FOUND: An Anthology of Found Footage Horror Stories edited by Andrew Cull & Gabino Iglesias
FOUND: An Anthology of Found Footage Horror Stories was published on October 8, 2022 by Vermillion 2 One Press. This collection of eighteen stories is edited by Andrew Cull and Gabino Iglesias, and it weighs in at 341 pages.
I remember seeing the call for submissions for this project, and I knew right then I would be grabbing a copy and reading it. Having enjoyed everything I’ve read from Andrew Cull thus far, and recently becoming a fan of Gabino Iglesias’s work this past fall, to say I was stoked is an understatement.
Fast forward to the release. They put this powerhouse of found horror stories between one of the coolest covers I’ve ever seen, hearkening nostalgia and a vibe that I couldn’t resist. And then they had the audacity to include eighteen fantastic authors, some whose works I’ve loved for a while as well as new voices for me to discover. I also loved this warning for the book: “Reader caution is advised.” Brilliant. The entire book is a win from cover to cover.
Being that the stories are all “found footage,” there was a great mixture of media in the collection. You’ll find text messages, police reports, VHS tapes, emails, news reports and articles, Reddit, diaries, and YouTube, just to name a few. Each story is unique. Cull & Iglesias did a wonderful job selecting pieces for this anthology. It’s fresh, thrilling, and you never know what’s coming next.
The book begins with intros by both Iglesias and Cull, describing their love of found footage. Cull gives information about the Boyd case, an actual mystery that built my anticipation to read the found fiction horror stories. One of the scariest parts of reading FOUND was knowing that the pieces were inspired by found footage, clues to things that might or might not have happened. The tales are written in formats that we experience in our everyday lives, making it feel like you’re reading a news report or overview of an authentic, current event.
I enjoyed every story in this collection. The authors familiar to me did not disappoint, and there were definitely some new voices that still call to me after reading FOUND. Aside from the stories, I’m also a huge fan of reading about the contributing authors in an anthology. I appreciated being able to click a link for each of the authors in the Table of Contents section of the e-book, which then gave me a reminder about which story they wrote as well as links to their social media pages.
THE STORIES THAT STUCK WITH ME
It took me a while to narrow down the list of stories that got to me the most. These stories gave me chills, kept me on the edge of my seat, and delivered well-rounded endings that left my jaw hanging. I enjoyed all of the stories in FOUND, but these are the ones that grabbed me the most. I couldn’t thin the list down as much as usual due to so many strong pieces in this anthology, so I decided upon two categories. Each group is listed in order of publication.
For the first grouping, I decided to shout out four authors whose work I’ve enjoyed in the past. Their stories in this collection were as exciting and entertaining as I’d anticipated.
“The Veiled Lady” by Angela Sylvaine
“Green Magnetic Tape” by Tim McGregor
“A Grave Issue” by Bev Vincent
“The Novak Roadhouse Massacre” by Alan Baxter
For the second grouping, I’d like to share the authors whose voices are new to me as well as share some lines I jotted in my notes. These stories crawled beneath my skin and stuck with me.
“Two Months Too Long” by Holly Rae Garcia - It was so much fun to read this story, like a dropped trail of breadcrumbs that I hungrily followed and devoured!
“Face Down Death Volume VIII” by Josh Rountree - Disturbing and emotionally upsetting. Written so well! I was all in!
“Junk Pickup” by Fred Fischer, IV - Great details - I felt like I was there! Well-rounded, tender, yet horrifying. This legit brought up some childhood fears and made me hop up onto my bed at night!
“Spew of News” by Clay McLeod Chapman - This story hits way too close to home! Very current horror. Made me think of The Loop by Jeremy Robert Johnson. Excellent.
“Accidents, of a Sort” by Kurt Fawver - This one really sucked me in. It’s one of those stories where you feel like you know what’s going to happen, but it lures you to the end with fresh anticipation. Great ending, too.
“This Video is Unavailable” by Robert Levy - Flows so well and was intriguing. This story feels the most real and hits current fandom and extremism perfectly.
“A Small Hand-Built House” by Ali Seay - I couldn’t stop reading this one. It made me a little sick to my stomach, and I love that when I’m reading a story! What a way to anchor the book! Beautifully executed.
Other books by Vermillion 2 One Press:
