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Category Archives: The First Twenty Steps

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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

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

The SolGrid Rebellion, Endings, and Continuations

Sortmind Blog - Michael D. Smith Posted on December 21, 2020 by Michael D. SmithDecember 21, 2020

When the solar system adopts the buggy SolGrid telepathic network as a defense against alien intrusion, Jack Commer’s impudent son Jonathan James instigates a rebellion against what he considers fascist brainwashing. His tiny army includes his lover Suzette, the wife … Continue reading →

Posted in Balloon Ship Armageddon, Character Images, Collapse and Delusion, Commer of the Rebellion, Double Dragon Publishing, Early Writing, Excerpts, Jack Commer, Martian Marauders, Nonprofit Chronowar, Novels, Publishing, Science Fiction, Self-Publishing, Sortmind Press, The First Twenty Steps, The SolGrid Rebellion, The Wounded Frontier, Writing, Writing Process | Leave a reply

Sortmind Press at Smashwords End of Year Sale

Sortmind Blog - Michael D. Smith Posted on December 21, 2019 by Michael D. SmithDecember 21, 2019

The 3rd annual Smashwords End of Year Sale runs December 25 through January 1, 2020.  The eBook versions of my literary novels Akard Drearstone, Sortmind, and The Soul Institute, as well as my science fiction novella The First Twenty Steps, … Continue reading →

Posted in Akard Drearstone, Novels, Science Fiction, Sortmind, Sortmind Press, The First Twenty Steps, The Soul Institute, Writing | Leave a reply

Free Sortmind Press Titles in July Smashwords Sale

Sortmind Blog - Michael D. Smith Posted on June 26, 2019 by Michael D. SmithJune 26, 2019

The 11th annual Smashwords Summer/Winter Sale runs July 1 through July 31.  The eBook versions of my literary novels Akard Drearstone, Sortmind, and The Soul Institute, as well as my science fiction novella The First Twenty Steps, can be obtained … Continue reading →

Posted in Akard Drearstone, Literary, Novels, Publishing, Science Fiction, Sortmind, Sortmind Press, The First Twenty Steps, The Soul Institute, Writing | Leave a reply

Free Sortmind Press Titles March 3-March 9

Sortmind Blog - Michael D. Smith Posted on March 1, 2019 by Michael D. SmithMarch 1, 2019

The eBook versions of my literary novels Akard Drearstone, Sortmind, and The Soul Institute, as well as my science fiction novella The First Twenty Steps, can be obtained for free from Smashwords from March 3-March 9 during the 10th Annual … Continue reading →

Posted in Akard Drearstone, Literary, Novels, Publishing, Sortmind, Sortmind Press, The First Twenty Steps, The Soul Institute, Writing | Leave a reply

Free Akard Drearstone, Soul Institute, First Twenty Steps

Sortmind Blog - Michael D. Smith Posted on December 24, 2018 by Michael D. SmithApril 30, 2020

The Smashwords End of Year Sale starts December 25 and runs through January 1. During this time my three titles from Sortmind Press will be free from the Smashwords site (links below). You can download Akard Drearstone, The Soul Institute, … Continue reading →

Posted in Akard Drearstone, Literary, Novels, Science Fiction, Sortmind Press, The First Twenty Steps, The Soul Institute, Writing | Leave a reply

The SolGrid Rebellion in Paperback

Sortmind Blog - Michael D. Smith Posted on September 17, 2018 by Michael D. SmithJuly 11, 2020

The SolGrid Rebellion, Book Six of the Jack Commer, Supreme Commander series, is now out in paperback at Amazon. The novel expands a theme introduced in the previous books, the possibilities of telepathic understanding shared among an entire race, versus … Continue reading →

Posted in Akard Drearstone, Balloon Ship Armageddon, Collapse and Delusion, CommWealth, Double Dragon Publishing, Fairs and Festivals, Jack Commer, Marketing, Martian Marauders, Nonprofit Chronowar, Novels, Publishing, Science Fiction, Sortmind Press, The First Twenty Steps, The SolGrid Rebellion, The Soul Institute, The Wounded Frontier, Trip to Mars, Writing | Leave a reply

Draft and Final Covers: The Wounded Frontier

Sortmind Blog - Michael D. Smith Posted on July 11, 2018 by Michael D. SmithJuly 22, 2023

Still working on the second draft of The Wounded Frontier in June 2013, I again wanted a fast image to plaster to the beginning of a draft EPUB version.  But this time I knew I could do better than the … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Covers, Character Images, Collapse and Delusion, Double Dragon Publishing, Drawing, Jack Commer, Nonprofit Chronowar, Novels, Publishing, Science Fiction, The First Twenty Steps, Trip to Mars, 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

Links

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  • Goodreads author page
  • Jack Commer Series from Sortmind Press
  • Kara D. Wilson
  • LibraryThing author page
  • Linda Sprague's Astro Tips
  • Pinterest
  • Smashwords author page
  • Sortmind the novel from Sortmind Press
  • The Soul Institute from Sortmind Press
  • Where to find my novels

Archives

Categories

  • A Writing Biography (8)
  • Acrylic (14)
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  • Akard Drearstone (35)
  • Art Process (27)
  • Art Shows (5)
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  • Asylum and Mirage (15)
  • Balloon Ship Armageddon (19)
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  • Book Covers (23)
  • Book Daily (4)
  • Caspra Coronae (9)
  • Character Images (98)
  • Collapse and Delusion (37)
  • Commer of the Rebellion (10)
  • CommWealth (22)
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  • Stories (30)
  • Supreme Commander Laurie (13)
  • Tarot Cards (8)
  • The Benign Incursion (2)
  • The Damage Patrol Quartet (4)
  • The First Twenty Steps (26)
  • The SolGrid Rebellion (33)
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  • Zarreich (13)

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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