A House of Stone Is Forever

Life in the village of Blackwood, Michigan, is one defined by natural beauty, regionalism, and a strong sense of what it means to be Welsh. In this collection of intertwined short stories and novellas, the fictional residents of this beautiful region come to life. Travel from the 1920s to the near future as these stories explore themes of survival and community pride.

In 1922, the Dee family struggles to rise out of poverty and see the dream of a house built of stone come to life in the opening story, “A House of Stone Is Forever, Part One.” To them, a stone house is more than simple shelter; it is a promise of continued survival in a house that is built to endure all the storms they may face over the years. When the house is completed, the family buries a treasure—an archive to ensure that their story is known by future generations.

As the years pass, the Blackwood community members struggle to adjust to the social and cultural changes that inevitably find their way into their idyllic community. And as the villagers attempt to exert increasing control over the environment, they may not be ready to pay the price they’ll be forced to pay.

Presenting a series of coming-of-age stories with environmental implications, A House of Stone Is Forever follows one family’s hopes and dreams for immortality.