John Michael Greer

John Michael Greer is an American writer with a diverse career encompassing novels, screenplays, and music. He began his career in journalism, serving as a senior editor and writer for Spin magazine in the early 1990s, where he contributed to defining the cultural landscape of Generation X. Greer has also been active as a musician, performing with the band DTCV and contributing to Guided By Voices. His literary output includes several novels, such as "Artificial Light," which received a California Book Award Silver Medal, and "Bad Eminence," praised as a "cult classic." Additionally, he has published short fiction collections and non-fiction works related to music. Greer's work as a screenwriter includes contributions to films like "Unsane," directed by Steven Soderbergh, and upcoming projects such as "Twisted" and "The Cure." He has also directed short films and is credited with adapting literary works for television.

Greer is the author of three novels: "Artificial Light" (2006), "The Failure" (2010), and "Bad Eminence" (2022). His debut novel, "Artificial Light," was honored with a California Book Award Silver Medal for First Fiction. "Bad Eminence" garnered critical acclaim, with Andrew Gallix of The Irish Times describing it as "this year's cult classic," a work deemed "hilarious, exhilarating and mind-blowing." In 2013, Greer expanded his literary output with the short fiction collection "Everything Flows." Publishers Weekly lauded this collection, suggesting it explores uncharted territory in both narrative and the universal experience, calling it "halfway between the mind of God and a vivid dream."

As a screenwriter, Greer has contributed to a range of films. He co-wrote the family comedies "Max Keeble's Big Move" (2001), "Just My Luck" (2006), and "The Spy Next Door" (2010). His thriller credits include "Unsane" (2018), directed by Steven Soderbergh. Future projects include the horror/thrillers "Twisted" and "The Cure," both slated for 2026 releases. Greer has also adapted John Barth's novel "The Sot-Weed Factor" for a projected series. Beyond writing, he has directed several short films, including "Mirror Moves" (2023), for which he also served as writer.

Greer's career began in journalism, where he held senior editorial and writing positions at Spin magazine in the early 1990s. During this period, he was involved in shaping the cultural identity of Generation X. His musical involvement includes performing on the song "Trendspotter Acrobat" for Guided By Voices and serving as their bassist from 1994 to 1996. He later co-founded the indie rock duo DTCV (pronounced "detective") in 2012, releasing several albums including "Hilarious Heaven" (2013) and "Confusion Moderne" (2016) on Xemu Records.