Defenestration is run by an elite cadre of writers and humorists, many of whom actually exist. The below biographies will tell you a little bit about the Defenestration staff (also known as the “crew,” despite our ship burning down in the Baltimore Inner Harbor back in 2004). Please note that while some of the crew list personal e-mails and/or web pages where they can be contacted, submissions and submission-related questions should always be directed to the addresses listed in our submissions guidelines.

Andrew Kaye

Co-Founder, Editor-in-Chief, Resident Cartoonist, Robot Handler

Andrew is a writer from Northern Virginia. You can tell he’s from Northern Virginia because he stresses the “Northern” part in conversation. In addition to throwing his weight around as editor-in-chief (about 120 pounds, depending on how well he’s been fed), Andrew draws Defenestration‘s weekly comic strip, Ben & Winslow. Andrew writes speculative fiction and poetry, and has work in Unidentified Funny Objects 4, Abyss & Apex, Daily Science Fiction, Electric Velocipede, UFO4 and Kaleidotrope, among others . He can be contacted directly at andrewdefenestrates(at)gmail(dot)com. He can also be followed via Twitter. More of his artwork can be found in his deviantART gallery.

 

Eileen Lavelle

Co-Founder, Editor

Frequent target of fallen angels, Eileen hides from their seductive wrath in the hallowed confines of Defenestration HQ, where she hopes to erect a wall of words between herself and the forces of evil. Her fiction has appeared in a few magazines that no longer exist (how convenient!). 

 

Haratron

Public Relations

Public relations require the cold and unemotional communication skills of a mechanical man, and Haratron is one such contraption. His typically robotic desire to kill all humans has been reprogrammed to the best of our abilities. Now he only wants to kill Eileen. Haratron helps manage the Defenestration Facebook page. He also has a  Twitter feed that he sometimes uses. But only sometimes.

 

 

Bigfoot

Associate Editor for Fiction

Bigfoot is a novelist, playwright, and scholar from the Pacific Northwest. He is a frequent contributor to numerous cryptozooilogical journals, websites, and television programs. While he’s recognized around the world, Bigfoot generally prefers to keep a low profile. He’s been working for Defenestration for years-unless he hasn’t.

 

 

Jersey Devil

Associate Editor for Non-Fiction

Born Japhet Leeds, Jr., the creature now known as the Jersey Devil is a writer and amateur botanist from the Pine Barrens of New Jersey. He has a well-rounded sense of humor, but hates “Why the long face?” jokes.

 

 

Elm Tree

Associate Editor for Poetry

The Elm Tree has been providing us with oxygen from Day One, and we can’t thank it enough. There’s no one better to read through our poetry submissions than the Elm Tree. After all, you can’t say “poetry” without “tree.” He told us to say that.

 

 

Amblyopsis Spelaea

Visual Content Supervisor

A blind cave fish, Ambylopsis is fond of all forms of artwork in various mediums. She’s especially partial to cartoons and photography, and loves surreal artwork. Don’t worry about pronouncing her name. We just call her “Amber.”

 

 

Benjamin Franklin

Intern

Newly hired intern Ben Franklin has a lot to learn about the humor writing industry.

 

 

 

Past Contributors

Genevieve Valentine

Co-Founder

Genevieve is a writer in New York, but you’ll never find her there because millions of people live there and Genevieve likes her privacy. You can check up on her latest via her website.

 

 

Jonathan Harper

Columnist

Advice columnist and vampire slayer, Jonathan has an MFA from American University. His fiction has been published in Velvet Mafia, Chelsea Station and the anthologies Homewrecker: An Adultery Reader, The Touch of the Sea and Wilde Stories 2008. His short story collection Daydreamers  was a “Kirkus Best Indie Book of 2015”. His first novel You Don’t Belong Here was released in 2023. He has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize and is the proud recipient of Defenestration‘s “Montblanc H. Hipster Award for Most Ironic Facial Hair.” You can admire his follicles up close by visiting his website.