↓
 

Sortmind Blog – Michael D. Smith

  • Home
  • Jack Commer Series
    • Jack Commer Series – Reviews
    • Jack Commer Book Covers – Drafts and Final
    • Jack Commer Trailers
    • The Original Crab Emperor Dream, March 6, 1986
  • Contact
  • About
    • Flashpoint’s Daughter – The Lists
      • Bone Titles
      • Daughter Titles
      • Duplicate Fiction Titles
  • Sortmind.com
  • Sortmind Press

Category Archives: Zarreich

Post navigation

1 2 >>

The Major 2024 Book Energies

Sortmind Blog - Michael D. Smith Posted on December 25, 2024 by Michael D. SmithDecember 25, 2024

I’m quite proud of the six books I assembled this year; I feel I’ve psychically moved forward with these projects and other unpublished work. But I’m also somewhat dazed to find myself at a stopping point. It feels strange, as … Continue reading →

Posted in Editing, Man Against the Horses, Novels, Publishing, Sortmind, Sortmind Press, Supreme Commander Laurie, The Soul Institute, The University of Mars, Writing, Writing Process, Zarreich | 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

Zarreich – Publication at Last

Sortmind Blog - Michael D. Smith Posted on December 10, 2024 by Michael D. SmithDecember 10, 2024

So Zarreich is Finally Out There For decades I’d considered this 1981-1982 novel an unpublishable first draft, but it was so rich and opened up such new territory I could never let it go. After a disastrous attempt at a … Continue reading →

Posted in Black Comedy, Book Covers, Dreams, Dystopia, Literary, Novels, Publishing, Satire, 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

Zarreich – The Draft Covers

Sortmind Blog - Michael D. Smith Posted on August 29, 2024 by Michael D. SmithDecember 10, 2024

I cleaned up Draft 2 a bit since the previous blog post but froze it there and created a document for a potential Draft 3. Along the way I decided I wanted a cover to focus the project, and wound … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Covers, Novels, Writing, Writing Process, Zarreich | Leave a reply

Zarreich: The Unexpected Second Draft

Sortmind Blog - Michael D. Smith Posted on August 13, 2024 by Michael D. SmithDecember 10, 2024

This summer’s successful resurrection of The University of Mars got me wondering if I couldn’t do the same for another older novel I’d once declared dead. I’ve just finished a second draft of Zarreich, but this novel isn’t ready for … Continue reading →

Posted in Character Images, Drawing, Dreams, Dystopia, Literary, Novels, Writing, Writing Process, Zarreich | Leave a reply

A Brief History of The University of Mars

Sortmind Blog - Michael D. Smith Posted on June 8, 2024 by Michael D. SmithJune 8, 2024

As I mull over a forthcoming post to celebrate the long-overdue publication of The University of Mars, I’ve reflected a bit on its extended history. I.  Draft 1, 1980-1981 The novel began with a longing to describe an archetypal University … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Covers, Dystopia, Novels, Science Fiction, The University of Mars, Writing, Writing Process, Zarreich | 1 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

The Damage Patrol Quartet: Four Stories

Sortmind Blog - Michael D. Smith Posted on December 23, 2021 by Michael D. SmithDecember 23, 2021

A feckless young architect falls in with a sixteen-year-old’s dubious trucking venture. Drug-addled Randy bemoans his fate as a slave employee in New Fascist Australia. An archeologist arrives on a tiny artificial gravity platform to give a scholarly lecture to … Continue reading →

Posted in Black Comedy, Dreams, Dystopia, Literary, Perpetual Starlit Night, Science Fiction, Sortmind, Stories, The Damage Patrol Quartet, Twisted Tails, Writing, Zarreich | Leave a reply

Post navigation

1 2 >>

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

  • Amazon author page
  • Emerging Ink
  • 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)
  • AI (2)
  • Akard Drearstone (35)
  • Art Process (27)
  • Art Shows (5)
  • Astronomy (7)
  • Asylum and Mirage (15)
  • Balloon Ship Armageddon (19)
  • Black Comedy (18)
  • Book Covers (23)
  • Book Daily (4)
  • Caspra Coronae (9)
  • Character Images (98)
  • Collapse and Delusion (37)
  • Commer of the Rebellion (10)
  • CommWealth (22)
  • Double Dragon Publishing (62)
  • Drawing (41)
  • Dreams (16)
  • Dystopia (25)
  • Early Writing (35)
  • Editing (28)
  • Essays (7)
  • Excerpts (40)
  • Fairs and Festivals (5)
  • Fantasy (3)
  • Instructions (3)
  • Interviews (25)
  • Jack Commer (119)
  • Jump Grenade (9)
  • Literary (46)
  • Man Against the Horses (5)
  • Marketing (31)
  • Martian Marauders (64)
  • Nonprofit Chronowar (45)
  • Novels (228)
  • Painting (26)
  • Perpetual Starlit Night (6)
  • Plays (5)
  • Publishing (123)
  • Query Letters (14)
  • Reviews (21)
  • Satire (17)
  • Science Fiction (147)
  • Sculpture (4)
  • Self-Publishing (34)
  • Sortmind (32)
  • Sortmind Press (52)
  • Spaceships (10)
  • 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)
  • The Soul Institute (31)
  • The University of Mars (14)
  • The Wounded Frontier (31)
  • Trip to Mars (19)
  • Trust (7)
  • Twisted Tails (4)
  • Videos (4)
  • Wiess Cracks (4)
  • Writing (246)
  • Writing Process (156)
  • 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

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org
May 2025
S M T W T F S
 123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031
« Apr    

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...

goodreads.com
©2025 - Sortmind Blog - Michael D. Smith - Weaver Xtreme Theme
↑