An Authors Backlist is a Goldmine for Readers and the AUthor

This is a two-parter. One, the fact that a backlist of books by a single author offers a treasure trove of reading opportunities to the reader, and two, that if the author writes in multiple genres, the reader will discover they love more than one category of book, and that's a blessing on both the author and the reader.

1 One of the unexpected gifts of being an author is discovering that your older stories never really stop traveling. Even when I’m wrapped up in marketing or buried in a new manuscript, sales still appear—sometimes from books I wrote more than a decade ago.

When novels like The Judas Syndrome find new readers 17 years after publication, it reminds me that stories move at their own pace. A novel published in 2009 can still reach someone today, and that feels quietly profound. It means the message isn't dead. That it remains relevant across generations. Does that qualify it as a classic? I dare to hope. 

Regardless, on days when the creative work feels heavy or when my latest release struggles to find its footing, those moments matter. They’re gentle reminders that every book leaves a trail; every story finds its time.

I’m grateful for each sale, and for every reader who chooses to step into a world I created.

2 One of the quiet joys of having a backlist of books that spans multiple genres is watching readers wander through it. Someone might start with one of my sci-fi novels, then drift into my post-apocalyptic stories—or surprise me entirely by picking up my YA fantasy, crime fiction, or even a paranormal cozy mystery.

What stays with me is this: it’s not the genre that carries them forward—it’s the storytelling. Because they connected with one story, they’re willing to take a chance on another, even if it lives in a completely different world.

That feels meaningful to me. It’s a reminder that readers don’t always come for categories—they come for voice, emotion, and connection. And in many ways, it mirrors how I read, too. I’ve never liked being boxed in by genre. Good stories are good stories, wherever they’re found.

I’m grateful to those who continue to find my stories and keep coming back. I hope to continue building worlds and offering new genres to my backlist of books so my readers are never pigeon-holed by a single category when looking for stories from Michael Poeltl.