Now this is scary

Speaking of scary editor stories, I have to warn you all about a most heinous character in our midst: The Publisher Who Wouldn't Pay.

Some of you know the deal. A colleague of mine took a job editing West Valley Magazine last spring. She assigned me a story with a fee that I thought was a bit low, but I took it hoping to establish a good relationship with the publication and be able to do more lucrative assignments as time went on.

After I filed the story, which took longer than I'd expected to research, publisher Kevin Elliott fired my colleague and then gave me and many other writers the run-around for a few weeks -- including the old "check's in the mail" line.

I don't know what happened with most of the other writers. One of my friends finally got a check, but he only owed her about $50. He owed me $190, which is no great sum, and another reason I'm baffled why he would burn a bridge and risk his reputation over it.

Here are a couple of his e-mails in response to my "where is my check" question: "I did receive it and sent a check last week. Can I check the address?" (Yes, I re-sent my address and asked if that was what he had on file.) "I can’t be sure I am not at my work. I will cancel and replace as you should have had it by now." Well, no check arrived, and Kevin never ran the piece.

I even called Hal De Keyser, supposedly a respected journalist in the Valley, who's been working with Kevin. He said he would see what he could do, but he's ignoring my e-mails, too.

All this over a lousy $190! Another freelancer told me the exact same thing happened to her a couple years ago with Kevin.

So be warned. If you work with Kevin, expect only tricks, no treats.