Michael F. Rizzo se ponořil do světa komiksů jako tvůrce a moderátor televizního pořadu o tomto rušném průmyslu. Během svého působení v něm zpovídal nespočet tvůrců a navštěvoval četné komiksové konventy. Jeho literární kariéra se rozprostírá přes sebespublikační snahy i vydání několika knih s renomovaným nakladatelstvím. Kromě psaní se Rizzo věnoval i podnikání v oblasti rozvozu a organizaci specifických prohlídek města, což mu poskytlo jedinečné pohledy na různé aspekty života. Později se jeho zájem přesunul k pivní kultuře, což vyústilo ve dvě publikace věnované tomuto tématu. Jeho první román pak dokazuje jeho všestrannost jako vypravěče.
"Brewing in Washington" by Michael F. Rizzo chronicles the state's rich brewing history, from early homesteaders like Colville Brewery to the first hops planted in 1865. It highlights key figures and the rise of craft breweries, culminating in nearly three hundred establishments today, showcasing Washington's pivotal role in American brewing.
In this new and expanded edition of The Art Direction Handbook , author Michael Rizzo now covers art direction for television, in addition to updated coverage of film design. This comprehensive, professional manual details the set-up of the art department and the day-to-day job duties: scouting for locations, research, executing the design concept, supervising scenery construction, and surviving production. Beyond that, there is an emphasis on not just how to do the job, but how to succeed and secure other jobs. Rounding out the text is an extensive collection of useful forms and checklists, as well as interviews with prominent art directors.
Stories abound about legendary New York City gangsters like "Lucky" Luciano, but Buffalo has housed its fair share of thugs and mobsters too. While many were nothing more than common criminals or bank robbers, a powerful crime family headed by local boss Stefano Magaddino emerged in the 1920s. Close to Canada, Niagara Falls and Buffalo were perfect avenues through which to transport booze, and Magaddino and his Mafiosi maintained a stranglehold on the city until his death in 1974. Local mob expert Michael Rizzo takes a tour of Buffalo's mafia exploits everything from these brutal gangsters' favorite hangouts to secret underground tunnels to murder.