Books I Read in December 2022

 Four books and one novella this month.

A Winter Book (2006) by Tove Jansson 

A Winter Book is a collection of semi-autobiographical short stories by Tove Jansson of Moomin fame, gathered from five previous collections. The stories in the first two sections deal with childhood and nature while the stories in the third section deal with old age. Spread through the book are black and white photos from the author’s life. While some of the stories didn’t seem to go anywhere, many of the others were quite moving.

A Christmas Carol and Other Christmas Writings (2010) by Charles Dickens 

A few years ago, I started reading “A Christmas Carol” every December so when I saw a used copy of the clothbound edition from Penguin Books, I picked it up. I enjoyed “The Goblins Who Stole a Sexton” and “A Christmas Carol” is a five-star read, but I found most of the other stories and essays to be too wordy. 

A Maigret Christmas and Other Stories (2017) by Georges Simenon 

This is a collection of three crime stories that take place during Christmas in Paris. The first story is an Inspector Maigret story while the other two stories feature other characters from the Maigret novels. 

In “A Maigret Christmas,” Maigret is at home with his wife on Christmas morning when two of his neighbors stop by and ask for his help after a break in by a man dressed as Father Christmas. 

“Seven Small Crosses in a Notebook” takes place in the police headquarters control room during Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. We follow André Lecœur, a telephone operator who works the night shift and keeps track of events by marking crosses in a notebook. Lecœur winds up working with members of Maigret’s team as they try to catch a killer. At first it felt like a standard police procedural but then I became more invested in the story as I gradually learned about Lecœur’s character, a loner whose unique way of looking at things aids in the investigation. It started off a little slow but became a page turner towards the end.

“The Little Restaurant Near Place des Ternes” is a shorter story that takes place in the seedy parts of Paris. A lady of the evening decides to go out of her way to help a naive young woman out on Christmas Eve. 

I was initially disappointed when I realized only one of the stories was a Maigret story but in the end, I enjoyed all three stories.

Christmas Gothic Short Stories (2022) forward by Dr. Jerrold E. Hogle 

This anthology includes over 400 pages of classic and new Christmas gothic short stories. It’s quite a selection with a nice variety. Most of the stories can be categorized as standard gothic style stories but there are also some humorous ones as well as some that are more horror than gothic. Although there were a few older stories that weren’t that great, it was a fun read. 

“The Shepherd” by Frederick Forsyth, from Great Flying Stories (1992) edited by Frederick Forsyth 

I’ve been wanting to read this novella ever since reading about it on a book blog.

On Christmas Eve of 1957, the pilot of a De Havilland Vampire jet is flying from northern Germany to Suffolk, England when his plane suffers electrical failure. I enjoyed this novella a lot. I liked the prose and the tension. I liked the ending as well, even as the pilot keeps coming up with rational explanations for what occurred, the reader can see coming.

According to Wikipedia, Forsyth wrote this story as a Christmas gift for his wife after she asked him to write a ghost story for her. He wrote the story on Christmas Day 1974. 

This fit in perfectly with the rest of the stories I’ve been reading this month. 

More Christmas Gothic Short Stories

Last year I learned about the history of ghost stories for Christmas and I read the ghost stories of M. R. James. I enjoyed them so much that I read Christmas Gothic Short Stories from Flame Tree Publications this year. The anthology includes over 400 pages of classic and new stories. In my last post I listed my favorites of the classic stories. This time I’ve listed my favorites of the new stories.

“Mr. Anders Meets a Stranger” (2022) by Marina Favila 

A toymaker is asked to make something elaborate for a mysterious pale man. When it’s completed the man brings his son to see it. The toymaker figures out that he hasn’t been dealing with an ordinary father and son. I liked the gothic horror/folklore-like atmosphere. 

“Aunt Hetty” by (2022) John Linwood Grant 

After hearing a story about how a fire broke out in the family house during Christmas of 1857, a man learns a family secret. Moody and well done.

“The Unforgiven” (2022) by K. M. Hazel 

An elderly man tells a story about what happened after a Christmas dinner from his childhood in which a mother’s act of kindness gets unwanted attention from the other side. Has a bit of a Dickens vibe with a punch. 

“Time and Tide” (2019) by Clare Marsh 

Two women are working at an island abbey on Christmas Eve. They keep track of when to return by using a tidal clock which lets them know when it’s safe to use the causeway. I liked the setting and how the history of the island ties into the ending. 

“The Last Christmas Tree” (2022) by Jane Nightshade

Three orphans from England are sent to live in America and arrive at Christmas. Strange things happen when they arrive. This one has a real nice old school ghost story feel to it. 

My top favorites:

“The Shallows” (2022) by Donna Cuttress 

A woman staying at a seaside resort during the Christmas holiday sees a woman fall from a rock into the ocean. When she tells someone, she’s told that she saw a ghost of a woman who died years ago. She is warned not to go into the shallows again, but she keeps thinking about the woman. The writing and the atmosphere gave me a strong M.R. James vibe. 

“Yule Cat” (2009) by JG Faherty 

Two children spend Christmas with their grandparents in the Appalachians. When their grandfather tells stories from Scandinavia of the Yule Cat which searches for lazy humans to eat, the children scoff. Their grandmother warns them that children today have forgotten the old ways. Later that night they discover how right grandmother is. I really liked the folklore in this one and the story was a wild ride.

“Christmas at Trelwany” (2022) by E. E. King 

A woman suffering from depression takes a trip to Trelwany Manor, the oldest estate in Cornwall. She plans on using the time to rest and finish a thesis she has been struggling with. While there she learns something about her mother and the area’s connection with witchcraft. I really liked the writing and the atmosphere in this one. 

“Gray Christmas” (2022) by Templeton Moss 

The people of a village call the disfigured old man that lives on the hill “The Gray One” and hide whenever he comes into town. One Christmas Eve a little girl sees him leaving his cottage and decides to follow him. I loved how this story commented on the passage of time and the forgotten dead. 

“The Dark-Eyed Boy” (2020) by M.C. St. John 

Twin boys are taken in by their uncle after their parents are killed. I liked how it was set up, how we learn the back story, and the introduction of Krampus folklore, and how everything ties together, all done in a few pages. Loved that ending. 

“Snowman” (2022) by Lamont A. Turner 

A family deals with an abusive father during Christmas. This one reminded me of stories from EC Comics. Excellent. 

“And a Piece of Coal Where Her Heart Once Beat” (2021) by Suzanne J. Willis 

Krampus, growing old, makes a decision about his future. Meanwhile a young girl decides she wants to meet Krampus. Short and dark with lyrical writing.

“Ashes at Midnight” (2022) by Cassondra Windwalker 

After a young woman is rescued from a fire by her childhood friend, she’s haunted by a strange figure. She grows up to marry her rescuer and he also becomes haunted but in a different way. A great story based on Irish myths. 

Between the classics and the new stories, Christmas Gothic Short Stories was a real fun read. 

Christmas Gothic Short Stories

Last year I learned about the history of ghost stories for Christmas and I read the ghost stories of M. R. James. I enjoyed them so much that this year I’m reading Christmas Gothic Short Stories from Flame Tree Publications. The anthology includes over 400 pages of classic and new stories. Here are my favorites of the classic stories. 

“Thurlow’s Christmas Story” (1894) by John Kendrick Bangs 

This author has three stories in this anthology, and they are all of a humorous type. I thought the humor worked best in this story. The first part of the story is a letter from a writer to his editor explaining why his story is late. His explanation involves a ghost and a mysterious benefactor who appears at the last minute. As humorous as the events are, the second part of the story which is the editor’s response had me laughing out loud. A fun story. 

“The Horror-Horn” by E. F. Benson 

A man on winter holiday in the Swiss Alps hears stories about dwarfish creatures covered in long hair. They supposedly live in the mountain caves of the Ungeheuerhorn, the Horror-Horn. Later the man gets lost in a snowstorm and learns the truth about the legends. The H. P. Lovecraft Wiki page states that Lovecraft spoke highly of the story. This one reminded me a little of Robert E. Howard. Fast paced and hair-raising.

“Christmas Re-union” (1947) by Sir Andrew Caldecott

This story takes place during a Christmas party. A couple have a guest staying with them, a man who has become rich after going to Australia with his uncle, who disappeared under mysterious circumstances. After receiving a letter from Australia, the guest becomes nervous and says he needs to leave. A department store Santa who the couple have hired for the children arrives and the guest becomes even more nervous. Secrets from the past and a mysterious Santa make for an eerie story. 

“Where the Christmas Tree Grew” (1888) by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman 

On the last day of school before winter break, a young boy and some other children tease Jenny Brown, a shy eight-year-old from a poor family. She’s told that Christmas trees grow wild in the forest with presents on them and that she had better go to the mountain and find one before they are all gone. This one had me reading frantically to find how it was going to end. 

“Bring Me A Light!” (1960-61) by Jane Margaret Hooper 

Thomas Winmore inherits a small estate with a mysterious past. The locals believe it’s haunted and stay away. Winemore spends the night alone in the estate. What he encounters there leads him to learning about a terrible event from the past.

“Told After Supper” (1891) by Jerome K. Jerome 

A group of people tell ghost stories while drinking whiskey punch on Christmas Eve. The humor is well done. Between some of the names (Teddy Biffle, Dr. Scrubbles) and the witty humor, it was like reading a ghost story by P. G. Wodehouse. 

“The Great Staircase at Landover Hall” (1900) by Frank Stockton 

A man visiting a village learns that a mansion is being put up for auction. The husband and wife who lived there passed away and the heirs do not wish to keep the old building. After being shown around he decides to buy the place. He spends Christmas Eve alone in the mansion. At midnight the ghost of a beautiful woman appears. What happens when you fall in love with a ghost that only appears for an hour, once a year? A touching story. 

My top four favorites:

“Wolverden Tower” (1896) by Grant Allen 

Maisie Llewelyn is invited to Wolverden Hall for Christmas and befriends two mysterious young girls. What’s the secret of the recently rebuilt church tower? This story started out like an episode of Downton Abbey and then quickly turned into a ghost story with ancient rituals. I loved the writing, the suspense, and the ethereal atmosphere throughout.

“The Kit-Bag” (1908) by Algeron Blackwood 

Just before Christmas a man borrows a kit-bag (duffel bag) from his boss, a lawyer who just represented a murderer. While packing for a trip he hears strange things and then starts seeing movement in his supposedly empty building. Then it appears that his bag has been moved. Atmospheric and very, very creepy. Fantastic story.

“The Old Nurse’s Story” (1852) by Elizabeth Gaskell 

An old nurse tells her charges a spooky story about their mother. This is a classic gothic ghost story: An isolated manor, organ music at night, winter storms, ghostly apparitions, and secrets from the past. Outstanding.

“Oh, Whistle, and I’ll Come to You, My Lad” by M. R. James 

A professor goes on a golfing holiday on the coast of England. While he’s there he investigates the ruins of a Templar preceptory and finds an ancient bronze whistle. Strange things begin to happen which leads to a final confrontation at night. I read this for the first-time last year, and it was a pleasure reading it again. One of my favorite M. R. James stories and one of my favorite ghost stories. 

Now that I’ve read all the classic stories in the anthology, I’m working my way through the new ones. 

Thoughts on National Novel Writing Month 2022

“Beginning is hard, but continuing is harder. The most important thing creators do is work. The most important thing they don’t do is quit.” - Kevin Ashton 

I participated in November’s National Novel Writing Month for the fifth time this year. I haven't finished a novel yet but then again, I’ve never gone in thinking I was going to actually write a novel in thirty days. Instead, I’ve used the month to try and finish some of my short story ideas. 

I had the following goals for NaNoWriMo this year:

• Complete four of my short story drafts by working on one a week.

• Write 500 to 1000 words a day.

• Beat last year’s word count.

• Write every day. 

Three of the drafts are incomplete stories from previous NaNoWriMo’s. The fourth is actually a completed story, the first story that I ever submitted for publication. It’s also my first rejection. I decided to apply some of the feedback that I received and expand upon it. My plan was to work on that one and then finish the other three. 

Beyond that, I hadn’t really done any planning or preparation. But as I began writing I realized that I was still trying to figure out my characters and their motivations. I started asking myself a lot of “how” and “why” questions. This led to asking and answering questions about my character's backstories and their world. I wrote these questions down and started writing out possible answers. This helped a lot, kept me writing, and led to ideas that I was able to put into the story. As helpful as it was, it wasn’t enough. 

When I got to the middle of the month it was clear I was running behind. I was writing every day, but only 200 to 600 words a day. And I was still working on the first story. 

I decided to rethink my goals and review what worked for me last year. In 2021 I read a book on writing for motivation, Creating Short Fiction by Damon Knight. It helped a lot. But this year I wasn’t reading anything like that. So, with all that in mind I came up with new goals:

• Finish the story I was expanding. 

• Try and get to a second story. 

• Increase my word count so I can beat last year’s word count.

• Read a book on writing. I pulled Steering the Craft by Ursula Le Guin off my shelf. 

• Write every day. 

I rethought my goals again within a few days. I just wasn’t increasing my word count and I was really wrapped up in the story I was trying to expand. So, I dropped two of the new goals. I decided to not worry about getting to a second story, not worry about beating last year's word count, and just focus on completing the one story. My stress level went down immediately. For the rest of the month, more often than not, I found myself getting into a writing groove when I sat down to write.

Reading Le Guin’s Steering the Craft was a big help. I had started it before, but I don’t think that I was ready for it. Between the feedback I got from all the people who read my story before I submitted it, and the feedback I got from the rejection, I had a better understanding of what kind of things I needed to improve. I didn’t finish the book but the advice and the exercises from the first few chapters were enough to motivate me to try and apply the lessons to my writing. 

One of the things I learned from NaNoWriMo this year is to adapt as you go. I felt good about my original goals but then reality set in. It helped to review and replan throughout the month. I think it also helped that I had more than one goal. I always had one particular goal to fall back on: Write every day, and update my word count, even if it was only one sentence. It kept me going. 

So, this is where I wound up at the end of the month:

• I met one of my original goals, to write something every day.

• I met one of my updated goals, to complete the draft of one story. 

 

NaNoWriMo is over and now I have some new goals: finish more stories.