Snow fell at a furious rate the afternoon of Jan. 21, 2025, during an unprecedented winter storm that blanketed the Southeast with snow and freezing temperatures. Image by Del Stone Jr.
Northwest Florida got a taste of climate change on Jan. 21, 2025, when an unprecedented snowstorm blanketed the area with up to 8 inches of snow. The jet stream, departing from its usual west-to-east track, brought arctic air deep into… READ MORE
Image by Netflix
“Squid Game” Season 2. Starring Lee Jung-jae as Seong Gi-hun, Lee Byung-hun as Hwayng In-ho, Park Gyu-young as Kang No-eul, and others. Directed by Hwang Dong-hyuk. Seven episodes, 33-76 minutes long per episode. Rated TV-MA. Streaming on Netflix. Del’s take… READ MORE
Mom and Pat share a laugh on Christmas morning, 1976, at our house on Pryor Road in Fort Walton Beach, Fla. Image by Del Stone Sr.
I raided both my and my folks’ photos for images of holidays past for this Christmas Eve retrospective.
Image by Netflix
“Carry-On” Starring Taron Egerton, Jason Bateman, Sofia Carson. Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra. Rated PG-13. 1 hour, 59 minutes long. Del’s take “Carry-On,” the new thriller from Netflix, is “Die Hard” without the charismatic lead and relatable love interest. But its… READ MORE
This is just a random photo of me I took today while out in the freezing cold getting my 3 miles of walking in.
During the run-up to the Nov. 5 election I heard of Trump supporters who said they wouldn’t mind seeing Obamacare repealed but they didn’t want the Affordable Care Act touched. The ACA was their health insurance provider and they liked… READ MORE
As you can see, the very important part of the label, the one that reads "dog treats," is covered by the price tag. Thanks, guys! Image by Del Stone Jr.
They say you should never go grocery shopping on an empty stomach, but that’s what I did the other day – I was STARVING to death. I saw this bag of beef jerky and I thought, “Oh, that looks so… READ MORE
I don't know who took this picture. They should never be allowed to use a camera again.
Today is my birthday. Here is a list of my demands. I want a Gulfstream private jet. That way Taylor Swift and I can drop down to Key West for lunch, or make a day of shopping at those cute… READ MORE
Former president Donald Trump was recently interviewed by The Bulletin, a monthly publication of the American Association of Retired Persons.
In that interview he was asked questions about the economy – how he would bring down the high cost of food, fuel and rent; how he would save Social Security; and how he would push back the date at which Medicare becomes insolvent.
He answered that he’d do all those things by strengthening the economy. He argued the high cost of everything is due in large part to the cost of energy, and if he could make oil more available, prices would come down. He used the words, “Drill, baby, drill” – meaning he would ramp up the exploration and drilling for oil. More oil would mean lower energy prices, which lower the price of everything else.
It’s the old maxim that a rising tide floats all boats. Most of the time that’s true, but this time there’s a problem.
The tide is already high.
Go to your favorite search engine. Mine is Google, but there are others. Ask it, “Which country is the world’s leading oil producer?”
The answer will be the United States. The United States produces more oil than Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, Russia, Iran, and all the traditional oil producers.
While you’re there, ask your favorite search engine, “Which country leads the world in oil exploration and drilling?’
Once again the answer will be the United States.
The United States is already doing what Donald Trump says he will do to fix the economy. That means, the cornerstone of Donald Trump’s economic plan is null and void.
He is literally a man without a plan.
If it isn’t too late, reconsider your vote for Donald Trump. We can’t afford to elect a man without a plan.
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 .
Former president Donald Trump was recently interviewed by The Bulletin, a monthly publication of the American Association of Retired Persons. In that interview he was asked questions about the economy – how he would bring down the high cost of… READ MORE
Pop singer Skye Riley finds herself being stalked by the Smile Entity in the followup to the viral horror movie hit "Smile" from 2022. This new excursion into that universe is even bloodier than the first. Paramount Pictures.
“Smile 2” Starring Naomi Scott, Rosemarie DeWitt, Lukas Gage. Directed by Parker Finn. Two hours, 7 minutes. Rated R. Theatrical release. Plot summary: Comeback rock star Skye Riley finds herself stalked by the Smile Entity after witnessing the gruesome suicide… READ MORE
Today, I voted.
I didn’t vote for a person. I voted for values, and principles.
I voted for sanity, and reason.
I voted for truth, and the rule of law.
I voted for tolerance, and acceptance.
I voted for dignity, and respect.
I voted for the Constitution, and America.
I voted against things, too.
I voted against immorality, and a lack of ethics.
I voted against insanity, and chaos.
I voted against lies, and disrespect for the law.
I voted against intolerance, and exclusion
I voted against humiliation, and contempt.
I voted against fascism, and a police state.
Today, I voted for love, not hate.
If I had a message for you today, it would be to give hope a chance.
We know what fear, and rage, look like. We’ve seen them before.
Give hope a chance.
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 .
Today, I voted. I didn’t vote for a person. I voted for values, and principles. I voted for sanity, and reason. I voted for truth, and the rule of law. I voted for tolerance, and acceptance. I voted for dignity,… READ MORE