Michael Harrington grew up near Colliding Rivers in southern Oregon. His early life revolved around sports, especially baseball, where he was named to the "All State Team" in high school as a shortstop. After finishing college, he worked briefly as a real estate developer with his brother before striking out on his own to pursue writing. Michael's first success came in the early 80s when one of his children's books, The Catbird's Secret, was accepted by a large publisher. The project later fell through; but the experience yielded sufficient motivation to continue writing. In 1990 he wrote The Secret Language of Waking Dreams, a popular book on synchronicity (published in 1992 under a different name). In 2005 Michael founded Susan Creek Books, named for a famous stream near Colliding Rivers. Touched by the Dragon's Breath came out that same year, followed by Porcupines at the Dance in 2008. Besides writing, Michael enjoys perusing the Internet, socializing with friends, and exploring old growth forests. His favorite trails lead to waterfalls strung out like jewels along the many tributaries of the Scenic North Umpqua River.