H (trying to keep up with GR friends) Balikov asked Michael A. Ferro:

Hi Michael - How much has Detroit shaped your stories? I am sure I will be reading your books but I have found it difficult to have a GR friendship with authors. 1. GR does not allow (I am sure for your benefit) the ability to send messages or have discussions outside (this is all GR will allow)

Michael A. Ferro Hello, HBalikov. Thanks for your question. I would say that Detroit has shaped my writing mightily. I grew up during a time when the city was falling apart before our eyes. Much of the country was doing well during the Reagan and Clinton presidencies, and yet, Detroit continued to slide. It was heartbreaking to witness and in many ways, that juxtaposition became integral to my storytelling. There always has to be the bad with the good, the dark with the light, and while Detroit is thankfully once again on the rise, there are so many lessons to be learned not only from the city's shifting place within the country itself, but in its resilient citizens who are at the forefront of that massive undertaking.

I hope you enjoy my book and that it helps to illuminate some of Detroit's shadowed history in the Midwest. I would be happy to discuss the novel, Detroit, or whatever thoughts you might have. Feel free to reach out to me again and we can open another channel of communication.

Be well,
Michael

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