Born in Forres, Scotland, Michael Elcock grew up in Edinburgh and West Africa. He immigrated to Canada at age 21, worked in forestry, pulp mills and fishing and as a ski instructor. He obtained a B.A. and M.Ed at the University of Victoria and undertook post-graduate studies in Quebec, Sweden, Germany, Belgium and Scotland. He was Athletic Director at the University of Victoria for ten years, and then CEO of Tourism Victoria for five. In 1990 he moved with his wife and daughter to Andalusia to work on developing Spain's Expo '92.

He has published a memoir about his travels to Belfast, Malta, Hawaii, Prague, Paris, Oman and Andalusia entitled A Perfectly Beautiful Place (Oolichan, 2004). His second non-fiction work, Writing on Stone (Oolichan, 2006), examines the idea of emigration; explores the questions of memory and identity that come with leaving roots behind, and putting down new ones. For a review of his first novel, The Gate (Oolichan, 2011), see below.

While living outside of Victoria Elcock has coordinated a writers festival for the town of Sidney, a community known for its bookstores. In 2011, he became the BC/Yukon representative on the National Council of the Writers Union of Canada.

BOOKS:

A Perfectly Beautiful Place (Oolichan, 2004)

Writing on Stone (Oolichan, 2006)

The Gate (Oolichan, 2011)

[BCBW 2011] "Travel"