I hold a PhD in the social sciences from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and enjoyed a fulfilling academic career as a research professor of social welfare and public policy, focusing on poverty issues, especially those affecting women. I became widely published in the social sciences, driven by a desire to tackle the shameful poverty levels in the most affluent nation on earth—a consequence of the profit-driven capitalist system that underpins our economy. Eventually, I grew disillusioned with the lack of political will to enact the necessary social policies to combat this issue. After 26 years, I left academia to devote myself to full-time writing.

I took a part-time job with a small, semi-rural newspaper syndicate, writing feature stories, editorials, and a column advocating for women’s issues. This experience reignited my passion for the beauty and power of words and their ability to stimulate thought and action, as well as inviting me to rediscover the fascinating, diverse world outside academia’s imposing ivory tower.

This led to the publication of four award-winning non-fiction books (written under the name Paula Dail) and a return to academia as part of a research team at the University of Wisconsin. During this period, I also decided to venture into fiction writing, which has become a challenging, immensely rewarding journey into the world of fiction as a social message.

My pen name, Avery Michael, honors my Jewish great-grandmother, Bertha Michael, who emigrated from Germany to America through Ellis Island in the late 19th century.

Today, I live with my husband, a retired Milwaukee trial attorney and award-winning short story writer, and our brilliant, loving dog.