Michael Christopher Malone, Novelist and TV writer, was born in 1942 in Durham, North Carolina. He studied English at the University of North Carolina, graduating in 1964. He earned his master's degree two years later. He went on to attend Harvard University, working toward a doctorate in English, but dropped out before finishing. He wrote for the ABC daytime drama, One Life to Live (1991-1996). His first book was Painting the Roses Red (1975). Some of his other novels were Handling Sin (1983), Foolscap (1991), First Lady (2002), and The Killing Club (2005) written with Marcie Walsh, based on a story by Josh Griffith. His awards include a Writers Guild of America Award for Television: Daytime Serials (1992) for One Life to Live; a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series Writing Team (1994) - One Life to Live; and an Edgar Award for Best Short Story (1997) - Red Clay. Michael Malone died on August 19, 2022 in Clinton, Connecticut.