Kindred Spirit: Tales of Ordinary Magic

Kindred Spirit: Tales of Ordinary Magic: "A selection of stories from CJ Stone's column in Kindred Spirit magazine: Tales of Ordinary Magic."

The Home Front

The Home Front: "Accommodationally challenged after a disastrous foreign trip in 2007, CJ Stone was forced to take refuge with his parents. It was the first time he’d lived with them since his teens, and he was surprised to find himself in a war zone. Following are CJ’s bulletins from the front line in the eternal war of age and sex."

Dancing With The Demons

Dancing With The Demons: "There’s something else about junkiedom: the lure of the inevitable decline. Because all junkies follow a certain trajectory. Sooner or later, it happens to them all. They even have their own expressions for it. “I’m a scum-bag junkie.” “I’m a rob-yer-grannie junkie.” In the end the call of chemical absolution is too strong and the bonds of mere loyalty too weak."

Borderlands: In The Footsteps of a Radical Birdwatcher In Dobruja, Romania

Borderlands: In The Footsteps of a Radical Birdwatcher In Dobruja, Romania: "Dobruja is a distinct region of Romania between the Danube and the Black Sea. CJ Stone goes in search of birds and memories while contemplating the mysteries of communism."

My Son Joe

My Son Joe: "Joseph was born sometime in the early hours of the morning, September 15th 1980. It was one-thirty in the morning. Or at least I think it was."

One Day In The Co-op

One Day In The Co-op: "I first caught sight of him in the second aisle in the Co-op where I‘d gone to get bread and milk. He was sort of shuffling about in his pyjamas, looking confused."

Big Issue Columns: "On The Edge"

Big Issue Columns: "On The Edge": "It was one of those days. First of all a kid threw his bicycle onto the railway line. He was mucking about, spinning the bike in the air to show off to his mates when, all of a sudden, he lost his grip. It went sailing across the track in awful slow motion, and then landed directly on the live rail."