Fall 2026 Updates from Unencumbered Press

Hello readers,

We’re entering October. The moon is waning. I’m in my Hermit Period and I hope I can stay here through the end of this calendar year. This is just to say that, after months of wandering, I’m home alone in my RV, and I’m making intentional time for some uninterrupted focus on the stack of creative and logistical work that moves our projects from vision to publication and sales. Below are updates on our projects. 

Oct. 3rd—Endless Wonders Book Fest

This Saturday, author Tyler Bieber and the creative duo Altered Tarot are setting up a table at the Endless Wonders Book Fest in SE Portland, Oregon. If I were anywhere near the city, I’d be there. It looks kind of awesome… books, a workshop led by Authors Against Book Bans, local artists, good food…

Our creators will be there with our new branded Unencumbered Press tablecloth and fresh copies of their work. If you’re local, go say hi, browse, fold a zine, pick up a banned book, and take in the creative energy. Email me pics to maybe use in my next press update. 

Against the Current Audiobook Update

Tyler Bieber’s Against the Current is almost ready in audiobook form, and I’m really proud of how it’s coming together. I’m not ready to announce a release date yet, but you can expect it to land this fall.

Ben Howard—the narrator and producer we’re working with—has finished recording the entire book, and it sounds fantastic. We’re now in the proofing stage, listening through each chapter and comparing the audio to the text to ensure everything is accurate.

It’s a meticulous process, but also an intimate one. I get to experience the story from a different angle, having it read to me. Ben’s performance adds depth and dimension to Tyler’s writing. It’s been a joy to revisit the book this way.

More updates soon—this audiobook is nearly ready to meet the world.

80+ 5-Star Reviews on Etsy

The screenshots below offer a glimpse at what people are saying about the Altered Tarot Deck & Guidebook. It’s Sarah’s “heart deck!” It’s humbling. 

Since I’m calling this my Hermit Period, indulge me as we take a look at the Hermit in this deck. 

It’s a single bird, wings spread in a bright, pale sky. Suspended in a moment, not flying in dramatic motion. The colors evoke solitude and clarity. It reminds me to step back from the world and listen inward. The guidebook describes leaning into this card as a time of solitude, contemplation, and spiritual clarity, which is exactly the energy I’m putting out here in my little RV. This Hermit is gentle. It’s not about withdrawing out of fear or overwhelm; it’s about choosing to hear yourself again. The imagery carries that sense of soft distance and open sky. Solitude isn’t empty—it’s expansive. It’s a place where intuition gets louder and purpose sharpens. I’m here for it. 

Chapbooks

Did you know our first chapbook is available now? My April Poems by Hazel Hall, compiled by Tyler Bieber, is a micro‑chapbook featuring a letter and nine short poems. Hall’s work is in the public domain, and we’re working to reintroduce her to readers in anticipation of Bieber’s forthcoming biography of her life.

You can also expect our second chapbook—Even Then, Even Now: Poems of Persistence by Jen Kindbom—later this fall. 

The UP Blog

I didn’t mean to abandon the Poetry Spotlights on Mondays or Gunpowder & Peonies every other Friday. As I settle into this Hermit Period, I’ll get back on track. In the meantime, browse our past posts and keep sending me work for consideration. 

Behind the Scenes

K. V. Munoz’s debut fantasy, Rise of the Lightborn: Book One of the Erydon Series, is cruising through production. We’ve hired a cartographer and a cover designer, and the author is diligently working on Book Two. We’re excited to share more as the world of Erydon continues to take shape.

We also have a beautiful memoir‑in‑essays moving through editorial. It’s intimate, sharply observed, and full of heart. We’ll have more to share as it moves closer to publication.

---

I think that’s it for now. I’m grateful to be tucked into this quiet season, tending to this work I love. Thank you again for being here.