ChatGPT
INTRODUCTION Have you ever been creeped out by a mannequin? I have. I don’t care what anybody says – they’re creepy. Every time I find myself in the presence of a mannequin I can feel the thing watching me. Sometimes,… READ MORE
20th Century Studios
“The Dog Stars” starring Jacob Elordi as the boy next door Hig, Margaret Qualley as the girl next door Cima, Josh Brolin as no‑mercy Bangley, Guy Pearce as goodly hearted gruff Pops, Allison Janney as perfect religionist Darlene, and others…. READ MORE
I’m still leaking. I’ve been leaking since July 31, when they took out my catheter. That’s OK. It’s only been a month since my radical prostatectomy. My understanding is it could be two to three months at the earliest, or… READ MORE
ChatGPT
INTRODUCTION I’ve made no secret of the fact Stephen King greatly influenced my work, but there was another writer who played an equally important role in my evolution as a writer: Dennis Etchison. In the mid-’80s my friend and coworker… READ MORE
Lionsgate
“Mutiny” Starring Jason Statham as Cole Reed, Annabelle Wallis as Angie Ellis, Chaneil Kular as Kameron Campallo, Ramon Tikaram as Tibu Campallo, and others. Directed by Jean-Francois Richet. Written by Lindsay Michel and J.P. Davis. 1 hour, 35 minutes. Rated… READ MORE
I don’t have any real expectation of ever being published again.
I don’t know if it’s because my writing is that bad or if it’s the woeful state of reading, writing and publishing in this country today. I continue to submit my work, but I can’t get a publisher to even email me a rejection.
I do know many of the publications I used to sell to have disappeared. The entire magazine industry appears to be failing. Mass market paperbacks are vanishing. A recent survey showed only 16 percent of Americans read a book for pleasure in 2023.
Saddest of all, I saw a video of a middle school teacher practically crying about the illiteracy of her students. Not only were they illiterate, but they didn’t care that they were illiterate, she said.
The solution, of course, would be to ban smart phones and unplug the internet, but that’s about as likely to happen as me selling my most recent novel.
About the author:
Del Stone Jr. is a professional fiction writer. He is known primarily for his work in the contemporary dark fiction field, but has also published science fiction and contemporary fantasy. Stone's stories, poetry and scripts have appeared in publications such as Amazing Stories, Eldritch Tales, and Bantam-Spectra's Full Spectrum. His short fiction has been published in The Year's Best Horror Stories XXII; Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine; the Pocket Books anthology More Phobias; the Barnes & Noble anthologies 100 Wicked Little Witch Stories, Horrors! 365 Scary Stories, and 100 Astounding Little Alien Stories; the HWA anthology Psychos; and other short fiction venues, like Blood Muse, Live Without a Net, Zombiesque and Sex Macabre. Stone's comic book debut was in the Clive Barker series of books, Hellraiser, published by Marvel/Epic and reprinted in The Best of Hellraiser anthology. He has also published stories in Penthouse Comix, and worked with artist Dave Dorman on many projects, including the illustrated novella “Roadkill,” a short story for the Andrew Vachss anthology Underground from Dark Horse, an ashcan titled "December" for Hero Illustrated, and several of Dorman's Wasted Lands novellas and comics, such as Rail from Image and “The Uninvited.” Stone's novel, Dead Heat, won the 1996 International Horror Guild's award for best first novel and was a runner-up for the Bram Stoker Award. Stone has also been a finalist for the IHG award for short fiction, the British Fantasy Award for best novella, and a semifinalist for the Nebula and Writers of the Future awards. His stories have appeared in anthologies that have won the Bram Stoker Award and the World Fantasy Award. Two of his works were optioned for film, the novella “Black Tide” and short story “Crisis Line.”
Stone recently retired after a 41-year career in journalism. He won numerous awards for his work, and in 1986 was named Florida's best columnist in his circulation division by the Florida Society of Newspaper Editors. In 2001 he received an honorable mention from the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association for his essay “When Freedom of Speech Ends” and in 2003 he was voted Best of the Best in the category of columnists by Emerald Coast Magazine. He participated in book signings and awareness campaigns, and was a guest on local television and radio programs.
As an addendum, Stone is single, kills tomatoes and morning glories with ruthless efficiency, once tied the stem of a cocktail cherry in a knot with his tongue, and carries a permanent scar on his chest after having been shot with a paintball gun. He’s in his 60s as of this writing but doesn't look a day over 94.
Contact Del at [email protected]. He is also on Facebook, twitter, Pinterest, tumblr, TikTok, and Instagram. Visit his website at delstonejr.com .
I don’t have any real expectation of ever being published again. I don’t know if it’s because my writing is that bad or if it’s the woeful state of reading, writing and publishing in this country today. I continue to… READ MORE
Warner Bros.
“The End of Oak Street” starring Anne Hathaway as disgruntled mom Denise Platt, Ewan McGregor as Pollyanna dad Greg Platt, Maisy Stella as mildly interesting daughter Audrey Platt, and Christian Convery as sissy son Brian Platt, and others. Directed by… READ MORE
Image courtesy of Pexels user Portrenk. https://www.pexels.com/@portrenk/
INTRODUCTION According to my-not-very good publication notes, I wrote “Nightwalk” in 1983. I wonder if that’s true. My recordkeeping back then was spotty. I never thought it necessary to keep track of production dates or publication credits. Now, as you… READ MORE
After the hell I’ve been through the past month, I decided to reward myself with a treat: a subscription to NFL Sunday Ticket. But I’m consumed with guilt. Why? I’ve earned it, I tell myself. I drove 700 miles to… READ MORE
Nano Banana
INTRODUCTION “Object d’Art” breaks all the rules. It’s the story of a man who takes his press releases too seriously. And it’s the story of a woman who is just as serious about her revenge. Finally, it’s a story about… READ MORE