Recently, I was fortunate to catch up with renowned author, writer, and editor Jim Cobb on a phone call. I was able to get him involved in the GAT Daily: Ask the Pros Q&A series and get his take on things, according to Jim!
I first learned about Jim Cobb while sharing pages of several outdoor and tool magazines. It wasn’t until later that I realized he was the author of books on urban survival and preparedness, including The Urban Prepper’s Guide and Prepper’s Long-Term Survival Guide.
What got you into this preparedness and survival industry?
I had an interest in survivalism from a pretty young age. This was the result of a few things:
1) Growing up at the height of the Cold War, with the threat of nuclear annihilation that was constantly in our face.
2) We lived pretty rural, and I spent more time in the woods than anywhere else.
3) Discovering The Survivalist by Jerry and Sharon Ahern, followed quickly by Life After Doomsday by Dr. Bruce D. Clayton.
The interest never went away, and I was lucky enough to find a way to make a career out of it.
Tell about a time you were lost and what you did to correct it.
My wife and I took a trip last year to visit several waterfalls in northern Wisconsin. A couple of times, we zigged instead of zagged on a trail and ended up getting turned around a bit. We retraced our steps to find where we’d taken a wrong turn.
What are your favorite Wilderness Survival movies, Jim?
Survival Quest (1989) – I feel like I might have been the only person to see this one, as nobody else seems to have heard of it. The film stars Lance Henriksen, one of my favorite actors, along with a very young Dermot Mulroney.
The Edge (1997) – What one man can do, another can do. Anthony Hopkins and Alec Baldwin take on the wilderness, including a massive Kodiak bear.
I agree, Jim, you may be the only one to see that movie!
One Tool Option or Tool Set?
Tool set. In my experience, most tools with multiple uses tend not to do any of those jobs well.
Pick people you would consider mentors or significant influences, who would they be?
Jerry and Sharon Ahern: Their Survivalist novel series quite literally put me on the path I walk today.
Brian Keene: A good friend who gave me the best piece of writing advice ever.
Chris Golden: My first writing mentor and someone I hold dear.
Craig Caudill: Every day, he pushes me to be better than I was the day before.
Jim, describe your most miserable camping trip/survival situation.
During the few years I was in Scouts, we went on a grand total of one camping trip. I was in 4th grade at the time. I’d been looking forward to it for a long time, as camping was the main reason I joined Scouts in the first place. It was ridiculously disappointing. I wanted wilderness, and it felt like a suburban backyard.
What do you love about teaching emergency preparedness skills?
I focus on emergency preparedness. I love connecting with people and seeing that lightbulb moment when something we’re talking about really hits home and makes sense to them.
Where would Jim Cobb go if you could go to a foreign environment?
I’ve always wanted to check out a jungle environment, recognizing just how challenging that can be, particularly for someone new to exploring one.
Which historical person would you like to go on a camping trip with?
This is a tough one. Doc Holliday comes to mind, but that might just be because Val Kilmer recently passed. Mark Twain would be a lot of fun to hang out with by the campfire. If I might bend the rules a touch, I’d go with Preacher, a fictional mountain man created by author William W. Johnstone.
Explain how you handle the transition from writer to editor.
When I was first hired to be a freelance editor, I was nervous about that transition. Turns out I really enjoyed it. The downside is having to cut great material from some articles to get them to fit the allotted space, which can be daunting. I feel like the experience has helped me improve my own writing, though, so it comes full circle.
What/books and work are you proud of, and where can they be found?
Prepper’s Long-Term Survival Guide is the book I’ve loved the most. It was so much fun to write, and it is definitely the most popular title with my readers. I’m also immensely proud of my magazines, Prepper Survival Guide and Backwoods Survival Guide. Both of them have allowed me many opportunities I might not have had otherwise.
Wrap Up
Jim Cobb is a class act! Check out his work here on GAT Daily, and make sure to pick up his books. You won’t be left out in the cold when you’ve got the knowledge of a guy like Mr. Cobb around!
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