Click on this image to find out who the lucky Winning Author is...Your prize print copy of "Tales for Canterbury" will be on its way to you in the New Year 🙂
Adventure or Terror...what awaits us beyond the sun...Click here to find out...
We’re underground…
They are hunting up there…
I found another survivor…
He not only survived but came up with this 6 day plan to survive…
We call him leader but…
His name is Matthew C Wood…this is what he saw
The Day the Sun Stopped Shining…
Five days left...Will we survive...What are you willing to do to survive?
“They say instinctively you know something is wrong – deep, deep down inside – before you really see the bigger picture. The tip-off is usually small, like it being cold in the house when your thermostat is set to warm the place up an hour before you ever wake.
It would have been my tip-off – had we not decided to invest in extra blankets in order to save some money on our bills. Fact is, the recession hit us hard. We needed all the help we could get. Needless to say, it was normal to wake up to darkness and biting cold at 6:30 on a winter’s morning.
Leaning over to shut off the alarm clock was a bust. It was as silent and lifeless at the street outside.
Weird. No streetlights, no lights in the neighbour’s houses? What was this, some kind of holiday nobody told me about? Fumbling around for the TV remote took a few moments and only serve to make my heart race when it failed to turn on.
“Is there another damn power outage?” My wife groaned beside me, “Man…”
“Yeah,” I muttered, “That’s it. power outage.”
“No coffee – guess I’m stoppin’ at Timmy’s today.” Timmy’s was a popular Coffee shop in town. For my wife it was a place of last resort – she couldn’t start the day without a good, strong cup of Joe, “Got some change?”
With a grimace I waved at the dresser. Not like I left my wallet any place else.
Despite the logical explanation, something still didn’t sit right. Why wasn’t the Cell Phone ringing with friends and neighbours asking/moaning/whining about the outage?
A quick check of that device found it to be as lifeless as every other gadget I’d tried so far, making my blood turn to ice. That thing was only charged overnight – if it didn’t work then either this was the world’s longest power outage, or something was wrong.
“Honey…” I was so wrapped up in my thoughts, running every possibility from Solar Radiation to the EMP produced from a Nuclear Detonation in my head, that I’d failed to notice her leave the bed, “Honeeey…”
“Mmm?” Still wasn’t paying attention.
“Come see.”
“Yes dear – in a second.” Now what in the world could I do to test my theories? Maybe try something battery-powered. Just two nights ago I had been reading this really obscure article about a Solar Storm throwing us all back to the 19th Century – was that guy right?
“HONEY!” She snapped, “COME…HERE.”
“What?!” I replied in kind, unhappy with being interrupted like that.
That moment, when she failed to get angry at the fact I’d been short with her, was when my mind finally went into a full-blown panic. She always took offence to being barked at. It would take the end of the flipping world to change that.
As I fearfully got out of bed and looked out of the window, my heart beating so fast and hard I could hear it, that I got my first look at the end of everything.
******
If the world were ending my three things would be:
Tell my wife and Kids how much I love them.
Make an attempt to survive (if possible)
Pray. A lot.
When Matthew is not hiding underground or fighting for survival…
Click on the Creepmas tree to take you to more creepy posts on the blog tour...Hurry! There are Prizes!
Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.
The children were nestled all snug in their beds, While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads. And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap, Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap….
Hold that thought…
Nope….wrong 12 days…
You have just arrived on the 12th day of CREEPFEST…
Yes! Readers I am afraid we have reached the last day of Creepfest…
(Moans and groans ensue…)
Wait this means you have 1 day to creep to all the wicked minds on this hop…
Click on the Christmas tree above and it will take you to a world of Creepfest…
Don’t go too far…because coming up I will be announcing the 2 winners of my reader challenge…Watch this space
“Twas the last night of Creepfest
when all through the Bloggosphere
creatures were stirring, children knew to fear
the voodoo dolls were pinned with scare
In dread that soon Patti Larsen would creep in there…
Run…she’s coming…scaring children is what she does best…”
Patti: “I love fairy tale villains. I really do. In fact, part of me wishes they could win, now and then…
My favorite of all? The Big Bad Wolf. The poor guy, I mean really. He’s the Wile E Coyote of the story realm, isn’t he? First it was those stupid pigs. Come on, people–pigs are FOOD. He was just doing what comes naturally. And he was hungry. Hell, I had pork for dinner last night. Does that qualify me in the BBW category?
Then there was that stupid little girl in the red hood. Talk about an idiot. Everyone knows going out in the woods alone with a basket full of food makes you a target. Sheesh. Grow up, kid. And the Wolf, well, he knew the Huntsman was on his trail, right? It’s not his fault Granny died of a heart attack when he tried to hide in her house. That little brat of hers told her own story, though, didn’t she? Made BBW look, well, big and bad.
And what about the boy who cried wolf? Trying to get BBW into trouble like that? Kids have no sense these days, nasty little bullies. He had to know it would just add to BBW’s already degraded reputation.
Yup, poor Biggie. He’s had it rough. But I aim to change all that. My upcoming novel, Red, tells the story as it really happened, as he partners up with Riding Hood to destroy the Huntsman, the real culprit of the story. Maybe then folks will start showing BBW a little respect.”
About the Author: Patti Larsen is a middle grade, young adult and adult author with a passion for the paranormal. Her YA thriller series, The Hunted, is available now. Books one and two of The Hayle Coven series, Family Magic and Witch hunt are also out now, with the sequels, Demon Child and The Wild, due in December of this year. She is a full time writer and a part time teacher of her Get Your Book Done program. Patti lives on the East Coast of Canada with her very patient husband and four massive cats.
Thanks Patti…Red sounds Amazing…I know we all look forward to its release. Don’t keep us waiting too long. Thank you for that first little glimpse on this last night of Creepfest…It has been a pleasure hopping with you this Creepfest! Wishing you a happy last night of Creepfest and a Merry Scary Christmas… 🙂
Click here to go blog hopping to more than 60 Holiday Hoppers...win prizes, enter contests and meet amazing indie authors...
Only 2 days left until the end of the #HolidayHop which means only 2 days left to enter the contest, win a prize here and be in for a chance to win the grand prize of a KINDLE FIRE….What are you waiting for? Rules for entering on the bottom of this post.
Today I welcome Robyn Porter onto the blog with her version of “The Three Little Pigs”…Enjoy!
Alexandra turned her thoughts to Krystoff and Edward. They’d pushed her to come out for the night. It was the night before Christmas and she had wanted to remain indoors. Edward and Krystoff had lived a longer life than she had and said they knew that the fables of Santa Claus were fake. It didn’t matter. All of her life she had loved the idea and magic of the holiday and this year was no different. Only change this year was the addition of both men in her life. Vampires, they always thought they knew everything.
“Come on Alex, I don’t want to be late!” Krystoff yelled from her door.
Moving around the room, Alex grabbed her coat and took one last scan of the area. Her tree was up, the white lights twinkling in the dim room. Beneath the tree she had put down her small snow scene, filled with a glass pond and miniature ice skaters. She’d gotten it from her mother’s things after she’d died. It was one of the few items she still had from her old life.
A pound at the door brought her back to the present. Opening the wooden door she found Krystoff and Edward standing outside.
“Are you ready?” Krystoff asked. “I want to get to the theater before the line forms.”
“Yes, give me one minute to secure my fireplace.”
“Oh come on, nothing is going to happen.”
Alex laughed. “I love Christmas, and though I do not believe in Santa Claus, I also do not want to leave my fireplace open.”
Moving towards the grating, Alex secured the entry point with a small lock and a chant of protection. Though she knew both men considered her silly, she didn’t care. It was part of her routine and one she refused to give in to. Turning back she found both men smiling at her. She knew they had shared some kind of joke at her expense, but she just brushed it off.
“Okay, we can go.” Alex replied.
Leaving the house, they headed out toward the town. Each of their homes began to fade into the snow that was falling around them when they heard a sound echo from above. Glancing around, Alex caught site of a flicker of light high above them.
“What was that?” Edward asked.
“I have no idea.” Krystoff answered. “Whatever it was it was above us and heading back toward our houses.”
Alex got the sudden urge to go home. Looking at both men, she knew they had the same feeling. Taking off, they headed back to Edward’s house first as it was the closet. Opening the door, Edward found his home was demolished. The roof had caved in and there was straw strewed all over the room. She tried to keep her smile at bay. She remembered telling Edward when he built the house that filling the attic with straw was dangerous. Now his house was impossible to live in. Looking past the mess, Alex noticed footprints near the fireplace. They were too small to be Edwards, which meant someone else had entered the home.
“Okay, this sucks.” Edward shouted. “What could have caused this kind of damage?”
“I don’t know, but I told you not to use straw when you built this death trap.” Krystoff said. “You should have copied my house.”
“Oh yes, because wood is so much better.” Edward bit back.
“Of course…”
Another sound from outside drew their attention. Running out the door, they headed to Krystoff’s home only to find that the roof had caved in as well. Stepping across what remained of threshold, Alex found wood strewn all over the place. Moving her gaze across the area, she found the same footprints near the fireplace. Her skin shivered knowing that someone, or something, was causing all the damage. Looking at both men, she knew they were furious.
“I am going to kill whoever has done this.” Krystoff yelled.
“You are?” Edward asked. “How do you think I feel?”
“You both need to relax.” Alex began. “Right now, let’s head back to my house. If both of yours have been hit, mine will be next.”
She could still hear sounds above them, but the darkened sky made it impossible to see anything. Walking through the thick snow, she got to her house within a few minutes. As far as she could tell everything seemed normal. Opening her front door, she heard noises above her head. Sounds of tapping on the rooftop. Dropping her coat to the ground, she rushed to the fireplace and made sure it was secure. As she reached the edge of the grate, a loud sound echoed within the darkness of the brick chimney.
“Whatever it is, it’s coming down.” Krystoff shouted.
Behind her both men drew out their swords. Alex wasn’t about to let them attack what was coming down, not until she knew what it was. Waiting, she held her breath in anticipation. One, two, ten seconds passed and nothing. Just as she stood, she felt her house shake, the force enough to make her balance falter. Falling to the ground, she heard another loud thud. Glancing back towards the fireplace she found a pair of boots standing on the timber, red clad pants moving up into the darkness.
“Who is that?” Krystoff asked. “A burglar?”
Alex leaned in closer and heard a muffled grunt behind the brick wall that covered the entry to the chimney.
“If you wouldn’t mind a bit of help, I fear I’ve gotten stuck.” A voice echoed from within the darkness.
“Give me a moment.” Alex answered back. “Now, I expect you to behave as I unravel your situation.”
“I will.” The stranger replied.
A few words whispered under her breath, Alex undid the spell of protection. The chimney flume released its hold on the man, and the rest of his body came crashing down into the small confines of the fireplace. Looking out from within the dust and ash was a man with a long white beard, his red clothes covered in soot.
“My my, this has been an awful night.” Santa began. “First, I land on a house that cannot hold even one of my reindeer’s and I come crashing in. Then, I try another home, and test it first and it seems sturdy enough, but when we land the roof caves in.” Santa stood up and brushed off his clothes. “Thankfully, your house was strong enough to hold my workers, but your chimney is quite odd.”
Alex knew both men behind her were unsure as to what to think. Both of their homes had been destroyed tonight, but only because they’d chosen the cheapest materials to build them with. She had always told them to use brick and concrete. If the situation wasn’t so crazy she might laugh. Now she found they a man who none though existed standing in her living room after destroying Edward and Krystoff’s homes.
“How are you going to get my home back?” Krystoff asked. “It’s completely destroyed.”
The man moved out from the fireplace and into the open. Alex could see that he still had cuts and abrasions from his fall through both houses. She wanted to apologize for what he’d gone through, but she knew that the boys were keeping their anger barely at bay.
“I am sorry for your loss, but I’ve never come across homes that were so weak.” Santa began. “How come you used such cheap materials? Don’t you know how dangerous that is?”
Edward moved forward. “We did not expect someone to land a hundred pound sleigh on the roof. It’s not supposed to happen.”
“I think we need to have him arrested for breaking and entering.” Krystoff replied. “Call the police.”
Alex took in all three men. “Enough.” she started
“He needs to pay for this.” Krystoff said. She watched as he got closer to Santa. “You give gifts all over the world, replace our houses.”
“Ho, ho ho,” Santa chuckled. “You both were naughty this year. Guess this karma thing does work.”
Before any of them could respond the man twitched his nose and was gone before they could say another word. Alex watched as both men rushed out the door only to stop at the end of the porch. Walking out to where they stood she looked up and saw what remained of Santa and his sleigh. He was already gone on to the next house and she had a good feeling the boys wouldn’t be able to catch him even if they tried.
“Hard lesson to learn guys, but one I hope you take to heart.” Alex said as she turned back toward her home. “Come on in and out of the cold. Let’s enjoy what remains of the evening and address your homes tomorrow.”
Both men shrugged and followed her inside. As the door shut Alex swore she heard Santa’s laugh fill her house, the empty spot below her tree suddenly filled with boxes of all sizes. Santa had left all their presents in one place. At least the holiday wasn’t a total loss. She just hoped the boys had learned their lesson.
Thank you for that fairytale Robyn. Glad you took up the challenge. Happy HolidayHop and Merry Christmas! 🙂
Remember, Readers there is a contest going on this blog for the HolidayHop. Read all the rules and take up the challenge here. There are fantastic prizes, just here on this blog you can win an ebook copy of an amazing collection of short stories plus you go into the grand HolidayHop prize draw for the Kindle Touch.Don’t forget to hop to the other bloggers this holiday season and let the festive spirit infect you!
Click on the Creepmas tree to take you to more creepy posts on the blog tour...Hurry! There are Prizes!
It’s eleven days in…almost the end but not yet…there are still plenty of tales to read, interviews to follow and giveaways to enter…so if you have been one of the naughty ones this blog hop and not entered yet…click on the Christmas tree above and get hopping…There is still time! Hurry!
Today I have the pleasure of Ruth Barrett on the blog…Ruth specializes in ghostly tales…
The fat man blinked hard as he returned to consciousness. His head roared with pain and a heavy, drugged sensation. He tried to lift his arm to rub his bleary eyes, but found himself immobilized.
What the hell…?
With difficulty, he peered down the length of his rotund body. He was naked. His bulging stomach strained against what looked to be yards of Saran Wrap pinning him down onto a table. Confusion turned to terror as his twinkling blue eyes darted about the room. Beneath sheets of plastic meticulously taped in place, he recognized his own North Pole stables. His breathing quickened in visible white puffs in the chill air as he went over the last moments he recalled: slipping down a chimney in Miami, bending over his gift sack… then a sharp prickle in the side of his neck.
The fat man’s gaze landed on a display of photographs: dozens of reindeer who had served him well, only to be served as venison when they grew too old.
A man’s voice spoke low in his ear:
“Greetings, Santa. I am your Ghost of Christmas Past.”
Santa gasped as a blade deftly sliced a thin cut on his cheek…
[Note to bloghoppers-Aside: So just a reminder…Ruth’s Flash Fiction is the eighth entry into the Creepfest Challenge…Let me know what you think of it and check back here tomorrow for the seventh offering as you are going to help pick the winning Creepfest author at the end of the tour. Please let me know, in your comment below (or rate it at the top with stars), how you rate this eighth entry, in the challenge, by the imaginative Ruth Barrett out of 5 stars (5 = Brilliant).]
Ruth Barrett
Ruth Barrett is the author of Base Spirits: In 1605, Sir Walter Calverley’s murderous rampage leaves a family shattered. The killer suffers a torturous execution… but is it truly the end? A noble Yorkshire house stands forever tarnished by blood and possessed by anguished spirits.
Some crimes are so horrific, they reverberate through the centuries.
As an unhappy modern couple vacation in the guesthouse at Calverley Old Hall, playwright Clara, and her scholar husband, Scott, unwittingly awaken a dark history. Clara is trapped and forced back in time to bear witness to a family’s bloody saga. Overtaken by the malevolent echoes, Scott is pushed over the edge from possessive husband to wholly possessed…
Inspired by a true-life drama in Shakespeare’s day, this is itself a play within a play: a supernatural thriller with a historical core.
Also available as a paperback through Fanfare Books fanfare@cyg.net or Callan Books jcallan@orc.ca I will personally inscribe them upon request before shipping.
Ruth, you had me at “Dark Passenger”…Loved this festive spin on “The Dark Passenger”… Great story. Looking forward to tucking into your book, Base Spirits over the festive season. Happy Creepfest & Merry Christmas Ruth! 🙂
Don’t forget to enter my #Creepfest Reader Challenge….This is the last day to enter…Tomorrow I post the results and the winners…Hurry you could still be a WINNER!
Question: The Ghost of Creepmas (Creepfest’s Christmas) Past is making a house call and this week he is visiting your house. He takes you back through time to your worst Christmas Nightmare. (This can be real or imagined.) Tell me about it in 200 words (max) in the comments section.
…then complete the following tasks set by the Creepfest Grinch to be eligible for the prize
after all this is done: tweet that you have been visited by#GhostofCreepmasPast and tag me @AuthorKimKoning
Also make sure that you are hopping to the other blogs in this #Creepfest Blog Tour
These 5 tasks will make your entry eligible for the prize….
I will choose a winner and a runner-up on the 24th.
The winner will win an ebook copy of Tales for Canterbury + $10 Amazon voucher
The runner-up will win a $10 Amazon voucher.
For more info on Tales for Canterbury (which includes my debut short story “The Ring of Fire), click below…
A fantastic anthology of 34 talented authors including: Neil Gaiman, Jeff Vandermeer, Jay Lake, Sean Williams along with others. (Includes my debut short story - a YA dystopian "The Ring of Fire)
Once upon a time there was a seventeen-year-old girl name Emma. Emma was loved by all but especially her grandmother. Her grandmother loved her so much she made her a fine red velvet riding cloak. She wanted to ensure that Emma was nice and warm on the long walks that the girl liked to take. Emma loved the cloak so much that she never took it off, and everyone called her “Little Red Riding Hood.”
One day her mother asked Emma to take some cookies and milk to her ill grandmother. Her mother instructed her to behave properly while she walked and once she made it to her grandmother’s. It was important to stay on the right path and to respect her elders.
And so Emma left for her grandmother’s. The walk was far and Emma knew that if she dawdled, her poor sick grandmother would have no sweet cookies to help her feel better or nice milk to soothe her throat. Emma walked quickly and kept to the path.
“Good morning, Little Red Riding Hood.” A man dressed in all red called out to her.
“Morning, Mr. Claus.” She replied.
“Where are you headed all alone?” He smiled at her with rosy cheeks.
“I’m going to see my sick grandmama.” She told him.
“What do you have in your basket?” His eyes glittered like two shiny pieces of coal.
“I’m bringing my grandmama some cookies and milk to help her feel better.” Emma smiled at Santa Claus, her straight black hair following around her hood with the sudden breeze.
“Cookies and milk you say?” He licked his lips.
“Yes, now I really must be on my way.” She walked quickly away for she knew just how far her grandmother’s was.
Now Santa Claus thought to himself, “ that girl would surely be on the nice list. Bringing treats to her ailing grandmother. I bet they are very good cookies and the milk is nice and cold… I must be very crafty if I am to get those cookies.”
So Santa walked behind Emma for a little while. When he was certain of where she was headed, he slipped passed her and went to the grandmother’s cottage. He twitched his red nose, a few stray cookie crumbs falling from his beard and up he flew onto the roof. The chimney held no fire, so down he went.
He slid out the bottom in a nice cloud of black.
“Who’s there?” The woman called out from her room.
“Do not fret, it is only Saint Nick.” His voice full of joy.
“It’s not Christmas, what are you doing in my home?” She shouted.
Santa Claus quickly looked around the room for something he could use to tie the woman up. He found a pair of nylons hanging by the fireplace- along with a pair of socks. He grabbed them both and made his way to her room.
“What are you doing?” The woman called out in distress.
“You’re on the naughty list,” was all he said as he tied the old woman up and stuffed her in the closet.
He pulled on her robe and nightcap and got in the bed.
Little Red Riding Hood knocked on her grandmother’s door. She was tired from her long walk and wanted to return home to hang out with Dominic.
“Come in, Little Red.” A gruff voiced called out.
Emma was concerned because her grandmother didn’t sound well at all. She entered the house and found it to be quite dirty and dark.
“Grandmama?” Her voice barely over a whisper.
“I’m in my room.” She heard the reply.
She inched closer to the room, feeling dread and worry.
When she walked in, her grandmother looked bloated and odd.
“Grandmama, are you alright?” She asked as she came closer to the bed.
“I’m just a little under the weather, that’s all.” The gruff voice told her.
“Oh! Grandmama,” she said, “your ears have grown- they’re quite big now.”
“All the better to hear you, my dear child,” was the reply.
“But your eyes, what big eyes you have!” She said.
“All the better to see you with, dear.”
“And your hands, they’ve become so large!”
“All the better to hug you with.”
“Oh! But, grandmama, your mouth is so big!”
“All the better to eat your delicious cookies with.”
Santa jumped from the bed and snatched the baskets of treats from the frightened girl.
“Where is my grandmother?” She demanded.
“Don’t make me put you on the naughty list too, Red.” The fat man replied.
Emma watched in horror as Santa Claus devoured the cookies and guzzled the milk. His mouth crusted in crumbles. She was disgusted with the jolly man. Then she heard a noise.
She crept to the closet and found her grandmother tied up inside. She quickly undid the knots and freed her.
“Oh, it is on Santa.” Her grandmother exited the room and came back with a heavy cast iron skillet.
“How did you…” The shocked Santa said.
“You think you can just barge into my home, eat my treats, and leave me tied up in my own closet?” Her grandmother took a swing at Santa.
“Now, now.” He chuckled at her.
“I put you on the naughty list, Mr. Claus. Go back to your pole.” She swung and connected with his head.
Down he fell in a lump of red.
“Grandmama!” Emma squealed in shock.
“Don’t you worry, Emma. Get Grandmama the shovel… I’ve some trash to bury.” The old woman said to the girl.
Santa and his cookie stealing ways never bothered anyone ever again.
Thank you for that flash piece Jesse. I have always loved the story of Red Riding Hood and I enjoyed reading your version. Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday Hop. 🙂
Remember, Readers there is a contest going on this blog for the HolidayHop. Read all the rules and take up the challenge here. There are fantastic prizes, just here on this blog you can win an ebook copy of an amazing collection of short stories plus you go into the grand HolidayHop prize draw for the Kindle Touch.Don’t forget to hop to the other bloggers this holiday season and let the festive spirit infect you!
I thought I would share a little insight on December Solstice or Night of the Midnight Sun in honour of both the event and #Creepfest…
December Solstice usually occurs between 20/12 and 23/12 every year. This year it falls on the 22nd. This solstice celebrates the return of light and the continuing circle of seasons and life. Here are some ways that cultures around the world have celebrated the Solstice…
Yule is also known as Alban Arthan and was one of the “Lesser Sabbats” of the Wiccan year in a time when ancient believers celebrated the rebirth of the Sun God and days with more light. This took place annually around the time of the December solstice and lasted for 12 days.
Yule: The Feast of Juul was a pre-Christian festival observed in Scandinavia at the time of the December solstice. Fires were lit to symbolize the heat, light and life-giving properties of the returning sun. A Yule or Juul log was brought in and burned on the hearth in honor of the Scandinavian god Thor. A piece of the log was kept as both a token of good luck and as kindling for the following year’s log.
In England, Germany, France and other European countries, the Yule log was burned until nothing but ash remained. The ashes were then collected and either strewn on the fields as fertilizer every night until Twelfth Night or kept as a charm and or as medicine.
In Ancient Rome the winter (December) solstice festival Saturnalia began on December 17 and lasted for seven days. It was held to honor Saturn, the father of the gods and was characterized by the suspension of discipline and reversal of the usual order. Grudges and quarrels were forgotten while businesses, courts and schools were closed. Wars were interrupted or postponed and slaves were served by their masters. Masquerades often occurred during this time. It was traditional to offer gifts of imitation fruit (a symbol of fertility), dolls (symbolic of the custom of human sacrifice), and candles (reminiscent of the bonfires traditionally associated with pagan solstice celebrations). A mock king was chosen, usually from a group of slaves or criminals, and although he was permitted to behave in an unrestrained manner for seven days of the festival, he was usually killed at the end. The Saturnalia eventually degenerated into a week-long spree of debauchery and crime – giving rise to the modern use of the tern saturnalia, meaning a period of unrestrained license and revelry.
In Poland the ancient December solstice observance prior to Christianity involved people showing forgiveness and sharing food. It was a tradition that can still be seen in what is known as Gody.
In the northwestern corner of Pakistan, a festival called Chaomos, takes place among the Kalasha or Kalash Kafir people. It lasts for at least seven days, including the day of the December solstice. It involves ritual baths as part of a purification process, as well as singing and chanting, a torchlight procession, dancing, bonfires and festive eating.
Many Christians celebrate St Thomas’ Day in honor of St Thomas the Apostle on December 21.
In Guatemala on this day, Mayan Indians honor the sun god they worshipped long before they became Christians with a dangerous ritual known as the polo voladore, or “flying pole dance”. Three men climb on top of a 50-foot pole. As one of them beats a drum and plays a flute, the other two men wind a rope attached to the pole around one foot and jump. If they land on their feet, it is believed that the sun god will be pleased and that the days will start getting longer.
The ancient Incas celebrated a special festival to honor the sun god at the time of the December solstice. In the 16th century ceremonies were banned by the Roman Catholics in their bid to convert the Inca people to Christianity. A local group of Quecia Indians in Cusco, Peru, revived the festival in the 1950s. It is now a major festival that begins in Cusco and proceeds to an ancient amphitheater a few miles away.
Aside – One of my favourite books deals with the legends of the Solstice as well as other ancient stories that permeate early European cultures…
Click on the Creepmas tree to take you to more creepy posts on the blog tour...Hurry! There are Prizes!
We’re behind the EIGHT-ball today, eight days into #Creepfest and the fun is still not over…
Have you been hopping to the other blogs on the tour…click on the tree above to get the full tour list…
You do not want to miss out…these are chances at early Christmas gifts that you won’t just be able to get in a shop…they have each been specially chosen for you by the #Creepfest authors…there are books, there is swag…hop to it…there is still time…
Talking of which…I need some more entries for my contest…you can own a collection of 34 short stories by authors far and wide…including tales by Neil Gaiman, Jeff VanderMeer, Jay Lake…
+ my debut dystopian tale: “The Ring of Fire” + Amazon Gift Vouchers…
HURRY…there are only 4 days left of the tour…4 days left to hop to all the blogs and grab as many contest entries as your hot,greedy little hands can hold…Hurry..Hurry…The clock is ticking….
Today I have some bone-rattling and spine-chilling Creepmas poetry to share with you offered up for sacrifice by the deceptively innocent Marissa Farrar…
#Creepfest Author’s Flash Fiction Challenge
1.) Re-imagine Santa’s visit to drop off gifts by putting a #Creepfest spin on it. Max words: 200
Christmas Eve, I’m woken by the sound of moans,
And in the distance comes the rattle of bones.
Outside I come to stand and stare,
For what monstrosity should I find there?
Not bells but strung skulls are what I hear,
The elves who didn’t work so hard this year.
The reindeer snort, huffing hot air in plumes,
Eyes glow red as they paw with cloven hooves.
Santa’s not fat or jolly – those were lies,
He’s a skeleton with black holes as eyes.
Nightmares in his sack contain little cheer,
He’s here to deliver Creepfest this year.
[Note to bloghoppers-Aside: So just a reminder…Marissa’s Flash Fiction is the seventh entry into the Creepfest Challenge…Let me know what you think of it and check back here tomorrow for the seventh offering as you are going to help pick the winning Creepfest author at the end of the tour. Please let me know, in your comment below (or rate it at the top with stars), how you rate this seventh entry, in the challenge, by the deceptively innocent Marissa Farrar out of 5 stars (5 = Brilliant).]
2.) On Santa’s list this year, would you be naughty or nice? Tell me three ways you got on to either the naughty or the nice list.
I think I’d have to be on the nice list. While I certainly have my vices, I do try to be good! Okay, so three ways I’ve been nice… 1.) I’ve helped out a number of my author friends with new covers for their eBooks and by writing reviews. 2.) I regularly have a house full of children because I’m often helping out fellow mums by looking after their kids. 3.) Hmm… I can’t think of a third! Perhaps I should be on the naughty list after all! 3.) Who is your favourite villain in a classic fairy-tale and why?
It has to be the Snow Queen from Hans Christian Anderson’s fairy tale, ‘The Snow Queen’. It’s so haunting and eerie. I just love the beauty and sorrow of the story.
4.) If you were a character in “The Christmas Carol”…who would you be and why?
The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. I’m terrible about always looking ahead. Sometimes I have to remind myself to appreciate what I have here and now.
5.) What gift would you leave under the tree if you were the Christmas Grinch?
It would have to be the gift my uncle gave my mother one year – a carrier bag with his company’s name on the front. I kid you not…
Caught in a violent and abusive relationship, Serenity thinks there is no escape.
Upon meeting a stranger, Sebastian, she is shown the possibility of a different future.
Only Sebastian has a dark secret; he is a vampire.
As Serenity’s life takes a terrifying turn, she finds herself drawn into a world she never knew existed; one of murder, love and immortality. She is forced to confront her own weaknesses to save both her own life and that of the vampire she has come to love. But in the end all that matters is; can she find the strength to be Alone?
Book two in the ‘Serenity’ series, ‘Buried’ is also now available to buy from your favourite eBook store!
Thank you Marissa for that very chilling poetic twist on Creepmas…I think I hear moans even now as I write this…better bolt the doors tonight! Happy Creepfest and Merry Christmas Marissa! 🙂
The Reader Challenge
~13/12 – 23/12~
I am going to ask you a question and you are going to answer it in the comments. Only 1 entry per person is allowed. However, to be eligible you need to:
after all this is done: tweet that you have been visited by#GhostofCreepmasPast and tag me @AuthorKimKoning
Also make sure that you are hopping to the other blogs in this #Creepfest Blog Tour
These 5 tasks will make your entry eligible for the prize.
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So drumroll…Here is the question challenge.
Question: The Ghost of Creepmas (Creepfest’s Christmas) Past is making a house call and this week he is visiting your house. He takes you back through time to your worst Christmas Nightmare. (This can be real or imagined.) Tell me about it in 200 words (max).
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I will choose a winner and a runner-up on the 24th. The winner will win an ebook copy of Tales for Canterbury + $10 Amazon voucherThe runner-up will win a $10 Amazon voucher.For more info on Tales for Canterbury (which includes my debut short story “The Ring of Fire), click below…
A fantastic anthology of 34 talented authors including: Neil Gaiman, Jeff Vandermeer, Jay Lake, Sean Williams along with others. (Includes my debut short story - a YA dystopian "The Ring of Fire)
Click on the eye to take you to my sneak peek excerpt (Hosted by Ash Krafton)Click on the Creepmas tree to take you to more creepy posts on the blog tour...Hurry! There are Prizes!
Click here to go blog hopping to more than 60 Holiday Hoppers...win prizes, enter contests and meet amazing indie authors...
The backdrop is Rapunzel’s tower. The story is told from my character’s point of view. Thanks for the opportunity! Rikki Strong
I’d been sitting in the cold, dark tower for hours trying to get a good look at my target. I had been tracking him for days and finally found him camping out in the middle of nowhere. Why he didn’t bother to actually come in the tower—preferring to huddle beside a small campfire on the edge of the clearing sleeping in a tent on this cold winter’s night—was beyond me, but who really knows what goes on in the minds of criminals?
Before I could detain him—without, you know, getting arrested myself for assault—I needed to catch him doing something wrong. But, for some reason, this guy—who had been involved in multiple kidnappings and disappearances of women from Kingston—didn’t seem to want to do anything except sit at the edge of the clearing and look up at the large, out-of-place, run-down tower I had hidden in.
I had just settled in for a long, tedious night of watching the flickering campfire when I began to hear bells in the distance. The sound kept getting nearer and nearer until it seemed like it was right on top of me. I heard footsteps on the rickety roof above me. I knew that the only way in or out of this room was the chimney—it was how I had gotten in the room myself. For some reason, my villain down below didn’t seem to be phased by this. Either he was in on it, or… I took out my small monocular and realized he had fallen asleep.
Good, I thought, putting away my monocular and blending into the shadows. I won’t have to worry about him running away while I take care of this guy.
The stranger slipped through the narrow chimney silently.
This guy must be a mutant, I thought. Not even my countless hours of physical and mental training allowed me to slide down the brick tunnel silently.
When the intruder climbed out of the fireplace, his super status was confirmed. The guy was enormous! That he was able to even come down without getting fatally stuck was a testament to mutants everywhere. The only question on my mind, though: superhero or supervillain?
The red-costumed stranger began searching the hearth for something. His attention diverted, I began creeping silently toward him. If I could take him by surprise, then perhaps I could neutralize him before he was able to alert my prey.
I couldn’t hear the sound that alerted the stranger to my position, but he certainly did. He began turning around and I froze, praying I was enough in the shadows that he wouldn’t see me. The room was much too small for a proper fight.
“Rapunzel?” he whispered in a kind-sounding voice. I stayed silent. He peered through the darkness and smiled at me. “Sorry, wrong tower. Hello, Tamara,” he said.
I blinked. How did he know my name? My real name? I looked at him closer and my mouth dropped.
“Santa?” I asked. “Really? Tim’s never going to believe this!”
“Ho ho ho,” he laughed. “I suppose I should be calling you Karis, since you’re in costume.” He dug through his bag and pulled out an ornately-wrapped present. “It’s difficult finding a gift for the girl who has everything, but here is a little something for you.”
I opened the package and found a small, silver picture frame. In the frame was the last photo taken of my family before they had been killed. “How did you get this?”
“Merry Christmas, Tamara,” Santa said. And then he was gone.
Thank you Rikki…It was lovely re-imagining Rapunzel with your special, imaginative spin. It was a pleasure having you on Dragonfly Scrolls. Happy HolidayHop and Merry Christmas! 🙂
Remember, Readers there is a contest going on this blog for the HolidayHop. Read all the rules and take up the challenge here. There are fantastic prizes, just here on this blog you can win an ebook copy of an amazing collection of short stories plus you go into the grand HolidayHop prize draw for the Kindle Touch.Don’t forget to hop to the other bloggers this holiday season and let the festive spirit infect you!
Kim Koning 