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M. R. Sellars 

Written and compiled by George Knowles 

“It’s important people realize we're not a bunch of child-eating murderers who chant at Satan”  -  M. R. Sellars, novelist and second-generation pagan. 

M.R. Sellars is an American Pagan and author of eight novels of the fictional - horror/murder/suspense genre with a pagan theme.  He is a member of the “Horror Writers Association” (HWA) and a staunch supporter of “Sisters in Crime” (SinC).  An active pagan, he is an Elder in the “Grove of the Old Ways”, a coven located in the Kansas City area of Missouri. 

While his novels are centered around witchcraft and paganism, he likes to stress that the character’s and events portrayed in his books are fictional, and should in no way be equated with reality.  He also states that followers of alternative religions routinely approach and thank him, for at least in his novels “the witch gets to be the good guy for a change”.  As an Elder of the Craft he is often called upon to gives lectures to help dispel the many myths and misconceptions about real WitchCraft. 

Born on the 20^th February 1962 in the small town of Fulton, Kentucky, his mother was a Witch, his father an Atheist and his great grandmother a Native American.  So as far as religion was concerned, he was given the freedom to choose your own religious path in life.  His story telling abilities were inspired by this father, who while he was a child regaled him with stories of all kinds, he began reading himself at the age of four and writing shortly after.  As he grew up he studied a number of mainline religions including:  Catholicism, Judaism and Pentecostal, but none of these seemed to fit for him, so for a while at least he considered himself agnostic. 

During his youth Sellars or “Murv” to his friends, spent many of his summer months working on the family farm, and credits those “working vacations” for instilling him with a strong code of ethics and sense of family values.  While he readily admits that spending long days “bucking bales of hay” and “piloting a tractor or combine across seemingly endless acres” felt like unfair torture at the time, he misses it now and deeply appreciates the lessons he learned from it.  

While still in his early teens he developed a keen interest in all things unexplained as well as a fascination for nature and ecology.  With some guidance from his mother and a lot of reading on the subject, including all he could find about Witchcraft, he started down the dimly defined trail into alternative Earth religions and magick.  As he studied he met and moved in and out of several groups and traditions, most of them Wiccan, and retained from each whatever felt relevant to his own beliefs.  Today he considers himself to be a hodgepodge of a number of things, so when asked how to define himself, he’s most likely to answer either Eclectic Kitchen Witch or Pagan. 

In 1980 after graduating from Ritenour High School in Saint Louis, Missouri, he went on to study Journalism and Literature at College, during which time he penned a number of news stories for both print and broadcast.  However due to personal circumstances he was unable to complete his College degree and instead started a career as a Computer and Electronics Technician and working as an Internet Systems Administrator.  However he never lost his love for writing and continued to pen short stories and feature articles in his spare time. 

After 25 years in the Computer industry, during which he achieved the industries top qualification CTIA (Certified Senior Electronics Tech), his first novel “Harm None” was published in 2000.  This was followed by the annual release of Never Burn A Witch in (2001), Perfect Trust in (2002) and The Law Of Three in (2003).  His success was tampered however when sadly in October 2003, his beloved father suddenly and unexpectedly passed on to the Summerland.  While staying at his cabin overlooking the Black River in southwestern Missouri, he had suffered a heart attack in his sleep.  As his personal hero and the biggest inspiration in his life, his passing was a huge blow for Sellers, but he was able to take solace in the fact that his father passed where he most wanted to be, and that he went peacefully.

In the following year August of 2004, with the growing success of his “Rowan Gant Investigations” series, Sellers semi-retired from his work in the computer/electronics business, so he could devote more time to writing and touring.  When not touring he works part-time for his old firm in order to keep his qualifications up to date, while the extra pennies help to pay the bills and allows for an occasional special treat for his wife and daughter. 

Sellars currently resides in St. Louis with his wife Kathy and daughter Willow Ann, together with a ménage of what he describes as “rescued, geriatric and special-needs felines”.  He is an active member of The Nature Conservancy (founded in 1951) and the World Wildlife Fund, and when he’s not touring or writing, likes to indulge his passions for hiking, camping, nature photography and cooking.  A classically trained and accomplished gourmet chef, he can often be found “playing” in his favourite room of the house, the kitchen.  

Press Release: 

Blood Moon, the next instalment of his Rowan Gant Investigation Series is due for release on the 01^st October 2008.  

End. 

Bibliography: 

Harm None: A Rowan Gant Investigation (2000) WillowTree Press/E.M.A Mysteries ISBN 9780967822105 

Never Burn A Witch: A Rowan Gant Investigation (2001) WillowTree Press/E.M.A Mysteries ISBN 9780967822112 

Perfect Trust: A Rowan Gant Investigation (2002) WillowTree Press/E.M.A Mysteries ISBN 9780967822198 

The Law Of Three: A Rowan Gant Investigation (2003) WillowTree Press/E.M.A Mysteries ISBN 9780967822181 

Crone's Moon: A Rowan Gant Investigation (2004) WillowTree Press/E.M.A Mysteries ISBN 9780967822143 

Love Is The Bond: A Rowan Gant Investigation (2005) WillowTree Press/E.M.A Mysteries ISBN 9780967822129 

All Acts Of Pleasure: A Rowan Gant Investigation (2006) WillowTree Press/E.M.A Mysteries ISBN 9780967822136 

The End Of Desire: A Rowan Gant Investigation (2007) WillowTree Press/E.M.A Mysteries ISBN 9780967822167 

Awards: 

Saint Louis Riverfront Times People's Choice Award - Best Novel by a Local Author (2003) for The Law Of Three: A Rowan Gant Investigation

Preditors and Editors Readers Poll Best Mainstream Novel Award - (2006) for All Acts Of Pleasure: A Rowan Gant Investigation

Sources: 

http://www.mrsellars.com/ 

http://www.twpt.com/corner.htm

More to be added later

Written and compiled on the 26^th August 2008 © George Knowles

Best wishes and Blessed Be