Road Kill: Texas Horror by Texas Writers Vol. 8

Road Kill: Texas Horror by Texas Writers

by Patrick C. Harrison III, E.R. Bills, James H. Longmore

Mind the moon when you leave the theater! Road Texas Horror by Texas Writers returns, and Vol. 8 definitely goes Splatterbump in the night!

It’s a monstrous mosh of fallen angels, prepubescent prescience, tempestuous incest, intergalactic blues, a Gulliverian massacre, cynophile racists, murderous rodents, a prehistoric Devil Head, the return of Bram Stoker’s forgotten hero, and so much more...

Featuring stories from the grand master of horror himself, Joe R. Lansdale, Emma E. Murray, Jae Mazer, Bret McCormick, Madison Estes, Chris Miller, James H. Longmore, Jonathan Louis Duckworth, Robert Stahl, Matt Micheli, Elford Alley,
Iphigenia Strangeworth, Jacob Austin, R. L. Olvitt, Lawrence Buentello, Tom Bont, Bev Vincent, and the incomparable E. R. Bills.

345 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 3, 2023

About the author

Patrick C. Harrison III (PC3, if you prefer) is an author of horror, splatterpunk, and all forms of speculative fiction. His current publications include GRANDPAPPY, A SAVAGE BREED, VAMPIRE NUNS BEHIND BARS, 5 TALES THAT WILL LAND YOU IN HELL, among others, and his works can be found in numerous anthologies, including AND HELL FOLLOWED and ROAD KILL: TEXAS HORROR BY TEXAS AUTHORS VOL. 4.

PC3 is the Splatterpunk Award-winning editor (with Jarod Barbee) of AND HELL FOLLOWED, and has edited several other anthologies. He is a freelance editor, having done work for notable authors like Aron Beauregard, Daniel J. Volpe, Mark Towse, Rebecca Rowland, and many others.

PC3 also has a FREE substack, in which he frequently does movie reviews and updates readers on his fiction. Check out pc3horror.substack.com.

Reviews

[pastiesandpages - Gavin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been to Texas. What an experience!

I started my trip by witnessing a Lonely Death on a Wednesday, 1pm, at a Motel Outside Marfa. A deeply unsettling experience with a young boy left flailing for life in a pool.
This event stayed with me while I encountered 18 horrors culminating in a vampire tale. Dracula may be long gone but someone that knew him and his chronicler Stoker, appears to be alive and well and pretty fresh looking for someone over a century old.

I couldn't avoid the horror. I was minding my own business when Joe R Lansdale stopped by for a beer and told me a story about the Night They Missed the Horror Show. A story of rampant racism leading to gruesome murder and carnage. I had to get out. Clear my head.

A pleasant trip into the desert with E.R. Bills. Nature Calls is a highlight. But it wasn't calming. There are mutated creatures in the desert. A sci-fi/horror/B Movie mashup where the future and the present collide and the irresponsible dumping of nuclear waste is leading to more than a climate emergency. With my mind blown I left E.R. Bills to it and hightailed it back to civilisation passing the Running Man on route. I'm glad I didn't stop for him as Jacob Austin told me about what happened with him and it ain't pretty. Let's just say there's a trail of bodies in a way that I've never heard about before.

My mind is frazzled. I can't tell you about everything that happened. A nice trip to a funfair seems to have a romantic ending for a young couple but I have a feeling it's not going to end well.
I nearly got involved in a hold up in a bank. I thought I saw the gun but the pretty young bank teller seemed to talk him out of it. I heard them arrange a coffee date. Seems innocent enough but the reports I heard later will turn your blood to ice.

I tried relaxing but met Iphigenia Strangeworth who told me about Baby Doll. I can hardly believe my ears. A tale of a horrifically messed up family. Incest, abuse and death.

And I haven't even told you about the Fallen Angel!

I can't go on. If you want to find out more then 18 writers have recorded these tales of horror and they're all in this book. Every type of horror you could imagine. And if there's something you can imagine that isn't here then be aware that this is Volume 8. There are seven previous volumes to check out if you dare.

[Maddi Hoffman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Road Kill: Texas Horror by Texas Writers is back with its 8th volume of splatterpunk short stories! They have everything!!! Fallen angels, disturbing hillbillies, killer bugs, sinister rats, and MORE!

This volume features stories by:
︶꒦꒷♡꒷꒦︶
࣪𖤐Joe R. Lansdale
࣪𖤐 Emma E. Murray
࣪𖤐 Jae Mazer
࣪𖤐Bret McCormick
࣪𖤐 Madison Estes
࣪𖤐 Chris Miller
࣪𖤐 James H. Longmore
࣪𖤐 Jonathan Louis Duckworth
࣪𖤐 Robert Stahl
࣪𖤐 Matt Micheli
࣪𖤐 Elford Alley
࣪𖤐 Iphigenia Strangeworth
࣪𖤐 Jacob Austin
࣪𖤐 R. L. Olvitt
࣪𖤐 Lawrence Buentello
࣪𖤐 Tom Bont
࣪𖤐 Bev Vincent
࣪𖤐 and E. R. Bills.

Wow - these stories rocked! They take you on a journey through Texas that you could never prepare yourself for.
Depravity of man? ☑️
Big scary bugs? ☑️
Possibly psychopathic children? ☑️
The scariest fallen angel story I’ve ever read? ☑️☑️☑️

The imagery in these stories was so well done. I truly felt like I was THERE. 🫨 There were a couple of stories that will stick with me forever. I was terrified and disgusted in the best way possible.

I would suggest this to anyone looking for a truly vile, horrifying read. 👹

AS ALWAYS, check the triggers. We read horror responsibly around here! 🖤

☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓

[Jerry · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is easily the best short story collection I’ve read in a long time. Depending on how you like your horror, (and I like it all), there is something for everyone. An inside look at a sociopath’s actions, a boring high schooler’s evening gone very wrong, a creature feature with long term implications etc. – this collection is as wide ranging and varied in scope as my home state of Texas. What makes this collection stand out is that each of the authors are expert at their craft and flesh out their characters well. The storytelling flows effortlessly and is engaging without exception and there are no duds in this barrel of sinister apples. I especially enjoyed the authenticity of the settings where events take place, having spent time in most of the areas of Texas detailed. The standout story for me was the one by Joe R Lansdale (of course!), because he doesn’t hold back in blasting you with one raw gut punch after another – so refreshing and hardcore in contrast to the “sensitive” ways of 99% of current writers. Lansdale writes pure, unvarnished, ugly like nobody’s business, while at the same time maintaining a sense of humor and realness. The effect stays with you, long after you’ve read his work.

[Holly Garcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fantastic collection of stories. Covering a wide range of topics, there is something for everyone here, and it's all top quality writing. I'll touch on a few stand-outs (to me) but know they're all great.

Emma E. Murray starts things off with a bang with "Lonely Death on a Wednesday, 1pm, at a Motel Outside Marfa". This one grabs your attention fast and doesn't let go. Then there is "Nature Calls" by E.R. Bills. This one is outstanding, with an ending almost like an episode of Doctor Who. Jae Mazer shocks and disgusts us with "That's a Peculiar Stain on the Carpet...". I love her writing style and the character's voice is perfect. "Loving the Beast" by Robert Stahl is just wild, but also strangely compelling with tons of heart. Tom Bont's "Cotton Candy" is almost a sweet young romance but that ending leaves you wondering just what a "happily ever after" would be like. "The Wanderer" by Matt Micheli is interesting and reads like a Texas version of King's story "Thinner". I mean that as high praise, since "Thinner" is one of my favorites. "Broken Wings" by Chris Miller is extremely engaging, I couldn't put it down. Lawrence Buentello's "On a Roadside Somewhere Dark" has a beautiful ambiance and I just loved that ending. This one will stay with you for a bit. Then there's "Turning to Stone" by Bev Vincent that might be one of my favorites from the anthology. It's a quick read, maybe one of the shortest here, but compelling and wonderfully told. Iphigenia Strangeworth broke my heart with "Baby Doll". Hard to read at times, I still loved the writing and stylistic choices.

Last but not least, we have "Quincey" by Bret McCormick. Such great writing with so much life packed into such a small form. "The whole world's kind of like that, Mick. Things you don't expect want to eat you. Best you can hope for is to be eaten by something you want to feed."

[Marianne Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great anthology! It grabs your attention from the first story. Edited by Patrick C. Harrison III, this collection boasts a stellar lineup of Texas writers. The anthology is a thrilling mix of horror subgenres, offering a variety of chilling tales that range from the supernatural to the grotesque. Stories like the Gulliverian massacre and the prehistoric Devil Head are sure to keep readers up at night, while the return of Bram Stoker’s forgotten hero adds a nostalgic touch for classic horror fans.

Each story is unique, showcasing the rich storytelling talents of the authors. The narrative styles vary, making each entry feel fresh and unpredictable. Some stories are deeply psychological, while others are more visceral, ensuring that there's something for every type of horror aficionado.

Five stars!

[Charlie Helton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was sold immediately on this tour when told “Texas” and “Horror”- I mean what horror fanatic wouldn't that resides in Texas? This brings a largearray of various styles of short stories that take the reader literally allover Texas by a variety of amazing Texan authors. Once you’ve read this youwill learn there is nowhere to hide in this big state! This mash up brings somany monsters to life for your reading pleasure that range from downright weird,ghostly, folkloric nightmare comes to life, killer rats, deadly fallen angel, acursed story, a chupacabra love child, and so much more! Some will make youcringe, some will make you laugh, some will make you think about karma, and some willhave you hiding under the covers! If you love horror, you’ll love this!

[Marie Wikle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This 5 star collection of short stories delivers an onslaught of revoltingly vile and gory tales that will leave you both horrified and utterly disgusted in the best way possible

[Toby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do you LOVE Horror? Then READ THIS BOOK. That is honestly all I need to say about it.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

The state of Texas is an endless source of lore and this collection is full of compulsively readable stories.
Ranging from mild to not so mild, Road Kill is a fantastic collection of stories that will satisfy horror lovers.

[SpinelessBookReviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5* Whatever they're putting in the water down in Texas, I'd like a glass. This collection of horror short stories runs the gamut from dark and creepy to gory and visceral hitting every stop along the way

This collection is jam packed with talented authors who each paced their stories impeccably to deliver maximum fear within their bite sized tales. Each story has its own individual voice that each writer brings with them

I love short stories and each writer brought something unique and intriguing to the table. Notable standouts were The Problem With Mice, Sundown, The Wanderer and Quincy.

[Audrey Annotates · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The whole world's kind of like that, Mick. Things you don't expect want to eat you. Best you can hope for is to be eaten by something you want to feed."

I highly enjoyed this fantastic collection of short horror stories ranging from mild to the deeply unsettling! My favorites were Nature Calls, That's A Peculiar Stain, Cotton Candy, Unfinished Story, On A Roadside Somewhere Dark, and Quincy.

If you want to be horrified then this is the anthology for you!

Thank you to @tide.phoenix.coffee and @hellboundbooks for the copy!

[Matt Mullins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Road Kill: Texas Horror by Texas Writers – Vol 8 is a book of horror stories from horror writers who live in Texas. And like the Lone Star state it is big, diverse, and full of surprises. This book has something for everyone, provided you like extreme horror.

Each story is a gem and you'll find the book is over much too soon once you start reading. There are several standouts like "Night They Missed the Horror Show" by Joe R. Lansdale and "Turning to Stone" by Bev Vincent. I think my favorite was "Broken Wings" by Chris Miller. It's the story of a group of young friends who encounter a fallen angel in the Texas woods. It's skin crawling and blood chilling horror, the thing I read horror looking for. This is an excellent collection that keeps getting better and better as you read.