John Michell

John was born in Toronto in the winter of ’55 but grew up in the wilds of Muskoka where the air is fresh, and the hills smell with the scent of outdoor adventure and challenge. Upon reaching the age of maturity, a restless spirit grew and a strong will to roam and see the grass next door began to exhibit itself. Nearly five decades after, with his Gimli adventure still ringing in his head, he decided to write his first full length novel about the experience as a tribute to Jean, a friend he lost along the way. ‘All That Glitters: Gimli’ is a story of the maturing of a teenager, the challenges he overcomes, as well as the friends he makes and the stark reality of great personal loss. It is sprinkled with the politics of the day and paints a picture of the great province of Manitoba, its geography, history, and legend.

John grew up with a strong sense of family instilled in him. As the son of a World War II, Dieppe survivor and a mother who served with the CWAC’s in England, he learned at a young age, the values of faith, honesty, sacrifice, and self-confidence.

Authors are many in John’s family, including his father and siblings, and his great grandfather, Stephen Michell, who’s book ‘Mine Drainage’ is still in print one hundred and thirty-four years after its initial publication in 1887.

His previous publishing experience includes editing and self-publishing his father’s three books on Amazon, and co-authoring a yet unpublished political satire (an operetta called ‘Pandemania’). In addition, as a Quality Manager John is called upon to write quality reports, work instructions, and respond to customer quality nonconformance inquiries.

John is the recipient of his college’s Dean’s List Award, and President’s Award for academic achievement in engineering at college.

John is an accomplished athlete. As an Olympic freestyle wrestler, he won the Muskoka/Parry Sound and Georgian Bay Secondary School Association championships twice in his first two years of high school, and the Toronto Secondary School Association championships in his third year. He is the holder of the silver medal from the Central Ontario Open and proceeded to win silver in the Quebec Open several years later, after a near fatal accident in the summer of 1976. He also competed in eight other sports for his high school, including gymnastics.