Mike Miley hails from Lafayette, LA. He earned his BA in English Writing from Loyola University New Orleans and his MFA in Film Directing from the American Film Institute. Miley teaches at the high school and college level, focusing primarily on American literature and film studies. His research into literature and film ranges from popular culture, postmodern American fiction, American independent film, French cinema, rock music in film, and the work of David Lynch and David Foster Wallace. He is the recipient of a Harry Ransom Center Fellowship from the University of Texas at Austin, a National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Scholars grant, and has had his work listed in Best American Essays.

In addition to academic scholarship, he has written about literature and cinema for mainstream websites and given lectures and talks at film festivals.