Michael Franks

Michael Franks was born in 1945. He earned degrees from Southern Methodist University and Northwestern University. He served as an officer in the United States Armed Forces, holding a NATO Cosmic-top-secret clearance.

Following retirement from his group of weekly newspapers, Franks divides his time between writing and outdoor activities. As resident photographer/naturalist on his Estancia Mapache, which contains one of the few remaining stands of native thorn brush fronting a Rio Grande River resaca, he is custodian of a variety of wildlife from endangered raptors to rare cats. He is a winner in several Texas outdoor photo contests. He spends his summers in the natural surroundings of the New Mexico tall-pine forests.

His other pursuits include airplane piloting, yachting, wind surfing, and golf. He has lived in Italy, and traveled in Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America