Stories that bring the past to life. Ideas that help people grow. Explore my historical fiction, books on leadership, coaching, and onboarding.
I’m Michael Lazo, an author and learning strategist based in North Carolina. My writing spans historical fiction, business books on leadership, coaching, and employee onboarding systems.
History and place are at the heart of my fiction. I’m drawn to places I love and periods that capture my imagination—the landscapes, the ways people lived, and the choices they faced. That interest inspired my Jekyll Island Trilogy, along with two other novels I’ve written that are not yet published. Writing gives me a way to spend time in those worlds and imagine the lives that might have unfolded there.
My nonfiction grows out of my work as the founder of WestStar Associates, helping organizations develop their people and leaders. Whether I’m exploring the past through a novel or sharing ideas about coaching and culture, I’m interested in how people navigate change, connect with one another, and grow.
Historical Fiction
Discover the lives, ambitions, and secrets of those who lived and worked on Jekyll Island during its years as an exclusive retreat and for America’s wealthiest people.
Historical Fiction
Return to Jekyll Island in the Roaring Twenties, where glittering parties conceal private struggles, changing loyalties, and ambitions that reach beyond the island’s shores.
Historical Fiction
As the Depression and war reshape America, Jekyll Island’s exclusive world begins to fade. The trilogy’s final chapter follows those who remain as an era ends and the island faces a new future.
Contemporary Fiction
Published under Michael Lazo’s pen name, Crawley Finn, this warm, witty coastal novel follows a Hollywood actor who slips away to a small Florida beach town in search of answers about his past. He finds a community with secrets of its own—and unexpected reasons to stay.
Business
Why does coaching training so often fail to change how leaders lead? Explore how culture shapes coaching—and what organizations can do to help it take hold.
Business
Help new hires build confidence, contribute, and stay. This practical guide gives small business owners a clear 30-day onboarding plan, with a library of tools and templates.