Horrible Beginnings


Horrible Beginnings is an anthology of horror short stories edited by Steven H. Silver and Martin H. Greenberg, first published in paperback by DAW Books in March 2003. The cover art is based on Children of Bodom's debut album, Something Wild. It is a compilation of the first published stories of seventeen authors in the genre, and features introductions to the stories provided by the authors of those stories. Horrible Beginnings was the third and last of three similarly-themed anthologies, its companions being Wondrous Beginnings and Magical Beginnings, compiling the first published stories of authors writing in the science fiction and fantasy genres, respectively. The series follows the example of the earlier First Flight: [Maiden Voyages in Space and Time], edited by Damon Knight and First Voyages, edited by Damon Knight, Martin H. Greenberg and Joseph D. Olander, which focused on science fiction authors only and did not include individual introductions.

Contents

  • "Introduction"
  • "Introduction to 'Lilies'"
  • "Lilies"
  • "Introduction to 'The Graveyard Rats'"
  • "The Graveyard Rats"
  • "Introduction to 'The Church in High Street'"
  • "The Church in High Street"
  • "Introduction to 'Eustace'"
  • "Eustace"
  • "First Gear"
  • "They Only Come in Dreams"
  • "Introduction to 'The Cleaning Machine'"
  • "The Cleaning Machine"
  • "Introduction to 'Agony in the Garden'"
  • "Agony in the Garden"
  • "Introduction to 'The Case of Four and Twenty Blackbirds'"
  • "The Case of the Four and Twenty Blackbirds"
  • "Surprise Fall: Revisited"
  • "Surprise Fall"
  • "Introduction to 'Dreamers'"
  • "Dreamers"
  • "A Few Words on "Optional Music for Voice and Piano'"
  • "Optional Music for Voice and Piano"
  • "Introduction to 'Amymone's Footsteps'"
  • "Amymone's Footsteps"
  • "Introduction to 'Colt.24'"
  • "Colt.24"
  • "Introduction to 'Prince of Flowers'"
  • "Prince of Flowers"
  • "From a Distance"
  • "Distances"
  • "Introduction to 'The Wind Breathes Cold'"
  • "The Wind Breathes Cold"
  • "Introduction to 'Deep Sleep'"
  • "Deep Sleep"