Author Jim Black has made an indelible mark on the world of independent publishing through his heartfelt, character-driven stories rooted in small-town America. With over a dozen books to his name, Jim’s partnership with Outskirts Press has brought his wide-ranging works to readers around the world. Whether exploring friendship, faith, or the mysteries of youth, Jim’s books blend nostalgia, emotional depth, and timeless storytelling.

Take a closer look at some of his most compelling works.

Life with Bingo (2021)

• Genre: Coming-of-Age Fiction
• Pages: 206
• Synopsis: A tender, dual-perspective story of a teenage runaway and his dog navigating hardship, kindness, and self-discovery.
• Critical Praise: Widely noted as an emotionally resonant tale on the bond between boy and dog.

River Season

Critical Praise: “River Season reminded me of why I fell in love with reading as a kid—Jim Black taps into something universal and timeless.”

Genre: Coming-of-Age / Literary Fiction

Synopsis: River Season is a poignant and richly written novel that captures the essence of youthful summers in a small Texas town. Told through the eyes of 13-year-old Luke, the story follows his coming-of-age journey marked by friendship, unexpected loss, and the quiet magic of everyday life. A meditation on memory and the subtle forces that shape us, this is a story for anyone who’s ever stood on the brink of growing up.

The Stones of Summer

• Genre: Fiction / Historical Family Drama
• Synopsis: In The Stones of Summer, Jim returns to familiar terrain—quiet towns, youthful innocence, and the deep undercurrents of family life. The story unfolds during one fateful summer that will change everything for young protagonist Brandon and those around him. Exploring grief, growth, and second chances, this novel speaks to the lasting impact of love and loss.
• Critical Praise:  “Black is a master of evoking place and time—this is summer nostalgia at its finest.”

The People in the Sky

Critical Praise: “Part mystery, part meditation—this is Jim Black at his most imaginative and introspective.”

Genre: Mystery / Supernatural Fiction

Synopsis: A shift from his typical realism, The People in the Sky blends the familiar tone of small-town storytelling with an element of the surreal. A mysterious disappearance, an old journal, and cryptic visions converge as the protagonist pieces together a puzzle that challenges his understanding of faith, loss, and connection.

A Lifelong Storyteller

Jim Black’s books often reflect his deep Texas roots, blending vivid landscapes, authentic dialogue, and compelling characters. His writing resonates with readers of all ages, particularly those drawn to stories that explore coming-of-age themes, small-town dynamics, and emotional honesty.

With titles like Ezra, Tracks, Manitou Lake, and My Name Is Tulip rounding out his catalog, Jim’s literary range continues to grow—offering something meaningful for every kind of reader.

Why Jim Black’s Books Resonate

• Authenticity & Voice: His Texas upbringing permeates his storytelling, lending vivid atmosphere and relatable warmth.
• Diverse Genres: From memoir-like fiction to sports and mystery, his writing appeals across audiences.
• Endearing Characters: Jim’s protagonists—whether a boy and his dog or a small-town team—capture hearts through resilience and growth.

A Trusted Publishing Partnership

Jim openly shares his satisfaction with his Outskirts Press journey: “Needless to say, I’ve found a home here at Outskirts Press.”

Jim Black exemplifies the heart of independent publishing—a storyteller with a clear voice, a deep well of creativity, and the drive to share meaningful work with the world. His novels capture the beauty of ordinary lives and the mystery of growing up, always with warmth and depth.

Inspired? Your story could be next.

Ready to Publish?

If you’re working on your own story—fiction, sports memoir, or mystery—you can follow Jim’s lead with professional support from manuscript to market. Check out our publishing services today.

Explore publishing options → Explore Our Publishing Services

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Connect with a Publishing Consultant today to learn how Outskirts Press can help YOU publish YOUR masterpiece(s):

• Call 1-888-672-6657
• Live Chat at OutskirtsPress.com
• Schedule a free consultation 

Outskirts Press stands behind our book printing and design services with the best 100% satisfaction guarantee in the self-publishing industry. Start publishing today.

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Fate is a venerable concept out of fashion these days. It has been largely replaced by individual “free will.” The idea that Fate might rule our lives seems like an archaic notion, almost a superstition. But the people of the ancient world felt differently. The Greeks, for example, believed that Fate was an inexorable power that not even the gods themselves could oppose.
The people in these stories face surprising changes of fortune imposed by the ever-turning wheel of fate, taking their lives in unexpected directions, to the delight of some and the dismay of others.
Lester, a lonely and unhappy man who was orphaned as a child, picks up a wallet on a bus and, after trying to return it, finds the family he never had.
Trip walks away from a caring relationship for a woman of exquisite beauty. Later, he discovers to his horror how she stays so lovely.
Janice, a young nurse deeply troubled about her appearance, learns that while the eyes may deceive, the nose does not, and she finds love with the “handsomest man [she] ever met,” just as Madame Zohara had predicted.
Sir Ivor, an arrogant knight, tries to outwit Death and Fate, but he soon regrets his decision.
Vic, an antique dealer, loves the world of the past and wishes he had been born earlier. When he finds an antique hotel room key at a yard sale, he learns that you should be careful what you ask for. Altman, an archaeologist, discovers that a promise is a promise, no matter how long ago it was made.
Aaron, a blocked writer, revives his creativity and solves a century-old mystery with help from an unusual friend.
Robert Kazmarian falls into a deep depression after the death of his beloved wife, but in time, he finds that love can sometimes survive even death.

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Have you written a book that you’d like to publish?

Connect with a Publishing Consultant today to learn how Outskirts Press can help YOU publish YOUR masterpiece:

• Call 1-888-672-6657
• Live Chat at OutskirtsPress.com
• Schedule a free consultation 

Outskirts Press stands behind our book printing and design services with the best 100% satisfaction guarantee in the self-publishing industry. Start publishing today.

^{Click above to watch the video. New authors, click here for your free publishing kit.}

A Past That Lies Before Me
by Steve Clark, PhD

When he entered the jail, fellow inmates called him “perfesser.” When he left, they called him “pastor.”

When an accomplished university professor is arrested and sentenced to jail, he experiences firsthand the criminal justice system, a deliberately indifferent healthcare system, and the challenges felons face while trying to rebuild a life after their sentence is over.

A Past That Lies Before Me is a raw, honest narrative about Steve Clark’s encounter with the legal system and the people he got to know in jail. It is also an exposé about adjusting to an alien world within the corrections system he dubs the “Entanglement System.” Simultaneously poignant, insightful, sad, provocative, and even funny at times, this memoir describes how jail delivered some unexpected blessings that left Clark a better man. All that—the bad, the good, and the unexpected—is the past that still remains before him.

Steve Clark, Ph.D., was a university professor with a Ph.D. in Immunology and a past Special Fellow of the Leukemia Society of America. Clark published dozens of papers based on his research and holds two drug patents. He taught medical and graduate students about cancer biology and genetics and about research ethics; directed an NIH-funded Ph.D. Graduate Program; and chaired several faculty committees, including the University’s Biological Sciences Executive Committee. Clark served on the University’s Chancellor’s Speaker’s Bureau. He is retired but has been blogging on the COVID pandemic, which is the subject of his next book.

Please take a look at two professionally-designed custom covers below and then vote on the one you recommend for his upcoming book. Thank you.

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