During my childhood Advent was a special time of the year. As our devout Episcopal parents observed all the seasonal rites Harriet and I behaved well enough to stay on the nice list, helped bake and decorate cookies and trim the tree, sent our lists to Santa, and waited forever for the big day. Eugene and I made sure our children had similar experiences except much less religion. We really enjoyed watching the seasonal TV programs together.
Violent Advents: A Christmas Horror Anthology puts a whole different spin on the season. It's a literary Advent calendar. Only each day instead of opening a door and receiving a small candy 🍬 or miniature toy you get transported to realms where everything traditionally merry and bright becomes gruesome and malevolent. These are holiday stories you won't want the kids to get their hands on.
*In There's Gnome Place like Home for the Holidays an ugly ornament with homicidal intentions hidden in a bag of glittery decorations comes to menacing life. Maybe Belle and Nicole shouldn't have waited till the last minute to do their Christmas decor shopping.
*A tree decoration also figures prominently in The Ornament. Fifteen years ago at an extended family holiday gathering Jenna had slain her mother and grandmother, supposedly told to do so by a malevolent entity trapped in a silver ball. Now the family has gathered, Jenna is back, and the silver ball has been unpacked. Is history going to repeat itself?
*Have you put your tree up yet? Most of us have nothing to worry about beyond our season's beloved symbol being knocked over by a rambunctious dog or climbing cat. Certainly not being devoured by it.
*Two of my favorites are A Slay Ride, With Skeletal Remains and Emuki. In the former a man who takes his neighbor's car for a Christmas Eve joy ride learns that he's made a very bad mistake. In the latter a little girl comes face to face with with the entity who punishes children who open their presents 🎁 early.
And there are so many more genre gems. If you're a true chiller lover you'll find Violent Advents to be the literary equivalent of a box of the really good gourmet Christmas chocolates. Mmm mmm good.
On a purrrsonal note, we had snow ❄️ last night. Now that the stage is set for a white Christmas I don't want to see a flake until next Thursday. Christmas just doesn't feel like Christmas unless I can see my kids.
A great big shout out goes out to all the very talented writers who contributed to this most excellent anthology.
And here's another really good reason to buy a copy: all royalties go to the British Heart Foundation and the American Heart Association.
Jules Hathaway
Sent from my U.S.Cellular© Smartphone
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