The Tattooed Heart

About Michael Grant

Michael Grant has always been fast paced. He’s lived in almost 50 different homes in 14 US states, and moved in with his wife, Katherine Applegate, after knowing her for less than 24 hours. His long list of previous occupations includes cartoonist, waiter, law librarian, bowling alley mechanic, restaurant reviewer, documentary film producer and political media consultant.

Michael and Katherine have co-authored more than 150 books, including the massive hit series Animorphs, which has sold more than 35 million copies. Working solo, Michael is the author of the internationally bestselling series GONE and the groundbreaking transmedia trilogy BZRK.

Michael, Katherine and their two children live in the San Francisco Bay Area, not far from Silicon Valley.

Q&A with Michael..

Where and when were you born?

Los Angeles California.  There was a manger involved.

Where do you live and who with?

I live in Irvine, California, which is in “The OC” as we would say.  I live with my wife, K.A. Applegate, and our two kids Jake, 11 (feet tall) and Julia, 9 (inches tall.)  We have three pets:  Goofy, a very large, very stupid, very sweet, poop-eating yellow Labrador; Pugs a nasty, hostile, ugly, yapping pug who I have not yet managed to kill; and Lightning, my daughter’s cat.

How did you first start writing?

My wife and I started writing together in 1989.  At the time we were cleaning homes and offices for a living.  Since then we’ve written over 150 books, sometimes together, sometimes separately, often under pseudonyms.

What inspires you? 

Fear of having to get a real job.  Oh, you mean artistically?  I don’t know.  I seem to be a compulsive writer.  I like the rush of taking on something difficult, having no clear idea what I’m doing, and somehow pulling it off.  

Have you won any awards for your work?

Fine, rub my nose in that.  Great.  Actually, the only award I have is a Pollie Award for political ads I produced for the Democrats a few years back.

How would you describe yourself in three words?

Amused.  Impatient. Political.

What do you do to relax?

Watch TV.  Go to restaurants.  I don’t find reading fiction relaxing, exactly, it’s too much like work.  I tend to read history for relaxation.