Stoner put herself through school at Temple University by working as an artists’ model, a paid medical experimentee, a waitress at a Greek diner, a house cleaner, a biscuit maker, and a book store manager.

[2] It was released in 2007 to much media buzz and played at numerous queer film festivals including London, Melbourne, Toronto, Outfest, and Frameline.

[3] In 2023, the non-profit evolved to become The Gertrude Writing Conference, co-founded with her then-agent from Ladderbird Agency, Beth Marshea.

Sugar Land has been called a "ravishing debut" in a starred Kirkus Review,[8] "writing at its finest" by the New York Journal of Books,[9] and "surprising and exhilarating" by Booklist.

[10] Bookpage wrote, "a novel of exploration, bravery and redemption, with keen insight into race, class, gender identity and social norms, Sugar Land is the story of a woman learning to come home to herself.

"[11] In 2019, Stoner appeared on an episode of Storytellers Telling Stories, reading an excerpt from Sugar Land, accompanied by Americana duo Pretty Gritty.