S5 E10 Stephen Graham Jones: Writing His Way Back to the Real World

<p>Some authors are auto-buys. This author is one of mine.</p><p><br></p><p>In this season finale, I talk with Stephen Graham Jones, the author of <em>The</em> <em>Buffalo Hunter Hunter</em> and his latest book, <em>Off the Reservation</em>, about the strange, wonderful machinery behind his work. He tells us his writing origin story, which sounds like it could have come straight out of one of his own books, and from there, we get into the nuts and bolts. Stephen writes short stories, novels, novellas, and flash fiction (his favorite form) and shares how each serves a different purpose in his science lab of crafting stories.</p><p><br></p><p>He talks about why he genuinely loves getting stuck- because being stuck means he has reached the edge of what he currently knows how to do, and the only way forward is to become a better version of himself. We also talk about writing quickly, disappearing into a book, and how he “writes his way back to the real world” as quickly as he can.</p><p><br></p><p>He also shares a few stories of his own, including one involving a hand grinder, a temporary magical ability, an uncanny gift, and a single very strange day. And, naturally, we learn about the exciting role fried zucchini plays in his life.</p><p><br></p><p>One of my favorite conversations of the season, and a fittingly wonderful way to end it.</p><p><br></p>