Michael McCarty has been a professional writer since 1983 and the author of over twenty books of fiction and nonfiction, as well as hundreds of articles, short stories and poems. In 2009, he was named as finalist, along with collaborator Mark McLaughlin, in two different Bram Stoker Award categories: Best First Novel of 2008 for Monster Behind The Wheel (Corrosion Press/Delirium Books) and Best Poetry Collection of 2008 for Attack of the Two-Headed Poetry Monster (Skullvines Press). He received the 2008 David R. Collins’ Literary Achievement Award from the Midwest Writing Center. In 2005, he was a Bram Stoker finalist in the nonfiction category for More Giants of the Genre (Wildside Press).

Michael lives in Rock Island, Illinois with his wife Cindy and pet rabbit Latte, and is a former stand-up comedian, musician and managing editor of a music magazine.