By: Terry Broxson, Lee Allen Hill, Diane Kenel-Truelove, Ann Mullen-Martin, Jay Squires
Publisher: Atmosphere Press
Publication Date: July 31, 2024
ISBN: 979-8891323797
Reviewed by: Carolyn Haley
Review Date: August 27, 2024
This anthology proves that nice stories don’t have to be dull. Aptly named 12 New Christmas Stories, it comprises a dozen fresh tales presenting emotions and events associated with Christmases past and present.
Opening with a young boy and his dog in the high desert trying to buy a turkey for his mother for the holiday meal (but losing it to a mountain lion on the way home), and closing with another young boy in the city trying to arrange a special meal for his firefighter mother (who can’t be home in time, and he can’t cook), the stories range across Christmas traditions. Each offers a creative and poignant twist on family meals, gift exchanging, Santa Claus, shopping, singing, and choosing a tree.
The common denominator is Christmas as a time to give and receive from the heart, covering diverse “reasons for the season.” Kindness and generosity are the prevailing themes, and manifest in different forms.
All the stories present hardships and feelings ordinary people can relate to. We experience them through the eyes of children from tots to teens, along with adult men and women, representing different cultures and faiths. There’s even a talking cat who tells how she came to be named Holly, through a pedigree back to the Old West.
The collection differs from most by mixing fiction and nonfiction; or, more precisely, memoir, drawing from the nonfiction authors’ personal reminiscences. The mix highlights the close relationship between reality and fiction, showing how universal truths can be expressed through story.
One does not need to be a Christian to understand and share the spirit of Christmas conveyed through these tales. A paragraph from “Bring Back the Carolers” captures the book’s essence: “As we sat there, munching our cookies, sipping the scalding liquid from cups cradled in both hands, dabs of white cream on the tips of our noses, the Spirit of Christmas seeped right down into our bones, stored like a muscle memory where it would never be forgotten.” These stories seep into the body and soul in a similar way.
An introduction by contributor Terry Broxson explains how he came to gather the material from prize-winning authors he met through participation in FanStory, an internet writer’s forum. Five of the authors contributed one to three stories each to compile this original collection. Some stories are sad or nostalgic, most are sweet, and one has a laugh-out-loud-funny resolution. All are thought-provoking, and none contain the types of ugliness that pervade modern fiction and media.
The stories are short and easy to read, equally appropriate for private savoring or group sharing. The volume is ideal as a stocking stuffer. It’s also ideal any time one needs a shot of inspiration or something to comfort and inspire others. The authors invite all readers to not just enjoy the stories as a holiday tradition, but also to create their own traditions year-round to celebrate the spirit of Christmas.
Quill says: If you want or need to have your heart warmed, treat yourself to 12 New Christmas Stories, any time of year—and pass the warmth around!
For more information on 12 New Christmas Stories, please visit the book’s website at: 12newchristmasstories.com
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