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Category Archives: Akard Drearstone

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A Blog Post from February 13, 1976

Sortmind Blog - Michael D. Smith Posted on January 23, 2025 by Michael D. SmithJanuary 23, 2025

I came across this entry in the 1976 journal and it seems as if it would’ve been a perfect blog post at the time. Short and to the point, it describes the beginning, after six months of notes and outlines, … Continue reading →

Posted in Akard Drearstone, Novels, Writing, Writing Process | Leave a reply

A Writing Biography, Part VIII: The Exoskeleton, Archiving, Publishing, The Blog, and the Long Novels, 2011-2023

Sortmind Blog - Michael D. Smith Posted on January 16, 2025 by Michael D. SmithJanuary 16, 2025

The period from March 2011, when The Martian Marauders was accepted for publication, to January 2023, retirement from the library, already finds expression in the blog, but I hope to pull together more insight here. It’s tempting to just narrate … Continue reading →

Posted in A Writing Biography, Akard Drearstone, Asylum and Mirage, Balloon Ship Armageddon, Book Covers, Book Daily, Collapse and Delusion, CommWealth, Double Dragon Publishing, Editing, Interviews, Jack Commer, Jump Grenade, Literary, Man Against the Horses, Marketing, Martian Marauders, Nonprofit Chronowar, Novels, Perpetual Starlit Night, Publishing, Science Fiction, Self-Publishing, Sortmind, Sortmind Press, Stories, Supreme Commander Laurie, The Damage Patrol Quartet, The First Twenty Steps, The SolGrid Rebellion, The Soul Institute, The Wounded Frontier, Trip to Mars, Twisted Tails, Writing, Writing Process | Leave a reply

A Writing Biography, Part VII: Organization, Lost Energies, New Novels, Publishing, 1994-2011

Sortmind Blog - Michael D. Smith Posted on December 19, 2024 by Michael D. SmithDecember 19, 2024

It’s been difficult to write 1994-2011; this is quite a long era, from my thirties to my fifties, with several deluded sub-eras as well as breakthroughs. But the period seems anchored at each end: beginning with The Soul Institute charting … Continue reading →

Posted in A Writing Biography, Akard Drearstone, Art Shows, Double Dragon Publishing, Editing, Jack Commer, Jump Grenade, Man Against the Horses, Marketing, Martian Marauders, Nonprofit Chronowar, Novels, Painting, Perpetual Starlit Night, Publishing, Query Letters, Science Fiction, Self-Publishing, Sortmind, Sortmind Press, Stories, Tarot Cards, The Damage Patrol Quartet, The First Twenty Steps, The Soul Institute, The University of Mars, Twisted Tails, Writing, Writing Process, Zarreich | Leave a reply

Dreams Used in Zarreich

Sortmind Blog - Michael D. Smith Posted on September 1, 2024 by Michael D. SmithSeptember 1, 2024

Since one of Zarreich’s aims was to make sense of and tie together numerous Other World dreams I’d had over the years, I went through my journals in May 1981 to make a compilation of such dreams in preparation for … Continue reading →

Posted in Akard Drearstone, Character Images, Dreams, Novels, Writing, Writing Process, Zarreich | Leave a reply

Just Published – Man Against the Horses!

Sortmind Blog - Michael D. Smith Posted on March 2, 2024 by Michael D. SmithMarch 19, 2024

Four Theater of the Absurd Novelettes Bumbling officer Marty Brimfeeler probes the death of a brainwashed terrorist in Houston. Five horses break out of their corral and reduce the city of Dallas to rubble. Hapless insurance executive Bobby Thompson proves … Continue reading →

Posted in Akard Drearstone, Black Comedy, Character Images, Dystopia, Man Against the Horses, Science Fiction, Stories, Writing, Writing Process | Leave a reply

A Writing Biography, Part VI: Failures, Successes, Rhythms and Swerves, 1983-1994

Sortmind Blog - Michael D. Smith Posted on January 8, 2024 by Michael D. SmithDecember 16, 2024

I’m struck by the veering between successes and failures in this period, losing control and skidding across all four lanes until I’d finally get enough sense to stop the car and take a good look around. Had I never learned … Continue reading →

Posted in A Writing Biography, Akard Drearstone, Asylum and Mirage, Character Images, Jack Commer, Martian Marauders, Novels, Painting, Publishing, Query Letters, Science Fiction, Self-Publishing, Sortmind, Stories, The Damage Patrol Quartet, The First Twenty Steps, The Soul Institute, The University of Mars, Writing, Writing Process, Zarreich | 1 Reply

A Writing Biography, Part V: Space, Time, and Tania through The University of Mars, 1974-1982

Sortmind Blog - Michael D. Smith Posted on August 7, 2023 by Michael D. SmithJanuary 8, 2024

It’s time I brought this series further up to date; ideas for it have been kicking around since 2014. Though it’s seemed unnatural to try to split my life up into these various parts, which I keep rearranging as I … Continue reading →

Posted in A Writing Biography, Akard Drearstone, Book Covers, Character Images, Drawing, Dreams, Early Writing, Jack Commer, Novels, Publishing, Stories, The University of Mars, Writing, Writing Process, Zarreich | 2 Replies

A Writing Biography, Part IV: The Perfect Cube and Beyond

Sortmind Blog - Michael D. Smith Posted on November 2, 2021 by Michael D. SmithAugust 4, 2023

Recapping Part III as the Author Seeks Sympathy for How Terribly Difficult This Post Has Been In rereading Writing Biographies I-III I’m struck by how they stand outside my usual self-description. I remember all that history, but it was as … Continue reading →

Posted in A Writing Biography, Akard Drearstone, Dreams, Early Writing, Novels, Plays, Sortmind, Stories, Wiess Cracks, Writing, Writing Process | 1 Reply

The CommWealth Republication

Sortmind Blog - Michael D. Smith Posted on June 13, 2020 by Michael D. SmithJuly 22, 2023

A. Property What if anyone could ask for anything you owned and keep it for thirty days until someone else wanted it … your home, your car … even your body? Members of the Forensic Squad theatrical troupe find themselves … Continue reading →

Posted in Akard Drearstone, Black Comedy, Book Covers, Character Images, CommWealth, Dystopia, Editing, Jump Grenade, Literary, Novels, Publishing, Query Letters, Self-Publishing, Sortmind, Sortmind Press, The Soul Institute, The University of Mars, Writing, Writing Process | Leave a reply

Akard Draft One Art Objects

Sortmind Blog - Michael D. Smith Posted on January 10, 2020 by Michael D. SmithJuly 22, 2023

It must be highly unusual for an author to post a blurb for a book he emphatically does not want to sell. But I’ve been so pleased with how this four-part paperback version of Akard Draft One turned out that … Continue reading →

Posted in Akard Drearstone, Book Covers, Early Writing, Literary, Novels, Publishing, Self-Publishing, Sortmind Press, Writing | Leave a reply

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Recent Posts

  • Introducing The Benign Incursion
  • Jack Commer, Supreme Commander – The Complete Series Omnibus
  • A Blog Post from February 13, 1976
  • A Writing Biography, Part VIII: The Exoskeleton, Archiving, Publishing, The Blog, and the Long Novels, 2011-2023
  • The Major 2024 Book Energies
  • A Writing Biography, Part VII: Organization, Lost Energies, New Novels, Publishing, 1994-2011
  • Zarreich – Publication at Last
  • The Sortmind Draft One Project
  • Dreams Used in Zarreich
  • Zarreich – The Draft Covers

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Recent Comments

  • Introducing The Benign Incursion – Sortmind Blog – Michael D. Smith on The Unknown Ending for The Martian Marauders
  • Jack Commer, Supreme Commander – The Complete Series Omnibus – Sortmind Blog – Michael D. Smith on Trip to Mars in Paperback
  • Jack Commer, Supreme Commander – The Complete Series Omnibus – Sortmind Blog – Michael D. Smith on The First Childhood Appearance of Jack Commer, September 19, 1962
  • Jack Commer, Supreme Commander – The Complete Series Omnibus – Sortmind Blog – Michael D. Smith on The Irregular Origin of The Martian Marauders
  • Jack Commer, Supreme Commander – The Complete Series Omnibus – Sortmind Blog – Michael D. Smith on The UR Jack Commer: A Look at the Childhood Beginnings of the Commer Saga

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Michael's books

Why Meditate: Working with Thoughts and Emotions
4 of 5 stars
Why Meditate: Working with Thoughts and Emotions
by Matthieu Ricard
WordPress Web Design for Dummies
4 of 5 stars
WordPress Web Design for Dummies
by Lisa Sabin-Wilson
Death from the Skies!: These Are the Ways the World Will End...
5 of 5 stars
Death from the Skies!: These Are the Ways the World Will End...
by Philip Plait
Using Joomla!
3 of 5 stars
Using Joomla!
by Ron Severdia
Serpent's Tooth
5 of 5 stars
Serpent's Tooth
by Toni V. Sweeney
On a cruise Melissa bonds with an older man, Travis, who turns out to be a famous celebrity in hiding from a once successful life. But by degrees we become aware that his enormous success came at the price of bonding with demonic forces...

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