The Curse of Church House Holler

by Josh Robinson

In the shadowed depths of Church House Holler, where ancient Appalachian legends meet cosmic horrors, Father Gawain faces his greatest trial.

When eerie occurrences and ghostly apparitions plague the small town of Madison, West Virginia, skepticism quickly turns to fear. Father Gawain, driven by his faith and sense of duty, dives into the chilling mystery only to uncover a malevolent force older than the mountains themselves. As he delves deeper, he realizes he must confront the Old Gods, whose dark intentions threaten to destroy everything he holds dear.

"The Curse of Church House Holler" weaves a haunting tapestry of Lovecraftian horror and Appalachian gothic folklore. With every step closer to the truth, Father Gawain learns that knowledge can be both a blessing and a curse, revealing unspeakable evils lurking beneath the surface.

Josh Robinson masterfully blends historical legend with supernatural dread, crafting tales that captivate fans of Stephen King, H.P. Lovecraft, and Appalachian folklore. Venture into the holler and uncover the darkness that lies within, but beware—once you enter, there may be no turning back.

Discover the eerie tales of The Dark Appalachia Cycle, where the boundaries between the seen and unseen realms blur, and the shadows of the past come to life.

50 pages, Paperback

Published September 3, 2024

Reviews

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

The plot line is rather ordinary, convenient, and somewhat rushed. Enjoyed the quick read but expected more depth based on other reading by the same author.

[Josh Bishop · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great plot with a lot of potential — but it reads as more of a summary of a novel. Fun read, though. I’d love to see this be developed into something more substantial!

[Todd Burgett · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was hopeful for a good Christian horror fantasy - there was some promise but I was put off by the Catholic & Anglican mysticism and superstition (I.e. the power of icons, mantra prayers, etc.)

[Andrew Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a short story that mixes Lovecraftian mythology and Christianity. It has a good "base" and this could be a great jumping point.

The beginning grabbed me, which is always a plus. I wanted to get to know Gwain and his family more and the atmosphere was good. However, some of the dialogue was not smooth (my opinion).

The writing "told me" what to think rather than "showing me". Good example, we are suppose to care about a parish church being torn down which is introduced at the beginning of the story. It can pull on the strings of those who have disliked the modern notions of newer is better but not many would care outside of that. Not until towards the end do we see it is central to the story plot. Why not have Gwain go to the parish church before it is torn down to talk with the former elderly priest. This could be used to reveal a key point within the story and when the "epiphany" happens we can more feel the urgency to get back? You could then have the elder priest be the one defending during the climax rather than the mayor who we barely see (I know it is a short story but the mayor piece did not have any emotional hooks).

Overall, a short story that brings in a unique perspective and a great start to a mythos for future books.

Pros:
- Unapologetically Christian
- Clear good vs evil
- Great idea with the prospect of a deep lore
- Main character could become a favorite
- Atmosphere fit the story

Cons:
- Pacing of the story could be better
- Dialogue could be a little "tighter"
- Less telling and more showing