Author and publisher, Michael S. True
The Literature
Welcome to the creative corner dedicated to exploring the profound and diverse writings of Mike True, a.k.a. Michael S. True.
Born in Salem, Indiana in 1952, I am a third generation print/digital media author and publisher, I started writing as a cub reporter for my grandparents’ rural newspaper, the Banner Gazette around the age of 12. A nomad by fate, as much as by choice, I have spent a lifetime traveling extensively throughout the United States, living at times in Indiana, Georgia, Florida, California, and Louisiana.
Other travels exceeding the U.S. borders include visits to Mexico and deployment to the South Pacific during a stint in the U. S. Navy. I earned both a Bachelor's degree and Master's degrees from Indiana University, majoring in Education. Following a professional career, spanning over 30 years as a special education teacher and disability-related program administrator, severe health problems would prompt an early retirement.
Not to be sidelined for very long, I turned to the arts for solace. Fulfilling a lifelong dream of becoming a writer, musician and visual artist, I retired to New Orleans, Louisiana in 2004. Inspired by the rich culture of a timeless city, I have spent the past 20 years joyously composing songs, writing poetry and short stories, as well as honing my acrylic painting skills.
The historic Maple Leaf Bar Sunday Poetry readings drew my interest early on, and I am a weekly reader at this venue to this day. I have also participated in a variety of other city-wide readings, as well.
Published works include contributions to the Maple Leaf Rag Anthologies III, IV, V, and VI, (Portals Press). To date, I have three published books including: “Diabolical Seas” a collection of original poetry. “Miracles and Wonders” a collection of 5 short fictions, and “On Shaky Ground: Earth Poems". These three books were published by Portals Press, (New Orleans) – and are also available on Amazon .com. Additional poems and a collection of short stories can also be found online at AuthorsDen.com under my pen name Michal S. True, Finally, you can find live readings, (recordings), of the poems found in "Diabolical Seas" on Spotify for Podcasters. All links are posted below...
authorsden.com
Spotify for Creators
Portals Press
DIABOLICAL SEAS
Portals Press 2013
Once, I plunged eagerly into those diabolical seas,
Thirsting for some tiny droplet of insight,
Praying that happiness would make itself manifest,
Born on the wings of a moonlit dream.
From “Lost Dreams”
The verses within these pages sail on a restless sea of unpredictable emotion, fanciful manifestations, plotted tensions, liquid introspection, and the occasional gut-wrenching spin of a Gulf Coast hurricane. With spyglass to eye, up close and personal, I seek to chart an ocean of contemplative topics. Noting the ever-changing position of the stars, I adopt a wide variety of poetic styles in this voyage of discovery.
You, the reader, will quickly discover that my poetry reveals an explorer’s perspective, as I have often found myself lost in the whimsical workings of my own, mostly uncharted, imagination on many a sleepless night. Once there, of course, it is simply a matter of retracing my steps, writing my way back out, so to speak, and in doing so, I leave you this atlas of the incredible. – Michael S. True
MIRACLES AND WONDERS
Portals Press 2019
"You do know that you, yourself, are made up of a combination of gasses, liquids and solids," Soli's Sally voice floated in the air. "You may think that you are composed of billions of what you call molecules, but they are not as solid as you have chosen to picture them in your consciousness, your mind, as you call it. I am the same as you but with no preconceived notion about what I must be."
from "Something From Nothing"
Miracles and Wonders is a captivating collection of stories involving wishful thinking and altered states of consciousness. Encounters with miraculous healing powers, futuristic visions, mind-bending mental manifestations and an amorous alien, meld together to make up this unique selection of literary gems.
With a deep-seated passion for all things Sci-Fi, My dream of reaching for the stars could only be matched by my penchant for storytelling. Influenced by H.G. Wells, Ray Bradbury, Robert Lewis Stevenson, Douglas Adams, and Isaac Asimov, among so many others, the idea of twisting stories around a core of futuristic fantasy and real-life adventure has moved my pen on many a sleepless night. My thanks to John Travis of Portals Press for giving me the opportunity to share a handful of these tall tales with you. – Michael S. True
On Shaky Ground:
Earth Poems
Portals Press 2023
Every place can make a case for one disaster or another:
Tsunamis and tempests, gnawing at the coasts,
Pollutants, ash and dust ascend,
Only to swirl around and fall again.
Catching in our throats.
Not to mention all that random radiation.
Belching volcanoes and lethal lava flows,
The usual stuff, you know…
Lakes bone dry,
Withered crops, cities baked like birthday cakes.
While somewhere not that far away
The clouds have turned the world to grey
And it won’t stop raining.
From “On Shaky Ground"
Here, within, are my observations based on a lifetime of travel and a keen interest in the impact of humans on the environment. I have penned an introspective, poetic exploration of what it means to be a passenger on this spinning blue planet. A former, journalist, U.S. Navy veteran, educator and social services administrator, I have spent the past ten years writing, painting, and composing music to fulfill a lifelong yearning to make a creative contribution.
This collection laments, criticizes and seeks to encourage current and future generations to consider their responsibility to this planetary eco-system and strive for its preservation and sustainability.– Michael S. True
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Don't miss this! From my former website - Independent Life Resources - Administrative, Parent, Teacher, Direct Care Provider Resources - now available exclusively from miketrue.net
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