Monthly Archives: January 2026

January Newsletter

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Hello there and Happy New Year! 

I hope everyone’s staying warm with this crazy winter weather.  Here’s what’s happened since the last newsletter:

TORIKO TALES IS OUT!

Toriko Tales: Toriko vs The Crowned Paw officially released on December 30, 2025, and is now available on Amazon!  

As a thank-you for being a subscriber, I’ve included an extended preview of the first five chapters. (An earlier preview included only two.)

As I mentioned last time, this book is very tonally different from Weun Academy. It dives into themes of  artificial intelligence, ethics (or the lack of them), betrayal, deception, and some very dark family secrets—along with plenty of cat puns and twists along the way!

Learn more here: http://www.torikotales.com.

WEUN ACADEMY PRONOUNCATION GUIDE

Everyone reads names differently—and I love that. But a few readers have asked how I originally intended them to sound. 

So I finally did it: Weun Academy Pronunciation Guide is now live!

It’s a permanent addition to the D’mok Revival site, and I’ll likely create one for each book going forward. Let me know what you think!

NEBULA AWARD

I’m officially a full member of the Science Fiction Writer’s Association (SFWA)—which has been an amazing and very supportive community. For those that are unfamiliar, SFWA is also the home of the renowned Nebula Awards.

Both Weun Academy and Toriko Tales are now on the reading list and eligible for consideration for the 2026 Nebula Award! 

No matter what happens, it’s incredibly exciting to even be in the conversation.  I’ll keep you posted!

LATEST ENDEAVORS

Most of my time lately has gone into post-release work for Toriko Tales, but Matt and I have also been experimenting with something fun…

We’ve been playing around with a HoverDome: Red Canyon Run video game concept! 

Quick background: HoverDome is the hoverbike racing arena featured in D’mok Revival and Weun Academy. We successfully kickstarted the board game edition a few years ago. This is just a creative side project for now—but it’s been a blast to explore.

Next up after a short break: Continued work on the next Weun Academy story. 

I’D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU!

I genuinely love hearing your thoughts—the good and the constructive. It’s how I grow as a story teller and learn how to connect better with you.

If you’ve read D’mok Revival, Weun Academy, or Toriko Tales, I’d love to know:

  • “Who your favorite characters are”
  • “What you want to see more of”
  • “What surprised you”
  • “Or what didn’t land for you”

And/or if you’re reading something else great, tell me about it!

You can always email me or DM me on Facebook. 

THANKS AGAIN

Your support truly means the world to me!  Stay warm, and talk to you soon!

— Mike Zummo

P.S.  If you know someone who’d enjoy these stories, feel free to forward this along. I truly appreciate it!

December News Letter

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Hello there and Happy Holidays! 

What a year!  It’s hard to believe Weun Academy was launched not even two months ago, and my next D’mok Revival Expanded Universe novel will be out in weeks! Let’s dive right into the rest!

CAMPUS MAP

Big news for Weun Academy fans!  Matt, who also did the amazing cover, put together an official no-spoiler campus map! We thought it would be great addition so all Weun Academy’s students could get around easier.

https://www.facebook.com/DmokRevival (see the pinned post)

HOW DO YOU SAY THAT?

Okay, I’ll be honest—I know the character names are pretty “unique.” People ask all the time, “How do you pronounce that?” My first response is always: “How do YOU pronounce it?”  It’s okay if you have your own way to say it. I actually appreciate people creating their version of this universe.

That said, if you really want to know how I do it, I’m planning to release a pronunciation guide in January on http://www.dmokrevival.com, under the Weun Academy book.  I’ll provide a link the next newsletter too.

WEUN ACADMEY NEXT

There are some truly voracious readers who love Weun Academy! Despite the heft of the first 145,000-word book, I’m already being asked: “What’s next?” And more importantly: “When’s it coming out?”

I’m humbled and incredibly thankful for your excitement!  I’m already fifteen chapters into the next Weun Academy work. It currently picks up the moment The Shadow Maker ends (literally).

Originally, I thought it may be a connective novelette that would lead into the second full novel—but it’s starting to feel more like the second novel itself. TBD! 

I don’t have a specific timeframe on it, but I would like to get out at least one major book per year.  Maybe by this time in 2026? Maybe…

TORIKO TALES

On the tail of Weun Academy is my next major book Toriko Tales: Toriko vs The Crowned Paw!  http://www.torikotales.com for lots of details.

It’s tonally very different—though still part of the D’mok Revival literary universe. The story centers on Toriko, who has been a part of my scifi series since book one, and takes her back to her homeworld Tericn.

Since they’re cat people, there’s plenty of cat puns to keep the mood lighter.

However, I won’t sugarcoat it! At its heart, Toriko Tales is a story about AI ethics (or the lack thereof), betrayal, deception, and dark family secrets. If Weun Academy kept you guessing, just wait and see what happens in this one.

HEARING FROM YOU!

I love feedback—the good and the challenging. I don’t think there’s “bad feedback; some of it just isn’t as easy to hear. It’s how I learn what resonates with people and how I get better.

Always feel free to email me or send messages on Facebook. 

If there are other forums you visit and talk with authors, please let me know.  I’m happy to join new spaces and be available!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS AGAIN!

I greatly appreciate your support and interest in my stories. I would like to get to know you better and continue learning from your feedback.

I wish each of you a safe, memorable, and wonderful holiday. 

Here’s to 2026!

  • Mike (Zummo)

P.S.  Thank you for subscribing to my newsletter again! Please forward to your friends and others that would be interested!