Michael Barnett

I was born Michael Barnett in San Bernardino, California, in August of 1958. I was the first son of Gil and Glenda Barnett, in a family that would include three additional boys over the next five years.

We led a mostly uneventful life, interrupted by the occasional trip or vacation, or emergency. Our dad was working towards his degree at the college literally across the street. We had a dog named Inga, a tree fort in a large walnut tree in our back yard, and a fully functional playhouse.

My best memories from those early years began when I was three in 1961. My first book, Eden Fading, chronicles those early memories of tragic events, and wonderful redemption from 1961 through 1966. <spoiler>Basically, for still unknown reasons, I tried to kill my younger brother Gerald, again and again. </spoiler>

In 1972, after my maternal grandfather died, we moved to Lafayette Indiana; Dad's boyhood home. The culture shock was extreme and immediate. In California, we had a very eclectic mix of every race you can imagine. At that time, I didn't yet realize how unique this was. In Indiana, my high school had a population of 800, which were all white, with the exception of a single Latino-American boy who became one of my best friends.

During seventh grade, I first read Tom Sawyer, then Huckleberry Finn. From my young perspective, we could go out into the woods, and do whatever we wanted; like Tom and Huck. We could make an adventure out of whatever came to mind; building tree houses, claiming an island on the Wabash river as ours, and sailing a raft we made by hand down the Wabash river; with no plan of where we would end up or how we would get home. By the way, the raft sunk.

During my 8th grade year, I broke my hip while pole vaulting in a track meet, which effectively ruined my sports career for the next few years. I had continued in Boy Scouts, and received Eagle Scout. I won the Science Fair with a demonstration of a Tesla Coil,

As a senior, I competed in pole vaulting, all the way up to state, where I got 8th place, with a vault of 14’ 6”. I was inducted into the National Honor Society, made Hoosier Scholar, and received the M.E Becket award for the school’s best scholar and athlete. The best thing I earned was a full academic scholarship to Purdue University.

After Purdue, I went into the Air Force, and spent the next year in San Antonio; both in basic and technical school. I met my wife of 32 years, Michelle, while there. After a three year assignment in upstate New York—where we were married, and our single daughter was born—I took an assignment back in San Antonio so Michelle could be near family…and get out of the cold!

Because I no longer traveled extensively, I was able to earn my BS in Computer Science at St. Mary’s University. I had great English teachers, and this is where I learned to love reading, and have done so ever since.

After eight years in San Antonio, I took a position in Dallas, and we have been here ever since.

What made me start writing, so late in my life? There are many reasons, but the main one is my brother, Gerald. After my dad died two years ago, Gerald convinced me that since I was the storyteller of the family, I should put our story into words. I am now working on my second book, which falls squarely into that Star Wars/Star Trek/X-Files/Fringe genre. I am hoping to release this book by Christmas.

And as always, life marches on.