Cora Buhlert's Blog, page 76

Science Fiction Is Dying Again – The Hopepunk Edition

Science fiction sure dies a lot. It’s been regularly dying every year or so ever since it emerged as a separate genre (here is a recent example courtesy of Chinese science fiction author Liu Cixin in Der Spiegel) and yet it somehow always manages to survive. Just as WorldCon, the Hugos, fandom, traditional publishing and Barnes & Noble have been dying for years now and are all still around somehow. As we say in Germany, those declared dead live longer.

And now science fiction is dying again. Or rather, it already died in the 1980s and has been shambling along like a mirroshaded cyberpunk zombie ever since. For inspired by the hopepunk debate that broke out in late December (chronicled here), Lee Konstantinou weighs in on cyberpunk, hopepunk, solarpunk and the state of science fiction in general as part of Slate‘s future tense project (found via File 770). And this is one case where I wish I could use the German phrase “seinen Senf dazugeben” (literally “add their mustard”) instead of the more neutral English “weigh in”. Because Lee Konstantinou absolutely adds his* mustard, regardless whether anybody actually wants mustard or whether mustard even fits the dish.

Konstantinou’s post is very much an expanded summary of the various Twitter criticisms of hopepunk that I chronicled in my earlier post. For starters, he takes issue with the tendency to create new SFF micro-niche-subgenres by adding the suffix “-punk” to random nouns. Now I freely admit that the proliferation of punk-suffix genres is somewhat ridiculous, as my 24 page list of punk suffix genres with examples and explanations proves. And Konstantinou even indentified a punk suffix genre I missed (even though I have committed it), namely Trumppunk. But as I said in my earlier post, the cyberpunks themselves started the proliferation of punk suffix genres, when they coined steampunk. And with all the damage they’ve done, they certainly deserve having their suffix appropriated for all sorts of micro-genres.

Besides, speculative fiction is not just flooded with punk suffix genres. Quite often, a new movement or genre niche will coin a name for itself that calls back to some earlier movement or micro-genre. Just adding “new” to the original subgenre name is popular, if a tad unimaginative, and gave us such gems as the New Weird or the New British Space Opera and of course, the granddaddy of them all, the New Wave, which in turn beget a number of other waves such as the Next Wave or the Human Wave. Speculative fiction folks like to mix and match and combine terms to come up with new genre classifications and other neologisms. Even cyberpunk itself was such an accidental coinage, as Lee Konstantinou explains, coined not by the usual suspects like Bruce Sterling or William Gibson, but by Bruce Bethke and popularised by the late Gardner Dozois who favoured cyberpunk over various rival terms for the new movement/subgenre that was emerging in the early to mid 1980s.

But Lee Konstantinou’s article goes beyond complaining about a lack of imagination in naming speculative fiction subgenres and movements. No, he takes issue with the very existence of hopepunk, solarpunk, biopunk, nanopunk, steampunk, clockpunk and all the rest, because to him this means that speculative fiction hasn’t sufficiently advanced since the 1980s and is still stuck in variations of the cyberpunk mode. Here is a quote:

Yet I have come to suspect these punk derivatives signal something more than the usual merry-go-round of pop culture. These punks indicate that something is broken in our science fiction. Indeed, even when they reject it, these new subgenres often repeat the same gestures as cyberpunk, discover the same facts about the world, and tell the same story. Our hacker hero (or his magic-wielding counterpart) faces a huge system of power, overcomes long odds, and finally makes the world marginally better—but not so much better that the author can’t write a sequel. The 1980s have, in a sense, never ended; they seem as if they might never end. […] If we’re still drawn to cyberpunk, that might be because 2019 is far more like 1982 than we’d care to admit.

Now speaking as someone who actually remembers the 1980s, nope, the 1980s and the 2010s are not very similar. There are certain superficial parallels, of course. Both periods were characterised by an intense concern about the environment, though in the 1980s we were worried about acid rain, nuclear disasters and the ozone hole, while nowadays we’re more worried about climate change, which wasn’t that big a topic in the 1980s yet, though it was certainly around. Both periods saw a lot of angst about the loss of old industries, the same industries even (and you’d figure that almost forty years after Bruce Springsteen sang, “They said these jobs are going and they ain’t coming back” people would finally get it). Both periods had a less than sane president in the White House, though Donald Trump makes Ronald Reagan look like a paragon of reason, and an unpleasant woman with a horrible dress sense in No. 10 Downing Street (difficult to say who is worse, Thatcher or May. They’re both terrible). But the Communist bloc and the iron curtain, which very much defined the world of the 1980s, are gone for good, though what came after is just as problematic in many cases. The twin spectres of nuclear annihilation and AIDS, which hung like the Sword of Damocles over much of the 1980s, have not been banished, but at least tamed. The world is a much better place now for women, people of colour and LGBT folks, though still far from perfect, and the sheer neverending, unchanging leadeness of the 1980s that partly even stretched into the 1990s is finally gone.

As for cyberpunk, yes, it is still with us, though by now it has become a quasi-nostalgic retrofuturist setting. It’s no longer the message, but furniture for science fiction that tells the kind of stories that the original cyberpunks ignored. And that’s all right. Cyberpunk still has stories to tell, they’re just different and in many ways more diverse stories than before. Ditto for cyberpunk’s first spin-off subgenre steampunk. It’s going a lot stronger now than when the term was first coined in the late 1980s (though steampunk as a discrete subgenre existed before it was named) and it’s long moved beyond “What if Charles Babbage and Ada Lovelace had been able to built the difference engine?” and has embraced fantasy and horror and is in the process of breaking free from the unexamined colonialism of early steampunk efforts. In many ways, steampunk is following the trajectory of its parents subgenre and is becoming an aesthetic, genre furniture, a canvas upon which all sorts of stories can be told.

As for the many, many other punk suffic subgenres, a whole lot of them were not even direct responses to cyberpunk at all. The various historical punk genre – dieselpunk, clockpunk, transistorpunk, atompunk, mannerpunk, romanpunk, cavepunk, jazzpunk, etc… – are reactions to and derivatives of steampunk, not cyberpunk.  As for solarpunk and hopepunk, the two punk suffix subgenres whose existence so infuriates Lee Konstantinou, neither of them is a direct reaction to cyberpunk either.

Hopepunk stands in opposition to grimdark, not cyberpunk and indeed cyberpunk can also be hopepunk. Flawed as the movie is, I’d argue that Blade Runner 2049 is cyberpunk doing hopepunk, because it ends on a hopeful note (so does the original, for that matter).  Ditto for Brooke Bolander’s novelette And You Shall Know Her By The Trail Of Dead…, which is a story about friendship, trust and love triumphing against all odds, i.e. very much a hopepunk story, which just happens to use the genre furniture of cyberpunk. Solarpunk, meanwhile, is mainly a response to steampunk, which celebrates renewable energy just as steampunk celebrates coal, steam and combustion energy. It also bleeds over into hopepunk on occasion. Finally, there is a whole lot of science fiction which neither calls itself anythingpunk nor is in any dialogue with cyberpunk at all, because science fiction is as broad and diverse as it ever was.

But Lee Konstantinou’s problem isn’t so much with science fiction micro-genre nomenclatura, instead his main complaint is the old familiar stand-by, frequently skewered in these pages, that “other people are doing science fiction wrong”. It’s not just that they are writing cyberpunk derivatives, even if they’re not, it’s that they are not writing the sort of science fiction Konstantinou wants them to write. And what kind of science fiction would that be? Thankfully, Konstantinou is kind enough to tell us:

But if this is your choice, if you’re writing science fiction that decides on its attitude toward the future in advance of doing the work of imagining that future, you’re not heeding the most ambitious calling of the genre. You’ve substituted the hunt for a cool new market niche for the work of telling compelling stories that help us think rigorously about how we might make a better world, or at the very least better understand where our world might be heading. If, instead, you retain the hope of writing fiction that confronts readers with new ways of thinking about their relationship to the future—our future—you may need to drop the -punk suffix.

Now “telling compelling stories that help us think about how we might make a better world” sounds very much like the definition of both hopepunk and solarpunk. And ironically, Konstantinou first accuses solarpunk of being an aspirational subgenre, a “suggestion for the kind of science fiction or fantasy we ought to be writing”, before complaining that it doesn’t tell the kind of stories Konstantinou wants the genre to tell.

But what bothers Konstantinou isn’t so much that subgenres like hopepunk and solarpunk try to imagine building a better world, but that they’re doing it wrong. Here is another quote:

We are still, in many ways, living in the world Reagan and Thatcher built—a neoliberal world of growing precarity, corporate dominance, divestment from the welfare state, and social atomization. In this sort of world, the reliance on narratives that feature hacker protagonists charged with solving insurmountable problems individually can seem all too familiar. In the absence of any sense of collective action, absent the understanding that history isn’t made by individuals but by social movements and groups working in tandem, it’s easy to see why some writers, editors, and critics have failed to think very far beyond the horizon cyberpunk helped define. If the best you can do is worm your way through gleaming arcologies you played little part in building—if your answer to dystopia is to develop some new anti-authoritarian style, attitude, or ethos—you might as well give up the game, don your mirrorshades, and admit you’re still doing cyberpunk (close to four decades later).

In this paragraph, Konstantinou sounds eerily like those leftwing cultural critics from the 1970s who judged every single piece of pop culture with regard whether its aim was raising the consciousness of the working class and promoting socialism. If the book/film/TV show/comic book in question did not raise the consciousness of the working class or did not raise it in the approved way, it was condemned as distracting escapism at best and dangerously fascist at worst, whereby all that was needed to declare a piece of pop culture fascist was the presence of a blond and blue-eyed heroic character. These folks even declared poor Captain America fascist, which makes Hulk smash and Steve Rogers cry.

I encountered watered down versions of this 1970s leftwing pop culture criticism at school, used by teachers to denigrate their students’ favourite books, films, TV shows, etc… (because that’s such a great method to foster a love of reading). And later at university, I came across the originals in all their seventiestastic glory. Therefore, whenever I hear someone complaining that current science fiction is too escapist and doesn’t raise the readers’ consciousness, I always roll my eyes and think, “The Seventies called and they want their pop culture criticism back”.

Besides, Lee Konstantinou is wrong, because both hopepunk and solarpunk are actually community minded and stress the importance of working together to achieve goals and make the world a little better. Though I suspect that like many of those who criticise hopepunk, Konstantinou never read beyond Aja Romano’s fairly superficial summary article at Vox and thus isn’t aware of Alexandra Rowland’s much more detailed and political explanation.

The article is part of Slate‘s “future tense” series and the contributors to that series are usually fairly high profile. But the name Lee Konstantinou didn’t ring a bell and so I got curious and clicked on his profile and found three other articles/stories by him, two about universal basic income and how science fiction isn’t tackling income inequality and one about drones.

Now I’m sceptical about universal basic income for reasons that are too complicated to go into here (the short version is that I believe it will have unintended effects that undermine what it’s trying to do), but nonetheless it is a viable subject for science fiction. And indeed, there is quite a lot of science fiction – all of which seems to have passed Konstantinou by – which addresses the subject, though usually framed as a dystopia (well, science fiction has always been full of libertarians). In The Expanse, the vast majority of Earth’s inhabitants don’t have jobs and live on some form of universal basic incomes, which gets them labelled “parasites” by the ever charming Bobbie Draper character (Honestly, I’m stunned that so many people seem to like Bobbie Draper. From what I’ve seen halfway through season 2 of The Expanse, she’s a horrible person). The Admiral series by Sean Danker (which is really good, by the way) is set in a galactic empire where once again the vast majority of inhabitants live on some kind of universal basic income and the protagonist’s eagerness to escape that life is what sets the plot in motion. For a more positive view, the Federation in Star Trek clearly has some form of universal basic income, though we don’t learn how it works, because we know very little what life is like for Federation citizens who are not members of Starfleet. Is there room for more? There always is and indeed, a less overtly dystopian examination of universal basic income would be a welcome change.

However, what annoys me about Lee Konstantinou’s article and plenty of other variations on “You’re doing science fiction wrong” is that these complaints inevitably want science fiction to address only the author’s pet topic and promote only the author’s pet cause. However, science fiction’s job is not to prepare us for living in the future, address income inequality and promote universal basic income, promote Socialism, Capitalism, Libertarianism or any other political movement, raise awareness of global warming and climate change, warn of the nuclear apocalypse, overcome non-binary gender, inspire young people to go into STEM careers lest the Nazis/Soviets/Chinese pull ahead of the Western world, etc… Science fiction can do all of those things and more and indeed, it often does them to great effect. But if someone just wants to write an adventure, a mystery or a love story in space or on a foreign planet or in a cool, neon-drenched cyberpunk future without any additional agenda, that perfectly fine as well. Science fiction’s primary purpose is to tell stories. Messages are great, but optional. Not to mention that a lot of readers and critics completely fail to notice messages that don’t concern them and/or confirm their worldview.

Now I consider myself a political person and my politics certainly seep into my writing. It would be impossible for them not to. But it annoys me if people insist that I should only write science fiction that fits whatever their agenda du jour is. Because my job is telling stories. It’s not promoting universal income, raising awareness of climate change (though I have written climate change stories), warning of the nuclear apocalypse (though again I have done this at least twice), telling people how they will live in the future, inspiring young people to go into STEM careers, etc… All these are fine and noble subjects for science fiction, but they’re not the only ones. And I will write whatever the hell I want.

Finally, I’d like to link to David Gerrold’s reaction to Lee Konstantinou’s article, shared by Chris M. Barkley in the comments at File 770. Because the man is right. Science fiction isn’t broken or dying, it’s doing just fine.

*Yes, “he” is the correct pronoun. I checked.

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A handy guide to all SFF-related posts and works of 2018

I tend to feel uncomfortable with eligibility posts, but I posted such an overview for the first time in 2016, when someone added my name to the Hugo Nominations Wiki. And since I did it the past two years, I decided to make an overview post for 2018 as well.

So if you’re interested in what I write, here is an overview of all SFF related blogposts of 2018, in chronological order, as well as a list of all the SFF fiction I published.

At this blog:

“USS Callister” and the Successful Mutiny Against Toxic Masculinity
Star Trek Discovery – Through the Looking Glass and into even more Grimdarkness
Star Trek Discovery – The Anti Star Trek in the Mirror Universe
Star Trek Discovery – Nor with even more Shocking Twists (TM) and a Side Order of Fried Rubberhead
Cora guestblogs elsewhere and remembers Ursula K. Le Guin.
Star Trek Discovery – Still dishing out Shocking Twists (TM), but at least no one has eaten Saru this week.
Star Trek Discovery and the American Cult of Guilt and Redemption
In Defence of Wallpaper Science Fiction
The Star Trek Discovery Season Finale or “Hey, we finally remembered we’re making Star Trek and not Game of Thrones in Space.”
Some Thoughts on the 2017 Nebula Award Nominees.
The Other Star Trek Show: Some Thoughts on The Orville
Some Thoughts on the 2018 Oscars and their appreciation for SFF films.
Some Thoughts on the Hugo Award Finalists, Part I: The 1943 Retro Hugos
Some Thoughts on the Hugo Award Finalists, Part II: The 2018 Hugos
A Triple New Release and Some Thoughts on Cozy Space Opera
Some Reactions to the 2018 Hugo Award Finalists.
Some Thoughts on Season 1 of The Expanse.
Remembering Wolfgang Völz (1930 – 2018)
Some Comments on the 2017 Nebula Award Winners
The July Short Story Challenge 2018 – 31 Stories in 31 Days
Convention Programming in the Age of Necromancy – A Short Story
The 2018 Dragon Award Nominees and the Rise of the Kindle Unlimited Writing Factories
Some Comments on the 1943 Retro Hugo Award Winners.
Comments on the 2018 Hugo Award Winners.
Reactions to the 2018 Hugo Award Winners
In Memoriam Dieter Thomas Heck
More Reactions to the 2018 Hugo Awards and Other WorldCon 76 Links
Cozy Space Opera, Cozy Mysteries and the Domestic Sphere
Comments on the 2018 Dragon Award Winners
Two and a Half New In Love and War Stories Available
Cozy Space Opera with Food: “The Taste of Home”, a new “In Love and War” Story
Chuck Wendig, James Gunn, Chelsea Cain and the Silencing of Creatives
Murder under the Mistletoe 2018 – A Round-up of the Best Indie Holiday Mysteries and Crime Fiction
Magic Under the Mistletoe 2018 – A Round-up of the Best Indie Holiday Speculative Fiction
The Hopepunk Debate
as well as twelve issues each of Indie Speculative Fiction of the Month and Indie Crime Fiction of the Month.

At Galactic Journey:

The Future in a Divided Land – An Overview of Science Fiction in East and West Germany, Part 1
The Future in a Divided Land – An Overview of Science Fiction in East and West Germany, Part 2.
The Future in a Divided Land – An Overview of Science Fiction in East and West Germany, Part 3
The Silent Star: A Cinematic Extravaganza from Beyond the Iron Curtain
Jim Knopf and Lukas the Train Engine Driver by Michael Ende: A Classic in the Making
Mourning on Two Continents
A Not Unpleasant Ordeal: Ordeal in Otherwhere by Andre Norton
Spaceman’s Punch (Raumfahrer Bowle)

Elsewhere:

“Month of Joy: Cooking and a Recipe” at the Skiffy and Fanty Show.
“Review: Terror at the Crossroads – Tales of Horror, Delusion and the Unknown, edited by Emily Hockaday and Jackie Sherbow” at File 770.
Interview at the Thrills and Mystery podcast.
I also co-run the Speculative Fiction Showcase , a group blog focussed on indie SFF, and the Indie Crime Scene , a blog focussed on indie mysteries, crime fiction and thrillers.

Fiction (SFF only):

Freedom’s Horizon (short novel)
Double-Cross (short story)
Blaster of Forever (short story)
Hunter and Hunted (novella)
The Shantytown Robin Hoods (short story)
Evacuation Order (novella)
Collision Course (novelette)
The Taste of Home (novelette)
The Bakery on Gloomland Street (novelette)
The Mermaid of Foghorn Point (short story)
The Standarounds of Twilight Gardens (short story)

Poetry:

“The Mystery of the Compost Heap” in Umbel & Panicle, No. 11, Hybrid

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And the 2018 Darth Vader Parenthood Award for Outstandingly Horrible Fictional Parents goes to…

I actually meant to do this yesterday, but New Year’s Eve was kind of busy, so I will announced the 2018 winner of the coveted (not) Darth Vader Parenthood Award for Outstandingly Horrible Fictional Parents on the first (well, second, since it just turned midnight) day of 2019 instead.

I have been informally awarding the Darth Vader Parenthood Award since sometime in the 1980s with the earliest awards being retroactive. Over the years, the list of winners migrated from a handwritten page via various computer file formats, updated every year. Last year, I finally decided to make the winners public on the Internet, because what’s an award without some publicity and a ceremony? The list of previous winners (in PDF format) may be found here, BTW.

In some years, the race for the Darth Vader Parenthood Award is close and we have had several years of joint wins as well as several honourable mentions. But in 2018, there really was no question who would win. A forerunner emerged early in the year and was so monstrous that there really was no contest.

And so the winners of the 2018 Darth Vader Parenthood Award for Outstandingly Horrible Fictional Parents is:

Drumroll

Thanos

Created by Jim Starlin and portrayed by Josh Brolin in Avengers: Infinity War, everybody’s least favourite purple murder eggplant (as someone on Twitter fittingly called him), not only tortured both his adoptive daughters, after murdering their biological parents, and murdered the one daughter he really seemed to care about, no, he also went on to finger-snap half the population of the universe, including his daughter’s boyfriend and most of her best friends, out of existence.

Such outstanding villainy deserves a reward and so Thanos is the undisputed winner of the 2018 Darth Vader Parenthood Award for outstandingly horrible fictional parents.

This is Thanos’ second win after a joint win with his fellow mass murdering cosmic entity Ego the Living Planet in 2017. This puts Thanos on par with the other two double winners Anakin Skywalker a.k.a. Darth Vader himself and Victor Creed a.k.a. Sabretooth (as well as Howard Stark with two honourable mentions for rank incompetence as a father) and one win behind all-time champion Tywin Lannister with three wins.

Thanos himself was not available for comment nor did he pick up his award in person, since he apparently retired to an unknown planet to take up horticulture.

Looking ahead at this year, the question is whether Thanos will do it again and win the triple, once he returns from retirement in Avengers: Endgame. Or will Ambassador Sarek of Vulcan finally win more than an honourable mention, when Star Trek Discovery returns this year? Or will our next winner be a dark horse, emerging out of nowhere?

You’ll find out the answer in this space.

 

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Happy New Year 2019 – and some links

First of all, a happy new year to everybody who reads my blog! My 2019 bring you health, happiness and success!

Here in Germany, 2019 is already a little more than three hours old and so far, the year is looking good. Not that it had much chance to cause trouble yet.

I’ve done the party thing and the “standing on the market place in the cold, while people randomly launch fireworks all around” thing in the past, but these days I prefer a quieter new year’s eve. And so I went to a local Thai restaurant for dinner with my parents. The place was pretty full, mostly with elderly people, and the staff was very busy. Nonetheless, everybody seemed happy except for the guy at the table next to ours.

Honestly, this dude was a pain. He was clearly trying to impress his date and get into her knickers and he was incredibly annoying about it, too. Kept bragging about all the places he had supposedly visited and rattled off facts about the hotel Bayrischer Hof in Munich, which he had clearly found on the internet. Honestly, the dude was showing his date pics from the hotel website on his smartphone. He also took exception to the Mai Tai he and his date had ordered at the restaurant (“Too much alcohol” – Dude, it’s a bloody Mai Tai. It’s supposed to contain alcohol.) and kept telling his date how wonderful the Mai Tais at the Trader Vic’s restaurant in the basement of the hotel Bayrischer Hof were. Now I have no doubt that Trader Vic’s knows how to mix a Mai Tai – the drink was invented there after all (not at the Munich branch, though). But if the Trader Vic’s in the basement of the Bayrischer Hof in Munich is so great, why didn’t he take his date there rather than to a suburban Thai restaurant in Bremen? Probably because he’s never actually been there and only learned about it from the website. I honestly considered tripping him up by launching into a discussion of tiki bars, especially since I’ve actually been to one, though that was a long time ago.

But his bragging wasn’t the worst thing about the guy. No, he was also rude to the wait staff, which should be a huge red flag for everybody on a date. You see, the wait staff was too slow for his tastes – on a busy new year’s eve – and one of the servers, not a regular, got confused about who had ordered which wine. In short, the sort of hiccups that happen on busy days. I honestly hope that his date didn’t fall for his crap.

But now, let’s take a look at the food:

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Here is the starter: Tom yum soup and spring rolls.

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The main course was, from left to right: Vegetable coconut curry, pork in xa-cha auce and crispy chicken with peanut sauce.

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And here is dessert: Baked lychees with ice cream.

By half past ten, we were home. I spent the time until midnight at my laptop and then we had the traditional champagne and fireworks.

So have some more photos:

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A potted four leaf clover plant and two pigs, a toadstool and a chimney sweeper for good luck.

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A stiking blue champagne bottle and three glasses waiting for midnight.

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And here is a glass of champagne for a hearty “Prosit Neujahr!”

My parents live in a fairly quiet suburban neighbourhood, but nonetheless the neighbours (well, some of them, at any rate) pulled out all the stops regarding fireworks.

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New year’s night fireworks in our neighbourhood.

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More new year’s night fireworks.

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And even more fireworks. The folks living a bit down the street had a lot of fireworks batteries.

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Another fireworks battery creates a spectacular display.

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This was one of our rockets, which I managed to capture in the moment it exploded.

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One thing that’s easy to forget about fireworks is that they generate a lot of smoke. Here the smoke, the streetlamp and the fireworks combine into an unearthly blue glow.

I also shot a short video of the fireworks in our neighbourhood. You can see it below:

But I also promised you some links and here they are. For I’m not just posting on my own blog tonight, I’m also elsewhere on the web.

At the retro science fiction blog Galactic Journey, where 1964 has only just begun, I have a review of Andre Norton’s 1964 (according to the copyright date – it apparently was published in late 1963) science fantasy novel Ordeal in Otherwhere up today. Believe it or not, this was my first Andre Norton novel, since her works were not easy to come by in Germany when I was younger. I enjoyed it quite a bit. In many ways, it felt surprisingly modern for a 55 year old novel – a competent female protagonist, a male lead of colour, some positively psychedelic scenes, commentary on gender relationships – in others it felt very old-fashioned with rocketships straight out of a vintage B-movie and a curiously sexless universe. If you want to know more, hop over to Galactic Journey and read the full review. Oh yes, and if you’re a member of either WorldCon 76 and WorldCon 77 and therefore eligible to nominate for the 2019 Hugos, consider Galactic Journey for best fanzine.

But I don’t have just one article at Galactic Journey today, I have two, because I also share my grandmother’s vintage 1960s recipe for spaceman’s punch a.k.a. Raumfahrer Bowle. There’s even a delightful Frank Kelly Frears illustration to go with the recipe. I said I was going to share more family recipes and what better way to start than with a crowdpleasing punch? Coincidentally, after all the talk of Mai Tais at the neighbouring table tonight, I noticed that Mai Tai and spaceman’s punch actually share quite a lot of ingredients.

What is more, issue 11 of the botanical themed poetry and art zine Umbel & Panicle also came out today. The theme of the issue is “Hybrid” and it includes poetry by Casey Williams, F.E. Clark, Kelly Heard, Lisa Kiew, Tiana Coven, Emma Cairns Watson and me and stunning photos by Paul Weimer, Elizabeth Fitzgerald and Harshal Desai. My poem, “The Mystery of the Compost Heap”, is here. But read the whole issue and enjoy the poems and photos.

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Indie Speculative Fiction of the Month for December 2018

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 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 epic fantasy, urban fantasy, cozy fantasy, grimdark fantasy, military fantasy, children’s fantasy, paranormal romance, paranormal mystery, space opera, military science fiction, science fiction romance, science fantasy, Steampunk, Cyberpunk, LitRPG, sword and sorcery, horror, non-fiction, time travel, a lot of holiday stories, vampires, witches, ghosts, dragons, robots, asteroid miners, space pirates, alien invasions, airships, enchanted swords, Krampuses, mermaids, tech mages, enslaved princes, valkyries and much more.

Don’t forget that Indie Speculative Fiction of the Month is also crossposted to the Speculative Fiction Showcase, a group blog run by Jessica Rydill and myself, which features new release spotlights, guest posts, interviews and link round-ups regarding all things speculative fiction several times per week.

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:

Minimum Wage Magic by Rachel Aaron:

The DFZ, the metropolis formerly known as Detroit, is the world’s most magical city with a population of nine million and zero public safety laws. That’s a lot of mages, cybernetically enhanced chrome heads, and mythical beasties who die, get into debt, and otherwise fail to pay their rent. When they can’t pay their bills, their stuff gets sold to the highest bidder to cover the tab.

That’s when they call me. My name is Opal Yong-ae, and I’m a Cleaner: a freelance mage with an art history degree who’s employed by the DFZ to sort through the mountains of magical junk people leave behind. It’s not a pretty job, or a safe one–there’s a reason I wear bite-proof gloves–but when you’re deep in debt in a city where gods are real, dragons are traffic hazards, and buildings move around on their own, you don’t get to be picky about where your money comes from. You just have to make it work, even when the only thing of value in your latest repossessed apartment is the dead body of the mage who used to live there.

Fringe Legacy by Rachel Aukes:

It’s a new age of heroes and sacrifices.

The colonies won their independence.

But they are not at peace.

New enemies come at the fragile Alliance of Free Colonies. Assassination attempts. Kidnappings. Murder.

When Aramis Reyne is nearly killed, he turns the tables and hunts the hunters. He learns things are not as they seem. When Critch disappears, he must make an impossible rescue.

If Reyne fails, the Alliance will fall. War will claim the colonies once again.

The race is on and time is running out.

Flights of Fancy: The Great Atlantic Run by Cameron Jon Bernhard:

Join Captain Fancy and the crew of the Persephone as they take to the clouds in this riveting steampunk adventure.

The Great Atlantic Run is more than a passport to high-flying thrills and excitement; it’s a perilous two-day marathon over the ocean, where only the fast and strong survive. In a journey fraught with air pirates, rough weather and international spies, the risks are sky-high. The rewards, fame and fortune.

Take off on the voyage of a lifetime as you explore a grand world of flying ships, steam-powered machines, and incredible characters. Flights of Fancy is a fast-paced, unforgettable yarn as limitless and unpredictable as imagination itself.

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.

[image error] The Mermaid of Foghorn Point by Cora Buhlert:

The catch of the day at the Croaking Foghorn is not at all as expected…

Strange things keep happening in the permanently fog-shrouded seaside town of Hallowind Cove, earning it the nickname “Harbour of the Weird”.

Paul and Rachel’s date at The Croaking Foghorn pub is derailed, when it turns out that local fisherman Eddie Bramwell brought home no fish, but one hell of a story.

But Paul has one hell of a story of his own to tell and he’s not at all sure how Rachel will react.

This is a short story of 3400 words or approximately 12 pages in the Hallowind Cove series, but may be read as a standalone.

The Standarounds of Twilight Gardens by Cora Buhlert:

Sinister shadows menace a family…

Strange things keep happening in the quirky little seaside town of Hallowind Cove, earning it the nickname “Harbour of the Weird”.

When the Hutchinson family buy the beautiful Beauregard mansion on Gloomland Street, they believe they’ve made the deal of a lifetime.

But unfortunately, no one told them about the fog that envelops Hallowind Cove for three hundred and forty days a year. Or about the mysterious shadows that stand around Twilight Gardens, staring at random houses…

This is a short story of 3300 words or approximately 14 pages in the Hallowind Cove series, but may be read as a standalone.

Dragon Tear by Lindsay Buroker:

Now that Jev is no longer obligated to marry a manipulative noblewoman, Zenia can finally pursue a relationship with him. But there’s something else she must deal with first. She’s learned that the magical dragon-tear gem she wears around her neck is linked to a living dragon, one that is being held prisoner and tortured.

Zenia owes her life several times over to the creature. She must set aside personal desires and lead a team to the distant and dangerous continent where the dragon is imprisoned.

But it took someone—or something—very powerful to capture such a great creature in the first place. Zenia, Jev, and their friends may not have the magic or might necessary to free their scaled ally. If they fail, the dragon will be enslaved forever by a cruel master, and Zenia and Jev may never see their homeland again.

Darker Days: A Collection of Dark Fiction by Kenneth W. Cain:

This collection of dark speculative tales will lead the reader on a roller coaster ride through the unknown, where things aren’t always what they seem.

Now that you’ve warmed by the embers, submerse in darker days.

The author of the short story collections These Old Tales, Fresh Cut Tales, and Embers presents Darker Days: A Collection of Dark Fiction. In his youth Cain developed a sense of wonderment owed in part to TV shows like The Twilight Zone, The Outer Limits, One Step Beyond and Alfred Hitchcock Presents. Now Cain seeks the same dark overtones in his writing.

There’s a little something for every reader within this collection. These 26 short speculative stories arise from a void, escaping shadows that ebb and weave through minds like worms, planting the larvae that live just under the skin, thriving upon fear. These are Cain’s darker days.

In this collection, Cain features stories from the Old West, of past lives and future days, the living and the dead, new and unique monsters as well as fresh takes on those of lore. Once more he tackles themes of loss and grief and the afterlife, always exploring the greater unknown. In “The Sanguine Wars,” Cain takes us to a future war where soldiers are made to endure the horrors of war. He explores the complexities of global warming and what lengths men and women alike sink to in “The Reassignment Project.” And, as often is the case, he ends on a lighter note, with “Lenny’s New Eyes” and “A Very Different Sort of Apocalypse.”

When the darkness comes, embrace it. Let it wrap you up in cold. Don’t worry, it’s not your time…yet.

Lasso by Mike Coville:

A suspicious accident, a prized asteroid, and a game of politics to decide who rules the galaxy. Someone’s making a power play, but who?

Captain Greg Daniels of the DSM Boone is a handful of asteroids away from retiring when his plans are threatened by an explosion on his ship. With the risk of another more lethal attack, Greg must locate the source of the explosion or he’ll lose more than the priceless rock he just obtained – he’ll lose his life.

On the Lunar Community, Final Frontier Mining Director David Rivera has his sights set on become Prime Minister of the ISC. His hopes rest on ace miner, Daniels, bringing in the most profitable asteroid in the company’s history to keep himself in the spotlight. But when he discovers a conspiracy to destroy his company and put a stop to his political aspirations, David must hunt down his mysterious hacker while trying to save Greg, DSM Boone, and the asteroid it has secured.

One man fights for survival in deep space, another on the moon, but is there someone else pulling the strings of both? Only if they can work together, will they find the answers they need to survive.

Hunter’s Terminus by Timothy Ellis:

Tech and Magic must come together to survive!

Jon Hunter thinks he’s done enough. But since when did he get any say in the matter?

15,000 people, 4 main stations, and 15 large ships, somewhere in the galaxy, unexpectedly looking for a new start.

Jon sees himself as their protector, at least until his people build their own new society, without him in charge.

Thorn has been waiting for Jon Hunter for 82 years.

3100 years ago, Thorn had to save humanity. One week ago, Jon did save humanity. Just different groups.

Both have done the impossible. Both are tired. Both want out.

But in a galaxy newly restored to an older and much more dangerous configuration, just how much rest can either of these men get?

Especially when the three powers in the galaxy don’t want a fourth.

Is the galaxy’s crossroad, Hunter’s Terminus?

Krox Rises by Chris Fox:

The Godswar Has Come Again

Nebiat has seized godhood, and now controls Krox, the most powerful elder god in the sector. Both Ternus and Shaya know she is coming, but their preparations cannot save them. She launches a strike at Ternus that cripples their home world, and shatters their fleets.

Voria desperately struggles to find a way to raise Shaya, or to rise as a goddess herself. She will do anything to oppose Nebiat, but fears it will not be enough.

Aran must confront the awful truth about the Skull of Xal, and make a deal with demons in order to gain the strength they so desperately need to overcome Krox.

And Nara must face the most awful choice of all. Will she murder the woman she most respects, or let the sector burn?

Possibilities narrow. Krox Rises. Shaya will fall.

Prince for Sale by Caroline Gibson:

Sold into slavery, saved by love

Vell once was a powerful sorcerer and a prince of Otharn. With his father and brother at his side, worlds fell at his feet. Now, he is a slave, cast out by his father, sold, used and abused. His rebellious brother’s desperate attempt to save him is his only hope for freedom, but first, he must go to Earth in chains.

David Thomen, scientist, inventor, defender of Earth, is living a lonely life with his inventions. Responsible for opening the gateway from Earth to Otharn, he must come to terms with his role as Vell’s newest owner and navigate the powerful forces of the joined worlds, who all seem to have an interest in Vell’s fate.

Joined by a magical binding which forces them into an intimate relationship against both their wills, can Vell and David learn to trust each other, find a way to break their bonds, and preserve the alliance of the worlds?

Note to readers: This is an MM Romance book for a mature audience, it contains dubious consent, memories of past rape, as well as consensual sex scenes. No graphic violence, mild descriptions of injuries.

The Scythian Crisis by J.J. Green:

Humanity’s last stand.

An attack by unknown aliens has devastated the Nova Fortuna colony. Its long-term survival seems impossible. But the colonists aren’t going down without a fight.

Ethan must prepare the Gens for their final battle. Geneticist Cariad must decide whether to reactivate the sinister Guardians to aid in the colony’s defense.

Earth is lost. The new world settlers are without hope. When the moment to decide humanity’s fate arrives, will they be ready?

The Scythian Crisis is book three in the compelling, provocative space colonization epic adventure, Space Colony One.

Ruby Heart by Donna Maree Hanson:

A book of manners, magic and mayhem.

Jemima Hardcastle has a sad history. After her father was murdered by a secret society of magicians, her guardian and new heir to Willow Park, Edward Huntington, packed her off to boarding school. In the four years she was there, she never saw him again until she escaped from school to a house party and there he was. He did not recognise her and he even flirted with her.

A disastrous kiss, a murder and a stolen jewel herald dire happenings. Jemima is shipped off to Willow Park in the care of Fulton, Edward’s man, to be under the chaperonage of the odious Aunt Prudence and the meek cousin, Milly. While avoiding stitching in the evenings, she discovers Edward’s scientific genius and the artificial leg he made for Fulton. Her esteem for Edward rises and she is actually looking forward to seeing him again when he does not arrive as planned.

When they realise Edward is abducted, Jemima schemes to go in rescue. She has cunning and she has money and with these she plunges herself and her companions into the world of dark sorcery and London shopping.

In London, Jemima and Fulton lead a double life as they search for Edward in the slums, manufactureys and even a bawdy house. When she final discovers Edward, her life is on the line.

While a vicious and bloody fight for survival is going on around him, Edward has to choose between saving her life or unleashing the unholy, vampiric beast Geneck on an unsuspecting London.

The Starfighter Invitation by Andrea K. Höst:

The only thing bigger than the world’s first full virtual reality game is the mystery surrounding its origins. Who is behind Ryzonart Games? How was such a huge advance in technology achieved? Taia de Haas loves having her own virtual spaceship, and wants nothing more than to visit every planet in the solar system. But she cannot ignore the question of whether such a magnificent gift comes with strings attached. Is the game a trick, a trap, a subtle invasion? Or an opportunity to step up and fight for her own planet? Caught in a tangle of riddles and lies, Taia can’t resist trying to win answers from Ryzonart’s mysterious administrators. But will finding the truth cost her the Singularity Game?

Eternal Darkness by Marc Johnson:

The wizard Hellsfire is dead. Hellsfire is now an ordinary mortal, weakened and powerless. But two people are seeking him out: one wants to save him and one wants revenge.

Bryce is seeking retribution for the slaughter of his family. Running his blade through Hellsfire is the only way to fill the empty hole in his heart. He failed before. He won’t fail again.

Eager to explore her blossoming powers, Alyssa receives a vision from the gods telling her to go to Hellsfire. He may be the only one who can teach her to harness her magic. With no family ties, she’s ready to leave the only home she’s ever known to rescue a man she barely knows.

Hellsfire still has a crucial role to play in the fate of the realm—if he survives and remembers who he is. Will he regain his powers and his sense of purpose before it’s too late?

Swordheart by T. Kingfisher:

Return to the world of Clockwork Boys in this all-new novel from T. Kingfisher!

Halla is a housekeeper who has suddenly inherited her great-uncle’s estate… and, unfortunately, his relatives. Sarkis is an immortal swordsman trapped in a prison of enchanted steel. When Halla draws the sword that imprisons him, Sarkis finds himself attempting to defend his new wielder against everything from bandits and roving inquisitors to her own in-laws… and the sword itself may prove to be the greatest threat of all…

The Megalodon Mix-Up by Amanda M. Lee:

Charlie Rhodes’ life has taken a turn.

Not only is she working her dream job, but she’s also taken on a dreamy co-worker and is officially dating the office security chief.

Yeah, she’s still trying to wrap her head around it, too.

She doesn’t have much time because a high-profile incident in Florida means the team is on the hunt, and this time the likely culprit is none other than a prehistoric shark that’s been extinct for millions of years.

For Jack Hanson, the mere thought that a Megalodon is hunting the Gulf of Mexico waters is too much to bear. He’s on edge and irritated, and that’s on top of the fact that Legacy Foundation co-workers are starting to find out about his relationship with Charlie.

For her part, Charlie is enjoying herself. Not only is she looking for a giant shark, but she’s investigating in the middle of an author conference and the victim was the one person hated by absolutely everyone. She’s learning on the job … and it’s a tangled web of lies and intrigue to wade through.

There are suspects at every turn, blood in the water, and hungry sharks looking for a meal. It’s another fun-filled adventure, and the stakes in this one are graver than anybody anticipated.

Scourge of the Seas of Time (and Space), edited by Catherine Lundoff:

Think pirates are all about the rum and the pieces of eight? Let these fifteen tales draw you into the adventures of a new kind of pirate. Sail with them as they seek treasure, redemption, love, revenge and more. Raise the Jolly Roger and sharpen your cutlass (or recharge your raygun) and climb aboard for some unforgettable voyages. Featuring stories by Ginn Hale, A.J. Fitzwater, Geonn Cannon, Joyce Chng, Elliott Dunstan, Ashley Deng, Su Haddrell, Ed Grabianowski, Mharie West, Matisse Mozer, Soumya Sundar Mukherjee, Megan Arkenberg, Peter Golubock, Michael Merriam and Caroline Sciriha.

[image error] 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.

[image error] Phyllis Wong and the Vanishing Emeralds by Geoffrey McSkimming:

When Phyllis Wong—that brilliant young magician and clever sleuth—happens upon a mystery from the past that has proved unsolvable, she knows she has to try to get to the bottom of it.

More than sixty years ago an astonishing emerald necklace owned by the famous pianist Isabella Beaufort seemingly vanished off the face of the earth! Ever since, the disappearance has stumped the police, detectives and those associated with the missing priceless jewels. How did the prized Flurtis Emeralds vanish? Where are they today? Is there any way they can be traced, after so many cobwebs have covered the case?

Another mysterious intrigue right up the alleyway of our favourite conjuring Transiter!

The sixth Phyllis Wong: Time Detective mystery.

Christmas in Silver Birch Valley by Lorri Moulton:

A man spends the holidays in a small Northwestern town that may not be exactly what it seems…and rediscovers the true meaning of Christmas.

 

 

 

 

It’s Alive: Bringing You Nightmares to Life, edited by Joe Mynhardt and Eugene Johnson:

Nightmares come to life in this comprehensive how-to guide for new and established authors…

Book two in Crystal Lake Publishing’s The Dream Weaver series picks up where the Bram Stoker Award-nominated Where Nightmares Come From: The Art Of Storytelling In The Horror Genre left off.

It’s Alive: Bringing your Nightmares to Life focuses on learning the craft in order to take your story from concept to completion.

With an introduction by Richard Chizmar and cover art by Luke Spooner. Featuring interior artwork from horror master Clive Barker!

Table of Contents:

Introduction by Richard Chizmar
Confessions of a Professional Day Dreamer by Jonathan Maberry
What is Writing and Why Write Horror by John Skipp
Tribal Layers by Gene O’Neill
Bake That Cake: One Writer’s Method by Joe R. Lansdale and Kasey Lansdale
Ah-Ha: Beginning to End with Chuck Palahniuk and Michael Bailey (Discussing the Spark of Creativity)
They Grow in the Shadows: Exploring the Roots of a Horror Story by Todd Keisling
Sell Your Script, Keep Your Soul and Beware of Sheep in Wolves’ Clothing by Paul Moore
The Cult of Constraint (or To Outline or Not) by Yvonne Navarro
Zombies, Ghosts and Vampires?Oh My! by Kelli Owen
The Many Faces of Horror: Craft Techniques by Richard Thomas
Giving Meaning to the Macabre by Rachel Autumn Deering
The Horror Writer’s Ultimate Toolbox by Tim Waggoner
Sarah Pinborough Interview by Marie O’Regan
Conveying Character by F. Paul Wilson
Sympathetic Characters Taste Better: Creating Empathy in Horror Fiction by Brian Kirk
Virtue & Villainy: The Importance of Character by Kealan Patrick Burke
How to write Descriptions in a story by Mercedes Yardley
“Don’t Look Now, There’s a Head in That Box!” She Ejaculated Loudly (or Creating Effective Dialogue in Horror Fiction) by Elizabeth Massie
Point of View by Lisa Mannetti
What Came First the Monster or the Plot? In Conversation with Stephen Graham Jones by Vince A. Liaguno
Building Suspense by David Wellington
Conveying Horror by Ramsey Campbell
Unveiling Theme Through Plot: An Analysis of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Birthmark” by Stephanie M. Wytovich
Interview with Clive Barker by Tim Chizmar
World Building (Building a terrifying world) by Kevin J. Anderson
Speak Up: The Writer’s Voice by Robert Ford
Writing for a Better World by Christopher Golden
Shaping the Ideas: Getting Things from Your Head to the Paper or on Screen. Interview with Steve Niles, Mick Garris, Heather Graham, Mark Savage, and Maria Alexander by Del Howison
On Research by Bev Vincent
Editing Through Fear: Cutting and Stitching Stories by Jessica Marie Baumgartner
Leaping into the Abyss by Greg Chapman
Edit Your Anthology in Your Basement for Fun and Profit! . . . or Not by Tom Monteleone
When It’s Their World: Writing for the Themed Anthology by Lisa Morton
Roundtable Interview by John Palisano
The Tale of the Perfect Submissions by Jess Landry
Turning the Next Page: Getting Started with the Business of Writing by James Chambers

Proudly represented by Crystal Lake Publishing—Tales from the Darkest Depths.

Merry Happy Valkyrie by Tansy Rayner Roberts

Norse myth and magic collides with a small town Tasmanian Christmas in this festive romantic fantasy!

Lief Fraser has mixed feelings about returning home to Matilda, the only Australian town where it always snows at Christmas. As a TV weather presenter, it’s her job to report on the strange holiday phenomenon… but as a local, it’s her duty to preserve Matilda’s many magical secrets.

Then pretty Audrey Astor rolls into town to shoot the ultimate romantic Australian Christmas movie with her film crew. Sparks fly, secrets unravel… and soon everyone will know exactly how Mt Valkyrie got its name.

“A sparkling holiday fantasy story full of deliciously fun characters and fabulous magic.” – Stephanie Burgis

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.

Finders by Melissa Scott:

Cassilde Sam is a barely solvent salvage operator, hunting for relics in the ruins left by the mysterious Ancestors—particularly the color-coded Elements that power most of humanity’s current technology, including the ability to navigate through hyperspace. Cassilde is also steadily fading under the onslaught of Lightman’s, an incurable, inevitably fatal disease. She needs one last find big enough to leave a legacy for her partner and fellow salvor Dai Winter.

When their lover and former colleague Summerlad Ashe reappears, offering them a chance to salvage part of an orbiting palace that he claims contains potentially immense riches, Cassilde is desperate enough to take the gamble, even though Ashe had left them both to fight on the opposite side of the interplanetary war that only ended seven years ago. The find is everything Ashe promised. But when pirates attack the claim, Cassilde receives the rarest of the Ancestors’ Gifts: a change to her biochemistry that confers near-instant healing and seems to promise immortality.

But the change also drags her into an underworld where Gifts are traded in blood, and powerful Gifts bring equally powerful enemies. Hunted for her Gift and determined to find Gifts for her lovers, Cassilde discovers that an old enemy is searching for the greatest of the Ancestral artifacts: the power that the Ancestors created and were able to barely contain after it almost destroyed them, plunging humanity into the first Long Dark. Haunted by dream-visions of this power whispering its own version of what happened, Cassilde must find it first, before her enemy frees it to destroy her own civilization.

[image error] Death by Rosie Scott:

Over the years of waging the War of Necromancers, Kai Sera has become known by many names. Mage of the Six Elements. Necromancer. God-Killer. Rebellion Leader. Liberator. War General. Goddess of Magic. Living Legend. Most importantly, Kai is the greatest asset of war that exists, and now her war is nearing its end.

Chairel is on the horizon. Kai’s home country has massive armies prepared to defend itself from her rebellion. Mortals and gods alike team up to put a stop to her intimidating advance, but Kai is not fazed. News of the final showdown brings unlikely supporters to Kai’s doorstep willing to bend their knee to her superior power, and her Seran Renegades collect the allies they’ve made over years of globe-trotting and war to face their foes head-on.

The greatest military in the world will come to a final bloody clash with the largest rebellion ever built. Both sides will suffer losses and heartbreak. The world and its occupants will be forever scarred. Kai started this war for political change and vengeance, and she will not relent until it is finished.

Unarcana Stars by Glynn Stewart:

A humanitarian mission into unfriendly stars

A training cruise under the watch of a fortified fleet base

The closing jaws of a trap years in the making

It has been over a year since the UnArcana Worlds of the Protectorate of the Mage-King of Mars seceded, shattering the unity of the human race. The new Republic of Faith and Reason has raised new banners in defiance of the power of the Protectorate’s Mage aristocracy.

Now, Hand Damien Montgomery commands a relief mission to a Republic world ravaged by famine. His humanitarian mission collides with a newborn military beginning to flex its muscles–and a newborn nation prepared to accept no violations of its sovereignty, regardless of their needs.

Elsewhere, disaster strikes the Nia Kriti Fleet Base as an earthquake shatters their only communication with the rest of the Protectorate. Officer-in-training Roslyn Chambers is in the middle of the recovery effort when she realizes Nia Kriti is under attack.

The Republic is done with peace. They are coming for the Protectorate–and they will see the fleets of Mars break!

[image error] 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.

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The Hopepunk Debate

Back in 2017, SFF writer Alexandra Rowland wrote on tumblr: The opposite of grimdark is hopepunk. Pass it on.. She later expanded that statement in a longer post. Here is a quote:

So the essence of grimdark is that everyone’s inherently sort of a bad person and does bad things, and that’s awful and disheartening and cynical. It’s looking at human nature and going, “The glass is half empty.”

Hopepunk says, “No, I don’t accept that. Go fuck yourself: The glass is half-full.” YEAH, we’re all a messy mix of good and bad, flaws and virtues. We’ve all been mean and petty and cruel, but (and here’s the important part) we’ve also been soft and forgiving and KIND. Hopepunk says that kindness and softness doesn’t equal weakness, and that in this world of brutal cynicism and nihilism, being kind is a political act. An act of rebellion.

At the time, I was quite taken by the post and found myself nodding along. I even planned to write a response to it, though I never got around to it for some reason.  But what Alexandra Rowland labeled “hopepunk” was already in the air last year and it has become even more notable since then.

Hopepunk has been deliberately coined as an opposite to grimdark, which was already going strong, when I got on the internet in the late 1990s, though back then it was the new cool thing. And grimdark SFF has been at the centre of several debates in the past twenty years  – you can find my previous blogposts about the grimdark debate here. It’s still popular and going strong – the David Gemmell Legend Awards still regularly go to grimdark novels, the winners of the self-published fantasy blog-off are frequently grimdark as well and the unabashedly grimdark Game of Thrones is the most successful TV series in the world – but grimdark is no longer the scrappy upstart, the counterpoint to the bloated big fat fantasy of the 1990s. And by now, more and more people – often the sort of marginalised people who only exist as cannon fodder in grimdark fiction – are heartily sick of grimdark and want something else, so enter hopepunk.

Hopepunk has been quietly chugging along all year. Here is an April 2018 Strange Horizons article by Claudie Arsenault (thanks to Joyce Chng for pointing it out), in which she doesn’t use the term, but very much describes the phenomenon and also points out that a more hopeful and positive kind of SFF is often to be found in indie and small press books, often by marginalized writers.

But in the normally dead time between the years, hopepunk suddenly resurfaced on the genre radar again in a big way. It started in November, when Alexandra Rowland expanded on her original tumblr post with this essay in The Stellar Beacon. In this essay, Alexandra Rowland also explains why “hopepunk” doesn’t mean “nice” and differentiates hopepunk from noblebright, another countermovement to grimdark. It’s a great essay and I urge you to read it. Meanwhile, let’s have a quote:

Ask it of hopepunk, then: “What’s the point?”

And the answer is, of course, that the fight itself is the point.

It’s not about glory or noble deeds; it’s not about an end result because there is no end. There’s always a tomorrow and when the sun rises again, we’ll still have a dam holding the water back. For now. But entropy is real, and dams must be maintained, and it takes all of us to do it, and it’s done by linking arms with the people next to you, by building a community with deliberate intent.

It’s about how the first step to slaying a dragon is for one person to say, probably drunk in a bar somewhere, “I bet it can be done, though.”

It’s about being kind merely for the sake of kindness, and because you have the means to be, and giving a fuck because the world is (somehow, mysteriously, against all evidence) worth it and we don’t have anywhere else to go anyway.

It’s about digging in your heels and believing that one single atom of justice, one molecule of mercy does exist somewhere in the mindboggling vastness of the universe—believing in that, even if for no other reason than fuck you, buddy; fuck you, fuck you, fuck you. I do what I want and this, this is what I want; this is the world I want to live in: One where the atom of justice exists, even if I’ve never seen it myself, even if I’ll never see it.

It’s about doing the one little thing you can do, even if it’s useless: planting seeds in the midst of the apocalypse, spitting on a wildfire, bailing out the ocean with a bucket. Individual action is almost always pointless. Hope and strength comes from our bonds with each other, from the actions we take as a community, holding hands in the dark.

Today, the subject of hopepunk was then taken up by Aja Romano who wrote an article about it for Vox, quoting Alexandra Rowland and others. The Vox article spread much further than the original essay on a small indie gaming site and suddenly the knives came out by those who really have a problem with either the label or the phenomenon or Vox or all three.

Now it’s certainly possible to have issues with the proliferation of -punk suffix subgenre names, though that fight was lost ages ago. I keep a master list of punk suffix genres with explanations and examples on my PC that’s a whopping 24 pages long. And considering how much havoc the cyberpunks wreaked on the science fiction genre, starting with the wholesale erasure, whether intentionally or unintentionally, of the feminist SFF of the 1970s, they deserve having their suffix tacked onto anything and everything. And besides, hopepunk and its idea of “The world is crap, but we keep fighting and we do it together” actually fits the punk aesthetic more than many other punk suffix genres.

It’s also possible to disagree with Aja Romano’s list of things that are hopepunk. In fact, I disagree with several items on that list myself and there are even some that IMO are more grimdark than hopepunk. But then, genre and subgenre definitions exist to be argued about. And besides, grimdark and hopepunk are not just opposites, but also uneasy neighbours, because hopepunk is often set in grimdark worlds, only that people are fighting back in a little way.

However, quite a few people also seemed to have issues with the very idea of hopepunk itself. There were complaints that hopepunk glorifies bland centrist politics, that it’s just some cutesy tumblr thing, that it’s supposed to make readers/viewers feel validated and complacent and that it’s way too much about feelings besides, that it’s an empty coolness signifier for dweebs and squares, that it won’t motivate real political change and won’t bring about the revolution (echoes of 1970s pop culture criticism here), that people should read non-fiction and biographies instead of hopepunk, that it’s just marketing and that it’s a middle class thing.

Do you know what else is a middle class thing? Grimdark. Because some of the most eager fans of grimdark are/were young white men (and occasionally women and non-binary folk as well) from middle class backgrounds, in short the sort of people for whom the world was not very grim at all compared to more marginalized folks. Back when The Wire was the best show on television(TM) (about four or five best shows on TV ago), I said about British fans of The Wire on a long defunct forum (paraphrasing obviously):

They’re nice white middle class boys and the closest they’ve ever come to the ghetto is when they accidentally got off at the tube in Brixton once, took one look around and ran crying back into the tube. But they like The Wire, because it makes them feel tough and because they think that’s the way real life is.

It was a deliberate insult and it was aimed at someone who had just denigrated my viewing choices. But the point still stands. Some of the most eager consumers of grimdark are white middle class kids who just realised that parents and teachers are imperfect, that there are some really horrible things in the world, that the TV is lying and that elections don’t always mean that the right person wins. And so they became cynical and went for grimdark because “it shows the world as it really is”. In many ways, a taste for grimdark entertainment is normal for teenagers, once they lose their illusions about the world. The exact delivery mode varies – punk rock, heavy metal, grunge, 1990s anti-hero comics, depressing YA books – but most young people go through a grimdark phase in their late teens and early twenties. I certainly did. Most gradually grow out of it by their mid to late twenties, though some never do. In fact, you can sometimes trace the grimdark interlude in the work of artists – often musicians and comic book writers; novelists normally take longer to break out – who came to fame young. Early works are grim and dark, later works are more hopeful though not necessarily less dark.

However, when a whole genre or worse, a whole society gets stuck in a grimdark mode, then you have a problem. In some ways, that’s what happened to American pop culture in the early 2000s, when every movie and every TV show was suddenly death, torture, terrorism, corrupt politicians, murdered women and “We must make hard choices”. For me, this coincided with me growing out of my own grimdark mood, so it was bloody annoying, but due to shifted US demographics, it also coincided with the so-called millennials entering their own grimdark period. Things gradually lightened up a bit around 2007/08 on the film and TV front, though then the financial crisis and the so-called great recession struck and everything promptly went grimdark once again. Meanwhile, SFF was still stuck in grimdark mode and only gradually started to emerge from all that gloom, usually in works on the margins of the genre ignored by the genre mainstream. I read very little SFF during that time and instead turned to other genres and only gradually found my way back. Then from 2011/12 on, more hopeful works gradually started to appear. Among Others by Jo Walton came out in 2011, Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie and Fortune’s Pawn by Rachel Bach in 2013, The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers and The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison in 2014, The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin in 2015 (still not sure if this one belongs on this list, but many seem to think it does), Ninefox Gambit by Yoon Ha Lee, Too Like the Lightning by Ada Palmer and All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders in 2016. All of these books were big successes, won and were nominated for awards. And all got plenty of pushback and not just from the puppy fractions either. Also in 2016, the Brexit vote, the election of Trump and the rise of the far right around the globe happened and people suddenly needed hope more than ever. They also needed stories that tell them that even when things look dark, people can still live, love, work together, fight and hope.

When I read some of the reactions to Aja Romano’s hopepunk article (since not a lot of people seem to have read Alexandra Rowland’s), I want to ask, “What do you have against hope?” I also want to break out that old Tolkien quote about escape and jailers. Not to mention that a lot of the complainers seem to accuse hopepunk of being some harmless, fluffy, nice thing that – at least according to Alexandra Rowland, who coined the term – it isn’t. Not that there isn’t a tendency among those people who can afford it to retreat into the private and domestic during politically difficult and oppressive times, see Biedermeier. And actually, some of the Biedermeier works were not nearly as harmless and fluffy as they seemed on the surface.

I’ve never used the term hopepunk to describe my own work (yes, I’m talking about my work and yes, that’s probably marketing. Get over it!), though it certainly fits. The In Love and War series is definitely hopepunk (though I call them cozy space opera), since it’s the story of two people who fight to be together and live the lives they want (and right some wrongs along the way) in a universe that has other ideas. Ditto for Shattered Empire. My post-apocalyptic collection After the End – Stories of Life After the Apocalypse is definitely hopepunk (and volume 2 will hopefully come out in 2019), because it focusses on people, surviving, rebuilding and just living their lives. The Day the Saucers Came… would also fit under hopepunk, since it’s about the survivors (and it turns out, prominent figures of the resistance) of a 1950s B-movie style alien invasion, none of whom are the sort of people who usually survive that sort of event. There will be more The Day the Saucers Came… stories in 2019 as well. I guess you could even call the Hallowind Cove stories hopepunk (though those are on the lighter and more humorous side), because they’re about people living with the weird, where sometimes the solution is “Feed the monster cookies”.

Comments are off.

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Indie Crime Fiction of the Month for December 2018

Welcome to the latest edition of “Indie Crime Fiction of the Month”.

So what is “Indie Crime Fiction of the Month”? It’s a round-up of speculative fiction by indie 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.

Our new releases cover the broad spectrum of crime fiction. We have plenty of cozy mysteries, holiday mysteries, small town mysteries, culinary mysteries, animal mysteries, historical mysteries, Victorian mysteries, Medieval mysteries, paranormal mysteries, YA mysteries, crime thrillers, psychological thrillers, spy thrillers, political thrillers, horror thrillers, police procedurals, romantic suspense, private investigators, amateur sleuths, hackers, human trafficking, serial killers, cannibals, spies, troubled boxers, suburban moms, missing children, crime-busting witches, crime-busting dogs, crime-busting bakers, crime-busting historians, murder in ski resorts and seaside towns, in coffee shops and country inns, in Russia, Denmark, Scotland and the Cotswolds and much more.

Don’t forget that Indie Crime Fiction of the Month is also crossposted to the Indie Crime Scene, a group blog which features new release spotlights, guest posts, interviews and link round-ups regarding all things crime fiction several times per week.

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:

The Season for Slaying by Hillary Avis:

All is quiet at the Pines and Needles Christmas Tree Farm. Too quiet.

It’s Christmas Eve, and Darla Cooper is merrily preparing for a family holiday when she witnesses a shocking murder in the woods.

Luckily, her son is a police detective. The problem? He doesn’t believe her—and the body is missing.

Darla must prove that a murder occurred, but she has no body, no witnesses, and no evidence except her own memory—which, to be honest, isn’t that great these days. Plus, she didn’t have her glasses on.

Join Darla as she hunts down a killer…just in time for Christmas.

The Season for Slaying is a short holiday cozy mystery story full of suspense, snowflakes, and sleighbells.

A Merry Murder at St. Bernard Cabins by Cindy Bell:

A pet-loving sleuth. A perplexing murder. Will the murder be solved before the clues are buried forever?

Nikki Green is taking a break from walking and pet-sitting her loyal companions. She is going to a ski resort for the holidays for some quiet time with her family. To her delight her solo journey turns into a group excursion. However, the trip doesn’t go according to plan when Nikki lands up in the middle of a snowstorm.

Then things go from bad to worse when someone is murdered, and her brother is the prime suspect. With the roads impassable, and two inexperienced officers on the case, Nikki decides to take matters into her own hands and clear her brother’s name. She plows through a mountain of clues to reveal the truth before the snow melts and the murderer disappears forever.

It’s a slippery slope of suspects and danger as she goes hurtling towards the truth.

The Best Friend by Shalini Boland:

‘I can tell we’re going to be the best of friends…’

When Louisa Sullivan takes her little boy to his first playdate at a new friend’s house she doesn’t realise life is about to change for her family. Because she’s about to meet Darcy Lane.

Darcy is a woman who has everything – a dream house, a powerful husband and enviable wealth.

She’s the perfect wife.

The perfect friend.

The perfect liar.

[image error] The Secrets of Palmerston House by Philippa Nefri Clark:

1853. A fateful game of poker changed the fortunes of two families forever. A home was lost. But what was left behind?

2018. The wedding of Christie Ryan and Martin Blake is only weeks away and River’s End is buzzing with excitement.

But when a stranger arrives at Palmerston House, a new mystery arises. How does he know so much about the Ryan family, and what do a nineteenth century diary, a grandfather clock, and an old key have in common?

As a dangerous plot unfolds, long hidden secrets threaten to change everything held dear to the town.

The Secrets of Palmerston House will sweep you on a journey to the past and back, where enduring friendships warm the heart, a sad goodbye brings a new start, and the power of true love shines.

Jingle Bells and Deadly Smells by Amber Crewe:

“Each of the Sandy Bay mysteries are great! I think they just keep getting better.”

Christmas is that season…that season of pleasant surprises…delicious smells…and family and friends to share the holidays with.

This Christmas, Sandy Bay’s lovable bakery owner, Meghan Truman, gets a whole lot more than she bargained for…plus a dead body at the door of her favorite restaurant. Some people would rather sweep this murder under the carpet but something smells awfully fishy about the events surrounding it.

Will Meghan join Detective Irvin to find the murderer or will this event serve to etch unpleasant memories of this most wonderful time of the year?

Shamrock by Janie Crouch:

Every mission has a price.

He never meant for her to pay it.

Aiden has never left anyone behind. Not a comrade and certainly not an innocent. But when an undercover mission goes wrong, he’s forced to abandon a woman trapped in a human trafficking ring.

Violet learned brutally that no one is promised a happy ending. She knows Aiden blames himself for his part, but she refuses to let her abduction define the rest of her life.

She won’t be a victim again. And she’s going after what she wants: Aiden.

Watching Violet transform herself into a fierce warrior is the sexiest thing Aiden has ever seen. The honorable plan would be to stay away from her—let her heal and grow without the shadow of his mistakes clouding her progress—even though every instinct tells him to claim her for his own.

But when they discover the danger they thought they’d left behind is closer than ever, they’ll have to confront their fears and fight side-by-side in order to survive.

Twelve Days by Mark Dawson:

John Milton hasn’t seen Elijah Warriner for three years. The last time they met, Milton’s efforts to keep the boy safe didn’t go exactly to plan. Now Elijah is a promising boxer, preparing for the bout that will take him to the big time. Milton decides that he will spend the week before Christmas in London so that he can watch the fight.

But Elijah’s burgeoning fame has brought him to the attention of old acquaintances with long memories and grudges to bear. They have noticed Elijah, too, and decide that now is the time to settle old scores.

Can Milton keep the young man and his mother safe, or will Elijah’s old running mates get to him first?

Dead in the Shop by Dahlia Donovan:

With love, wit, and a murder to solve, Valor and Bishan really need to stop life being so bloody complicated in this sweet gay romance.

Deadly fire? Check.

Fear-induced heart attack imminent? Check.

Time running out on them? Not good.

Valor Scott wants nothing more than to enjoy life in his little cottage with his boyfriend. The shadows of a serial killer continue to haunt him, though. He only wants the living nightmare to end. He battles one catastrophic event after the other, intent on bringing his loved ones through to the other side safely.

As their killer finally comes out into the open, Valor finds himself face-to-face with an obsessed murderer intent on destroying everyone in their path.

Trepalli’s Christmas by Marcelle Dubé:

It’s Christmas eve day and Constable Marco Trepalli of the Mendenhall Police Department can’t wait to be off shift. He’s planning a big surprise for his girlfriend, Amanda. Something special. Something romantic.

Then a kid doesn’t return home after sledding and Trepalli forgets all about his plans in the mad scramble to mobilize search parties and interview the kid’s friends. And as hour after hour slips by with no sign of the boy, Trepalli braces himself for what could turn into the worst Christmas ever… for him and the kid’s family.

A Strange Twist of Fate by Debra Erfert:

Gutsy, grieving Julianna is determined to find who murdered her husband. Hampered by agonizing loneliness, her obsessive-compulsive mother and her over-controlling father, she defies convention and the law to investigate on her own. When she runs up against a handsome police detective who’s determined to save Julianna from herself, she has to step up her rogue search for the killer before time, and dwindling leads, run out.

 

 

AntiAmerica by T.K. Falco:

AntiAmerica stands at the center of the largest US anarchist uprising in 100 years.

When hacktivist group AntiAmerica hacks the nation’s largest banks, the financial industry is left teetering on the brink of collapse. Hacker and teen runaway Alanna Blake is forcefully recruited by the government to track down the only link to AntiAmerica, her missing ex-boyfriend Javier. She relies on every bit of her social engineering cunning to navigate a conspiracy of lies and deceit, which imperils both the lives of everyone closest to her and the secrets to a past she longs to remain locked away forever.

This book contains content surrounding drug abuse, mental illness, physical abuse, and suicide.

[image error] Spirit of the Season by Cynthia E. Hurst:

In a season of peace and goodwill, it was shocking for residents of the Cotswold town to learn a stranger had been murdered in their midst. It was even more shocking that he died on the doorstep of the town’s police inspector’s home as he was entertaining guests on Christmas Eve. It appeared Daniel Keegan’s only failing had been to fall in love with the wrong person, something that sends a chilling message to two of the inspector’s guests. Newlyweds Jacob Silver and Sarah Simm are used to criticism, but does Keegan’s death mean their own lives may be in danger?

‘Spirit of the Season’ is the eighth book in the Silver and Simm Victorian Mysteries series.

Retrieval by Ethan Jones:

Can a lethal assassin have a soft side?

After a botched operation in Geneva, Javin Pierce and his partner are offered the chance to return to the CIS if they eliminate two senior ISIS leaders hiding in Iraq. Dispatched to the lawless lands, Javin and Claudia start to gather intel, and soon find themselves immersed in a sinister corruption scheme that reaches top-level Iraqi officials. Javin isn’t about to walk away.

Now, being hunted down by ruthless ISIS fighters, the team fights to survive and navigate crooked, ever-shifting allegiances. As Javin and Claudia forge bonds with unlikely local allies from a refugee camp, Javin gets more than he bargained for. The evidence leads to Europe and an elaborate retrieval that, if successful, will tear down the entire corruption scheme and bring desperate relief to the camp workers.

Javin now realizes his ticket back into the agency might be his most dangerous but satisfying mission yet. How will Javin clean up the targets, get back into the agency, and execute the seemingly impossible retrieval, all without leaving a trace?

Kinfolk by Matt Kurtz:

Criminal brothers Ray and Eric Kuttner pulled off what they thought was a seemingly simple score, until Ray’s innocent wife, Rachel, was brutally murdered in retaliation. Hell-bent on revenge, the brothers delivered their own merciless payback.

Three years later, something sheds new light on Rachel’s murder and it requires the brothers to drive across Texas to Oklahoma on a new mission of vengeance that’ll finally bring them closure.

After an incident forces them to take back roads to elude the cops, they get stranded along a hunting ground patrolled by a family looking for fresh meat to feed their hunger for flesh.

In a race against the clock, Ray and Eric must fight their way out of the backwoods of Texas and still make it across state lines to accomplish their plan of revenge …all before one very large—and pissed off—family secret is unleashed to stop them.

The Megalodon Mix-Up by Amanda M. Lee:

Charlie Rhodes’ life has taken a turn.

Not only is she working her dream job, but she’s also taken on a dreamy co-worker and is officially dating the office security chief.

Yeah, she’s still trying to wrap her head around it, too.

She doesn’t have much time because a high-profile incident in Florida means the team is on the hunt, and this time the likely culprit is none other than a prehistoric shark that’s been extinct for millions of years.

For Jack Hanson, the mere thought that a Megalodon is hunting the Gulf of Mexico waters is too much to bear. He’s on edge and irritated, and that’s on top of the fact that Legacy Foundation co-workers are starting to find out about his relationship with Charlie.

For her part, Charlie is enjoying herself. Not only is she looking for a giant shark, but she’s investigating in the middle of an author conference and the victim was the one person hated by absolutely everyone. She’s learning on the job … and it’s a tangled web of lies and intrigue to wade through.

There are suspects at every turn, blood in the water, and hungry sharks looking for a meal. It’s another fun-filled adventure, and the stakes in this one are graver than anybody anticipated.

Death Over Divorce by Jerri Kay Lincoln:

This is the second book in the Rutledge Historical Society Cozy Mystery Series.

When a dead man that she knows falls out of Lorry Lockharte’s new car right in front of the sheriff, it doesn’t look good. Still, being hauled into the sheriff’s station isn’t what Lorry had expected. After a lawyer comes out of nowhere to get her released, Lorry struggles to prove her innocence and find the real killer.

 

Kousins Kan’t Kill by Jerri Kay Lincoln:

This is the third book in the Rutledge Historical Society Cozy Mystery Series.

When Lorry Lockharte’s cousin, Kasey, is accused of murder, Lorry feels like once again she must work to find the murderer. Did Kasey do it, or is she truly innocent as she claims? Lorry isn’t so sure about this one. Not only did Kasey have the opportunity and the motive, but she picked up the murder weapon. Will Lorry find the murderer only to discover that it really is Kasey?

 

Iced Inn by Karen MacInerney:

It’s Christmastime at the Gray Whale Inn. The inn’s kitchen smells like ginger and spice, the ground is frosted with snow, and wedding bells are about to ring out for innkeeper Natalie’s favorite niece, Gwen. It’s a joyous time… until the families of the bride and groom descend on the island, bringing nasty tempers and a wicked winter storm with them. Add a baffling rash of thefts, a dash of romantic intrigue, and an unexpected power shutdown, and Natalie’s plans for a magical season are looking more like a recipe for disaster. Can Natalie find the missing gifts before the big holiday? And will the happy couple make it to the altar… or will the wedding go up in flames?

Shame on Me by Margaret Mal:

Everything in 17-year-old Julia’s life was boring and monotonous until she came across a real corpse. Since it happened near her best friend Kate’s cabin, Julia and Kate feel the urge to find the killer, as does the dead man’s best friend Nick, for whom Julia falls as soon as they meet. At first glance, the murder seems to be connected to the victim’s business, but what if it has to do with a serial killer on the loose in the same area?

‘Shame on Me’ is the first novel in the series.

The series revolves around two young friends from Russia, Julia and Kate, who love to take on the role of amateur sleuths. The novels are written in the form of email letters to their mutual American friend. Each book is written in first person, each from the point of view of one of the girls. The first book in the series is written from Julia’s point of view, the second from Kate’s, and so on. In addition to the mysteries and love stories, the series highlights interesting cultural differences between Russians and Americans and describes the life of a girl from a poor Russian family.

[image error] 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.

[image error] Phyllis Wong and the Vanishing Emeralds by Geoffrey McSkimming:

When Phyllis Wong—that brilliant young magician and clever sleuth—happens upon a mystery from the past that has proved unsolvable, she knows she has to try to get to the bottom of it.

More than sixty years ago an astonishing emerald necklace owned by the famous pianist Isabella Beaufort seemingly vanished off the face of the earth! Ever since, the disappearance has stumped the police, detectives and those associated with the missing priceless jewels. How did the prized Flurtis Emeralds vanish? Where are they today? Is there any way they can be traced, after so many cobwebs have covered the case?

Another mysterious intrigue right up the alleyway of our favourite conjuring Transiter!

The sixth Phyllis Wong: Time Detective mystery.

Punitive Damages by Marti Talbott:

A deathbed phone call made Private Detective Jackie Harlan’s heart skip a beat. Her agency specialized in finding missing people, yet the one person she couldn’t find was her own son, Brian, who disappeared at the age of two. Was what the caller said the truth, or was it a sinister ploy to take her off the trail of an important case she was working?

 

 

 

The King’s Coroner by J.R. Tomlin:

A game of spies is afoot. The king’s new coroner, Sir Law Kintour, investigates the death of a mysterious stranger in fifteenth-century Perth, Scotland. The investigation is complicated by the civil war brewing as the king raises his army against a rebellious duke. Sir Law is pitched further into intrigue and betrayal when he discovers a hired assassin is lurking in Perth. No one knows who will be the next victim. Now Law must call on every resource he has to stop the killer.

 

Pineapple Gingerbread Men by Amy Vansant:

Sheriff Frank asks newly-minted private detective Charlotte to help him crack the case, but she has no idea those darn gingerbread men will start showing up everywhere. What did Santa do that made them so angry? And what’s the secret in his colorful Christmas-themed bureau?

Charlotte is forced to split her time between searching for Santa’s killer and helping Declan’s crazy ex-Stephanie stop a corrupt district attorney in exchange for a book that could help solve more crimes in the future. She never thought she’d help calculating Stephanie with anything…but as this story comes to it’s shocking ending, you’ll find it could be Stephanie who’s finally bitten off more cookie than she can chew…

Tangled Destiny by Jenny Wheeler:

A promising proposal. A life-changing secret. Will she live out a lie or follow her heart?

New York, 1847. Elanora dreams of marrying her childhood sweetheart Eustace. The proposal on her 21st birthday is everything she hoped for, until her fiancé’s father dispatches him to the West Indies. After the promise of a white Christmas with the man she loves evaporates, she stumbles upon a secret that could tear Eustace’s family apart…

After a sudden death further sends Elanora reeling, she’s as vulnerable as ever until a gifted photographer comes to her rescue. With the tragic love triangle forming before her eyes and the secret burning within her, she has an impossible Christmas choice. Will Elanora obey the powerful men who want to control her or will she trigger generations of consequences by exposing the truth?

Tangled Destiny is a prequel novella to the Of Gold & Blood historical mystery series.

Songbird by Inger Wolf, translated by Mark Kline:

On an early morning in May, the police find the heavily beaten body of Maja Nielsen in a public park in central Aarhus in Denmark.

She has fallen from a great height and her right arm has been cut repeatedly. Everything points to a suicide, and as the police dig deeper into the world of Maja, they discover a young woman plagued by paranoia and violent nightmares.

Something was tormenting her.

The investigation leads Daniel Trokic and his team to a distinct blood profile with traces of an unknown drug, a tattooed Colombian, and a particularly uncompromising animal rights activist who has been run over in a hit-and-run accident.

[image error] 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.

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Christmas 2018

Yes, I know that this Christmas post is a little late, but I had to get an article for Galactic Journey done first (which you should be able to read on Monday).

So here is, a little belated, the obligatory Christmas post for 2018 with lots of pics:

Let’s get started with the tree:

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Our Christmas tree, cut down, but without decorations.

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Our Christmas tree, fully lit and with decorations

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A closer look at the tree and the vintage decorations. Some of those are more than fifty years old.

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Another close-up look at the Christmas tree. The ruby heart and lots of gnomes hang out in this section.

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And yet another close-up look at the Christmas tree. This is where the wooden angels and cartoon characters hang out.

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My Dad in his armchair with the Christmas tree in the background. I like the double reflections in those huge picture windows that were really en vogue in the 1970s.

Of course, there were Christmas presents, too:

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Christmas presents wrapped (my Dad’s)

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My Dad unwrapping Christmas presents.

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Christmas presents unwrapped (my Dad’s) with an errant boob censored.

I’ve noticed that in recent years the “Hot Girls” calendar by Korsch has become more restrained, which is probably a sign of changing times. In past years, I sometimes had to put a sock or something like that across the calendar cover like a censor bar. Of course, Korsch’s “Hot Girls” has always been on the classier end of nudie calendars, though not as classy as the black and white nude photography calendars (which my Dad didn’t like the one time we bought one).

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Christmas presents wrapped (my Mom’s).

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My Mom is unwrapping Christmas presents.

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Christmas presents unwrapped (my Mom’s). The jar contains homemade quince jelly, courtesy of a neighbour.

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Wrapped Christmas presents (mine). The t-shirt and glittery necklace went unwrapped

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My unwrapping Christmas presents. Unfortunately, my Dad isn’t very good at taking photos with his phone.

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Unwrapped Christmas presents (mine). Behold all the lovely books. For those keeping count, the photo includes two books which the mailman (and it is a man) brought yesterday.

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These cute Playmobil warriors and their cats (and lone puppy) were a present as well from an initially mysterious benefactor, so thanks a lot (you know who you are).

Of course, Christmas is also a great food feast, so take a peak at our holiday meals:

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Christmas Eve lunch: Crawfish étouffée

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This classic holiday dinner (all the holidays, since it feeds a crowd) is herring salad made according to my grandmother’s recipe.

If you want the recipe for the herring salad, I shared it in January in this guest post over at the Skiffy and Fanty Show. I figured my grandmother and the women who came before her won’t mind me sharing our family recipe, since my Mom and I are among the very few people who still make it. Two of my aunts have the recipe, but I suspect they no longer make it due to age and/or ill health. And I have no idea if my cousins ever made it at all. But the recipe is much too good to go down with me some day, so I’ve decided to share my family recipes with the world, so they will bring joy to others.

Talking of family recipes, Christmas Day is traditionally curry day in our family, so it’s time for sailor’s curry. If you want that recipe, it’s in the author’s note of Freedom’s Horizon, because the dish shows up in the novel. Or you could just ask me.

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A big pot of comforting sailor’s curry and rice.

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The side dishes are a vital part of sailor’s curry. From top left, they are: chopped apple, lime pickle, mango chutney, atjar tjampoer (Dutch Indonesian pickled cabbage), chopped pickled beetroot, chopped onion, chopped gherkins, hardboiled egg, chopped banana.

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Boxing Day lunch was grilled deer steak with apple cranberry sauce.

The apple cranberry sauce recipe isn’t available anywhere, but you can always ask me.

Unfortunately, my parents ran out of milk over the holidays. And since all shops in Germany are closed on Christmas and Boxing Day, that might have been a problem.

But thankfully, there is Evers Milchtankstelle (Evers milk filling station), where you can buy fresh milk directly from the farm seven days a week. You can bring your own bottle and fill it up or buy one. There is also a vending machine selling eggs, cheese, walnuts, potatoes and sausages, all from local farmers.

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Evers milk filling station and vending machine in Warwe

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Three New Hallowind Cove Stories and a Facelift for the Whole Series

This is the final new release announcement for 2018 and it’s a big one, for I have not one or two but three new Hallowind Cove stories to announce as well as a quasi relaunch for the series.

The origin of the Hallowind Cove series lies in a shared world anthology which fell through. So I took my story for that anthology, changed the names and filed off the serial numbers and published the story as The Revenant of Wrecker’s Dock.

I didn’t intend to revisit Hallowind Cove. But then during the 2016 July short story challenge, I had an idea for a story that would be perfect for Hallowind Cove, a story which eventually was published as The Cursed Arm of Driftwood Beach. And so Hallowind Cove became a series.

During the 2017 and 2018 July short story challenge, I wrote two more Hallowind Cove stories. However, they languished on my harddrive, because Hallowind Cove series just doesn’t sell very well. And though I usually ignore conventional indie wisdom about marketing and cover design, it eventually became clear to me that the Hallowind Cove series was branded wrong and marketed at the wrong audience. The original monochrome covers (which you can still see here and here) had a horror vibe, but Hallowind Cove isn’t really a horror series, even though the town of Hallowind Cove is nigh permanently shrouded in fog and plagued by ghosts, monsters and vengeful zombies. However, the tone of the stories is humorous rather than scary and the attraction of the series lies in the quirky town and its equally quirky inhabitants.

In short, the problem with Hallowind Cove was that I was marketing the series to the wrong audience and had the two existing books in the wrong categories. Because Hallowind Cove is not horror, it’s cozy fantasy, a category which unfortunately does not exist on Amazon or any other online bookstore. However, the stores do have a cozy mystery category full of stories set in quirky small towns with equally quirky inhabitants, which are a large part of the attraction. Amazon even has a subcategory of paranormal cozy mysteries featuring witches, ghosts, etc… I’ve featured these books at the Indie Crime Scene (and they usually are crossposted to Indie Speculative Fiction of the Month as well) and know that they are massively popular. And the Hallowind Cove stories are certainly closer to those paranormal cozy mysteries than they are to straight horror. So I decided to aim them at the readership for paranormal cozy mysteries instead.

However, that left the problem of the covers. Because the existing monochrome photo covers were completely unsuitable for the cozy paranormal market, where candy-coloured cartoon covers and vector graphics rule surpreme. So I would have to rebrand the series and redo the covers as well and I would have to come up with a unified cover style that could be easily adapted for future books in the series. The new covers needed a cartoony look in keeping with genre conventions and I also wanted the covers to stress the maritime background of the Hallowind Cove series. Which was a problem, because the overwhelming majority of seaside related vector graphics available on the usual stock art sites were summery images of sunny beaches and palm trees. Whereas Hallowind Cove is permanently shrouded in fog and doesn’t have a single palm tree. So I put the two already finished Hallowind Cove stories on the backburner until I could figure out how to rebrand the series.

As longterm readers will know, I usually publish at least one holiday story every year. I initially planned for the 2018 holiday story to be an In Love and War novella, which is already partially written. However, the novella focusses on a character who hasn’t been introduced in the series proper yet due to a novel that has been giving me problems for two years now. Hence I set it aside (you’ll get it in 2019) and looked for another holiday story to write and came across a story start called A Hallowind Cove Christmas. So I got to work on the story and decided to use the opportunity to redo the covers and relaunch the whole series.

I also came up with an idea for the covers that was viable, doable with my skills, could be adapted for new stories in the series and also had a certain maritime flair that matched the series. The new Hallowind Cove covers are basically a vector graphic of a ship’s porthole. Inside that porthole, there is an image that fits the story in question, e.g. a zombie pirate for The Revenant of Wrecker’s Dock and a tattooed arm for The Cursed Arm of Driftwood Beach. You can see the new covers for both stories below:

[image error] [image error]

Meanwhile, the Hallowind Cove Christmas story or rather the beginning thereof focussed on Rachel Hammersmith, a character who briefly shows up in The Cursed Arm of Driftwood Beach, where we learn that Rachel is a newcomer to Hallowind Cove who took over the local bakery. Now baking and Christmas go together, which makes Rachel the perfect protagonist for a Hallowind Cove holiday story. And indeed, the abandoned story start I pick up chronicled how Rachel came to Hallowind Cove and how she came to take over the bakery. Next came a scene where several notable citizens of Hallowind Cove show up in Rachel’s bakery and tell her that only she can save Christmas. And that was as far as I’d written. Why can only Rachel of all people save Christmas and from what is she supposed to save it? If I ever came up with an answer to those questions, I sure as hell didn’t remember. And in fact I suspect that’s the reason I abandoned the story back in the day.

So I brainstormed potential Christmas related dangers, preferably of a supernatural kind, and quickly hit upon a holiday threat straight from German folklore, namely the Krampus, a scary devil-like monster that is a companion of Saint Nicholas in South Germany and Austria and punished the bad kids with his birch rod. The Krampus is certainly a suitably scary Christmas threat. There was only one problem. I didn’t actually know much about Krampus, because German folklore is very regional and Krampus just isn’t a thing in my part of Germany. In my part of Germany, Saint Nicholas travels with Knecht Ruprecht, a man with a bushy black beard who gives the bad kids a thrashing with a birch rod. And across the border in the Netherlands, Saint Nicholas travels with the Zwarte Piet, a black man in faux orientalist garb who doesn’t really thrash anybody, but manages to be controversial nonetheless. And since the Krampus isn’t really part of the culture I grew up with, I had to do some research.

Since the Krampus is a monster that thrashes the bad kids with a birch rod or kidnaps them and – in those parts of the German speaking world, where Krampus is a thing – people dressed up as Krampus run wild in the street on the night of December 5 (i.e. the night before St. Nicholas Day), it was obvious why the Krampus would be a threat to the peace of Hallowind Cove or what passes for it at Christmas time. Now the next question was, how exactly could Rachel of all people save the town from the Krampus’ wrath?

Now Rachel is a baker and therefore, it was obvious that the solution should be bakery related. So I researched whether there were any pastries associated with Krampus and found that there were. Even better, it was a type of pastry I was familiar with, namely figures of sweet leavened dough that are known as Stutenkerl or Weckenmann in my region and as Krampus elsewhere. What is more, it turns out that in addition of the “dough man with pipe” Stutenkerl that I was familiar with, there were also Krampus shaped dough figures in the respective parts of Germany and Austria. According to legend, the Stutenkerl with his pipe represents Saint Nicholas with his bishop’s crosier, while the Krampus shaped figures represent the Krampus. And indeed, the Krampus that visits Rachel’s bakery picks up a Stutenkerl for Saint Nicholas.

If you want to make your own Stutenkerl or Krampus, here is a recipe. Meanwhile, inspired by the story I was writing, I bought a ready made Stutenkerl at Janssen‘s excellent bakery in Oldenburg

[image error]

A Stutenkerl from Janssen’s bakery in Oldenburg, surrounded by some of their delicious cookies.

Since Krampus is traditionally the companion of Saint Nicholas, Santa himself show up near the end as well. And because Hallowind Cove is persistently fog-shrouded, Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer appears as well, even though he has nothing whatsoever to do with the Krampus and the traditional Saint Nicholas legend and is instead a 20th century American invention. I even managed to sneak in another legendary winter figure occasionally associated with Krampus, namely the winter witch known in South Germany and Austria as Frau Perchta or Frau Percht. In my region, she is called Frau Holle.

Established Hallowind Cove characters such as Hugo the talking raven and Ian, the landlord of The Croaking Foghorn pub (who even aquires a surname in this story) also appear. And Paul MacQuarie, the other newcomer to Hallowind Cove who is the protagonist of The Revenant of Wrecker’s Dock, shows up as well, first to buy a muffin at the bakery and later to help Rachel deal with the Krampus problem. The two of them quickly bond over their shared experiences and there’s even a kiss under the mistletoe.

Intrigued? Then read…

The Bakery on Gloomland Street

[image error] 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.

More information.

Length: 9300 words

List price: 0.99 USD, EUR or GBP

Buy it at Amazon US, Amazon UK, Amazon Germany, Amazon France, Amazon Netherlands, Amazon Spain, Amazon Italy, Amazon Canada, Amazon Australia, Amazon Brazil, Amazon Japan, Amazon India, Amazon Mexico, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, Apple iTunes, Google Play, Scribd, Smashwords, Inktera, Playster, Thalia, Weltbild, Hugendubel, Buecher.de, DriveThruFiction, Casa del Libro, e-Sentral, 24symbols and XinXii.

Though it was written earlier (yes, I write series out of order), the next Hallowind Cove story is a direct sequel to The Bakery on Gloomland Street. For The Mermaid of Foghorn Point follows the newly minted couple Paul and Rachel on their first date to The Croaking Foghorn pub. But this is Hallowind Cove and so their date does not at all go as expected.

The Mermaid of Foghorn Point is one of three Hallowind Cove stories to date to come out of the July short story challenge, where the idea is to write a short story per day during the month of July.  Like several of the July short story challenge stories, The Mermaid of Foghorn Point was inspired by an image, namely this piece of fantasy art by Axel Sauerwald, where some fishermen make a most unexpected catch.

Inspired by the image, I started writing a story about a fisherman returning to harbour and explaining to a customer why he came back empty-handed. After a few paragraphs, I realised that this was the perfect Hallowind Cove story. And so Eddie Bramwell, fisherman and captain of the ominously named The Doomed Privateer, regals Paul, Rachel, Ian and Old Hank with a marvelous bit of sailor’s yarn – or is it?

To find out, read…

The Mermaid of Foghorn Point

[image error] The catch of the day at the Croaking Foghorn is not at all as expected…

Strange things keep happening in the permanently fog-shrouded seaside town of Hallowind Cove, earning it the nickname “Harbour of the Weird”.

Paul and Rachel’s date at The Croaking Foghorn pub is derailed, when it turns out that local fisherman Eddie Bramwell brought home no fish, but one hell of a story.

But Paul has one hell of a story of his own to tell and he’s not at all sure how Rachel will react.

More information.

Length: 3400 words

List price: 0.99 USD, EUR or GBP

Buy it at Amazon US, Amazon UK, Amazon Germany, Amazon France, Amazon Netherlands, Amazon Spain, Amazon Italy, Amazon Canada, Amazon Australia, Amazon Brazil, Amazon Japan, Amazon India, Amazon Mexico, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, Apple iTunes, Google Play, Scribd, Smashwords, Inktera, Playster, Thalia, Weltbild, Hugendubel, Buecher.de, DriveThruFiction, Casa del Libro, e-Sentral, 24symbols and XinXii.

The Standarounds of Twilight Gardens, the third new Hallowind Cove story is more of a standalone (not to mention a standaround) and focusses on another crop of newcomers to Hallowind Cove, the Hutchinson family who visit the town on one of the rare non-foggy days and wind up buying a mansion that’s for sale for a ridiculously low price (and of course, none of the locals mention the fog or the many weird things happening in Hallowind Cove with the exception of Hugo the talking raven. And no one ever listens to Hugo). But this is Hallowind Cove, after all, so it’s clear that the Hutchinsons are in for an unpleasant surprise.

The Standarounds of Twilight Gardens is another story to come out of the July short story challenge, the 2017 edition in this case. The inspiration for the story was watching a trailer for what looked like a very bad low-budget horror movie. A little more than a year on, I can’t even recall the title of the movie, which shows how forgettable it was. I had to comb through the weekly link roundups at the Speculative Fiction Showcase from July 2017 to find it again (and it turns out that a lot of bad trailers for forgettable horror movies came out in July 2017). That movie had the usual set-up of a group of people trapped in an isolated house and menaced by sinister shadowy figures. At one point in the trailer, someone freaks out about the figures out there and someone else asks what the figures are doing, whereupon the first person replies, “Nothing”, which made me break in laughter. And so the standarounds – shadowy figures who literally just stand around and stare at random houses – were born. The standarounds themselves are also briefly mentioned in The Bakery on Gloomland Street, which was written after this story. Sheriff Alastair Angus Aberdeen also appears in The Bakery on Gloomland Street, by the way.

So prepare to meet The Standarounds of Twilight Gardens. And don’t worry, they’re harmless.

The Standarounds of Twilight Gardens

[image error] Sinister shadows menace a family…

Strange things keep happening in the quirky little seaside town of Hallowind Cove, earning it the nickname “Harbour of the Weird”.

When the Hutchinson family buy the beautiful Beauregard mansion on Gloomland Street, they believe they’ve made the deal of a lifetime.

But unfortunately, no one told them about the fog that envelops Hallowind Cove for three hundred and forty days a year. Or about the mysterious shadows that stand around Twilight Gardens, staring at random houses…

This is a short story of 3300 words or approximately 14 pages in the Hallowind Cove series, but may be read as a standalone.

More information.

Length: 3300 words

List price: 0.99 USD, EUR or GBP

Buy it at Amazon US, Amazon UK, Amazon Germany, Amazon France, Amazon Netherlands, Amazon Spain, Amazon Italy, Amazon Canada, Amazon Australia, Amazon Brazil, Amazon Japan, Amazon India, Amazon Mexico, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, Apple iTunes, Google Play, Scribd, Smashwords, Inktera, Playster, Thalia, Weltbild, Hugendubel, Buecher.de, DriveThruFiction, Casa del Libro, e-Sentral, 24symbols and XinXii.

If you want to read the whole series, there is also a series bundle available at DriveThruFiction at a reduced price.

And that’s it for the year. Next year, there will be more In Love and War stories, including at least one novel, more The Day The Saucers Came… stories, a new sword and sorcery series , After the End 2: More Stories about Life After the Apocalypse, Murder in the Family 2 and much more.

Happy holidays, whichever one you celebrate!

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Magic under the Mistletoe 2018 – 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, paranormal romance, paranormal mysteries, science fiction, space opera, time travel, post-apocalyptic fiction, plenty of dragons, werewolves, were-reindeer, elves, Krampuses, telepathic detectives, crime-fighting witches, orphans in danger, 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 with my round-up posts, this round-up of the best indie holiday mysteries is also crossposted to the Speculative Fiction Showcase, a group blog which features new release spotlights, guest posts, interviews and link round-ups regarding all things speculative fiction several times per week.

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.

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.

[image error] 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.

 

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.

[image error] 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.

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.

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.

[image error] 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.

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.

[image error] 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…

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

[image error] 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

[image error] 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.

[image error] 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.

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