Jay C. Stailey

Jay Stailey came to Houston, Texas, on the first day of December in 1975, fleeing in the wake of Ohio’s first winter snow. His intention was to make Texas his temporary home, and head out to the west coast at the first sign of spring. As happens with so many, Jay found the people, weather, and spirit of Texas too compelling to leave and decided to make the Houston area his home.

After trying his hand at operating heavy equipment, Jay landed one rainy day in the Jungman branch of the Houston Public Library. Thinking it a pleasant enough place to work, he inquired after employment. He was directed to the main downtown library and soon found himself telling stories on the HPL’s Children’s Carousel. His storytelling blossomed and grew from there.

After spending four years working and traveling in South America, Mr. Stailey returned to Houston and worked in elementary schools in and around the city. Besides his sojourns in Central and South America, Jay has traveled and told stories throughout the U.S., Canada, Southeast Asia, Africa and Europe. He tells tales collected from his travels and his childhood days in Dublin, Ohio. His stories are often spiced with singing and accompanied (using the term loosely) on guitar. Somewhere along the road he also taught himself to juggle and ride a unicycle.

Jay's self published book of stories entitled "Short Tales, Tall Tales and Tales of Medium Stature" was released in time for his Spring 1989 appearance at the Tejas Storytelling Festival. It's long awaited reappearance will take place in the form of a new enhanced e-edition in the Spring of 2014. Jay is also author of the story collection, “Think Rather of Zebra: Dealing with Aspects of Poverty through Story”, published in 1997 by Aha! Process.

Jay has appeared as an Exchange Place teller at the National Storytelling Festival, a teller-in-residence at the International Storytelling Center in Jonesborough, Tennessee, as well as performing at festivals and Tellabration events in Texas, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Florida, Washington, Kentucky, and Georgia. He is a two-time winner of the Greater Houston Area Liar’s Contest and was featured in the fall of 2013 at the Sneem International Storytelling and Folklore Festival in Sneem, Ireland.

After living a quarter of a century on the island of Clear Lake Shores, Jay and his wife currently abide in a fifth floor loft in the downtown Houston historical district. He teaches storytelling, among other subjects, across the street at the University of Houston Downtown.