Michael Picco’s time at Western was nothing short of transformative. A painter, playwright, and columnist, he threw himself into every opportunity. From his role at Top O’ The World, where he was a satirist, columnist, and graphic designer, to the sixteen-hour days he spent in Quigley Hall preparing for his senior exhibit. There was the time he saw his play Nemesis come to life on stage, and helped revive Kappa Pi International Art Honor Society to showcase student art across the state. Those experiences, along with the tight bonds he forged with peers and professors, shaped the artist he would become. Today, Michael channels that same imagination and intensity into his work as an acclaimed horror fiction author, crafting stories that draw readers into dark, thrilling worlds. In this conversation, he reflects on the lessons he learned, the friendships that still endure, and the unique energy that made Western such an influential chapter in his life.
Q: What led you to Western?
MP: I’ve always known how unique and special Western is. I am a second-generation Western State graduate. The class sizes were small, the professors were accessible, and it turned out to be exactly the kind of environment I needed. At the time, I didn’t fully realize it, but looking back, Western was instrumental in my development as both an artist and a writer.
Q: What degree did you pursue, and how has it shaped your career?
MP: I graduated cum laude from Western’s Honor’s Program with a BA in English (emphasis on writing) and Art (comprehensive, as the fine arts program wasn’t offered) — so, a double major. I graduated on the cusp of the “digital revolution” for graphic design and that career path seemed a good way to leverage my degree and talents. I worked in publishing for a number of years, as a graphic designer, illustrator and pre-press technician before switching things up and pursuing writing more exclusively.
Q: As an artist, graphic designer, and award-winning author of several books, you’ve been quite successful in your career. How would you describe your body of work to someone discovering it for the first time?
MP: My work has been described as creepy, irreverent, disturbing, and occasionally funny, but always articulate and (hopefully) thought-provoking. I like to explore weird phenomena and have taken a shine to telling stories about lesser-known monsters and horrors.
Q: Do you primarily write short stories, or have you also tackled full-length novels?
MP: Mostly short stories, yes. My first novel was actually a collaboration with my college roommate, Mark Codi, who’s also a prolific author. He’s written a series called The Zombie Chronicles, six plus books exploring a fascinating world where zombies regain consciousness as they consume more flesh.
Together, we co-wrote Fraser — The Disappearance of Michael Pitts which is kind of an H.P. Lovecraft–inspired noir novel, released around 2013. That process took us about four or five years—we were juggling family, technical careers, and the writing process across different time zones. It took a lot of dedication and patience.
Since then, my longest works have been in the 10,000–20,000 word range, which I consider mid-length. Those stories are harder to sell, so I usually keep my work under 10,000 words. That way, I can complete a story in six to eight weeks and get it out to readers within the year.
Last year, I did a Dark Tower tribute piece inspired by Stephen King’s Little Sisters of Eluria. It’s essentially a prequel exploring the origin of vampires. I dove deep into King’s universe for six months; it was incredibly consuming, but I produced a limited-edition chapbook with about 24,000 words — a fun little side project!
So, while I primarily write short stories, I do explore longer work when an idea fully consumes me and when a story demands it.
Q: What got you into horror or creepy tales?
MP: I caught the bug early, you might say — third grade, actually. I was reading a Halloween edition of Ranger Rick Magazine, that featured H.P. Lovecraft of all things. For a third grader, reading The Outsider was captivating. I couldn’t believe this kind of stuff existed. I don’t want to oversell it, but the story changed my life.
Through junior high and high school, I wanted to be a fantasy or science fiction writer, but I always found horror came to me more naturally. I see horror as one of the original pillars of literature. Many of the oldest stories—The Epic of Gilgamesh, Beowulf, even parts of the Bible like Revelations—are, at their dark hearts, horror stories.
There’s something very primal, deep in our brains, that responds to tales of terrible things happening to ourselves and to others. Hopefully, through reading them, we can empathize, learn, and experience vicariously the terror and transformation characters go through—whether they’re being dismembered, eaten, or otherwise transformed. That fear is ingrained in us, and horror taps into it directly.
Q: When you write these stories, is there an overarching message you’re trying to convey, or does each story stand on its own?
MP: Each story stands on its own, but if there’s any overarching message, it’s that not all monsters have tentacles and sharp teeth—most of the monsters out there are all too human. That’s a theme I return to again and again.
More recently, I’ve been heavier-handed about addressing issues like generational racism or marginalized groups. For example, in The Horse Leech Has Two Maws, I explore genocide and the experiences of marginalized communities, particularly LGBTQ+ people. In Tangled In The Shadows, there’s a story about the Romani, who were also rounded up by the Nazis and exterminated as part of the Reich’s purge of Europe’s “undesirables.” I try to shine a light on these histories where I can and I try to approach them with sensitivity. I’m not looking to exploit anyone’s suffering; I just want to give voice to it. I write to highlight the injustice and human cruelty we inflict on ourselves. Writing from these perspectives allows me to elevate voices of those who were wrongly victimized or marginalized.
I do the same with stories narrated by children. Their innocence and trust make them vulnerable—easy prey for human and monstrous predators alike. If there’s a unifying theme in my work, it’s illuminating those truths. Otherwise, I’m mostly just trying to tell a creepy and authentic tale.
Q: You mentioned you illustrate your own covers. How did that start?
MP: Yes, I do my own covers and design work. Twenty years in graphic design gave me the skills to produce books entirely on my own, without hiring anyone. For earlier books, like Scenes from the Carnival Lounge, I did commission the frontispiece (“Jessie” by Ros Morales a character from the story The Esurient Hyrst). And, I followed suit for the frontispiece for Corpse Honey (a charcoal illustration by Chad Wehrle). Tangled in the Shadows was a departure from this practice, as I ended up doing my own illustration work throughout the collection. Composing the covers for these collections is my favorite part of the process.
Q: How did you apply your experience at Western to the work you do now?
MP: I spent a lot of time in the library, particularly in the reference section. Research has always appealed to me. I enjoy doing deep dives into places and subjects so that someone reading my work might learn something in the reading. Many of my college papers included classical references, and I loved diving into the Great Books of the Western World.
I seek that same immersive experience in my writing today. For example, in The Horse Leech Has Two Maws, which is about a vampire in a concentration camp. I spent about six weeks researching how the Nazis carried out their extermination efforts, what life was like in the camps, and the broader artistic and cultural context in Germany at the time. It was a very intense (and depressing) topic, and writing from that perspective was incredibly challenging. I’ve never been to a concentration camp, and I’m not Jewish, so putting myself in that headspace was emotionally taxing—but it was essential to tell the story authentically.
Q: During your time at Western, who had the most significant influence on you personally, creatively, or professionally?
MP: There were quite a few people who had a big influence on me. Terri Lennon-Murphy, Dr. Mark Todd, Dr. Sandra Patterson, Paul Edwards, and Dr. Jim Baril all shaped my time at Western in meaningful ways. I also have to mention Dr. Tyson Hausdoerffer. I actually met Tyson when we were both undergrads—he was in the same graduating class as me. I knew him and his then-fiancée, Dana—we attended the same high school. Tyson’s brilliant. Just an incredible intellect. Even as an undergrad, he was teaching himself Hebrew and Ancient Greek. If anyone made me want to write better as an undergrad, it was him.
Q: Do you have any fun memories from your time at Western that you’d like to share?
MP: There are sooooo many! I think back to those marathon days at Quigley, painting for sixteen hours straight as I prepared for my senior exhibit, or the thrill of seeing my play, Nemesis, brought to life by friends in the theatre department. Academically, Dr. Jim Baril’s summer course, Vampire and the Modern Myth, really stands out as do my writing courses with Dr. Todd. Terri Murphy’s design courses had a big impact on my career, and I owe a lot of my success in GD to her.
I loved writing the Western Watch column for The Top o’ The World and helping resurrect Kappa Pi, the art fraternity, with Lud Stromeyer. As part of a national fraternity, we exhibited shows across the state, from Denver to the Gunnison Arts Center, Quigley Hall, and even the Silver Heels Ballroom. Our exhibits often featured fresh, progressive work, some of it a little rebellious. We staged shows with juries and hanging committees, raised money selling donuts and coffee in Quigley Hall, and even toured places like the Shidoni Foundry in New Mexico. It was an amazing experience, and I learned a tremendous amount about gallery work, presentation, and the realities of exhibiting art—things you don’t really get in a classroom.
The same is true of Top o’ The World. I wrote for the paper as a satirist and columnist and there, I got my first taste of what became my profession for the next 20 years: graphic design. We were working on little Apple Plus computers with tiny screens and using Aldus PageMaker—it was clunky, but that was all we had. I can still remember the awful smell of the wax machine as we pasted up galleys late into the night. We’d haul everything to The Gunnison Times for printing (usually after an all-nighter). With 15 or 20 staff writers, deadlines were always chaotic—last-minute submissions, layouts shuffled on the fly—but that stress bonded us in ways no regular class ever could.
And of course, maybe most important of all, were the friendships. The people I met at The Top and through Kappa Pi have stayed with me for life, and those relationships, combined with the creative, academic, and outdoor adventures, are what truly defined my time there. I consider myself very fortunate in that regard, as I don’t think I would have experienced as much in a larger university setting.
Q: What projects are you currently working on, and what can readers look forward to next?
MP: Up until a few weeks ago, I was busy compiling my third short story collection, Tangled in the Shadows, which features about a dozen of my recently published pieces along with a few new ones. That’s now slated for release in late 2026. Most recently, I published a piece called Tumbleweeds in the Western Colorado Writers’ Forum anthology, Colorado Voices. I also have several stories pending publication.
Q: Where’s the best place for readers to find and follow your work?
MP: People can learn more about my work at www.michaelpicco.com (particularly the Blog portion), and my books are also available at amazon.com/author/michaelpicco. But for someone who’s just a little curious to dip their toe in the water, I’d recommend some podcasts. I’ve had dramatic readings of The Horse Leech on the podcast Pseudopod, and Dispossessed on the podcast No Sleep. {Pseudopod episode 796 for The Horse Leech and No Sleep Season 20, Episode 24 for Dispossessed.} The voice actors and production are top-notch. They’re excellent productions. But not bedtime listening for the faint-hearted!
