We own property out in the Nevada desert, roughly an hour outside of Montello. There is very little to anything out there. Even Montello, as a town, is barely a town at all with its population of less than 100 people. They do have two bars, though, so they have that going for them.

That's why we like it. No, not the bars. The quiet serene feel of the area.

As my children call the night skies, "It's like our own planetarium!" Out in the middle of this desert oasis, we can look up at the stars and see it all. It's amazing!

So, that's why when our security cameras (motion activated) produced a video of what appeared to be a little black dog on the property, we were confused. Where in the world did he come from? How did he get to our property which is located a good mile or more up a dirt valley road?

The first video we received came in late on a Monday night. The video was slightly fuzzy and we weren't exactly sure what we were looking at. Eventually, we figured out it was a small dog. (See pic to the left. This is a still shot from one of the videos).

Because our property is nearly four hours away, and as sad as it sounds, we figured the little guy wouldn't make it through the night (sooo many coyotes in the area). If he did survive the night, he could be long gone before we got there. The desert is huge.

Tuesday afternoon, we received another motion activated video. The little dog was still there! He was sticking close by our cabin. Now, we were quite concerned. There wasn't water there. We didn't leave food outside. We tried reaching out to some acquaintances in Montello, to see if we might be able to get some help. Unfortunately, we had no luck getting a hold of anyone. My husband was out of town (he was actually sending me the security videos from New Jersey) and due to life being life, I couldn't go out there to check on the dog . We kept trying to get a hold of someone.

 A writing partner, you say? Why in the world would you want one?

Well, let me tell you...if you find the right match, a person who "gets you" and your writing style, then you will have hit writer's gold. In all honesty, I'm not sure that I would be the writer that I am today without my perfect writing partner at my side. She's been there from the beginning, and boy, does she GET ME.

Not only can I bounce ideas off her and get her input, but on the rare occasion that we get together in person, I can sit in my pjs on my laptop, knowing that she too, will be sitting in her pjs writing on her laptop.

Perfection.

Our relationship is the ultimate balance of push and pull. Enough push to get me to put my butt in the chair and my fingers on the laptop. Enough pull that when either of us make a suggestion we don't like, we feel safe to say, "Nope. You can't make me. You're not my real dad."

For example, we were able to meet for a few days for a local writing conference. We stayed in an Airbnb and split the cost (another benefit of having a writing partner/friend). During that time, on our down day, we sat in our pjs (pajamas are the BEST) and did a few writing sprints. We also made goals with rewards as a motivator. If we meet X goal, we get to do Y as a reward. Rewards motivate me, especially if they are the RIGHT rewards.

What kind of goal and reward system does someone like me and my writing partner make? Well, do a couple of writing sprints and if we both feel we've made progress in our writing, we reward ourselves with a nap.

I like naps. And pjs, too, obviously.

You're probably like, WHAT?!? But yes, the idea of being able to go and lay down, uninterrupted, for thirty minutes is a definite motivator. I'm super easy to please.

The perfect writing partner needs to push you, force you to look at the big picture, help you set goals, and help you decide on a plan on how you're going to get there.

Writing can be a lonely endeavor. You sit alone with your thoughts with your fingers on a keyboard. To find someone who understands the process, understands the blinking cursor on a blank page, and the ultimate joy of breaking through the barriers of writer's block can be a game changer.

But you HAVE to find the right partner for you. There has to be equal give and take.

I have found mine, and I'm incredibly grateful that I did (I sure hope she feels the same).

Here's a couple of good reasons to find a good writing partner:

1) When you're riddled with self-doubt, they can help push you through it with their encouragement.

2) Having someone with a fresh perspective is a total benefit when you're unsure which direction to take your plot.

3) They become someone to be accountable to.

4) They are someone you know who will be truly honest with you. They will tell you if they like your characters and story line or if they think you've lost your damn mind and you're driving your story right off the rails. Honesty is super important. You get almost instant feedback from them.

5) They will help balance you out. You won't be strong in every area of writing, but where you might be weak, they might be strong. They could help strengthen aspects of your writing that you struggle with. Your writing skills will improve because of this.

6) Helping someone with their story will help you have a more critical eye when it comes to your own work, and it will also give your subconscious a break from your own story and time to think through issues you might be having.

You might be asking yourself, "Okay, Smarty Pants. Sounds like a writing buddy might be awesome, but where do I find my perfect writing partner?"

Again with the honesty, it might take a bit of looking to find that perfect match. Just like finding love in your life, you might have to kiss a lot of writer toads until you find the right toad for you. Kind of a bad analogy, but you get the drift. Not every writer you meet will be a good fit. But don't give up.

Your perfect writing partner is out there, if you keep looking. (I found mine years ago, through a local writing group).

I will list a few links to articles below that give you ideas on where you can start looking for your perfect match.

Basically, be open to the idea of finding a great writing friend and partner. And even more importantly, BE a great writing friend and partner once you find them. The benefits are SO worth it.

40 Places to Find a Critique Partner

Where to Find Critique Partners and Groups

Critique Partner Match

After a long long time (I know, I know), the second book in the ANYONE? series is FINALLY HERE! Grab your copy and continue on the apocalyptic roller coaster ride that will leave you breathless and hopefully wanting more (and more is coming)! 

To celebrate this long-awaited release, it is GIVEAWAY time! I'm putting together ONE GIANT prize package, so all of the following could be yours by entering the Rafflecopter below.

Good luck and thanks for helping me spread the word!

PRIZES! PRIZES! PRIZES!

GUEST POST BY: Mike Johnson (Website: Mike's Gear Reviews)

It has begun, the dreaded zombie apocalypse is upon us! Grab your survival gear as we give you the DON’TS of zombie survival disguised as good and seemingly logical ideas.

Zombie Tactic Fail no. 1: First stop… The Gun Store!

Unless some of you have been living under the proverbial rock, we all know that zombies can only be killed by destroying the brain or removal of the head. Of course it makes perfect sense to surround yourself abundant in guns and ammo so the first thing that comes to mind is to head out for a trip to the gun store.

Why it will get you killed:
You arrive at the venue to grab all the guns you can possibly carry then arm yourself to the teeth with the perfect in-and-out plan. Only to find yourself with everything BUT the guns. It did not occur to you that everyone else has the same idea. No weapons, just desperate people.

Solution:
Before the world goes awry, own a gun, in fact, you should have your own zombie stomping arsenal ready as early as last year.

Zombie Hunting Arsenal:
– Handguns / Revolvers
– Shotguns
– Machine Guns
– Grenades
– Crossbow
– Knife
– Hatchet
– Katana – Side Note: Ideal for in-laws, and ex’s (of the Zombie variety, of course)
– Baseball bat with barbed wire

Note: Teach your family to safely use guns.

Zombie Tactic Fail no. 2: Evacuate Immediately
Panic spreads faster than wildfire as news tells of the recently deceased finding their way into the city. Potential danger is in its all time high and with it, paranoia. That passerby, the delivery guy, your own neighbor, anybody could be infected! You gather your family, pack everything including clothes and food then venture out of the city.

Why it will get you killed:
Your inner voice screams only of three words that are clearer than the summer sky: Leave the city! So you do. It could be the fear disorienting you but poor judgement has led you to the nearest exit with the rest of the population. Vehicles crowd a small road then start to bottleneck and eventually, traffic comes to a halt. The perfect setup for zombie buffet.

Solution:

Bug-Out
Always be prepared to leave.Your closet should contain a bag ready for any and all disasters, preferably a backpack containing only the essentials, emergency kit, a few clothes and of course food that will last you for days.

Once leaving home, avoid the main path for it may lead to crowded streets and we all know what comes after that. Stealthily head to the back route instead.

Bug In
Your home should always be well stocked. In this way you also avoid panic buying at the last possible minute. Food with long expiration dates, medicine, clean water and extra fuel.

While brimming the storage with supplies is important, setting up home defenses is equally vital, keep in mind that this is the zombie apocalypse.

Wait until all the commotion dies down (pun not intended) before leaving.

Zombie Tactic Fail no. 3: Turn Your House Into a Fortress
Events like these in zombie films, there scenes in which people are watching the television where the news anchor or government official will say “stay in your homes and lock the doors.” A large percentage will do this. Not only that, they also bar every window with heavy objects found around the house then stay as long as they can or until the special forces come and rescue them.

Why it will get you killed:
In how many living dead themed movies have you seen the cavalry arriving at the end? Not many because most of the time, the authorities get overrun as well. Those who rely on their promise end up disappointed or worse.

How long can you last a siege with what you have on hand now? A week? A month? Even with weapons stockpiled to carry you through countless waves, Zombies can wait… FOREVER!

Zombie Tactic Fail no. 4: Use Close Fighting (Melee) Weapons
They are coming to get you! Zombies approach limping, crawling, brisk walking as they spot you out in the open. With whatever you are holding, be it a shovel, a bat or a machete, you decided to fight. It will be easy because they do not possess the reflexes to dodge attacks and their only combat skill is grabbing and biting. You swing away in frenzy at the horde and kill a lot of them.

Why it will get you killed:
First off, it’s not everyday you use melee weapons to kill so chances are, you do not know how to, especially, at the beginning of this extinction level event.

Considering that you have the superior fighting skills, realistically speaking, sooner or later you will tire and at that moment, be in snacking range.

Solutions:
Run – Take it from Rick from The Walking Dead, don’t take chances and in this case, your best defense is to avoid confrontation. Just rush to a safe place. Invest on cardio now for when the time comes, you’ll be glad you did.

Wear protective gear – Your safety precaution checklist should include wearing the proper protective gear. It will be worn most of the day so it must be comfortable and light so you are mobile, you are fighting zombies and the downside of having a heavy metallic armor is exhausting yourself. Against a group, it would be useless as they will eventually overpower you.

All it takes is one bite so leave nothing exposed. Walkers usually target the arms, shoulders and neck. As for the crawlers, the calves and ankles. It wouldn’t hurt to add extra on these.

Shoot from a distance – If you have a gun, then utilize its long range capability. The perks of owning one and knowing how to use it makes you indispensable. To be able to take every zombie down from afar makes you and your group invincible.

Use a rope – Zombies are clumsy. They bump into garbage cans, fall in ditches and get themselves caught in obvious traps. In other words, they are not that bright (could explain why they are after the brains). Now roping those zombie feet, while it does not do quite much damage, it immobilizes them for a moment and grants you time to either run or bash their heads. Simple and effective.

Zombie Tactic Fail no. 5: Aim For the Head
When the world turns upside down, you might have difficulty locating active ammo manufacturers. Best conserve your ammo until you do so it is key to aim for the zombies’ weak spot which is the head. It saves you the effort and the next shot intended for that other zombie.

Why it will get you killed:
How good a shot are you? When you see one coming at you are you able to think clearly and hit the head? You might find that it is not that easy and before you know it, you have spent your ammo. Then the noise you made with the barrage of rounds have invited more zombies to your area. You may be carrying the latest model of semi-automatic rifles complete with attachments such as night vision scope, laser sight, foregrip and even a grenade launcher but failure to fully utilize spells doom for you.

Solution:
Practice your aim some other time. In situations like these aim for something bigger, the pelvis.
Your goal is to survive. Yes, shattering the hip bone does not kill it but if one goes down, then you’ve got one less zombie to worry about. There could also be a chance for the next zombie to trip on the fallen undead.

Zombie Tactic Fail no. 6: Live Off the Land
So you managed to get out of the city, travel far and find a piece of safe haven in the outskirts. The land is flourishing and full of life, seemingly untouched by man. First thing you do is secure the area and set up camp. After days you notice several deers wandering. Fresh meat is suddenly back in the menu.

Why it will get you killed:Unless the area is really remote, in circumstances like these, it is most likely for you to serious experience competition with a lot of hungry hunters. You don’t suppose you’re the only one in search of land do you?

Solution:
It is imperative to stockpile or buy emergency food early on. There will come a time when animals are hunted faster than they can reproduce. Whether you blame it on the seasons or blame it on other men but one thing’s for sure, after they have moved on, emergency food is your only hope.

Zombie Tactic Fail no. 7: Going Alone
You have the athleticism, can hold your own in a fight, has high survival IQ and a green thumb to go with it, you are the epitome of a survivalist, what more could you possibly need? Everyone else is considered dead weight. Getting in your way, saving and carrying them on your back all the time. Also risking your own safety for them. Hindrances are what they are.

Why it will get you killed:Human beings are generally social creatures. Let’s say you can scavenge, hunt and defend yourself without the aid of a party, but in times you become frail and sickly you’ll realise their importance. Working in groups is how we have survived for thousands of years. While it is possible to live on by going solo or in a small group, ultimately, to go from survival to thriving, you will need a team assigned for different tasks such as hunting, fishing, farming and growing crops. Civilizations begin this way.

Solution:
Join a trustworthy group. Bear in mind that non-combatant members do not automatically render themselves useless. Who knows, one might have expertise in designing defenses, another could be a doctor. Not only would it raise your chances of survival, now you have a better shot at triumphantly taking back the world. Of course you should still have your survival gear with you at all times.

Bonus: The Walking Dead DIY Survival Kit1. Solid bug-out bag (backpack)
2. Water purification filter & 2-liter hydration bag
3. High-energy, easy to store & tasty food
4. Shelter – high quality rain poncho that can be used as a tarp
5. Fire starter – stormproof matches, fire starter
6. Tools – Knife wrapped in paracord and sharpening stone, multi-tool
7. First aid kit
8. Stay warm – space blanket and/or sleeping bag
9. Tactical LED Flashlight and/or glowstick
10. All purpose paracord belt
11. Hand crank radio
12. Navigation tools – mirror, compass

That’s my round-up of the survival gear that will help you survive a Zombie apocalypse!  Check out my gear reviews to find the best survival gear for you!

WANT MORE?
6 Essential Items You Need to Prepare During a Zombie Apocalypse
10 Best Survival V Shows [Like The Walking Dead]