“A life in words…”
Whether you’re looking for the novelist, the essayist, the journalist, the marketing executive, or just the good ol’ fashioned pain in the ass Michael DeVault, congratulations. You found me! I hope you’ll spend some time here, getting to know me and to know my work. (The blog is below, books and other links are above.)
{zeitgeist} – My Blog
My grandmother used to say don’t discuss politics, religion, or sex. Nevermind those were her favorite topics. This isn’t polite company, so game on! Enjoy my thoughts on politics, religion, history, art–nothing is off limits.
Read the BlogMy Biography
Maybe you want to learn a little more about me or heard an interview. Perhaps we met at an event, or you just wandered through. Get to know a little more about me, my background, and my hobbies and interests. Here’s everything you want to know!
Learn about MeMy Books
Yes, Ethel, it’s written books. I’ve published four novels–two of which you can still purchase. Find out more about my novels, including where to purchase them. If you love fiction, start here. You can preview the first chapter of each for free!
Buy the BooksMarketing & Business Publications
Over the past 25 years, as I worked as a writer and journalist, I also consulted as a marketing and business consultant. During that time, I assisted businesses of all sizes in crafting brand strategies, writing corporate procedures and policies, and developing brand strategies. These are just a few of my publications on the subject from my blog and around the web.
What Brand Presence is
& How to Build it
Brand presence: the ideas people have about your brand and why. You can shape that image with a little work. (For FitSmallBusiness.com)
An Ultimate Guide to Brand Color Psychology
Learn how the colors you choose for your logo, website, and more can impact how people view your brand. (For FitSmallBusiness.com)
What can you feel at work?
Toxic Positivity and Success
The “positive no matter the circumstances” movement is not a path to success. It’s the road to yes-men and failure. (On LinkedIn)
Fiction & Essays
In addition to my business and marketing endeavors, I’m a novelist and essayst with four books and multiple essays to my credit. Two of my novels were finalists for Faulkner Medals, and I’ve also published short fiction in a number of literary journals.
“A Breakthrough Novel…”
The Patriot Joe Morton
“A well-crafted portrait of modern small-town America…There’s a fine pinch of Thornton Wilder in its shifting point of view and DeVault’s affection for all t he characters involved.”
Julia Glass, National Book Award Winner
Author of Three Junes and The Widower’s Tale
What readers are saying…
I don’t know why i picked up this book. I’m not much one for patriots or flags or any of the things this book appeared to be about. But i did pick it up, and i’m glad i did. The book’s not really about some patriot named Joe, it’s about a town.
Bob
The Patriot Joe Morton
buy the bookA story about lessons to be learned. A coming of age story. A story of love and love lost. A story about how friendships grow. The author is an excellent writer, and I eagerly wait for his next book.
Donna
Anything But Ordinary
buy the bookA good story opens a window into a world and allows the reader a peek inside. If we’re lucky, we walk away from that window understanding life in a deeper way. The Patriot Joe Morton is such a book.
Francis
The Patriot Joe Morton
buy the bookREAD THE ORIGINAL
anything but ordinary
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Buy the Book
Zeitgeist – a blog
These are just a few of my ramblings and musings about current events, art, culture, history, politics…really, you name it. The opinions expressed are (usually) mine. They’re sometimes well-reasoned. Occasionally, they’re right.
Presidential Mettle Pt. 2: John F. Kennedy
(Author’s Note) In honor of former President Trump, who has “endured more than any other president in the history of the United States of America,” I thought we should share[…]
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Presidential Mettle Pt. 1: Theodore Roosevelt
(Author’s Note) In honor of former President Trump, who has “endured more than any other president in the history of the United States of America,” I thought we should share[…]
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Efficiency
Or: Lessons Learned in a Waffle House at Shift Change First, let’s address the herd of elephants in the room. It’s been more than a year and a half since[…]
Read moreCASE STUDY
The Secret of Success
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CAMERA
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MUSIC CENTER
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MESSAGES
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CHANNELS
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