Michael spent the last 35 years fitting in his writing around job and family obligations. He began writing his first novel in 1978 while a small-town police officer working night shifts. When things quieted down after 0300 AM he would park his police cruiser near an intersection where he could keep an eye on the town and fill his pad up with text. Toward the end of his shift he would go to the office and type it up before heading home. He usually produced about 2,000 words of material per night and the first draft of his first book (Time Loves a Hero- a science fiction novel) was finished in about six months. When he moved on to a career in international security and Intel in West Africa in 1988 he managed to find the time to record more adventures between (and often in the midst of) African revolutions. He completed his second book (Beyond Courage- Tales of a Country Cop in Africa) in 1993. Michael’s third book (The Role of the Security Officer- a security guard training manual) was published while he was employed full-time as a security manager and trainer for BRINK'S INCORPORATED (an armored truck company) in Seattle, Washington. Michael retired early at fifty-seven years of age in order to devote him his time to writing. In 2007 he completed three more books: a 257,000 word personal memoir titled The Buddha and the Badge… a prequel and sequel to Beyond Courage- Tales of a Country Cop in Africa, a book of poetry and prose for his mother (who passed away leaving files of published poems, articles and stories) called, A Life Well Traveled and Fatu the Lioness, a children’s book set in West Africa (where he lived for many years). Michael says: “As my creative writing professor in college used to say over and over, Writers, Write! He also used to say that most writers who succeed in the field have to produce around a million words before they ever see their name in print. I have always heeded his wisdom and followed his advice largely because I simply love to write. Writers do indeed, write. We write because we love words and because we love creating new and interesting characters and worlds on paper. We write because we love sharing those worlds and words with others. We write not because we need to be rich, or because we crave recognition, but because we are thinkers and we feel compelled to communicate those thoughts”.

Michael Jaquish is a published poet, novelist and international journalist who has written for a variety of publications including Soldier of Fortune magazine. Following his retirement from law enforcement administration in the Pacific Northwest, he worked overseas in West Africa for many years providing security and Intel for US Embassy operations, the European Union, The United Nations, Save the Children and Voice of America as well as logistical support for NASA's space shuttle abort landing site in The Gambia. He currently resides in Spokane, Washington, where he writes and teaches meditation and Buddhist philosophy. To date he has published over fifteen books and numerous articles and short stories.