About

M.Q. Stewart writes magic realism, psychological horror, satire, and poetry. In his work, there is some overlap between these four genres.

He holds two bachelor's degrees from Brooklyn College: one in classics, the other in religious studies.

In New York, he bikes, boxes, works, and, most importantly, writes.

1996

Bio

  • M. is born. New York, NY

  • Gemini

2005

  • Parents divorce

  • Very sad :(

  • Lives in Antigua, Guatemala for a year (with mom and younger brother)

2014

  • Decides to write an erotic novel “as a joke”

  • Accidentally writes a regular novel

  • Realizes deep, passionate love of literature

  • Is heavily inspired by Douglas Adams’ The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman

2015

  • Takes gap year

  • Writes cool short story called "A Patch of Dryness in the Back of the Throat" for one-off zine, Ramble On.

  • Becomes obsessed with Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas

  • Wears Acapulco shirts, records transcripts of other people’s conversations without their consent, etc.

2016

  • Freshman year at Brooklyn College

  • Therapist recommends Thomas Ligotti, world’s premier psych. horror writer

  • First-year essay is published in Telling Our Stories, Sharing Our Lives - A Collection of Student Memoir Writing

2017

  • Takes rickety, old bus with communist friends to South Carolina to see solar eclipse

  • Kurt Vonnegut becomes his favorite author

2018

  • Has falling-out with communists

  • Meets best friend

  • Writes about solar eclipse experience

  • Sends eclipse story to some literary journals, receives first rejection letters

  • Interns at Brooklyn Museum

  • Stops recording people’s conversations

  • Has crazy dream about opium-addict/hippie death-cult

  • Begins writing second novel, Sweet Grass and Noxious Poppies

2019

  • Codes first website in HTML (not this one)

  • Self-publishes eclipse story, 5 people read it

  • Begins dual degree in religious studies

  • Zhuangzi becomes his favorite ancient author

  • Poem, "To Sear An Octopus", published in Stuck in the Library

  • Takes mushrooms, becomes extremely spiritual

  • Grandfather passes away on 24th birthday

2020

  • Pandemic

  • Sorrow

  • Last year of college

  • Begins research project on ancient Egyptian snakebite cures

  • Makes best of bad situation

  • Beloved family members and professors pass away

2021

  • Snakebite Papyrus research complete, published via CUNY Academic Works

  • Graduation, no fanfare

  • Remote teaching assistantship for music and philosophy courses at Brooklyn College

  • Stir crazy

  • No longer spiritual

  • Works sporadically on Sweet Grass and Noxious Poppies

  • Embarks with brother on insane 20-day bike tour from Bronx to Albany

  • Decides to never come back

  • Lands job at insurance filing company

  • Comes back

2022

  • Works day job

  • Moves out of mother’s apartment

  • Writes geological poetry

  • Collects many first-roommate horror stories

  • Attends make-up graduation ceremony, with fanfare

  • Finishes Sweet Grass and Noxious Poppies

2023

  • Moves into new apartment

  • Continues writing, finishes several short stories in short period of time

  • Second iteration of website (didn’t code it himself)

  • Begins sending stories to magazines again (with renewed vigor and a modicum of wisdom)

  • Working towards first real publishing credits

  • Fairly content :)

Contact

montgomeryqstewart@gmail.com

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