USD Native American Organization Hosts Bestselling Author

USD hosted New York Times best selling author Stephen Graham Jones on Sept. 6 in Farber Hall. Jones is known for writing horror, crime fiction and science fiction. He is widely known for his books “The Only Good Indians” and “My Heart is a Chainsaw.” 

The Native American Services, English department and College of Arts & Sciences organized for Jones to read some of his short stories. 

Bringing Jones to USD was no small feat, John Little, the Director of Native Recruitment and Alumni Engagement said. 

“This was  months long of preparation [starting] February of this year,” Little said. “I was actually reading “Mongrels,” one of Stephen’s many, many books, and I told [Little’s wife] I would love to bring him to campus at some point.” 

Students, faculty and staff and community members were invited to the event. Roughly, 30 USD students who are involved in the Native American Student Services were included in the audience. 

Jones read “The Last Final Girls,” “Neither Heads or Tails” and “I was a Teenage Space Jockey” to audience members. Afterwards, Jones held a conversation with the audience members about his profession and works. 

After the event, Outside of a Dog’s owners, Mike and Jean Phelan, sold copies of Jones’s books, so audience members could get a signed autograph from Jones. 

This was the first big event held by Native American Student Services this academic year.