When we started THE SAVAGE KICK in 2004, there was always a strange hope that we would print some work from people behind bars.

The idea of the magazine was to give voices to the voiceless. These were the outsiders, those with voices that would upset the mainstream.

SK’s stories needed to be extreme and realistic. Yet they could not be unrefined screams in the dark. What better than a writer who is behind bars and has plenty of time on their hands to refine their craft and reflect on what they’ve done?

This was and remains controversial. When we reprinted Tommy Trantino’s THE ANGEL, we received a number of complaints amongst the praise.

More recently, we’ve also published Jeffrey P. Frye’s work and that has caused issues for him in various penitentiaries. The guards and governors don’t want him to have a voice. One story about a female guard – which we hadn’t even printed yet – meant Jeff was put into solitary confinement. He needs to be more careful about where he hides his first drafts...

My justification for publishing work by criminals is dependent on whether they have “turned the corner.” Are they still committing crime or trying to stop it? Are they trying to control their own issues or still contributing towards them?

It’s a fine line. Seymour Shubin once said “there but for the grace of God go I” about his masterly crime fiction. We all have convictions and we’ve all made mistakes. Here are some of them.

Murder Slim Press