4. Background
Michael was essentially destined for writing and
particularly horror stories from the beginning as
a result of his birth in the famed city of
Amityville, NY, known for its infamous horror
house. Even with his auspicious roots, the story
telling really began in his service in the army
while entertaining his fellow troops.
5.
6. Education
B.A. in English Colorado State University 1991
M.A. in English Univeristy of Idaho 1994
Ph.D. in English University of Oregon 1999
7.
8. The Beginnings
So I asked Michael where it all started and his answer was simple. Writing
started out as something fun to do, basically just “for kicks before I started
college.” He continued to say that what had inspired him was being able to
work with others who enjoyed reading as much as he did. This eventually
turned into a passion that motivated him, even still to this day, to take his
passion and transform it into a profession that has carried him throughout
his life.
As I mentioned before, the Army is where it originally started to develop
because Michael didn’t feel that he would be able to afford college. “It
taught me more about my fellow man than any other experience. People
"act out" when they're all forced to dress, behave, and march the same way.
So their personality quirks emerge. I learned about "character" from that
experience, and I had so many diverse buddies and loyal cohorts that I
really came to trust my fellow man, too.”
9.
10. From Boot Camp
to the Classroom
Writing could have ended up being just a
favorite past time for him, but it was a class
in college where Michael was able to realize
his passion through poetry. He mentioned
that the classes opened him up to how
experimental and free writing prose can be
and how the structure and form came to
have real meaning and significance.
The classes in school also prepared him for
his decade long career as a professor in the
English Department and Chair of the
Humanities Division. Nothing prepares you
more to be a teacher than observing
educators in real life situations. “I started
to do it CONSCIOUSLY when I realized I
might someday become a teacher. And even
the bad teachers are worth studying, when
you do that, because they show you what
mistakes to avoid.”
11.
12. It seemed as though Michael was setting himself up for some serious self
promoted success through hard work and determination. The same year
he finished his Masters in English, he won his first literary award for his
first novel, “Grave Markings.” Since then he has won Bram Stoker award
a total of 4 times. This can be attributed to his determination shown in
his daily routines. When asked what his typical daily or weekly routine
was, he responded with “Write every morning for the first two hours of
every day...if I get blocked, I update my website or make some other effort
to promote my writing or research my current work.
13.
14. Lecturer and
Self-Promoter
While Michael admitted that himself, like many other writers he has met
and spoken with, self promotion hasn’t been a strong suit, it’s become a
necessary evil with advent of the internet. Distribution becomes much
simpler to get your work noticed when you have electronic
communication available. However he is persistent to the point where he
hopes to increase the amount of time spent writing novels, which can
focus all his varied literary pleasures into one coherent body of work, and
increase self promotion to the point where he no longer has to worry
about acquiring new readers. While the goal is very similar to other
writers and lofty in nature, Arnzen believes that goals should be a little
unrealistic.
18. The Future of Reading
Michael believes that ebooks will explode this next year. “ The Kindle will
be the new iPod for publishing. Everyone will get one for Christmas this
year. Things are going to change. But books aren't going away; and just
as vinyl is now hot in music, I bet hardcovers will be hot with collectors,
too.”
