Michael Petracca

Who is Michael Petracca?

Michael Petracca is an American novelist, Lecturer Emeritus and former Acting Co-Director of the Writing Program at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Petracca's two novels, Doctor Syntax and Captain Zzyzx, published by Capra Press, feature Harmon Nails III as a protagonist. In Doctor Syntax, Nails is a graduate student struggling to finish his dissertation. In Captain Zzyzx, Nails has rejected academia and plays in a rhythm and blues band while searching for love. To develop the characters for these books, the author draws upon history as a semi-professional poker player and jazz / zydeco / rhythm and blues guitarist, photographer for Skateboarder Magazine and multi-divorced half-Italian half-Jewish Gaviota Buzzard Club troubadour. In recent years Petracca’s writing has focused on popular culture criticism and creative nonfiction, the latter relating volunteers’ contributions in the areas of habitat conservation and hospice care. Petracca is the son of Hollywood screenplay and television writer Joseph Petracca.