Oct. 28, 2009
BOOK REVIEW: 'Legends of the Mountain State 3': Treat, Not Trick: 13 Haunting Tales Set in West Virginia
Reviewed By David M. Kinchen
Huntingtonnews.net Book Critic
There's both good news and bad news with the publication of "Legends of the Mountain State 3: More Ghostly Tales from the State of West Virginia" (Woodland Press LLC, Chapmanville, WV, 144 pages, $18.95).
The good news in this anthology edited by Michael Knost, with a foreward by Coalwood (McDowell County) WV native, retired NASA engineer and author Homer Hickam, is that the 13 stories reinforce the reputation of the Mountain State as a wonderfully scary place that has inspired horror writers from all over the U.S. -- and, in the case of Nova Scotia-based writer Steve Vernon -- Canada. Vernon's story, "Where You Gonna Run To", takes place in the Big Bend Tunnel in John Henry country, Summers County.
The bad news is that this third collection is the last one. At least that's what Knost says. Maybe enough readers can scare Knost -- admittedly a difficult task for an editor who's used to reading some pretty scary writing -- into editing another collection, and another after that.
In addition to Vernon, contributors to the collection are: Elizabeth Massie, Michael West, Scott Nicholson, John R. Little, Brian J. Hatcher, Kelli Dunlap, Matt Venne, Douglas F. Warrick, Fran Friel, Matthew Warner, Mark Justice and J.G. Faherty.
The stories are set all over the Mountain State, from Matewan and the Sweet Springs Resort in Monroe County, to Ravenswood, to Church Street in Lewisburg, to the woods near Shepherdstown, to the Greyhound bus station in Beckley -- even Hollywood, CA. in the case of Venne's "Richard Dawson and the Family Feud Phantasms" tale of the "Family Feud" episode bringing together members of the Hatfield and McCoy families in a wonderful iteration of one of the nation's most famous family feuds. Venne's portrayal of "Family Feud" host Richard Dawson exaggerates his habit of kissing female guests that led to his nickname "The Kissing Bandit." It's all in fun, though, I think..."Survey says...."
The Sweet Springs story by Michael Warner, "Springs Eternal," features a visitor to the Thomas Jeffereson-designed Monroe County spa who confuses eternal life and bringing the dead back to life. I've been to Sweet Springs and urge everyone to visit this lovely spa on U.S. 219 between Ronceverte and Union...of course, I wasn't there at midnight!
Vernon's story of a murderer in the Big Bend Tunnel isn't the only one with a similar setting. The "Ghost Train" featured in J.G. Flaherty's "Trapped" is sure to frighten the most jaded reader.
There's even a Mountain State answer to Washington Irving's iconic story of the Headless Horseman, "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" in John R. Little's "George's Head."
So enjoy "Legends of the Mountain State 3" and let's see if we can't get Knost and Woodland Press owner F. Keith Davis to change their minds and continue this enthralling series. It should be an annual event, around the spookiest time of the year.
Happy Halloween!
About the Editor: Michael Knost is an author, editor, columnist and publisher of horror, dark fiction and supernatural thrillers. He was written several books in various genres, edited anthologies such as the acclaimed "Legends of the Mountain State" series; Spooky Tales from Mountain State Writers; and Appalachian Holiday Hauntings. He recently edited "Writers Workshop of Horror," a collection of articles and interviews with some of the horror genre's biggest names, including Clive Barker, Joe R. Lansdale, F. Paul Wilson, Ramsey Campbell, Gary Braunbeck, Brian Keene and many others. Knost currently writes a column for Shroud Magazine and teaches a creative writing class for Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College in Logan, WV, his hometown.
Publisher's Web Site: www.woodlandpress.com
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BOOK REVIEW: 'Legends of the Mountain State 3': Treat, Not Trick: 13 Haunting Tales Set in West Virginia
Reviewed By David M. Kinchen
Huntingtonnews.net Book Critic
There's both good news and bad news with the publication of "Legends of the Mountain State 3: More Ghostly Tales from the State of West Virginia" (Woodland Press LLC, Chapmanville, WV, 144 pages, $18.95).
The good news in this anthology edited by Michael Knost, with a foreward by Coalwood (McDowell County) WV native, retired NASA engineer and author Homer Hickam, is that the 13 stories reinforce the reputation of the Mountain State as a wonderfully scary place that has inspired horror writers from all over the U.S. -- and, in the case of Nova Scotia-based writer Steve Vernon -- Canada. Vernon's story, "Where You Gonna Run To", takes place in the Big Bend Tunnel in John Henry country, Summers County.
The bad news is that this third collection is the last one. At least that's what Knost says. Maybe enough readers can scare Knost -- admittedly a difficult task for an editor who's used to reading some pretty scary writing -- into editing another collection, and another after that.
In addition to Vernon, contributors to the collection are: Elizabeth Massie, Michael West, Scott Nicholson, John R. Little, Brian J. Hatcher, Kelli Dunlap, Matt Venne, Douglas F. Warrick, Fran Friel, Matthew Warner, Mark Justice and J.G. Faherty.
The stories are set all over the Mountain State, from Matewan and the Sweet Springs Resort in Monroe County, to Ravenswood, to Church Street in Lewisburg, to the woods near Shepherdstown, to the Greyhound bus station in Beckley -- even Hollywood, CA. in the case of Venne's "Richard Dawson and the Family Feud Phantasms" tale of the "Family Feud" episode bringing together members of the Hatfield and McCoy families in a wonderful iteration of one of the nation's most famous family feuds. Venne's portrayal of "Family Feud" host Richard Dawson exaggerates his habit of kissing female guests that led to his nickname "The Kissing Bandit." It's all in fun, though, I think..."Survey says...."
The Sweet Springs story by Michael Warner, "Springs Eternal," features a visitor to the Thomas Jeffereson-designed Monroe County spa who confuses eternal life and bringing the dead back to life. I've been to Sweet Springs and urge everyone to visit this lovely spa on U.S. 219 between Ronceverte and Union...of course, I wasn't there at midnight!
Vernon's story of a murderer in the Big Bend Tunnel isn't the only one with a similar setting. The "Ghost Train" featured in J.G. Flaherty's "Trapped" is sure to frighten the most jaded reader.
There's even a Mountain State answer to Washington Irving's iconic story of the Headless Horseman, "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" in John R. Little's "George's Head."
So enjoy "Legends of the Mountain State 3" and let's see if we can't get Knost and Woodland Press owner F. Keith Davis to change their minds and continue this enthralling series. It should be an annual event, around the spookiest time of the year.
Happy Halloween!
About the Editor: Michael Knost is an author, editor, columnist and publisher of horror, dark fiction and supernatural thrillers. He was written several books in various genres, edited anthologies such as the acclaimed "Legends of the Mountain State" series; Spooky Tales from Mountain State Writers; and Appalachian Holiday Hauntings. He recently edited "Writers Workshop of Horror," a collection of articles and interviews with some of the horror genre's biggest names, including Clive Barker, Joe R. Lansdale, F. Paul Wilson, Ramsey Campbell, Gary Braunbeck, Brian Keene and many others. Knost currently writes a column for Shroud Magazine and teaches a creative writing class for Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College in Logan, WV, his hometown.
Publisher's Web Site: www.woodlandpress.com
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