writer

 Michael's screenwriting work has received several awards including Semifinalist in the Academy’s Nicholl Fellowships, Semifinalist in the Austin Film Festival, and Quarterfinalist in the BlueCat Screenplay Competition.

His novels have been #1 bestsellers on Amazon and won book of the year awards by Suspense Magazine and The Kindle Book Review. 

Michael is a lawyer and author, 

including PLUMMET (a #1 Amazon 

legal thriller/drama) and THE BARREL MURDER (a #1 Amazon historical mystery and murder/mayhem).

Michael's maternal great grandfather (Federico Pizzurro) was a capo in the mafia in Sicily. Michael's grandfather (Michael Pizzurro) was next in line to become a mafia don in Sicily, but he left the Old Country as a young man to get out of the "family business" and start a new life in America. Michael has a keen interest in stories involving Italian-Americans, organized crime, and heroes like The Anti-Godfather, Detective Lieutenant Joe Petrosino. He has been featured as an on-camera true crime and mafia expert on “American Lawmen,” on Cineflix & The Discovery Channel’s American Heroes Network.