Mark Schweizer

In 1974, Mark Schweizer, a brand-new high-school graduate decided to eschew the family architectural business and become an opera singer. Against all prevailing wisdom and despite jokes from his peers such as "What does the music major say after his first job interview?" (answer: You want fries with that?), he enrolled in the Music School at Stetson University. To his father, the rationale was obvious. No math requirement. Everything happens for a reason, however, and he now lives and works as a composer, and mystery author in North Carolina with his lovely wife, Donis. If anyone finds out what he’s up to, he’ll have to go back to work at Cracker Barrel. He actually has a bunch of academic degrees, including a D.M.A. from the University of Arizona. I know! What were they thinking?

Mark has taught voice, opera, and music theory at Stetson University, Louisiana College, Murray State University, Austin Peay University and Sewanee - the University of the South. Being "Ecumenically Promiscuous", he has served in several denominations as a full-time church musician, and is currently president of St. James Music Press, a church music publishing house at the forefront of on-line publishing.

As an author, Mark has written the "Liturgical Mysteries," fifteen highly acclaimed comic mysteries set in the fictitious town of St. Germaine, North Carolina and a 1940s Chicago police thriller, "Dear Priscilla". His writing and sense of humor can also be found in the classical music section of "Faking It: How to Seem Like a Better Person Without Actually Improving Yourself" published by the New American Library.

In the field of bad writing, Mark had the distinction of receiving several Dishonorable Mentions in the Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest, an annual contest in which the entrants compete for the dubious honor of having composed the worst opening sentence to an imaginary novel. These and others can be found in "It Was a Dark and Stormy Night: A Collection of the Worst Fiction Ever Written," edited by Scott Rice and published by The Friday Project.

The Liturgical Mysteries in Order:

The Alto Wore Tweed (2002)

The Baritone Wore Chiffon (2004)

The Tenor Wore Tapshoes (2005)

The Soprano Wore Falsettos (2006)

The Bass Wore Scales (2006)

The Mezzo Wore Mink (2008)

The Diva Wore Diamonds (2009)

The Organist Wore Pumps (2010)

The Countertenor Wore Garlic (2011)

The Christmas Cantata (2011)

The Treble Wore Trouble (2012)

The Cantor Wore Crinolines (2013)

The Maestro Wore Mohair (2015)

The Lyric Wore Lycra (2017)

The Choir Director Wore Out (2018)

website: www.sjmpbooks.com