From an early age, Mike realized that life was more fun when unencumbered by a strict adherence to the truth. In other words, he learned to make up stories. Be it the size of the steelhead that broke his line and slipped back into the mighty Rogue River, or the glaring new scratch on his father’s truck, Mike was always ready with a yarn to spin and an audience to dupe, delight and most importantly, entertain.

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When he wasn’t enjoying center-stage, Mike pursued long  periods  alone in  the wild. As his  brother and father went gold-panning in the heart of the Kalamiopsis wilderness, Mike would wander off with his fishing pole and Labrador, Colonel, fish, innertube float, or cliff dive into bottomless pools and perhaps evade protective mama bears. These moments attuned him to the deep, hidden songs of nature. His affinity for quiet observation and curiosity would lead him to explore 49 of the 50 Unites States during and after his time as a photographer for the U.S. Air Force. This tapestry of places and characters, along with his love of southern Oregon forms much of the inspiration for his books and characters.

 

These days, when Mike isn’t  cycling through Oregon and Northern California or photographing the great outdoors, he’s happy to tap away at his latest story. To date, Mike has published four novels that span mystery, supernatural and action genres, mostly set in Southern Oregon. His four books include The Rogue River Incident, Books I & II, Hidden Beneath the Pines and his latest, The Good Sheriff. He is at work on a brand-new Southern Oregon novel that takes place during the Almeda fire and will go to print in early 2024.