Although he had previously written six unpublished novels, The Amulet (1979) was his first published novel. After landing a contract with Avon Books, McDowell earned enough money to quit his secretarial position and pursue writing full-time. He worked as a secretary to earn an income while writing his first novels. As he was working on his dissertation, McDowell decided to pursue a career in writing. McDowell’s education prepared him for a career as an English teacher, but his career goals changed. His research informed his later writings as a novelist and screenwriter. Items include postmortem photographs, jewelry made from human hair, and even a child’s coffin. His grotesque writings, however, did not derive purely from his imagination, as his doctoral research also led him to amass an extensive collection of death memorabilia. His later works are characterized by gruesome descriptions of horrific events mixed with a dark sense of humor. His dissertation, entitled “American Attitudes Towards Death, 1825-1865,” explored death and its impact on American culture from an academic perspective. He received his doctorate from Brandeis University in 1978. Miller High School in Brewton as class valedictorian.įollowing high school, McDowell pursued a college education at Harvard University as an English major and graduated in 1972. He attended kindergarten in Geneva before transferring to Brewton Elementary School.

In his childhood, McDowell lived and was educated in the small south Alabama towns of Geneva and Brewton, Escambia County. As many of his Southern Gothic novels demonstrate, McDowell had extensive knowledge of southern culture and geography. His experiences in Alabama helped shape his literary career.

Michael was their first son, followed by a daughter and a second son.

McDowell was born on June 1, 1950, in Enterprise, Coffee County, to Thomas Eugene McDowell and Marion Mulkey McDowell both of Geneva, Geneva County. McDowell’s niche centered on Southern Gothic literature and horror in general. But with more than 30 novels, McDowell was a prolific novelist in his own right and gained popularity across the country, even earning the high praises of acclaimed author Stephen King. Alabama-born author Michael McEachern McDowell (1950-1999) is perhaps best known for his role in writing the screenplays for the popular films The Nightmare Before Christmas and the cult hit Beetlejuice.

Gilded needles by michael mcdowell