In 2000 Michael Bauer resigned from full-time teaching to pursue his dream of becoming a writer.
 
His first YA novel The Running Man was published in 2004. It won the 2005 Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Book of the Year for Older Readers and was short-listed for three other State Premiers’ Literary awards.
His second novel, Don’t Call Me Ishmael! (2006) was short-listed in both the CBCA awards and the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards and won the Children’s Peace Literature Award and the South Australian Festival Award. It was also included in the 2007 White Ravens selection for Outstanding International Books for children and young adults. Michael’s other books include Ishmael and the Return of the Dugongs (2007) and Dinosaur Knights (2009).
These days Michael writes full time and he is in high demand for talks and workshops at schools and Festivals around Australia as well as overseas. This year he has been invited to the White Ravens Festival for International Children's and Youth Literature in Munich Germany.

Michael’s books will soon be available in 15 countries including the UK and the USA.