Lock the doors and board up the windows.

The power grids are down, food is gone, communications are reduced to short range transmission, and the only sound on the radio is a killer's heavy breathing.Jim Thorpe native Jeff Davis' suspense/thriller "CRUDE" is a chilling story of a social and environmental disaster that occurs when the world's oil supply is abruptly exhausted.We recently spoke with Davis, who writes as J.L. Davis, about his latest work.Q. Tell us what "CRUDE "is about?A. While the story is catastrophic, "CRUDE"isn'tso much about a disaster as it is about the human condition pitted against extreme circumstances. In the story, the world's fuel supply is abruptly depleted. The power grids are down, food is scarce, communication is reduced to short range transmission and the only rule for survival is self-preservation.The story looks at two forms of life. The one is the Eddie Slate's of the world, that everyday guy who gets up in the morning, grabs a takeout coffee or stops by the local pub for a beer after work.Then one day disaster strikes. Everything falls apart. He's alone, cold and hungry. It's the equivalent of taking a man in a Malibu Beach house and suddenly putting him in a ghetto; he either learns how to fight or hedoesn'tsurvive.All hehangs on to is the hope of rescue and memories of a past life while struggling to hold on to sanity and a sense of moral values.The other form of life is that narcissistic individual that readers love to hate; sort of the human version of a jackal.Put them in a place where all social values and law enforcement is failing, it's like leaving the cage door of a lion open in downtown New York. Someone becomes hunted.In "CRUDE," both personalities are in full play and spiraling headfirst toward each other. It's just a question of who survives."Q. What inspired you to write "CRUDE?"I first thought about writing "CRUDE" one night during a blackout. The lights flickered, the power grids went down, and I started jotting down notes by candlelight.I began actually writing it after my satire, "NESTING with the LOONS," and it was originally slated to be a short story. Figuratively speaking, it was supposed to be a kiss on the cheek, not a full blown love affair, but the story took off.Q. Does "CRUDE" take place in Jim Thorpe? Did you incorporate local places or people?A. "CRUDE" is set in Jim Thorpe and at times is integrated with real places, if not directly, then in passing. In one edgy scene I used Soundcheck Records, a local music shop on Broadway, as a backdrop. I also made ample use of my old alma mater, Jim Thorpe High School, among other places mentioned, such as the (Mauch Chunk) Opera House, Molly Maguire's and the old American Hotel, currently called The Inn.Where people are concerned, CRUDE is a work of fiction and any resemblance of persons living or dead is strictly coincidental. That being said, to my friends I might add, "Psst ... you know who you are."Q. Do you have any future projects in the works?A. My next novel, a suspense thriller with a supernatural twist, is nearly finished and should be out in the next few months.I also have a follow-up planned for "NESTING with the LOONS." I liked one of the characters named Ed Shoemaker so much that I decided to give him his 15 minutes in the spotlight.Q. Any upcoming book signings or other news?Recently, I've done book signings at both Barnes & Noble and Soundcheck Records. I'll be at Moravian Bookshop in Bethlehem and a few other places in the comings weeks, to be announced.I'm anticipating "CRUDE" being released in an audio format in the coming weeks. I'm also working on a screenplay for the novel.Q. Tell us a little bit about your background.A. I lived in Jim Thorpe all my life. Currently I'm employed at KME, a leading firetruckmanufacturer. One of my first experiences with writing came inthe form of a journal I kept when I was a kid. I like to think of it as a training ground for writers.In my twenties I did everything from bartending to playing drums in local bands. Later I penned the satiric novel "NESTING with the LOONS" and have since gone on to write "CRUDE" with a third novel targeted for early 2015.Q.Any advice for new writers?A. Keep writing and read other people's works. For one thing a writer can learn from other novelists, and for the other, it gives the writer the chance to say those all important words, "Man, I can do way better than that."CRUDE, a suspense/thriller, is available in both Kindle and trade paperback on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and local retailers.