Michael Antman is the author of the novel Cherry Whip (ENC Press, 2004), described by reviewers as “a terrific and fascinating character study,” “moving and sexy and funny in fresh ways,” “humane and warm,” “a great tragicomedy,” and “a marvelous novel.”

He is a staff writer and book reviewer for the leading online arts and culture magazine, PopMatters, and also is a book reviewer for the Chicago Tribune. He also has written book reviews for the Chicago Sun-Times, and is a member of the National Book Critics Circle. He was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle’s Balakian Award for Excellence in Reviewing in 2009 and in 2010.

In addition to his reviews, he writes a monthly column for PopMatters on the art of the memoir and non-fiction narrative called Read Only Memory, and also writes on DVDs, music, digital culture and the future of the book, and other topics.

He has two new non-fiction books, Searching for the Seagull Motel and The Future is an Empty Room, both represented by Michele Rubin at Writers House, and he is working on a new novel, Adelaide, the second chapter of which was published in the online magazine The2ndHand. He also is a widely published poet whose work has appeared in literary magazines and anthologies.

As a long-time marketing consultant and president of the consulting firm McSweeney & Antman, he conducted branding, positioning and marketing analyses; and created print, Internet, radio and television advertising campaigns; print and electronic collateral; and video productions on behalf of many of America’s leading businesses.

One of his film projects, Coming Through the Storm, a documentary he researched and wrote on behalf of the National Association of Independent Insurers, covered the same geographic area and some of the same subject matter as Seagull Motel. The film won many awards, including the Silver Trumpet Award, Chicago Publicity Club; the Silver Star Award, IASC; Second Place, Houston International Film Festival; and Second Place, New York Film Festival.

He is a former vice-president of Arkidata Corporation, and also spent two and a half years in Japan, where he conducted cross-cultural training and wrote a monthly column on business English in the form of a fictionalized serial for a major Japanese business publication. He currently is vice-president of marketing communications for a Fortune 500 corporation.

He is a graduate of Northern Illinois University and also attended Oxford University.