There are times when you do things, in your life, that, often, even mystify yourself. This is the era I am in, at this moment. As a kid, I had many dreams of what my future would be like, as I am sure each of you have had. And yes, I am still disappointed that I don’t have my flying car or my jet pack. I remember dreams of being a scientist or a doctor in space. In other times, I dreamed of being a wildlife conservationist to preserve and protect the forests and wolf populations of our country, that one even led me to going to school for Environmental Science. But, as with most of us, with age our dreams seem to change. Very few of those dreams ever dared to venture into the uncharted land of which I am about to embark.
I fell in love with horror at a very young age, at the same time that I found a deep love for reading. Books and movies were my escape, as a child. They were my safe places in which I could hide and stand up to the things I was not able to, in my real life. Horror became a way for me to deal with the things in life that scared me, death, being alone, being made fun of for my differences, and etc. Through it I developed strength to try to combat my personal demons. I wondered how others didn’t see this magical power. My sister and I were raised with a mother who tried to impress on us how important reading was. I remember her saying to me that you can learn a lot in school but books are where true knowledge lies.
My love of books has never waned, even with the digital era I much prefer the look, feel, and smell of the printed word on paper bound in a cover. It is almost akin to being sacred. Reading a book is its own ritual, the words creating a spell to transport you to some place different, to experience a life created by someone else. Once finished, it leaves you changed – a different person. It becomes your experience, your story to share. This entranced me, made me want to create places for others to experience.
I toyed with writing over the years, made many attempts but always talked myself out of it. I never felt that any of the letters I strung along to create sentences were impactful enough to have someone feel. Every single attempt was filed away for no one to see, left to the dust encrusted shelves of memory. That all changed November 19, 2023. That night, Karl and I were returning home from a birthday trip I had planned for him in Bethlehem, PA. They were hosting a Christmas Market there and in the neighboring town of Nazareth. He has loved Christmas markets since going to them in Bavaria.
I, personally, have not been a huge Christmas fan but Karl absolutely loves it and his love has been quite infectious. My appreciation for it started when we had a trip to Budapest, Vienna, and Prague. Seeing Christmas in places I have never been and offering traditions that are slightly different from what I was used to, opened up a new world. So, as we were on our way back, I had this idea for a story that I needed to write. It was to be my love letter to Christmas, for Karl. The words just flowed from me, as we drove the six hours back to Mentor, Ohio. Each character spoke to me, gave me their feelings and their story, it was like talking to old friends.
I showed it to him and he loved it. Before I even knew what I was saying, I mentioned I wanted to use this as a chapter in a much larger story. From that story came three more scenes and in two weeks, the entire book came together. But that was not the biggest surprise to be had.
Christmas, last year, I received a gift that I could possibly never imagine. Karl had taken all of my stories, combined them and had then bound them in a book, for me. He also laid out a plan in which my book would be registered and published. Today, I sit here, one week from the day in which my book, A Christmas Menagerie, goes on sale. That’s right, there is a book out there that has my name on it as the author of four short stories that I wrote. It is a dedication to Karl for opening up my heart and mind to appreciate a holiday for what it means, not how it is often portrayed. It is a holiday about second chances, to grow beyond your meager limitations. And sometimes, it takes a slight scare, a bit of darkness to make you appreciate the light. As Bill Murray said in Scrooged “It’s… it’s the one night of the year when we all act a little nicer, smile a little easier, cheer a little more. For a couple of hours out of the whole year, we are the people we always hoped we would be. It’s a miracle.” I forgot that, over the years, and through him, I found it again.
With that, I am excited and scared to share with you my book, A Christmas Menagerie. If you are looking for a new Christmas story with a slightly darker edge, you’ve found it.
Welcome to A Christmas Menagerie, a haunting holiday anthology blending horror, hope, and the heart of the season. Step inside for dark tales that honor the warmth of Christmas while never letting you forget the cold outside the window. Inspired by A Christmas Carol and the folklore of Krampus, it reminds us that joy and judgment can arrive wrapped in the same bow. A modern Christmas classic for readers who like their holiday tales with a chill in the air. After all, it was Charles Dickens who tried to bring the spookiness of the season back to Christmas.
Here is a teaser trailer for the book’s release, check it out.
All versions of the book will be available on November 1st on Amazon, the Ebook is available, now, for preorder. All the details can be found on A Christmas Menagerie Facebook page, so be sure to check it out and mark your calendars. If you prefer, you can also check it out on A Christmas Menagerie Instagram page. I hope my book brings a new light to Christmas for you and your loved ones, this holiday season. So, what are you waiting for, click the links and get yours today. I do ask that if you enjoyed the book, please leave me a review on Amazon. This helps ensure that everyone will see my book, or at least those who need it in their lives.
Thanks to each and everyone of you at GayintheCLE, each of you have been a part of this journey and without your readership, I would not have gotten to a point where I wanted to share my stories with the world. Much love to each of you.
Gay in the CLE 