Howard Jaffe said:
I first met Michael at a reading of his YA book years ago at an American Library Association meeting in San Francisco. His reading was an amazing experience, one that I have never forgotten. The book was beautiful and as he was reading, I thought to myself, who is this gentle kind man and why have I never read any of his books? I had never heard of him or his book. I remember buying My father's scar and having him sign it. When I got home I looked him up and realized that my father's scar was the only full length book he had ever written. I emailed him, hoping that another would be on the way, but I guess that never happened. I feel like I know him at least somewhat through that book and I am so sorry to hear this sad news. Years later, My father's scar has an honored place on my shelf.