Desperate Times Series by Nicholas Antinozzi, Steve Peterson

Despite all the warning bells, Black Friday arrives as a devastating tidal wave that completely destroys our fragile economy in a single day. There is panic in the streets as banks close their doors, seemingly forever, at noon. Store shelves are swept bare and the gas pumps soon run dry. Jimmy Logan watches in disbelief as his world crumbles before his eyes... moreDespite all the warning bells, Black Friday arrives as a devastating tidal wave that completely destroys our fragile economy in a single day. There is panic in the streets as banks close their doors, seemingly forever, at noon. Store shelves are swept bare and the gas pumps soon run dry. Jimmy Logan watches in disbelief as his world crumbles before his eyes.Luckily, he has friends who have planned ahead for this nightmarish scenario and he joins up with a group who plan to ride the storm out in northern Minnesota. Some of their group will be dead before the sun sets. Jimmy soon finds himself in the battle of his life. The world changes in a single day and there seems to be no going back. People want what they have and they are willing to do anything, even kill, to get it.The government responds to the crisis by using the National Guard to round up the population and to secure them in relocation camps. Those who resist are shot.This is Jimmy's story, but the premise might have been torn from today's headlines. The diverse group of people in this story could be your neighbors; your relatives, and this is a very realistic look at what the future might hold for all of us.What would you do to feed your family if you suddenly found that your life savings was as worthless as yesterday's newspaper? How far would you go to protect what you had, in case it was all that stood between you and starvation? Desperate Times explores these questions from Jimmy's point of view, the result is a thought-provoking story that may change the way you look at the world. less

Desperate times continue to grind on with no sign of Martial Law ending soon or any hope that the economic crisis has subsided. Jimmy and his group learn of another camp of refugees that live not ten miles away from them. The group has adopted a 1960's era commune theme, complete with hippie slang and a flower child mentality. The commune was created out of one of the grand old lodges of northern Minnesota and is called Utopia, and they have one rule: No guns allowed... moreDesperate times continue to grind on with no sign of Martial Law ending soon or any hope that the economic crisis has subsided. Jimmy and his group learn of another camp of refugees that live not ten miles away from them. The group has adopted a 1960's era commune theme, complete with hippie slang and a flower child mentality. The commune was created out of one of the grand old lodges of northern Minnesota and is called Utopia, and they have one rule: No guns allowed.By chance or design, the population of Utopia is 90% female and for some strange reason, the National Guard seems perfectly content to allow it to exist without harassment. Jimmy's group is evenly split on joining up with the much larger group, who appear to be at peace with the world. Ken Dahlgren, Jimmy's host, is bound and determined to remain where he is. Patty, Ken's wife, suddenly seems to be losing her grip on reality and it only adds more tension to the situation. Julie, Jimmy's girl, seems intent on staying with the hippies and giving up her guns. Jimmy is torn between the two sides.Jimmy is introduced to a new world as he steps back in time to experience the sixties. What he painstakingly learns is that those he considers to be left-wing liberals are every bit as stubborn as the right-wing conservatives, which he has aligned himself with. The storyline here is a no holds barred, Desperate Times, look at regular people pushed to the limit and forced to respond. The result is a powerful story with an interesting message. Author's note: My deepest apologies to anyone who purchased this book before 7/2/11. I accidentally uploaded a rough draft and was unaware of that until I was notified by a concerned reader named Boris. To those people who purchased that copy, please get in touch with me here or on the Web. I will supply you with the correct version. less

In this, the final installment of the Desperate Times trilogy, Jimmy and his people learn that the economic crisis has passed, but not before a bird flu pandemic has claimed a billion lives. While the FEMA camps may have opened their gates, sweeping changes have been made to the Constitution, which is one of the few things our gridlocked Congress can agree upon... moreIn this, the final installment of the Desperate Times trilogy, Jimmy and his people learn that the economic crisis has passed, but not before a bird flu pandemic has claimed a billion lives. While the FEMA camps may have opened their gates, sweeping changes have been made to the Constitution, which is one of the few things our gridlocked Congress can agree upon. Furthermore, the dollar bill has been replaced by the amero and by the end of the year all Americans will be required to have a microchip embedded in their skin. Once again, an angry population has taken to the streets in protest. After another hellish nightmare at the lake house and with Patty in urgent need of medical attention, the group attempts the drive to Duluth. They are eventually intercepted by the authorities, savagely beaten and separated. The beatings are secretly recorded and go viral on the internet as their story is leaked out. A prominent television news anchor picks up the captivating tale and somehow manages to interview both Jimmy and Ken, further catapulting them into the spotlight. Meanwhile, Patty is diagnosed as a useless eater and (against her will,) she is scheduled to become an organ donor. Can she be saved? DT3 takes a no-holds barred look at the most pressing issues of our time. less