I'm actually extremely excited because we've already gained a lot of traction with the Kat Monet "Doom Scrolls Youtube channel."
This is my platform for chapter readings but also for my concerns about the future. I know a lot of people, from worriers to preppers, and I hope I give their concerns and tips a voice on the web. Please don't be shy. I'm sitting on the edge of my seat with anticipation over your feedback.
A dystopia doesn't always have to be apocalyptic. Sometimes, it's the slow accumulation one one miserable event after another.
Transcript:
I mean... sure. Healthcare feels like a luxury. Privacy is basically a myth. Groceries cost more than your car payment. Rent eats half your income. And billionaires? They play god... on livestream.
But that’s just how things are, right? Totally normal... right?
When we picture a dystopia, we think big. Zombies. Nuclear war. Hostile aliens. Or some doomsday asteroid slamming into Earth.
Those are hard dystopias—loud, violent, cinematic. They wipe out everything, fast. The survivors are tough, dirty, and constantly fighting for scraps.
Terrifying, sure. But... not exactly likely.
Slow dystopias are different. They sneak up on you.
Little things start to slip:No bombs. No explosions. Just... decay.
Diseases spread. Prices rise. Rent becomes unmanageable. Freedoms shrink. Privacy vanishes. And the number of people sleeping on the street? Goes up.
Disasters hit more often. Help takes longer—if it ever comes at all.
You’re not dead. But you’re not fine either. You’re adapting. Normal keeps shifting.
The temperature rises slowly. And one day... you're sweating. But you never noticed the heat starting.
This isn’t The Stand. It’s not War of the Worlds.
It’s more like Stalinist Russia. Or North Korea. Or the slow, quiet Jackpot from William Gibson’s The Peripheral.
It’s not the end of the world.
Just... the end of the world you thought you lived in.
-----PART 2
How do you know if you're living in a slow dystopia?
Not a big-bang collapse. No zombie virus. Just a long, dragging, soul-sapping slide.
After all, we've already made it through: Civil wars. World wars. Deadly leaders. Pandemics. Climate disasters. Inflation, deflation, recessions, and that one time eggs were seven dollars.
So what makes this different?
In a slow dystopia, things don’t explode—they erode. Problems stack up. Nothing really gets fixed. And even when it does, nobody believes it’ll last.
So here are the warning signs to watch for:
One: Trust is leaking.
You see it everywhere—less faith in governments, in big business, in anyone “in charge.” Power gets scooped up by a select few: CEOs, unelected officials, billionaires with rocket ships. Their decisions feel remote, unexplained, and unstoppable. And that uncertainty breeds mistrust.
Two: You’re being watched—and nudged.
Governments and corporations invest in knowing everything about you. Where you go. What you buy. What you almost said out loud. Meanwhile, propaganda oozes from your screen, whispering what to think, what to fear, and who to blame. You're not exactly told what to believe. You're just pushed there.
Three: Everyone’s uneasy—and getting quieter about it.
The rich get richer. The middle class gets squeezed. The poor get blamed. The planet burns or floods—depending on the week. And the average person? Feels overwhelmed, hopeless, and alone. (But hey—at least there’s a new phone coming out.)
Four: Populism. Nationalism. Stuff-ism.
Materialism is the new religion. Education? Undervalued. Empathy? Optional. Critical thinking? In decline. People are told the poor are lazy, the foreign are threats, and the powerful are heroes. (It’s fine. It’s all fine.)
So What’s Next?
Sound familiar? You’re not alone. A lot of people feel like they’ve slipped into the wrong timeline and just… never got back.
That’s the danger of a slow dystopia. It doesn’t kick down the door. It seeps in—until “how things are” becomes “how things have always been.”
But sometimes... a slow collapse speeds up.
In Part 2, we’ll talk about one of the biggest threats we aren’t prepared for: Solar storms. Like the one in 1859 that set fire to telegraph stations.
If that happened today? Goodbye GPS, power, and maybe your last working group chat.
So join us for Part 2— Or, if your faith in humanity needs a break, check out a chapter of That Way You Feel Right Now by Kat Monet.
Because sometimes, fiction’s the only place that makes sense.
I'm extremely excited to offer my first chapter reading from my latest work, "That Way You Feel Right Now." This is the first chapter, titled "Under the Sea."
That Way You Feel Right Now Chapter Reading: Under the Sea -- Chapter 1
Lately, I've been feeling like I'm caught in one of those surreal moments that don’t quite make sense. If I had to put it in the terms of the ‘60s, the era of my first conscious memories, I’d call it “heavy.” Everything feels unsettling, and truthfully, a little weird.
When life starts to feel like that, I instinctively turn to my literary haven: dystopian fiction.
Why? Well, as strange as it sounds, dystopian worlds provide a peculiar kind of comfort. They remind me things could be worse, sure—but that’s not why I read them. What truly draws me to dystopian fiction is its unexpected optimism. Beneath the bleakness, these stories reveal something profound: humanity’s capacity to endure and overcome.
The Silver Lining of Dystopian Fiction
Think about the dystopian classics you know—“1984,” “The Handmaid’s Tale,” or even more contemporary works. These books don’t simply serve as cautionary tales about society’s potential descent into chaos. Instead, they shine a light on individuals who rise against unimaginable odds, defying oppressive systems to assert their humanity.
Yes, dystopian fiction can feel grim. It often dismantles our sense of normalcy, removing the structures and comforts we rely on, like safety, order, and even something as simple as running water. But in stripping away the superficial, these stories allow authors to explore the core of what makes us human: resilience, courage, and the unyielding desire for justice.
It’s similar to the thrill horror fans seek in scary stories. Dystopian fiction challenges us by presenting a world undone, but it rewards us with narratives of bravery, sacrifice, and hope. When the comforts of modern life are gone, what remains is the indomitable spirit of people who refuse to surrender their values, no matter how dire the circumstances.
A Journey Toward Hope
And that, my friends, is why I keep coming back to dystopian fiction. Right now, I’m navigating my own personal storm, feeling the weight of uncertainty and looking for a glimmer of light in the darkness.
Dystopian fiction reminds me that the light is there, even when the shadows feel overwhelming. It teaches us that no matter how broken the world seems, there’s always hope—and people who fight for it.
If you’re on a similar journey and want to explore these stories with me, you can find me here or on the other socials listed on this site. Let’s navigate the road together and uncover the light within the dark.
When you're ready for a multicultural historical romance in the sunny Caribbean, click the link to learn more about The Pirate and the Sunrise Princess by Kat Monet.
Sail into the pirate-infested waters of the Caribbean of the 1800s with El Dragón and Sophia. The dragon is a Danish privateer captain. Sophia is the descendant of a Spanish noble and an African servant. While she has been raised as a free and pampered daughter of a Spanish doctor, the Danish privateers don't always make such fine distinctions.
While Sophia might appear vulnerable, she knows more about the Danish captain than she thinks she does at first. Can love and loyalty prove stronger than hate and greed?
This historical romance blends action, the history of the Caribbean, and of course, a bit of erotic spice. It's also free with Kindle Unlimited.
Blaise and Blade takes you back to an English shire right after the Norman Conquest. Blade is the third son of Count D'Arcy. Blaise is the illegitimate daughter of the former lord. This book is a complete, full-length novel with a happily-ever-after ending. Enjoy an escape back to an exciting time, a strong hero, and a bold heroine.
Blaise and Blade: The Medieval Romance With a Bit of Spice
Are you looking for a historical romance that will allow you to escape back to Old England right after the Norman Conquest? If so, get ready to fall in love with Blaise and Blade. This is a full-length novel with an HEA ending because you know you're sick of downloading spicy romances just to get hit with a cliffhanger ending and a long wait for the next book.
Sir Robert D'Arcy conquered Harding Keep in the name of King William the Conqueror. As he and his brother, Sir Brandon, invaded the keep, they had a problem -- none of the terrified servants or low-level staff spoke much French, and they spoke very little English. Only Blaise, the illegitimate daughter of the deposed lord could bridge the gap between the new masters and the keep's residents.
In time, Sir Robert ascended to a lordship over the entire shire. He brought his family, which included his wife, his mother, and his three sons. As time passed, the family accepted Blaise as a sort of foster daughter. As more time passed, Blade, the count's youngest son, fell in love with Blaise, and she fell in love with him. Since Blade was only being groomed as a knight and administrator, the count and countess believed a marriage between their third son and the old lord's daughter was appropriate.
Of course, Blade didn't want to wait for marriage. The day after they young lovers consummated their romance, Blade had to leave for Normandy as the squire to his elder brother, Sir Aston, the heir to the shire. He and Blaise intended to marry as soon as he returned from what was supposed to be a short mission.
Sir Aston died bravely. Blade was seriously injured, but he recovered to return home as the new count, a position he had never wanted nor counted upon. Meanwhile, Blaise had been cast out of Harding Court and lived her life as a desperate outlaw. As Blade struggled to control his estate and his shire, Blaise struggled against him.
