About the Author
Fess Stancato
Hey, I’m Fess Stancato! I’m a passionate writer, artist, and musician, and the proud author of “Stonebroken.” My journey into the world of words began back in graduate school at West Chester University, where I was pursuing my degree in creative writing. It was there that my initial forays into storytelling—in the form of short stories—found homes in publications such as Steel City Review, Ploughshares Appendix, and The Rookery magazine.
My writing is deeply influenced by the works of some of the giants in the literary and genre fiction world. Authors like Cormac McCarthy, Harlan Ellison, HP Lovecraft, Phillip K Dick, John Langan, EA Poe, and Stephen King have all left indelible marks on my style and approach to storytelling. Stephen King, in particular, has been a constant companion in my literary journey, ever since I was a six-year-old reading his stories under the covers with a flashlight. These authors have taught me the power of narrative, the importance of building tension, and the art of creating characters that resonate deeply with readers.
At the core of my work is a belief in the power of elevated genre fiction. I see it as a space where the familiar dances with the unknown, where old archetypes are reborn with new surprises—some of them sweet, others wicked. This fusion of familiar elements into something new is what I strive to bring to my own work; I aim to entertain and provoke thought in equal measure.
I live in Pennsylvania with my wife and our four children. Our house is a bustling hub of creativity and love. Each person adds their own unique energy, and each one contains their own internal multitudes, making it a space that inspires my writing and art. The first advice most young writers get is to “write what (they) know”. How fortunate for me, then, that I live among scholars and brutes and Vikings and heroes and priestesses of mysteries and cowards and sounds and smells and light and wonderful, beautiful chaos. It is there that I find my greatest inspirations, and where the seeds of my stories often take root.