Michelle Izmaylov

Michelle Izmaylov (born March 30, 1991 in Los Angeles, California) is a writer of fantasy-fiction books for young adults and the author of the bestseller Dream Saver. She is curerntly a resident physician at Vanderbilt University Medical Center[1] after graduating from the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine as a Cornelius Vanderbilt Scholar and from Emory University in May 2013 with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Chemistry.

[2] The Pocket Watch, Izmaylov's first novel, was published when she was 13. Izmaylov's second book, Dream Saver, was published traditionally through Mercury Publishing when Izmaylov won an essay contest with the publisher.[2] The book rose to number 5 on Barnes & Noble's daily Top 10 fantasy fiction best-seller list.[2] Her third novel, Galaxy Watch, was awarded the 2011 Forward National Literature Award (Second Place, General Fiction).[3] In 2013, she won the Artistine Mann Award in Creative Non-Fiction.[4] She was also selected by Salman Rushdie for his Master Class in Creative Writing.[5]

Izmaylov, a first-generation Russian American,[6] lives in Atlanta, Georgia and graduated from Alpharetta High School in 2009. In 2008, she was selected as a member of 21st Century Leader's 20 Under 20.[7] In May 2009, she joined FutureWord Publishing as Editor of Science-Fiction, Fantasy and Futuristic novels.[8] In May 2011, she also joined World Castle Publications as a book illustrator. Her illustrated titles include Squazles! and Dart and the Squirrels.[9] Her latest work, the novella Ricochet, was published in June 2013.[10]

Her most recent literary work explores narrative medicine. She received first place in the 2016 national Gold – Hope Tang, MD Humanism in Medicine Essay Contest for "Your Soul is Not Concrete."[11] Her medical essays, such as "Two Creams, Three Sugars" and "The Seventh Year", have been published in journals such as the Journal of General Internal Medicine and the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.[12][13]

Izmaylov also has a sister named Nicole Izmaylov, who has published two books to date (Ronnie and BB (2009) and The Dracian Dance (2010)).[14] She won the 2010 Georgia Author of the Year Award (GAYA) for Ronnie and BB.[15]