Colleen Michaels

I Found My Heart in PragueMy name is Michael Purdy, but you may know me by my pen name Colleen Michaels.

You may read my pen name and wonder where it comes from, obviously I’m a man and my pen name is not, so let me explain. My pen name pays homage to my sister. Around the time I needed to come up with a name, I had just returned from my sister’s wedding. Colleen is a nurse at a children’s cancer hospital. It was her decision to have one of her patients in her wedding. It was like “Make a Wish,” because that sick boy was so happy to be a part of my sister’s happy day. He was a trip at the rehearsal and the whole situation was just inspiring. It was then I decided to go with Colleen Michaels. She inspires me and I hope my novels will inspire people to be a little more romantic. So, there you have it, my pen name is a nod to my sister.

Mike Purdy

My favorite storyteller growing up was definitely my grandpa. When I was a kid, my family lived in Europe for a few years. Each summer I would go back to my grandparents house in NY, so I could play little league baseball. My Gramp Man (I was a Batman fan) would go to the Moose/Elk Club to see his buddies. Every once in a while he would take me and it was so much fun listening to him talking about war stories (He’d always say don’t tell your mother). My Gramp Man was a ladies man, an optimist and a man of the people. I truly believe his sometimes crazy, sometimes silly, and sometimes brilliant stories made me the storyteller I am today. Miss you Gramp Man!