Newman Springs Publishing Recently Announced a New Novel, “SWITCHED”

Highlands Ranch, CO, October 01, 2025 --(PR.com)-- The author, a retired engineer, says he has great interest in the world’s access to low cost, reliable electricity and has written this thought-provoking adventure novel that follows a brave and dedicated group of heroes who win the struggle to bring electricity to Africa enabling it to prosper and become a wealthy continent. At the same time the group struggles valiantly to prevent electric grid collapses throughout the Western world.
“Our main heroes are two smokejumpers,” writes Dollard. “One is a Black African born in a boma in Tanzania. The other grew up during the Great Depression in Oklahoma. They lose their jobs when the base closes, they part and reunite years later in Africa and have a profound impact on the world. Our heroine is a young Chinese spy AI expert who defects, marries one of the heroes, and uses AI to resolve complex threatening problems and to defeat evil.
This novel highlights the importance of electricity to modern society. The electric grids of the Western world are in peril from prematurely replacing fossil power systems with solar and wind. Wind and solar can be good sources of power, but the sun does not always shine, and the wind does not always blow. Wind and solar must have the fossil backup because there are no feasible alternatives. The fossil backup is being shut down all over the Western world endangering the grid. Without electricity, nothing works so a grid collapse would be catastrophic to the economy, and cause devastating damage, poverty, and hardships like now exist in the developing nations.
The author continued, “In Africa and the developing world, millions die every year because they don’t have clean cooking fuels. The world has done little to prevent these millions of deaths. A near equal number of deaths occur each year from waterborne diseases caused by unsafe water and sanitation. Millions also live in poverty because they do not have access to electricity, which is essential to attract industry to provide jobs needed to overcome poverty. Our heroes fight bureaucracies to bring clean cooking fuels, electricity and safe water to Africa. They develop low-cost reliable SMR nuclear electrical system to bring low cost reliable electricity to the poorest areas of the world. This brings industry and jobs, which creates explosive growth that changes the developing world into an economic powerhouse like the prior developed world.”
This novel is very contemporary because it forecast possible scenarios that are hot topics in the news and the deliberations of government bodies all over the world. Here are samples of the many quotes heard daily about issues addressed in this novel.
US Secretary of Energy, Chris Wright said, “Millions of people use solid fuels such as wood, straw and animal dung for cooking and heating. The indoor air pollution from this activity alone is estimated to kill over two million people annually,”
About the energy sector he voiced optimism about Africa's potential, stating, "Never bet against Africa... Africa is unstoppable,"
Ronald Stein P.E, Dr. Robert Jeffrey, Olivia Vaughan: Sub-Saharan Africa faces a dire electricity crisis. Over 600 million people-more than 40% of the continent’s population—lack access to electricity, ….
Bank Group President Ajay Banga. That’s why we’re embracing nuclear energy as part of the solution—and reembracing it as part of the mix.
Former FERC Chairman Mark Christie cautioned that the country (United States grid) is "heading towards a reliability crisis" due to the loss of dispatchable resources.
WASHINGTON EXAMINOR, Victor Davis Hanson, “Unless policymakers halt the shutdown of coal power plants and approve new baseload power generation, Third World-style electrical blackouts will become commonplace.”

Readers who wish to experience this eye-opening work can purchase “Switched” at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iBooks Store, Amazon, or Barnes and Noble. For additional information or media inquiries, contact Newman Springs Publishing at
732-243-8512.

About the Author: After earning a bachelor’s degree in general engineering from Oklahoma A&M in 1955 he worked as an aircraft structural engineer, then he taught engineering at Purdue University while earning a master’s degree in engineering science. After working on both the Boeing Saturn V program and as COO of a space engineering co. he joined the DOE Solar Energy Department. He left DOE to start Sunbelt Energy Co., which grew to be the second largest solar company in the US. When the tax credits ended he wound down Sunbelt and was hired by MAC to diversify their business of managing nuclear power plant shutdowns and startups. He formed MACTEC, which grew rapidly, absorbed the parent, MAC, and when he retired in 2001 MACTEC was employee owned with almost five thousand employees. Since retirement, he has actively followed, and written, papers concerning climate change, renewable energy, Net Zero, fossil and nuclear power, and the poverty in the developing world. He wrote this book with the hope that it will stimulate individuals or groups to find ways to solve some of the tragic issues addressed in this book that can be fixed technically but need will and leadership.

About Newman Springs Publishing: Newman Springs Publishing is a full-service publishing house for serious authors. Each title produced by Newman Springs Publishing undergoes every step of the professional publishing process, including editing, layout, cover design, circulation, distribution, and publicity. All titles are made available in both eBook and print formats. Newman Springs Publishing distributes to tens of thousands of retail outlets throughout North America and internationally. All manuscripts in any genre are welcome to be submitted for review; If the manuscript meets the necessary criteria and is accepted for publication, Newman Springs Publishing will work closely with the author to bring the book to the retail market for a relatively inexpensive initial investment.