Another institution is pleased to not offer you a position. Thank you for rushing soundless into the void.

Trauma burns the earth, body, eyes. How does one care for anything but? I wish a reckoning on the dollar-eyed demons who terrorize children and families, but more I wish everyone could live with dignity and joy.

I know your bosses, demagogues, gods, and other discourse keepers grind you down. Perhaps you may steal quiet moments to reflect, newly be. Reading helps if the text is open rather than closed.

Yes, yes, yes. My short story "Gateway to the Rest" appears in the new summer issue of Eclectica Magazine, one of the most venerable online literary publications. I'm still stunned about this. I wrote the first of many drafts of this story in 2013. Since then everything and nothing has changed. I am so happy Maizy's story may be read.

You may read "Gateway to the Rest" by clicking here.

A neat coincidence is that my story and the others are accompanied by the artwork of an El Paso friend, artist/writer Belinda Subraman.

Many, many thanks to editor Tom Dooley for the keen eye, good decisions, and dynamic venue.

Another great thing is that today I also finished what might be the final draft of another long-in-process story with which I am wildly happy. Each story is completely different from the others in consciousness, point of view, universe, etc, and the new one is again something/someone singular. Hopefully I may share it soon.

The work continues.

My contributor notes may be read here.

"Justin David Stone grew up in rural southern Missouri but lives now with his wife and daughter in El Paso, Texas, a community he cherishes. 'Gateway to the Rest,' which he describes as set in a landscape between dirt realism and bruised myth, below past, present, and future, is his first publication. He holds an MFA in creative writing from the University of Texas El Paso Bilingual Creative Writing Program and a BA in film/video production from the USC School of Cinematic Arts. He has taught creative writing and first-year writing at UTEP. He writes novels, stories, poetry, screenplays, and songs. He wrote and directed the DIY feature Motel, Glimpse. He produced one season (so far) of the performative podcast Rookie Night Radio Theater. He's acted in numerous movies, music videos, and stage productions. He plays with prose, poetry, and comedy many places online, including Justin Stone's Creekbed."

Super excited to announce that I act in the forthcoming holiday horror anthology Deathcember. Click here to see the teaser trailer and read about the film's acquisition by Epic Pictures. Even better, my short is written and directed by Lucky McKee, whom I consider one of our wild eyed auteurs. Even better better, I work alongside one of our best actors, Sean Bridgers (Deadwood, Get Shorty). I think ours is a pretty, weird, moving film, and I'm glad it's coming into the world. Get up under the Christmas tree.

You may follow Deathcember on their Twitter and Facebook and probably other places I know nothing about.

I don't post much straight biography stuff on Creekbed, which houses some of my online literary fever dreaming, but there is also justindavidstone.com. Although you probably knew that, Mom.

The Oligarch & the Evangelical

"Believe me: I'm doing great. Anyone can see that. Let's make sure I keep doing great."

"Believe Him. He is doing Great."