Mike is a published author, a player of the bass guitar, an avid golfer, and the answer to the question, “What’s that smell?”

Born in Rockford, Illinois, but raised in the great city of Chicago, Mike is currently working in Cedar Rapids, Iowa as a bartender. In previous lives Mike worked primarily in the service industry as either a bartender or server in Chicago. But he has also worked at a hardware store, a pawn shop, a record store, a bowling alley, a downtown Chicago 9-hole golf course/driving range, at his high school bookstore, as a GoDaddy technical support operator, as a Coe College switchboard operator, as a doorman at a Michigan Avenue popcorn shop, for a potentially crooked telemarketing company, in the accounting office at Chicago’s Field Museum of Natural Science, as a law clerk, and as a bouncer at a strip club, just to name a few jobs.

But for four solid years Mike worked as a Children’s Book Editor at Publications International Ltd. in Lincolnwood, Illinois. While there, Mike took the lead on scores of projects, and ultimately authored dozens of books, many of which you can find through the link at the top of this page. Mike left PIL to pursue a career as a freelance writer, which he successfully negotiated until the economic recession of 2008. During his time as a self-employed writer, Mike specialized in educational materials, writing hundreds of various phonics-based reading materials for young readers. He also wrote online content for many commercial websites, developed print ad concepts for major corporations, and composed social media updates for well-known high-end hospitality destinations.

Following the economic collapse in 2008,  Mike lost many of his clients due to national economic concerns. A lack of funding for freelancers was the prevalent motif throughout much of the publishing community, and a general desire by most publishing companies to keep work in-house became the norm. Thanks to these changes and a general lack of foresight on his part, Mike was forced to move into his parents’ basement for the better part of a year before finally deciding to relocate to Cedar Rapids, where he currently resides. Always on the lookout for new adventures, however, Mike is currently preparing for a change of scenery, however, a location yet to be determined. He is always open to suggestions, and available for hire.

If you wish to contact Mike for any reason (eg. job offers, ideas for posts, complaints, or compliments), please email him at bloggymike@yahoo.com.