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Buried Tales of Pinebox, Texas
The Buried Tales anthology of horror and supernatural fiction transports you to the rural town of Pinebox, Texas, where secrets are buried but the dead don’t always stay that way. Join us for a dozen killer stories by David Wellington, Shane Hensley, Jess Hartley, J.D. Wiker, Monica Valentinelli, Charles Rice, and more. Here are just a few of the stories found within Buried The Evil Within, by Derek Gunn - What could cause bodies to appear dessicated practically overnight? A rookie Sheriff's deputy refuses to turn a blind eye to Pinebox's unusual qualities when he teams up with the county's unofficial coroner to solve a series of murders. Mother, by Trey Gorden - Art has never had what you'd call a successful life. In fact, you could call it downright cursed. But all of that could finally change after he sees a news story that offers a tantalizing hint about his mother's death. All he has to do is live long enough to see it through. Blood-Born, by Charles Rice - A hospital visit turns violent for a recovering Leukemia patient. If Jack can't control the presence growing inside him, it threatens to consume him just as it has done his predecessors. Lovable Creatures, by Jason Blair - Alby and Angie have seen some weird things during the graveyard shift at Speedy Pete's gas 'n beer. Things just got weirder. Guitar Zero, by Shane Lacy Hensley - ETU student and hot-shot programmer Cal Griffis can't resist the challenge of hacking a dead friend's private hard drive. Unfortunately for Cal, this is one challenge he should have ignored. The One That Got Away, by Preston P. DuBose - A fishing trip on Lake Greystone takes a turn for the strange when best friends Clay and Pete find a body in the water. Things get even more interesting when the "body" turns out to still be alive! Pie, by Monica Valentinelli - One villain is pitted against another in this cat-and-mouse tale of murder, mistaken identity... and pie!
- GenresHorror
180 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 2009
4 people are currently reading
75 people want to read
About the author
David Wellington
74 books1,152 followersDavid Wellington is a contemporary American horror author, best known for his Zombie trilogy as well as his Vampire series and Werewolf series. His books have been translated into eleven languages and are a global phenomenon.
His career began in 2004 when he started serializing his horror fiction online, posting short chapters of a novel three times a week on a friend’s blog. Response to the project was so great that in 2004 Thunder’s Mouth Press approached David Wellington about publishing Monster Island as a print book. His novels have been featured in Rue Morgue, Fangoria, and the New York Times.
He also made his debut as a comic book writer in 2009 with Marvel Zombies Return:Iron Man.
Wellington attended Syracuse University and received an MFA in creative writing from Penn State. He also holds a masters degree in Library Science from Pratt Institute.
He now lives in New York City with his dog Mary Shelley and wife Elisabeth who, in her wedding vows, promised to “kick serious zombie ass” for him.
His career began in 2004 when he started serializing his horror fiction online, posting short chapters of a novel three times a week on a friend’s blog. Response to the project was so great that in 2004 Thunder’s Mouth Press approached David Wellington about publishing Monster Island as a print book. His novels have been featured in Rue Morgue, Fangoria, and the New York Times.
He also made his debut as a comic book writer in 2009 with Marvel Zombies Return:Iron Man.
Wellington attended Syracuse University and received an MFA in creative writing from Penn State. He also holds a masters degree in Library Science from Pratt Institute.
He now lives in New York City with his dog Mary Shelley and wife Elisabeth who, in her wedding vows, promised to “kick serious zombie ass” for him.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
September 2, 2009
I've always been a fan of horror-based short stories. When I was a kid I tore through all the Stephen King collections, like Night Shift and many others. Over the years though I've moved on to focus quite a bit of my reading time on longer, novel-sized fare. Buried Tales of Pinebox, Texas marks my return to reading short stories, and after reading this collection, I remember why I am much more a fan of horror as a short-story form than in a novel.
The stories in the collection come from a varied group of quite talented writers, but all take place in a town called Pinebox, Texas. The setting is actually based on a game, but as I've never played the game I really don't have any comment on to how the two work in tandem with each other. What I can say is that I thoroughly enjoyed this book even without any additional knowledge of the setting. Each author used the rules of the setting that they were given beforehand quite well, however - and what we are presented with is a fairly disturbing set of stories that take place in one pretty messed up town that remains believable as a real place, even with each author's different take on the setting.
Absolutely recommended to any fans of short-form horror.
The stories in the collection come from a varied group of quite talented writers, but all take place in a town called Pinebox, Texas. The setting is actually based on a game, but as I've never played the game I really don't have any comment on to how the two work in tandem with each other. What I can say is that I thoroughly enjoyed this book even without any additional knowledge of the setting. Each author used the rules of the setting that they were given beforehand quite well, however - and what we are presented with is a fairly disturbing set of stories that take place in one pretty messed up town that remains believable as a real place, even with each author's different take on the setting.
Absolutely recommended to any fans of short-form horror.
September 3, 2009
This is an anthology of horror stories set in present day rural East Texas. For a concept, the authors have been given a setting (which has been fleshed out as part of a table top role playing game) and a collection of story hooks (newspaper clippings that were created as part of the game setting).
The goal of horror is not to scare you out of your wits through the story. The goal of the writing is to draw you in so that you can build in your imagination something that is worthy of fear and shock, and your imagination fills in the gaps.
The stories do this admirably. Because it is a game setting that is fleshed out in several iterations and people using their imaginations, the details of the interactions feel right. You get the sense that the 'normal' inhabitants of East Texas are the practical, hard-nosed people who deal with the life on the terms they were given, which include living in a place where horrors make their appearance. In each story you are drawn in to the people who are in them, who make choices that are believable for their situations, and as the stories end, you realize what comes next (not because it is a shocking story turn, but because your imaginations fill in what the author does not get to).
I have not read much horror, as I'm pretty much turned off by the movie treatments of it. But this book was something I got into. And I would not mind more.
The goal of horror is not to scare you out of your wits through the story. The goal of the writing is to draw you in so that you can build in your imagination something that is worthy of fear and shock, and your imagination fills in the gaps.
The stories do this admirably. Because it is a game setting that is fleshed out in several iterations and people using their imaginations, the details of the interactions feel right. You get the sense that the 'normal' inhabitants of East Texas are the practical, hard-nosed people who deal with the life on the terms they were given, which include living in a place where horrors make their appearance. In each story you are drawn in to the people who are in them, who make choices that are believable for their situations, and as the stories end, you realize what comes next (not because it is a shocking story turn, but because your imaginations fill in what the author does not get to).
I have not read much horror, as I'm pretty much turned off by the movie treatments of it. But this book was something I got into. And I would not mind more.
March 30, 2017
A brilliant collection of short stories centered around the eerie town of Pinebox, TX. My favorite stories are ...
1. Pie by Monica Valentinelli
2. Stigmatized Property by Jess Hartley
3. Off Radio by David Wellington
4. The One That Got Away by Preston P. DuBose
1. Pie by Monica Valentinelli
2. Stigmatized Property by Jess Hartley
3. Off Radio by David Wellington
4. The One That Got Away by Preston P. DuBose
August 12, 2019
Just to clarify: David Wellington is not the only author contributing to this anthology.
The horror short stories in this collection revolve around the fictional town of Pinebox, Texas; though the dozen stories are distinct and can each stand alone, they share a setting, some characters, and regular social interactions (for example the mutual dislike between townies and students, staff, or faculty associated with the local university). It's a device used effectively in anthologies like the Thieves' World books, and it works well here: the first story establishes the town history and the peculiar nature of Pinebox, that is, the fact that strange things happen here. Dead bodies turn up or people just disappear, and the town residents accept this with equanimity and the unspoken agreement not to talk about it. With these aspects shared by all the stories, the authors don't have to use word space for world-building or scene-setting. The first story, which introduces Pinebox to readers like me who haven't been following this series, does a great job of introducing the town and setting the tone for the rest of the book. The epilogue consists of newspaper articles relating to the stories. A reader could skip this part but would then miss out on the the epitaph that shows how some of those evil forces in the stories continued to plague the residents of Pinebox after the end of the story. Some of these "newspaper articles" are misaligned as if they really are clippings pasted into a scrapbook; it reinforces the idea that Pinebox is a complete world.
Some glitches crop up in this system. For example, Sheriff Anderson as he's described in one story doesn't seem like the same person in another story: different attitude, different persona. Such problems are neither too numerous nor too stark to detract from the whole, or from the individual stories.
The cover of this volume has a glossy, full-color photo on sturdy paper -- this book will withstand some bumps and banging and still look good. Likewise, the pages are thick, very white paper. Unfortunately, the high quality of the physical aspect of the book is out of sync with the attention to the inside: two dozen typos are scattered throughout the 170-ish pages of the volume, the kinds of mistakes that a spell-check won't catch but good proofreading will (e.g. "door jam" instead of "door jamb"). While reading, I made like Pinebox residents and tried to ignore the anomalies.
Predictably with an anthology like this, I like some of the stories more than others. There's one story with familiar werewolves and others with malevolent ghosts, but most of the stories use original -- and very creative -- ideas. Most feature an outsider coming into town without any understanding of how strange, evil, and malicious things prey on people here, so I see the town through their (fresh, disbelieving) eyes and they easily become the victims. I wish the collection included more East Texas voices -- not just the distinctive dialects, but also the speech patterns, topics, and world-view. About three of the authors are from Texas, and I could feel the difference even before I read the authors' brief bios at the end of their stories: their protagonists are native Texans, and they have a more integral relationship with the place than the other protagonists do. Considering that Pinebox -- the place -- is the raison d'etre for the anthology, there should be a stronger sense of place in these stories. As it is, some of these stories could be set anywhere; a change of setting makes no difference to the story. To be fair, I can understand why a non-Texan author would refrain from using an unfamiliar voice; the question of authenticity is relevant. Plus, not having read other collections in this series, I have no idea if the other anthologies include more East Texas voices. My only recommendation is that the editor find more Texan/East Texas authors to fill the anthology; hey, it's a big place -- huge! -- so it can't be that hard.
Only one of these stories is truly creepy so if you're looking for horror stories that will give you nightmares, this isn't the book. Not surprisingly, the creepy one was my favorite. Some of these stories could have been very good if they'd been written better. Some just lacked internal consistency (e.g. why would a man who sees ghosts and wants to avoid houses with ghosts then go and buy one with two angry spirit residents?), and another was too confusing to be absorbing (but had the potential to be a really good horror story). I object to those stories where the point-of-view protagonist dies at the end or where the whole story is narrated from one person's PoV until the very end when a sudden switch in PoV reveals what was really going on. I see these as cheap ploys where the author wants to pull out a surprise ending but is too lazy a writer to figure out how to structure it.
You might want to consider this book as a gift for a teen who likes horror stories, unless you object to: references to an adulterous affair, teen pregnancy, intra-familial strife, mercy killing, explicit death/violence, supernatural forms of justice, or sex between two people who are possessed by cats (alluded to, not described).
~bint
The horror short stories in this collection revolve around the fictional town of Pinebox, Texas; though the dozen stories are distinct and can each stand alone, they share a setting, some characters, and regular social interactions (for example the mutual dislike between townies and students, staff, or faculty associated with the local university). It's a device used effectively in anthologies like the Thieves' World books, and it works well here: the first story establishes the town history and the peculiar nature of Pinebox, that is, the fact that strange things happen here. Dead bodies turn up or people just disappear, and the town residents accept this with equanimity and the unspoken agreement not to talk about it. With these aspects shared by all the stories, the authors don't have to use word space for world-building or scene-setting. The first story, which introduces Pinebox to readers like me who haven't been following this series, does a great job of introducing the town and setting the tone for the rest of the book. The epilogue consists of newspaper articles relating to the stories. A reader could skip this part but would then miss out on the the epitaph that shows how some of those evil forces in the stories continued to plague the residents of Pinebox after the end of the story. Some of these "newspaper articles" are misaligned as if they really are clippings pasted into a scrapbook; it reinforces the idea that Pinebox is a complete world.
Some glitches crop up in this system. For example, Sheriff Anderson as he's described in one story doesn't seem like the same person in another story: different attitude, different persona. Such problems are neither too numerous nor too stark to detract from the whole, or from the individual stories.
The cover of this volume has a glossy, full-color photo on sturdy paper -- this book will withstand some bumps and banging and still look good. Likewise, the pages are thick, very white paper. Unfortunately, the high quality of the physical aspect of the book is out of sync with the attention to the inside: two dozen typos are scattered throughout the 170-ish pages of the volume, the kinds of mistakes that a spell-check won't catch but good proofreading will (e.g. "door jam" instead of "door jamb"). While reading, I made like Pinebox residents and tried to ignore the anomalies.
Predictably with an anthology like this, I like some of the stories more than others. There's one story with familiar werewolves and others with malevolent ghosts, but most of the stories use original -- and very creative -- ideas. Most feature an outsider coming into town without any understanding of how strange, evil, and malicious things prey on people here, so I see the town through their (fresh, disbelieving) eyes and they easily become the victims. I wish the collection included more East Texas voices -- not just the distinctive dialects, but also the speech patterns, topics, and world-view. About three of the authors are from Texas, and I could feel the difference even before I read the authors' brief bios at the end of their stories: their protagonists are native Texans, and they have a more integral relationship with the place than the other protagonists do. Considering that Pinebox -- the place -- is the raison d'etre for the anthology, there should be a stronger sense of place in these stories. As it is, some of these stories could be set anywhere; a change of setting makes no difference to the story. To be fair, I can understand why a non-Texan author would refrain from using an unfamiliar voice; the question of authenticity is relevant. Plus, not having read other collections in this series, I have no idea if the other anthologies include more East Texas voices. My only recommendation is that the editor find more Texan/East Texas authors to fill the anthology; hey, it's a big place -- huge! -- so it can't be that hard.
Only one of these stories is truly creepy so if you're looking for horror stories that will give you nightmares, this isn't the book. Not surprisingly, the creepy one was my favorite. Some of these stories could have been very good if they'd been written better. Some just lacked internal consistency (e.g. why would a man who sees ghosts and wants to avoid houses with ghosts then go and buy one with two angry spirit residents?), and another was too confusing to be absorbing (but had the potential to be a really good horror story). I object to those stories where the point-of-view protagonist dies at the end or where the whole story is narrated from one person's PoV until the very end when a sudden switch in PoV reveals what was really going on. I see these as cheap ploys where the author wants to pull out a surprise ending but is too lazy a writer to figure out how to structure it.
You might want to consider this book as a gift for a teen who likes horror stories, unless you object to: references to an adulterous affair, teen pregnancy, intra-familial strife, mercy killing, explicit death/violence, supernatural forms of justice, or sex between two people who are possessed by cats (alluded to, not described).
~bint
August 22, 2019
If you don't play the ETU rpg, then this probably won't do much for you.
August 5, 2009
Buried Tales of Pinebox, Texas is a collection of 12 horror tales loosely connected by their setting: the fictional East Texas town of Pinebox. From Skinwalkers to Ghosts and from Aliens to Werewolves, Pinebox seems to have it all, as well as one of the worst cases of denial in recorded history. Produced by 12 to Midnight, Tales of Pinebox is inspired by the modern, pen and paper RPG horror setting of the same name, also produced by 12 to Midnight.
First we have The Jennifer Ridge Transcripts, the notes of a reporter visiting Pinebox to find out more about the town and to advance her own agenda as well. This piece is unaccredited, having been collected from several sources and posted to the 12 to Midnight website as a prelude/inspiration for the short story collection itself. Closing out the volume is a likewise unaccredited section of newspaper-style clippings, highlighting events from the stories in the form of news items from an unidentified source. These clippings are intentionally vague, giving the reader the impression -- having read a more detailed account of the events described – that there may be cover-ups involved, or at best a serious lack of publicly revealed information.
The majority of the authors represented in Buried Tales are best known from the gaming industry – both tabletop and computer/console games: Jess Hartley, Shane Lacy Hensley, Monica Valentinelli, J.D. Wiker, Jason L. Blair, Filamena Young, Preston DuBose, Charles Rice, Trey Gorden and Ed Wetterman. Rounding out the list are novelists David Wellington and Derek Gunn. All are experienced writers and it shows; the stories are polished and smooth, with no rough spots to interrupt the flow.
Of all the tales, I enjoyed Pie, The Evil Within, and The Witch of Linda Lane the most. Pie is a tale that, among other things, warns us to be careful what we eat. The Evil Within points out that monsters can lurk in the heart of anyone, and The Witch of Linda Lane is a curious tale that left me wondering if there really was anything supernatural or evil at work in the story at all.
Buried Tales of Pinebox, Texas is a very solid collection of horror tales; Editor Matt McElroy has put together a strong slate of writers to chill our hearts. One doesn’t have to be a gamer to appreciate them or enjoy the shivers they send up the reader’s spine. If you’re like me, what the stories will do is inspire you to learn more about the setting, hoping to discover additional such interesting tidbits to read.
First we have The Jennifer Ridge Transcripts, the notes of a reporter visiting Pinebox to find out more about the town and to advance her own agenda as well. This piece is unaccredited, having been collected from several sources and posted to the 12 to Midnight website as a prelude/inspiration for the short story collection itself. Closing out the volume is a likewise unaccredited section of newspaper-style clippings, highlighting events from the stories in the form of news items from an unidentified source. These clippings are intentionally vague, giving the reader the impression -- having read a more detailed account of the events described – that there may be cover-ups involved, or at best a serious lack of publicly revealed information.
The majority of the authors represented in Buried Tales are best known from the gaming industry – both tabletop and computer/console games: Jess Hartley, Shane Lacy Hensley, Monica Valentinelli, J.D. Wiker, Jason L. Blair, Filamena Young, Preston DuBose, Charles Rice, Trey Gorden and Ed Wetterman. Rounding out the list are novelists David Wellington and Derek Gunn. All are experienced writers and it shows; the stories are polished and smooth, with no rough spots to interrupt the flow.
Of all the tales, I enjoyed Pie, The Evil Within, and The Witch of Linda Lane the most. Pie is a tale that, among other things, warns us to be careful what we eat. The Evil Within points out that monsters can lurk in the heart of anyone, and The Witch of Linda Lane is a curious tale that left me wondering if there really was anything supernatural or evil at work in the story at all.
Buried Tales of Pinebox, Texas is a very solid collection of horror tales; Editor Matt McElroy has put together a strong slate of writers to chill our hearts. One doesn’t have to be a gamer to appreciate them or enjoy the shivers they send up the reader’s spine. If you’re like me, what the stories will do is inspire you to learn more about the setting, hoping to discover additional such interesting tidbits to read.
August 1, 2010
This is a very unique collection of short horror fiction and I can see why it was nominated for an ENnie award to be given out at Gen Con 2010. I loved the newspaper articles that go along with the horror stories, which are all very well written. Each one is unique, but all are of course set in the fictional town of Pinebox, Texas. I especially enjoyed: The Hanging Tree by Filamena Young, Pie by Monica Valentinelli, and Last Exit to Pinebox by J.D. Wiker.
Pinebox is a creepy as hell town that sort of reminds of the small town where the HBO series True Blood is set. The place is backwoods and lots of crazy stuff happens there. The editor of Buried Tales of Pinebox, Texas, Matt M. McElroy did a great job and put together some exceptional talent. I think Stephen King would love these stories.
Paul Genesse
Author of The Dragon Hunters
www.paulgenesse.com
Pinebox is a creepy as hell town that sort of reminds of the small town where the HBO series True Blood is set. The place is backwoods and lots of crazy stuff happens there. The editor of Buried Tales of Pinebox, Texas, Matt M. McElroy did a great job and put together some exceptional talent. I think Stephen King would love these stories.
Paul Genesse
Author of The Dragon Hunters
www.paulgenesse.com
August 22, 2009
Anthology about a creepy town in east Texas. Contains Jess Hartley's latest short story.
November 14, 2016
A lot of good stories in this one
March 30, 2017
Buried Tales of Pinebox Texas- edited by Matt M. McElroy
This was an extremely well written book of short stories by twelve talented authors, comprised of stories that could be compared to the “Twilight Zone,” meets “Alfred Hitchcock,” and of course, meets “Edgar Allen Poe” in the 21st century. There are stories to appeal to everyone's “horror” taste. Even if you are not a fan of certain types of horror genre, the dark humor and the fact that all of the stories are so unique made all of the stories enjoyable to read. There was gore, ghosts, monsters, and the unexplained, making the variety of stories well rounded. The book is well laid out, starting out with a transcript from a journalist interviewing members from the community of Pinebox as a way to acclimate the reader to the town, before diving in to the twelve stories. And the book also ends, with newspaper clippings that coincide with some of the stories told, which I also thought was a great way to finish off the book.
This was an extremely well written book of short stories by twelve talented authors, comprised of stories that could be compared to the “Twilight Zone,” meets “Alfred Hitchcock,” and of course, meets “Edgar Allen Poe” in the 21st century. There are stories to appeal to everyone's “horror” taste. Even if you are not a fan of certain types of horror genre, the dark humor and the fact that all of the stories are so unique made all of the stories enjoyable to read. There was gore, ghosts, monsters, and the unexplained, making the variety of stories well rounded. The book is well laid out, starting out with a transcript from a journalist interviewing members from the community of Pinebox as a way to acclimate the reader to the town, before diving in to the twelve stories. And the book also ends, with newspaper clippings that coincide with some of the stories told, which I also thought was a great way to finish off the book.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews