iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Robert Acosta @fifthdraft.com · 06/10/2026

Project NESS is in the agent’s hands for review. If all goes well, we’ll start prep for it to go out on submission. Which means…start the next book. Introducing code name Project: RIVERA #amwriting #notebooks

Travelers notebook resting on an elliptical machine

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Robert Acosta @fifthdraft.com · 26/09/2026

Today feels like a good day to finish copy edits on this thing.

A stack of notebooks next to a PSP with earbuds and a Panda bear mug with a latte in it.

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Robert Acosta @fifthdraft.com · 24/09/2026

The 9 games that shaped me:

A list of 9 video games including: Pokemon Blue, the original Super Mario Bros., the Nintendo Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles games, Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Kingdom Hearts, Destiny, Final Fantasy VIII, Halo 2, and Dead Space

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Robert Acosta @fifthdraft.com · 12/09/2026

Logging On: 8:05a |> hello and good morning |> we're back at it again with another work morning |> been off schedule, as the school year and New Normal schedule have worn me down |> but we have a (self-imposed) deadline, and we're going to hit it

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Robert Acosta @fifthdraft.com · 05/09/2026

Back at Tucson Comic Con in over (checks how old the twins are)….7 years? ‘Cept now I got four of the little buggers with me. Here’s hoping they have a good time.

A picture of the outside of Tucson Convention Center with a banner reading “Tucson Comic Con” and text saying “Here we go”

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Robert Acosta @fifthdraft.com · 02/09/2026

I’ll write a whole thing about this later, but in short, my water bottle exploded all over my bag and my Bullet Journal got wrecked. So, to mix it up, we’re busting out the Traveler’s Notebook and making a monthly notebook for rest of 2026. #Notebooks #BulletJournal #SadandWet

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Robert Acosta @fifthdraft.com · 24/08/2026

This one I actually felt qualified to answer!

Aquaman being sort of, kind of bulletproof.

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Robert Acosta @fifthdraft.com · 15/08/2026

Logging On: 7:28a |> hello and good morning |> I haven't done a Work Log thing in a while, but that's because work has been sparse, erratic, and all over the place (literally) |> but wife and I have been in the New Normal, in terms of schedule, so, here we are |> the Saturday Morning Write

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Robert Acosta @fifthdraft.com · 15/08/2026

Name your favorite scene from a star wars film…

In the shadows of the unfinished Death Star, Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader battle with lightsabers

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Robert Acosta @fifthdraft.com · 27/07/2026

Look, maybe we made it through our first year with a family of six. Maybe I just signed with a literary agency. Maybe it’s my birthday next week. The point is we’re at Disneyland and I’m in a happy place with the family.

A very happy dad with a Disneyland resort fanny pack he found it at Goodwill for five bucks.

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Robert Acosta @fifthdraft.com · 12/07/2026

Logging On: 10:49a |> hello and good morning |> I'm hoping these work logs become all the more regular as time goes on, now, in The New Normal |> but otherwise, it's a lazy crazy Sunday, the boys are playing Wii, gotta start reviewing this editorial letter, and we leave for NYC soon |> let's go

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Robert Acosta @fifthdraft.com · 09/07/2026

It’s the kind of post you dream of making: I’m officially represented by Haley Casey at Creative Media Agency. I have a literary agent! And, together, we’re going to make the best stories we can! The dream has been to tell stories about little Mexican kids saving the world…

A notebook with the words "Beyond excited to share I am officially represented by Haley J. Casey at CMA Lit"

Creative Media Agency
About Us
A boutique Literary Agency specializing in exceptional representation to help both established and debut writers thrive

A very tired, but very happy, author papa

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Robert Acosta @fifthdraft.com · 01/07/2026

Short Magic Lads trip up to Sedona. Nice time to clear my mind and think about how I want to treat these last few weeks of summer and have a great second half of 2026.

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Robert Acosta @fifthdraft.com · 22/06/2026

The fam got me a Marvel jumpstart box. Happy Father’s Day to me.

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Robert Acosta @fifthdraft.com · 02/06/2026

New month. New pocket #BulletJournal The left is a Field Notes Trailhead Edition for May, just under halfway filled. The boys also used it as a sketchbook. The right is a @fieldnotesbrand.bsky.social Vintage Edition that will serve for June. We’re wide awake over here, for the first time in months.

A small green and red notebook lay next to one another on a tabletop

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Robert Acosta @fifthdraft.com · 22/05/2026

Baby girl is watching Pokémon with her brothers on this first day of summer.

The cutest baby alive rests her head in her dad’s knee.

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Robert Acosta @fifthdraft.com · 28/04/2026

Logging On: 12:10p |> hello and good afternoon |> you know, I stopped doing this because I thought it didn't matter |> little did I know how much it mattered |> but I'm on, I'm plugging in, and I'm reminding myself why I'm doing this #AmWriting

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Robert Acosta @fifthdraft.com · 22/04/2026

We were late to kindergarten drop off this morning. Why? Because the boys were too busy reading and laughing at one of the big Garfield treasuries I’ve had since 5th grade.

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Robert Acosta @fifthdraft.com · 19/04/2026

And so, a rite of passage has been met.

Two of the cutest Mexipino twins reading The Ninth Garfield Treasury and just generally having a great time laughing.

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Robert Acosta @fifthdraft.com · 06/04/2026

Easter Egg hunt at House Trinacostadad was a success. Materia. There was Materia in the eggs. The boys are now deciding which Materia does which kind of Magic.

Three Easter baskets filled with small green and clear fake gemstones.

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Robert Acosta @fifthdraft.com · 26/03/2026

Post a non religious picture you think of as holy

The end scene of 1989 Batman film with Batman on a skyline looking up at the bat signal

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Robert Acosta @fifthdraft.com · 27/02/2026

Am I a good parent for trying to watch this before we have to take the boys to school? They’re watching, too. #Pokemon

A messy living room and a TV showing the Pokémon presents 30th anniversary screen

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Robert Acosta @fifthdraft.com · 19/01/2026

The second session of the Acosta Family RPG kicked off tonight. They learned Partner Attacks from Belle in the Red Rose Tavern and are off to clear the shadow monsters out of Fantasy Land,

A gaming table with switches and message delivery slots and on top is a game board of FantasyLand and a small hand moving a Donald Duck character.

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Robert Acosta @fifthdraft.com · 01/01/2026

Each year, every year. This year more than most.

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Robert Acosta @fifthdraft.com · 01/01/2026

I mean, I thought about getting up a last blog post of the year, or getting my bullet journal set up for 2026, but instead we went out for a walk and I taught the boys how to play the Pokémon card game for the first time. Farewell ‘25. Hello 2026.

A dining room table with two playmats and two decks of Pokémon cards. A game is in session. The world is right.

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Robert Acosta @fifthdraft.com · 21/12/2025

My kid asked Santa for a LEGO set for me from Santa. Because my children WILL be better people than I ever was.

A letter to Santa that ends with, “Could you also get the Knuckles and Rouge LEGO set for my Papa?”
Merry Christmas, Dante

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Robert Acosta @fifthdraft.com · 16/12/2025

Working while waiting on the car to get fixed. New notebooks for end of the year. Trying to emerge from partial-baby hermitude and remember how to be a writer.

Some notebooks a tired dad is using while in a waiting room

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Robert Acosta @fifthdraft.com · 08/12/2025

Annnnnnd that’s a wrap on House Trinacostadad Christmas decorating. The tree is done, so we are done. Hidden Pictured: Baby B, playing with a snow globe and a newly won Kuromi stuffy in Baby Girl D’s bassinet I picked up from a Round 1 claw machine.

A finished Christmas tree from a very tired dad.

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Robert Acosta @fifthdraft.com · 26/11/2025

Oh, you can go ahead and get right in the bin, IHOP.

A picture of the IHOP kids menu where one of their living pancake mascots, while describing the Cool S, says, “FUN FACT: The S Thing was really popular in the late 1900s!” An unnecessary way to describe the era.

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Robert Acosta @fifthdraft.com · 20/11/2025

Can't believe I actually get to write this but... LOGGING ON: #AmWriting 12:11p |> hello and good afternoon |> I'm finally back on my shiz |> and yes, I am equally ashamed I just used that word |> but today is the first day I feel good to write, work, and try since Baby Girl D came |> so, here we go

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Robert Acosta @fifthdraft.com · 02/11/2025

Call me a Pokémon Boomer, but there is something magical about seeing these three together at any time in any game.

An in-game picture of Pokémon Blastoise, Charizard, and Venusaur sleeping.

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Robert Acosta @fifthdraft.com · 01/11/2025

SPOILERS FOR LEGENDA Z-A: A Pokémon game with CONSEQUENCES? Color me very, very, very intrigued…:

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Robert Acosta @fifthdraft.com · 18/10/2025

The faffing about I’ve been doing in this game is off the charts. The faffing knows no bounds. Legends Z-A is still shaping up to be one of my favorite in the series.

A picture from the Switch game Pokémon Legends Z-A of Tepig jumping in joy at a cafe.

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Robert Acosta @fifthdraft.com · 17/10/2025

Did I have to be a responsible dad an wait to play until after parent/teacher conferences? YES. Did I immediately take the boys to GameStop to pick up Legenda Z-A as soon as we were done? ABSOLUTELY.

Cover art to the new Pokémon game “Legends Z-A”

The character creation screen with a female character named “Zeili.”

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Robert Acosta @fifthdraft.com · 08/10/2025

#2025Books Excited to talk about this one because it’s from a classmate. @benjis.stories is an award-winning Australian comics creator, and his latest standalone graphic novel, “The Unknown Road,” is a beautifully illustrated story about loss, redemption, and the chance we all wish we had.

The cover of “The Unknown Road” graphic novel featuring the unnamed knight main character.

Some of the goodies included in the Kickstarter, including a secret letter you can only open after you read it.

A yellow zine called, “Tales From the Unknown Road.”

An illustrated page from the graphic novel featuring the unnamed Knight in shadow, looking up at the stone head of a giant.

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Robert Acosta @fifthdraft.com · 28/09/2025

We interrupt this timeline for an important news bulletin: Meistrella “Mei” Imelda Malena Acosta She’s good. Mom’s good. Our little family is now complete.

The cutest baby hand in the whole entire world.

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Robert Acosta @fifthdraft.com · 27/09/2025

Started this beard back when we hit the T-Minus 41 days mark until Baby Girl D arrived. I told April, and everyone really, I was doing it to help me be aware of passing moments, be present as we approach this massive change to our family, and that I wouldn’t shave until she got here. And, well…

…a very tired writer dad WITHOUT a beard.
Except this time in black & white.

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Robert Acosta @fifthdraft.com · 22/09/2025

This weekend was prepping for Baby Girl D’s arrival. This also meant going book shopping for the older boys and moving some of their books down a notch for her to read. Also taking the time to reorganize their books because I don’t know I’m losing my mind.

Just a stack of kids books being organized.

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Robert Acosta @fifthdraft.com · 19/09/2025

Logging On: 11:55a |> hello and good morning |> we’re no longer sick |> we’re alive |> we have a little bit of time to work before Dad Mode takes over

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Robert Acosta @fifthdraft.com · 16/09/2025

Logging On: 10:13a |> hello and good morning |> it's a rare moment, getting to work twice, back to back |> so we're taking full advantage of it |> first, though, my desk is in a small state of flux so let's move stuff to small IKEA boxes and have a functioning workspace |> shouldn't take long

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Robert Acosta @fifthdraft.com · 15/09/2025

Logging On: 12:06p |> hello and good afternoon |> today is the first of what I'm calling "The New Normal For Now" where I have a few hours after work to myself to write before I go pick up all the kiddos |> so we're working from a coffee shop |> coffee shops are safe |> no naps in a coffee shop

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Robert Acosta @fifthdraft.com · 12/09/2025

Logging Off: 9:15p |> finished up the Project NESS chapter 1 |> that feels good |> now it's Commander Night with the lads |> get some rest, let's all do better tomorrow

Zoot plays the final notes of The Muppet Show.

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Robert Acosta @fifthdraft.com · 11/09/2025

Logging On: 10:15a |> hello and good morning |> I have a half day off, so I'm going to work half the day |> I want to write every day, but I am feeling exhausted with the flow of Life As it Is (part-time job, full-time dadding, kindergarten routine) and it's frustrating |> maybe I should us that...

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Robert Acosta @fifthdraft.com · 05/09/2025

Logging Off: 10:32p |> I'm happy to be back

Zoot playing the last notes of The Muppet Show.

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Robert Acosta @fifthdraft.com · 04/09/2025

#Notebook Transfer: On the left, Unbranded notebook, Morning Pages vol. 16, dated 1.24.2025-9.02.2025 On the right, a leather cover I got for Christmas some years back with a Piccadilly insert. Should be fun. Maybe I’ll finish it up before the Baby D arrives.

The interior of a leather notebook cover with a blank insert

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Robert Acosta @fifthdraft.com · 04/09/2025

Logging On: 10:10a |> hello and good morning |> today is probably a three cups of coffee day, as we were up early and I finally get a chance to sit and write |> been looking forward to breaking the Baby Nesting Fast (that's what I'm calling it) (nope, changing my min) and write |> here we go

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