From Stephen Graham Jones’s website, it is clear horror, sci-fi, and thrillers are his jam. The website title is demon theory, but not everything on there is that scary. (Just the mention of Trump) Any visitor of his website can tell – Jones doesn’t mess around (too much) when it comes to horror and thriller novels. He has published over 100 short stories, and won several awards. Writing may not have been his ultimate goal but according to his website, Jones when asked “WHY WRITE? Because [he] can’t help it” (Demontheory.net/faq).
**A quick note, my paperback copy of It Came from Del Rio has not arrived; unfortunately I have not read the book.
From Stephen Graham Jones’s website, it is clear horror, sci-fi, and thrillers are his jam. The website title is demon theory, but not everything on there is that scary. (Just the mention of Trump) Any visitor of his website can tell – Jones doesn’t mess around (too much) when it comes to horror and thriller novels. He has published over 100 short stories and won several awards. Writing may not have been his ultimate goal but according to his website, Jones when asked “WHY WRITE? Because [he] can’t help it” (Demontheory.net/faq).
While Stephen Graham Jones’ (SGJ) may feature funny Halloween gifs and the obscure title of his novels, such as Flushboy, Zombie Sharks with Metal Teeth, and Zombie Bake-off, he is serious about his craft. His genre is mostly horror and thrillers, and he has gone on to win multiple awards and become a finalist for others. Jones’ novel The Ones that Got Away was a Stoker Award Finalist in 2011 and is a short collection. Publisher’s Weekly review of the novel describes it as “the twisty endings, villainous characters, and truly shocking scenarios make several of these disturbing stories truly unforgettable” (Publisher’s Weekly). Another review, by the Nervous Breakdown, states that Jones’ short story collection holds no bars. They say that “From the very first story, there is no hesitation, no easing into these tales, these dark fables…” (The Nervous Breakdown). They continue to say that “Stephen Graham Jones does well [in mixing] the reality of nature, of life, with the elusive presence in the horrific, the fantastic, the mythics…” (The Nervous Breakdown). Where Jones may lose some readers with his ‘silly’ titles, he enchants others with his dark tales that leave his audience guessing and wanting more.
It truly is a great injustice that Jones works have not been shared or is a name that is not often heard of. From the description of his short stories, and the reviews left by others, one might be reminded of the works of Chuck Palahniuk. Famous for the work Fight Club, Palahniuk won over readers with his story that had a completely new twist and offered the violence that many crave. While Palahniuk’s works may be popular, particularly after the film adaption of Fight Club, Jones works reaches to a specific audience and is more contemporary. Jones’ works are from the 2000’s and as a Blackfeet Native American, his texts on inhabiting borders are critical to understanding his perspective and his experiences.
Jones’ novels are important as they not only offer a different voice, specifically a Native American perspective on the horror and thriller genre but further validate that he is way beyond qualified as a writer. He has a Masters, ad Ph.D., a Bachelors, has won multiple awards for his short stories, and been a finalist for countless others. Jones is a rare writer – in that he is dedicated to his craft, beyond qualified for his work, offers a unique perspective in terms of his identity, and has creative works that not only enchants the reader but introduces them to Jones’s unique world that combines the mystic, the dark, and reality.
@publisherswkly. “Fiction Book Review: The Ones That Got Away by Stephen Graham Jones, Prime (www.prime-books.com), $24.95 (256p) ISBN 978-1-60701-235-1.” PublishersWeekly.com. Publisher’s Weekly, 31 Jan. 2011. Web. 22 Nov. 2016.
“Review of The Ones That Got Away by Stephen Graham Jones.” The Nervous Breakdown Review of The Ones That Got Away by Stephen Graham Jones Comments. The Nervous Breakdown, 09 Mar. 2011. Web. 22 Nov. 2016.
Jones, Stephen Graham. “Stephen Graham Jones – Fast Red Road – All the Beautiful Sinners – Bird Is Gone – Bleed Into Me – Demon Theory – Ledfeather – Nolan Dugatti – It Came from Del Rio – Ones That Got Away – Seven Spanish Angels – Zombie Bake-Off – Growing Up Dead in Texas – Zombie Sharks with Metal Teeth – Last Final Girl – Three Miles Past – Not for Nothing – States of Grace – Flushboy – Gospel of Z – Floating Boy – Least of My Scars – After the People Lights Have Gone Off – Mongrels.” Stephen Graham Jones. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Nov. 2016.