The Evolving Nomad (2025)

29/08/2024

Have you ever gotten yourself really deep into something before realizing you probably took on too much? I lived in that space for a long time while figuring out how to indie publish the first book in the H+I series; there were just SO MANY moving parts... On more than one occasion it felt like my eyeballs were about to puke from too much screen time. As it turns out, managing all the moving parts, plus being the copyeditor, and then also doing the proofreading was just too much. Proofreading takes a special sort of focus that really hurts my brain if I have to do it for very long. Plus I'm super slow, and relatively sub-standard at it.

Enter: Whitney Tayer, Proofreading Ninja. (Glowing white light shrouding her silhouette as she appears) At some point in the eyeball-puking stage of ‘Volume Alpha,’ I mentioned my proofreading suffer-fest to Whitney, and in a freak turn of events she offered (enthusiastically, I might add) to proofread the book for me. Wait. WHAT??

I honestly don’t know what I did in life to be rewarded with such an incredible gift from the Gods in that moment, but I gratefully accepted her offer. It felt like being tossed a lifesaver after treading water in the ocean for too long! Since proofreading for ‘Alpha’ Whitney has been a very essential member of the H+I crew. you are appreciated!

.taylor livingthe406 _father.of.the.wolf_ .fern .luebke .opperman.artist

16/08/2024

Once I got over my initial excitement about the concept of the ‘Hold and Improve’ series I had to focus on the nuts and bolts of how it would actually come together. I knew that I absolutely did
NOT have the skillset necessary to physically create what I was envisioning, but I knew someone who did. Enter: James McGury.

Not only is James exponentially more tech-savvy than me; he is a true artist. When we met up so I could explain my idea for H+I he asked lots of questions, and each time I answered a question I could see his wheels turning. By the end of our conversation, I felt like he was just as excited about the project as I was. The process of publishing a book was new to us both, and I surely made extra work for James because I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. Even so, he kept chugging along, and with a positive attitude no less! We talked over every minor detail about the layout, formatting, and design so that we could get everything just right. We geeked out together...

Of course, the publication process took much longer than I ever imagined. But eventually, the day came when we were sitting across from one another, both holding a copy of ‘Volume Alpha’ in relative disbelief and it felt magical.

I learned a ton from James while publishing Alpha and continue to do so through all our collaborations. I feel incredibly fortunate to have James as a creative partner for the ‘Hold and Improve’ series. 👉 THANK YOU.

.taylor .of.the.wolf_ .fern .luebke .opperman.artist

07/08/2024

Part of creating the ‘Hold and Improve’ series meant that I also had to create guidelines… “Submission rules.” Most of the guidelines came pretty easy, but whether to accept submissions from previously selected contributors was tricky. Is it okay for Alpha contributors to make submissions for Bravo too?

While the goal of the ‘H+I series is to provide space for as many new storytellers, poets, and artists from the fire community as possible, I ultimately decided that there’s also value in offering space to a few returning contributors. Because with compilations such as these, it’s more about having the puzzle pieces that actually fit together. Plus, familiarity can be nice sometimes. 😊

My hats off to you Sarah Brown, Riva Duncan, Courtney McGee, and Sheena Waters. Thank you for being a part of Volume Alpha AND Volume Bravo!

.taylor .of.the.wolf_ .fern .luebke .opperman.artist

31/07/2024

Most of y’all have probably heard that the second volume in the ‘Hold and Improve’ series recently came out which was built on the foundation that the ‘Volume Alpha’ contributors had laid down. The end result is another collection of exceptional stories, artwork, and poetry from the fire community.

There are portions of content within Bravo that are so dead on that I catch myself nodding my head in agreement or laughing out loud at the accuracy. It’s all very relatable. I love that storytelling has a way of bringing people together, and in the fire community especially, storytelling is a deeply rooted part of the culture that can now be shared a bit more easily. And for those who already have the second volume, make sure to search around the back of the book to find some words of wisdom offered up by the contributors. Speaking of the contributors…
Here are a few of the many amazing folks from ‘Volume Bravo.’

https://theevolvingnomad.com/stuff-to-buy/

.taylor livingthe406 _father.of.the.wolf_ .fern .luebke .opperman.artist

26/07/2024

H+I SERIES. VOLUME ALPHA
When I decided to try and turn the idea for the ‘Hold and Improve’ series into reality, one major hurdle was explaining the concept to others. This book series is a collective, and without the “collective” part, it would stay an idea forever. I tried my best to put into words what it would, and would not. It WOULD NOT be a place for ego-riddled brag sessions, it WOULD BE a place to encapsulate the sense of camaraderie that seems impossible to articulate. Experiences felt and told, artwork created and shared…

That was the concept, but the H+I series only exists because of the brave souls who offered their submissions for ‘Volume Alpha.’ They put their trust in me; in the vision, and hoped for the best. It’s sort of like being the crewboss, leading a PT hike vs. being the dude in the back who is hoping like hell that the crewboss will stop before they fall out and crumple to the ground… except less painful, ha!

My point is, I have a ton of gratitude for the ‘Volume Alpha’ contributors who were willing to essentially operate in the blind. Not only that, I love the content in Alpha. The stories are rich and relatable, the artwork is fantastic, and the poetry hits on another level. The fire world's exceptional talent was represented well by these amazing humans. Here are just a few photos of the many Alpha contributors. Thank you, Alpha folks! Bravo wouldn't exist without Alpha. 🔥

.taylor .of.the.wolf_ .fern .luebke .opperman.artist

15/07/2024

Beginning today, Volume Bravo will be available wherever books are sold...in theory. Bookstore websites actually take a day or two to generate new listings in their systems, but either way, the Evolving Nomad site has copies available which you can find by following this link: https://theevolvingnomad.com/stuff-to-buy/

I really think Volume Bravo is a great representation of the fire world, just like its predecessor, Volume Alpha. Thank you to James, Whitney, all of the contributors, and each of you for supporting this project along the way. This didn't happen overnight, and it wouldn't have come to fruition without the support, encouragement, and assistance of the people around me. Volume Bravo, y'all!

.taylor .of.the.wolf_

@firechik .fern .luebke .opperman.artist

12/07/2024

It's happening. 'Hold and Improve- Volume Bravo' is set to be released on July, 15th!

Bravo will be available to order from your favorite bookstore (Support those independent bookstores!! ✊), and also through the Evolving Nomad website beginning this coming Monday. 🎉🎉🎉 The EN website will offer bulk order discounts and combo packs just like during the pre-order for Bravo.

For those who may not be aware, a portion of proceeds from the 'Hold and Improve' book series goes to the Wildland Firefighter Foundation, and the foundation has both Alpha and Bravo available for purchase if you happen to be rolling through Boise.

As always, thank you to James, Whitney, and all the contributors from both Volume Alpha and Volume Bravo.

I hope that you all enjoy Bravo!
Cheers-

.taylor livingthe406 _father.of.the.wolf_ Julian Affuso .fern .luebke .opperman.artist

09/07/2024

Freshly back from my travels, I'm just now catching up with news from home while I was gone and learned about the devastation in Ruidoso. Specifically Smokey Bear, and Sacramento IHC crewmember's homes. I saw that there's a fundraiser going and I'd like to try and help the cause.

It just so happens that some books sent by the printing company showed up with extra dark book covers (pictured on the right). I was going to give the misprinted books away, but instead, I'd like to go a different route...

The first 12 people who privately message me their commitment to donate to the fundraiser, and the amount intended, will receive one of these "rare and unique" Volume Bravo books (Sure to be collector's items...😉).

Since we're trying to raise money here, I'm setting the minimum donation amount at $30. If your crew wants to pool money together to make a beefier $$ donation $$ I'll send you two books, so long as I still have some available.

This is a total honor system situation, so please only DM me if you intend to donate. Here is the GoFundMe link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-rebuild-lives-of-smokey-bear-hotshots

And to those who were affected, I'm thinking of y'all. ❤️

.taylor livingthe406 _father.of.the.wolf_

09/06/2024

'Hold and Improve- Volume Bravo' has landed! Over the past few days, I've been neck deep in the packaging trenches shipping books to all of the contributors as well as anyone who had put in a pre-order. I'm happy to report that 98% of the packages have been sent so they should be arriving on doorsteps very soon, if they haven't already. Bravo is on its way to Oregon, Nevada, Colorado, Montana, Michigan, Illinois, Maine, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Idaho, California, Oregon, Hawaii, Alaska, Canada, New Zealand, and potentially some other places that I can't recall at the moment...

For those who've already received the book, I hope you're enjoying Bravo. The fire community is full of exceptional people, and this book really highlights that, along with paying respects to the fire culture in general.

For those who missed the pre-order and are looking to get their copy, the book will be available worldwide (as well as on the Evolving Nomad website, and at the Wildland Firefighter Foundation in Boise) on July 18th. But between now and then, I'm going out of service to explore a few different countries... one of my forms of rejuvenation. 🌎 That's all I got, y'all.

.taylor .of.the.wolf_ Brent Ruby Julian Affuso

30/05/2024

Happy Thursday, y'all. I wanted to give a heads-up that I'll be out of service (as far as shipping anything is concerned) from June 14 until July 6th. So, for anyone who'd like to order field guides before the fire season gets going, here are two links where you can do that. This one will bring you to the store on the Evolving Nomad site: https://theevolvingnomad.com/stuff-to-buy/

This link will bring you to the field guide landing page where you could put in a request to order the guide in bulk for a discounted rate: https://theevolvingnomad.com/critical-incident-field-guide/

These field guides hold all the information you never knew you always needed. No matter what level you're at in your career, there is useful information in this field guide for you. There are also a ton of quick reference QR codes so that you can access what you need in a timely manner when things are going sideways. That's all I got. Cheers-

01/05/2024

Happy Wednesday! Here are a few snippets from 'Hold and Improve- Volume Bravo' to get you through the day. Something I love about all of the stories in Alpha and Bravo is that even if I haven’t had the same experience, I can easily relate and envision myself in those same circumstances. Fire folks do a great job of “painting the picture.” It must be from all those years spent on radios trying to describe our location and what we’re seeing.

Pre-Sale: For $19.99 the book will come signed, and include a ‘Hold and Improve’ sticker. The Alpha/Bravo combo pack includes a sticker and fire map bookmark. There is also an option to buy copies of the book in bulk for a discounted price. The pre-sale ends this Saturday, May 4th.
If you’d like to support this project, and also get your hands on a unique and enjoyable book just follow the link.
https://theevolvingnomad.com/stuff-to-buy/
Cheers, y’all.

.taylor .of.the.wolf_ .mayfield.75

24/04/2024

It’s finally here! ‘Hold and Improve- Volume Bravo’ is available for pre-order until May 4th. I find it hard to believe that final selections were made for ‘Volume Bravo’ way back in February of 2023, but sometimes you’ve got to take things slowly, and this was one of those times.

One major aspect of being the editor for this book series is that I read through each story and poem several times leading up to publication. With every read-through, I’ve felt excited about the day when ‘Volume Bravo’ would be out on the street to be enjoyed by others. Each volume of ‘Hold and Improve’ truly is unique. And can we talk about the cover of Bravo a minute?! James McGury designed a sweet cover with the gracious use of artwork by Stephanie Peters. I love it! 🔥

For those who may be wondering, “What’s the purpose of a pre-order sale?”
For this project specifically, the pre-order sale helps cover the expenses associated with publication, because unlike traditional publishing houses, all expenses are paid out-of-pocket with indie publishing. So, if you’d like to support this project and the people who work behind the scenes to make it happen, the pre-order sale (or ordering through the website in general) is the best way to do that.

Pre-Order Details:
For $19.99 the book will come signed, and include a ‘Hold and Improve’ sticker. Pre-ordered books will also be shipped out before ‘Volume Bravo’ is available in stores, which means it’ll arrive in time to shove the book in your pack for fire season. Additionally, there’s a sweet Alpha/Bravo combo pack option, and it’s also possible to buy in bulk at a discounted price. To order your copy, follow this link.
https://theevolvingnomad.com/stuff-to-buy/

Cheers, y’all.

.taylor .of.the.wolf_ .mayfield.75

The Evolving Nomad