The renewed interest in Route 66 has come about because of the book Route 66: The Mother Road written by Tulsan Michael Wallis.

To date, Mr. Wallis has written 17 books. His work has also been published in magazines and newspapers, including Time, LIFE, People and The New York Times among others. Wallis has been nominated three times for the Pulitzer Prize. Many honors have come his way including the Writers Hall of Fame of America.

He was the first to be inducted into the Oklahoma Route 66 Hall of Fame. He was asked to be a consultant for the 2006 Pixar animated film Cars in which he provided the voice of the Sheriff of Radiator Springs including the 2011 sequel. While he enjoys public speaking, it is his writing that has earned him the titles of historian and biographer of the American West.

His books include: David Crockett: The Lion of the West; The Wild West: 365 Days; Billy the Kid: The Endless Ride; Pretty Boy: The Life and Times of Charles Arthur Floyd; and Mankiller: A Chief and Her People.

Michael and his wife Suzanne Fitzgerald Wallis have made their home in Tulsa, Oklahoma since 1982.