ruled his life.
Mike didn't set out to be the leader. It was the dynamic formed by the relationship with Candace that pushed him into that role. As though the relationship bought the responsibility with it. Later in the series the role is a bigger responsibility than he wants to handle. The people he's responsible for number in the thousands, and continue to grow.
Mike is mixed race, Native American, White, African American. He spent some time on the streets as a kid. Candace is his first real love.
Later in the series Mike will go through many changes, first trying to find himself, then trying to find his place in life. His search may take him away from Candace.
Other Information
In the novel Alone Mike has a small part finishing up some computer work for one the main characters.
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PATTY
Patty comes into the series in the first book and becomes Candace's best friend immediately. She admits in her diary writings that she has never had a friend like Candace.
She doesn't tell us much about her life in the old world. Married, divorced and married again and that was on the verge of failure too.
She talks about Ronnie in some of her writings as if he is all she ever wanted, but in some of her writings she's not so sure. In a few of her writings she seems to be hinting at some sort of realization she has come to too late. That may become clearer in the later books.
In any case she is completely devoted and loyal to Candace, and she plays an important part in the lives of all the characters right to the end of the series.
Patty plays one of the Title Roles in the novel Kat and Pat. In that book she reveals a great deal about herself in her previous life.
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PEARL
Pearl comes to us from England. She doesn't say how she happened to be in the United States when the apocalypse started.
She made her way to The Nation with another group of people and met Billy shortly after. It is only after she is there for some time that she reveals information that she has about the apocalypse.
Pearl likes her life with Billy, but she longs for England, and wonders what has become of her home. For now she is content to be a part of the Outrunners.
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RONNIE
Ronnie came to us in the first book already involved with Patty and seemingly happy with his situation. There are references to conversations between him and Mike that cemented their relationship, but no actual written record of those conversations.
Ronnie is Mike's right hand man. Mike says he is a completion of himself and he depends on him and seeks his advice. Mike discuses nearly everything with him. Several times he and Candace are the only ones that Mike takes into his confidence or seems to trust with the really big things.
We know Ronnie came from Pritchard Alabama. Pritchard is a small city on the outskirts of Mobile Alabama. He came to Watertown to build houses for the Army base expansion and stayed.
He is a carpenter by trade. Quiet, solid, loyal are apt descriptive words for him. His relationship with Patty probably would not have happened had the world not changed drastically. Patty was waiting for something else she didn't even know she was waiting for at the time. Ronnie saw her regularly, they lived in the same apartment house, Ronnie lived in 2c, patty lived one floor below in 1b. They both shopped at the same supermarket on State street, Ronnie didn't like to shop at all. But as often as he saw her in passing he never asked her out, although he admits he had thought about it a few times.
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TIM
Tim is Patty's brother, or at least that is the way she presents him and he doesn't correct that perception. A little more on that down the road...
Tim is really not much more than a kid when we meet him in the first book. When Annie comes along he is immediately attracted to her. They are both about the same age.
Tim looks up to Ronnie. He views Ronnie as the man who came along and saved himself and Patty. Most likely that is exactly what happened as they were on the North Side and would have been picked up by the North Side gangs before long. Traveling with Ronnie probably stopped that from happening. Tim looks at him as an older brother he never had. Stability in a bad situation.
Tim also looks up to Mike and Mike is fond of Tim. That is evidenced in the things Mike trusts him with.
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TOM
Tom Evans comes into the first novel as a man who really doesn't know himself. He goes from a position of leadership to last in line for responsibility once Mike Collins is leading.
He felt cheated at first when Candace went with Mike. His belief was that if things could have stayed the same she would have ended up with him, not Mike. He doesn't want to leave Watertown at first but eventually he comes around to the realization that he can't stay. Still, he remains in Mikes shadow.
He is a skilled Mechanic. He shows that he has a little more depth than he normally shows in his journal entries, especially after Lydia is killed.
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THE NATION
The Nation is situated between the former states of Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, and extends to the East and West as well as it grows.
That settlement is the heart of The Nation, but The Nation is not the only group of survivors vying for control of the former United States. The Fold is another group that will eventually come into conflict with The Nation, but there are others they will have to deal with as they grow and begin to take new territories.
Although The Nation will always remain headquartered in the valley, not all the main characters will. As they grow they will spread out across what is left of the North American Continent, and that is when the real problems with other survivors will come.
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THE FOLD
The fold is peopled by the survivors from the Earth's Survivors Settlement Earth Books. They initially start their settlements on what remains of the west coast, but soon move away from the coast and the continuing earthquakes.
They resettle at an oasis in the desert and become The Nations greatest rival, even enemies.
The two groups will finally face off against each other in all out war in the later books.
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RAPID CITY
Rapid City was established by people other than The Nation. At one time a Zombie stronghold, it was wiped out each time it was reestablished. Eventually The Nation will gain a stronghold there and Rapid City will become a gateway into the south, and Alabama Island beyond.
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THE BOOK SERIES
The book series consists of more than twenty books that are already written for the main series. The publishing schedule was aimed at two books per year, one in the spring,
one in the fall. The decision was made to end the series in early Spring of 2016 with much left unpublished. Legal arrangements were made for the remaining books to be given over to another writer for possible future publication.
ABOUT THE SERIES CREATOR AND AUTHOR
Wendell (Dell) Sweet wrote his first fiction at age seventeen. He drove taxi and worked as a carpenter for most of his life. He began working on the internet in 1989 primarily in HTML, graphics and website optimizations. He spent time on the streets as a drug addicted teen as well as time in prison. He was Honorably discharged from the service in 1974.
He is a Musician who writes his own music as well as lyrics. He is an Artist accomplished in Graphite, Pen, and Digital media. He has written more than twenty books for the Earth's Survivors series, many of which are unpublished, and several dozen short stories.
All music, lyrics, artwork or additional written materials attributed to characters in this novel, unless otherwise noted, are Copyright © 2015 Dell Sweet.