Mary, the oldest of four sisters, was born in Jackson, Michigan, on September 13th (surely not a Friday). As with so many magicians, Mary's interest in magic began when she received a magic set for Christmas at around the age of nine, the "My Favorite Martian" magic set in her case. She had not asked for a magic set, and she says that she has no idea of what her parents saw in her that caused them to present her with this gift but that it was most welcome.

Mary recalls seeing magicians like Harry Blackstone, Junior and Doug Henning on television, but she did not see a "live" magic performance until she saw David Copperfield perform when she was in her twenties.

Mary's interest in magic lay dormant in her teens, but it was revived by a book, the title since forgotten and by a stop at a magic shop in Oklahoma City on her way to Air Traffic Control school. At the shop, Mary purchased a set of the Cups and Balls and a number of other traditional magic props.

Mary can recall the exact moment that Bizarre Magic entered her life. She was living in New York City and had dropped by Tannen's. She saw a copy of 'The New Invocation' on the magazine rack, picked it up, looked through it, and said to herself, "This is great stuff." She says that this should not have been a surprise to her since her mother always enjoyed spooky movies and things paranormal.

She learned about Tony Andruzzi's Invocational conventions, attended the last two and was greatly influenced by this prime mover of Bizarre magic.

Mary says that she "drifted" into dealing Bizarre Magic because in the early 90's she had some ideas that she wanted to market. Her first two ventures into this area were "The Lips of Ann Bodenham" (the featured prop is a pair of stone lips) and "Pin-Tagram Plus" (a very nice little voodoo doll plays a part in this routine).

From these beginnings came the Thaumysta Magic Company, a company which markets and supplies routines and props on a world wide basis to those interested in the bizarre. One of the features of the company is that Mary is always on the look out for props that bizarre magicians can use for "set dressing" as we would call it in theatre: boxes, bags, scrolls, pendants, unusual cards, etc. Mary terms these "accoutrements".

Another aspect of the items Mary creates is the attention she gives to details. If you purchase an effect from Mary, you get all the props you need to perform the effect. If the effect calls for a stick of chalk, you get the chalk and you do not have to go out in the middle of the night looking for an open office supply store. If Mary can not find the "right prop" or have it made, she handcrafts it herself.

Until May 2002, 'The Altar Flame', a journal of Bizarre Magic, was published four times a year. Mary says that she "drifted" into publishing much as she "drifted" into dealing. 'The Altar Flame' began life as 'The Altered Flame', a newsletter she composed for Brother Shadows 'Shadow Network'. Mary decided that a regular publication of Bizarre Magic had commercial possibilities and thus 'The Altar Flame' came into being in 1993. The circulation is over 200 and each issue contains several effects submitted by a wide range of contributors. Most of the names are well known in the fields of mentalism and the bizarre and the journal is elegantly produced.

Mary also publishes a variety of books on Bizarre Magic, one of the most recent being 'The Practitioner: Journeys into Grey by Eugene Poinc'.

As a performer, Mary has developed a character well suited to her personality and interests. She presents he Bizarre Magic as the Curator of the Museum of Cursed Antiquities. The antiquities are "artifacts with an attitude". She readily admits to the influence of H. P. Lovecraft and the Miskatonic University. Mary finds that an audience of laymen respond favorably to her "storytelling" presentations since she does not take a "heavy" approach to the magic.

Her goal in this area is to work with a caterer to present "Dinner Theatre in the Home". If your path ever crosses Mary's at some future convention, be sure to spend some time chatting with her...you will NEVER regret it.

The above profile was written by Charles J. Pecor and first published in the Linking Ring magazine (Vol. 81, Number 2, February 2001).

To Continue.....

Through Mary, her superb effects and writings, many have been introduced to the world of Bizarre Magic and she is admired world wide for her devotion to promoting the craft. She supports others too and travels to as many of the bizarre conventions as she can each year, some years this includes traveling all the way to Britain to attend Convocations and the Edinburgh Gathering.

When one talks about the effects she has marketed, you have to buy one to see for yourself how much work she puts into an effect to make it easy to perform and ENTERTAINING.

Below is a list (but far from complete) of the many effects she has released since the early 90's.

'Pin-Tagram', 'Finger of Ferarius', 'Pendulum of Sai-Kee', her 'Lota Pot', 'Thrice Known', her 'Lota Pitcher', 'The Ghost Pendant', 'Ritual of the Talisman', 'The Lips of Ann Bodenham', 'The Gypsy's Touch', 'Ritual of Royalty', 'Pin-Tagram Plus', 'The Pyramid of Ptahotep', 'The Vase of Modus Heiroglyphica', 'The Portrait of Lydia Marsh', 'Abigail's Beads', 'The Elfin Chest', 'The Devils Due', 'The Plaques of Paracelsus', 'The Invisible Eye', 'Within A heart', Alain Nu's - 'Voodoo Redo', 'Like A Psalm', 'The Call of Yemaya'.......