Although I never ghosted the Mike Shayne stories, I did have
several stories published in Mike Shayne Mystery Magazine
beginning in 1978. MSMM always had a special place in my
heart. It was the first mystery magazine I purchased
(Oct 1959) as I could not resist a mag with both a Mike
Shayne novelet and a Robert Bloch short story. MSMM later
gave me a boost when I really needed one. In 1971 when I was
recently back from Vietnam and my plans to write fulltime
were being upset by family illnesses, I managed to write
three short stories. All were rejected, but the third came
back from Mike Shayne (the last possible market) with a brief
but encouraging note from editor Cylvia Kleinman. Her note
kept my hopes alive for several black years that maybe,
perhaps, one day I might be a published writer.
I sold stories to both Sam Merwin Jr. as well as Charles
Fritch. Until James Reasoner's posting I did not realize that
Larry Shaw had only been around for one issue. My one contact
with him was a rejection but it was the sweetest rejection I
ever received. I remember also a letter from him about his
editorship of the SF mag Infinity, wherein he still lamented
loosing serial rights to Heinlein's CITIZEN OF THE GALAXY,
which he thought would have put Infinity at the next level of
mags. He also said there was a deal cut by the publisher
where he had to accept all sorts of crap from the Scott
Meredith Agency. But this is off-topic. Shaw was a great guy
and much lamented.
The issues of the late 70s had some good stuff by Reasoner,
Lansdale, Ernest Savage, and a few others. About that time I
met Landsdale in person and we corresponded for a bit. I have
a vague memory that Rara-Avian Frank Denton had one story in
MSMM. Is that right Frank?
MSMM was never a top market. I very much liked the Dennis
Lynds Slot-Machine Kelly stories in the 60s. The mag also had
some good ones by long-forgotten Fletcher Flora. Flora had a
nice touch with a story. Now and then a Jack Ritchie would
appear, no doubt after first being bounced by Alfred
Hitchcock.
Pronzini was a regular for years.
I liked MSMM because it was more receptive to tougher stories
but the pay was terrible. Once, however, Renown Publications
sent me a second check for a story by mistake and I mailed it
back. There was no thank you. They were probably too
shocked.
But, no, MSMM was not a great magazine. It was a lot of fun
and I was a subscriber to the day it folded.
Richard Moore
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