Michael Newton was an American author and journalist born in Bakersfield, California. He had a diverse career before becoming a full-time writer, working as a high school teacher and a bodyguard. Newton received his bachelor's degree from California State College in 1973 and later did graduate studies before transferring to the University of Nevada in 1979. Throughout his career, Newton was a prolific writer, publishing 357 books in total. His output included 258 novels and 99 nonfiction books, demonstrating his range across both fiction and factual writing.