The Interview with Stephen Graham Jones

Written by

Sarah Timson

The life of Stephen Graham Jones

October 27th, 2023

Talk Show Set

The opening for the show plays, the camera pans over the audience
and focuses in on the two people on set

SARAH
Hello to everybody watching today we are here with Stephen Graham
Jones. How are you Stephen?

STEPHEN
I’m doing well, how about you?

SARAH
I’m also good. Stephen can you tell us about your early life for
those watching who don’t know who you are?

STEPHEN
I was born in Midland Texas to Dennis Jones and Rebecca Graham on
January 22nd 1972. I grew up working with tractors and horses, as
well as working in different welding and automotive shops.
Outside of work I hunted and played basketball quite a bit, and I
also had some run-ins with the law.

SARAH
Well it seems like you had a good upbringing minus the run-ins
with the law.

STEPHEN
I do agree I had a pretty good childhood.

SARAH
Stephen can you tell us anything about what you do for work or is
writing your main source of income?

STEPHEN
I work at the University of Colorado as an English professor as
well as a professor of distinction.

SARAH
Was becoming a teacher what you planned on doing occupation wise
or was there something else you originally wanted to do.?

STEPHEN
I had originally planned on working at Sear’s after I got my PhD
from Florida State University, however, injuries forced me out of
that job so I went into teaching.

SARAH
I understand that you set a record for youngest full prof in the
humanities at the University of Colorado, just how young were
you?

STEPHEN
I did yes, I was 36 when I became a full prof.

SARAH
That is quite impressive. I understand that you have written a
large number of books and other things, is there a number you can
give us for just how many things you have written?

STEPHEN
I can, I have written eight novels and nearly three hundred short
stories.

SARAH
That is a lot of written works, it’s very impressive that you
have that many under your belt. Do you have any favourite types
of media or genres?
 STEPHEN
I like fiction, film, comics, screenwriting, and basically
anything that has to do with horror, western, fantasy and science
fiction.

SARAH
Have you won any awards for writing?

STEPHEN
Yes, I have been a Shirley Jackson award finalist three times, a
Bram Stoker award finalist, a Black Quill award finalist, an
International Horror Guild Finalist, and a Colorado Book Award
Finalist.

SARAH
Could you name some of your books and short stories for us?

STEPHEN
Sure, there is The Fast Red Road, The Bird is Gone, All the
Beautiful Sinners, Seven Spanish Angels, Bleed Into Me, Demon
Theory, Ledbetter, It Came From Del Rio, The Last Final Girl,
Zombie Bake-off, Growing Up Dead In Texas, The Least of My Scars,
Not for Nothing, Death’s Realm, Mongols, Terror at 5280, Giving
The Devil His Due, My Heart is a Chainsaw, and more.

SARAH
That is a lot of books. Could you name any of your short stories?

STEPHEN
Yes I can, there is Captain’s Lament, How Billy Hanson Destroyed
the Planet Earth and Everyone on it, Little Lambs, Brushdogs, The
Elvis Room, Sterling City, Men Women and Chainsaws.

The screen behind them shows pictures of the books as Stephen

names them, and the audience watches the screens.
 SARAH
Do you have any current works or recently released works?

STEPHEN
I have two recent releases, the first being Don’t Fear the Reaper
released on February 7th 2023, and the other is Christmas and
Other Horrors which was released on October 24th 2023.

SARAH
Those are quite recent releases especially the one released in
October.

STEPHEN
They are quite recent releases, I do have to agree with that.

SARAH
Well, Stephen thank you for your time and for sharing all the
information that you did with us. I hope you have a great rest of
your day.

The shows end theme plays as the camera pans away from the people
seated on set and over the audience before fading to black.