At the age of 10, Stephen Ostrow attempted to perform a magic trick for his family. Instead of the wonder and gasps he was expecting, Steve’s failed effort was greeted with laughter. “Not so bad,” he thought, “I guess I’m a better comedian than magician.” And, so began Steve’s lifelong fascination with comedy and magic, both of which he combined in his first published novel, Magic Irving and His Magic Shoppe. For a living, Steve and his wife and full-time partner Monica operate a creative advertising agency specializing in the development and printing of effective sales literature. As a stand-up comic, Steve has performed at several NYC clubs and, once, even received a standing ovation (at least it looked like a standing ovation as people stood and rushed to the exit). Steve regularly performs two heralded comedy programs: What’s So Funny About Being Jewish and Sitcoms: America’s Comedy Consciousness. As a wordsmith, Steve has written articles and stories for a number of publications and is currently working on two new novels: Immorals and A Narrated Tour of Minterville, N.Y. A native of Brooklyn, N.Y., Steve is an avid tennis player and a long-suffering fan of the 2015 National League Champion Mets.