The Posh Prepper follows an expert survivalist who finds himself navigating the chaos of a deadly virus outbreak, leading a diverse group of survivors on a perilous journey towards a sanctuary in New Zealand. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

The Posh Prepper started in September 2019, not so much as an idea, but as a feeling: What would you do with a twenty-four-hour head start on the end of the world? Where would you go? Who would you bring? How would you survive?

For six months, I sketched concepts and characters. Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and those questions suddenly felt real. Over the next three years, the rolling crisis provided a steady stream of inspiration for characters, settings, and themes. More than that, The Posh Prepper became my way of processing all the pain I was seeing in the world.

Nick Ritter is an intriguing and well-developed character. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?

Nick was a really fun character to create and follow. 

At his core, he’s a good man. He’s kind and caring and wishes the world was a better place. When he worked at Thorne Global, he was trying to prevent disasters and help vulnerable people recover. But, over time, the endless greed and corruption wore him down, and he withdrew, closed off, became numb. After a traumatic incident in Congo, he became “The Posh Prepper,” a cynical crisis consultant serving the rich and powerful. 

This first book in the series watches Nick emerge from his icy shell. Drawn out by a “found family,” Nick realizes there are still good people left in this world, and they’re worth fighting for. 

What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?

The main thematic question the series will explore is: Is mankind flawed beyond hope, or are we worth saving?

Dark and ambitious, I know haha. But it feels relevant in today’s world. I hear from readers that the characters and story world of The Posh Prepper feel plausible and authentic, like it could really happen. That surprised me, I expected pushback that the story was too unrealistic. 

In this first book, Nick realizes that even though most people in this broken world are flawed, good people can become family if you let them into your heart.

What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?

I’m currently working on the sequel to The Posh Prepper. I expect the series to be a trilogy, so I’m outlining Book 2 and Book 3 at the same time, which will help me release Book 3 somewhat quickly after Book 2. 

This was my debut novel, and I didn’t know if anyone would read it or like it, so I didn’t plan future books up front. That means more work now to gather loose ends and figure out what happens next. 

I have a full-time job and two kids under two, so it could take a while haha. But I’m working on it with every free moment 🙂

You can read more details here: https://toddknightbooks.com/blog/the-posh-prepper-sequel

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