Michael Marshall Smith was born on May 3, 1965, in Knutsford, a small town in Cheshire, England. At the age of one his family moved to the States, first to Illinois, then Florida. He spent the first 8 years of his life relocating, having later spent a year in both South Africa and Australia before returning to England in 1973. He studied Philosophy and Social & Political Science at King's College in Cambridge.

He worked as a graphic designer and wrote corporate videos, although to this day simply likes to say he knew how to use a Mac when nobody else did, then later worked as a comedy writer for BBC.

At the recommendation of a friend he read The Talisman by Stephen King and Peter Straub and was hooked. He devoured King, reading all he could get his hands on, and decided he wanted to enter genre fiction writing. Shortly after, his first story, The Man Who Drew Cats, was written and published in 1991, receiving critial acclaim. In 1992, The Dark Land won the best story award. He wrote many other short stories until his first novel, Only Forward, was published in 1994. It never quite fit into any one genre, sifting from science fiction, horror, and crime, then finally labeled as "slipstream fiction." In 1995 it received the August Darleth Award for Best Novel.

His second book, Spares, was published in 1996 and also met with critical acclaim. It's said Steven Spielberg's production, DreamWorks, bought the movie rights to it and it's since been referred to as an upcoming animation. His third book, One of Us, is also being made into a movie.

He now (as of July 2000) lives in London with his wife, Paula, and his two Burmilla cats.

Some of his books and short stories include:

Novels:


Short stories (partial listing):

I still cry when I read his books.

Michael Marshall Smith writes as if his character is talking to you, taking you on a ride, you are not the main character, but you feel closer than you would if it was written from the "third person" perspective. You don't switch between who you ride with, you stay with the one person all the way through.

Sometimes it seems as if you've started reading the story half way through, but, by the end, everything falls together... well almost everything. It is never wrapped up in a perfect little parcel that can be put away and forgotten about. It leaves you wondering about a few things, it stays in your mind and you just can't help but going back to read it again.

I believe Michael Marshall Smith writes about love, Love, growing up, and an extraordinary ordinary life. He writes about likes, stupidity, mistakes, Somethings, and other places. Talking appliances and cats make guest appearances in a few of his stories.

I am a dog person and some of his books make me want to own a cat just to tickle it behind the ears.

Below is a biography of his novels and short stories.


NOVELS:
  • Only Forward
  • Spares (Talking appliances. Yay. "what do I know? I'm just a fucking fridge"
  • One of Us
  • What You Make It (really a collection of short stories)
  • The Straw Men

    SHORT STORIES:
  • The Man Who Drew Cats
  • The Vaccinator
  • The Dark Land
  • Always
  • A Time For Waiting
  • The View
  • More Bitter Than Death
  • Later
  • The Fracture
  • The Owner
  • Autumn
  • To See The Sea
  • Rain Falls
  • To Receive Is Better
  • Dying
  • More Tomorrow
  • Foreign Bodies
  • Sorted
  • Someone Else's Problem
  • Hell Hath Enlarged Herself
  • Not Waving
  • Save As...
  • Charms
  • Dear Alison
  • Victoria's Secret
  • Different Now
  • Walking Wounded
  • Mr. Cat
  • Missed Connection
  • Everybody Goes
  • When God Lived In Kentish Town
  • A Convenient Arrangement
  • A Place To Stay
  • Enough Pizza
  • Diet Hell
  • Welcome
  • The Book Of Irrational Numbers
  • The Handover
  • What You Make It
  • Some Witch's Bed

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