Spooky Season is here and in honor of Indigenous People’s Day on October 14th lets take a look at the works of horror novelist and Indigenous author Stephen Graham Jones. A member of the Blackfeet Tribe, Jones' work often delves into Indigenous identity and heritage, addressing the long struggles of indigenous peoples through horror narratives that will chill readers to the bone. Such blends of cultural commentary and outright terror is what made his novel The Only Good Indians a bestseller in 2020 and earned Jones praise as one of the best authors working within the genre. The story features a group of Blackfeet men who are being stalked by what might just be the ghost of a pregnant deer they killed years back but Jones turns this grisly story of supernatural revenge into a work that is as thought provoking as it is terrifying with examinations of reservation life and the collision of tradition with modern living. It makes for an excellent read leading up to Halloween.
Jones has long been an accomplished author even before the success and awards of The Only Good Indians. He has previously won Bram Stoker horror awards for his novellas Mapping the Interior and Night of the Mannequins and is accomplished in both novels and short stories such as his chilling collection After the People Lights Have Gone Off. What makes Jones such a great read are the ways that his stories often blend horror with ideas of nostalgia, such as reflections on formative teenage years living in a dusty local community where the beasts or slashers just happen to interrupt an already gripping coming-of-age tale. But it is also his love of horror that really shines through and becomes infectious. When asked what message he hopes readers take from his stories during a press tour for The Only Good Indians, Jones responded
“Horror, man. If someone hesitates before turning the living room light off, if they’re counting the steps down a dark hall, than I’ve done what I’m here to do.”
A professor at University of Colorado, Jones teaches courses on horror fiction and his knowledge of the genre is apparent in each of his works. His newest work, I Was a Teenage Slasher, takes on the slasher genre in a way that investigates all the psychology of what fascinates fans of the genre.
A recurring theme in many is the idea of the horror trope of the “final girl,” which is the narrative force in his novel The Last Final Girl--a very self-aware and comically critical look at horror film sequels that feels very much like the Scream franchise as a novel--or his recent Indian Lake Trilogy. The trilogy includes My Heart is a Chainsaw, Don't Fear the Reaper, and The Angel of Indian Lake.
When discussing the first novel of the trilogy in an interview with Tor Publishing, Jones gave his thoughts on final girls:
“The final girl is the vessel we keep our hope in. Final girls show us how to stand up against bullies. They show us how to insist on ourselves, in spite of everything. And that’s important, whether you’re dealing with some machete-wielder or a bad boss.”
There is something rather charming about a horror author who uses terror to instill positive inspiration and that charm is another part of what makes Stephen Graham Jones such a delightful read. Sure, his books are quite scary, but there is almost something comforting in them and they are a perfect read for Spooky Season! Check out Stephen Graham Jones’ works this month and also look for other indigenous horror authors that you can read right here at Herrick District Library.
Indigenous People's Day falls in the middle of spooky season--check out some of these eerie reads by Indigenous authors!
