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STAFF M-E

 

 

Publisher/Editor-in-Chief
J.R.G. DeMarco

Joe DeMarco lives and writes in Philadelphia and Montréal.

Before devoting his time more fully to fiction and non-fiction projects he was Editor-in-Chief of The Weekly Gayzette (Philadelphia); Editor-in-Chief of NGL, a national magazine; and has been an editor or contributing editor for a number of publications including Il Don Gennaro, a national Italian-American magazine.

Currently a columnist for X-Factor magazine in print and online (www.xfactor.com), he has also been a columnist for The Advocate, In Touch, and Gaysweek (NY). His writing has appeared in PGN, The New York Native,GCN, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Welcomat, and a number of others publications.

Several of his stories have been anthologized in the Quickies series published by Arsenal Pulp Press and in Men Seeking Men (Painted Leaf Press). His essays have been published in anthologies including Gay Life (Doubleday), and Hey Paisan! (Guernica),We Are Everywhere (Routledge), BlackMen WhiteMen (Gay Sunshine), and Men's Lives (Macmillan), Paws and Reflect (Alyson), Charmed Lives (Lethe)

A number of his plays have been produced in Philadelphia, NY, and elsewhere around the U.S.

A serious student of sociological issues, his work has been published in The International Encyclopedia of Marriage and Family (Macmillan); and two of his articles appear in the Encyclopedia of Men and Masculinites (ABC CLIO)

He won the "Best Magazine Editor" Reader's Choice Poll Award 2005 from Preditors & Editors.

One of his greatest loves is mystery (all kinds); he has written a number of mystery stories and is currently working on the first of a new series of mystery novels. He also has an abiding interest in alternate history, speculative fiction, young adult fiction, vampires, werewolves, science fiction, the supernatural, mythology, and more. You can learn more at www.josephdemarco.com

 

Web Advisor

Jason Li

Jason was in on the redesign of the site from the very beginning. He has given his advice and fixed problems as the arose and continues to do so. Though he is extremely busy with two other major facets of his life, he never fails to lend a hand when needed. He is currently working on revamping the archives and that should be up and working some time on 2006 which will make readers and writers happy. Jason is also creative in his own right and loves writing stories of his own as well as working on translations of Chinese literature.

 

Art Director
Gin E. L. Fenton
Gin, a creative workaholic, is art director and illustrator for several magazines and publishing companies creating book covers and illustrations for both print and online magazines, and books of all kinds. She loves to keep busy, and eats, sleeps and breathes for her Art in all its forms. Gin has painted all her life, and has mastered many mediums including oils, pastels, ink washes, watercolors, computer-aided art, graphic and web design, clay sculpture, soft sculpture, and is an accomplished glamour portrait artist. She published her own fantasy art ezine, Merlin's Dreams Zine. Preferring primarily figurative subjects, she loves creating dramatic illustrations for mystery, crime, suspense, glamour, pinup, romance, noir, intrigue, human interest, and fantasy stories, articles, and books. She lives in Texas with her retired physician husband, who dotes on her, even though she sometimes neglects him for her computer and drawing tablet. Her website: www.artpinups.com E-mail: gin@ginelf.com Portfolio Gallery : http://artisthome.com/Folio/folio.htm

 

First Senior Editor
Barry Ergang

 

Barry Ergang is shown here holding Duncan, the West Highland White Terror Terrier with whom he shares quarters. (The photo was taken the day he brought Duncan home--the day before the pup turned 3 months old.) Barry was the recipient of the 2007 Derringer Award in the Flash Fiction category for "Vigilante," which appeared in the Summer 2006 Mysterical-E .  Managing Editor of Futures Mystery Anthology Magazine , his fiction, poetry, and non-fiction have appeared in numerous publications, print and electronic. These include Apollo's Lyre, Coffee Cramp eZine, The Cortland Review, Crime and Suspense, Flashquake, Flashshot, The Listening Eye, Maelstrom, Mind Fire Renewed, Mouth Full of Bullets, Mystery*File, The Mystery Readers Journal, Nefarious, The Pedestal Magazine, Stereophile, and Web Mystery Magazine . http://www.geocities.com/b_ergang/Home.html

 

 

Assistant Editor
Pam Skochinski

It all began with Nancy Drew. Many a mystery writer can point at Nancy as the beginning of their obsession with mystery. Pam Skochinski is no different. An life-long reader of mysteries, in 1997 she tried her hand at writing one. Since then, she has had over thirty short stories published in various e-zines and print publications. She currently lives in Southern California with her husband and three children. You can find out more about her at www.pamskochinski.com

 

 

Assistant Editor

Larry Marshall

Larry Marshall lives with is wife Chantal and daughter Jodie in Quebec City, Quebec.   He holds a doctorate in Biological Sciences, is semi-retired and, when he feels like it,  works as a copywriter and editor.  Over the years he has written over 200 non-fiction articles for magazines.  He's been editor-in-chief for Air Age Publishing, worked as an editor for Blinding Force Productions and for Wildcat Books.  Larry can be reached at larry@larrymarshall.name

 

Assistant Editor

Charles Mossop

Retired after a thirty-two year academic career, Charles now lives on Vancouver Island on Canada 's west coast where he writes historical fiction, works in his garden and continues his study of classical guitar.  A lover of mystery stories, his flash fiction has appeared in Flashshot, and his short stories in Over My Dead Body, Futures Mystery Anthology Magazine, and in the Amazon Shorts Program.  He also contributed to the Anthology Aleatory's Junction, published by Double Dragon Publishing in 2006, and to the writer's resource book The Muse on Writing ( Double Dragon, 2005).  His novel Jade Hunter will appear in 2007 from Double Dragon.  Charles is also a monthly contributor to the online resource magazine The Muse Marquee where he writes on historical fiction and manages the historical fiction department.   Charles's stories are usually set in fifteenth century China or eighteenth century Europe , and in the latter case he specializes in maritime history and life aboard wooden-walled ships of war.  As he says, “Murder and intrigue can be found everywhere and in any time period. All you have to do as a writer is select a time and place to put them.” http://cmossop0.tripod.com

 

Assistant Editor

Shawn O'Shea

Shawn had his first book published when he was only six years old. (Okay, sure, it was only five pages and the one and only copy was in his elementary school's library, but it still counts!)  Jumping ahead a few years, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy where he received a B.A. in Journalism from The Defense Information School.  His first civilian job was as a political correspondent for The Delaware County Daily Times in the Philadelphia , PA suburbs.  He left that job to follow his childhood dream of running away with Ringling Bros. & Barnum and Bailey Circus! (Yeah—really!)  When the Big Top arrived in California , Shawn got off the train and settled in San Francisco where he was chief editor and contributor to Red Tales , a fetish magazine for gay men.  He was then the founding editor of the San Francisco Spectrum .  Currently he is focusing on his short fiction and one novel.  He also has a play being produced for the 2007 Philadelphia Fringe Festival.

 

Assistant Editor
Thomas Fortenberry

Thomas Fortenberry is an award-winning American author, editor, reviewer, and publisher.  He has judged many literary contests, including The Georgia Author of the Year Awards and The Robert Penn Warren Prize for Fiction.  He  edits for two other  international journals, Mindfire and The Istanbul Literature Review.   He has a great love of mystery and incorporates it stylistically into a wide variety of genres, from comic books to novels, including SF tales, his Blake scientific adventure series, and his Shadowchaser horror series.  From his lifelong interest and research into the Pulp Era, he is currently writing a nonfiction book The American Hero: Doc Savage.  To browse his universe, please visit:   www.thomasfortenberry.net

 

Senior Editor
Julie Obermiller

On Leave of Absence

Julie Obermiller lives on the shores of Lake Ontario in Western New York with her cat Sneakie Pie, a healthy crop of dust bunnies and stacks of books. A freelance journalist with a weekly column in the Lockport Union Sun & Journal, her excuse for not becoming the next best-selling author is that she's too busy reading her beloved cozies. A hopeless anglophile and lover of Brit mysteries, Obermiller is also a part-time clown, community activist, self-professed slug and author of the soon-to-be-published Murder in Mason Jars, first in a series of Maggie Miller Mysteries.

 

Assistant Editor/Columnist

Tim Matson

On Leave of Absence

Tim Matson lives with his wife Susan, and their two miniature schnauzers Asta and Archie, in a suburb of St. Paul, MN. When he isn't toiling away at his day job, Tim spoils his wife and dogs mercilessly, and finds time to write when they take naps on the couch. His stories have been accepted at Mysterical-E and Futures Mystery Anthology Magazine. He is currently working on his second novel. Tim can be reached at: matsonatmystericale@gmail.com

 

Assistant Editor

Lance Zarimba

Lance Zarimba has short stories published in the Mayhem in the Midlands anthology and Who Died In Here? anthology. He has won the VLP short story contest and his "Secret Santa" story has appeared on Without A Clue web site. He writes a "Therapy" series where Taylor, an occupational therapist, stumbles across murders and mayhem and is helped, but mostly hindering, in solving the crimes with his friends.

 

Columnist

Nicholas Fuller

Born Canberra 1983. Lived in Brussels 1993 - 1996; returned Canberra 1997. Currently studying Arts at the Australian National University - Honours in History this year, in English next. Edited Gladys Mitchell's Sleuth's Alchemy for Crippen and Landru, have contributed articles to CADS and to the Margery Allingham festschrift. Interests: detective fiction (favourite authors: Gladys Mitchell, John Dickson Carr, Agatha Christie, Dorothy L Sayers, GK Chesterton and HC Bailey), Doctor Who and European history (Rome and England from the Wars of the Roses on, particularly C19th - present).

 

Columnist

Jim Doherty

A police officer for more than ten years like his character Dan Sullivan, began his law enforcement career as a reserve cop in Berkeley , California , while simultaneously working on his bachelor's degree at Cal . Sullivan stories have previously appeared in Writers' Journal , Blue Murder , Hand Held Crime , Over My Dead Body! , and the upcoming anthology The Race Is On . Sullivan is also the protagonist of Jim's first (and still unpublished) novel, An Obscure Grave , which was a finalist in the 2004 Debut Dagger competition conducted by the British Crime Writers Association. In addition to his fiction, Jim is also the author of two non-fiction books. Just the Facts – True Tales of Cops & Criminals is a collection of true-crime articles, one of which, “Blood for Oil,” won the 2005 Western Writers of America Spur Award in the Short Non-Fiction Category. Raymond Chandler – A Master of American Noir is a series of lectures on Chandler 's early work available as an e-book on the Barnes & Noble website, and used in conjunction with an on-line course about Chandler that Jim teaches. A native San Franciscan, Jim currently lives in Chicago with his lovely wife, Katy. His website can be found here: http://www.deadlyserious.com/JimDoherty

 

Columnist

Christine A. Verstraete

Christine A. Verstraete is an award-winning journalist whose nonfiction and fiction has been published in various newspapers and magazines. She is working on a mystery novel and has had short fiction published in Mysterical-E, Orchard Press Mysteries, Mouth Full of Bullets, Flashshot, Flashquake, and Futures Mysterious Anthology. Her story, "The Witch Tree" was a recent contest winner at Echelon Press. Contact her at http://cverstraete.com

 

Columnist

Byron McAllister

Byron McAllister was always intrigued by whatever appeared to be “fundamental,” but what he thinks the word means has changed gradually through several sciences to mathematics, philosophy, and now—inevitably—to mystery writing. Besides a few technical and historical papers from his earlier career, his published writings (often jointly authored by his spouse) include maybe thirty or so poems, half a dozen mystery short stories, and let's not forget an e-published novel, “Undercover Nudist,” http://ebooksonthe.net which has just come out in paper. Despite the modesty of these achievements, Byron thinks he's entitled to express strong, though variable, opinions on everything. He's saving mention of his hobbies and such, because maybe they'll serve as subject matter for future columns.

 

A Title
YOUR NAME

OPPORTUNITIES ABOUND -- CONTACT US

Editorial positions are open and we are always looking for Columnists with good ideas.

 

CONTRIBUTORS THIS ISSUE
Writers

 

Courtney Mroch is an award-winning short story writer, and the author of Beneath the Morvan Moon and Cellfish Ways , the latter of which was Echelon Press's number two bestselling dollar download for 2004. In 2005 Florida Monthly Magazine named her as one of their 21 Intriguing Floridians because of her commitment to donating 20% of her royalties to the American Red Cross's Disaster Relief Fund. (A decision inspired by her experiences during Florida 's active 2004 hurricane season.) She recently relocated to Nashville , TN. (Not because of hurricanes, but because of her husband's job.) For more info visit www.courtneymroch.com

Vero G. Caravetta has been a film buff and a mystery fan since he can remember. He has reviewed film for a number of small publications in the Midwest. Since his move East to New York, he has thrown himself into his work Off-Off Broadway. He would eventually like to try his hand at fiction.

Archaeologist Sarah Wisseman writes mysteries based upon her experiences working in museums and on excavations. She has published two novels, “Bound for Eternity” and “The Dead Sea Codex,” and one short story, “Safari.” Visit her website at www.sarahwisseman.com

Gerald So is Fiction Editor for The Thrilling Detective Web Site. His own fiction and poetry have appeared in various print and online venues. "Lonely Too Long" first appeared in December 2005 on the Skive Magazine web site. Visit Gerald's blog at http://geraldso.blogspot.com

Patricia Harrington is a 2006 Derringer Winner for her micro-mystery "Secondhand Shoe."  Her amateur sleuth novels feature Bridget O'Hern and include Death Stalks the Khmer and Death Comes Too Soon.   Patricia's stories have appeared in several anthologies including the EX-Factor, Mystery in Mind and  Murder by Six .  Her current work-in-progress is a Golden Age mystery novel, Murder Visits Antigua.  The author's website is www.patriciaharrington.com

Leslie Bessant divides his time between writing, teaching African history at the University of South Florida, playing trombone with the Phil Webb Orchestra, walking his dog, and working in the garden with his wife. No matter what he's doing, though, he's always ready to go out for ice cream.

Ed Lynskey 's short mystery fiction has appeared in Mysterical-E, Plots With Guns, Mississippi Review Online, Orchard Press Mysteries, and HandHeldCrime. His two PI Frank Johnson novels scheduled for publication in 2005 include The Dirt-Brown Derby (Mundania Press) and The Blue Cheer (Point Blank Press/Wildside Press).

Herschel Cozine has published extensively in the children's field. His stories and poems have appeared in many of the national children's magazines. Work by Herschel has also appeared in Alfred Hitchcock and Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazines. He has a mystery scheduled for publication in an upcoming issue of Woman's World. Additionally he has had many stories appear in Orchard Press Mysteries, as well as Shots, HandHeldCrime Great mystery and Suspense, and others. Retired from a career in electronics, he has resumed his writing career after an extended hiatus. Herschel lives with his wife, Sue, in Santa Rosa, California, close to his children and grandchildren

Dag Michaels is the pseudonym for the uncle and nephew writing team of Mike McElhiney and Wayne Daggy. Our partnership was born of a shared passion for fiction. Uncle Mike lives in Pennsylvania , Wayne in Southern California .

Vicki M. Taylor, award winning author, writes dramatic stories with strong women as her main characters. A prolific writer of both novel length and short stories, she brings her characters to life in the real world. When she's not writing, you can find her lurking about the many writing boards dispensing and receiving little pearls of wisdom from her computer in Tampa , Florida where she lives with her husband their dog, Jack and their parrot, Bailey. To find out more about Vicki and her writing, visit her website at http://www.vickimtaylor.com .

Rod Lousteau writes under the name of Lew Stowe and lives in Connecticut . His work has been published by Afterburnsf.com, the Globe Pequot Press, Puckerbrush Press and Delta. He considers his character Sweeper to be his prize fictional creation.

Jeff Markowitz is the author of the Cassie O'Malley Mysteries, including his most recent book, A Minor Case of Murder (Five Star, November 2006). Jeff in an active member of the Mystery Writers of America. He wrote The Old Bitch as an online collaboration with several of his readers, including Roz Butterworth, Scott Chuss, Teri Lewsader and Jazmin Xanders. Jeff loves to write early in the morning.  "You can usually find me at my computer at 5:30 in the morning," he says, "plotting someone's murder."

Allison P. Boye recently completed her Ph.D. in English and holds degrees from The College of William and Mary, Bowling Green , and Texas Tech University . She is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Kappa Phi national honor societies, and has won numerous scholarly and writing awards. She has published both scholarly and creative works, including articles in Happy Woman Magazine , and her dissertation was selected as her university's nominee for the 2005 Council of Graduate Schools/ University Microfilms International Distinguished Dissertation Award . She has taught fiction, drama, writing, and women's studies, and is currently at work on a book. She currently lives in Texas and works as a university teacher and administrator.

Molly MacRae spent twenty years in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Upper East Tennessee where she was the curator of the history museum in Jonesborugh , Tennessee 's oldest town. Her stories have appeared in Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine and she is a winner of the Sherwood Anderson Award for Short Fiction. Her first Lewis Wilder novel, Wilder Rumors, will be published by Five Star Mysteries in July 2007. These days, MacRae lives with her family in Champaign , Illinois , where she pushes books on children at the public library.

Victor J. Banis, lecturer, writing instructor and early rabble-rouser for gay rights and freedom of the press, is the critically acclaimed author ("…the master's touch in storytelling," Publishers Weekly) of nearly 150 published novels and nonfiction works, and his verse and short pieces have appeared in numerous journals (Blithe House Quarterly) and anthologies (Charmed Lives, Lethe Press, 2006.)

William G. Schweizer has resided in Southern California almost long enough to pass for a native despite the occasional pang of nostalgia for snow falling on steam grates, pizza by the slice, and Jones Beach. Always much given to blurting out implausible and irritating statements, he's lately taken to scribbling them down and adding implausible plots and irritating characters. Enjoyments are movies ( Manhattan locales - caper flicks - film noir), California history, Linda's biscotti, Linda, Saturday football, the ocean (either one), and, once in a while, serene travel. His fiction has been published in the Los Angeles Times, Thieves Jargon, River Walk Journal, Bewildering Stories, Futures Mystery Anthology Magazine, Skive, and, on several occasions, in Static Movement Online. A new offering will appear in the upcoming quarterly issue of War Journal.

Jim J. Wilsky is a central Illinois native, currently living and working in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. He is pursuing his lifelong passion for writing and storytelling. He's written over 75 short stories; including mainstream, suspense, crime, westerns and historical fictions. His work has appeared online at Crime and Suspense, Pipes & Timbrels and Hardluck Stories among others. He also contributed to a Holiday Anthology entitled By the Chimney With Care. He is currently working on his first novel. A husband to a patient wife and father of two beautiful daughters; he enjoys world history, the outdoors, various sports and cooking.

K. Patrick Glover writes things. He lives in Northern Michigan and is currently working on the first Nick
Kellerman novel. He can be found on the web at http://kpatrickglover.wordpres s.com or be reached via
email at kpatrickglover@yahoo.com

Dawn Dowdle is a prolific reader and reviewer. She runs the Mystery Lovers Corner and Romance Lovers Corner sites. See her reviews for the web addresses.

 

Artists

Gin E. L. Fenton -- see bio above

Arthur King is a strange young curmudgeon who only exists for his art, which he says speaks for itself.  He has no use for people unless they want to give him money for his illustrations or have sex with him.  arthurkingart@gmail.com

Vivian Prince is the only child of a shepherdess and a traveling evangelist. Thought to be retarded in an age that dyslexia was not heard of, her parents put her in the back seat of a Nash Rambler and taught her on the road. Stopping at every museum, science exhibit, historical park and art festival, she was encouraged to draw the lessons she learned. At the age of 22 she finally learned to read and is rarely seen without either a book or a pencil and paper in her hands. She may be contacted at prncjohn@aol.com .

 

 

 

Founder

Eva Batonne

 

Denise Batonne began writing professionally when she was hired as researcher for a small production company in Santa Monica.The position evolved into writer/producer on the project, The Shaping Of America, a series of historical spots on American history. A forerunner to the popular Ken Burns style of dramatic portrayals of historical figures and events, The Shaping Of America featured narrators Sally Kellerman, Robert Guillaume, Dennis Weaver and was voted Favorite Series. Denise has worked for Brentwood News and Venice Art Magazine interviewing and reviewing the work of personalities such as Dizzy Gillespie and Chris Connelly, editor of Premiere Magazine. Co-Editor of Techno Noir with Jeffrey Marks, her story "Mixo-Matic" appears in its pages. "The Ticket," Denise's first short story, was featured as Publisher's Choice in Futures magazine. Denise has a strong background in film and theatre. She left Mysterical-E in early 2004 to pursue her own writing and other interests. Her book RESSURECTION DIVA, a literary crime novel, comes out in August 2007 from ZUMAYA PUBLICATIONS.