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![Michael Lee Simpson](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/fd9efa_682f473231c6447db2ca2c854bf160ba~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_113,h_73,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/fd9efa_682f473231c6447db2ca2c854bf160ba~mv2.png)
Before working in entertainment, Michael grew up in Kansas City, Kansas, with his parents and twin brother. At an early age, he was fond of cinema, TV, and radio. After reading books by screenwriting gurus Hal Ackerman and Robert McKee, he wrote a screenplay called Worthy of Gold about his great-uncle Pete Mehringer, who won a gold medal for wrestling in the 1932 Olympics. Graduating from the University of Kansas with degrees in English and Film/Media Studies, Michael quickly became a multi-award-winning writer with top accolades in the entertainment industry. Worthy of Gold won the Austin Film Festival and WorldFest Houston, and for two consecutive years, achieved standings in the Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting.
Aside from journalism and producing Inspired Minds, a podcast that hosts some of the entertainment industry's most influential people, Michael offers Creative Consulting, Podcasting, Content Writing, Ghostwriting, and Screenwriting. He's currently a Digital News Writer for Us Weekly, and before that, People magazine. He also freelanced for BuzzFeed, Entertainment Weekly, Reader's Digest, Variety, Backstage, Creative Screenwriting Magazine, Script Magazine, Drillmag, Ocala Magazine, and was a film critic for The Kansas City Star. Hobbies include photography, bottle rocket wars on July 4th, and paintball. Favorite movie franchise: Halloween.
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