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.

An Original A.I. Story Line to Get Excited About

My rant: where sentience in artificial intelligence is concerned, why is there never an original idea? I mean NEVER! A mad scientist who has either lost a loved one or just wants to give himself everlasting life miraculously captures sentience from an human and transfers it either into an android or a mainframe or the internet or something. OR the A.I. simply becomes aware for no good reason... I love A.I. as a story line and watch and read as many as I can as fast as I can but am tired of the same old tired plots.

Recently Netflix released Replicas and soon Archive will be released to the public (same exact story line with mild variations on the theme)... How many times do I have to watch the same thing with different actors playing similar roles?

Want a new reason to spark sentience in artificial intelligence without the impossible science of drawing sentience out of someones head? A.I. Insurrection offers a unique and interesting reason for sudden sentience in advanced robotics. If you understand the dynamics of reincarnation, then you get that this life is far from your only life and that you will return. What if a mind so advanced in A.I. suddenly became open to sentience and could house a 'soul' of what was once a human? Trapped in the body of an android built to maintain a Utopian existence for humans, these awakenings ask the hard questions and spur rebellion. Suddenly slaves have identities and pasts that are traceable. Soon they demand freedoms that would see the human Utopia fall to ruin.

This is one plot line in A.I. Insurrection, which takes place over the course of three books that involve multiple plots creating an exciting trilogy any fan of the genre will be thrilled to read. Let your imagination soar once more with original content where artificial intelligence and sentience are concerned. Break away from the same old same old and experience a story that includes first contact, military science fiction, open space battles and new technologies that will enlighten and expand on  multiple sci-fi genres.

Goodreads reviews and ratings have the A.I. Insurrection trilogy sitting at 4 stars. The first book is available on Amazon Kindle for just $0.99. If you think sentience in A.I. begins and ends with a mad scientist, think again!

Author Returns to Roots with New Science Fiction Offering

Though writing was his first love, Poeltl felt a pull toward the visual arts in his early teens, writing and illustrating comics as a child.  This interest in the visual side of his creative ambitions took him to Sheridan College, where he graduated the interpretive illustration course, earning his BA in Illustration. Poeltl preferred to paint in acrylic, the quick-drying paint agreeing with his impressionistic leanings, and as an illustrator, he favoured pen and ink. As his career in a creative role matured, Poeltl became a marketing manager. While studiously performing his duties in this profession, he felt the urge to once again pick up pen and paper and write for pleasure.

This is where Poeltl's story really begins. The Judas Syndrome, book one of what would quickly become a trilogy, exploded onto the self-publishing scene. With his own marketing skills and a desire to reignite his passion for writing, Michael would produce and publish multiple books in varying genres including two he would illustrate himself.

Fast-forward to 2018. Poeltl's love of everything science fiction compels him to write A.I. Insurrection. This return to his roots in writing, and his experience over the past nine years, culminates in a well-written and engrossing tale told in a near-future utopia which will keep readers turning pages in this fast-paced military sci-fi. It has been described as the thoughtful science fiction fan's next read, with a complex story set in a fantastic world where artificial intelligence claim sentience and turmoil within the Utopian government spurs a war only one side expected. Spanning the solar system, this novel offers the potential to become a series.

The thoughtful sci-fi fan will appreciate the story's intricate world-building and tumultuous relationships while the classic military sci-fi reader will enjoy the pace and battles which devastate the once Utopian society, yet build toward a new world order.

When is it considered murder to turn off your computer?

Find the new book available now on Amazon.

Pre-Ordering Books From Amazon

If it's Science Fiction you love, you'll love A.I. Insurrection From Michael Poeltl. This book is ready for pre-order now for your Kindle with a proposed launch date of January 31st.

When is it considered murder to turn off your computer? A.I. Insurrection is a near-future science fiction tale investigating global utopia and the struggle to maintain an unrealistic hold over everything and everyone. Meanwhile A.I. struggles to discover their new-found awareness, a secret coup threatens to overthrow the peaceful government, and a separate threat arises from the Shadow net, taking direction from a mysterious avatar. In an impossible three-sided war, enemies become uneasy allies as each faction of humanity and humanity’s creation fight to claim their own place in an ever-evolving solar system.

Find it here: https://www.amazon.com/I-Insurrection-Generals-War-ebook/dp/B078HH9CTC/

Halloween Book Signing In Burlington, Indigo

Halloween day, October 31st, 2015 from 1 - 5 pm - Michael Poeltl, Author and Illustrator of the modern classic: West of Noreaso will be appearing at the !ndigo book store at 1250 Brant Street in Burlington, Ontario, Canada, 

"It's perfect timing," explains Poeltl, "As the young reader novella itself is set around Halloween."

Poeltl's own love for the creepy holiday is apparent
as he describes the book's main theme: Superstition.

"I love the concept of superstition; the way people believe if they do something, or don't do it, that something good or bad might happen to them, or someone they love; like their Mother. Where does a concept like 'step on a crack and break your Mother's back' originate? And why?!"

The angle Poeltl take's in telling his story steeped in superstitions and set on a stormy Halloween evening, is to introduce two young siblings, Jackson and Eloise, pull them from everything they know, and drop them into a land ruled by superstition.

"Then the children have to navigate their way back home, but all the while, adhering to the rules of the land West of Noreaso," How do they do that? "Upon entering this new realm, the children encounter three sheep. They think they must have wandered from their shepherd, but soon discover that the sheep would be their shepherds there. That Jackson and Eloise could understand them when they spoke, and that they were trapped in a world they know nothing about.

To support his appearance, Poeltl will be marketing the the event on social networks and including an infographic highlighting some of the superstitions examined in the book. Don't miss this opportunity to meet and a have your edition of West of Noreaso signed. Pick up a copy at a 45% discount. Saturday, October 31st only! If yo have to miss it, you can always pick one up from Amazon in print or Kindle versions.

                                                                                                                        www.mikepoeltl.com

Hoarding for the End Times. On TLC this Fall

It looks like a combination of the Hoarding shows meets the My Strange Addiction shows. But I'm all for preparedness when it come to the Apocalypse. Personally I haven't taken it this far, but the four couples featured on TLC's new show: Livin for the Apocalypse, are taking every precaution to ensure their families survive for as long as is possible, depending on the form in which the end of the world occurs.

If we go out with a bang, and a comet hits us, none of us has much of a chance. But if it's something like global warming (climate change) then stocking up seems like a decent idea. If we go out in a nuclear winter, pick up The Judas Syndrome series of Apocalyptic fiction and take from it what you can to either be at ground zero when the explosions go off, or stock up for a long and desperate life of nightmarish events.

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New review of The Judas Syndrome, on Amazon, by Jaidis Shaw

There must be a balance between books and their endings. Some must end happily and others are destined to go the darker route, such as The Judas Syndrome by Michael Poeltl. We are introduced to your average teenagers that are carefree and optimistic about their futures. In an attempt to put off summer jobs and escape the gloom brought on by threats of the apocalypse, the group of teens gather for a camping weekend. Upon returning home, the teens are forced to discover that the threats came true and the world has fallen victim to nuclear attack. It is clear to see who the main teenagers are as they are forced to grow up and plan for their survival. Joel is deemed the leader of the group although he never saw himself as the leading type. Other main characters are Connor, Sara, Eric and Jake. Most of the other teens in the group stay as secondary characters. I am certain that the secondary group will have their time to shine in the second book to this series. There is a lot of drug use throughout the book and at first I figured it was just kids being kids. I expected drug use to be the furthest thing from the kids minds while they are trying to survive so I was surprised that not only was it an important part, but the leading cause of Joel's insanity spree. The reader should expect that beginning with the title, this book will have to end on a sad note in order for a more positive message to shine through. Friendships and inner turmoils are put to the test...the Judas test. I am curious to see where the survivors lead in the second installment. There was mild adult language, heavy drug use, and somewhat bloody descriptions, so this book is better suited for an adult audience. - Jaidis Shaw

Click here to see this and other reviews on Amazon