James Stewart III
Fiction
Chicago, IL
James Stewart III is a Black writer from Chicago. His short stories and essays have appeared in The Forge, 580 Split, Hawai Pacific Review, Pangyrus, Cleaver, and Another Chicago Magazine. In addition, he is a co-curator of the text-based performance series The Guild Complex presents Exhibit B and managing editor at Critics' Union. He earned an MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and an MA from North Central College.
During his residency, Stewart will be putting the finishing touches on his unpublished novel manuscript, Defiant Acts, about a multi-racial working-class family's daily struggles and the costs they pay for loving each other. https://www.jamesstewart3.com/
Featured Work
Excerpt from Defiant Acts:
In the early morning night of January the car won’t turn over. Jim tries again, turning the key while pumping the gas pedal. Closer, still no luck. The car, rocking side to side, a ship in troubled waters. The third time, twisting the key, pumping the gas, murmuring “C’ moooooon,” with the revving of the engine, it finally turns over.
A maroon hatchback, the rear passenger side window duct taped, and a mix of black snow, rust, and road salt creeping up the rear quarter panel. The windshield, coated in a sheet of ice, is useless. Jim starts the wipers, hoping it’s a thin layer. They scrape loudly over the ice with no effect.
“Dog goneit.”
4:00 AM isn’t meant for humans. His mental engine still unthawing, running on habit, thoughts coming as slowly as his body moves. This isn’t a time to enjoy, just another thing to get through.