A Cold Christmas and the Darkest of Winters

A Cold Christmas and the Darkest of Winters is a collection of short stories with themes that range from sad to dark to horrifying. We are proud to present them to you in this anthology.

A collection of Christmas- and winter-themed short stories from an international group of authors with diverse perspectives. Each of the stories was selected for the incredible world building, character development, and fantastic storytelling. The collection is divided into two groups: stories that include Christmas or have a Christmas theme, and stories that take place in winter. None of these stories are for the faint of heart, and we strongly advise that everyone read the content notes in their entirety.

The Christmas tales are a mixture of profound loss and familiar fantasy with a fresh twist. The fantasy Christmas stories are a mixture, ranging from tales of despair and frustration to those with hope, delight, and an amusing twist.

The darkest of winters begins with a whimsical fantasy tale, followed by some paranormal tales that will leave you feeling haunted. Also included are dark fantasy, chilling and brutal horror, post-apocalyptic science fiction, and contemporary works. The contemporary works include tested tales of sadness and loss. There are no purely happy endings, but there are many thrills, chills, and surprises.

A Cold Christmas and the Darkest of Winters is an adult anthology with adult themes. If you would be triggered by, find disasteful, or be negatively impacted by any of the following subject matter, please refrain from reading the contents of this collection. The following is a list of the types of subject matter contained in the story or stories you are about to read.

Adult language    Postpartum depression

Depression        Mental health

Death        Death of child

Suicide        Maiming

Immolation        Sexual assault

Animal cruelty    Murder

Murder of a child    Massacre

Emotional exploitation

Abuse of elders    Alzheimer’s

Torture        Starvation

Apocalypse        Hospitalization

Gender bias        Bodily fluids

War            Abuse of POWs

Kidnapping        Climate Damage

Abandonment of a Child

Self Harm        Gore

Coming Winter, 2021 by Cinnabar Moth Publishing LLC

Cover by Ivan from BookCoversArt

ISBN: 978-1-953971-20-3 (Paperback)
ISBN: 978-1-953971-22-7 (Hardcover)
ISBN: 978-1-953971-21-0 (EPUB)
ISBN: 978-1-953971-23-4 (Audiobook)

Selected Reviews

I love these anthologies that are a quick little red for those moments like waiting in the doctor's office. This book was filled with terror and scary moments to keep you up at night. My fav!

RC

Fantastic collection of short stories that, in my opinion, make great Autumnal/Winter reading. Some are stark with there message, some beautifully written & all thought provoking.

AW

If, like me, you enjoy horror all year round, you're going to love this wintry collection. Each story is unique, and although they're all tied together, it was interesting to have so many unique voices withing the pages.

LS

The most eclectic and diverse collection of short stories that I've read with tales spanning multiple centuries, locations and realms, from the realistic to the fantastic. It is this that makes the anthology uniquely readable.

MA

Elin goes to visit her girlfriends family for Christmas, and discovers how real Father Winter is. A married couple faces years of heartbreak during winter. Must face one more. These and other tales will leave you shivering.

EH

An eclectic bunch of tales that can be read at any time, but I'd recommend NOT at bedtime! You might stop on one of the scary ones, and get some weird dreams as a consequence, like I did!

AL

I enjoy reading Anthologies! To me, it’s a great way to get out of a reading slump. I liked the short stories. The Authors did well constructing these short stories. It was nice to discover some new talent also

WH