Mike Neil — Artist, Author & Founder of the Washington State Chaplain Foundation

Over 50 Years of Service

Officer, Artist & Storyteller

Mike Neil served as a Washington State Fish and Wildlife Officer for over three decades, patrolling rivers, forests, and wilderness areas across the Pacific Northwest.

During his career, Mike trained and worked alongside three different K-9 partners — Rex, Tracer, and Isaac. He investigated wildlife crimes and developed a deep love for the natural world that would later inspire his pen-and-ink wildlife art and his novels set in Africa.

After retiring, Mike turned his passion for Africa into a series of adventure novels and a growing collection of detailed pen and ink drawings. His work reflects a lifetime of service, faith, and wonder at the created world.

Media feature

Listen to Mike Neil in Africa Talking About His Books

In this video, Mike talks about the inspiration for how the stories came to him, the writing process, and discusses some of the themes. Joshua Hardwick shot and edited the video.