Paving the Ministry of Christian Literature and Art

Michael Storm was born in Guildford, Surrey, England on November 11, 1959, to a British father and a Finnish mother. A Vickers-Armstrong aircraft factory worker and a nurse, who met in the Guildford All-Nations club for better or worse. His grandparents in turn hail from Ireland, Scotland, Karelia, Russia and Bulgaria. As you can imagine, an unimaginable cocktail, says Storm of himself, who maintains that his bloodline would set off the fire alarm at any genetics lab.

In the early 60's Michael's parents moved with their toddler to Sweden and settled there. Storm grew up in Stockholm. As an adult he returned to England for a period of eight years, following a three-year sojourn in the US.

Writing was always in the family. Michael’s grandfather and great grandfather were published novelists as well as frequent contributors to the British storypapers of old, such as Detective Weekly and Boys Own, featuring the classic Scotland Yard detective Sexton Blake for which Michael’s great grand-father, Alfred Ernest, created one of the most popular of Detective Blake’s nemeses, George Marsden Plummer.

Another of Michael's relatives, Veronica Westlake, wrote horse books for girls.

Despite such heritage Michael’s own writing appeared late. ‘If only someone had told me!’ Storm says. ‘That’s what you get for never asking…’ Thus, other foci had to be dispensed with first. Initial ambitions to become a Royal Air Force fighter pilot were cruelly dashed by a school nurse.

‘So, young man, care to tell me what colored letter you see in there among the dots in this circle, hm?’
‘Uh, can’t see a letter in this circle, nurse.’
‘Really? What a shame…’

After bitter tears at the loss of all purpose, Storm one day found himself gazing at a drum kit in church. A stick was picked up, then another. A drum was touched, then struck, then beaten. Here was a new world – and the future.

After a number of extremely focused years annoying neighbors and playing in local Stockholm bands, he began touring and recording with a variety of groups in Scandinavia, including a stint with Sweden’s renowned Jerusalem and six months with Norway’s award-winning Kainos. Rife with ambition, and further encouraged by an Irish record producer who shall remain nameless, he set his sights on the Entertainment Capital of the world and spent the early 1980’s recording and paying his dues in clubs in Los Angeles.

While in Southern California a shift into the film and television business seemed not unnatural. ‘While you’re out there the dust of Hollywood does tend to get up your nose,’ Storm says. As a result of this dubious nasal affliction, Michael Storm suffered the following twenty years working with visual media in a variety of capacities (drumming was still there). Storm has produced short films and worked puppets for television series, directed scores of music videos and cut prize-winning animation. That is, cut as opposed to edit. Working scissors and splicer on actual film.

‘A peaceful and wonderfully satisfying process which modern production economics simply don’t allow for,’ admits Storm on a nostalgic note. ‘Those days are missed. As is my beloved Steenbeck four-plate editing table.’

The man is also an award-winning actor and a prolific screenwriter. His work has been seen on Fox, Nickelodeon UK, and on Scandinavian and Middle Eastern television. Michael has also written for the national Swedish radio broadcaster, SR.

The groundbreaking Pulp7 series marks Michael’s book debut.

Drumming is still there, he claims. Only temporarily subdued. Somewhat like a beloved possession currently looking good on the bookshelf.
'Should dust it off really, shouldn't I?'

Coming Soon