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Can you believe the year is almost over? It’s hard to really wrap my head around sometimes, but here we are. There is also a lot of stuff to cover this issue, so let’s jump right into it. This is the ZMT Dispatch for October, your monthly recap of everything that’s been going in this crazy self-publishing journey. This post is only visible on the web if you’re logged in, but don’t worry, it’s free.
It’s been exactly one month since the previous newsletter came out, from the 3rd of October to the 3rd of November. And I will always remember the 3rd of November because it is an important day for many reasons. First of all, it’s the feast day of St. Martin de Porres, who was a Peruvian Dominican who lived around the year 1600. He’s become one of my personal patrons because of his mixed heritage, which I have as well, and because of his connection to animals, which led me to making him the patron saint of the entire Euphony of Seasons saga. The people in that world have many animal-like qualities, though I try hard to distinguish them from the “animal-people” that are prevalent in so many stories.
So, since Catholic authors roll with their feast days so closely, today is the second anniversary of Paper & Feathers! I can still remember staying up late at night to finish the bonus material the night before it was supposed to be released, and forgetting large portions of what I wanted to include. But now it’s out there for everyone to experience, that quirky, non-traditional tale of dinners and deadlines, which takes readers a while to get used to, and as soon as they do, they agree it’s worth the time to get to know it.
If you haven’t had a chance to read this slow-paced, slice-of-life fantasy misadventure, now is a great time to do so. And, if you have read it, please take a minute to share your opinions about the story on a public review site. It’s not on Amazon, but you can leave a note on Goodreads, BookBub, LibraryThing, or Storygraph.
I don’t normally ask for reviews because I’m not trying to master the algorithm and get my books to display higher in the search results or something. For my brand and self-publishing journey, reviews are really more of a way for me to get feedback on what I’m doing and what people think of it. Even just a quick star-rating is enough for me to know that someone has actually taken the time to read the story that I spent over 15 years developing and working on, and every reaction is valuable. Even if you didn’t really like it, I want to hear about it. Really.
Outside- Gardening, nature, life
It’s Autumn! It took a little while for the trees to really start turning because of the warmer weather from all the hurricanes, but that’s finally blown through and it’s getting chilly. That means the trees are putting on a fine display for all. I’ll just let the pictures say the rest.
Photo by the author
Photo by the author
Inside- Writing, reading, other stuff
This is it, the big one. I was able to secure time off work for the entire month of November, technically starting today. I had read somewhere that taking a sabbatical could be useful for creative types, and had wanted for a while to give it a try. The company that I work for assigns me to different projects with external companies as a sub-contractor, so when my previous project ended I knew it was my chance. And here we are! What am I going to do with basically the entire day to write and create? Glad you asked.
I’ve mentioned it before, and I’ll keep doing it, so don’t worry. Counterbalance is the next tale in the Euphony of Seasons series, set around the same time as Paper & Feathers, so you might pick up on a few little clues if you’ve read P&F already. I’ll have an official announcement post go out shortly, but until then, here’s the TL:DR-
Low-stakes, personal-conflict based thriller adventure set in the garden fantasy world of Laviere. The two main characters are as different as can be, but when united by a common goal, they find a way to work together and maybe overcome some of their own struggles along the way.
Alpha serial posts will go out every weekday starting very soon, but only for CSL supporters. There’s still plenty of time to get in on the daily feeds even after it’s begun.
Paper, digital, and audio will all be available sometime during Summer of 2026.
The story will be interesting enough for adults but safe for children, just like every work so far.
Is that the only thing I’m going to work on this month? Probably not, but you’ll have to wait until later to find out what else is on tap. There is a Frontier Flora story that’s still waiting in the chute, after all…
Speaking of Frontier Flora (speak for me, Ranger Doug), last month had a bumper crop of Florabeasts unveiled, including the royal Basil’isk, the wintry Medlark, the spicy Peppard, and the grinning Cucurbite. Check out any that you’ve missed!
What I’ve been reading
I was privileged to be able to take part in the beta read for the next book in the Avalon Lost series, which will be seeing a full release next month on December 8th (which is the feast of the Immaculate Conception, I told you us Catholic authors stick to our feasts for release days). If you were a fan of the first book, either from reading it or listening to my one-man multi-cast recording, you’ll definitely enjoy this one too. There are currently no plans for an audiobook, but who knows what will happen in the future. It would be a gas to record this book, too, since besides the existing multi-ethnic cast, I would have to do the voice of a cursed dragon…
What I’ve been listening to
Let’s face it, it’s always really, really hard to pick just one album for this month, but the award has to go to the soundtrack for Gravity Circuit. If Mega Man was part of your childhood, you’ll be right at home here, with modern chiptunes that sound both old and new at the same time. Check it out for some old-school fun.
That’s it for today! Gotta get back to writing, recording, and creating. Thank you all for being a part of this journey, and I hope to have much more to share with you soon. Enjoy the changing weather wherever you are, and as always, remember that all is well.
Photo by the author