MICHAEL VENTURA was born in New York City in 1945. He disciplined himself to a daily regimen of writing at the age of 19, while working in Manhattan first as A transcriber, then as a typesetter. Ten years later, in 1974, Ventura’s first published article appeared in ‘The Austin Sun.’ He has been what he calls “a working writer” ever since.
In 1978, Ventura co-founded the ‘LA Weekly,’ serving as a film critic and feature writer until 1983, when (while continuing to write features) he began his bi-weekly column, “Letters at 3AM.” The column appeared in that publication until 1993; since then it has been published by the ‘Austin Chronicle.’
Ventura has published three novels, several books of non-fiction, and three poetry chapbooks. He’s written two feature films and directed a documentary, I’m Almost Not Crazy: John Cassavetes – the Man and His Work. Cassavetes Directs – John Cassavetes and the Making of Love Streams, is Ventura’s memoir about the great director; it was published in 2007 in England by Kamera Books. His most recent book of essays, If I Was a Highway, was published by Texas Tech University Press in 2011 and features photography by Butch Hancock.