Mike Shepherd

Author profile

born

Philadelphia, The United States

gender

male

website

http://www.mikeshepherd.org

genre

Science Fiction & Fantasy

About this author

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This is a pseudonym for Mike Moscoe.

Mike was born in the Philadelphia Navy Yard Hospital -- and left that town at the age of three days for reasons he does not presently recall. But they had to draft him to get him back there. He missed very little of the rest of the country. Growing up Navy, he lived about everywhere you could park an aircraft carrier.

Mike was one of those college students who didn't have to worry about finding a job after graduation. In 1968, his Uncle Sam made him an offer he couldn't refuse. Two days into boot camp, the Army was wondering if they might not have been a bit hasty. Mike ended the day in the Intensive Care Unit of the local Army hospital. Despite most of Mike’s personal war stories being limited to "How I...more This is a pseudonym for Mike Moscoe.

Mike was born in the Philadelphia Navy Yard Hospital -- and left that town at the age of three days for reasons he does not presently recall. But they had to draft him to get him back there. He missed very little of the rest of the country. Growing up Navy, he lived about everywhere you could park an aircraft carrier.

Mike was one of those college students who didn't have to worry about finding a job after graduation. In 1968, his Uncle Sam made him an offer he couldn't refuse. Two days into boot camp, the Army was wondering if they might not have been a bit hasty. Mike ended the day in the Intensive Care Unit of the local Army hospital. Despite most of Mike’s personal war stories being limited to "How I flunked boot camp," he can still write a rollicking good military SF yarns.

Mike didn’t survive all that long as a cab driver (he got lost) or bartender (he made the drinks too strong) but he figured he could at least work for the Navy Department as a budget analyst. Until he spent the whole day trying to balance the barracks accounts for paint. Finally, about quitting time, a grinning senior analyst took him aside and let him in on the secret. They'd hidden the money for refitting a battleship in that little account. Slowly it dawned on Mike that there were a few things about the Navy that even a kid who grew up in it would never understand.

Over the next twenty years, Mike branched out into other genres, including instruction memos, policies, performance standards and even a few labor contracts. All of those, you may notice, lack a certain something. Dialogue ... those things in quotes. In `87, Mike’s big break came. He landed on a two year special project to build a digital map showing where the trees, rivers, roads, Spotted Owls and other critters were in western Oregon. The list went on and on with no end in sight and two years became ten.

Since there was no writing involved in his new day job, Mike had to do something to get the words out. He signed up for a writing class at Clark Community College and proudly turned in a story ... Star Wars shoots down the second coming of Christ.

Two years later, Analog bought "Summer Hopes, Winter Dreams" for the March, 1991 issue. Four years later he sold his first novel. In the ten years since then, Mike’s turned in twelve novels and is researching the next three.

Mike's love for Science Fiction started when he picked up "Rocket Ship Galileo" in the fifth grade, and then proceeded to read every book in the library with a rocket sticker on its spine.

Mike digs for his stories among people and change. Through his interest in history, he has traces the transformations that make us what we are today. Science launches us forward into an ever changing universe. Once upon a time, the only changes in peoples lives came with the turning of the seasons and the growing wrinkles on their brows. Today, science drives most of the changes in our daily lives. Still, we can't avoid the pressure of our own awakening hormones or hardening arteries. Mike is happiest when his stories are speeding across thin ice, balanced on the edge of two sharp blades, one anciently human, the other as new as tomorrow's research.

Trained in International Relations and history, salary administration and bargaining, theology and counseling, Mike is having a ball writing about Kris Longknife ... coming of age while the world her grand parents built threatens to crash down around her ears. These are books I think you’ll love ... and my granddaughter and grandsons too!

Mike lives in Vancouver, Washington, with his wife Ellen, his mother-in-law and any visiting grandkids. He enjoys reading, writing, watching grand-children for story ideas and upgrading his computer -- all are never ending.(less)

68 posts
Mike Shepherd's Blog

Mike Shepherd isn't a Goodreads Author (yet), but he does have a blog, so here are some recent posts imported from his feed.

Copy Edits for Welcome Home done.

May has been a busy month.

Monday of this week I found the copy edited manuscript for the e-special Welcome Home-Go Away in my in basket. It was clean and I sent it back today.

Last week at the Oregon Coast, I put another 141 pages and 28,000 words into Hounds of War. It’s up to 86,000 words and next month should finish it. All I need to do is storm Black Mountain and start the Iteeche War and I’...

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Published on May 24, 2012 12:07 • 16 views

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combine editions
Books by Mike Shepherd

Average rating: 3.92 · 4,302 ratings · 245 reviews · 17 distinct works

	Mutineer (Kris Longknife #1) 3.75 avg rating — 941 ratings — published 2004 — 5 editions	My rating:
	Defiant (Kris Longknife #3) 3.99 avg rating — 642 ratings — published 2005 — 4 editions	My rating:
	Deserter (Kris Longknife, #2) 3.89 avg rating — 490 ratings — published 2004 — 5 editions	My rating:
	Audacious (Kris Longknife #5) 3.98 avg rating — 441 ratings — published 2007 — 4 editions	My rating:
	Resolute (Kris Longknife #4) 3.94 avg rating — 433 ratings — published 2006 — 4 editions	My rating:
	Intrepid (Kris Longknife #6) 4.00 avg rating — 415 ratings — published 2008 — 4 editions	My rating:
	Redoubtable (Kris Longknife, #8) 3.98 avg rating — 334 ratings — published 2010 — 3 editions	My rating:
	Undaunted (Kris Longknife #7) 3.92 avg rating — 319 ratings — published 2009 — 3 editions	My rating:
	Daring (Kris Longknife, #9) 4.03 avg rating — 261 ratings — published 2011 — 6 editions	My rating:
	Training Daze (Kris Longknife, #3.5) 3.68 avg rating — 28 ratings — published 2011 — 2 editions	My rating:

More books by Mike Shepherd…

Series by Mike Shepherd

Kris Longknife (11 books)
by Mike Shepherd

3.92 avg rating — 4,307 ratings

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Quotes by Mike Shepherd

“God, you don't just barge in on my father, and definitely not my mother."
No way. You check with their personal secretaries first. Check out their moods. Then you make an appointment to slip in. There are basic things you learn when your parents run a planet.”
― Mike Shepherd, Mutineer

tags: children-of-politicians , politicians

4 people liked it

Polls

The nominations are in and here are the 7 selections for the November Science Fiction Theme: Space Opera. This will be the book we'll discuss starting November 15th. Please make your selection and we'll do a runoff if needed ...

Cluster by Piers Anthony

4 votes 33.3%

Necropath by Eric Brown

3 votes 25.0%

Consider Phlebas by Iain M. Banks

2 votes 16.7%

Sundiver by David Brin

1 vote 8.3%

A Fire upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge

1 vote 8.3%

Hammerfall by C.J. Cherryh

1 vote 8.3%

Mutineer by Mike Shepherd

0 votes 0.0%

12 total votes

2 comments

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Topics Mentioning This Author

topics	posts	views	last activity
The Alternative W...: If You Like This, You Might Like...	50	20	Feb 14, 2010 10:04pm
The Sword and Laser: Literary Candy	7	59	Apr 21, 2010 02:44pm
SciFi and Fantasy...: November Science Fiction Theme Nominations	13	32	Nov 12, 2010 08:17pm
SciFi and Fantasy...: What are you reading in January 2011?	207	195	Jan 31, 2011 08:46pm
SciFi and Fantasy...: Space adventure recommendations?	123	767	May 04, 2011 11:28pm
The Alternative W...: Matchmaker Matchmaker Look through your Book	47	34	Jul 18, 2011 09:31pm
Read This Now: Book Recs	3	2	Dec 08, 2011 02:09pm

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Mike Shepherd

Author profile

68 posts
Mike Shepherd's Blog

combine editions
Books by Mike Shepherd

Series by Mike Shepherd

Upcoming Events

Quotes by Mike Shepherd

Polls

Topics Mentioning This Author

Add NewVideos

Mike's Fans (68)

Mike Shepherd

Author profile

68 postsMike Shepherd's Blog

combine editionsBooks by Mike Shepherd

Series by Mike Shepherd

Upcoming Events

Quotes by Mike Shepherd

Polls

Topics Mentioning This Author

Add New
Videos

68 posts
Mike Shepherd's Blog

combine editions
Books by Mike Shepherd