Michael brings a historian's eye for detail and a novelist's gift for character to this sweeping tale of 1905 Andalusia. Drawing from extensive research into Spanish agricultural history, labor movements, and the complex social dynamics of early 20th-century Europe, he crafts a narrative that illuminates the human cost of industrial transformation.
His background in technology provides an unexpected lens for examining how innovation disrupts traditional ways of life—whether in turn-of-the-century sugar plantations or modern corporate environments. This perspective allows him to explore timeless themes of progress versus tradition, individual agency versus systemic power, and the price communities pay for economic change.
The Guitars Song emerged from the author's fascination with the untold stories of agricultural workers whose knowledge and resistance shaped Spain's transition into the modern era. Through meticulous research into irrigation systems, labor organizing, and the daily lives of Andalusian workers, he reconstructs a world where ancient wisdom confronts industrial efficiency.
The novel's exploration of observation versus participation—embodied in José's journey from documenting injustice to actively resisting it—reflects the author's broader interest in how individuals navigate moral choices within larger historical forces. His prose combines the lyrical intensity of García Márquez with the social consciousness of Steinbeck, creating a distinctly contemporary voice for historical fiction.
He lives in Texas and is currently working on his next novel.
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