This may not be a new review, but it is new to me.  Richard Dansky of The Green Man Review, posted his thoughts on the Legends of the Mountain State 3 anthology, featuring my story “Flowers in Winter,” based on a legend of tragic romance that takes place in the John North House in Lewisburg, West Virginia.  Here’s an excerpt:

“Massie leads off with ‘The Caretaker,’ a slow build of a ghost story that takes an unexpected but appropriate turn at the end. Scott Nicholson’s ‘Wampus Cat’ is another, sidestepping the pitfalls of both the predictable and the overly folksy. Steve Vernon gives a fresh take on the legend of John Henry with ‘Where You Gonna Run To?,’ and Michael West’s ‘Flowers in Winter’ neatly reverses the twist of Massie’s story, all the more effectively since the two are back to back…more than solid and deeply entertaining.”

Read the full review here!

NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER! 

From the Woodland Press website:

“The third and final installment of the Legends of the Mountain State series is already being called the most amazing of the ghostly trilogy. Michael Knost again takes the reins as chief editor and coordinator. Here you’ll find 13 final chapters—bone-chilling ghost tales and treacherous legends—to delight the reader. Stories are penned by many of the preeminent writers in the business. The tone in this project is perhaps darker, tales creepier, and the overall texture even grittier than the first two installments.

“‘(West Virginia) is often portrayed with absurd stereotypical elements. Movies like Deliverance, Wrong Turn, and many others offer the impression that the Mountain State is overflowing with ignorant, incestuous, bloodthirsty hillbillies—and as my fellow Mountaineers know, that simply is a false view,” Michael Knost writes. “This is why I love the Legends of the Mountain State series. Writers from all over the United States (and a few from Canada) offer respectful stories depicting our citizens as normal American’s caught in the middle of a spooky legend or ghost story.’

“Foreword by Homer Hickam, one of America’s most beloved authors. Pre-order today. Legends of the Mountain State will ship on or before October 12th, 2009.

Legends 3 contributors include:

• Elizabeth Massie
• Michael West
• Scott Nicholson
• John R. Little
• Brian J. Hatcher
• Kelli Dunlap
• Matt Venne
• Douglas F. Warrick
• Steve Verno
• Fran Friel
• Matthew Warner
• Mark Justice
• J.G. Faherty

$18.95″

Be the first to get a copy!  Click here to order!

“I have always been a fan of folk tales and regional fiction, admiring both their narrative authenticity and organic origins. But in a brilliant bit of post-modern tweaking, Michael Knost has recruited a host of contemporary horror writers to put their own spin on spooky legends from West Virginia. The result is a series of wonderful stories that seem as old as the hills and as current as today’s news. Bravo!”
~Bentley Little

I am thrilled that my short story, “Flowers in Winter,” based on the legend of The John North House in Lewisburg, WV, will be part of the third Legends of the Mountain State anthology, due out this October.

For more info, or to place your order:
http://www.woodlandpress.com/