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Building a Community To Survive
The Reckoning of Chaos and Magic follows a group living in a post-apocalyptic world going on a supply run who are captured, tortured, and imprisoned, causing a supernatural power to awaken inside them. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The inspiration began with Book One, Rubicon Escape, and continues through this book. My inspiration was to create a hook and immediate tension in the storyline, which would reveal the support from the ranch and the love that TJ has for Mel. As authors, we need that hook in the first few pages to engage and captivate our readers. My hope is that if they pick up this book first without having read the other two, they will go back and grab the other two, and then be waiting for Books Four and Five.
The characters in your book are complex and well-developed, drawing readers into not just their story but the inner workings of their minds. What is your process for creating such in-depth characters?
I write the storyline out in Plotter and build the plot line, the Arcs, and the path I want the story to take. I then began typing on my computer to create the initial draft with this raw idea and the characters. Once completed, I start reviewing, rewriting, and changing how the characters interact and speak in the story. While I’m in the middle of a storyline, I tend to dream about these characters and the storyline, and I wake up making changes based on my dreams and thoughts.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Resilience, perseverance, and survival, and how people will become friends and build relationships in times of need. This story follows a group of people building a community to survive, while also exploring the internal conflicts of a new family coming together. I wanted to portray my characters as relatable to the challenges we face in our everyday lives and how we can learn to get along. The internal conflict is not solved in this book, though the plan is to mend the fences in an upcoming book.
I also wanted to build an external threat to the protagonist and build that conflict and tension in the story.
Will there be a follow-up novel to this story? If so, what aspects of the story will the next book cover?
Yes, Book Four is currently in the works. The next book will cover overcoming fears and fighting for what we believe in. This genre of book always has the good fighting evil, and that will continue. What might start out as someone being good, they will turn to the dark side and try to fight the team at the ranch.
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Supernatural Apocalyptic War – Book Three
When the world ended, Freedom Ranch became more than a refuge—it became a fortress of hope, grit, and magic.
After the EMP collapse that shattered every system on Earth, Mel and TJ thought they had built something unbreakable: a home carved from the chaos, protected by veterans, healers, and survivors who refused to give up. But the deeper they dig into the ruins of civilization, the more they uncover that the apocalypse wasn’t only man-made… it was supernatural.
A rescue mission gone wrong thrusts Mel and her team into the hands of a brutal gang, revealing just how far the corruption and cruelty have spread across what’s left of America. But the real threat isn’t human—it’s the darkness rising within the unseen world. When Mel, Gail, Shelly, and Raven are marked by a living tattoo of the Tree of Life, time slows, magic ignites, and the four women discover that destiny has bound them together as the Chosen Four.
Each bears a gift born of ancient power: Mel’s nature magic, Gail’s shapeshifting spirit, Shelly’s crystal sorcery, and Raven’s command of the unseen. Together, they’ll learn that the apocalypse has awakened more than survival instincts—it’s awakened a war between worlds.
As allies gather—veterans, witches, and warriors of light—Freedom Ranch becomes the last bastion between humanity and the encroaching shadow. Ruffus, the loyal Malinois, continues to evolve into something beyond mortal comprehension, guarding the ranch as a griffin of legend. Joe, the quiet neighbor with too many secrets, finally reveals his true name and purpose. And when Merlin himself steps out from myth to stand beside them, the team realizes that magic has always been real—it was just waiting for the right people to believe.
But belief won’t be enough. Evil walks in flesh and fog alike: gangs turned warlords, twisted spirits hungry for vengeance, and a demonic force that feeds on fear and blood. When the Chosen Four are hunted by otherworldly beings sent to destroy them, their friendship and courage will be tested to the breaking point. The line between life and death, love and loss, faith and fear blurs in a battle that spans both realms.
Haunted by visions, bound by prophecy, and armed with grit, humor, and firepower, Mel and her allies must face the truth—magic isn’t a gift. It’s a reckoning.
As the skies burn and the earth trembles, Freedom Ranch will either become the birthplace of humanity’s rebirth… or the tomb of its last defenders.
In The Reckoning of Chaos and Magic, blends post-apocalyptic realism with supernatural mythos, forging a story where survival meets destiny and courage is laced with laughter. Heart-pounding action, loyal camaraderie, and deeply human moments drive this third entry in the Supernatural Apocalyptic War saga.
The end of the world was only the beginning.
The true war has just begun.
The Reckoning of Chaos and Magic
Todd Ockert’s The Reckoning of Chaos and Magic picks up in a world torn apart by disaster and violence, where ordinary people cling to survival through grit, loyalty, and a surprising spark of the supernatural. The story follows Mel and her crew from Freedom Ranch as they navigate a brutal new world after civilization’s collapse. Between biker gangs, gunfire, and a hint of midlife magic, Ockert weaves an intense and emotional tale of resilience and found family. It’s a mix of post-apocalyptic survival, combat realism, and mystical discovery, all grounded in friendship and love.
What really struck me about this book was how human it felt. The writing is raw, fast, and filled with emotion. You can feel Mel’s fear and fire. She’s strong, sarcastic, and flawed in all the right ways. The story never slows for long, yet it never loses sight of its characters. The world is cruel, and Ockert doesn’t sugarcoat that, but there’s warmth under the grit. I liked how the dialogue feels like real people talking under pressure. The moments of humor hit right when you need them, like a deep breath between storms. Sometimes the pacing felt jumpy, almost cinematic, but that also gave it energy, like watching an action movie unfold with heart. The magic side of the story adds a weird but welcome twist, it’s subtle, not sparkly, and feels more like power hidden in ordinary people than fantasy for its own sake.
I have to say, this book hit me harder than I expected. The writing isn’t about fancy turns of phrase; it’s about connection and survival. I found myself rooting for every battered, bloodied character. The scenes of violence are harsh, but they’re written with honesty, not shock value. The women in this story, Mel, Gail, Shelly, aren’t damsels or sidekicks. They’re the backbone of the book, and their friendship feels real, full of teasing and fierce loyalty. I also loved the touches of romance, especially between Mel and TJ, which felt tender and grounded in years of shared struggle rather than something sugary or forced. At times, the dialogue leans a bit heavy on exposition, but the sincerity of the writing more than makes up for it. You can tell Ockert loves these characters and the world he’s built for them.
It’s not just about chaos and magic, it’s about what people choose to protect when the world falls apart. I’d recommend this one to readers who love strong characters, action mixed with heart, and stories that don’t flinch from the dark. If you’re into post-apocalyptic tales like The Walking Dead but wish the heroes had a touch of witchy wonder, this book’s your jam. It’s rough, real, and full of hope where you least expect it.
Pages: 346 | ASIN : B0FG87T7T1
Apocalyptic Adventures
Magic Revealed, Anarchy Reigns: Supernatural War Book 2 follows a community striving to rebuild after an EMP strike that has left the world in chaos and unrest, with crime, danger, and paranormal activity around every turn. What inspired the setup of your story?
I have read many different post-apocalyptic stories, and I felt that this idea had a little more relevance to what I like to read. I enjoy shooting and going on off-highway adventures with my Jeep and felt that including these into the story would help the storyline.
The supporting characters in this novel, I felt, were intriguing and well-developed. Who was your favorite character to write for?
Ruffus is the most fun to write for, and trying to imagine things from a dog’s perspective has been great. Trying to mimic what a dog will do in different situations is the most fun, and after having a few dogs and watching how they react to different voices and people, it has helped in the character development of Ruffus.
In fantasy novels, it’s easy to get carried away by the magical powers of characters. How did you balance the use of supernatural powers?
We did not want the supernatural powers to be the main focus, though we wanted people to relate to that writing in the book while also pulling in the apocalyptic adventures. Pulling in the supernatural powers really happened by circumstance; as Larisa was editing and writing about the women, she added their supernatural powers to give them more action in the book rather than leaving them far in the background. This has really helped give the story more life and made it relatable to a larger audience.
Will there be a follow-up novel to this story? If so, what aspects of the story will the next book cover?
Yes, book three is almost done and going through editing and beta and ARC readers at the moment. Book three expands the supernatural abilities of the team as they learn to accept these new abilities and learn how to harness these powers. TJ and the team are sent to Ely to rescue his parents, brother, and sister. Along the way, they have to engage in hostile threats to protect citizens of the towns along the way. Once they have saved the towns, they make new friends. The trip is not without sadness, and they lose one of their team members in the fight to save TJ’s family from a gang. The family members that return to Freedom Ranch also have an antagonist in the group that will test TJ and the group. There are multiple fights that highlight individual and group strengths in the story, and they learn how they all have to work together to be successful.
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At the end of book one, they receive distressing information from Kyle, revealing the catastrophic devastation across the country. They have a good stockpile of dried, canned, and long-term food to survive, though with each new individual that joins their community, the storage supplies dwindle. A question remains. Do they have the skills to survive what lies ahead?
The journey continues with TJ, his wife, Mel, and their beloved four-legged companion, Ruffus. They prepare a remembrance BBQ with the crew at the ranch for Memorial Day. But sometimes, the best-laid plans don’t work out as we hoped.
TJ and his team return to the Rubicon to rescue a friend and get more than they bargained for. Can they make it through the dangers and challenges that lie ahead? Will they make it back with no injuries or loss of life? Hostages? And who is holding people hostage?
While back at the ranch, Mel, Gail, and Shelly discover that everything they believe about their world is a lie. Magic explodes right along with the EMP, and the future is uncertain. How did this happen? What are they going to do? Does anyone else know what is going on?
There are no longer policing agencies. Gangs are taking over the local towns. No one is safe. How far will they go to maintain their rule?
This is our first venture into writing about a post-apocalyptic paranormal world. We combined our love of these two genres to write an amazing, fun-filled adventure.
Book three is in the works. It will introduce new characters and feature more magic, action, adventures, and fun surprises. We think there is something for everyone.
We wanted to expand Ruffus’s role in this post-apocalyptic, magical world, and we had so much fun with his chapters. We are looking forward to many more fun adventures with him.
There are big plans for this paranormal apocalyptic series. Hang on to your hats; it’s going to be a wild ride.
If you enjoy post-apocalyptic adventures, paranormal magic, and midlife heroes and heroines, this series is for you. If you don’t, give it a try. You might love it.
Magic Revealed, Anarchy Reigns: Supernatural Apocalyptic War
Magic Revealed, Anarchy Reigns: Supernatural War Book 2, by Todd Ockert & Larisa Atkinson, takes us back to the post-apocalyptic landscape of Freedom Ranch, where TJ, Mel, and their loyal dog Rufus lead a community striving to rebuild after an EMP strike. But this isn’t the world they knew. Magic has crept into the shadows, outlaws roam freely, and danger lurks around every corner. As TJ and his fellow ranchers struggle to maintain balance and security, the question looms: will their efforts be enough to protect their fragile new world?
The novel offers a unique storytelling experience, alternating between multiple first-person perspectives, including those of TJ, Mel, Curtis, and even Rufus. This approach gives readers a panoramic view of the action and adds depth to the unfolding events. It’s easy to follow the story without feeling lost or overwhelmed, which is impressive given the complexity of a post-apocalyptic world mixed with elements of magic. But despite this clarity, I found that the sheer number of characters made it somewhat difficult to form deep emotional connections. I would like to have seen more detail regarding motivations and vulnerabilities.
The novel touches on several themes; romance, action, thriller, and magic but it never dives too deeply into any. Instead, the story leans heavily into adventure. The action is light, more of a complement to the narrative rather than a driving force. The subtle inclusion of magic keeps the plot intriguing, yet it doesn’t overshadow the core focus on survival and the tight-knit community of Freedom Ranch. For readers expecting intense battles or a deep dive into magical lore, the understated nature of these elements might feel underwhelming. Still, there’s a charm to this balance that makes the story feel approachable and enjoyable.
What stood out most were the everyday moments at Freedom Ranch. The scenes of daily life bring a sweetness that contrasts beautifully with the harshness of their world. The rebuilding efforts and community spirit are uplifting, showing resilience and the importance of human connection. Watching the characters nurture one another, share knowledge, and create a sense of family despite the dire circumstances offers a warmth that’s hard to resist. Even without modern conveniences, the sense of hope and camaraderie shines through, leaving a lasting impression.
Magic Revealed, Anarchy Reigns is a light-hearted adventure wrapped in the survival genre, with enough action and supernatural intrigue to keep the story moving. It’s an ideal read for those who enjoy post-apocalyptic tales that focus on community and resilience rather than heavy drama or nonstop action. While it stands on its own as the second installment in the series, I recommend starting with the first book for a richer understanding of the characters and the world they inhabit. For a story that balances heart and adventure, this book delivers a satisfying journey.
Pages: 257 | ASIN : B0D32WY6DD
LITERARY TITAN 