Matt Jones was raised in Houston, Texas, where his earliest storytelling influences were his family—larger-than-life characters who effortlessly spun tales of misdeeds and misadventures, of times long past and friends long gone, of lives lived and wars fought—each story alive with the sights, sounds, and experiences of the moment. Some in his family became successful authors, which reinforced to Jones at an early age that making stories for a living was, in fact, possible.

It took Matt decades to realize this could also be true for him, and his path to writing was anything but direct. Yet from his first job demonstrating sleight-of-hand at a magic shop to his career as an advertising copywriter, creative director, professional juggler, and so much more—storytelling has been at the heart of it all.

Today Jones writes short stories, microfiction, screenplays, television, and satire. Using the pseudonym Flip Gibson, he is also a core member of the writing team rebuilding counterculture icon The Weekly World News, where he has been published more than 200 times. Jones currently has one screenplay under development and is credited for writing the first television series released and distributed on blockchain.

In his short stories, Jones embraces the artform that first drew him to writing. Each is a journey into unfamiliar territory, putting the reader in new places, times, and situations—to see, smell, hear, and feel each moment—hoping to inspire a fraction of the wonder Jones felt as a child, sitting wide-eyed at the feet of storytelling giants eagerly awaiting the next tale.