New Collection of Fictional Stories Takes Readers for a Walk into the Dark

Greenbrier County native Ben E. Campbell has compiled a collection of short stories now available for the reading public. Published through Outskirts Press, "A Welcome Walk into the Dark" contains twelve fictional stories spanning 170 pages, all set in the Appalachian region. Like fellow West Virginia author Breece D'J Pancake, Mr. Campbell's writing explores Appalachian culture through a realist's lens. The sometimes taboo topics of poverty, drug abuse and fatalism are a few of the linking themes addressed in the stories' pages. "But in the end," says the author. "These stories are about people making choices, and the beauty one can find in the darkest of circumstances."

In an era when daunting schedules and shorter attention spans often prevent readers from engaging in longer works, the short story form continues to provide manageable increments of literature for a time-starved audience. For this reason Campbell believes the short story is making a comeback, revitalizing the tradition of American authors like Edgar Allen Poe who made the art form so popular in years past.



Amy Greene, author of the best-selling novel "Bloodroot" and recipient of the regional Weatherford Award, says of the collection "In 'A Welcome Walk into the Dark', Ben E. Campbell has woven a collection of brutal yet beautifully-written tales populated with a cast of characters every bit as gritty and complex as the Appalachian landscape that shapes the courses of their lives."


"A Welcome Walk into the Dark" is now available through online retailers Barnes and Noble and Amazon.com for $13.95 per copy, as well as in local book stores throughout the state.



About the Author

Ben E. Campbell was born and raised in southeast West Virginia. A graduate of Marshall University and Bowling Green State's MFA program, his stories and essays have appeared in a variety of literary publications. His writing has also received First Place awards from the West Virginia Writers, Inc. competition and the Appalachian Heritage Writers Symposium, as well as a Devine Fellowship and a Pushcart Prize nomination. He currently serves as Associate Professor of English at New River Community College in Dublin, VA.


For more information about the author, please visit the Ben E. Campbell Fan Page on Facebook.