User:Dprust/sandbox/Michael J. Zummo

Michael J. Zummo is an American science fiction writer known for the award-winning D'Mok Revival series of novels and novellas. His work is set in an interconnected galaxy full of alien species reacting to the threat of an alien species called the Nukari. The series centers around several characters gifted with the ability to manipulate energies, giving them super-heroic powers.

Born in Milwaukee Wisconsin, Michael also works professionally as a software developer and usability expert, often drawing upon his technical expertise to augment his stories. He also enjoys creating board and video games and being a father.

Education
Michael graduated from Carroll University in 1996 with degrees in Computer Science and Communications.

Career
Blending his love of Computer Science and Communications, he delved into online marketing and game development for children on Kidscom.com. It was working with the children that first exposed him to the concepts of contemporary usability.

In early 2000 he shifted his career away from coding and development and into usability and human factors. As a technical contractor, he worked inside corporate America creating interfaces and conducting usability studies, gaining an understanding of people that helps him develop the behaviors and motivations of his characters in a way that is aligned with their personalities and ambitions. He also began the first push to extend his short story into a novel.

In 2006, Zummo explored his love of board games and game design. He made focused on two concepts: Villany, and HoverDome. The first an all-against-one concept (heroes vs an evil nemesis), the second a hoverbike racing game.

In 2007, during time off after the adoption of his son Derek, he entered into a video game competition with 60,000 members worldwide. Using virtual office technologies he served as co-director coordinating the effort. After a vote of the community and sponsoring game company, he was selected as the winner. The prize was being hired by the sponsoring game company, Acclaim Games, as the next producer and director for their titles.

While at Acclaim he created the brands for multiple games, wrote the story for a flash based massively multiplayer online game, and learned the mysteries of social marketing.

Titles

 * Kogamu
 * RockFREE (aka RockRiot)

Awards

 * 2018 - Weun Academy: The Shadow Maker, Readers' Favorite 5-stars award
 * 2017 - D'mok Revival: new Eden, Reader Views Reviewers Choice Award, First in Scifi
 * 2016 - D'mok Revival: New Eden, Readers' Favorite Honorable Mention, Youth: Scifi
 * 2016 - D'mok Revival: New Eden, Readers' Favorite 5-stars award
 * 2015 - D'mok Revival: Descension, Readers' Favorite Finalist, Youth: Scifi
 * 2015 - D'mok Revival: Descension, Readers' Favorite 5-stars award
 * 2014 - D'mok Revival: Retribution, Readers' Favorite 5-stars award
 * 2014 - D'mok Revival: Awakening, Reader Views Reviewers Choice Award, Honorable Mention
 * 2013 - D'mok Revival: Awakening, Readers' Favorite 5-stars award