Hi Vesperisms community, a big announcement.
I'm in a transitional period in which I'm cutting out literally everything right now except for my family, book work, and close friends. This is stemming from a realization that for the last 25 years I have been in some deeply unhealthy work habits that have had me spread very thin, and at mid-career, this will no longer do if I'm to produce work of any quality at all.

With that in mind, I'm going to be making Vesperisms free, on my Patreon as well as my Locals. You may have notice the podcast episodes spreading out, and things have quieted down in the Vesperisms community as a result. I'm not giving you the value due to you in the immediate ways that patronage or monthly support justify. I just can't deliver on that front, because I'm working so. damn. hard. at trying to deliver for you with this next book—I want it to be something with teeth, and especially something that can help your/our young adults to understand their place in this time, which bears so much resemblance to other fraught times. You're not crazy for thinking that; I could cite you chapter and verse of the history to prove it.

I have a lot of decisions to make in the next year as I release this book about the Berlin Wall going up—not only the actual work in creating it (which will be completed in January), but when it comes out next fall, I want to give it its full due promotionally. I would ask you to put this on your radar as well. I will need your help getting it out there. Pre-orders, people, pre-orders will mean everything and I will need all hands on deck. ALL.

You see, I've prepared myself for the possibility that this may actually be the last book they let me publish (I'm only half kidding). I'm not expecting the reviewers to love how I present the realities of postwar Germany or the realities of "real socialism" or even the realities of the damn human heart. I haven't even scratched the surface of the history I'm covering in this book, but suffice it to say it has given me a very dark view on this tired old world of ours, and if I'm to speak about it honestly when it drops, I need to get my mind healthy and cultivate my own peace, joy and love, because I truly believe those are the only things that are going to get to get us out of this mess—if each of us begins to mind our own business, tend to our own "gardens" and cultivate really rich, deep and even small lives.

When I do emerge from this cave, it is likely I'll put the paywall back up. And if you feel strongly that you want to keep your support in place just so I can afford the occasional coffee to keep me going, by all means, you're welcome to keep that in place. But please understand that I will not be able to regularly supply you with external value; it will be pure charity on your part. But you are welcome to do that.

I would just ask that you remain here in the community. I will drop the occasional update or little essay now and then. And when pre-orders start (probably Feb/spring), you will most definitely hear from me, and I'll need each and every one of you to pre-order the baloney out of this thing. OK?

Thanks, Vesperisms people. Or Vesperites, or however you choose to identify. 😉 Keep in touch with me here, OK? I'd really like to know you're out there, cheering me on in this grueling work. Love, peace and joy to you all!