Zack Dow

Recently, I saw a discussion about tragic and soul-crushing Wattpad stories. And so, I wanted to ask, what would you say are the saddest stories in Prehistoric Wild you’ve read thus far? I have a few of my personal pics, but I wanted to see what ya’ll think, currently.

Proud to announce that I have finished the 72nd entry in Prehistoric Wild: Life in the Mesozoic. Called "Edge of the Northern Summer," this one takes place in the Fleming Fjord Formation of Late Triassic Greenland, 202 million years ago. It follows a female Arcticodactylus named Nivi as she navigates the hazards of nesting in a polar environment on the brink of change. This is a story I’ve had in mind for quite a while, and one of the most important I’ve worked on in recent memory. Although I still have earlier-set stories planned, this entry serves as the chronological finale to the Triassic arc in Prehistoric Wild. For a time, I wasn’t sure I could do it justice. But the more research I did on the region, especially regarding how polar day and night cycles would have shaped the ecosystem, the more inspired I became while writing this chronological climax. Add in the bat-like torpor behavior I chose to depict in Arcticodactylus, and it became a story I was pleasantly surprised to have so much fun writing. I’m very excited to hear what y’all think of it. https://www.wattpad.com/1610742889-prehistoric-wild-life-in-the-mesozoic-edge-of-the
          
          Next story will be one I call "The Tides of Change," set in the Westbury Formation of Late Triassic England, 206 million years ago. Stay tuned for when that one ends up being released.

Hey, all! Made a Substack account today. I’m thinking of potentially using it to discuss certain animals or fossil sites I am or have covered in Prehistoric Wild. Aside from that, I’m very open to suggestions on what ya’ll would to to see on there, especially since I’m brand new to it. I’ll put the username in my bio, but here’s the link in case anyone has trouble finding it: https://substack.com/@zackdow?r=7gpy17&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=profile&shareImageVariant=image

Proud to announce that I have finished the 71st entry in Prehistoric Wild: Life in the Mesozoic. Called "His Last Stand," this one takes place in the Khuren Dukh Formation of Early Cretaceous Mongolia, 102 million years ago. It follows an old male Mongolostegus named Uugan in his final struggle for a mate amid the twilight of his life and his species. I know I often say a story is one I’ve had in mind for a while, and that’s usually true, but this is actually the newest idea in the anthology as of April 2025. What began as a simple concept to even out my list of ideas gradually grew as I thought more about its premise, and the writing process only helped flesh it out further. The result is what is undoubtedly one of my favorite stories I’ve written for Prehistoric Wild so far, one that truly showcases the struggles of an aging bull stegosaur nearing the end of his lineage. Because of that, I’m very eager to hear what y’all think of this particular tale. https://www.wattpad.com/1607706570-prehistoric-wild-life-in-the-mesozoic-his-last
          
          Next story will by one I call "Edge of the Northern Summer," set in the Fleming Fjord Formation of Late Triassic Greenland, 202 million years ago. Stay tuned for when that one ends up being released.

Hey, all! I’ve realized that my discussions board tends to be pretty quiet in between new story announcements and milestone celebrations. That’s mostly because a lot of my time goes into actually writing new Prehistoric Wild stories—plus, you know… life finding its way.
          
          That said, I’d love to use those quieter stretches to engage with you all a bit more. So I wanted to ask: what kinds of posts would you like to see here from time to time?
          That could be things like:
          
          -Monthly Q&As
          -World-building/research talk
          -Or anything else you’d enjoy
          
          No promises that it’ll be super frequent, but I’d like this space to feel a bit more alive between story drops. Let me know what you’d be most interested in! Thanks for sticking around and for reading 

Proud to announce that I have finished the special 70th story in Prehistoric Wild: Life in the Mesozoic. Called "Fight for Flesh," this one takes place in the Tiourarén Formation of Middle Jurassic Niger, 162 million years ago. It follows a mother Afrovenator named Fassouma as she teaches her daughters, Rakia and Rabi, to hunt as the dry season approaches. This is a story I’ve wanted to do for a long time, though the initial idea was fairly bare-bones. It began to take shape after I once saw a nature documentary showing cheetahs playing with their prey, which made me wonder: what if young predatory dinosaurs exhibited similar behavior? From there, I decided to explore that idea alongside a hunt involving an elderly Jobaria, weaving it all into a tale of first-time killers. In the end, it became one of my favorite stories I’ve ever written, and I’m very eager to hear what y’all think of it. https://www.wattpad.com/1604074345-prehistoric-wild-life-in-the-mesozoic-fight-for
          
          Next story will be one I call "His Last Stand," set in the Dzunbain Formation of Early Cretaceous Mongolia, 102 million years ago. Stay tuned for when that one ends up being released.

Sol guess I'm on Diaz Station's radar now, lol.
          A while back I commented on a video about MissAnthroPony / Zaid Magenta (now Diaz Station), saying that regardless of how anyone feels about Susan Wojcicki, saying her death is deserved is kind of messed up. Apparently he saw that and decided to swing at me by leaving this comment on one of my Wattpad story promo videos. Not sure what reaction he was expecting, but hey- thanks for the free publicity lol. Link to the screenshot I posted on Twitter: https://x.com/zackdow98/status/2012912045528613249?s=46&t=3qIllbjFW6ek75L42btZ9w

Just recently found out that Prehistoric Wild: Life in the Mesozoic has reached the astounding milestone of 10k reads. And honestly, all I can think to say is just thank you so much for all the support that y’all have and continue to give for so long. I don’t know where this project would be without any of y’all who’ve come back for every new story time and time again. Here’s to the future, both for the Mesozoic adventures you’ve come to love, and for what lies beyond in the Cenozoic.

Proud to announce that I have finished the 69th story in Prehistoric Wild: Life in the Mesozoic. Called "Ravaged," this one takes place in the Ksar Metlili Formation of Early Cretaceous Morocco, 142 million years ago. It follows a female Ichthyoconodon named Khadra as she sets out on a coastal feeding trip, only to find herself racing to save her young after the sudden arrival of a hurricane. This is a story I’ve had in mind for quite a while, though my confidence in it varied early on. The more research and planning I put into the plot, however, the more everything began to click into place. Aside from being the chronologically first Prehistoric Wild story set in the Cretaceous, it also became special for a more personal reason. During the pre-writing stage, one of my cats, Chloe AKA Beany, had to be put to sleep due to her age and related health complications. Because of that, I chose to make this story a tribute to her, both by giving the protagonist the closest Moroccan name to Chloe that I could find and by dedicating the story to her memory at the end. Even for that reason alone, this entry means a great deal to me, and I’m very eager to hear your thoughts on it. https://www.wattpad.com/1601461997-prehistoric-wild-life-in-the-mesozoic-ravaged-by
          
          Next story will be one I call "Fight for Flesh," set in the Tiourarén Formation of Middle Jurassic Niger, 162 million years ago. Stay tuned for when that one ends up being released.

When ya find a promo book, but Wattpad keeps giving you a "comment failed to post" error no matter what you do when posting your submission form. Uggh. Has anyone else come across this issue before.