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MEET MICHAEL WRIGHT
by Bonnie O'Brian

What did you most like to do as a child?

Wake up to 3’ of new snow on the ground then turn on the radio to find out school was cancelled for the day.

Michael Wright

Did you write stories when you were growing up?

I hated writing assignments in school. I still hate most of them. Frankly, I’m not too thrilled about this particular assignment either. Looking back on when I was younger I can remember drawing or writing something that wasn’t “assignment driven”. I found I really enjoyed the process and wasn’t half bad at it. I truly love having a decent idea pop into my head. It’s thrilling in every way. I lose track of time.

What audience did you have in mind for your career as a writer - adult or children?

Both. I want my children’s books to entertain the kid, but I also want the parent to enjoy the experience. Some of my happiest moments as a father have been reading to each of my 3 kids before bedtime. We’ve always had a ton of books in our house and occasionally they’d fall in love with a book that I thought was a little less then engaging. They’d have me read the same thing night after night for weeks… Holy Mother of Mercy! I’d have to fight to stay awake. When I started doing kids books I told myself I’d try not to put parents through that if possible.

When you went to college, were you already pursuing a writing career? (or a career in illustrating? or just art in general?)

I attended a university with a great art department, and that was my focus. While in college I got a job at the school newspaper as the Layout Editor. We happened to have an incredible crop of writers that year and won a pile of awards. I dealt with deadlines and writers every day. I found my temperament was well suited to it. The people on staff were always fascinating, even more so than the oddballs I knew in the art department. Some of my closest friends and most creative people I know today I met working on that paper.

What other jobs you had before you became a writer/illustrator?

In my younger years I’ve delivered newspapers in my neighborhood, sold peanuts and soft drinks at the circus, scooped ice cream at 31 flavors (that was probably my favorite job). One particularly memorable job was one I held during my summers in college. I was employed at the Los Angeles International Airport to empty the toilets on airplanes though a big black hose into a truck affectionately called the “Honey Bucket”. The pay was good but the job stunk.

How soon after you started writing and illustrating was your first book published?

Twenty five freaking years.

When was it published?

 JAKE STAYS AWAKE published in 2007.

When is your next book going to be in book stores?

JAKE STARTS SCHOOL, due out in July, 2008.