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About Mike

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Micháel McCormick's work in more than eighty magazines, journals, and anthologies has earned a Best of the Net, Pushcart nomination, Opossum Prize, and other awards.

Mike belongs to the Science Fiction Writers Association (SFWA), Science Fiction Poetry Association (SFPA), Codex Writers Group, League of Minnesota Poets, and Loft Literary Center.

Mike's patronus is an owl. When he's not out flying, Mike & his wife Laura split their time between Saint Paul, Minnesota and Lake Superior. They enjoy travel, hiking, Tai Chi, and perplexing cats.

 

They have two grown daughters and a growing collection of books, ceramic owls, vinyl records, and other anachronisms.

Mike writes stories in his Batman pajamas!

Micháel McCormick

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Author & Poet

"Mike's gems are hard-edged and precise and that's a rare talent."

- Richard Thieme

   author of Mind Games and Mobius

Bio
Works

Published Works

Author Mike McCormick published works
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Science
Fiction
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Literary
Fiction
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Poetry

Reprinted in Grievous Angel and Her Heart Poetry

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Recognition
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Select
Non-Fiction

Reprinted 4 times, translated in 3 languages

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News and Events

News & Events

Dec
2024

CASS RECOGNIZED

Barstow & Grand magazine nominated "Cass at Eighty-Three" for a 2024 Pushcart Prize.Editor Eric Rasmussen wrote that it's "hilarious and has a lot of heart, but most importantly, it's so impressively crafted."

Dec
2024

CASS IS BACK

Mike's story "Cass at Eighty-Three" was reprinted in Barstow & Grand literary magazine.

Oct
2024

HONEYPOT

Mike's SF story "Honeypot" was reprinted in MetaStellar magazine.

Oct
2024

GEORGE LUCAS ANNOUNCEMENT?

Mike's poem "Lucas Major Announcement" is out in the latest issue of Star*Line sci-fi poetry magazine.

Oct
2024

I-90 FROG POND

Two new poems by Mike - "Frog Pond" and "I-90 Sundown" - appear in the 2024 edition of Talking Stick.

Sep
2024

ORB OF IXNOR

A strange essay (or fiction?) titled "Orb of Ixnor" has mysteriously appeared on Booksie.

Aug
2024

SOMBER REPRINT

Poem Alone reprinted "Depression", a poem for anyone who's been in a dark place. You're not alone.

June
2024

SHAMELESS "DUNE" TIE-IN

MetaStellar magazine has reprinted "The Worm King" just as Dune 2 leaves theaters worldwide.

Mar
2024

FREEDREAMERS RETURN

MetaStellar magazine has reprinted the cyberpunk weirdness of "Freedreamers".

Jan
2024

JOYCE'S RETURN

Irish litmag Glint has reprinted "A Dubliners Return" about James Joyce's adventures in the afterlife.

Dec
2023

LILY'S RETURN

Lily's adventure in "A Glass Darkly" returns - newly reprinted in Small Wonders magazine.

Nov
2023

POKER NIGHT

Mike's new poem "Poker Night" appears in Lothlorien Poetry Journal.

Oct
2023

DE-DEFUNCTED

Defuncted has reprinted Mike's story "Book of Changes" that appeared way back in 1999 in the (now defunct) Plaza Magazine.

Aug
2023

DWARF STAR

Mike's poem "Earthlings Among Us" was nominated for a Science Fiction Poetry Association award by his fellow poets, and appears now in the Dwarf Stars anthology.

July
2023

AUTHORS STAND UP TO AI

Michael McCormick joined thousands of Authors Guild writers signing a letter to protest using copyright material to train AI programs like ChatGPT.

June
2023

HONEYPOT

In a rare genre crossover, Mike's science fiction story "Honeypot" appears in Santa Barbara Literary Journal.

May
2023

WORM KING

Mike's story "The Worm King" debuted in Aphelion, an all-ages SF&F magazine.

May
2023

SCI-FI POETRY TWO-FER

Two of Mike's poems appear in the new Eccentric Orbits sci-fi poetry anthology. "Green Fox" is new, and "Earthlings Among Us" is a reprint.

Jan
2023

GHOST STAR

A David Bowie inspired poem "Ghost Star" has been reprinted in the Ashes to Stardust anthology.

Dec
2022

RUNT

Michael McCormick's poem "Runt" appears in the winter issue of Willows Wept.

Dec
2022

TREES

A new anthology Trees has reprinted Michael McCormick's award-winning story"Twelfth Pilgrim".

Nov
2022

HUMMINGBIRD

Two poems by Michael McCormick -- "Ancestors Like Corn" and "Sounds of Himself" appear in the Fall issue of Hummingbird.

Nov
2022

SOLSTICE

Michael McCormick's new poem "Solstice" appears in issue 5 of Pensive Journal.

Oct
2022

HONORABLE DWARF

Michael McCormick's "Poker Night" won Honorable Mention in the 2022 Science Fiction Poetry Association Awards Dwarf category (short poems).

Sep
2022

BEST OF THE NET

Michael McCormick's "Twelfth Pilgrim" was nominated for a 2022 Best of the Net award.

Aug
2022

IMMIGRANT

Angels among us! Michael McCormick's "Immigrant" appears in Flash Fiction Magazine.

June
2022

SAVE THE WORLD!

Save the World: Twenty Sci_Fi Writers Fix the Planet is out, and includes Michael McCormick's story "House of Cinders."

June
2022

SUMMER OF SCI-FI

Michael McCormick's SF story "Freedreamers" debuts in the 2022 Summer of Sci-Fi & Fantasy anthology.

May
2022

MAHLER'S LAST WORDS

Inspired by the true story of composer Gustav Mahler on his deathbed, Michael McCormick's poem "Mahler's Dying Word" appears in the Spring issue of Loud Coffee.

April
2022

SAVE THE EARTHLINGS

Michael McCormick's first short story for kids, "Save the Earthlings," appears in the Wild issue of Crow Toes Quarterly.

Mar
2022

EARTHLINGS AMONG US

Michael McCormick's poem "Earthlings Among Us" appears in Spring 2022 issue of Star*Line, a magazine of science fiction poetry.

Feb
2022

ART MEETS MATH

Art meets math in the Journal of Humanistic Mathematics. Issue 12 includes Michael McCormick's whimsical poem What's So Great About Non-Orientable Manifolds?

Dec
2021

SEX LIFE OF A PHOTON

Michael McCormick's racy science poem Sex Life of a Photon appears in issue 7 of Consilience Journal.

Nov
2021

PILGRIM'S RETURN

A short story The Twelfth Pilgrim has been reprinted and handsomely illustrated in Braided Way.

Oct
2021

HOPE AND REASSURANCE

At the height of the 2020 pandemic, hopeful poems were posted on park trails in Minnesota, including Michael McCormick's Corona. Now the poems have been collected into a book Poems of Hope and Reassurance available free in stores and libraries.

July
2021

ROBOTS NEVER GET OLD

"The Boy in the Giant Robot", a favorite story first published in 2016, was reprinted by Metastellar.

May

2021

ALL IN THE FAMILY

For the first time, Michael McCormick's work appears in the same magazine as that of his mother, poet Jeri McCormick. Check out his "Golden Hour" (and her "Blue Puma") in the current issue of Hummingbird.

Sep

2020

OPOSSUM PRIZE

Michael McCormick's flash fiction story "Lava Lady" was announced as a finalist for the 2020 Opossum Literary Prize.

July

2020

A POETIC TRILOGY

A trilogy of three Michael McCormick poems appear in the Summer issue of Poetica Review: "Revolution 9", "Farm Girl", and "Depression".

June

2020

LIFE ON A PLANET

Michael McCormick's poem "Life on a Planet" appears in issue 3 of Frozen Wavelets.

June

2020

HEARING CRICKETS?

Just in time for summer, Michael McCormick's poem "Crickets" appears in the Summer 2020 issue of Martin Lake Journal.

Mar

2020

A GLASS DARKLY

Michael McCormick's dark fantasy story "A Glass Darkly" appeared in The Arcanist magazine.

Nov

2019

MOCCASIN AWARD

Michael McCormick's poem "Willow" was third-place winner of the 35th annual Moccasin Award, presented by the League of Minnesota Poets. As a bonus, Mike's whimsical new poem "Pulled Over by a Poem" was also included in the latest issue of Moccasin.

Oct

2019

HEAR MIKE READ

Hear Michael McCormick read aloud his poem "Marigje" on the Science Fiction Poetry Association's Halloween page!

Sep

2019

TALKING STICK

The 28th annual Talking Stick journal came out at a book release party on 9/21. It includes Michael McCormick's poem "Casino" inspired by a local Indian establishment.

Sep

2019

ANTHOLOGY TWO-FER

The new Poetry Nook Anthology includes not one but two of Michael McCormick's poems: "Marigje" and "Willow". On sale now in paperback and e-book.

July

2019

AFTERLIVES OF WRITERS

A new anthology Afterlives of the Writers includes Michael McCormick's short story "A Dubliner's Return". Find out what happened to James Joyce in the afterlife, along with Jack Kerouac, C.S. Lewis, Kurt Vonnegut, Emily Bronte, & others!

June

2019

LET IT SNOW

Michael McCormick's hopeful "cli-fi" tale "Snow 2562" appears in issue #2 of DreamForge magazine.

Mar

2019

STILL POWERFUL 20 YEARS LATER

A story Michael McCormick published twenty years ago in Japan is now available in USA as a free reprint! "Book of Changes" brought a perspective to 1945 Hiroshima that still moves readers today.

Feb

2019

FAIRY TALE

Michael McCormick's magical fairy tale "The Twelfth Pilgrim" appears in volume 25 of Three Drops from a Cauldron magazine.

Nov

2018

BOGO DEAL

Buy the latest issue of Moccasin journal and you'll get Michael McCormick's new poem "Cathedral Rock" plus a reprint "Hummer Sunset" as an added bonus.

Sep

2018

BOOK PARTY

A book release party was held in Osage MN for Talking Stick volume 27 which includes Michael McCormick's new poem "Ex-Poem".

Sep

2018

MAGICAL CRIME SCENE

Michael McCormick's spooky short story "Our God is a Jealous God" appears in the Magical Crime Scene Investigation anthology.

Aug

2018

CURIOUS FICTIONS

Michael McCormick joined Curious Fictions, a place where you can subscribe to authors, support their work, read stories and get news. Visit Mike's author page to check it out and subscribe.

June

2018

ECO POEM

Michael McCormick's poem "Hummer Sunset" appeared in Plum Tree Tavern, an "eco-poetry" journal that celebrates nature, environment, and ecology.

May

2018

CODEX

Michael McCormick was invited to join the Codex Writers Group for published science fiction & fantasy authors. Mike was already a member of the Science Fiction Writers of America (SFWA).

April

2018

WINNING POEM

Michael McCormick's poem "Marigje", previously published on Halloween 2016, won first place prize in the 176th Poetry Nook contest.

Dec

2017

TWO-FER

Two poems by Michael McCormick,"Mother Superior" and "Demonic Text", appeared in this year's annual poetry collection in The Moccasin journal.

Sept

2017

POETRY PRIZE

Michael McCormick's previously published poem "Willow" received Honorable Mention in the Poetry Nook 146th contest.

June

2017

A GLOBAL WARMING TALE

Days after the announcement the US is  pulling from the Paris climate accord, Michael McCormick's flash fiction "Key South" appeared in Cease, Cows.

Feb

2017

A "HARD POEM"

Michael McCormick decided to share a poem written in grief and anger after the 2014 death of a close friend. "Green Lake" appears in the new issue of The Roaring Muse.

Feb

2017

RAY BRADBURY AWARD

Michael McCormick's nomination for the Science Fiction Writers of America Ray Bradbury award for best sci-fi film or TV show -- Westworld's "Bicameral Mind" episode  -- made it onto the Nebula ballot.

Feb

2017

INSTAPOEM

Her Heart Poetry reprinted Michael McCormick's award-winning poem "Wounded Sky" in graphic form on Instagram.

Oct 31 2016

HALLOWEEN POEM

Michael McCormick's poem Marigje about a 1591 witch burning, appeared in Fickle Muses on Halloween.

Sep 17 2016

BOOK RELEASE PARTY

Jackpine Writers Bloc hosted a Book Release Party for Talking Stick Volume 25, which includes Michael McCormick's short story "Cass at 83".

Aug

2016

BOWIE ANTHOLOGY

An anthology of David Bowie inspired stories and poetry, including Michael McCormick's poem "Ghost Star", is now available on Amazon and elsewhere. Proceeds go to cancer care and research.

July

2016

DAILY SF

Michael McCormick's short story "Boy in the Giant Robot" was the featured story in Daily Science Fiction.

June

2016

INAUGURAL HAIGA

Electric Haiga launched with Michael McCormick's award-winning poem "Wounded Sky" as its first haiga.  Haiga are like haiku paired with images.

Nov

2015

REVIEW

Black Gate Magazine reviewed the Fall/Winter issue of Whistling Shade, including Michael McCormick's poem Monkey No Monkey.

Oct 29 2015

HALLOWEEN READING

Michael McCormick read selected poems at Eat My Words bookstore in Minneapolis before an enthusiastic crowd at a "Spooky Basement Party".

March 2011

POETRY PRIZE

Michael McCormick's poem "Wounded Sky" selected in the 6th Annual Writer's Digest Poetry Awards.

Feb
2022

ART MEETS MATH

Art meets math in the Journal of Humanistic Mathematics. Issue 12 includes Michael McCormick's whimsical poem What's So Great About Non-Orientable Manifolds?

Dec
2021

SEX LIFE OF A PHOTON

Michael McCormick's racy science poem Sex Life of a Photon appears in issue 7 of Consilience Journal.

Nov
2021

PILGRIM'S RETURN

A short story The Twelfth Pilgrim has been reprinted and handsomely illustrated in Braided Way.

Oct
2021

HOPE AND REASSURANCE

At the height of the 2020 pandemic, hopeful poems were posted on park trails in Minnesota, including Michael McCormick's Corona. Now the poems have been collected into a book Poems of Hope and Reassurance available free in stores and libraries.

July
2021

ROBOTS NEVER GET OLD

"The Boy in the Giant Robot", a favorite story first published in 2016, was reprinted by Metastellar.

May

2021

ALL IN THE FAMILY

For the first time, Michael McCormick's work appears in the same magazine as that of his mother, poet Jeri McCormick. Check out his "Golden Hour" (and her "Blue Puma") in the current issue of Hummingbird.

Sep

2020

OPOSSUM PRIZE

Michael McCormick's flash fiction story "Lava Lady" was announced as a finalist for the 2020 Opossum Literary Prize.

July

2020

A POETIC TRILOGY

A trilogy of three Michael McCormick poems appear in the Summer issue of Poetica Review: "Revolution 9", "Farm Girl", and "Depression".

June

2020

LIFE ON A PLANET

Michael McCormick's poem "Life on a Planet" appears in issue 3 of Frozen Wavelets.

June

2020

HEARING CRICKETS?

Just in time for summer, Michael McCormick's poem "Crickets" appears in the Summer 2020 issue of Martin Lake Journal.

Mar

2020

A GLASS DARKLY

Michael McCormick's dark fantasy story "A Glass Darkly" appeared in The Arcanist magazine.

Nov

2019

MOCCASIN AWARD

Michael McCormick's poem "Willow" was third-place winner of the 35th annual Moccasin Award, presented by the League of Minnesota Poets. As a bonus, Mike's whimsical new poem "Pulled Over by a Poem" is included in the latest issue of Moccasin Journal.

Oct

2019

HEAR MIKE READ

Hear Michael McCormick read aloud his poem "Marigje" on the Science Fiction Poetry Association's Halloween page!

Sep

2019

TALKING STICK

The 28th annual Talking Stick journal came out at a book release party on 9/21. It includes Michael McCormick's poem "Casino" inspired by a local Indian establishment.

Sep

2019

ANTHOLOGY TWO-FER

The new Poetry Nook Anthology includes not one but two of Michael McCormick's poems: "Marigje" and "Willow". On sale now in paperback and e-book.

July

2019

AFTERLIVES OF WRITERS

A new anthology Afterlives of the Writers includes Michael McCormick's short story "A Dubliner's Return". Find out what happened to James Joyce in the afterlife, along with Jack Kerouac, C.S. Lewis, Kurt Vonnegut, Emily Bronte, & others!

June

2019

LET IT SNOW

Michael McCormick's hopeful "cli-fi" tale "Snow 2562" appears in issue #2 of DreamForge magazine.

Mar

2019

STILL POWERFUL 20 YEARS LATER

A story Michael McCormick published twenty years ago in Japan is now available in USA as a free reprint! "Book of Changes" brought a perspective to 1945 Hiroshima that still moves readers today.

Feb

2019

FAIRY TALE

Michael McCormick's magical fairy tale "The Twelfth Pilgrim" appears in volume 25 of Three Drops from a Cauldron magazine.

Nov

2018

BOGO DEAL

Buy the latest issue of Moccasin journal and you'll get Michael McCormick's new poem "Cathedral Rock" plus a reprint "Hummer Sunset" as an added bonus.

Sep

2018

BOOK PARTY

A book release party was held in Osage MN for Talking Stick volume 27 which includes Michael McCormick's new poem "Ex-Poem".

Sep

2018

MAGICAL CRIME SCENE

Michael McCormick's spooky short story "Our God is a Jealous God" appears in the Magical Crime Scene Investigation anthology.

Aug

2018

CURIOUS FICTIONS

Michael McCormick joined Curious Fictions, a place where you can subscribe to authors, support their work, read stories and get news. Visit Mike's author page to check it out and subscribe.

June

2018

ECO POEM

Michael McCormick's poem "Hummer Sunset" appeared in Plum Tree Tavern, an "eco-poetry" journal that celebrates nature, environment, and ecology.

May

2018

CODEX

Michael McCormick was invited to join the Codex Writers Group for published science fiction & fantasy authors. Mike was already a member of the Science Fiction Writers of America (SFWA).

April

2018

WINNING POEM

Michael McCormick's poem "Marigje", previously published on Halloween 2016, won first place prize in the 176th Poetry Nook contest.

Dec

2017

TWO-FER

Two poems by Michael McCormick,"Mother Superior" and "Demonic Text", appeared in this year's annual poetry collection in The Moccasin journal.

Sept

2017

POETRY PRIZE

Michael McCormick's previously published poem "Willow" received Honorable Mention in the Poetry Nook 146th contest.

June

2017

A GLOBAL WARMING TALE

Days after the announcement the US is  pulling from the Paris climate accord, Michael McCormick's flash fiction "Key South" appeared in Cease, Cows.

Feb

2017

A "HARD POEM"

Michael McCormick decided to share a poem written in grief and anger after the 2014 death of a close friend. "Green Lake" appears in the new issue of The Roaring Muse.

Feb

2017

RAY BRADBURY AWARD

Michael McCormick's nomination for the Science Fiction Writers of America Ray Bradbury award for best sci-fi film or TV show -- Westworld's "Bicameral Mind" episode  -- made it onto the Nebula ballot.

Feb

2017

INSTAPOEM

Her Heart Poetry reprinted Michael McCormick's award-winning poem "Wounded Sky" in graphic form on Instagram.

Oct 31 2016

HALLOWEEN POEM

Michael McCormick's poem Marigje about a 1591 witch burning, appeared in Fickle Muses on Halloween.

Sep 17 2016

BOOK RELEASE PARTY

Jackpine Writers Bloc hosted a Book Release Party for Talking Stick Volume 25, which includes Michael McCormick's short story "Cass at 83".

Aug

2016

BOWIE ANTHOLOGY

An anthology of David Bowie inspired stories and poetry, including Michael McCormick's poem "Ghost Star", is now available on Amazon and elsewhere. Proceeds go to cancer care and research.

July

2016

DAILY SF

Michael McCormick's short story "Boy in the Giant Robot" was the featured story in Daily Science Fiction.

June

2016

INAUGURAL HAIGA

Electric Haiga launched with Michael McCormick's award-winning poem "Wounded Sky" as its first haiga.  Haiga are like haiku paired with images.

Nov

2015

REVIEW

Black Gate Magazine reviewed the Fall/Winter issue of Whistling Shade, including Michael McCormick's poem Monkey No Monkey.

Oct 29 2015

HALLOWEEN READING

Michael McCormick read selected poems at Eat My Words bookstore in Minneapolis before an enthusiastic crowd at a "Spooky Basement Party".

March 2011

POETRY PRIZE

Michael McCormick's poem "Wounded Sky" selected in the 6th Annual Writer's Digest Poetry Awards.

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