Thus, they improvise their lighting and water well they then move on, meet, and form a mutualistic interaction with other survivalists, including boy Alex Halprin and Omaha-bound elderly woman Ruth who are searching for their relatives.įirst dated OctoAshfall is the first book in Mike’s Ashfall series. Cut off from-and unaware of the fate of-the rest of the humanity, the tragedy prompts the two survivalists to improvise.ĭarla resorts to her technical know-how in handling and repairing farm machines-including a tractor-and reflects on lessons under her history teacher Mr. Darla’s agitated bunnies had sensed the impending super-volcanic eruption that not only destroys infrastructure-including telecommunication and electricity-but also prompts falling ash and sunless days. Shortly thereafter, huge earthquakes precede the dreaded Yellowstone Caldera’s gigantic ashen explosion that the mother and daughter had initially shrugged off as a haymaker on fire.

Thus, Darla solely oversees her family-owned businesses, including their farm.

The female protagonist is the Iowa native Darla Jane Edmunds, aged seventeen, who has been fatherless-her father’s death occurred during a routine maintenance of a cattle guard-for three years and has a religion-obsessed little-concerned mother Gloria. Mike’s niches are predominantly fantasy and young adult.įirst dated October 5, 2013, Darla’s Story is book 0.5 in the Ashfall series. Richard Peck, Mark Twain, and Harper Lee are the literary influences of Mullin-an Indianapolis-based martial arts practitioner-who acknowledges books written by Bill Bryson and Rebecca Solnit for inspiring his Ashfall series that revolves around the after-effects of a gigantic volcanic eruption. He was a sixth grader when he released his earliest work, a picture book. Mike was once a bookshop, restaurant, and bar attendant, and has also worked as a fumigator and reference assistant. Mike is a graduate of Purdue University, where he not only studied political science and minored in both economics and Latino studies, but also pursued his MBA degree.

The Ashfall is a series authored by Mike Mullin (February 1968-), a Denver-born novelist who schooled at the Brebeuf Preparatory.

Ashfall by Mike Mullin