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Michael Malone

Michael Malone is the author of 12 internationally acclaimed novels, including the classic Handling Sin Dingley Falls and The Last Noel. The Four Corners of the Sky was the latest in a number of national bestsellers.

He is currently at work on Dark Winter, the fourth in a “Hillston” quartet of novels narrated by two incompatible Piedmont homicide detectives, Justin Savile V and Cuddy Mangum, who over their years together become good colleagues and close friends.

While the most recent novel, Dark Winter is a prequel to Uncivil Seasons, Time’s Witness and First Lady, and tells the story of Cuddy and Justin’s first murder case together.

Michael Malone has also written a collection of short stories Red Clay, Blue Cadillac as well as two books of non-fiction, one on American movies, one on Jungian pyschology. His television credits include network shows for ABC, NBC and Fox. His stories, essays and critical writings have appeared in a wide range of publications–the Wilson Quarterly, the Partisan Review, Playboy, Mademoiselle, Harper’s, the New York Times, the Nation, and so on. His short works are often anthologized and his novels have been translated into many languages. He’s also written plays, musicals and scripts.

Among his prizes are the O Henry, the Edgar, the Writers Guild Award and the Emmy for ABC’s “One Life to Live,” where he was head-writer for much of a decade. He has taught at Yale, the University of Pennsylvania and Swarthmore and most recently for years has been a Professor in Theater Studies and English at Duke, where he tought film, television and theater.

He gives readings and talks throughout the country. His home is in Hillsborough, N.C.

Ten Things I Can’t Do Without

  1. Maureen, my wife, and Maggie, our daughter
  2. The act of creating:  Not the product but the praxis. It can be novels, meals, stone walls, puppets, concerts, talks, parties, and, with the most pleasure, plays (comedy, tragedy, musical) performed with a community of fellowplayers–amateur just as much as professional
  3. Laughing with friends
  4. The quiet to write
  5. A vista, especially seascapes
  6. Beauty around me
  7. Humor, brightness, kindness and courtesy  in my company
  8. Being a part of music–listening to it, making it
  9. Learning new things
  10. Hope for this foolish species of ours
  • I could do without, I suppose, but would infinitely prefer not to–good champagne or a Carolina blue sky. Or just about anything Italian: people, landscape, design, art, food, opera