At the age of 13, Steve became fascinated with escapology, and was performing professionally as an escape artist by the age of 19.  His feature was an escape from an Iron Maiden lined with 125 spikes. After a year of performing escapes for night clubs and county fairs he returned to higher education to net his Bachelor of Science in Communication-Education.

By profession a technical writer, Steve continued to perform semi-professionally as an escape artist, magician and mentalist.

During the 1980s and 90s, Steve wrote several articles on escapology for the journals, "Escapism" and "The Escapist Newsletter." He was featured on the cover of an issue of "Escapism," and in Rudy Steffish's book, "Conversations with Harry, Don't Forget to Dance."

In the late 1980s, Steve joined the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA), earning an Award of Arms (and the title of Lord) for his performances of ‘salamandry’ (fire-resistance), and for his research in period alchemy and natural philosophy.  Steve briefly served as the Minister of Science for his local shire (Marche of the Unicorn).

In 1999 he married his lady, Andrea.  The wedding dress was a Victorian gown in black and burgundy, with shawling of black, spider-web lace. Steve has also performed for Harry Potter book-release parties as a ‘wizard’ after the style of J.K. Rowling’s Hogwarts professors, even carrying a birch wand crafted special for him by Alivan Wandmakers.  For these shows, he was billed as “Dr. Stephen Midnight.”

Steve’s first book, “Garrotte Escapes,” (2007) is published by Cannon’s Great Escapes.
Steve, who now performs escapology and sideshow stunts as “Steve M,” resides in Southwest Ohio, USA with his wife, Andrea, and their husky-sheltie mix, Belladona.