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STAFF M-E

 

 

Publisher/Editor-in-Chief
Joseph 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.

He worked as 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), Charmed Lives (Lethe) Heat of the Moment (Echelon 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).

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), and The Journal of Homosexuality

He won "Best Magazine Editor" Reader's Choice Poll Award for 2007 and 2005 from Preditors & Editors.

One of his greatest loves is mystery (all kinds); he has written a number of mystery stories and the second book in his Marco Fontana series, A BODY ON PINE is now out from Lethe Press, and folllows the first, MURDER ON CAMAC. 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. Jason is also an artist and some of his work can be seen at www.goldenfleecegallery.com


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/bergang/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/Columnist

Tim Matson

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




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

Gerald So

Fiction Editor for The Thrilling Detective Web Site, Gerald is also a reviewer for Crimespree Cinema and moderator of the crime TV and film forum CrimeSeen.  He's always looking for more to read or watch.
E-mail him at g_so@yahoo.com or visit his blog at http://geraldso.blogspot.com .


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

Always intrigued by whatever he construed as basic, Byron's interests moved through several sciences then through mathematics, philosophy, and now--inevitably--to the most basic of all, mystery writing, which he does mostly in conjunction with his spouse.  Ignoring some technical and historical papers written in his former career, his writing credits include a couple of dozen “mainstream” (i.e. non-mystery) poems, half a dozen mystery short stories, another six mystery-oriented poems, and three novels, Undercover Nudist , Runaway Nudist, and To Kill a Nudist, all of which appeared first as ebooks and can be found here and there on the web, e.g. at http://www.writewordsinc.com and, in fact your local bookstore can order it, although they may not be willing to simply stock it. Byron assumes that this wee bit of writing experience plus his considerable age give him the right to have strong but variable opinions on whatever crosses his mind.  He lives in a cold climate, as do many of his faithful readers.


Columnist

Jan

Christensen

Jan Christensen's main interests are reading and writing, mostly mysteries.  She's had over fifty short stories published, several right here in Mysterical-e, including the premier issue, and has been nominated twice for a Derringer Award.  Several of the now-unfortunately-defunct magazines who have published her work are:  Red Herring Mystery Magazine, Whispering Willows Mystery Magazine, Nefarious - Tales of Mystery, Detective Mystery Stories, Hardluck Stories, EWG Presents, and Vacant Funhouse.  But others are still in existence such as Long Story Short, Orchard Press, Futures Mysterious Anthology Magazine, Spinetingler, Crime and Suspense, and several others.  She's also had stories in anthologies, one in last year's Wolfmont Publishing's Carols and Crimes, Gifts and Grifters, all proceeds going to Toys for Tots, and two in Whortleberry Press's, Strange Mysteries and It Was A Dark and Stormy Halloween.  Her first novel, Sara's Search came out in 2004.  Jan's office is a lounge chair and a laptop in the 40-foot motorhome she and her husband live in fulltime.  She is beginning to call herself a minimalist because of her love of short stories and an uncluttered life.  More about Jan:   www.janchristensen.com


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).

 

Staff

Montiese Mckenzie

Montiese McKenzie is a thirty something Philadelphia native who loves city life.  She is a writer in her spare time and part of the proleteriat by default.  She loves blogging, photography, reading mysteries, and anything that involves coffee.  Making a living as a full time writer and possible documentary filmmaker is still on her list of things to-do.  She is the mother of two rambunctious felines and the owner of an ever-growing shoe collection.


Staff

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.

A Title
YOUR NAME

OPPORTUNITIES ABOUND
in Editing, the Art Department, as a columnist, and more
-- CONTACT US

We are also always looking for people with good ideas.

 

CONTRIBUTORS THIS ISSUE
Writers

John M. Floyd's short stories, articles, and humor pieces have appeared in more than 200 publications, including The Strand Magazine , Murderous Intent , Grit , Woman's World , Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine , and Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine . A 2007 Derringer Award winner, he has been nominated three times for the Pushcart Prize and writes a weekly column at Criminalbrief.com. John is also the author of three collections of short fiction: Rainbow's End (2006), Midnight (2008), and Clockwork (coming in October 2010).

Bill Bernico is the author of more than 150 short stories and one novel.  For four years he wrote a weekly humor column for his hometown newspaper, The Sheboygan Press.  Bill's advice columns for computer enthusiasts have appeared in various magazines around the world.  These days Bill writes an online advice column for musicians. Bill is a songwriter and has won several songwriting contests. He is also a working musician and has been playing live shows since 1966.

Elizabeth Zelvin is a New York City psychotherapist whose mystery series, featuring recovering alcoholic Bruce Kohler, includes two novels, Death Will Get You Sober and Death Will Help You Leave Him , and three short stories, two of them nominated for the Agatha Award for Best Short Story. Liz's short stories have been published in Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine , Dark Valentine , Beat to A Pulp (August), and the anthologies Murder New York Style , The Gift of Murder , and Xangans. Her author website is www.elizabethzelvin.com. Liz blogs on Poe's Deadly Daughters.

Jeanette Vanausdall is marketing director for an independent college preparatory high school in Carmel , Indiana where she formerly taught English and history.  She has published magazine articles, encyclopedia entries, short stories, creative essays in several collections and a book, Pride and Protest: the Novel in Indiana.   She is a huge reader of mysteries and has several stories and a novel in the genre in search of a publisher. She lives in Indianapolis.

C.M. Marcum, retired from journalism, writes for fun now. Publications include stories in Alienskin, Liquid Imagination, and now Mysterical-E. He says, ‘Life doesn't get any better than begin published in three different genres: science fiction, fantasy and paranormal crime.' Blog with the writer at http://www.cmmarcum.wordpress.com

Curt Jeffreys has been writing since 1996. His list of credits include; Mysterical-e, Aoife's Kiss, The Absent Willow Review and Dark Fire Fiction. He lives in Arvada, Colorado with his wife and son, who can only shake their heads and wonder where he gets his ideas. www.curtjeffreys.com

Michael Niemann has written about southern Africa for the past twenty years, albeit for non-fiction outlet. This story is among his first ventures into fiction. He's also has just finished a novel entitled Lincoln Road for which he is seeking agents. In the meantime, he teaches International Studies, develops websites, makes iPhone/iPad apps.

Tim Moynihan, a former soldier and civilian intelligence officer, lives in Southern California . His non-fiction articles have appeared in the  Military Intelligence Professional Bulletin and the Honolulu Advertiser .  He just completed a novel, For the Love of the Father , a suspense-thriller about the clandestine war in Afghanistan . "Night Vision" is his first mystery.

Scott Lininger is a dad, entrepreneur, and mystery enthusiast who lives near Boulder , Colorado . When not programming 3D software for Google, he occasionally use the computer as a typewriter. His short fiction has appeared in Flash Fiction Online, Everyday Weirdness, Powderburn, The Battered Suitcase, Day Terrors Anthology, and Short-Story.me. He is currently working on his first novel featuring the exploits of Joe Odin and Prim Whistler.

Larry and Rosemary Mild's newest novel is CRY OHANA, Adventure and Suspense in Hawaii (October 2010). Fresh Fiction calls it “an uplifting story of family and love, as well as an extremely suspenseful novel with a very satisfying ending.” The Milds also coauthor the Paco and Molly Mysteries: BOSTON SCREAM PIE, HOT GRUDGE SUNDAY and LOCKS AND CREAM CHEESE. They teach “Writing Mystery and Thriller Fiction” at Anne Arundel Community College in Arnold , Maryland . “Slim Pickings” is the sixth in their series of short stories featuring Slim O. Wittz, soft-boiled detective.

Melodie Campbell has a Commerce Degree from Queen's University, but it didn't take well. Not only that: she was probably the worst runway model ever, and didn't much like being a bank manager. She does, however, have 100 humor publications in North American newspapers and magazines, over 30 short story publications, and three awards for fiction. In 1999, she was opening speaker at the Canadian Humor Conference. She is currently the General Manager of Crime Writers of Canada.

Patricia Abbott is the Derringer-winning author and co-editor of the ebook, DISCOUNT NOIR. She has published more than 80 stories in both literary and crime fiction publications and anthologies. Forthcoming stories will appear in SPINETINGLER, NEEDLE, D*CKED, BEAT TO A PULP; ROUND TWO, and CRIMEFACTORY.

Chris Wilshire is a lawyer in Texas who is looking for an agent for his novel. A short story of his was recently published in Twist of Noir.

Allan Leverone is a three-time Derringer Award Finalist for excellence in short mystery fiction as well as a 2011 Pushcart Prize nominee. His short fiction has been featured in various print and online magazines including Needle: A Magazine of Noir, Shroud Magazine, Twisted Dreams and many others, including Mysterical-E, in which the first two Uncle Brick stories appeared. Allan's debut thriller, FINAL VECTOR, is available from Medallion Press, and his short story collection, POSTCARDS FROM THE APOCALYPSE, is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Smashwords. To learn more, visit Allan's Facebook page or www.allanleverone.com.

Bill Panara lives in an empty room in Charlotte, NC . He has recently had stories published in Thirst For Fire, Cherry Bleeds, and MicroHorror.com. A novel has been in the works for awhile and hopefully will be completed before the end of the year (but don't hold him to that).

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.

 

Artists

Gin E. L. Fenton -- see bio above

 

 

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.