The Night Before Christmas

Here's the beginnings of a Christmas story I'm working on. It is as yet untitled.

***

Dozens of little bodies lay broken on the floor.

She wasn’t aware of what she had done as her attention was riveted to the television screen, where only moments before the Yule Log had been burning brightly and the sound of Bing Crosby dreaming of a white Christmas drifted from the speakers. Never in all her years, of which there were many, had the Yule Log broadcast been interrupted by a newscaster claiming to have breaking news. Until now, that is.

“We interrupt our regularly scheduled programming to bring you this Special Report.” The Network logo that had appeared on the screen was replaced by the view of a newsroom and a rather handsome anchorman. “Christmas Eve,” he said, obviously reading from a teleprompter, “and there’s violence in the streets. Reports are pouring in from all across the country that unprovoked acts of violence have been breaking out, leaving behind a bloody trail of mass murder.” Behind his blond head, a video screen came to life showing a real-time image of Times Square. It was pure chaos. Bodies and paper and plastic shopping bags littered the streets. Panic-stricken last-minute shoppers ran along the Avenue of the Americas, dodging slower-moving people who seemed to be disoriented and turning up side streets in an attempt to get away from. . .

It wasn’t exactly clear what they were running from at first, but then she saw a woman who refused to give up the bags she had fought the masses for take a tumble, tripped up by her day’s purchases. A shambling figure, obviously male, was on her in a heartbeat. At first, she thought the man was attempting to rape the woman he’d fallen on, but when he raised his head she could see the bloody wound at the woman’s neck. Even from the distance, she could see the spray of blood as it coated the sidewalk. The news anchor continued.

“This scene, broadcast live from Times Square in New York City, is being repeated all across the country. There is no known cause for this sudden outbreak of violence. The extent of the violence is so wide spread that the President has declared a state of emergency and has called out the National Guard. People are being advised to stay indoors. Do not, under any circumstance, venture out doors. I repeat, under no circumstance should you go outside. We will keep you apprised of the situation as developments occur. We now return you to our regularly scheduled program.”

The next instant, the Yule Log was burning merrily away again, a stark contrast to the mayhem and murder she had just witnessed, and for just one moment, she was too stunned to do anything but just stand there. Her complexion, normally joyfully ruddy, was pale. The shock of seeing a woman murdered on live television had drained the color from her rosy cheeks. Her hands started to tremble. She reached out for the counter to steady herself, trying to clear her head. Papa needed to know about this. It was too dangerous for him to venture out tonight. Wiping her hands on her apron, she hurried from the kitchen, crushing the broken bodies of the gingerbread men underfoot as she went.

Outside, the snow was starting to fall. It was a light fall, barely more than a flurry, with large flakes swirling gently around. Such was her hurry to inform Papa of the news, she forgot her shawl. Not that she needed it. She, like all of the others that lived and worked here, was immune to the freezing temperatures. The snow had been trampled by hundreds of tiny footprints, and here and there she could see evidence that the sleigh team had passed by the house. In the distance, through the veil of snow, she could see The Factory. The lights were on and smoke was billowing from the numerous chimneys. Even this close to departure time, it was still all a-bustle with activity. Whatever they didn’t complete in time for this year could always be counted towards next year.

She scurried across the snow, driven by the fear of what she had witnessed. Papa had to know what was going on. She reached the door and pushed it open without a moment’s hesitation. The sounds of Alvin and the Chipmunks singing All I Want for Christmas greeted her as she stepped inside, and she winced at the sound. Those little rodents always affected her like nails on a blackboard, but the elves worked best to any song by them, and on Christmas Eve, that particular song played all day long, and to add insult to injury, the elves always felt compelled to sing along. That was enough to drive anybody to commit suicide, but it wouldn’t do her any good. Her blessing – or curse – once she married Papa and moved to this magical land was immortality. If she could die, she knew what her Hell would be. She only had to stay in The Factory for an hour on Christmas Eve to have a small taste of it.
She started to climb the stairs, hoping against hope that Papa hadn’t started hitting the bottle yet because once Papa started drinking there was no talking him out of anything. If the children only knew the real reason for those rosy cheeks and that cherry-like nose, they’d be crestfallen.

There was still hours to go before his scheduled departure, but she kept her back to the wall as she made her way up the stairs to allow room for the elves as they made their way down the steps with sacks of toys to load into the sleigh. While not as big as Papa, her bulk was ample enough that if she wasn’t courteous, the elves would have had to wait until she reached the top. She could have taken the elevator, but that would mean having to make her way across the floor, and this close to departure time, it was a madhouse. Making her way through a minefield would have been less hazardous than trying to get through the over-industrious elves.

At the top of the stairs, she pushed her way through the wave of diminutive bodies flowing towards her and felt like a salmon swimming upstream. Her destination was the source of the swarming elves, an open set of double doors that led onto a gallery that overlooked the work floor. Once through the doors, she looked around, immediately locating her husband. He stood at the railing, supervising the activities below. He seemed oblivious to the events going on behind him, but he, like mothers, seemed to have eyes in the back of his head. Nothing slipped by him. Dressed in a wife-beater t-shirt, his red pants with white ermine trim, and black boots, he never failed to take her breath away. He was as handsome today as the day she married him, and just for one moment she completely forgot the urgency that drove her from the house. His moustache, shoulder-length hair, and beard that fell to mid chest were as white as the snow that covered the northern landscape. The love she felt for him rekindled the fear and she hurried forward.

He turned at her approach, a “Ho, ho, ho,” ready to greet her, but the expression on her face caused the laughter to dry up before it left his mouth. He crossed the floor and met her half way. “What is it, Mama?”

“You have to cancel Christmas, Papa. It’s too dangerous.”

This time the laughter did come out, deep belly laughs that really did make his belly shake like a bowl full of jelly. “Ho, ho, ho! Cancel Christmas? Not a chance.”

Of Angels and Demons

When I found out Rob Thurman had a new series coming out, I grabbed it the minute I saw it. I love her Cal Leandros series and I was curious to see what else she would come up with. The book was published last year, but with any series, I always hold off until the second book is in hand before starting to read. Thus the reason for a delayed review. I also have to admit that, after seeing some of the reviews that were coming out, I was a bit hesitant to give Trick of the Light a chance.

Trick of the Light is set in the same universe as the Cal Leandros series, and a couple of the characters from the Leandros series, while not actually appearing, are mentioned. I had heard through the grapevine that this was the case, and that added another reason to hold off reading until I was totally caught up with the adventures of the Leandros brothers. I didn't want there to be any spoilers. There weren't, so if you are in the process of playing catch up with the Leandros books, you can sneak this in. It won't spoil anything.

The central character of Trick of the Light is Trixa Iktomi, a bar owner, a seller of information, and an occasional demon hunter. Sharing the responsibilities in the running of the bar is Leo, and joining her in her demon hunting are Zeke Hawkins and Griffin Reese, "brothers" in arms. As members of Eden House, a nationwide network of telepaths and empaths working for Heaven and supervised by Angels, Griffin and Zeke make it their mission to exterminate demons, so it's more like Trixa joins them in the demon hunts. For the boys, it's a job; for Trixa, it's personal. She has made it her life's mission to hunt down and destroy the demon who killed her brother.

It is during one of these hunts that Trixa learns of The Light, an ancient artifact that is being sough by both Heaven and Hell, as whoever possesses it will be invulnerable to attacks. While the minions of Above and Below are both looking for it, Trixa plans on being the one to find it, and once it is in her possession, she plans on using it as a bargaining chip to have her brother's murderer turned over to her. Whoever can deliver the demon can have The Light. With the race for The Light now on, both sides put it all on the line in order to be the one to whom Trixa turns over the artifact. The demons attempt to seduce her (there's no such thing as an ugly demon -- not in human form anyway), and the angels show their true colors, proving that they are just as vicious as the demons and are not above killing to get their holier-than-thou mitts on The Light. Playing both sides, will Trixa be able to achieve her goal before being found out?

While I enjoyed Trick of the Light, I was disappointed to find it was not of the same caliber as the Cal Leandros series. Trixa, the central character, for me was the weakest; Griffin and Zeke came across as the stronger characters, and they were the ones who carried the story along, which was interesting as the story is told in the first person from Trixa's point of view.

I also found the first half of the book was not as developed as the second half. There was quite a bit of repetition littered throughout the first half of the story. How many times do we have to be told that Trixa's favorite color is red, or that it was five years ago that Griffin and Zeke first showed up in her bar, running from social services because of something Zeke did. It felt like Thurman hadn't fleshed out Trixa completely in her mind before sitting down to write. The other possibility is that Thurman's weakness in her writing is female characters. Her male characters come across as stronger and more interesting, even the minor ones.

The story itself is interesting and contains a number of twists, some surprising, some not so. I had figured out some of them a quarter of the way through, and the finale kicks some major ass.

Despite what I consider to be obvious flaws, I enjoyed Trick of the Light and I will be reading the next installment, the just-released The Grimrose Path. I'm curious to see where the series is headed, and if there is going to be a Cal Leandros/Trickster crossover. I think it would be amazing to have Cal and Nik teamed up with Zeke and Griff. The mayhem that would ensue would be awesome!

Would I recommend Trick of the Light? Yes, but not if you are reading Rob Thurman for the first time. Consider picking up Nightlife, Book 1 of the Cal Leandros series, first to get a feel for what Thurman is capable of.

The Qwillery: Werewolves and Shapeshifters and a Vlog

The Qwillery: Werewolves and Shapeshifters and a Vlog: "It's all explained in the vlog except the bits that aren't: What: 1 copy of Werewolves and Shapeshifters: Encounters with the Beasts Wit..."

Darkness in the Hearts of Men

Every so often a book comes along that stirs up quite a buzz. You hear people talking about it just about everywhere you go. In many cases, it's a book by an established author who has a huge following and is being pushed by a major publisher as their latest cash cow. Other times the book is by an unknown backed by the money of a major publisher, their latest find, and sometimes it's by an independent author seeking to make a go of it on their own.

Once upon a time, independent authors were only known in small circles because the authors lacked the means and the funds to distribute and market their books. But since the birth of e-books and the self-publishing boom, thanks in part to Amazon's Kindle digital publishing platform, independent authors are beginning to make their mark. One such author is Andrew E. Kaufman, whose debut novel While the Savage Sleeps quickly rose to the Number One spot on Amazon's Kindle Best-Seller List. Among the Kindle forums, it was all that was being discussed. Granted, many self-published novels are lackluster and leave a lot to be desired, as they are either poorly written or in major need of a good editor. Kaufman's novel is not one of these.

Faith, New Mexico, is a sleepy, little town nestled in the valley of two mountains. It can be described as picture perfect, where mom and pop-type stores are in abundance and crime is virtually non-existent, which is why, when the body of Deputy Bradley Witherspoon is discovered, savagely mutilated and strung up like a side of beef, it sends shock waves through the community. And it's only the beginning.

While Sheriff Cameron Dawson races against time to stop the murderer before he/she can strike again, Doctor Kyle Bancroft, a prominent and "gifted" physician in Albuquerque, New Mexico, is being visited by mysterious visions of an old hospital and a little girl who delivers a dire warning: time is running out. As Kyle struggles to make sense of her visions, the body count in Faith continues to climb. Will Kyle be able to figure our the riddle of her visions in time to help Sheriff Dawson before the killer strikes again?

I'm normally not one to follow the herd, so to speak. I've never read a Grisham novel, as he tends to be consumed by the masses. A new one comes out, it's all you see on the train in the morning. I refuse to be one of those people. I read King, I read Koontz, but at the time I started reading them, I was young enough not to know who they were or just how popular they were with the masses. The fact that Kaufman's novel was being billed as a paranormal forensic thriller, I had my doubts. Forensic thrillers? Can't say I'm a fan. Paranormal? Okay, I admit it. Paranormal, supernatural, I'm so there. Numerous 5-star ratings on Amazon? Amazon ratings have burned me in the past, so it didn't really sway me. It's was the buzz online that finally swayed me. And let me tell you. . . I don't know what I was expecting, but what I wasn't expecting was a fast-paced, well-written mystery that I didn't want to put down.

Kaufman has a way of ending each chapter unfinished, prompting you to read on with an urgency, a need to know what happens next. There aren't many writers who can hook me in the first chapter and carry me all the way through to the end. In fact, the only author who has been able to do this to me in the past was early Dean Koontz, and even he seems to have lost something, as I have struggled with his more recent works.

Were there things about While the Savage Sleeps that I didn't like? Yes, but that can be said about every book I read. In recent years, only one book has blown me away so completely that there wasn't a bad thing I could say about it. While the Savage Sleeps comes close to that, and what I didn't like about it wasn't necessarily a bad thing; it just didn't work for me. There was a romance element that seemed out of place with the rest of the story. In my opinion, it didn't fit, but others I have heard from loved that aspect of it. It was the light in the darkness, as Kaufman's novel is dark.

All in all, While the Savage Sleeps is a breakout novel from a promising new author, and Andrew E. Kaufman is definitely a talent to watch out for, and I eagerly await his next novel. I highly recommend checking out While the Savage Sleeps.

The Bastardization of the Classics

A few days ago, I came across something on Twitter that rubbed me the wrong way. A well-known publisher had asked the following question: Which classic/popular literary work do you want to see overrun by zombie hordes? Add your opinion in the latest zombie survey.

When I first read about Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, I admit to being intrigued by the idea. I thought it was novel, taking a classic and "zombie-fying" it, and I was interested to see how the author would approach it. Little did I know -- and maybe I had just read the wrong reviews -- that it was going to be Jane Austen's novel word for word with additions and tweakings to include the zombie hordes. For me, while there was an originality of concept, there was zero artistic creativity. This was more about creative editing than it was about writing. So for the life of me I cannot understand why this book is receiving the rave reviews it has. I would have preferred to see the author rewrite Austen's story in his own words and include the new elements while maintaining the tone of the original work. This, to me, would have been worthy of the reviews it has been receiving.

Now, unfortunately, due to the commercial success of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, we are see a glut of copycats hit the shelves. There's The Undead World of Oz (which I have had the misfortune of reading), The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Zombie Jim, Alice in Zombieland, and War of the Worlds Plus Blood, Guts and Zombies, to name a few. And it hasn't stopped with zombies. There's also Emma and the Werewolves, Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, Android Karenina, and these are just the ones I've heard about. I'm sure there are others, and now a publisher is toying with the idea of adding more?! When is it going to end? Enough is enough. I would love to see these authors apply their creative energies to something original. Leave the classics alone and come up with something new.

WARNING: Being in Love With a Vampire Can Prove Hazardous to Your Health

In a world overrun with books about mortals falling in love with vampires, I was hesitant to chance Neil Benson's Unholy Embrace. I wasn't sure if I was going to encounter a fiasco like the Stephanie Meyer's Twilight tragedy, but taking a deep breath, I braced the waters. I figured it couldn't be any worse. What I got was a pleasant surprise.

Benson's Unholy Embrace is the story of Frank Thornton. When we first meet Frank, he is already firmly ensconced in his relationship with Nessa Harcanu, a centuries old vampire. They are on their way home from a night at the theater when they are attacked by werewolves. Being what she is, Nessa successfully fights them off. It is Frank's first encounter with werewolves, and even though he knows Nessa is a vampire, it is also the first time he has witnessed her vampiric nature surface. It leaves him shaken.

During a cab ride to Nessa's apartment, we are treated to a flashback of how Frank and Nessa first met only three weeks earlier. Their attraction is immediate and, according to Nessa, completely natural. She admits that while she does have to ability to influence a mortal's thoughts, what she and Frank share is free of any vampiric manipulation. Once they arrive at the apartment, Frank wants to know why they were attacked by werewolves. Nessa believes they were sent by a demon she has been hunting. Vampires, werewolves, and demons, oh my! Any normal man would be running for the hills, but Frank's love for Nessa keeps him by her side. Are we sure there are no vampire charms at work here? The thought does cross Frank's mind, but decides he is in this for the long haul. He pressures Nessa to reveal her past. She tells him part of it, enough to make him think about what he is getting himself into. Needing time to think, he leaves, but eventually returns, telling Nessa that he won't cross over to her life, but he can't live without her, but he doesn't want there to be any secrets between them. If being with her is going to be dangerous, he needs to know what he is getting himself into. With a little nudging, Nessa reveals the details of her undead life. While the majority of her life comes across as being non-eventful, one person stands out -- Narice, the bride of her vampire sire. She is out for revenge, wanting Nessa to pay for destroying her "husband."

The balance of the novel is the hunter and the hunted, as Nessa and Frank hunt down the demon preying on New York City, they are in turn hunted by Narice. Do Nessa and Frank survive the encounter with the demon, only to be cut down by Narice? Do they successfully dispatch Narice, only to be destroyed by the demon? You'll have to pick up the book and find out.

Unholy Embrace is Neil Benson's first novel. I enjoyed the tale, but I found it to be a little overly ambitious, which I think is a shame because there is promise here. There is too much going on here for one book: Frank and Nessa's meeting and the building of their relationship, the hunt for the demon, and the pursuit by Narice. In an effort to get this all in, detail is sacrificed for the sake of story. I could very easily have seen this as a trilogy (or more) in the grand scale of Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles, and therein lies the problem with the book.

For me, Frank and Nessa's relationship is rushed. After only three weeks, they are already confessing their undying love for each other. Nessa is very secretive about her past, and the fact that Frank is ready to jump in with both feet without know that much about her makes me seriously doubt Nessa's sincerity when she says there are no vampire wiles involved when it comes to their feelings for each other. I would have preferred to see the relationship progress at a natural pace, with Nessa revealing the details of her life over time. As it stands now, when Nessa tells the story of her life, she glosses over the details like she is recounting a bedtime story. There is a missed opportunity here to bring the character to three-dimensional life, fill in her past with lush detail as if she were actually reliving it. The lack of detail in her account has everything blending together as if it were a matter of days, not centuries. There is no change in the manner in which people speak, and the lack of period details feels like a blank canvas upon which the story unfolds. There is no color or texture. Her years in Budapest blend fluidly to her years in Vienna and Paris and, finally, New York, and there is no sense of time passing. There is enough material here to flesh out a book, but the author did not take advantage of the opportunity.

The hunt for the demon is a story of its own. If the author had chosen to flesh out the details, this could very easily have been a second volume. It could have been hinted at in the first volume, a foreshadowing of things to come. A third volume could have been the hunt for Narice. Narice could have been the thread that tied the books together, an ever-present threatening shadow hanging over our couple. After years of being pursued, Nessa's decision to take the battle to her nemesis and the search for the elusive vampire could fill yet another book.

Taking all this into account, is Unholy Embrace a bad book? Absolutely not. Is it worth reading? Yes. The fact that I am saying that the story could be expanded and fleshed out is a clear indicator that I want to see more. He puts his own spin on the supernatural world, and it's a pleasure to see vampires that have their fangs back, even if she doesn't want Frank to see that side of her, and his werewolves aren't over-sized house pets that want to curl up in your lap. I applaud Neil Benson's efforts in his first novel and hope to see more from him.

Tale of a Body Thief

When last we saw Pepper Martin, Damon Curtis had just crossed over and poor Pepper was nursing a broken heart. Yes, she had fallen in love with her client, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, unless your clients happen to be dead. And that was the one thing all of Pepper's clients had in common. You see, for those of you who aren't familiar with Pepper Martin, she sees -- and hears -- dead people. The down side to this is the dead only show up when they need something, and they won't shut up until Pepper agrees to help them. Which usually means life-threatening situations for Pepper.

Besides mourning the loss of her ghostly boyfriend, she is also puzzled over the appearance of a picture postcard of Graceland Cemetery in Chicago. On the back, one word is written: HELP.

As Night of the Loving Dead opens, Pepper is trying to ease the pain of a broken heart by indulging in a night of passion with Quinn Harrison, one of the two semi-steady living men in her life. There has been some flirtation between her and the detective, and she has decided to take there relationship to the next level. As Quinn tries to arrange a second date, Pepper breaks the news to him that it will have to wait until she gets back. Her boss at the cemetery where she works as a tour guide is sending her to a cemetery conference in Chicago. Pepper is to give a presentation she is unable to give herself because of her daughters are all down with the flu.

From the moment she sets foot in Graceland Cemetery, she is drawn by a feeling of deja vu to one particular mausoleum. She remembers the postcard and pulls it out of her purse. The crypt depicted on the card is the very same one she is now standing before. As she tries to piece the puzzle together, she senses something behind her and turns just in time to see a dark shadow disappear into the trees. Its' presence unsettles her because, while she doesn't know what it was, she knew it wasn't a spirit. As she turns back to face the tomb, she comes face to face with a ghost. From the spirit's attire, she appears to have have been some kind of laboratory technician or some other medical personnel. Her name is -- was -- Madeline Tremayne, and, as it turns out, she is the one who sent the postcard to Pepper. Madeline is rude and insulting, which is a complete turn-off for Pepper. As the ghost is seeking her help, she thinks the spirit should be a little more polite. As she turns to leave, telling Madeline to find somebody else, the ghost drops the bombshell by mentioning Dan Callahan, the other semi-steady living man in Pepper's life. Like it or not, Pepper has to help Dan, who has unknowingly gotten himself involved in some illegal doings that involves the disappearance of homeless people. At the mention of the term homeless, shivers of disgust encase Pepper, as she still has not fully come to terms with the fact that she is now a working girl (not that kind) where she was once was quite wealthy (see Don of the Dead for the back story).

There's more going on than Pepper is being told, as Madeline is not giving her all the information, and as any investigator knows, you cannot launch a full-scale investigation without knowing all of the particulars. Madeline only reveals certain information on a Need-to-Know basis, which leads the reader to believe there is something not quite right with the ghost. While Pepper is charging in to save Dan, and by extension the homeless people, she is caught off guard by the mad Doctor Gerard, who has an obsession with trying to reach those who have passed from this earth. In short, he wants what Pepper's got. He tells Pepper that she will give him what he wants, even if he has to take it against her will. And what it is he wants? Her brain -- as it seems that is the key to Pepper's ability to commune with the dead.

As the book progresses, there are twists and turns and revelations that are guaranteed to thrill. While Pepper's usual fieriness is present, this book takes a darker turn than previous outings with our favorite Detective to the Dead. The dark shadow Pepper spied in the cemetery returns occasionally throughout the book, and we don't find out what it wants until the very end. There's even a point where Pepper falls victim to a body thief, where Pepper and a spirit trade places -- against Pepper's will, of course -- and you are left fearing for Pepper and wondering if this spells the end of our heroine. If she cannot get back into her body, she will fade away into nothingness.

The fact that I love this series surprises even me. I would classify it as chick lit, which I normally stay away from, but I can't get enough of Pepper. Casey Daniels has created in Pepper Martin an unlikely heroine, a spoiled rich girl who at first glance cares only for herself, but beneath her ample bosom beats a heart of gold. She is bold and brassy, a real spitfire who is guaranteed to warm your heart and and show you a thrilling time. Feeling bored? Pick the lady up, take her to your favorite coffee shop, and you will forget all about everything else.

While my favorite of the series so far is Tombs of Endearment, Night of the Loving Dead would be my second favorite if only for the darker turn the book takes. It makes it stand out from the previous books and makes me curious as to what future books in the series will be like. Should you decide to take a chance on the Pepper Martin mysteries, keep in mind that the current book picks up almost immediately after the last one left off, so they should be read in order. Pepper Martin makes her debut in Don of the Dead, in which we find out that high heels, tree roots, and uneven cemetery grounds do not make for a good mix. She trips and hits her head on the corner of a mausoleum and awakens with her Gift (Curse?). Her misadventures continue in The Chick and the Dead, in which she agrees to help a spirit prove that a critically acclaimed book was not written by the woman claiming to have written it; Tombs of Endearment, in which Damon Curtis, once the hottest thing on the music scene, wants Pepper to prove that his former band mate murdered him; Night of the Loving Dead; Dead Man Talking; and the newly released Tomb With a View.