Q: What is your email address?

A: Contact information on the site is listed for agents, editors, and publishers. Michael does not normally read any other email due to time constraints.

Q: What is your political position?

A: I've pretty much lost faith in what I believe is a fixed system, and cannot say I belong to any political party that does not embrace freedom for individuals, nor the best interests of its constituents. If I had to say I belonged to a party, it would likely be the Libertarian party.

Q: Do you belong to any social networks, such as MySpace or Facebook?

A: I have pages on DeviantArt and Facebook, but do not spend much time there due to schedule and time constraints.

Q: What is that strange critter at the top right of your web pages?

A: The creature pictured on my banner is a Thylacine, or Tasmanian Tiger, a marsupial predator, that was made extinct by humans encroaching on their natural habitat. The last surviving member died in captivity in the 1930's. An Ice Age version of this creature is featured prominently in two of my novels.

Q: Do you still compete in martial arts tournaments?

A: I haven't competed for some time, especially since the near-fatal accident I suffered in 2002, but I may still compete in traditional tournaments in the future.

Q: How long have you been training in martial arts?

A: The full story of my martial arts training can be found on the Martial Arts page.

Q: How long have you been painting and drawing?

A: I've been drawing since the age of two, and can remember painting when I was four years old. More information on my creative pursuits can be found on the Artwork page.

Q: Who are your favorite artists/styles of art?

A: I appreciate all forms of painting, and many diverse styles and forms of art. I have a particular fondness for the pre-raphealites, such as John Waterhouse and William-Adolphe Bouguereau, and also enjoy modern fantasy illustrators such as Luis Royo, Frank Frazetta, Boris Vallejo, Anne Stokes, Michael Whelan, and Ralph Horsley.

Q: Why did you become a writer?

A: Like many writers and creative people, I create because I feel driven to do so. Simply put, nothing else satisfies me in quite the same way, and no other pursuit leaves me feeling as fulfilled.

Q: Why do you write in the Horror/Suspense genre?

A: Most writers, I think, write about those things that move them, or those things that they know best. I grew up in an unusual environment, and experienced a number of events that made me ask questions about the nature of reality. My writing is my way of exploring those themes.

Q: Would you read my material, and give me advice?

A: Aside from the fact that I really don't feel qualified to do that, I could not honor such requests for a number of reasons, both legal and personal.

Q: Can you suggest a good agent?

A: There are a number of good resources for locating the right agent, including the Writer's Market, and internet resources.

Q: Do you accept story ideas from others?

A: Absolutely not. I have too many ideas to possibly write down as it is, and could never accept an idea that wasn't born from my own imagination.

Q: Is it true you create illustrations and cover art for your own work?

A: Yes. I was a visual artist long before I had the desire to write, and use those images to help solidify my writing in my mind, and hopefully, to one day include in my work.

Q: Where do you get your ideas?

A: Like most writers, I get my inspiration from a number of sources, from my own experiences, to observations, all the while thinking 'what if this happened".

Q: Aren't you afraid of being ridiculed for talking about your experiences?

A: Absolutely not. I feel that those who do so, do it because they are afraid of the unknown, and such things challenge their frame of reference in terms of the world and what they understand. I only know what I have experienced personally, and those experiences have changed the way I percieve the world, and reality in general.

Q: Do you consider yourself a psychic?

A: I think the meaning of the word 'psychic' is fairly broad, and it would depend on one's interpretation of the word. Do I believe I possess some sort of ability that is different from anyone else? No, I don't. I only know that I sometimes have dreams that sometimes come true in ways that are very specific, and that I experience events that are too bizarre, in my opinion, to be considered any kind of coincidence. I believe that everyone has the potential to develop talents that are perhaps dormant in the human genome, and that certain events can trigger these talents. I also believe that perception itself is highly subjective, due to different factors, and highly variable from person to person. I think that once a person is exposed to certain phenomena, it can alter their frame of reference in such a way that experiences and perceptions normally filtered out by the consciousness, are then accepted as part of their larger reality.

Q: Are you involved in, or conduct paranormal investigations?

A: I've conducted some experiments, mostly to satisfy my own curiosity, but do not normally engage in such activities. I would, however, be interested in participating in such events, as long as they were conducted in a sensible, scientific fashion.