Minnesota-based writer Debra J. Stone sits down with Lissa Jones for a wide-ranging conversation about writing the stories she wants to read, her upbringing in the Rondo Neighborhood and the Northside, and what it means to be a black woman who loves to bike and camp.

Stone's poetry, short-fiction and essays have appeared in many publications and literary journals including About Place, Wild Age Press, and Random Sample Review. Stone co-founded and co-facilitates the Northside Writers Group, and is currently a fellow at the Loft Literary Center in Minneapolis. She has received grants from Intermedia Arts, Beyond the Pure Fellowship, Jerome Foundation for Emerging Writers and the Minnesota State Arts Board. Currently, Debra serves as Board Member and Engagement Committee Chair for the non-profit independent publisher Graywolf Press.