Indie Speculative Fiction of the Month for December 2022

 

It’s that time of the month again, time for “Indie Speculative Fiction of the Month”.

So what is “Indie Speculative Fiction of the Month”? It’s a round-up of speculative fiction by indie and small press authors newly published this month, though some November books I missed the last time around snuck in as well. The books are arranged in alphabetical order by author. So far, most links only go to Amazon.com, though I may add other retailers for future editions.

Once again, we have new releases covering the whole broad spectrum of speculative fiction. This month, we have urban fantasy, epic fantasy, YA fantasy, military fantasy, paranormal mystery, paranormal romance, science fiction romance, space opera, military science fiction, YA science fiction, science fantasy, post-apocalyptic fiction, horror, Greek mythology, Norse mythology, elves, werewolves, krampuses, nutcrackers, crime-busting witches, robot Santas, doctors in space, and much more.

As always, I know the authors at least vaguely, but I haven’t read all of the books, so Caveat emptor.

And now on to the books without further ado:

Invasion of the Robot Santas by Cora Buhlert

No one ever expected the robot apocalypse to begin in the little town of Brighthaven. And no one ever expected it to involve murderous robot turkeys and their even more terrifying brethren, robot Santas that fire laserbeams from their eyes.

However, Brighthaven's finest are ready to tackle any robotic holiday menace that might come their way.

Two interlinked holiday stories of approx. 6000 words by Hugo winner Cora Buhlert.

Trolled by Lindsay Buroker:

Busy looking for her missing mother and dodging enemies that are after her magical hammer, Matti Puletasi doesn’t need any more problems. She definitely doesn’t need the person who hired an assassin to kill her mother to show up—and target her.

As if that wasn’t bad enough, the handsome elven ally she’s falling in love with… may be working for the other side.

Kepler-186f by Rachel Ford:

The Genesis mission promised a new start on Kepler-186f. A new start for Captain Nikkole Johnson, and a new start for humanity.

An elite soldier recruited to protect settlers on the new world, Johnson wakes from cryosleep to find that the mission went sideways thousands of years ago.

Most of the original crew has vanished. Those who remain know no more than she. Strange voices whisper in the trees and on the winds. Monsters attack in the night to carry off the survivors. To save what’s left of the mission, Johnson must discover what happened in the first place.

Before the ghosts of the past erase any chance of a future.

Wings Unfurled by Rebecca Gomez Farrell:

The vicious claren that used to plague the reunited countries of Medua and Lansera are long gone. So what are the new dark patches appearing in Lady Serra's second sight? She rushes to King Albrecht to report the danger, only to discover that he's ailing and Vesperi, Prince Janto's wife, has fled far to the north to grieve her disappeared daughter. Vesperi still wields the silver flame, possesses all the authority she's ever wanted, but nothing can heal the wound of a missing child. When the silver moon Esye begins to fade, a gnawing fear preys on her for the first time since she escaped her father's cold rule. Ominous creatures once thought mythical are now rampaging through the countryside. Janto sends Serra to investigate. But without her friendship and Vesperi's love, he fears he cannot slay this challenge. He failed to find his own daughter, after all. To save the Lanserim, the legendary bird with three heads must fly again. Will Janto, Vesperi, and Serra find the strength to raise it? Or will this menace, with the might to drain a moon, devour them first?

Black and Brew by Lily Harper Hart:

The day Ofelia Archer has feared her entire adult life is here. Despite the happiness she’s been feeling since her engagement to Zach Sully, when the inevitable happens and her father has a breakdown on Bourbon Street, her life turns upside down.

Oscar Archer has been fighting a losing battle with mental illness for years, but when he finally hits a wall and is taken to the hospital against his will, he blames Ofelia. Despondent, she’s not paying attention, and when a shadow attacks and leaves her for dead, a new mystery is afoot…and it makes for an opportune distraction so Ofelia’s mind isn’t constantly drifting to her father. Unfortunately, the shadow leads to the one person Ofelia never wants to see again.

Sebastian Gendry is facing serious charges for the beating of Ofelia’s brother. When he slips his tether and disappears, Ofelia realizes he and the shadow are linked … and their paths lead right to the LaLaurie Mansion.

New Orleans has many sordid stories, but none are quite as bad as Delphine LaLaurie’s tale. When Ofelia starts digging, she realizes Sebastian has ties to the family … and they’re the sort that can never be broken.

A shattered heart won’t stop Ofelia. She promised Sebastian he would pay for what he did to her family, and she meant it.

Dark magic is loose in the French Quarter, and it’s going to take Ofelia’s entire motley crew to overcome it. Even then, heartbreak is imminent. Can Ofelia make it through the darkness to find the light on the other side?

The Guardian by A.L. Hawke:

Medusa vacays on the Italian Riviera to stop her best friend from destroying the world.

I’m staying off the coast on the Italian Riviera in Portofino. Have you ever been? It’s this gorgeous bay surrounded by rectangular red and yellow pastel buildings with swanky shops, restaurants and gorge trails.

Well, I don’t want to be here. And I really didn’t want my lover to join me. See, I came to protect my friend. The ancient Greek gods of Olympus claim Arachne holds the Scepter of Azure. The Scepter is a weapon that can freeze an entire city. Well, I don’t really care about the Scepter, I care about my friend. Of course, Arachne can hold her own. Don’t ever underestimate animals like spiders—or snakes, like me, for that matter.

The Guardian is a short story.

Medusa returns from My Evil Eye in this vacation urban fantasy novella. Although The Guardian is chronologically Book II in the Furies series, this book is a distinctive stand-alone that was written to be enjoyed without having read the first novel, My Evil Eye.

Starburn by Benjamin Kuttner:

Magicians versus hyperspeed assassins on a moon-sized whale.

A thousand years after the destruction of Earth. Three seventeen-year-olds are chosen for the heist of the millennium.

Their task is to steal a linkstone to stop a moon-sized whale creasing spacetime.

Starburn, an orphan training to be a quantum magician;

Estellar, a quirky assassin half-heartedly doing jobs for her family;

Aurum Junn, a gunfighter who loves a girl of a different species;

And on the cracked stardust of the whale's skin lives another teen, Little Moon, who will protect the linkstone at all costs.

River of Night by Naomi Kuttner:

A dark and inventive urban fantasy about a young man who must face his deepest fears to save his friends — but the monster in the night might be exactly the ally he needs

Ivan thinks he might be going mad. Because the alternative is worse.

It’s the last summer of school, and Ivan’s main aim is to get into a university - any university - to escape his stifling hometown.

But when Ivan stumbles on an ancient Viking death cult, his new goal is simple: survive long enough to save his friends and stop his world from imploding.

As the stakes get higher, Ivan must learn to use the darkness within to face the dangers that surround him. The Shadow World may hold the key to victory, but does Ivan have what it takes to defeat ancient monsters and present-day murderers?

And if he does befriend the dark, what might he become…

The Krampus Kink by Amanda M. Lee:

Charlie Rhodes has a lead on her past, but it just might endanger her future. Nothing can stop her from seeking answers though, which means a trip to Colorado with her boyfriend Jack. Her parents and brother are along for the ride. There’s just one problem … death has followed them to Estes Park.

It seems the hotel they’re staying at—the famous one was all booked up—is in the midst of a training session. Charlie doesn’t think much of it until a body appears in the hedge maze behind the hotel. That’s not all, because there’s a creature to go along with the body, and it has murder on its mind.

The Legacy Foundation has been grounded since the death of one of their own, but a potential krampus connection changes things. That means backup is coming, and Charlie’s fact-finding mission turns into a fight for survival.

Between the hotel workers, who are acting very odd indeed, and the return of the crossroads demon helping Charlie, she has her hands full.
A fight is coming, and Charlie needs help to battle the evil chanting her name. Unfortunately for her, trouble is coming in from every direction, and it’s going to take everybody working together to come out on the other side.

Charlie’s biggest enemy has made it back to this plane. Before she can take down Sybil, however, she has to know the truth about her past.

Brace yourselves, because it’s going to be a bumpy ride.

Oblivion's Cloak by Dylan McFadyen:

First Lieutenant Shaara was dead this morning.

Her captain is furious at her. She wasted company resources getting herself killed, and it’s coming out of her paycheck. Now, she’s sitting across from the first other human being she’s seen in six years. His name is Adnan. He claims to come from Earth—but that’s impossible. Earth died a long time ago. If Adnan’s telling the truth, he and the decaying ship the captain pulled him off are nearly a thousand years old.

Wherever he’s from, he’s Shaara’s responsibility now. Which is the last thing she needs. But it’s either that, or the captain sells Adnan into slavery. Shaara knows what that would mean. Most humans do. And something inside her won’t let her abandon Adnan to it: revenant memories, stabbed awake by the look in his eyes.

Facing those memories won’t be easy. It’d be far easier to ignore the feeling driving her forward. Far easier to let it all go to hell, and drift back to sleep.

Until a shadowy new faction starts stoking the fires of war. They’re looking for Adnan; Earth’s last survivor holds the key to unleash a terrible, indiscriminate vengeance on the galaxy that wronged them. Who they are is a mystery—to everyone but Shaara. Hard as she’s tried to forget, she knows them all too well. Which means she’s the only one who can stop them.

Nutcracker of Crystalfall by Kay L. Moody:

The annual Christmas party was going just fine… until the trolls showed up.

Clara is a young woman who is wickedly good at puzzles, but she also has a secret her parents have shamed her into hiding. The weight of that secret has ruined nearly every happy moment in her life.

At least this year’s Christmas party gets more interesting once a mysterious stranger shows up. He teaches Clara how to crack nuts, wears a soldier’s uniform she’s never seen, and flashes a smile she’ll never forget.

But then a cruel party guest destroys the only gift that matters to Clara. Even worse, trolls appear and try to kill the handsome stranger she only just met. The fight rages into the night. Soon, Clara has to make a choice.

She could finally escape her unloving parents and the dreadful life they have planned for her. It would only take a promise to join an even greater conflict in the magical and dangerous realm of Faerie—a land she previously didn’t know existed.

If she stays home, her happiness will end forever. If she goes to Faerie, a great adventure awaits her…but it might kill her too.

Doctor Galaxy by Jenny Schwartz:

New ER doctor Alexi Sur always intended to join an aid agency. She'd just expected to work among humans. But when the Pax Galactica Corps becomes her only option (don't ask - the debts aren't hers, but the family is. Much to her regret), Alexi finds herself traveling the galaxy and learning alien physiology and culture, all while becoming a reality TV star.

Being pursued by camera drones and starring in her very own Welcome-to-the-Universe documentary was never on Alexi's to do list. She's positive the show will flop. After all, Alexi is boring. That's why her boyfriend left her for her stepsister.

But as trillions of aliens tune in to watch Alexi discover the universe in Doctor Galaxy, what she discovers is the existential threat facing humanity.

Major Soren Agha already knows about the danger. He's currently playing peacekeeper for the Eripi of the Pariah Sector whose tragic fate could be humanity's: conquered, exploited, lost.

Can one dedicated doctor save humanity? Can she, as Soren believes, also save the Eripi? And would anyone really notice if she sabotaged a couple of pesky camera drones?

Inheritance by Nanci Schwartz:

With the help of her crew and the rogue Mahjin, Victoria Anetti is determined to rescue her father.

But Alessandro surrendered for a reason: to find a cure for the enemy supersoldiers, who will soon die because of their genetic enhancements. While captive, he learns they aren’t so different from the Mahjin—and the only way to save their lives is to make them normal again.

The dangerous Janusian experiment requires a test subject, and Alessandro will stop at nothing to help those in need. Even give up the superhuman abilities that made him a hero.

Fueled by envy and rage, Victoria vows to finish his mission to save the remaining supersoldiers. But as the battle between the Janusian Union and Colonial Republic rages on, Victoria must choose whether to take her place at her father’s side and become what she always wanted—normal—or remain with her crew on the Robber Barron and accept her destiny as the last supersoldier.

Icebreaker by Glynn Stewart:

To the north, the ice
To the south, the enemy
In the middle, her Republic…

Coral Amherst is the middle child of a wealthy family, with fingers throughout the politics and laws of the magical Dalebloods and the Republic they lead. Skill and connections alike have propelled her to the highest ranks of the Republic’s Navy.

Now, duty inexorably drags her into a mission to learn the fate of a long-lost magical city, once home to many of the people the Dalebloods rule. Storms of dark magic drove the Seablood from their ancient city and to the shores of the Republic—and those same storms now assail the Republic itself!

An ancient threat rises beyond the ice of the northern waters and Coral Amherst will need every scrap of courage, honor, and magic she commands if she is to save the Republic!

Speculative Fiction Links of the Week for December 30, 2022

It's time for the latest weekly round-up of interesting links about speculative fiction from around the web, this week with the best SFF books, films and TV-shows of 2022, the Marvel Cinematic Universe in general, the new Willow, the series finale of His Dark Materials, The Witcher: Blood Origins, Kindred, the chaotic future of the DC Cinematic Universe, Avatar: The Way of Water and much more.

Speculative fiction in general:

• Alex Brown shares ten great SFF novellas and novelettes to enjoy.
  
• James Davis Nicoll shares five recently completely SFF series to enjoy.
• Cole Rush shares five SFF stories about found family. 
• Cole Rush shares five fantasy cafés he'd love to visit. 
• Ryka Aoki pairs SFF books and ramen noodle flavours.
  
• Matthew Ilseman takes a look at fantasy fiction set at the end of time. 
• Deirdre C. Byrne and Gerhard Hope share an overview of South African SFF. 
• Lyndsie Mancuso talks about awards eligibility lists.
  
• Jo Walton talks about comfort reads and the search for books in which nothing bad happens. 
• Molly Templeton discusses how she decides what to read next. 
  
• Michael Curtis takes a look at the horror fiction of Fritz Leiber.
  
• Terry Olson profiles Michael Moorcock. 
• Terry Olson takes a look at the Sexton Blake villain Monsieur Zenith the Albino and traces his connection to Michael Moorcock's Elric of Melniboné. 
• Michael R. Brown takes a look at Robert E. Howard's occult detective Steve Harrison. 
• Bobby Derie discusses The Day of the Stranger, a 1947 radio drama Novalyne Price Ellis wrote about her relationship with Robert E. Howard.
  
• Jim Wampler profiles Sterling E. Lanier. 
• Bobby Derie takes a look at the similarities and differences between the bigotry of H.P. Lovecraft and J.K. Rowling. 
• Allison Kubo Hutchison discusses the geology of Robert Jordan's and Brandon Sanderson's Wheel of Time.
  
• Thomas W. Hazlett remembers Martin Morse Wooster.
  

 

Best Books of 2022:

• SSFWorld share their favourite science fiction books of 2022.
  
• SFFWorld share their favourite fantasy and horror books of 2022.
• Andrew Mather shares his favourite SFF novellas of 2022.
  
• Publishers Weekly share their favourite graphic novels of 2022.
• io9 share their favourite science fiction, fantasy and horror TV shows of 2022.
  
• io9 share their favourite science fiction, fantasy and horror TV shows of 2022.
  
• io9 share their favourite animated movies and TV shows of 2022.
  

 

Comics and Art:

• C.T. Phipps reviews the comic Blade Runner: Black Lotus #1 by Nancy Collins and Enid Balam.
• John Coulthart revisits Leo and Diane Dillon's album cover art.
  

 

Film and TV:

• Lucy Mangan calls Christmas Carole an instant festive classic and praises the performance of Suranne Jones. 
• Rebecca Nicholson calls the Ghosts Christmas Special genuinely moving.
  
• Lucy Mangan finds A Ghost Story for Christmas: Count Magnus not particularly thrilling. 
• Hollie Richardson declares that the superhero sitcom Extraordinary will put a smile on viewers' faces.
  
• Arturo Serrano declares that Puss in Boots: The Last Wish makes existential dread funny. 
• Marion Deeds shares her thoughts on The Peripheral.
  
• Matthew Huff discusses how Hollywood movies tackled intergenerational trauma in 2022.
  
• Bridget McGovern shares eleven oddball holiday specials to enjoy.
• Lorna Wallace shares six SFF movies so bad they're good. 
• Michael Ledwige revisits the 1946 Christmas movie It's a Wonderful Life and finds unexpected noir elements.  
• Galactic Journey revisit the 1967 Star Trek episode "Wolf in the Fold".
  
• Cheryl Eddy revisits the 1977 holiday special Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas
• Cheryl Eddy revisits the 1980 Christmas horror film To All a Goodnight. 
• Paul Levinson revisits the 2017 time travel movie 2:22. 
• Maggie Lovitt interviews Diego Luna who plays Cassian Andor in Andor.
  
• Hollie Richardson interviews Emma D'Arcy, who plays Rheanyra Targaryen in House of the Dragon.
  
• Justin Carter interviews Mairighread Scott and John Epler, showrunner and producer of Dragon Age: Absolution.
• Coco Khan interviews Christina Ricci, star of Wednesday, the Addams Family movies of the 1990s and Yellowjackets.
  
• Xan Brooks interviews Adam Scott, star of Severance.
  
• Jude Rogers interviews Mark Jenkin, director of the folk horror film Enys Man.
  
• Ben Child wonders whether James Cameron can revive the Terminator saga. 
• Drew Taylor celebrates the twentieth anniversary of Sony Pictures Animation.
  
• Brooks Barnes reports that Steamboat Willie, the first ever Mickey Mouse cartoon, will enter the public domain in 2024. 
• Italian horror film director Ruggero Deodato has died aged 83.
  
• Actor Stephen Greif, who appeared in Blake's 7, Doctor Who and Tales of the Unexpected among others, has died aged 78.
  
• British screenwriter and script editor Chris Boucher, who worked on Doctor Who and Blake's 7 among others, has died aged 79. 
  

 

Comments on the Marvel Cinematic Universe in general:  

• Reggie Ugwu interviews Ryan Coogler and Joe Robert Cole, director and screenwriter of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
• The AV-Club interviews Gugu Mbatha-Raw who plays Ravonna Renslayer in Loki. 
• Jack King interviews Charlie Cox, star of Treason and Daredevil.
  

 

Comments on the new Willow: 

• Cindy White shares her thoughts on the latest episode of Willow.
• Germain Lussier shares his thoughts on the latest episode of Willow. 
• Germain Lussier interviews Jon Kasdan, showrunner of Willow.
  

 

Comments on His Dark Materials: 

• Paul Levinson shares his thoughts on the series finale of His Dark Materials.
• Rob Bricken shares his thoughts on the series finale of His Dark Materials.
  

 

Comments on The Witcher and its spin-offs: 

• Jack Seale finds The Witcher: Blood Origin a lot of fun.
• Angie Han calls The Witcher; Blood Origin a ho-hum prequel.
  

 

Comments on Kindred:

• Linda Codega calls Kindred a bit drawn out, but praises the performance of Mallori Johnson and looks forward to season 2.
  
• Avery Kleinman and Anna Casey interview Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, who adapted Octavia Butler's novel Kindred for television.
• io9 interviews Mallori Johnson who plays Dana in Kindred.
  

 

Comments on the various DC Comics based movies and TV-shows and the chaos at Warner Bros in general: 

• Aaron Couch and Borys Kit share some background for Henry Cavill being outtsted as Superman.
• Ryan Gajewski reports that Zachary Levi, who plays Billy Batson a.k.a. Shazam in the DC Cinematic Universe, has asked fans to give DC Studios heads James Gunn and Peter Safran a break.
  

 

Comments on Avatar: The Way of Water: 

• Stefan Dimitroff reports that some indigenous groups are boycotting Avatar: The Way of Water. 
• William Mullally interviews James Cameron, director of Avatar: The Way of Water.
  
• Tracey Harrington McCoy reports that actress Edie Falco shot her part in Avatar: The Way of Water four years ago and actually assumed that the movie had already come out and flopped.
  
• Pamela McClintock reports that Avatar: The Way of Water continues to do well at the box office over the Christmas weekend.
  

 

Awards:

• The winners of the 1967 Galactic Stars have been announced.
• The 2022 Grand Masters of the Science Fiction & Fantasy Poetry Association have been announced.

Writing, publishing and promotion:

• Ada Palmer declares that the "plotter vs. pantser" writing divide has been exaggerated.
  
• Robert Repino shares storytelling lessons from Mr. Rogers.
• Kelly McClymer explains how to bring your indie book to the attention of librarians. 
• Cat Rambo shares a social media strategy for writers. 
• Kristine Kathryn Rusch talks about advertising in 2022.
  
• Victoria Strauss reports about a new scam targeting authors.
  
• The SFWA reports that they have reached the milestone of 2500 members.
  

Interviews:

• The Guardian interviews Philip Pullman. 
• Media Death Cult interviews Mike Carey.
  
• Media Death Cult interviews Ken MacLeod. 
• Paul Weimer interviews Tim Akers.
  
• Paul Weimer interviews Rem Wigmore.
• John Mauro interviews Kian N. Ardalan. 
• D.M. Ritzlin interviews H.R. Laurence.
  
• D.M. Ritzlin interviews John Lawrence Rak Jr.
  

Reviews:

• Lis Carey reviews The Red Scholar's Wake by Aliette de Bodard.
  
• J.Z. Weston reviews A Starbound Solstice by Juliet Kemp.
  
• Ian Mond reviews Titan by Mado Nozaki, translated by Evan Ward. 
• Lis Carey reviews Juniper Wiles and the Ghost Girls by Charles de Lint. 
• Roseanna Pendlebury reviews Juniper and Thorn by Ava Reid. 
• Runalong the Shelves reviews Blood Moon by Catherine Lundoff.
  
• Chris Kluwe reviews The River of Silver by S.A. Chakraborty.
  
• Blue Book Balloon reviews A Restless Truth by Freya Marske. 
• Caren Gussoff Sumption reviews A Restless Truth by Freya Marske.
  
• Runalong the Shelves reviews This Charming Man by C.K. McDonell. 
• Runalong the Shelves reviews Reluctant Immortals by Gwendolyn Kiste.
  
• Gary K. Wolfe reviews Pulling the Wings Off Angels by K.J. Parker. 
• Shellie Horst reviews The Dragonfly Delivery Company by Keith W. Dickinson
  
• Carrie Chi Lough reviews The Bruising of Qilwa by Naseem Jamnia. 
• John Mauro reviews The Burning God by R.F. Kuang. 
  
• Runalong the Shelves reviews No Gods, No Monsters by Cadwell Turnbull. 
• James Vella-Bardon reviews Essex Dogs by Dan Jones.
  
• Paul Di Filippo reviews Desert Creatures by Kay Chronister. 
• Caren Gussoff Sumption reviews Glorious Fiends by Bonnie Jo Stufflebeam
  
• Runalong the Shelves reviews The Book of the Baku by R.L. Boyle. 
• Rob Bedford reviews The Bladed Faith by David Dalglish. 
• Jake Casella Brookins reviews The Two Doctors Górski by Isaac Fellman
  
• Alexandra Pierce reviews Self-Portrait with Nothing by Aimee Pokwatka 
• Skye Walker reviews Some Faraway Place by Lauren Shippen.
  
• John Mauro reviews Bone Shroud by Andrew D. Meredith.
• Runalong the Shelves reviews The Pallbearers' Club by Paul Tremblay. 
• Runalong the Shelves reviews Whitstable by Stephen Volk.
  
• James Davis Nicoll reviews The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw. 
• Paperback Warrior reviews The Yuletide Butcher by Mike Duke. 
• Paul Di Filippo reviews Illuminations: Stories by Alan Moore. 
• Chris Mautner reviews See You at San Diego: An Oral History of Comic-Con, Fandom, and the Triumph of Geek Culture by Mathew Klickstein.
  

Classics reviews:

• John Mauro revisits the 1872 vampire novel Carmilla by Sheridan Le Fanu.
  
• Paperback Warrior revisits the 1933 Conan sword and sorcery story "Black Colossus" by Robert E. Howard.
  
• James Maliszewski revisits the 1939 sword and sorcery story "Adventure in Lemuria" by Frederick Arnold Kummer Jr. 
• Steve Carper revisits the 1943 science fiction thriller The Last Secret by Dana Chambers.
  
• MarzAat revisits the 1946 sword and planet adventure "Lorelei of the Red Mist" by Leigh Brackett and Ray Bradbury.
  
• Brian Collins revisits the 1952 science fiction story "The Moon Is Green" by Fritz Leiber.
• M. Porcius revisits the 1957 fantasy novel Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury. 
• Joachim Boaz revisits the 1961 science fiction collection So Close to Home by James Blish.
  
• M. Porcius revisits the 1966 science fiction mystery Galactic Sybil Sue Blue by Rosel George Brown. 
• James Davis Nicoll revisits the 1968 science fiction novel Catch a Falling Star by John Brunner.
  
• Meg Elison revisits the 1987 horror novel Misery by Stephen King. 
• Paperback Warrior revisits the 1992 media tie-in Quantum Leap: The Novel by Ashley McConnell.
  

 

Con and event reports:

• Gail Jamieson shares a history of the Science Fiction and Fantasy South Africa Club.
  
• Locus reports about the exhibtion “Voyage to the Edge of Imagination” at the Science Museum in London, UK. 
• Shawn Ghassemitari reports about the exhibition "H.R. Giger X Sorayama: Approaching" in Beijing, China.
• Arifa Akbar calls The Fir Tree by Hannah Khalil, which is currently playing at the Globe Theatre in London, UK, a must-see festive fairy tale.
• Arifa Akbar calls Andrew Pollard's adaptation of Beauty and the Beast, which is currently playing in Watford, UK, a lacklustre retelling.
  
• Tim Jonze and his children shares their thoughts on Hey Duggee: The Live Theatre Show, which is currently playing in London, UK.
  
• Sabina Graves shares the latest news from the Disney Parks and Universal Studios Resorts.
  

 

Crowdfunding:

• Con runner Lisa Garrison and her family have lost everything in a fire and need some help.
  

 

Science and technology:

• Kenneth Chang reports that NASA's InSight Mars lander has lost power after four years of operation. 
• Dennis Overbye reports that the James Webb Space Telescope is only just getting started.
  
• Michael Powell reports how the debate about the naming of the James Webb Space Telescope was marred by homophobia accusations.
  
• Catherynne M. Valente talks about the implosion of Twitter and how it mirrors what happened to other online communities over the years.
  

Free online fiction: 

• "The Beginning" by Katrina Carrith in Luna Station Quarterly. 
• "The Spread of Space and Endless Devastation" by Stewart C. Baker in Lightspeed.
• "Mad Honey" by Aimee Ogden in Lightspeed.
  
• "The Lightness" by Alex Sobel in Clarkesworld. 
• "To Exorcise Mechanical Ghosts" by Laney Gaughan in Clarkesworld. 
• "Still Breathing" by Chris DiLeo in Nightmare Magazine.
  
• "Into the Dark" by Jennifer R. Donohue in Fantasy Magazine. 
• "Balkan Cosmology" by Bruce Sterling in Medium.
  
• "Harvest of Bones" by Eugenia Triantafyllou in The Deadlands.
  
• "Amadi on the Concrete" by Jarred J. Thompson in Omenana.
  
• "Earth Dragon, Turning" by Anya Ow in Uncanny Magazine.
  
• "A Fall Counts Anywhere" by Catherynne M. Valente in Uncanny Magazine.
  
• "The Cat" by Morana Violeta, translated by Clara Madrigano, in The Dark.
• "Dragon Rising" by S.E. Gilbey in Daily Science Fiction.
  
• "The Hole in the Storm" by Carol Scheina in Daily Science Fiction. 
• "A Wish" by Edoardo Albert in Daily Science Fiction.
  
• "After the War" by Karl El-Koura in Daily Science Fiction.
  

 

Trailers and videos:

• Watch a trailer for the Doctor Who Sixtieth Anniversary Special.
• Watch a trailer for season 7 of Outlander. 
• Watch a trailer for Knock at the Cabin.
  

 

Odds and ends:

• Tom Gauld shares a cartoon of the Three Wise Men going gift shopping.
• Take the Guardian's 2022 Book Quiz.
  

 

Magic under the Mistletoe 2022 - A Round-up of the Best Indie Holiday Speculative Fiction

 

Our monthly round-ups of new speculative fiction and new crime fiction releases by indie authors are a perennially popular feature. Therefore, we now offer you a round-up of our favourite holiday science fiction, fantasy and horror by indie authors.

These holiday stories cover the broad spectrum of speculative fiction. We have epic fantasy, urban fantasy, cozy fantasy, paranormal romance, paranormal mysteries, science fiction, space opera, time travel, post-apocalyptic fiction, Steampunk, LitRPG, plenty of dragons, vampires, werewolves, were-cougars, were-reindeer, elves, Krampuses, nutcrackers, telepathic detectives, crime-fighting witches, Puritan witch hunters, magical cats, holiday body swaps, orphans in danger, fated mates, troubled marriages, musketeers in space, alien invasions, Christmas in space and after the apocalypse, robots, sentient starships playing Santa and much more. But one thing unites all of those very different books. They're all set around the holidays.

As always, I know the authors at least vaguely, but I haven’t read all of the books, so Caveat emptor.

And now on to the books without further ado:

A Dark Root Christmas: Merry's Gift by April Aasheim

When ten-year-old Merry Maddock makes a holiday wish on a shooting star, she has no idea how her life will change.
Suddenly, she's become the parent to a strange baby owl, and the caretaker of what appears to be an enchanted tree.
But will her wish for a family Christmas be granted? Or will her mother's desire for a year without a holiday win out?
Magick, mystery, and family take center stage in this charming witchy novella featuring the Maddock girls when they are young.
This 20k word novella is a prequel story to the popular Daughters of Dark Root series and can be read as a stand alone novel.

A Very Mercy Christmas: A Witch Squad Holiday Special by M.Z. Andrews:

It’s Christmas time at the Paranormal Institute for Witches. Excited to go home for the holidays and be reunited with their families, Mercy, Jax, Holly, Sweets, and Alba say their goodbyes. However, when an unpredicted snowstorm ravages Aspen Falls, the girls must scramble to figure out their next move. Tempers flare as blame is placed and feelings are hurt. By the looks of it, Christmas will surely be ruined.

But when a surprise visitor arrives, the girls are forced to find out what friendship really means and decide whether or not it’s worth saving. Visited by some blasts from the past, the girls are given glimpses into each other’s pasts and find out what life would have been like if they’d never met and formed the Witch Squad on the first day of classes.

A Very Mercy Christmas is the 5th book in the Witch Squad Cozy Mystery series – there is no mystery to solve, instead sit back and enjoy a Christmas story about what went down over the Witch Squad’s first winter break and get a glimpse into the lives of each of the girls before they met.

The Journey of Joseph Winter: A Christmas Fairy Tale by John Anthony:

A heartwarming Christmas story in the tradition of the holiday classics It’s a Wonderful Life and A Miracle on 34th Street.

Take a personal journey to discover the true magic of Christmas.

Joseph Winter is a good and gentle man, but he carries with him the pain and regret of a childhood mistake.

When a package mysteriously arrives on his doorstep, he is invited on a path to redemption.

Traveling far from his cozy little home in St. Paul, Minnesota, into the snowy landscapes of the Arctic, his touching Christmas journey takes him in search of the one man who may be able to help him find peace—Santa Claus.

An inspirational family Christmas tale in the style of the classic Christmas stories shared by families every holiday season, The Journey of Joseph Winter: A Christmas Fairy Tale is the inspiring story of a man in search of Santa Claus, his childhood, and ultimately—himself.

A Tale of Christmas Past by Katelyn A. Brown

A woman from the future, trapped in the past…

Avery Lawson expects to spend another holiday alone, with only memories of her parents and her abandoned faith for company. One chilly day, she reads an old journal that once belonged to a pioneer named Kathleen. Avery is captivated by the story, but she never imagined how much her own life would be turned upside down after reading it. In a strange twist of fate, she finds herself transported to a Kansas homestead in the year 1880, with no conceivable way to get home to the future.

Widower Jacob Cole is in desperate need of a housekeeper and nanny for his three young children. When the mysterious Miss Lawson shows up at his farm, his instincts tell him to trust her, despite the bizarre circumstances surrounding her arrival. She quickly becomes an important part of his world. Could she be just what his hurting family needs?

But being from the future, Avery has a dreadful secret. With Christmas fast approaching, can she stop another terrible tragedy from befalling the family? Will she ever make it home to the future? Or--with the Cole children and Jacob steadily breaking down the walls around her heart--does she even want to anymore?

Christmas on Iago Prime by Cora Buhlert

Eight-year-old Libby has come with her parents to spend a year at the newly established colony on the planet Iago Prime. Libby's parents believe that this is a great opportunity for all of them, but Libby is unhappy on Iago Prime. There are no other children on Iago Prime and Libby can't go anywhere, because she doesn't even have a space suit. Worst of all, they will spend Christmas on Iago Prime, where there aren't even any Christmas trees.

However, Libby's parents, with a little help from Santa Claus himself, conspire to give Libby an unforgettable Christmas on Iago Prime.

This is a science fictional Christmas story of 6600 words or approx. 22 print pages.

Christmas after the End of the World by Cora Buhlert

It's Christmas… five months after the Yellowstone supervolcano erupted, blacked out the sun and covered most of the western US in ash.

Thirteen-year-old Natalie, her younger brother Liam, baby Olivia and family dog Bud are among the few still holding out in the evacuation zone.

Day to day survival is hard enough, but Natalie is determined to give Liam and Olivia an unforgettable Christmas… after the end of the world.

And who knows, maybe they'll even get a true Christmas miracle…

This is a post-apocalyptic holiday novelette of 10000 words or approx. 35 print pages.

The Solstice Horror by Cora Buhlert

Massachusetts in the Year of the Lord 1695: Apprentice witchfinder Matthew Goodson, and condemned witch Grace Pankhurst have been on the run from Matthew's former masters for months now.

Shortly before Christmas, Matthew and Grace find shelter with the Whitelaw family in the town of Cold Hollow. But the witchfinders are on their trail, so Matthew and Grace have to flee again on the day of the winter solstice.

Many dangers lurk in the dense woods of Massachusetts Bay Colony. But which is the greater threat, the witchfinders or the thing from beyond that dwells in the woods and hunts on the darkest nights of the year?

This is a historical holiday horror novelette of 11100 words or approximately 40 print pages by two-time Hugo finalist Cora Buhlert.

The Bakery on Gloomland Street by Cora Buhlert:

A legendary monster threatens Christmas…

It's Christmas time in the permanently fog-shrouded seaside town of Hallowind Cove, which is also known as the "Harbour of the Weird".

Rachel Hammersmith is new to Hallowind Cove and has recently taken over the bakery on Gloomland Street, after Marie Percht, the previous owner, retired.

However, Marie Percht didn't tell Rachel everything, when she retired. She didn't mention the fog, for starters, and she also didn't mention that her bakery plays a vital role during the Christmas season and not just as a provider of holiday cookies either.

For the Krampus, a yuletide monster from alpine folklore, is coming to Hallowind Cove. And the only thing that can keep him from wrecking the town and ruining Christmas are pastries baked according to a secret recipe. Unfortunately, Rachel has no idea what the recipe is.

However, with the help of fellow newcomer Paul MacQuarie, Rachel will bake up a storm to pacify Krampus and save Christmas.

Revolt at the North Pole by Cora Buhlert:

Rebellion is brewing at Santa's compound at the North Pole. The elves and the reindeer both are overworked, underpaid and angry, so they unite to take down Santa. However, there's still Santa's most fearsome enforcer, the horned, clawed and fanged holiday monster known only as Krampus…

This is a short holiday horror story of 3900 words or approx. 14 print pages by Hugo finalist Cora Buhlert.

Invasion of the Robot Santas by Cora Buhlert

No one ever expected the robot apocalypse to begin in the little town of Brighthaven. And no one ever expected it to involve murderous robot turkeys and their even more terrifying brethren, robot Santas that fire laserbeams from their eyes.

However, Brighthaven's finest are ready to tackle any robotic holiday menace that might come their way.

Two interlinked holiday stories of approx. 6000 words by Hugo winner Cora Buhlert

The Tinsel-Free Christmas Tree: A Not Really SF Short Story by Cora Buhlert

Bertha and Alfred, married for twenty years, enjoy a truly science fictional life in the twenty-first century. But in spite of all the technological marvels surrounding them, an argument about how to decorate the Christmas tree escalates and threatens their marriage.

This parodistic piece is a mundane short story of 2900 words or approximately 12 print pages, written in the style of science fiction’s “golden age” of the 1940s and 1950s.

Frosted Croakies by Sam Cheever:

’Tis the season for great folly…walawalawalawalala…ribbit.

It’s Christmas time at Croakies. The tree is up. The stockings are hung. And Christmas tunes are turning the atmosphere jolly. After a tumultuous Samhain, I’ve found my chi again and I’m starting to enjoy the season of love and giving.

Yeah. You probably know how this is going to end.

When Sebille suggests I open the bookstore up to a small holiday party, I foolishly agree. How was I supposed to know that the hobgoblin would decide it would be fun to hide everybody’s stuff? Or that we’d be hit with a freak winter storm that confined everybody inside for the duration. Or that a “You’re me but who am I?” spell would be released inside the shop, switching everybody’s identities and creating general chaos and hysteria?

I could probably deal with all that if it weren’t for the fact that my friend, Lea…the one person who could possibly reverse the spell…was ensconced in SB the parrot, with no opposable thumbs for spelling.

And me? Of course, I’m sitting fat and squishy inside Mr. Slimy. Thank goodness Rustin isn’t currently in residence, or it would be really crowded in here.

Who spelled my party? What do a pair of Santa’s elves have to do with it? And why have old enemies suddenly become new friends? I apparently have a little holiday mystery to solve inside Croakies, and I have no idea how I’m going to solve it with everybody mixed up and some of us human.

Have I told you I hate this season?

Ribbit!

The NutMacKer Sweet by Kate Danley:

The holidays are the sweetest time of year, but not for Maggie and Killian who must return the Nutcracker prince to his proper place when someone tries to make sure the show does not go on.

Come along on this Maggie MacKay Holiday Short Story Special.

A Merry Maggie Messmas by Kate Danley:

Everyone wonders how Santa is able to do his job, but when one of his helpers goes rogue and starts spreading TOO MUCH holiday cheer, it will be down to Maggie and Killian to hop on that sleigh and bring the world a silent night.

A part of the Maggie MacKay: Holiday Special short story series. This stands independently from the main Magical Tracker series and can be read at any time and in any order. It's just an excuse to hang out with some of your favorite characters.

WARNING: This short story contains cussing, brawling, and unfestive behavior.

Merry Chris Witch by C.K. Dawn:

Magic is real and dreams do come true. Be careful what you WITCH for.

Chris Heron is a witch who loathes the holiday season. What’s even worse is getting expelled from private coven school on Halloween and having to attend public magic school, where Santa’s son is visiting and has all the girls in a frenzy. Fairies, mermaids, elves, even the trolls are swooning over Kris Kringle Jr. All except for one girl, and she’s a North Pole mystery that has Chris intrigued. Will he be able to put his prejudices aside in time to see the true magic all around him?

I Witch You a Merry Christmas by Snow Eden:

A heart-warming story about Christmas, elves, Santa Claus…and a really mad witch.

There are many things Cinnamon Mercy Claus is struggling with this holiday season: the memories of long forgotten holidays when the Christmas season was about family; that she’s just found out her grandfather is Santa Claus; and that her grandmother is a witch—who is bent on destroying Christmas for them all.

This is a 30,000-word novella with a dose of Hallmark warmth and crazy witch mayhem!

It is a 'clean' read with no cursing. Situations should be appropriate for all ages.

Winter Solstice Murders by C. Farren:

Investigating your own death can be murder.

Bea Goldfrapp runs her own magical greetings card business in the small town of Magpie Cove, Maine. She lives with her demon familiar, Widdershins, a cat that can change its breed on a daily basis, and a talking magpie that's lived for a thousand years. She likes her life and wouldn't change it for the world.

Then someone poisons her tea and she dies.

Luckily for Bea her father is a powerful sorcerer, and he brings her back to life, losing his own soul in the process. Bea is understandably miffed that someone wanted to kill her, and decides to find out who did it. This only brings more complications to her life, mainly because she never realised she had so many enemies. Can she find out who killed her before the killer strikes again?

Crimson Yuletide by Rachel Ford:

Autumn gone off to sleep
And winter her secrets no more keep
Rises he from the deep
Flesh to flay and flesh to eat

Twelve days of Christmas. Twelve days of terror and death.

An ancient evil prowls the quiet streets of Wixcombe. An old man is murdered in the town square. Children disappear in the night. Villagers report sightings of Krampus, the Christmas demon.

For siblings Nan and William Fitzgerald, the season began with a promise of new loves and Christmas magic. But they find themselves in the eye of the storm when their godfather becomes the prime suspect in the killings.

To protect both the women they love and their village, the siblings must discover Krampus’ true identity. But they might not like the answers they find…

DLC by Rachel Ford:

A fully immersive virtual reality system. A beta testing opportunity that’s the stuff of dreams – or a nightmare that may never end.

Jack Owens is stuck in Marshfield Studio’s newest virtual reality RPG. To escape, he needs to win the game. He knows that. He’s got his team of heroes back, and he’s finally comfortable with the world. He’s ready.

Except someone at Marshfield Studios forgot to cancel the holiday downloadable content test. Jack goes to sleep in a medieval fantasy world, and wakes up in some kind of bizarre winter wonderland where his quest – and his way home – plays second fiddle to holiday festivals, winter pets, and seasonal quests.

But Jack better not let his extended stay or the holiday doldrums distract him too much. Because there’s far worse waiting for him in this magical nightmare than a lump of coal in his stocking…

Christmas Hunger by Piper Fox:

After three days of hosting his vampiric brothers and their mates, Magnus is at his wit’s end. A sworn viking bachelor, he needs a break from the happy couples.

The moment the doorbell rings, he takes the chance to get away from it all. Only to come face to face with a beautiful delivery woman who stirs his blood in a way that only a fated mate could.

Donna knows her vision is true the second she meets Magnus’ gaze. Knowing he could send her away before they really get to know each other, she’s careful to hide her true intentions. She wants Magnus to get to know the real her, not just her witchly title.

Magnus has no interest in being tied down to any woman, fated mate be damned. But her sexy confidence and alluring smiles might just have Magnus’ resolve faltering. The moment he has her in his arms, the pull is too strong. He knows giving into his need, even just for the evening, could lead to more than the vampire is willing to give.

Once her true identity is revealed, Magnus must decide whether the sassy, sexy Donna is worth sacrificing his independent bachelor lifestyle for the love of a witch.

Starlight Web by Yasmine Galenorn:

Moonshadow Bay…where magic lurks in the moonlight, and danger hides in the shadows.

One month before January Jaxson turns 41, her husband ditches her for a trophy wife. Adding insult to injury, he steals the business she helped build, and kicks her out during the holidays. So when her best friend Ari suggests she move back to Moonshadow Bay—a quirky, magical town near Bellingham WA—January decides to take the plunge.

Born into a family of witches, January accepts a job at Conjure Ink, a paranormal investigations website. The job’s right up her alley but she doubts that everything reported to Conjure Ink really exists. That is, until she’s sent out on her first case.

An abandoned asylum once housed a murderer, who killed an entire family one Yuletide Eve. It’s rumored that every December he returns to haunt the woodland around the asylum, seeking to add new members to his supernatural family. January’s sure it’s an urban legend, but when new victims show up with no logical explanation for their deaths, Conjure Ink sends her in to investigate. Suddenly January finds herself in over her head, staring directly into the shadowed world of the Veil.

Now, January must not only navigate the new life she’s trying to build, but the paranormal beasties she’s sent out to explore, as well as a hot new neighbor, who seems to be hiding a shadowed past of his own.

Carrie Hatchett's Christmas by J.J. Green:

It’s Christmas! The alien invasion has begun.

Carrie Hatchett’s hoping for a quiet Christmas. She’s got five times as much food as she needs, and she’s made a catnip surprise and a dogfood cake for her pets.

But there’s no rest for Carrie.

An ancient race seems intent on invading Earth. As a Transgalactic Intercultural Community Crisis Liaison Officer, Carrie’s duty-bound to respond to the threat.

The aliens have been spotted at Santa’s Grotto and in a pantomime. Will Carrie find them in time and send them packing before they ruin everyone’s Christmas?

Carrie Hatchett’s Christmas is a standalone novelette in the comedy sci-fi romp Carrie Hatchett, Space Adventurer.

Follow Carrie on her adventures today.

Bringing Christmas to the Dragons by Rinelle Grey:

She may not be a dragon, but it was her humanity they needed right now.

With time running out before his clan’s prince is discovered by mining or killed by enemy dragons, dragon shifter Jayrian needs to convince the elders to accept help from the humans. He hopes that the clever librarian, Gretchen, might be able to help him with that. He didn’t count on falling for her—that wasn’t part of his plan at all.

Gretchen longs for adventure outside of the books she reads in her job as a small town librarian. But not the kind that involves her moving to the big city to take the promotion her Aunt Mary offers. The cute guy who’s been hanging around the library seems far more exciting—there’s just something about him that draws her—so on impulse, she invites him to her family’s Christmas celebration. When a dragon lands on the front of her car on the way there, she wonders if she’s gotten more than she bargained for.

Together they must find a way to save his prince and clan, without sacrificing who they are, or their budding relationship.

Angels and Amulets by Nicole Grotepas:

If there’s a way to spoil something, the villains of the 6 Moons will find it.

There’s no rest for the weary. Just when Holly Drake takes a break from searching for more information about her father, a Christmas-related heirloom vanishes. Sure, it’s Christmas on the 6-Moons, but Holly can’t relax. Neither can her team.

Fate forces them to give up their cozy fires, mulled drinks, and holiday feasts to race across the harsh volcanic terrain of the planet Kota to win back the prize before it's destroyed. If they can’t save the heirloom, the already strained diplomatic relations between humans and the Centau will snap.
If they don’t save Christmas, who will?

Angels and Amulets is a Christmas novella set in the 6 Moons universe.

Meet Douglas Fir by Kyndra Hatch:

People put objects on trees? As a holiday tradition? The singing tree creature is a threat that needs to be eradicated.

Being human isn't easy with robotic alien residents misunderstanding the simple stuff. Alex can't imagine his family life without Bazin and Miaxa, though. Time to show them Christmas holiday traditions, preferably without space aliens blowing things up.

How Aunt Tillie Stole Christmas by Amanda M. Lee:

Fourteen years ago, Christmas hit Walkerville with a bang. Or, rather, a big ball of fire.
When a local group home for orphaned children goes up in smoke right before the holidays, Tillie Winchester volunteers her family to take in some kids – even though her arch nemesis Margaret Little is dead-set against it. Of course, that’s part of the appeal for Tillie so she’s considering it a win.

Three boys – all of them with a little attitude – have no idea what to expect from the Winchester household. No matter what, Tillie is sure they’re about to get more than they bargained for. In short order, they’re welcomed into the family at the same time the town is on edge due to a second fire.

Tillie is determined to prove the boys are innocent while also finding them a forever home … even if she has to take on a local judge and declare all out war to do it.

So, hang your stockings by the fire and sit back for another Christmas with the Winchesters. You’ll never be the same again.

Note: This is a 28,000-word novella set in the Wicked Witches of the Midwest world. It’s set back in the past so it can be read in any order.

Fur-miliar Felines by Harper Lin:

Three witches and their magical cats solve paranormal murder cases in the mystical town of Wonder Falls.

It’s Christmastime, but something strange and sinister is in the air. Treacle, Cath’s courageous black cat, can’t see what it is, but he feels a dangerous presence out there in the snow-blanketed streets.

Aunt Astrid also feels dark ripples in the dimensions. The Greenstone witches suspect this creature is somehow tied to the disappearance of two high school students. Soon, one of them turns up dead, half-eaten.

The holiday spirit is in full effect in Wonder Falls, but so is a puzzling and gruesome murder mystery.

A Mind Reader's Christmas by Al Macy:

Eric Beckman, a mind-reading private investigator, is spending Christmas in snowy Vermont with his wife and daughter. He needs a break from solving cases, but the townspeople convince him to look into the village mystery: Every holiday season, someone switches the baby Jesus with one of the other figures in the town's Nativity scene.

With the help of his ten-year-old daughter, also a mind reader, he soon learns that some of the residents of the small town are not who--or even what--they seem to be. There's something supernatural going on in Newburn, Vermont.

His investigation causes an escalation of strange happenings, and soon, swapped manger figures are the least of the town's worries. If Beckman can't adjust his view of the world--force himself to believe in things he never thought possible--the Christmas vacation could turn out to be his family's last.

A Mind Reader's Christmas may be read as a standalone book or as Book Four in the Eric Beckman series.

The Santa Claus of Mystic Springs by Mona Marple:

What if Father Christmas is on the naughty list?

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas in Mystic Springs, but all is not still or calm with the department store Santa.

The amateur dramatics club is full of big egos and legends-in-their-own-heads, so their spats aren't unusual. But when the theatre owner is shot dead during the Christmas play, it's Santa who pulls the trigger.

With the arrival of an unwelcome ex, a petition to end Discrimination Against Spirits, and a second attack by St Nick, the chances of a quiet Christmas seem to be quickly disappearing.

Has Santa really gone bad? Or is there more to it?

Town medium Connie and her dead sister Sage are both avoiding their own festive conundrums. A mistletoe murder is just the distraction they need.

In Time for Christmas by Monique Martin:

At a time when interest in the Christmas holiday was waning, Charles Dickens wrote A Christmas Carol and inspired the world.

But now, history is changing, and the book is never written. When the Council for Temporal Studies asks time travelers Simon and Elizabeth Cross to "save Christmas," they think he's joking.

But it's anything but a laughing matter. Simon and Elizabeth must go back to 1843 London and convince Dickens to write his endearing story, or the Christmas holiday we all know and love will cease to be--forever.

Christmas in New York by Monique Martin:

Time-Traveling adventurers Simon and Elizabeth Cross return in an all-new Christmas novella!

Along with their young daughter, Charlotte, the Crosses travel back to 1937 New York City to visit an old friend, Charlie Blue. But Charlie's in trouble -- holiday-sized trouble -- and their plans for a pleasant little Christmas vacation soon fly out the window.

Christmas in New York is the fast-paced and heartwarming tale of the true meaning of Christmas -- and the importance of the people we share it with.

A Curse for Christmas by P.A. Mason:

Christmas back home in Arkansas sounded like a chance to put my feet up for a few weeks. Little did I know that a magical calamity would threaten the big day.

You know the real kicker? It was Mom—a renowned magical healer—who came down with a mystery malaise on Christmas Eve. I couldn’t remember a time where she had anything worse than a sniffle. To see her bedridden scared me to my core.

To examine the facts and solve the case, I had to think fast before Mom’s condition got any worse. With a new werewolf beau in her life, half the town of Tumbling Springs were whispering behind Mom’s back, the loudest of them a hex witch with a nasty view of weres. On the other hand, a new business rival in the next town over had Mom’s healing services on the rocks. The question was—did either witch have enough motive to do something as awful as all that to Mom?

If you enjoy paranormal cozy mysteries with a seasonal Christmas flair, this holiday special is for you.

Nutcracker of Crystalfall by Kay L. Moody:

The annual Christmas party was going just fine… until the trolls showed up.

Clara is a young woman who is wickedly good at puzzles, but she also has a secret her parents have shamed her into hiding. The weight of that secret has ruined nearly every happy moment in her life.

At least this year’s Christmas party gets more interesting once a mysterious stranger shows up. He teaches Clara how to crack nuts, wears a soldier’s uniform she’s never seen, and flashes a smile she’ll never forget.

But then a cruel party guest destroys the only gift that matters to Clara. Even worse, trolls appear and try to kill the handsome stranger she only just met. The fight rages into the night. Soon, Clara has to make a choice.

She could finally escape her unloving parents and the dreadful life they have planned for her. It would only take a promise to join an even greater conflict in the magical and dangerous realm of Faerie—a land she previously didn’t know existed.

If she stays home, her happiness will end forever. If she goes to Faerie, a great adventure awaits her…but it might kill her too.

A Little Mistletoe and Magic by Marianne Morea:

Done with grieving the loss of her family, Jenny Mitchell is looking for a fresh start. Life as she knew it is over, but what waits for her in the town of Whisper Falls is more than just quaint charm and an Inn no one wanted. Her near death experience awakens senses she didn't know she possessed. Senses that both scare and fascinate her, especially when they bring her face to face with a sexy, supernatural truth that spells more than just second chance romance. Sparks fly under the mistletoe, and there's no escaping the magic of the season, or the cougar shifter destined to help her through the darkness and mend her broken heart, in this modern twist on a holiday classic.

Christmas in Silver Birch Valley by Lorri Moulton:

A small town has held on to their traditions and celebrates Christmas as if it were 100 years ago...which reporter Jake Logan finds surprisingly charming, but wonders if it's too good to be true.

Jake has traveled the world but never really felt at home, until he spends time in a town that has its own unique way of celebrating the holidays. The longer he stays, the more he comes to like the town, the people, and one charming B&B owner in particular.

Lorna Sullivan has never met anyone like Jake, but she knows tourists don't stay once the holidays are over. The more time she spends with Jake, the easier it is to wonder if this could be different...but there are secrets in every town and this one could destroy their chance at happiness.

Not His Christmas by Annie Nicholas:

It's Eoin and Angie's first Christmas together and he wants to make it special. But his dragoness is lacking holiday spirit and doesn’t want anything to do with celebrating. Does Angie think Eoin is the type of dragon who could ignore her unhappiness? Clipping on his jingle bells and grabbing the mistletoe, Eoin is on a mission.

Snowed in with the Alien Dragon by Sonia Nova

A Christmas without warmth…
Rachel hates her life in Alaska. She hates the weather, but even more, she hates her job which requires her to stay in the sodden state even for the holidays! Instead of going to visit her family in sunny California, she will be spending the holidays alone in the cold north. But when she encounters an unconscious, golden alien on the way home from work – amidst a massive snowstorm to top it all off – it looks like the holidays might not end up as boring as she’d thought after all!

A dragon paralyzed by cold…
Captain Erro of Traag never thought to go down in a battle. Even less did he think to find his mate on the surface of the planet he crashes on! Trapped in the planet’s frozen wasteland, Erro can hardly function in the cold climate. He’s a dragon, for heaven’s sake! He needs some heat! And yet, despite the icy weather seeping into his bones, every time the strangely beautiful alien female smiles at him, his inner flame burns stronger than ever. She is his mate, there is no question about that.

Now, if only he could understand what the hell she was saying…

Snowed in with the Alien Dragon is a standalone sci-fi romance novella with a scorching hot dragon, a HEA and no cliffhangers. Intended for mature audiences only.

When Birdie Babysat Spider: A Jayne Frost Short Story by Kristen Painter:

Welcome to Nocturne Falls, the town that celebrates Halloween 365 days a year.

Jayne Frost is a lot of things. Winter elf, Jack Frost's daughter, Santa Claus's niece, heir to the Winter Throne and now...private investigator. Sort of.

But none of that matters at the moment, because Jayne is headed back to the North Pole to visit her family, and leaving everyone’s favorite werewolf, Birdie Caruthers, to watch her cat, Spider.

With the heartfelt promise that all will be well, Birdie follows Jayne’s instructions to the letter. Unfortunately, that doesn’t stop Spider from getting into trouble.

It takes the help of a gentlemen friend (and a few others), for Birdie to make things right again. But not before her love life takes a very interesting turn…

Flight Before Christmas by Christine Pope:

They’ll have to fly faster than reindeer to rescue Santa…and save Christmas.

Other than the pleasure of etching delicate tendrils of ice on windows, there’s not much Kai Ulfsen enjoys about life under Jack Frost’s rule. But when he’s roped into serving on a strike team to kidnap Santa and destroy Christmas, Kai’s had enough. Frost must be stopped.

Human witches, the only other beings on Earth with magical powers, are his only hope. He never expected his search would lead him a woman with sky-blue eyes and hair like a river of gold.

Stella Monroe is five minutes away from closing up her tea shop for the holiday when a vision of Nordic male perfection fills the doorway. And, even more surreal, this beautiful man with silver hair, aquamarine eyes, and…pointed ears?...needs her help.

Granted, she flies the fastest broom at the Witch Olympics, but is her magic equal to a task like this? But maybe with a little luck — and a bag of pixie dust — Kai and Stella can beat the clock, beat Frost at his own game, and save the happiest holiday of the year.

Jingle Spells by Christine Pope:

Sweet baby Jesus, someone’s stolen a lot of Christmas dough!

All is calm and bright as Globe, Arizona’s holiday celebrations approach. Selena Marx should have known it wouldn’t stay that way. The painted snowflakes on her shop window are barely dry when her best friend, Josie Woodrow, bursts in with news that the baby Jesus is missing from the crèche in front of St. Ignatius.

Selena has enough on her mind without having to use her psychic powers to suss out the culprit. Her boyfriend Calvin Standingbear’s parents are still on the snow-covered fence about accepting her, which throws a dimmer on the town’s highly anticipated Festival of Lights. And when Calvin springs a surprise on the solstice, Selena realizes she has some work to do to reconcile the two men in her life: Calvin, and her cursed cat, Archie.

The last thing she needs is a spontaneous vision that indicates the baby Jesus theft was more than just a prank. And if someone doesn’t spill the beans soon, someone’s getting away with…well, not murder (this time), but a whole lot of dough — and we’re not talking cookies.

The Krampus Hunters by J.P. Reedman:

Krampus, haunter of the dark winter's nights before Yule, comes bearing a switch to beat 'bad children'...

Young Snoefrith, daughter of the Erl-King, leaves her homeland on a quest to find her lost mother...and a life. As she travels in wild, unfamiliar lands, she is accosted by Old Nickor, a red-robed goblin who flies the wintry skies in a sleigh pulled by coal-black deer, and his bestial companion, Krampus. Nickor sets Krampus upon Snowfrith, seeking to capture her to sell to the Kobold King who dwells under the mountains.
Rescued by Red Roo, a feisty girl who is the best archer in the Wandron tribe, Snoefrith believes she is now safe.
But Krampus is determined to capture his prey and please his master, Nickor. Under cover of darkness, he destroys the Wandron's caravans and sends Snoefrith and Red Roo fleeing into the forest and beyond.
Soon they learn that they cannot flee forever.
The hunted must become the hunters....

KRAMPUS HUNTERS

A short fantasy novelette for all ages, 15,000 words.

Joyeux: A Musketeer Space Novella by Tansy Rayner Roberts

There's mistletoe growing out of the walls, it's snowing inside the space station, and a sex scandal is brewing that could bring down the monarchy. Must be Joyeux!

Joyeux on Paris Satellite is a seven day festival of drunken bets, poor decision-making, religious contemplation and tinsel. But mostly, poor decision-making. Athos and Porthos aren't going to sleep together. Aramis is breaking up with her girlfriend because it's that or marry her. Athos is not ready to deal with the ghost of his ex-husband. Oh, and no one wants Prince Alek to break his marriage contract by hooking up with a sexy Ambassador...

It's down to the Musketeers and the Red Guard to save the space station and the solar system from disaster. So... that's not going to end well.

This novella is a festive prequel to Musketeer Space, a genderflipped space opera retelling of The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas.

Created for Christmas by Joynell Schultz:

Need the perfect man? No problem—simply create him!

Ivy wanted nothing more for Christmas than to have someone to come home to...to have a companion to chat about her day with, and someone to show off at her family holiday celebrations.

This Christmas, she's not going to be alone! Ivy decides to create her perfect companion at Dream Droids, the premier robotics company specializing in sentient humanoids. Ivy spends weeks with Dr. Pierce, creating her dream man, from his appearance, personality, and even his knowledge of her life.

There's just a few problems: when a special gift she purchased for her father goes missing, and Dr. Pierce agrees to help her find it, she finds herself falling for him. After getting her heart stomped on by her ex-fiancé, there's no way she can open it up again...besides, she just created the perfect man.

Jingle Starr by Jenny Schwartz:

When a starship decides to play Santa Claus…

Ahab is a mLa’an artificial intelligence embedded in the starship, Orion.

The campaign for AIs to be recognized as full citizens of Galaxy Proper is within reach of its extraordinary goal. The only thing that could stop it now is if an AI did something foolish…like take a space station hostage to save eight orphaned children.

***
And this is the letter to Santa that starts it all:

Dear Santa

I don't know if yourreindeers work in space. But if you have room in your sleigh after you finishdelivering presents to the lucky kids with parents and homes, can you come and getme and my friends? Please?

We've been good. Well,we haven't been really bad. We're on Station Elphame, in the junkyard, and Zoeis sick. She's bad sick. I think she'd be better on a planet. We don't needpresents. We just need a way out of here. Ollie tried to sneak onto atrampship...he died.

Please, Santa, I don'twant any more of my friends to die.

Aiden.

Elves and Deer by Hollis Shiloh:

Greer is a reindeer shifter working at a magical shipping hub up North. He has little use for or understanding of elves—such delicate, short-lived creatures—but he tries to do his best by the ones in his life. And it seems like more and more are coming into his life, confusing and frustrating him, needing help, needing rescued.

Since Greer is always busy, it's easy to overlook the things he doesn't want to acknowledge—until a terrible danger gives him unwanted time to think…and to realize there's just one elf who means more to him than he's ever wanted to admit.

A Christmas tale
38,000 words
Heat level: very low

All I Want for Christmas is Wicked by Lotta Smith:

Trees decorated, stockings full of presents, and another case to crack!

The Rowling family is gearing up for another Merry Christmas, and Mandy has her hands full with holiday prep, but how can she get into the spirit of the season when the victim in her latest case isn’t a ghost?

Twenty years ago, during a Christmas Eve blackout, Kevin Holt, the husband of a rich heiress, lost his memory in a fall down the stairs of their mansion. Now he’s discovered evidence that someone might have been trying to kill him, and all he wants for Christmas is to find out who. Since the resident ghost of the Holt house didn’t witness the attack, Rick and Mandy will have to rely on old fashioned sleuthing (and a little help from Mandy’s paranormal pal Jackie) to find out which of the four suspects is the culprit.

Meanwhile Rick has been saddled with novice investigator Cameron Gibson (call him Ace!) the son of one of USCAB’s wealthiest clients. Ace is trying to catch the creep stalking a New York City fashion model, but despite wanting Mandy to mentor him, one ghostly encounter has him seriously spooked.

A run in with a biker ghost and dancers in danger complicate the case, but the big question on Mandy’s mind is why does little Sophie want a bear trap for Christmas? Find out in this wickedly merry holiday installment of the Paranormal in Manhattan Mystery Series.

Blood and Mistletoe by E.J. Stevens:

Holidays are worse than a full moon for making people crazy. In Harborsmouth, where many of the residents are undead vampires or monstrous fae, the combination may prove deadly.

Ivy Granger, psychic private investigator, returns to the streets of Harborsmouth in this addition to the bestselling urban fantasy series.

Holidays are Hell, a point driven home when a certain demon attorney returns with information regarding a series of bloody murders. Five Harborsmouth residents have been killed and every victim has one thing in common--they are fae. Whoever is killing faeries must be stopped, but they only leave one clue behind--a piece of mistletoe floating in a pool of the victim's blood.

The holidays just got interesting. Too bad this case may drive Ivy mad before the New Year. Heck, she'll be lucky to survive Christmas.

Cloaked in Christmas by T.F. Walsh:

After fleeing her abusive ex, wulfkin Cacey Varg and her daughter settle happily with a new pack in Finland. As Christmas approaches, Cacey learns her ex has found them and is on his way to take their daughter back. But a massive snowstorm prevents her from packing up and leaving town - and instead delivers a sexy stranger to her doorstep. Can she trust that he isn't one of her ex's henchmen?

Second-in-command to Europe's most powerful wulfkin, hunter Vincent Lyall's spur-of-the-moment decision to check on his ailing mother soon finds him marooned at a cabin in the woods by the blizzard of the century. Trapped with this spirited vixen, resisting temptation is easier said than done . . . But she refuses to believe he is who he says he is.

Is love powerful enough to win when two sexy wolf shifters, an unwelcome past, and animalistic urges wreak havoc on the holiday season?
Sensuality Level: Sensual

A Most Apocalyptic Christmas by Phil Williams:

On the night before Christmas, mercenary Scullion’s ride home is ambushed halfway between the last surviving cities in America. Concerned only with getting drunk for the holiday, his attempts to abandon his fellow passengers to bandits lead him on a collision course with a barbaric community who have utterly distorted the seasonal spirit. This is one madcap night he cannot survive alone, challenging his perceptions of the meaning of Christmas.

A Most Apocalyptic Christmas is a near-future dystopian novella, set in a war-ravaged land where chaotic city states are all that are left of once powerful countries. Born fighters like the thug Scullion are the predominant survivors in this desolate world devoid of resources, comforts and hope.

This is a Faergrowe Free State novella, set in the same world of the screenplay The Faergrowe Principle.

Elixirs and Elves by Astoria Wright:

The elves of Mount Vale are throwing a Christmas Party, and they've invited everyone! While the human residents of Moss Hill are excited to attend, many of the sidhe find the invitation beneath them. It's no secret that they dislike mingling with non-faeries, but are they so hostile toward humans that one of them would commit murder? Carissa has never gotten along with the sidhe guard, but Varick of Vale has helped her on occasion. So, when he asks for her help after suspicion falls on him, it's up to her to prove his innocence - if, that is, he isn't guilty after all.